Sabres @ Rangers Live Chat

First to one wins. Saw the Caps/Rangers game last night live and the Rangers play very good defense but, despite 30 shots, had little chance to win the game. They didn’t really test Theodore at all. Given our goal scoring woes, you’d expect a tight checking, low scoring affair.

So, when the final is 7-5, you’ll see how much I know.

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Philthy @ Buffalo Live Chat-ski

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Caps @ Sabres Live Chat

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Link to Live Chat

I’m sure most of you are aware of this, but there’s a big blogger livechat going on today. Most of your Buffalo sports blogs are involved (the more refined ones, anyway) and the link is here.

Things that make me stab my temples with a screwdriver

A quick note on Trade Deadline Day:

I’m listening to WGR while at work. A caller JUST called up and suggested that Darcy should do something because: “We have a surplus of defencemen…”.

Holy.

Goddamned.

Shit.

It’s as if these goddamned fans don’t remember ANYTHING about the 2006 playoffs. It’s as if they don’t recall suiting up JEFF FUCKING JILLSON in a Game 7. It’s as if they don’t have the image of RORY FITZPATRICK looking around for the loose puck while HorseFace Brindamour tapped home the game winning goal burned into their memories. IT’S AS IF THEY ARE FUCKING IDIOTS.

(I should note that, no, I’m not one of those “Darcy should have added a defenceman at the deadline!” history revisionists. There’s no way you can foresee that many injuries. But holy shit, there are fans that want to actively rid us of talented, playoff-savvy blueliners right now? Good grief!)

Sabres @ Pens Live Chat

And the Lord sayeth to Lalime, “Slay the mighty Penguin in his Igloo with thine stick and thine glove and thine people shall be free.” Lalime, though fearful, obliged the Lord. “Aye,” he said as he rose and went to the land of the great Crosby, the superlative Malkin and the below average Dupuis. And Lalime obliged the Lord by smiting the Penguin. And the Penguin was smoten. And those from ye olde town of Buffalo rose up and exhorted a mighty roar in honor of Lalime. “Lalime”, they yelled into their goblets of finest ale, “there goeth one below average backup. But he be our backup, and we love him.”

Amen.

7:30. Sabres. Pens. Lalime. Their backup. Be there.

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Welcome Back!

A two-week break from the Sabres was awesome; would you like to know why? Because it meant I got to go two weeks without being inundated with the following comments (see if you can add your own):

- Tom Golisano is cheap!
- Tom Golisano doesn’t care!
- Larry Quinn isn’t a “hockey man”!
- Darcy Regier is an idiot!
- Darcy Regier never makes trades!
- Computers do the Sabres scouting!
- Lindy Ruff is overrated!
- Lindy has lost the room!
- Fire Lindy!
- The team is soft!
- The team has no heart!

My God, how did it come to this? The Sabres are mired in last place, probably likely to end up picking in the top-three, and there is no hope for the future in sight. Of course, that’s not true, but you would think it is by the way people carry on about this team.

Buffalo is now abuzz about the upcoming trade deadline, and the general consensus is that Darcy Regier is unlikely to make a move of any significance. I tend to agree with that, but the idea that Regier doesn’t do deadline deals is a little crazy considering that since he became GM he has made a deal of some sort almost every year at the deadline. Sure, some of them have been when he was selling and not buying, and some were insignificant, but there’s no doubt he makes deals. Here’s who was acquired each year:

1998 – Geoff Sanderson, Paul Kruse, Jason Holland
1999 – Stu Barnes, Joe Juneau, Rhett Warrener
2000 – Chris Gratton, Doug Gilmour, JP Dumont
2001 – Donald Audette, Steve Heinz
2002 –
2003 – Daniel Briere (Sabres were sellers that year)
2004 – Jeff Jillson, Mike Grier, Brad Brown
2005 – Lockout
2006 –
2007 – Danius Zubrus, Ty Conklin
2008 – Steve Bernier
2009 – Mikael Tellqvist, Dominic Moore

Here’s what he has never done at the deadline: blow up the team. In fact, he’s never taken that approach because it’s just not his style, and I fail to see the wisdom of such drastic measures at the trade deadline.

We’ll see what happens today and tomorrow. I expect some piece will be added here or there, but nothing major. Why? Because that’s HOW Darcy works.

USA v. Canada Live Chat – Round 2

I’d feel bad if we lost because we didn’t host a live chat. Emotional and exciting. See you at 3pm.

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USA – Canada Live Chat

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USA-Canada Live Chat-ski: 7:40pm Sunday Night

Due to an underwhelming demand for content and our policy of giving Trevor the opposite of what he wants, Kevin and I will be hosting a Cover-It-Live Chat for the USA-Canada game at 7:40pm on Sunday evening. Please feel free to join us.

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