Archives for June 4, 2006

'Further complicating Regier's efforts to retain McKee, Numminen and Grier is the unusually large number of restricted free agents on his roster, sixteen of whom were regular players this season…The good news is the Sabres can qualify the right of those RFAs and thus won't lose them to unrestricted free agency. The bad news is that most of these players made significant performance improvement this season and will therefore seek raises, in some cases substantial ones.'

‘”A lot of guys have the itch now. They have the bug,” goalie Ryan Miller said. “A playoff run like that gets you hooked. You’re going to want to chase after it. The Stanley Cup is the only thing that’s going to be worthwhile now.”‘

‘”It’s not like I decide on my own where I’m going for next year,” he said. “That’s why I’m saying I will do whatever I’m asked to do. I would love to be able to be the wall behind this team or any team, and be the go-to guy. But again, I will do whatever I’m asked to do.”‘

‘”It was the worst feeling imaginable,” McKee said. “I was on such a high after Danny Briere’s overtime goal [in Game Six]. I went home that night and had a meal with my wife and my mom. I was so excited, I wished we could play the next day. A couple of hours later, I was lying in a hospital bed.”‘

‘”They told me it’s not related at all,” Connolly said. “I’ve only had one concussion before this, and it’s been three years since that, so it’s completely unrelated. It’s disappointing, but you’ve got to stay positive through it all, just push on and thank everybody for their support. It’s been great. Everybody’s been great this year to me.”‘

‘The new rules should be tweaked a bit, especially that unintentional delay-of-game penalty called against Brian Campbell that led to Carolina’s winning goal Thursday night, but the young Sabres stand as Exhibit A in a sport that finally realized its great potential as entertainment not to be missed.’

‘And for the past six heady playoff weeks, they took our minds off of dual control boards, budget gaps, spiking gas prices and whatever personal ills and irritations beset us.’

'What will be your lasting memory of the Buffalo Sabres run for the Stanley Cup? Will it be a goal, a hit, a sound, a sign? Maybe a parking problem, getting tickets, a foot in the crease, a call. Will you remember anything about it 30 years from now? One doesn’t know what will stick in one’s mind.'