Fresh Start or More Frustration?
I hope the weekend off for most of the Sabres has them feeling like I do – fresh, rested, and ready to go.
Tonight’s game in Tampa Bay does feel like a perfect opportunity to start over again. I think we would all be justified in questioning the Sabres ability to actually do that, but where there is life, there is hope.
Working against them are the injuries to Tim Connolly and Max Afinogenov. According to Lindy Ruff, Afinogenov may be available by the end of the week, while Connolly will be out even longer with a bone spur in his hip. According to an article by Mike Harrington in TBN today, Connolly can’t do any further damage by playing, it’s just a matter of playing through the pain – a trait for which Connolly is not necessarily noted.
If those players could pull a Derek Roy and play like they actually care after returning from injury, then I would say that I can’t wait for them to get back. Not so sure if that will happen, though.
This little stretch of road games – Tampa, Florida, Atlanta and Boston – could be a boost for a struggling team. But in all honesty if they fail to come away with six of these next eight points then things look grim. I remember the days of being a Sabres fan with no hope for the playoffs in mid-February, and I don’t really want to have that feeling again.
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Kevin
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Chris
I am a born and raised Buffalo fan since my birth in Niagara Falls in 1977. For reference, my first communion gift from my parents was a replica Sabres Home White Mike Ramsey jersey. I still have that jersey. After stints at Georgetown and the U.S. Army, I have settled in DC where my Sabres, Bills and Hoyas passion runs unabated (I have season tickets to all 3). I believe that while supporting my franchises is good, I believe supporting them with data and statistics is better. -
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Things could be worse you could be a Canisius Griff fan. Now thats bad basketball.
“I remember the days of being a Sabres fan with no hope for the playoffs in mid-February, and I don’t really want to have that feeling again.”
But tonight’s game is a key one in the Stamkos Bowl! We can’t have Tampa fall further behind us!
/taking role of necessary pessimist, does not actually want us to miss the playoffs and/or finish last
They will be lucky to come away with 3 points out of the possible 8. They need to start positioning themselves for next year, as this season and Campbell are lost … please, no more comments about Connolly returning from whatever injury, they need to cut the guy loose and move on. Put his salray and Max’s salary into an offer for Campbell who seems to be in the lineup a bit more frequently than these guys.
I think that 6 points out of this 4 game roadie is doable. I think that if the Sabres put forth the effort they did against the Stars, they can start a nice little streak. They can, they just wont.
Play for the first pick!
With reports of Chicago scouting the Sabres and specifically Campbell how would a Campbell, Max and the Sabres 1st rounder in the 2008 draft for Patrick Kane sound? Hell throw in Connolly and Kalinin too.
Chicago would never go for it but one can only dream
The realist in me says this season is done. Trade Soupy, and definitely get rid of the Communist (Max).
On a good note, I’m off to Fort Lauderdale tomorrow to see the game against the Panthers. I’m really hoping we beat a weak ‘Bolts team tonight, but I’m afraid they’ll play tired and shitty tomorrow in Sunrise. If they get shut out tomorrow I will be looking for someone’s head on a stick…
No way we let any of our first round picks go. If anything, we should start trading now to accumulate other teams’ in order to trade up to take Tavares in ‘09 – so he can play three years for us and leave for more money when the Sabres don’t pay him.
And Chicago’s grip on Kane is as tight as a nun’s you-know-what.
TC is such a homo. It’s called cortisone you little pussyfart.
Let’s go, Buffalo!
We don’t need Connolly. We’ve played without him much more than we’ve played with him. Trade his pansy ass. I’ll take a Varada, or a Barnaby, or a Peca, or any of those type players before TC. Hell, I’d take Pyatt over Connolly at this point.
Welcome back, Kevin!
Pyatt,
Now there’s what I like to hear. What are the chances we could get him back?
But if we get rid of Max and TC who will we have left to skate around and turnover the puck?
When did we start hating on TC? He’s the only one with any intelligence on the ice. He had his head crushed in for 2 years because he’s willing to carry the puck and look for an open man instead of peppering the goalie in the chest or hitting the glass/boards behind the net. I’d still say he’s our best 2 way player, he wasn’t used on the point on the PP with some success for nothing. Get a grip on yourselves and talk about something a little different, like maybe strategy instead of BS trade rumors. Maybe we can give the rest of our team to get Crosby too… Please jump off our bandwagon and go be a Rangers fan. Follow your love child Drury, plus they’re still in the race and its far to crowded with condescension around here.
Brian Campbell does a good job at that.
Robbie, you’re not the king of me! I’m the king of me!
I love watching TC play and don’t want him traded. I do however, want him to stop being such a pussy and play with a little pain.
Btw, Connolly was crushed because he was skating through the middle with his head down.
Buffalo’s most important player – Paul Gaustad – may be out tonight with the pukeyshits. Paetsch is already out.
Hey… personally I’m optimistic. I thought the effort against Dallas was one of their best end-to-end efforts all season. They weren’t flashy, they weren’t flying up and down the ice all night… they just played solid hockey from start to finish. I’m hoping they build off of that. Besides, with the exception of last year when they were dominant all year long, the Sabres have ALWAYS been a second half team. Tonight starts their season!! Playoffs, here we come!
Wolf, from your mouth to Jebus’s ears.
I’m not off the Sabres bandwagon, because I don’t think they’ve played terribly. I look those Jersey, Pittsburgh, and Ottawa games, and I think the Sabres were play or two away from winning those games.
We’ve really seem the result of the BRIERE (not Drury) departure during this losing streak. Briere was good in the shoot-out and so was Katalik. Now we only have one guy who can consistently score in the SO. One would think that the Vanek could step up and bury one, but as we all know 10 million doesn’t guarantee success.
Back to Connolly, he just a big pussy who refuses to play through pain. He wasn’t heroic because he got his brains knocked around; he was stupid for skating his his head down. You’d think he’d learn the first time. I’d be interested to see just home many games he’s missed while in a Sabres uniform. McKee certainly gets a lot of criticism around these parts for being oft injured; Connolly has probably doubled his injury time.
Do we really want to hope for a surge? Does anyone here think the the Sabres are talented enough or armed with enough heart to make a deep playoff run or be a legit Stanley Cup contender? A small surge means we probably don’t trade Campbell and he walks at the end of the year for nothing. I say call it a year and start rebuilding, there is a ton of talent in the pipeline and Campbell with a couple of throwins should bring back a very solid package.
Going to the game tonight in Tampa. Hope we see a winner!
Christopher, personally, the only year I have ever thought the Sabres were a contender for the Cup at the mid-way point was last year. Every other year there has been something to gripe about…except that every other year didn’t follow a year of such high expectations. Consistent optimism is dangerous as a hockey fan, considering the nature of the game. As a Buffalo hockey/sports fan, as we all know, it is even worse.
A team’s display of heart reveals itself during moments of necessity, not during early stretches of a season.
Matty – Well said, sir!
@Chris Smith
Honestly, looking at our conference, the only teams that I would say we have no chance of beating 4 out of 7 times would be Ottawa and NJ. Given that NJ is on track to not win their division, that means we can win at least one round if we finish 7th or higher. I’m not saying that this possible scenario is justification to keep Campbell and lose him for nothing, but I don’t think it’s time to throw in the towel yet.