thesportsbuff

OUCH! Tough one. He was going to be one of the more attractive forwards available at the deadline. That's two major injuries for Florida now (Weiss as well) to players who they were trying to trade for assets.

I might tune in. Very random though. Is there some special reason for this, or are they just doing it for kicks? It would be cool if they streamed every practice (not with analysis or a host or anything though) but I can see why that would be a bad idea :P

No complains about Flynn, but I've seen more than enough of Hecht, Ellis, Porter, McCormick to last me a lifetime. Grigorenko I think will be in the AHL next year as he is quite obviously not ready for the NHL game. Unless he has a hell of a summer training program, I can't imagine him really earning a spot in camp if everyone else comes in healthy (and they sign at least one player to replace Stafford). I know Grigorenko technically doesn't fit into the "role player" category but since he gets less ice time than they do, I've included him on my list. Gerbe I am still on the fence - I still think he can find his niche on the team if it's built properly. He has tons of skill. He can be more than just a depth "energy guy" like Porter, Ellis, etc. His size is a bit of a handicap, but I'm still rooting for him. Wouldn't mind him on the 4th line on nights where John Scott isn't in. If we can roll the 4th line ~8-10 minutes a game instead of 5 or 6 minute a game, then I'm all for a Gerbe/Flynn/Kaleta energy-ish line. But if John Scott is in, you can't give that line much time, and Gerbe is basically wasted out there. Leino - Verdict still out.

I'm pretty worked up over Leino not playing. I understand you risk losing someone to waivers, and maybe you don't want to do that to a guy like Porter or Hecht (though they had no problem with McCormick), but you're paying this guy Tim Connolly money. He wants to play, and he's ready to play, but it seems like Mr. Rolston wants no part of him in the lineup. It's as if he thinks he's got a good thing going and doesn't want to mess it up by throwing Leino in. LOL. I'm sorry, I know Leino isn't gonna come in and turn this team around for a playoff run by himself, but the guy said himself: there's nothing more he can do in practice. The next step is a game. It's time for him to play.

Posted the TFP story on Stafford yesterday -- scroll up. :beer:

http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/buf130311.html Interesting piece about Stafford needing a change of scenery. (Thanks for the breaking news!!)

Didn't Montador JUST work his way back from a concussion? Sheesh, classy move Chicago!

This! Lol.

I laughed when they said on NHL Network that Columbus now holds the longest active win streak in the league, with Chicago out of the picture.

1) Will Cody Hodgson finish with over 17 1/2 goals? Yes 2) Will Drew Stafford be a Buffalo Sabre on April 4th, 2013? No 3) Will Ryan Miller have over 19 1/2 wins? Yes 4) Will the Sabres make the playoffs? Yes 5) Will Tyler Ennis have a fighting major this season? No 6) Will Ville Leino have over 5 1/2 goals? Yes 7) Will the Sabres finish with over 45 1/2 points in the standings? Yes 8) Will Mikhail Grigorenko have over 13 1/2 points? No 9) Will Jason Pominville be a Buffalo Sabre on April 4th, 2013? Yes 10) Will Thomas Vanek have over 48 1/2 points? No 11) Will Tyler Myers have over 12 1/2 points? No 12) Will Steve Ott have over 98 1/2 penalty minutes? Yes 13) Will the Sabres finish 12th or better in the Eastern Conference? Yes 14) Will Robyn Regehr have over 1 1/2 goals? No 15) Will Marcus Foligno have over 4 1/2 goals? Yes 16) Will the Toronto Maple Leafs make the playoffs? Yes 17) Will the New York Rangers win the Atlantic Division? No 18) Will the Winnipeg Jets make the playoffs? No 19) Will the Chicago Blackhawks finish with over 76 1/2 points in the standings? Yes 20) Will Rick Jeannerete announce his retirement before the end of the regular season? No Tiebreak: How many points will the Sabres finish with in the standings? 51

It's tough to evaluate your own personality. In terms of the way I act, I want to say Pommer. I'm well mannered, soft spoken, don't start a lot of crap or worry about "drama" so to speak, and I guess I could say i put in a consistent effort most of the things I do. But I wouldn't really call myself much of a leader, sometimes i can be pretty lazy if im not overly interested in whatever it is im doing, and I love music/guitar... so maybe there's a little Drew Stafford in me as well.

Good to hear his recovery is going well. Things could have gone differently this season if he had been able to play for Buffalo (thanks, lockout). He likely would have started the season with the big club. Imagine if we had Tropp and Leino all season instead of, say, Ellis and McCormick? Or Hecht, Scott... There are a number of guys, really, that I'd rather have Tropp over. No idea what line combos would like but a Foligno-Ott-Tropp line would be fun to watch. Three guys who can hit, fight, battle and occasionally score.

This is just horrible to see. I read about it last night before a video was available. I was holding out hope that the diagnosis could change if swelling went down overnight or something, but that obviously was not the case. There are no positives to take from an accident like this but if there is any silver lining, at least there was no head/brain injury. Mr. Keller's world has been flipped upside down and surely there are some tough times ahead for himself and his family, but I guess in times like these you just have to be thankful that he's alive and will (presumably) be able to communicate and function with his loved ones. It's hard to say "it could've been worse" when a guy leaves the rink paralyzed on a stretcher, but I really am glad he didn't lose his life to a hockey game... I know this wasn't the NHL, but still begs the question -- is it time for the Brian Burke "bear hug" rule?

Yeah, I agree here. There will probably be a scrap or two for show, likely between the appointed goons, but I don't expect it to be an overly physical affair. I don't think either team is going to blow the ending to last game out of proportion and try to "send a message" or anything. The Devils are in desperation mode and enter the contest on a 6-game losing streak; they have to focus on hockey and not let it turn into a side show. The same can be said for the Sabres, who obviously need as many points as they can get, and would be shorthanded in the physicality department without Patrick Kaleta. I can't see this one getting too out of hand. I wouldn't mind seeing an exciting, hard fought, physical affair though; so I hope I'm wrong.

5 games for Pat

If Enroth had shown any ability to keep the Sabres in a game, let alone win or STEAL a game for them, then I might agree he should get more starts.... but Miller is on fire and every game is pretty much a must-win, so... yeah.. no thanks to Enroth. And really? It's been 5 games. How are you gonna say, five games in, that Ron Rolston is the same as 15 years of Lindy Ruff's way of handling back up goalies? Lol GO SABRES

This^ I think generally North American players play a more physical game. I've never really sat down and watched a European game (besides KHL) but I've heard it said again and again by reporters/scouts/gms/etc that it's a different style game over there. More finesse & less physicality, which would explain a lot of them using their stick to defend instead of their body. Though you would think, if that is true, that European trainers/coaches/etc would try to change up their system to prepare their players for the NHL-style game.. kind of seems like common sense but I guess that's why most top tier prospects choose to come to Canada or the US to better learn the game.

Yeah sounds exactly like something every other head coach in the league would say. Astonishing!

Just so we're clear, it was the Golisano regime who introduced these jerseys with the current shade of blue. Just in case OP was trying to make some kind of statement about Pegula and Penn St.

Fair point on the instigator rule as I forgot that even existed. But yeah, to me, if he was deemed to have legally been on the ice, I don't see how he could face discipline for it. If he is a legal player then why is it any different than any other time a player sticks up for his team mate? Kaleta just owned Kovalchuk so hard

I'm mostly joking -- it wasn't a big deal. As soon as Clarkson changed on to the ice he challenged Ott to a fight. Just kind of making a joke because I thought the Ryan Clowe suspension last week was BS since he had legally changed on to the ice but was still disciplined for defending his team mate.

So isn't that a two game suspension for Clarkson? He came on to the ice and immediately went after Ott. This is the exact thing Ryan Clowe did and got two games for.

In any event, I am glad Darcy didn't offer sheet O'Reilly. Lol

Both of them were sick!! Clemmenson probably wants the first one back but it was still a nice play to create a shot. The effort on his second goal was awesome. The defender even got a stick on the puck during Gerbe's move, but he was still able to control it and roof it. And he had a hole about the size of a peanut butter sandwich to fit it in.

I know a lot of people will disagree but I wish they'd trade for Briere somehow. There's probably a less percent chance of that happening than the Sabres winning out the season and going 16-0 in the playoffs en route to a Stanley Cup, but I just wish I could see him in Blue & Gold one more time :( CBA Experts! I seek answers. Can Colorado trade ROR's rights while an offer sheet is pending? I doubt Colorado is willing to match that offer sheet, and are probably happy with the compensation if they don't, but what if "Team A" called them with a killer package for the right to match Calgary's offer sheet? Is that do-able?