If you want to pique the interest of Sabreland and assure yourself social media attention and hits to your site, bring up one of two things--Rasmus Ristolainen or tanking. Sure, there are players like Zach Bogosian, Marco Scandella (who's been traded this year,) Zemgus Girgensons, Jake McCabe and/or the many young players under the Free_________ hashtag who tend elicit responses. Trades as well are a good way to get hits and you can argue advanced stats, the Pegulas,, DJ Milk and the game-day experience, who's the best Sabres of all time, etc., but to elicit a guttural response and/or engagement in a circular argument sure to go nowhere but last forever, tap into Ristolainen or tanking.
The new one out there when it comes to Ristolainen, Buffalo's 25 yr. old defenseman, concerns whether or not he should be traded right now not because he stinks, as had been the argument for nearly the entire length of his career, but because he's playing very well, possibly the best hockey of his career. "Strike while the iron's hot" is the mantra and there's some validity to that. The Sabres have had the tendency, unlike many top-notch organizations, to hold on to their players past well past their expiration date assuring the team of a minimal return on investment if they get any at all.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Sunday, January 19, 2020
Three-game Sabres recap Jan. 14-18
Buffalo bench-boss Ralph Krueger and the Sabres, via general manager Jason Botterill prior to the Vegas Golden Knights game, said that the goal is to win two of three games for a playoff push. Going back to the beginning of 2020, the Sabres had 41 points in 41 games to start the new year and using the Krueger formula, garnering four points per three games would give them 52 points in 39 games for a 93-point total with two games left to play. One of those games is on the road against the New Jersey Devils with the season finale' coming at home against the Philadelphia Flyers, whom they could be battling for a playoff spot.
So far so good in 2020 as they went won two of three in the first three games and replicated it the next three.
So far so good in 2020 as they went won two of three in the first three games and replicated it the next three.
Monday, January 13, 2020
Five-game Sabres recap Jan. 2-12
You couldn't have ended 2019 on a worse note. The Buffalo Sabres rang out the old with a very disappointing loss to the surging Tampa Bay Lighting by the score of 6-4. Tampa scored an empty-netter for the final which capped off a five goal run that erased a 4-1 Buffalo lead.
The set-up to the Tampa game had some weird circumstances as the Sabres didn't forget what Nikita Kucherov and Eric Cernak did to their players in previous meetings. While over in Stockholm, Sweden for the 2019 Global Series, Kucherov submarined an unsuspecting Vladimir Sobotka and sent him to injured reserve. He probably won't be back this season. Just over two weeks later, a high elbow from Cernak connected with Rasmus Dahlin's head resulting in a concussion for the 19 yr. old defenseman. Neither hit was penalize and neither was taken care of on the ice by the Sabres. The Kucherov hit wasn't looked at by the NHL Department of Player Safety while Cernak received a two-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head on Dahlin.
The set-up to the Tampa game had some weird circumstances as the Sabres didn't forget what Nikita Kucherov and Eric Cernak did to their players in previous meetings. While over in Stockholm, Sweden for the 2019 Global Series, Kucherov submarined an unsuspecting Vladimir Sobotka and sent him to injured reserve. He probably won't be back this season. Just over two weeks later, a high elbow from Cernak connected with Rasmus Dahlin's head resulting in a concussion for the 19 yr. old defenseman. Neither hit was penalize and neither was taken care of on the ice by the Sabres. The Kucherov hit wasn't looked at by the NHL Department of Player Safety while Cernak received a two-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head on Dahlin.
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Buffalo Sabres 2019-20 Team Stats--December
Sabres month by month record:
October--9-2-2
November--3-8-3
December--5-7-2
Sunday, January 5, 2020
Buffalo Sabres 2019-20 Individual Stats Leaders--December
Sabres record for the month:
October--9-2-2
November--3-8-3
December--5-7-2
Notes:
It's been a good run. Thank you everyone...plus, my Sabres 50th Anniversary team
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 12-31-2019
As of tomorrow I'll be on hiatus and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank EK and Eric for giving me the opportunity to write about the Buffalo Sabres for hockeybuzz.com. I'd also like to thank Cisco for putting my name in the hopper when they were looking for a blogger and would like to give a shout out to homie, who was one of the few (only?) who followed me when I was writing my own blog.
When writing to Erick concerning this decision, I told him that it's been a 100% positive experience blogging on this site. And I meant it. The time and effort I put into each blog was well worth it as I was doing so for a group of die-hard Sabres fans who rarely provided a dull moment. Some of you I've had the pleasure of meeting while most I have not but all of you have brought something unique to these threads and for that I thank each and every one of you.
Although I'm still looking forward to this season and beyond, in closing I'd like to take a look back and in honor of the Sabres Golden season, I'd like to offer up my 50th Anniversary team. It brings me full circle as the blog I started 10 years ago, which led me to this gig, began with my 40th Anniversary team.
Enjoy.
As of tomorrow I'll be on hiatus and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank EK and Eric for giving me the opportunity to write about the Buffalo Sabres for hockeybuzz.com. I'd also like to thank Cisco for putting my name in the hopper when they were looking for a blogger and would like to give a shout out to homie, who was one of the few (only?) who followed me when I was writing my own blog.
When writing to Erick concerning this decision, I told him that it's been a 100% positive experience blogging on this site. And I meant it. The time and effort I put into each blog was well worth it as I was doing so for a group of die-hard Sabres fans who rarely provided a dull moment. Some of you I've had the pleasure of meeting while most I have not but all of you have brought something unique to these threads and for that I thank each and every one of you.
Although I'm still looking forward to this season and beyond, in closing I'd like to take a look back and in honor of the Sabres Golden season, I'd like to offer up my 50th Anniversary team. It brings me full circle as the blog I started 10 years ago, which led me to this gig, began with my 40th Anniversary team.
Enjoy.