At 3-6-1 on the season, the Buffalo Sabres have dug themselves a deep hole--again.
Wash, rinse, repeat.
Anyhow. All Sabres fans know the drill.
Owner Terry Pegula--"Lindy ain't goin' nowhere," and GM Darcy Regier doesn't seem to be goin' anywhere either after signing an extension at the beginning of this season. And we all know, if Regier's around, so is Head coach Lindy Ruff. (edit: Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News interviewed Regier this evening, when asked if there were big changes coming with either the players or the coach, Regier was quoted as saying, "It won't be the coach."
Wash, rinse, repeat.
Since nothing's going to change there, perhaps we can only hope for personnel changes. Maybe inject some fresh faces without disrupting what little has been successful this season as the time for "blowing it up" will come soon enough--should the precipitous drop in the standings continue--at the April 3 trade deadline.
Let's waive goodbye to the following four. If somebody claims them, fine. If they go overseas, fine. If they go to Rochester, fine.
Jochen Hecht--Hecht is like having a pack of cigarettes around while quitting. He's like a bottle of booze when you're going to AA. Simply put, you think, "Meh, I'll have just one, and then quit again." Signing Hecht for fourth-line duty at $1M really wasn't a bad signing, but...Ruff fired up that cigarette, poured that drink and viola--eight games into the season Hecht is playing more minutes than the hottest player in the NHL, Thomas Vanek. Even last night, sure as sh**, Hecht was on the ice with the Sabres down one and the goalie pulled. Ummm...Lindy?...You once labled Tyler Ennis as "greazy." And he can score. *shrugs*
Matt Ellis--Gotta love a guy is 100% effort, and Ellis certainly is that. Ellis is a "Lindy kinda guy" in that respect, only he has worse numbers. At least John Scott has a defined role. Fourth-liners are a penny a dozen anymore. At one time, back in 2008, Los Angeles GM Dean Lombardi was angry at Regier for claiming Ellis off of waivers. That's when the energy forward actually had some upside. The worst thing that could come out of waiving him is a fresh face. Which is actually a positive for us fans.
Jhonas Enroth--Sheesh. There was a time when Enroth was "the truth." At one point when he was stifling the opposition as a back-up there was a loud and boisterous "trade Miller" contingency. Then an injury to Miller thrust him into a starting role. Since the infamous Lucic/Miller incident Enroth is 1-11-4 (a 15-game winless streak after that lone win.) Does it really matter if Rochester Americans goalie David Leggio is ready or not? Could he do much worse?
Nathan Gerbe--Maybe he's still recovering from his "upper body" injuries. Whether that's true or not, he's basically taking up space, about as much space as a 5'5", 175 lb. frame can take up. Gerbe's very likable as the ultimate underdog, but he's done nothing that would endear him to the team. At the very least, anyone brought up for him will add more size. Hell, they might even get a point or be an improvement on Gerbe's minus-3.
This is a stale team, playing a stale game. Just witness the mortuary that is the F'N Center for a home game.
Since there will probably be no changes at the top or at the coaching level and since they'll be keeping the players that produce and won't be able to move the stiffs, at least throw the fans a bone and give them some fresh faces.
Who knows, maybe these players will spark the team for a stretch and move the Sabres from a laughingstock to a level of respectability.
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