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Speaking Of Brian Holzinger


bob_sauve28

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What Sabre frustrated you the most over the years?

 

Remember Christian Rutuu? Or was it Ruutu? He was our second line center and had 2 goals all year. Wow, talk about frustrating! I'd also like to give honorable mention to Marty Biron. Yes! His performances at the beginning of the last three seasons who terrible. Big part of us not making the playoffs in a while.

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2 Words: Richard Smehlik

 

Man, I never got why everyone in this city knocked Smehlik the whole time he was here. I always thought he was a solid stay-at-home defenseman. So he wasn't flashy at all, and not that fast...so what. In the "new" NHL that really would have hurt us, but the way the game was played while he was here, I always thought he was a good player.

 

Now, to my least favorites....it's a tie between Mike Wilson, Andy Delmore, and Erik Rasmussen. All were supposed to be good and never did ANYTHING. Wilson was a big guy that was scared to play tough (hmm that sounds familiar, doesn't it Pyatt???), Delmore was supposed to be the powerplay specialist this team desperately needed, and Rasmussen...well what can ya say, a complete first round BUST.

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2 Words: Richard Smehlik

 

 

my aunt is a teacher. and her daughter is friends with Smehlik's daughter (well, was when he was here..) and I made the mistake of yelling out Smehlik Sucks in an argument with my uncle while she was in the house around the corner.... Oops... but still a valid point. I hated Smehlik.

 

Let's see.. Chris Taylor, hated him.

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2 Words: Richard Smehlik

You hit it on the head. Although in fairness to him, he did play well in the '00-'01 season and playoff run (except game 7) (which was the ONLY season he did play well in after his training camp injury).

 

Some others through the years: Jacques Richard, Buddy Cloutier, Phil (Wow-wee Wimply or Can I Serve You Another Assist Monsieur Richer?) Housley, Sean McKenna, and Benoit Hogue.

 

Man, I never got why everyone in this city knocked Smehlik the whole time he was here. I always thought he was a solid stay-at-home defenseman. So he wasn't flashy at all, and not that fast...so what. In the "new" NHL that really would have hurt us, but the way the game was played while he was here, I always thought he was a good player.

 

Now, to my least favorites....it's a tie between Mike Wilson, Andy Delmore, and Erik Rasmussen. All were supposed to be good and never did ANYTHING. Wilson was a big guy that was scared to play tough (hmm that sounds familiar, doesn't it Pyatt???), Delmore was supposed to be the powerplay specialist this team desperately needed, and Rasmussen...well what can ya say, a complete first round BUST.

I can't speak for everyone, but the reason I couldn't stand Smehlly (or Shtinky as I preferred to call him) was because he was part of what seemed to be Rick Jeanneret's most common play by play call not including descriptions of saves by Dom. "Smehlik clears the puck ... not out." I got tired of hearing it after the 3rd time he'd say it each game and he usually had that call more often than that.

 

Also, I forgot to include Wilson on my list.

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I also thought Smehlik got a bad rap and was actually a decent defenseman.

 

My least favorite Sabre in recent times is Miro, for totally mailing it in for 2.5 seasons. I contrast this with Marty, who certainly let us down every chance he got before this year, but at least busted his butt trying. I think Miro just picked up a paycheck and didn't give a hoot.

 

When I was a kid I didn't like John Van Boxmeer, b/c I thought all he had was a big shot from the point and was terrible in our end. However, I'm starting to appreciate the value of the big, accurate shot from the point on the power play. I think the number of defensemen in the league who can blast it consistently with power and accuracy is pretty low.

 

Most importantly, there's nobody on this year's team that even comes close to making the list. Just the opposite -- although I have a few favorites, I pretty much like them all.

 

Go Sabres.

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Nobody mentioned Michal Grosek? Not that I think he was the most frustrating of all time, but he's got to be in the mix.

 

I still can't believe we got Gilmour, Dumont AND part of Gilmour's salary for that chump.

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I can't hate on Holzinger, Smehlik, Plante, Ruutu and the host of others mentioned here. They were who they were. I've never hated any Sabres but Hasek, even in his prime with the Sabres was never my favorite.

 

I think with guys like Gratton, Wilson and Grosek, it was unrealized potential. That is the thing that bothers me more than a good college player not being able to finish.

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You hit it on the head. Although in fairness to him, he did play well in the '00-'01 season and playoff run (except game 7) (which was the ONLY season he did play well in after his training camp injury).

 

Some others through the years: Jacques Richard, Buddy Cloutier, Phil (Wow-wee Wimply or Can I Serve You Another Assist Monsieur Richer?) Housley, Sean McKenna, and Benoit Hogue.

I can't speak for everyone, but the reason I couldn't stand Smehlly (or Shtinky as I preferred to call him) was because he was part of what seemed to be Rick Jeanneret's most common play by play call not including descriptions of saves by Dom. "Smehlik clears the puck ... not out." I got tired of hearing it after the 3rd time he'd say it each game and he usually had that call more often than that.

 

Also, I forgot to include Wilson on my list.

 

How about the play--repeated at least three times per game--where the Sabres win a draw in the opposing team's zone, the puck comes back to Smehlik, and trickles under his stick over the line to neutral ice. I still can see it if I close my eyes.

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Richard Smehlik and Mike Wilson for the same reasons. I don't think I've ever seen two guys have to skate so hard to go that slow. Mike Wilson is rated a little higher in my book than Smehlik though because he actually dropped the gloves once or twice while he was here.

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Yeah, is my memory going or was not Ric Seiling always injured? I don't mean out of the lineup, I mean lying on the ice in a crumple (if that's a word). The priest would come out to give last rites, the doctor would fire up the paddle, they would wheel him off, and the next shift, there he was! He seemed... delicate.

 

Ditto on Gilmour and Kozlov. Talk about bad fits. But I am going to go way back to select my least favorite Sabre. The choice makes no sense, because he was a tough-nosed defenseman who contributed a ton offensively and was a big part of the success of the mid 1970s... but I really disliked Jerry "King Kong" Korab. Maybe it was the dark mustache, I don't know. I was just an innocent kid who loved the artistry of the game, and a borderline goon didn't fit in with my romantic view of the Sabres. I guess I've always been that kind of hockey fan. Because number 2 on my list is Rob Ray. What a tool. Anyone remember when he slew-footed that kid in Florida?

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