DFITZ1

It's like watching the tank years. Mazaros-Benoit all over again.

Typical Sabres shift: 1. Chase puck in the defensive zone for 30 sec. - 2. get puck off rebound - 3. flip puck outside offensive zone 4. Change lines (unless icing is called) 5. Sit back and let opposition carry puck into Sabres defensive zone. 6. Repeat steps 1-5. Is this DB's system? Awful.

It's only 1-0. Good thing Schaller didn't shoot at the lower corner.

Seeing that Pat La brought in the likes of Linus Omark and one other that I've already forgotten, I have more confidence in TM at personnel decisions (a least Patty didn't sign them to multi year contracts). My guess is Patty saw that his work was effectively done and his input was no longer needed in hockey personnel decisions. He bought in the people that can bring respect back to the franchise by themselves. His position became redundant.

Just hope he can stay around longer than 2 years.

I may have missed it in this thread, but Nolan did a good job bringing the Islanders back to the playoffs, and had them play well against a stronger Sabre team in 2006-'07. He has the ability to make a bad team good. What remains to be seen is can he make them champions.

On top of that, getting one superstar isn't enough. You have to get a supporting cast as well. Perreault needed Martin and Robert to be elite (he was already real good). Gretsky needed Messier, Crosby needed Malkin. Lafontaine and Mogilny were at there best when they came together. Jordan needed Pippin (NBA crossover). A common mistake some GM's make is they pay big for a superskater and then 10 cents for their wingers and the results are below expectations. I don't believe Darcy is capable of seeing that, and will likely fail to rebuild this team for that reason. Tank or no tank, if Darcy is GM, more failure will follow.

How about the owners, coaches amd players from Buffalo, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Detroit reform their teams and organizations and offer to play in the KHL starting in January. In a sense, have a North American Division. The teams play each other as well as go overseas to play KHL teams and vice versa. That way fans in hockey culture cities get to see decent pro hockey again, and yes have, something to play for, even if just continental pride. The puts arenas back in business, fans in the seats, players on the ice (at a lower but healthy salary), hotels/restaurants regaining lost business. It might even open the NHL to the fact that they are not the only league in town and can be replaced. Seeing Bettman and Fehr's smug looks with nothing to negotiate for would be my Christmas present. This idea may be outlandish and stupid, but not nearly as much so as the corporate suicide being undertaken by the NHL and NHLPA.

Since campaign 2012 rhetoric started in November 2008, I have tossed all of it out (Dem and Rep) and will make my decision based on the head to head debates where what is said is largely up to the candidates only, rather than campaign strategists, and their anti-"the other guy comments" are no longer valid. It is amazing how in 4 years, few people remember the the world wide (not just USA) economic downfall was caused by banking institutions abroad and in the USA (and those in the USA under the less than watchful eye of the party that thinks it is better suited to bring economic recovery). Many voters expect the issues of the economy and healthcare (what I see as the 2 most important) should be solved without pain to themselves. Sorry, it won't happen. The economy and the deficit will have to be paid for by those not responsible for the mess. It may be a year or two of high taxes (or fees, if in NYS) and low services. Healthcare, whether Obamacare, RomnetCare, HarpoCare or GrouchoCare) will be costly to ALL one way or another until the billed costs are lowered. Ever look at a hospital bill? There are charges that are highly questionable that insurance and/or Medicare/Caid pay with little scrutiny. Lower the billed cost, and any plan will work. Right now, any plan you will pay a lot for be it taxes, out of pocket, insurance, lower employee wages, and price of goods and services. Plans that address insurance cost but not billed costs are useless.

The best way to speed along these negotiations is for fans to stop buying merchandise, stop accessing nhl.com, their team's official websites, buying single game tickets, NHL TV etc. until they reach a deal. That way Bettman knows that hockey has the greatest and smartest fans in the world. Start taking money from them, and they will listen to us instead of themselves.

Darned if I know. That's the font size that came up (something else to complain about). I still hope someone can tell me why wasn't last nights game on MSG in Albany NY? Damn frustrating when the guide say "Sabres at Ducks and what you get is Dan Patrick looking at SI swimsuit models. I can see them on computer or in print just fine without his help.

Why wasn't last nights game on MSG in Albany NY?

Bottle of Wine by the Firebirds. Dates back a while.

Players have gotten bigger and quicker (both football and hockey) and the equipment and rules haven't done enough to keep up. You wonder if divine intervention is taking form in the rash of concussions that have hit both sports. Speaking of coming back from concussions, we have a neighbor up the street that got a concussion a few years back intervening in a spat at the local high school (student suddenly swung at another he hit our neighbor in the skull, may have fallen also). She had dizzy spells, memory lapses and headaches for nearly a year. You wonder what happens to guys like Miller and Edwards who were back taking hits in less than a month.

Not only the players (lack of) reaction after the collision, but the hockey world in general afterward. These guys got labled patsies, weaklings, whatever and probably had to put with a lot of (deserved) on ice abuse as well as media, not to mention the NHL not suspending Lucic. That's a sure starter for locker room finger pointing and dissention.