Depressing thought of the day

[carpandean]

It has been 52 days since the last NHL game (Detroit lifting the Cup in Pittsburgh on 6/4)

 

There are still 58 days to the Sabres' first preseason game (7/22) :wallbash:

 

 

 

The only good perspective is that it has been 112 days since the Sabres' last game, so their offseason is 2/3 done. Then, of course, that gets me thinking about how their offseason is long because they missed the playoffs and I get depressed all over again. :cry:

[Knightrider]

It has been 52 days since the last NHL game (Detroit lifting the Cup in Pittsburgh on 6/4)

 

There are still 58 days to the Sabres' first preseason game (7/22) :wallbash:

 

 

 

The only good perspective is that it has been 112 days since the Sabres' last game, so their offseason is 2/3 done. Then, of course, that gets me thinking about how their offseason is long because they missed the playoffs and I get depressed all over again. :cry:

 

Better to look at it wrt the last Sabres game...

[darksabre]

thank god for the NHL Network :worthy:

[ROC Sabres]

I started playing ice hockey again after about 10 years of not playing. One of my teammates tried to give me pointers but I really didn't follow what he meant. Ended up going on to my DVR and replaying one of the sabres games that i recorded back in November to see what he meant. That... was very depressing to watch and made me even more anxious for this upcoming season.

[nfreeman]

thank god for the NHL Network :worthy:

 

Indeed. They've been showing replays of Sabres vs. Islanders from the 2007 playoffs for the last couple of nights and I must admit I got pretty sucked in. I know that season didn't end the way we wanted, but that was a heck of a team.

[PASabreFan]

Indeed. They've been showing replays of Sabres vs. Islanders from the 2007 playoffs for the last couple of nights and I must admit I got pretty sucked in. I know that season didn't end the way we wanted, but that was a heck of a team.

 

They were? I think they were one of the most overrated in team history. They were lucky the Islanders didn't knock them off in the first round, and certainly they were within how many seconds of almost certainly being knocked out by the Rump Rangers.

[cdexchange]

Indeed. They've been showing replays of Sabres vs. Islanders from the 2007 playoffs for the last couple of nights and I must admit I got pretty sucked in. I know that season didn't end the way we wanted, but that was a heck of a team.

 

 

 

Why why why can't they replay the 2006 playoffs instead!?!?!?! :wallbash:

[deluca67]

This should cheer you up. It's only 75 days until the Leafs are eliminated from playoffs. :thumbsup:

[bob_sauve28]

This should cheer you up. It's only 75 days until the Leafs are eliminated from playoffs. :thumbsup:

HA HA!! Good one DeLuca! :D

[bob_sauve28]

They were? I think they were one of the most overrated in team history. They were lucky the Islanders didn't knock them off in the first round, and certainly they were within how many seconds of almost certainly being knocked out by the Rump Rangers.

good teams find ways to win

[Knightrider]

This should cheer you up. It's only 75 days until the Leafs are eliminated from playoffs. :thumbsup:

 

:lol:

[PASabreFan]

good teams find ways to win

 

Well, I didn't say they weren't good. They just weren't a "heckuva" team. As the years roll by, I am convinced Sabre fans will remember the 05-06 Sabres as a much better team than 06-07.

[Knightrider]

Well, I didn't say they weren't good. They just weren't a "heckuva" team. As the years roll by, I am convinced Sabre fans will remember the 05-06 Sabres as a much better team than 06-07.

 

I already do.

[carpandean]

I am convinced Sabre fans will remember the 05-06 Sabres as a much better team than 06-07.

Is there any doubt?

[Bmwolf21]

I already do.

Same here.

[thesportsbuff]

05-06 was easily the BEST year of my life (at 15/16 years old!) and the Sabres had a LOT to do with it. Countless parties to watch and celebrate what none of us really expected... the best Sabres team in recent history.

 

It's sad thinking back to it:

 

6-4 win in the season opener, at home, vs the Islanders. I attended.

 

Bill Clinton at the Dallas game in December.

 

Afinogenov's OT winner vs the Ducks... quick pump fake on the pass then slides in and rifles a slapshot past JS Giguere.

 

My friends and I made a Stanley Cup out of flower pots and tinfoil... hoping to raise it. We even took it to a party and got everybody riled up.

 

THIS is a true story: a girl locked me in my room at one of my infamous sabres parties. she started talking, grabbing my hand, wanted to talk about "US." WELL SORRY SISTER, BUFFALO / OTTAWA IS IN OVERTIME RIGHT NOW. SHUT THE $@#$ UP!!! hahaha, I was like "hold on this is a huge game." and then Thomas Vanek seals the deal with his gay around the world shot over Hasek's shoulder in the shootout... oh man. GOOD times. The girl was gone, I went to my living room and everybody was going nuts. Needless to say I joined in haha.

 

Chris Drury to Mike Grier, 5.6 seconds to go to beat the NJ Devils (I think).

 

And we ALL know the playoff story... haha.

 

I went to my first playoff game ever... a 7-2 (or 1 maybe?) stomping of Philly.. Dumont and Pominville both register hat tricks.

 

The night we beat Ottawa... i almost cried. I'd never been more happy in my life. My brother and I had to go to buy my mom a Mothers Day present that night... I threw on my Sabres jersey at 10:30-11PM, rode with him to Walmart and started slapping hands with anybody I saw that wanted to.

 

oh man I could go on forever. that was such a great year.

[PASabreFan]

05-06 was easily the BEST year of my life (at 15/16 years old!) and the Sabres had a LOT to do with it. Countless parties to watch and celebrate what none of us really expected... the best Sabres team in recent history.

 

It's sad thinking back to it:

 

6-4 win in the season opener, at home, vs the Islanders. I attended.

 

Bill Clinton at the Dallas game in December.

 

Afinogenov's OT winner vs the Ducks... quick pump fake on the pass then slides in and rifles a slapshot past JS Giguere.

 

My friends and I made a Stanley Cup out of flower pots and tinfoil... hoping to raise it. We even took it to a party and got everybody riled up.

 

THIS is a true story: a girl locked me in my room at one of my infamous sabres parties. she started talking, grabbing my hand, wanted to talk about "US." WELL SORRY SISTER, BUFFALO / OTTAWA IS IN OVERTIME RIGHT NOW. SHUT THE $@#$ UP!!! hahaha, I was like "hold on this is a huge game." and then Thomas Vanek seals the deal with his gay around the world shot over Hasek's shoulder in the shootout... oh man. GOOD times. The girl was gone, I went to my living room and everybody was going nuts. Needless to say I joined in haha.

 

Chris Drury to Mike Grier, 5.6 seconds to go to beat the NJ Devils (I think).

 

And we ALL know the playoff story... haha.

 

I went to my first playoff game ever... a 7-2 (or 1 maybe?) stomping of Philly.. Dumont and Pominville both register hat tricks.

 

The night we beat Ottawa... i almost cried. I'd never been more happy in my life. My brother and I had to go to buy my mom a Mothers Day present that night... I threw on my Sabres jersey at 10:30-11PM, rode with him to Walmart and started slapping hands with anybody I saw that wanted to.

 

oh man I could go on forever. that was such a great year.

 

Great post! Here ya go kid. (PASabreFan throws Jack the towel he keeps by the computer.)

 

OK, that sounds more than a little... disconcerting.

[tom webster]

They were? I think they were one of the most overrated in team history. They were lucky the Islanders didn't knock them off in the first round, and certainly they were within how many seconds of almost certainly being knocked out by the Rump Rangers.

 

Yeah,

and New England was lucky to win their three Super Bowls and The Red Sox were lucky they came back against the Yankees and the Celtics should have been eliminated twice this year, yada, yada, yada. They came up short against a highly motivated opponent. It happens, get over it.

I do believe that 06/07 were better than 05/06 although I loved both of them and thoroughly enjoyed both seasons.

[awill29]

Yeah,

and New England was lucky to win their three Super Bowls and The Red Sox were lucky they came back against the Yankees and the Celtics should have been eliminated twice this year, yada, yada, yada. They came up short against a highly motivated opponent. It happens, get over it.

I do believe that 06/07 were better than 05/06 although I loved both of them and thoroughly enjoyed both seasons.

 

05/06 had what you need to win in the playoffs. Grit and toughness. 06/07 was more concerned with making SportsCenter's Top 10 with a 3 goal comeback in the last 5 minutes, and they wouldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat. I'll take the former.

[PASabreFan]

05/06 had what you need to win in the playoffs. Grit and toughness. 06/07 was more concerned with making SportsCenter's Top 10 with a 3 goal comeback in the last 5 minutes, and they wouldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat. I'll take the former.

 

Here ya go kid!

[tom webster]

05/06 had what you need to win in the playoffs. Grit and toughness. 06/07 was more concerned with making SportsCenter's Top 10 with a 3 goal comeback in the last 5 minutes, and they wouldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat. I'll take the former.

 

So many of the kids were better in 06/07. If you put Dumont, McKee and Grier instead of Kotalik, Spacek and Connolly and 06/07 wins the Cup. 05/06 blew that series against Carolina long before their defense became a MASH unit.

The argument now is only fueled by what the expectations were.

[james duncan]

So many of the kids were better in 06/07. If you put Dumont, McKee and Grier instead of Kotalik, Spacek and Connolly and 06/07 wins the Cup. 05/06 blew that series against Carolina long before their defense became a MASH unit.

The argument now is only fueled by what the expectations were.

 

Interesting debate. Not sure which team was better, but unless the Sabres win a Cup, I'll never like a team as much as I like the 05-06 squad. Hands down.

[BetweenThePipes00]

I agree, expectations have everything to do with the way we view those teams ... there were ZERO expectations in 05-06, especially after they started slow and gave up 10 to Ottawa that one night early on ... it looked like it might get ugly. The way that season finished and the 10-0 start changed everything for the 06-07 team. After that, anything short of a Cup was going to be looked at as a choking failure ... we LIKE the 05-06 team better because they didn't disappoint us ... the 06-07 team did, even though really the end result was exactly the same.

Also, it's not entirely fair to say that team was just concerned with highlight reel goals and late-game comebacks ... I was watching the replay of Game 5 of the Islanders series on NHL network and they mentioned that the Sabres won the most games when falling behind by 2 goals, yes ... but they also showed a stat that they were 40-0 when they got a 2-goal lead ... 40-0! Not only is the zero impressive, but they had a 2-goal lead in HALF their games ... that's a lot.

While I am talking about it, a couple other things I have noticed watching games 3-4-5 vs. the Isles on there the last few days ...

- Miller was SO much better ... I actually feel better about him going into next season. I know that is irrational, there is no guarantee he will bounce back ... but it reminded me it is there. He had a bad year, if he finds his game it will make a world of difference.

- Numminen was solid ... I know he had heart surgery and is a year older, but the guy is just so calm ... I wouldn't mind him back if they can avoid an 82-game pounding for him. On the flip side, Kalinin looked GREAT playing with him ... sickened me how bad he went in the tank over the 3 weeks after that and never found his game ... that kid could have been good.

- The 4th line was Kotalik-Connolly-Mair, and Mair did not look bad ... but I'd rather have him playing with Goose and Kaleta .... the interesting thing was that at times, Lindy had Stafford out there instead of Mair, and that line looked really good ... they are all big, by Sabres standards ... they used their bodies really well ... did all the things protecting the puck in the corners and such that NO ONE did last season except occasionally Hecht-Pommer-Paille ... Connolly also looked great killing penalties ... I still wish they had another center so they were not counting on a full season from him, but ... I'm begging for one healthy season out of the guy, he's more than a fancy stick.

 

But back to the topic at hand ... I understand the love for the 05-06 team ... they were a bit more balanced and grittier ... but Roy and Vanek and even Pomminstein were so much better in 06-07 ... and Stafford was a nice addition ... it's hard to remember, especially after how good he was last season, the 05-06 version of Roy, who got knocked off the puck so easily and was considered a diver ... Now, if you put the CURRENT Roy-Vanek-Pominville-Campbell on that team ... then yeah, the 05-06 team was better ... but as they actually were, I am not so sure ...

I think this is the best way to put it ... in 05-06, they were a really good team that came together played their best at the right time. In 06-07, they were a really good team that did NOT play their best at the right time, and therefore they were a disappointment ... but I don't think they were a worse team.

[nfreeman]

Well, I didn't say they weren't good. They just weren't a "heckuva" team. As the years roll by, I am convinced Sabre fans will remember the 05-06 Sabres as a much better team than 06-07.

 

05-06 was a magical year, more so than 06-07. I will never forget 7-6, or that series, as long as I live. It was the forces of good rising up and triumphing over the evil empire. And, PAFan, your short story about Lindy in the nursing home from that playoff season is one of my alltime favorite posts on this board.

 

Maybe that team was better than 06-07. The 06-07 team certainly got less from Spacek than the 05-06 team got from McKee (although STL got less from McKee in 06-07 than we got from Spacek that year). But there is no way you can rationally say that we didn't have a heckuva team in 06-07. Drury, Briere, Soupy, Zubrus, Teppo, Connolly back from the dead -- none of them is a Crosby or a Lidstrom, but they were all good to very good players. We were loaded up and down the roster.

 

And they weren't "lucky" not to lose to the Islanders. They were much better than the Islanders. Miller played much better than DiPietro. As for the 2nd round, although we came very close to losing game 5 against the Rangers (talk about an unforgettable game!), we certainly could've won game 6 in MSG and then won game 7 at home. It was foolhardy to count that team out. They might have been flawed, but they never quit.

 

Glory days...

[thesportsbuff]

05-06 was a magical year, more so than 06-07. I will never forget 7-6, or that series, as long as I live. It was the forces of good rising up and triumphing over the evil empire. And, PAFan, your short story about Lindy in the nursing home from that playoff season is one of my alltime favorite posts on this board.

 

Maybe that team was better than 06-07. The 06-07 team certainly got less from Spacek than the 05-06 team got from McKee (although STL got less from McKee in 06-07 than we got from Spacek that year). But there is no way you can rationally say that we didn't have a heckuva team in 06-07. Drury, Briere, Soupy, Zubrus, Teppo, Connolly back from the dead -- none of them is a Crosby or a Lidstrom, but they were all good to very good players. We were loaded up and down the roster.

 

And they weren't "lucky" not to lose to the Islanders. They were much better than the Islanders. Miller played much better than DiPietro. As for the 2nd round, although we came very close to losing game 5 against the Rangers (talk about an unforgettable game!), we certainly could've won game 6 in MSG and then won game 7 at home. It was foolhardy to count that team out. They might have been flawed, but they never quit.

 

Glory days...

 

 

Oh man I forgot to even mention Game 1 of the Ottawa series! That was nuts, we were all playing beer pong at my friends garage. Everytime I wasn't up I'd sneak inside to watch the game. I remember running outside when Roy tied it. Got some people inside to come watch. Then Ottawa scored seconds later. Everybody went back outside, but there was no way I was missing the end. And then Connolly comes through and ties it with 12 seconds or whatever... absolutely nuts. And Drury in the OT. wooo did I get wasted that night.