The romance of hockey

[Doohickie]

During the tank, Buffalo Sabres goalies were continually downgraded.  Yet, under Arturs Irbe's tutelage, they managed to put up surprisingly good save percentages.  Without goal support they didn't win much, but they consistently outperformed expectations, leading many to call Irbe the Goalie Whisperer.  His influence turned several sows ears into silk purses, goalie-wise.

 

With the head coaching change, Irbe was sent packing and Dan Bylsma brought in his own man, Andrew Allen.  After Robin Lehner, the anointed starter, suffered an injury in Game 1, the Sabres were in familiar territory, seeking to turn scrubs into starters.  And as it turns out, the Sabres still have a Goalie Whisperer on staff.  Chad Johnson has played much better than expected, and Linus Ullmark has grown by leaps and bounds.  Now Lehner's back, and after just a few games he's making moves described as Hasek-like.

 

So who is this Goalie Whisperer?  We all thought it was Irbe, but he's gone and the trend continues.  In fact it's been with the Sabres for quite some time; we've been spoiled by good goalies.  The tank was delayed much longer than prudent because our goaltending allowed the team to make the playoffs when the assembled skaters were mediocre.  Our goalie was the team in 1999 when the Sabres last made it to the finals. 

 

I think the Goalie Whisperer has been with the Sabres through that entire period.  Could it be that the Goalie Whisperer is a dispossessed spirit, perhaps coming with the team to the FNC from the Aud?  A ghost of Sabres past?

 

Maybe the The Phantom of the Aud has been whispering from the rafters, improving our goalies in ways even they themselves didn't understand, making mediocre goalies good, and good goalies great.  Could it be the ghost of Roger Crozier, who brought the Sabres to within 2 wins of a Cup championship before succumbing to the Flyers in 1975?  Perhaps he cannot rest until the Cup banner hangs from the rafters.  Or maybe Tim Horton got back to the Aud from Toronto after all, and has been helping the defense ever since, by whispering to the goalie, putting ideas in his head, when to flash the leather, when to flop, all from the shadows.

 

We may never know who the Phantom of the Aud is.  But he won't rest until he helps the Sabres hoist the Stanley Cup.

[Drunkard]

During the tank, Buffalo Sabres goalies were continually downgraded. Yet, under Arturs Irbe's tutelage, they managed to put up surprisingly good save percentages. Without goal support they didn't win much, but they consistently outperformed expectations, leading many to call Irbe the Goalie Whisperer. His influence turned several sows ears into silk purses, goalie-wise.

 

With the head coaching change, Irbe was sent packing and Dan Bylsma brought in his own man, Andrew Allen. After Robin Lehner, the anointed starter, suffered an injury in Game 1, the Sabres were in familiar territory, seeking to turn scrubs into starters. And as it turns out, the Sabres still have a Goalie Whisperer on staff. Chad Johnson has played much better than expected, and Linus Ullmark has grown by leaps and bounds. Now Lehner's back, and after just a few games he's making moves described as Hasek-like.

 

So who is this Goalie Whisperer? We all thought it was Irbe, but he's gone and the trend continues. In fact it's been with the Sabres for quite some time; we've been spoiled by good goalies. The tank was delayed much longer than prudent because our goaltending allowed the team to make the playoffs when the assembled skaters were mediocre. Our goalie was the team in 1999 when the Sabres last made it to the finals.

 

I think the Goalie Whisperer has been with the Sabres through that entire period. Could it be that the Goalie Whisperer is a dispossessed spirit, perhaps coming with the team to the FNC from the Aud? A ghost of Sabres past?

 

Maybe the The Phantom of the Aud has been whispering from the rafters, improving our goalies in ways even they themselves didn't understand, making mediocre goalies good, and good goalies great. Could it be the ghost of Roger Crozier, who brought the Sabres to within 2 wins of a Cup championship before succumbing to the Flyers in 1975? Perhaps he cannot rest until the Cup banner hangs from the rafters. Or maybe Tim Horton got back to the Aud from Toronto after all, and has been helping the defense ever since, by whispering to the goalie, putting ideas in his head, when to flash the leather, when to flop, all from the shadows.

 

We may never know who the Phantom of the Aud is. But he won't rest until he helps the Sabres hoist the Stanley Cup.

Nice theory but I don't think there is a goaltending whisperer. Save percentages are higher across the league in general because of bigger goalies, bulkier pads, and the clog up the middle style of play. Hasek was arguably the best of all time and every year there are 10 goalies putting up stats comparable to his career numbers. Edited January 22, 2016 by Drunkard

[Doohickie]

This isn't a debate thread.  It's about the romance of hockey.  I thought it would be a good spot to post a little essay like this.

[Drunkard]

This isn't a debate thread. It's about the romance of hockey. I thought it would be a good spot to post a little essay like this.

My bad, man. I wasn't trying to piss in your corn flakes. It was beautifully written.

[Doohickie]

Nice recovery ;)

Edited January 22, 2016 by The Big Johnson

[Neo]

This thread seems to be the best place for me to post my impressions after my recent, and first, visit to Hockey Heaven. Seemed much better than the FNC Morgue thread!

 

I've followed the development article by article, step by step, in newspapers, talking to family and friends, and here on SabreSpace. I was unprepared for the extent and quality of development.

 

We started at Riverworks. Very cool. We watched some bantam hockey and looked at ducks on the open water portion of the river. I'd taken my kids on a tour of South Buffalo and the first ward. My youth, my family. They'd never seen it. So much industry, now park. I tried to paint a picture of steel mills and men in taverns on payday. Gritty hands and 25 cent drafts. Awesome sauce. We drove through Caz Park. I played youth hockey on a team with Timothy Burvid. We had another kid on our team. His son is doing pretty well with the Chicago Blackhawks.

 

Canal side is beautiful. Crisp, clean, expansive, comfortable, accessible and fun. Professional and well maintained. Available to all skills and demographics. Romance, whimsey, fun! I can "see" it in the summertime, too. My family to,d me of the picnics and concerts.

A stroll toward the hotels and ice rinks at HarborCenter and ... Tim Horton. History. I told my family about reading the Currier Express the morning after he died. A boy's shock. I'm 54 and I stood next to a statue in the cold for a picture with a statue. Of course, we visited the Tim Horton's, the rinks, and 716. I envisioned larger seating areas. Not because they're necessary, but I'd read of seating capacities and the WJC. Their glorious, of course. And busy, mid day during the week. 716 was great. The television is something you see in Vegas, or at Disney. It's an attraction. We sat in a booth and watched Schopp and Bulldog. Rob Ray showed up and went on air. By now, my wife and kids are referring to "Papa's greater day ever". I have four autographs - Gil Perreault, Phil Esposito, Robert Gordon Orr, and Rob Ray. It was awesome. Lastly, Chf's. Spaghetti Parm. It was as if I'd been there yesterday.

 

Now, the game experience is something I'm still mulling over. Detroit 3, Buffalo 0. I'm sure that influenced the mood of the arena. It was so subdued. Seats were empty. The arena's cavernous. Much of this is covered Is The other thread.

 

Hockey Heaven - when you're an ex-pat, you say at with all the respect and affection imaginable.

Edited January 26, 2016 by N'eo

[Doohickie]

Hockey Heaven - when you're an ex-pat, you say at with all the respect and affection imaginable.

 

Indeed.  Nice writeup.

[Neo]

Indeed.  Nice writeup.

Truly awesome thread idea.

[PASabreFan]

TBJ and N'eo the second and third stars of the thread. So far. No one's gonna touch BMW!

[BMWR100RT]

I wasn't trying to get on the stat sheet, but I had that story to share for years and the good reading of this thread inspired me to drop it. Last night I was sitting at my Dad's retirement home having dinner with him and a  bunch of seniors. Some lady that looked like she could have been old enough to be Seymour Knox III's wife blurted out "who's watching the Sabres tonight?" from another table. I yelled "I am!" much to the annoyance of the others. After dinner was over I saw her and we talked hockey before I raced home to catch the Sabres/Rangers. Being the Myopic fan I texted a buddy when we were down 3-1 "We got them (Rangers) right where we want them". I was jacked when they tied it, but then my phone lit up shortly after.....ha! The romance of hockey for sure.

[MattPie]

http://theplayerstribune.com/a-guy-like-me/

[SwampD]

http://theplayerstribune.com/a-guy-like-me/

That was great. His byline is fantastic.

 

JOHN SCOTT

ALL-STAR / NHL

[darksabre]

http://theplayerstribune.com/a-guy-like-me/

Love it. I hope he has a great time. 

 

And then I hope he immediately retires. He might be 33, but I bet someone out there would let him use that engineering degree. 

[darksabre]

Stolen from the Amerks thread because it belongs here.

 

I've been meaning to share this, just getting around to it. There's a QnA with Mal Davis in the Amerks' magazine from the game v Bing on the 29th. He is asked "How is the game of hockey still part of your life today?"

His answer is poetic. "I still play to this day....We all end up in the same league eventually. We all end up in a $5 league and I actually respect the guys that have never played pro hockey because they love the game exactly the way I do..."

[PASabreFan]

So we all go to the same hockey heaven? Beautiful.

[Taro T]

So we all go to the same hockey heaven? Beautiful.

Everyone but Bruin fans.

[Drunkard]

Everyone but Bruin fans.

 

Can we get VIP laminates too, or is that just reserved for out of town Leafs fans?

[Sabre Dance]

I was an NHL fan for five years before the Sabres even existed.  Those were the days of the "Original Six" (which isn't technically true, but that's another story).  Chicago was my team because they had awesome jerseys AND they had a player who had the same first name as my dad, Stan (Stan Mikita, of course).  I still remember the names of many players on that team: Bill White, Pat Stapleton, Bobby Hull (and brother Dennis), and Tony Esposito, still one of the best goalies ever.

 

When I found out that Buffalo was going to get it's own NHL team, I nearly turned handsprings.  I was going to be able to see Bobby Hull and Bobby Orr and the Montreal freakin' CANADIENS!  Live, in person!  Well, of course, every game was a sellout for several years.  I finally got to go see a game in person when one of my dad's co-workers who had season tickets coudn't go and gave the tickets to us.  The seats were first row orange, directly behind the net down at the Zamboni end of the Aud.  The tickets were $5.00 each.  That's right, FIVE BUCKS.

 

If it was a thrill to watch Gilbert Perrault on TV, it was stupifying to see him in person.  He just seemed to have an extra gear when he wound up behind his own net. 

 

It's still strange after a game (or other event) at the FNC not to hear upside-down soft drink cups being popped. 

 

Watching the Canadiens play at the Forum (even if it was on TV) was like watching the Pope celebrate mass at St. Peter's.  It was like the Mecca of Hockey.  I nearly wept when the league lost the Forum, Chicago Stadium and the Olympia.

 

As crummy an arena as Boston Garden was at the end of its life, it was way cooler watching a game there than nearly any game at TD Bank Garden, or whatever its name is this week...  Boston Garden and the Aud were the two smallest ice surfaces in the NHL for quite a while...that's why games against the Bruins were always a good matchup.  Both teams were geared for playing in tight corners. 

 

There were some real characters back then - a prime example was the Entertainer, Eddie Shack.  Yes, he could play hockey pretty well, but he was more than just a player.  You never quite knew what he would try next.  How about Johnny McKenzie of the Bruins?  He was the late '60's version of Brad Marchand.  Or Gump Worsley - Gump is still the best nickname for an NHL player...ever.

 

Well, I could go on.  Somehow, the "mystery", the "romance" if you will is sadly missing from the modern game.  Everything, from the arenas to the style of play, is homogenized.  I still watch, but it isn't the same and (of course) never will be.  But, I still have the memories   ;)

 

 

 

 

[Doohickie]

If it was a thrill to watch Gilbert Perrault on TV, it was stupifying to see him in person.

 

That's an apt word.

 

[Neo]

I was an NHL fan for five years before the Sabres even existed.  Those were the days of the "Original Six" (which isn't technically true, but that's another story).  Chicago was my team because they had awesome jerseys AND they had a player who had the same first name as my dad, Stan (Stan Mikita, of course).  I still remember the names of many players on that team: Bill White, Pat Stapleton, Bobby Hull (and brother Dennis), and Tony Esposito, still one of the best goalies ever.

 

When I found out that Buffalo was going to get it's own NHL team, I nearly turned handsprings.  I was going to be able to see Bobby Hull and Bobby Orr and the Montreal freakin' CANADIENS!  Live, in person!  Well, of course, every game was a sellout for several years.  I finally got to go see a game in person when one of my dad's co-workers who had season tickets coudn't go and gave the tickets to us.  The seats were first row orange, directly behind the net down at the Zamboni end of the Aud.  The tickets were $5.00 each.  That's right, FIVE BUCKS.

 

If it was a thrill to watch Gilbert Perrault on TV, it was stupifying to see him in person.  He just seemed to have an extra gear when he wound up behind his own net. 

 

It's still strange after a game (or other event) at the FNC not to hear upside-down soft drink cups being popped. 

 

Watching the Canadiens play at the Forum (even if it was on TV) was like watching the Pope celebrate mass at St. Peter's.  It was like the Mecca of Hockey.  I nearly wept when the league lost the Forum, Chicago Stadium and the Olympia.

 

As crummy an arena as Boston Garden was at the end of its life, it was way cooler watching a game there than nearly any game at TD Bank Garden, or whatever its name is this week...  Boston Garden and the Aud were the two smallest ice surfaces in the NHL for quite a while...that's why games against the Bruins were always a good matchup.  Both teams were geared for playing in tight corners. 

 

There were some real characters back then - a prime example was the Entertainer, Eddie Shack.  Yes, he could play hockey pretty well, but he was more than just a player.  You never quite knew what he would try next.  How about Johnny McKenzie of the Bruins?  He was the late '60's version of Brad Marchand.  Or Gump Worsley - Gump is still the best nickname for an NHL player...ever.

 

Well, I could go on.  Somehow, the "mystery", the "romance" if you will is sadly missing from the modern game.  Everything, from the arenas to the style of play, is homogenized.  I still watch, but it isn't the same and (of course) never will be.  But, I still have the memories   ;)

We share a lot after your five year head start. The popping cup sound in the hallways will be with me forever. I was in the AUD! Thank you.

[PASabreFan]

I'm sorry, but for guys of a certain age, this song is all about the good old days of the Buffalo Sabres, the romance of hockey even. Can you feel it?

 

[Neo]

AM Radio!

I was fiddling with a cassette tape player trying to tape (with a miniature microphone) this song the night Gil broke the NHL rookie goal record. I was going back and forth between the game and music, turning a dial. I'd called the station, requesting the song. I ended up recording the goal. Buffalo vs Vancouver, I believe. I was nine.

 

Perreault in the corner .... Drive on the short side he scores! Gil Perreault. What a shot he made ... he just let that drive go ....

 

 

Timothy

 

Trapped in a mine that had caved in

And everyone knows the only ones left

Were Joe and me and Tim

When they broke through to pull us free

The only ones left to tell the tale

Were Joe and me

 

Timothy, Timothy, where on earth did you go?

Timothy, Timothy, God why don't I know?

Edited February 9, 2016 by N'eo

[Sabre Dance]

We share a lot after your five year head start. The popping cup sound in the hallways will be with me forever. I was in the AUD! Thank you.

  Indeed - I am a South Buffalo boy meself (well, technically I lived about 40 yards south of the Buffalo, Lackawanna border...but many of my friends lived in South Buffalo).

[SwampD]

Coulda put this in the "sweat" thread or maybe the "advice" thread, but figure here is the best. This video is too long and silly, but still kinda fun. This what I try to do a couple of lunch breaks a week.

https://vimeo.com/155835153

[Ogre]

I meant to share this yesterday. Daren Puppa was inducted into the Amerks hall of fame last night. He gave a somewhat slurry, rambling speech but it was the final line that fired up the crowd and gave me a big smile. He thanked the Amerks for "taking a Canadian boy and turning him into an American man..."