Yahoo's Puck Daddy has been scouring the internet for "different perspectives" on the Buffalo Sabres 2014-15 season described by them as "one of the most disappointing yet hopeful, logical yet controversial seasons in NHL history."
Today's piece features "Harry Tee" whom they found on Twitter. In it, Harry says he's a newbie Sabres fan having followed them since 2008. He's not thrilled that the Sabres finished last this season and calls the entire season a "sham of an arrangement [that] has zapped much of my desire for the sport."
If you wish to read it, click here.
If you wish to read my response to a "thumbs down" from TSN's Dave Hodge who urged the Sabres to "get Connor with honor" and "lose with dignity," click here.
Woof!
Edit: from puckdaddy http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/how-buffalo-s-connor-mcdavid-tank-killed-my-passion-for-sabres-hockey-145050744.html
Editor's note: A fan's guest column posted earlier Thursday has been removed from the Puck Daddy blog and Yahoo Sports. The column was a fan's view of the Buffalo Sabres' 2014-15 season. The author of the column engaged with other fans on social media upon publication. The author's social media activity is unacceptable and does not represent the views of Puck Daddy or Yahoo Sports.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Of Reinhart and Pysyk, plus former Sabres on playoff teams.
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Sam Reinhart, drafted 2nd overall in the 2014 draft, is getting ready to make his Rochester Americans debut on Friday in the Amerks last home game of the season. They'll play two more games over the weekend, at Binghamton on Saturday and at Adirondack on Sunday in the season finale.
The 6'1" 185 lb. center completed his junior career last week after his Kootenay Ice were eliminated in the WHL playoffs. Reinhart began the season in Buffalo, played in nine games and was sent to Kootenay. Despite only registering one assist in his nine games with the Sabres, some of the attributes that made him the second overall pick were on display during the latter part of the tour. But the big thing holding him back was size.
Sabres GM Tim Murray sent him to junior for the season and said that he wanted to see Reinhart bulk up. At the time Murray said this of sending him down, "I told him, 'you're my first 1st-round draft pick as a GM.' I was cheering for him, but obviously, I can't let emotions come into play.
"I told him he’s just not heavy enough. He’s not strong enough yet. We want him to go back there and get stronger.
“He’s going to have to find a way two or three times a week to slip out on his own and get to the gym and get stronger.”
Sam Reinhart, drafted 2nd overall in the 2014 draft, is getting ready to make his Rochester Americans debut on Friday in the Amerks last home game of the season. They'll play two more games over the weekend, at Binghamton on Saturday and at Adirondack on Sunday in the season finale.
The 6'1" 185 lb. center completed his junior career last week after his Kootenay Ice were eliminated in the WHL playoffs. Reinhart began the season in Buffalo, played in nine games and was sent to Kootenay. Despite only registering one assist in his nine games with the Sabres, some of the attributes that made him the second overall pick were on display during the latter part of the tour. But the big thing holding him back was size.
Sabres GM Tim Murray sent him to junior for the season and said that he wanted to see Reinhart bulk up. At the time Murray said this of sending him down, "I told him, 'you're my first 1st-round draft pick as a GM.' I was cheering for him, but obviously, I can't let emotions come into play.
"I told him he’s just not heavy enough. He’s not strong enough yet. We want him to go back there and get stronger.
“He’s going to have to find a way two or three times a week to slip out on his own and get to the gym and get stronger.”
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
2014-15 Individual Stats--Final
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
The 2014-15 season is in the books and Sabreland is much better for it.
It was a season of flux, one that was filled with a wide range of emotions that captured what will be noted as the most divisive season in the history of the franchise. From the demotion of Mikhail Grigorenko to start the season, to the streak in late November/early December, to the franchise-long 14 game losing streak, to the 0-fer in January, to the quest for McEichel and the Arizona Coyotes, to Chris Stewart, Nikita Zadorov, Cody Hodgson, Tyler Myers, Anders Lindback and Mike Weber emotions ran the full gamut. In the end, the only thing left was a 30th place finish and the departure of head coach Ted Nolan and nearly all of his coaching staff with the emotions directed at him this season were more divisive and far-reaching than everything else combined.
A total of 34 skaters and five goalies laced 'em up for Buffalo this season. Nicholas Deslauriers was the only one to play in every game while the departed Joel Armia and goalie Andrey Makarov were the only players to play one game. And if you thought having 39 players play in at least one game was a lot, in 2013-14, there were 39 skaters and six goaltenders who laced 'em up for at least one game.
The 2014-15 season is in the books and Sabreland is much better for it.
It was a season of flux, one that was filled with a wide range of emotions that captured what will be noted as the most divisive season in the history of the franchise. From the demotion of Mikhail Grigorenko to start the season, to the streak in late November/early December, to the franchise-long 14 game losing streak, to the 0-fer in January, to the quest for McEichel and the Arizona Coyotes, to Chris Stewart, Nikita Zadorov, Cody Hodgson, Tyler Myers, Anders Lindback and Mike Weber emotions ran the full gamut. In the end, the only thing left was a 30th place finish and the departure of head coach Ted Nolan and nearly all of his coaching staff with the emotions directed at him this season were more divisive and far-reaching than everything else combined.
A total of 34 skaters and five goalies laced 'em up for Buffalo this season. Nicholas Deslauriers was the only one to play in every game while the departed Joel Armia and goalie Andrey Makarov were the only players to play one game. And if you thought having 39 players play in at least one game was a lot, in 2013-14, there were 39 skaters and six goaltenders who laced 'em up for at least one game.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
No room for sentiment, Ted Nolan fired. Plus 2014-15 Team Stats--Final
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
"Was a matter of when, not if."
So a colleague told me last night after Sabres head coach Ted Nolan was fired by GM Tim Murray. Murray also fired assistant coach Danny Flynn and announced that he did not renew the contracts of assistant coaches Bryan Trottier and Tom Coolen. Goalie coach Arturs Irbe has one year left on his contract and is still with the club.
As big a fan as I was of Nolan and the work he did this season, Murray is on a mission. When he stepped to the podium to announce the changes, he was cold and business-like, the same way he's been publically after making a number of franchise-altering decisions. From owner Terry Pegula on down, Murray has been put in charge of building a championship team and he not fooling around. There's no room for sentimentality in all of this despite Sgt. Ted throwing himself and his career on a hand grenade for the Buffalo Sabres organization. From Ryan Miller to Tyler Myers to Nolan and on to the next coaching staff, Murray is all-in on his vision. And he should be commended for it.
That being said, although it's the correct move for the franchise moving forward, it's still a raw deal.
"Was a matter of when, not if."
So a colleague told me last night after Sabres head coach Ted Nolan was fired by GM Tim Murray. Murray also fired assistant coach Danny Flynn and announced that he did not renew the contracts of assistant coaches Bryan Trottier and Tom Coolen. Goalie coach Arturs Irbe has one year left on his contract and is still with the club.
As big a fan as I was of Nolan and the work he did this season, Murray is on a mission. When he stepped to the podium to announce the changes, he was cold and business-like, the same way he's been publically after making a number of franchise-altering decisions. From owner Terry Pegula on down, Murray has been put in charge of building a championship team and he not fooling around. There's no room for sentimentality in all of this despite Sgt. Ted throwing himself and his career on a hand grenade for the Buffalo Sabres organization. From Ryan Miller to Tyler Myers to Nolan and on to the next coaching staff, Murray is all-in on his vision. And he should be commended for it.
That being said, although it's the correct move for the franchise moving forward, it's still a raw deal.
Monday, April 13, 2015
We bid the 2014-15 season, adieu
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
One thing we learned, maybe even confirmed last night, concerning the 2014-15 edition of the Buffalo Sabres, is that the team lacked talent, especially top-end talent, to run with the big dogs. It's nothing against the players, but when they stepped into the ring with the Pittsburgh Penguins last night en route to a 2-0 shutout loss to finish the season, they were severely outclassed.
The Pens were in must-win mode, preferring to keep their playoff hopes in their own hands rather than put it in the hands of the Boston Bruins who would hit the ice a half-hour later. You could see it from the way Sidney Crosby was locked in--how he was chippy and in overdrive--and how it filtered down to the rest of the team. With all the attention paid to Crosby centering the first line and Evgeni Malkin the second line, the doors opened up for third line center Brandon Sutter who ended up scoring the only two goals of the game.
Although the Sabres were gamers, they just didn't have the horses. As has been true since mid-December, they might catch a quality team napping and win, or have a goalie steal a game but when they met a team with superior talent, the outcome was a given. And every team in the league save for the post-trade deadline Arizona Coyotes, had superior talent this season. That the Sabres won as many games as they did this season, especially after the deadline, is rather remarkable.
One thing we learned, maybe even confirmed last night, concerning the 2014-15 edition of the Buffalo Sabres, is that the team lacked talent, especially top-end talent, to run with the big dogs. It's nothing against the players, but when they stepped into the ring with the Pittsburgh Penguins last night en route to a 2-0 shutout loss to finish the season, they were severely outclassed.
The Pens were in must-win mode, preferring to keep their playoff hopes in their own hands rather than put it in the hands of the Boston Bruins who would hit the ice a half-hour later. You could see it from the way Sidney Crosby was locked in--how he was chippy and in overdrive--and how it filtered down to the rest of the team. With all the attention paid to Crosby centering the first line and Evgeni Malkin the second line, the doors opened up for third line center Brandon Sutter who ended up scoring the only two goals of the game.
Although the Sabres were gamers, they just didn't have the horses. As has been true since mid-December, they might catch a quality team napping and win, or have a goalie steal a game but when they met a team with superior talent, the outcome was a given. And every team in the league save for the post-trade deadline Arizona Coyotes, had superior talent this season. That the Sabres won as many games as they did this season, especially after the deadline, is rather remarkable.
Sunday, April 12, 2015
An epilogue for a dark time in Sabres history
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
The Columbus Blue Jackets have one of the coolest goal celebrations in the NHL. When the home team lights the lamp, the horn sounds and AC/DC's cued up.
For those about to rock!!!
FIRE!!!
And off goes the cannon. POW!!!
For those who've never been there, it'll scare you. Even if you've been there on numerous occasions, like Sabres analyst Rob Ray, and you know it's coming, the firing of the cannon might still send shockwaves through you. "I'm gonna go up there an destroy that cannon," said Ray after Matt Calvert potted his 13th goal of the season to put the Jackets up 2-1. "It scares me every time it goes off, and you know it's happening."
If you're a Sabres fan this season, the firing of that cannon was a beautiful sound and when Boone Jenner scored into an empty Sabres net with 9.7 second remaining in the third period, it might just as well have been a 21-gun salute to lay the 2014-15 season to rest. Although Buffalo still has one more game tonight against a struggling Pittsburgh Penguins club embroiled in a playoff battle, the season is done, 30th place is secure and all that's left is for the fans at First Niagara Center to give this team a rousing ovation for making it through the most difficult and divisive season in Sabres history.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have one of the coolest goal celebrations in the NHL. When the home team lights the lamp, the horn sounds and AC/DC's cued up.
For those about to rock!!!
FIRE!!!
And off goes the cannon. POW!!!
For those who've never been there, it'll scare you. Even if you've been there on numerous occasions, like Sabres analyst Rob Ray, and you know it's coming, the firing of the cannon might still send shockwaves through you. "I'm gonna go up there an destroy that cannon," said Ray after Matt Calvert potted his 13th goal of the season to put the Jackets up 2-1. "It scares me every time it goes off, and you know it's happening."
If you're a Sabres fan this season, the firing of that cannon was a beautiful sound and when Boone Jenner scored into an empty Sabres net with 9.7 second remaining in the third period, it might just as well have been a 21-gun salute to lay the 2014-15 season to rest. Although Buffalo still has one more game tonight against a struggling Pittsburgh Penguins club embroiled in a playoff battle, the season is done, 30th place is secure and all that's left is for the fans at First Niagara Center to give this team a rousing ovation for making it through the most difficult and divisive season in Sabres history.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Struggling Amerks sweep Monsters as F, Eric Cornel makes his pro debut
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Head coach Chadd Cassidy's Rochester Americans came into "the Q" last night on a four-game losing streak. They were playing the last game of a four-game road trip and were facing a Lake Erie Monsters team that was still in playoff contention, yet despite that, a little relief was in sight as the Amerks were coming into the contest looking for the season sweep.
In the first three meetings the Amerks outscored the Monsters by a cumulative 14-4 score and last night ended up no different as the Amerks skated to a 5-1 victory in front of 6628 in Cleveland. "It's just one of those things where you just match up well against a team or you just have confidence," said Cassidy after pulling off the sweep. "We've got a lot of new players in our lineup and finally had a long week of practice where we got everyone on the same page.
Head coach Chadd Cassidy's Rochester Americans came into "the Q" last night on a four-game losing streak. They were playing the last game of a four-game road trip and were facing a Lake Erie Monsters team that was still in playoff contention, yet despite that, a little relief was in sight as the Amerks were coming into the contest looking for the season sweep.
In the first three meetings the Amerks outscored the Monsters by a cumulative 14-4 score and last night ended up no different as the Amerks skated to a 5-1 victory in front of 6628 in Cleveland. "It's just one of those things where you just match up well against a team or you just have confidence," said Cassidy after pulling off the sweep. "We've got a lot of new players in our lineup and finally had a long week of practice where we got everyone on the same page.
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