current sabres players placed in the mid-70's

we go back to the mid-70's when philadelphia's broadstreet bullies fought the buffalo sabres, featuring "the french connection" in the stanley cup finals...

two markedly different teams, both vying for lord stanely's cup at a time when new sabres owner, terry pegula, would begin his love-affair with hockey...

pegula was said to be torn between the two teams, but now, his loyalty and heart (and money) are in buffalo as he places his name atop the organization...

i've often stated that (lame-duck?) gm darcy regier built an era-specific team when he dismantled "the hardest working team in hockey" and proceeded to build a team to his liking...and it seems as if players that were non era-specific--ones who could play and contribute in any style nhl--routinely walked out the door...

so, i was sayin' to myself this morning, "self? which players on the sabres roster would've contributed meaningfully on either the sabres or the flyers back in 1975?"...here goes...

in goal:

• ryan miller--yup, probably much better than an aging roger crozier and an average, at best, gerry desjardins
• patty lalime--sure, he could open the bench door in any era

on defense:

• tyler myers--the jury's still out, but ya gotta believe that this kid has all the tools to play in any era
• shaone morrison--probably, he's a big, stay-at-home kinda guy...even during "the new nhl" he didn't turn into a derian hatcher-like pylon
• jordan leopold--sure, he could've contributed, as long as bill hajt was there to bail him out
• craig rivet--right now?...i don't think he could play in any era, he seems shot...but, in his prime, i could easily see him dropping the gloves or plastering people into the boards
• andrej sekera--nope...he needs to be in the 80's/early-90's/new-nhl era to be effective...woulda got crushed in the 70's
• chris butler--meh, people don't like him all that much...i think he happens to have a good head on his shoulders and is going through some deep growing pains...at this point i'd say he could've played in the 70's because of his smarts
• mike weber--most definitely...in fact i believe he'd thrive even more simply because he could use his edge to its fullest without being penalized as much

up-front:

• tim connolly--nope
• derek roy--nope...at one point, very early on, he had an edge, but that's vanished..,he's too wishy-washy
• paul gaustad--maybe...he's got the size, but he's been wussified over the last few years
• rob niedermayer--yeah, i think this guys a consummate pro...but at this point, age seems to be catching up with him
• thomas vanek--yup...his size and skills translate to any era
• drew stafford--nope...well, maybe...his lack of focus, inconsistency and on-ice dedication would draw the ire of teammates and opponents alike...got skills, though
• jochen hecht--maybe...he does have some pretty good hockey sense, and if he could concentrate on d instead of playing the role of first-line center, i think he could fill a craig ramsay-type role
• jason pomminville--yeah, i think he could...he's a pretty smart player and does have skills weave through the slapshot-style muck of the 70's
• cody mccormick--yeah...i think the only era's he'd really have trouble with are the speed-era's
• tyler ennis--jury's still out...there aren't that many who could be danny gare-like...although ennis' skating and skill would translate...size didn't hinder yvan cornoyer
• nathan gerbe--see above
• patrick kaleta--pests can make it in any era
• mike grier--yup...a consummate professional