Bleacher Report - Articles by TJ Luckman

NHL Draft: Sabres Select Kassian

TJ Luckman — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:07:07 -0400

With the No. 13 overall pick in the 2009 NHL Draft, the Buffalo Sabres have selected Zack Kassian.

Kassian played for Peterborough in the OHL.

He finished last season with 24 goals and 63 points.

Buffalo Sabres Need Big Moves for Bigger Push

TJ Luckman — Tue, 19 May 2009 12:13:16 -0400

There's no confirmation on whether or not Tom Golisano is chewing a microphone right about now, but the man sure has some answering to do with that statement right before the 2008-2009 season last year.

For the second year in a row, the Sabres find themselves on the outside looking in as they watch their playoff counterparts battle their way for the coveted Stanley Cup.

This, after two straight Eastern Conference Finals appearances.

It's clear that the group that they have now is a talented one. Whether they produce or not is one thing, but the most important thing is that they are surrounded with the correct supporting talent in order to succeed.

The problem starts from up top. B. Tom Golisano is clearly not a hockey man, but that's not something I want to get into at this point, as it's been an argument ever since the guy bought the team. Until he decides to sell the franchise, most of us will just have to deal with the hit-or-miss seasons.

The next problem is right under that man's nose. Besides Larry Quinn (obviously, another non-hockey man), the people the Sabres actually have to make hockey decisions have not performed their duties well.

I've said this once, and I'll say it again: Darcy Regier lucked into the team Buffalo fans saw come out of the lockout, making the man look like a genius.

But ever since, key players of this high-caliber team left for better deals—we've been left to wonder how much of a hockey genius this man could be.

Free agency seemed like a necessary tactic in order for this Sabres team to continue to succeed, however, the fans of Buffalo were assured that they had up-and-coming talent on which they could count.

No offense, but the Sabres are not the Detroit Red Wings, a team who continues to draft diamonds in the rough and put out a great on-ice product. That being said, the Sabres draft very well, as shown by how much talent they put out on the ice year after year.

However, we are still left with a team with potential. That is all.

The one and only way that this team will ever succeed again, is to surround all the young players they have with at least two decent, leading veterans.

All the pieces are there. They have two arguably top-line centers, plenty of good wingers, and a decent enough defensive corps, not to mention an All-Star goalie in Ryan Miller (and I can say that whole-heartedly now).

However, there is still much left to be desired, as shown by their absence in the playoffs for the past two years.

Unfortunately, the Sabres are tied up in cap space, having a lot of dead weight in players like Jochen Hecht and Henrik Tallinder, two players who have not lived up to the potential in which the brass is paying them for.

We look at Detroit, also tied up in cap space for next year. But then again, look where Detroit is right now. Their only worry is not having the ability to bring back one of their many superstars that they carry on their team.

That being said, the Sabres do not need to bring in any superstars to this team. It is believed that this team has plenty of young, potential star players in this league, like Derek Roy, Thomas Vanek, and Jason Pominville.

However, these players are still young and have not reached their prime, and unfortunately, unless something happens, their talents will most definitely not be maximized at their prime unless management decides to bring in more veteran leaders around here. Good veteran leaders will cost some money, though.

The plan of action should be to get rid of any dead weight lying around on this squad, whether that be through fully getting rid of those contracts by trading, or by buying out and only paying a fraction of that salary counting against the cap. The latter is the more likely of the two options.

Along with getting rid of the dead weight, it may be necessary to get rid of a player who actually plays to his potential. I see Derek Roy as a nice guinea pig due to his production and bargain of a contract.

Getting rid of this money gives help in the area of getting a good veteran leader like Sergei Zubov, who would really maximize a defensive corps considered weak in the past.

What may be a relatively cheap (in my standards) pickup, would be a guy like Todd Marchant. He made about $2.6 million last year, and may take a nice hometown discount (doubtful) for a team he most likely supported growing up in Williamsville, NY, a suburb outside of Buffalo.

Only time will tell. With the Conference Finals underway, the playoffs will be ending shortly. The only thing Sabres fans will have to wait for, then, is July 1st, when the free-agency period begins.

NHL Playoffs in High Gear: Conference Finals Underway

TJ Luckman — Mon, 18 May 2009 18:10:54 -0400

With Game One in the Western Conference Finals out of the way, the Chicago Blackhawks find themselves in a rough spot, down 1-0 to the favored, experienced Detroit Red Wings.

As much as I can not stand the Red Wings, I can't see them not making another Stanley Cup Finals appearance. They are just too experienced, too big, and too good to lose out to a young, inexperienced Chicago team that had caught fire in the two previous series they won.

But don't be surprised if it happens.

However, in order for this to happen, Chicago needs a lot more production from its top two lines, something it did not get in Game One. They also just can not leave Nikolai Khabibulin out to dry, else this series is going to be relatively short.

The defensive pairing of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook couldn't handle Johan Franzen, Dan Cleary, or Jiri Hudler, the line that seems to have taken control for the Red Wings in the 2009 Playoffs.

Keith and Seabrook shut down the likes of Jerome Iginla and Mike Cammaleri against the Flames, and also contained the "-din" line very well, keeping the Sedin twins' and Sundin's point totals relatively low in the series against Vancouver. They'll need to do the same against Detroit's line of playoff workhorses in order to keep this series tight.

The good news for Chicago is that Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg (save for the empty net goal) have been relatively quiet since the first round, and will probably want it kept that way so that they don't get blown out.

As for the Eastern Conference Finals, I've counted the Carolina Hurricanes out of series one and series two, with no luck of them losing out to either team. However, I can't see the Penguins laying down and allowing the Hurricanes to trample over them.

Scott Walker had better be careful with those sucker punches, because he will sure get a good six game suspension for the slightest touch to any of those pretty-boy Penguins (I'm looking at you, Sidney). Cam Ward may have finally met his match with Marc-Andre Fleury.

Another interesting tidbit about this series is the battle of the Staal Brothers, which is something the NHL has probably waited for ever since they found out there were four Staal brothers waiting to get into the league. Other than that, I see the Penguins taking this series, allowing for a SCF 2008 rematch between the Red Wigns and the Penguins, although I would love for Chicago to ruin that. Carolina, on the other hand, can stay behind either way.

Buffalo Sabres Mid-Season Awards

TJ Luckman — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:56:52 -0500

The Buffalo Sabres' 2008-09 season has been filled with an equal amount of highs and lows, whether it be the streaky play of their goaltender, or their sputtering, talented offense, there's awards all around, including some wacky ones.

Best Offensive Player: No. 26 Thomas Vanek

With 27 goals, Vanek is second in the league in that category, and has earned a spot on the Eastern Conference All-Stars team. He's finally playing at a level to the amount of the contract tendered to him two years ago.

Best Defensive Player: No. 5 Toni Lydman

Although his defensive partner, Henrik Tallinder, was taken away from him this season, Lydman's play has only gotten even better. He checks hard, and is always defensive in front of his net, and never seems to skip a beat.

Most Consistent Player: No. 9 Derek Roy

Aside from a stretch in which Roy struggled at the beginning of the season, Derek Roy has surely come into his own. At this point, he leads the team with 40 points this season, and it doesn't seem like he'll be letting up any time soon.

Most Surprising Player: No. 34 Chris Butler

Chris Butler has recently brought a "problem" to Buffalo. He is forcing coach Lindy Ruff to put the Sabres defense into a rotation. Simply said, Ruff just can't keep this rookie out of the lineup, and the regulars now have to pay for it.

Biggest Disappointment: No. 61 Maxim Afinogenov

Poor Max. He skates so fast, probably too fast, though. Max is a blur, sure, but sloppy play and bad giveaways have led Max to a minus-14 and a few trips to the press box. Hopefully, all Max needs is a change of scenery. I hear Colorado may be nice for him, especially a Western Conference who is not used to his speed.

Streakiest Player: No. 30 Ryan Miller

There's times where Miller seems to be unbeatable, the franchise goalie the Sabres signed to a long, expensive contract over the summer. Then there's other times where he's just the guy that earns a small contract this year and is playing to that standard.

And now, for some fun...

Player Most Likely To Get A Small Village Named After Him: No. 29 Jason Pominville

I shouldn't have to explain this one. Jason has been average this season, certainly nothing like the player he will be paid for next year.

Player Opponents Just Want To Sink Their Teeth Into: No. 76 Andrew Peters

When in doubt, if you can't take crap from this guy, a good biting should get him kicking and screaming.

Player Who Requires A Bubble To Play In: No. 19 Tim Connolly

Seriously, a nice bubble should do the trick for a guy that hasn't seemed to stay off the IR ever since that one series against Ottawa.

Player Who Deserves A Lot More Credit: No. 40 Patrick Lalime

The poor guy can't catch a break. He does everything he can, but his team falls asleep in front of him when he's in the net.

There you have it, my mid-season awards. This may be my last article for a little while, as the Spring Semester has started, and I need to focus on my studies.

Matt Ellis a Mainstay for Buffalo Sabres?

TJ Luckman — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:15:29 -0500

Forward Matt Ellis has quickly become a favorite among some Buffalo Sabres fans.

Since the winger has been called up, Ellis has five points in nine games with Buffalo, with four of those points coming in the past two games against the Ottawa Senators and the Boston Bruins.

Sure, the scoring is bound to die down. This is most likely just a routine fourth-liner catching fire at a good time for the Sabres, but let's look at what else Ellis brings to the table.

Much like the rest of his fellow third- and fourth-liners, like Paul Gaustad and Patrick Kaleta, Ellis brings some much-needed grit into the Sabres' lineup (especially with Kaleta out with a neck injury).

However, unlike a lot of the Sabres this year, Ellis has given his all, if not more, in each and every single game he's played in, giving no less than 100 percent.

The Sabres are 9-3-4 in the 16 games that Ellis has played in Buffalo this season, with the Sabres collecting 22 points in those games. Without Ellis in the lineup, the Sabres are 11-12-1, collecting 23 points in 24 games. Considering the Sabres have collected just one more point in eight more games without Ellis, keeping the gritty forward in Buffalo for a while may be a good idea.

Unfortunately, Ellis may fall victim to a numbers game soon. With the return of C Tim Connolly at hand, the Sabres are going to have to shed a forward.

The likely choice is to send down D Chris Butler, who in his recent call-up to the Sabres has filled in quite well on the defensive side. Butler can freely go between the NHL and the AHL without having to go on waivers, which is good news for the Sabres, who at this point, should ride any wave they can in order to keep winning.

Here's a message to the team: Keep riding the Ellis wave.

Lindy Ruff, Buffalo Sabres Finally Realize Effort Is a Must

TJ Luckman — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 06:19:53 -0500

It's been a long, winding road for the Buffalo Sabres in the first half of the season. They've proved that they are more than likely the same team as last year, which could be taken as a good or bad thing.

The advantages to having this same team is the chemistry that is developing... sort of. These guys have been together for a very long time, and they're locked up for the next four to five years in order to grow into an even better team.

The only knock against this chemistry theory I have is that Lindy Ruff, coach of the Sabres, feels the need to change lines at least every two games. My point is that the average team we've seen in the past year and a half is growing into what I hope can become a superior, elite team in the near future.

Of course, there are disadvantages to having that same Sabres team here in Buffalo. They are average. What if they don't grow like they are supposed to, developing that chemistry which they all long for in order to become one of those elite teams?

The Boston Bruins seem to have figured it out, and seem to have been on the same road as the Sabres. The Bruins, however, just seem to be about a year or two ahead of where the Sabres want to be.

Still, I have to admit that I've had a huge problem with the coaching, especially with Ruff—changing lines constantly, never letting anything develop, not playing his star players long enough, not keeping a consistent power play, etc.

On the other hand, I am loving the approach he's had lately. When he doesn't like something from the players, he is no longer afraid to call them out anymore. He's hit his low point, now, and has no choice but to call the shots and bench the no-shows on the ice (I'm looking at you, Max Afinogenov).

Just before the new year, Ruff called out his "star players," particularly Jochen Hecht and Derek Roy, saying that if they don't score, then the Sabres are doomed to sit at this average status in which they sit at the moment.

Trust me, I've seen this team for the past two years. The talent is there, the effort just isn't.

The only one I've seen a consistent effort from the whole year is Thomas Vanek, who sits one goal behind league-leader Jeff Carter of the Philadelphia Flyers with 26. Roy, however, has shown his all-star caliber as of late, stringing together many good games. Hecht hasn't really seemed to answer the call from Ruff yet, but hopefully that changes soon so he doesn't have to sit even higher than the nosebleed section just to watch his team play.

This isn't to say that once the star players come out to play that grinders like Adam Mair, Matt Ellis, and Paul Gaustad can sit out and watch themselves win. No, we've seen that it takes a full team effort to win a game for the Buffalo Sabres, one which includes scoring, hitting, and strong defensive play in order to win games.

My guess is we get about one or two of those a night. In Toronto and Boston, the Sabres showed all three qualities. A win in Toronto wasn't all that satisfying to this proclamation, but a win in Boston showed everyone something: The Sabres have the opportunity to win night in and night out if they put forth the effort, if every single member of the team, including Matt Ellis (and by the way, great game the other day) gives it his all.

Now, I know that this seems like a high-school motivational story, and I guess it is, but these guys act so young sometimes that you just wonder who you're watching sometimes.

So, who's next. Ottawa? The Sabres always seem to have trouble with the Senators, no matter where they stand in the standings. An earlier loss this year to the Senators was preceded by the Sabres' amazing start at the beginning of the season, so we'll see what motivational changes the Senators bring the Sabres after this game.

Sabres-Flyers: So Much for the Surprise

TJ Luckman — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:49:22 -0500

It's been a tale of two teams in Buffalo.

No, I am not talking about the Bills and Sabres. I am talking about just the Sabres—the good Sabres, and the bad Sabres.

The good Sabres were a very good team. They made very few mistakes, while putting forth a constant effort through sixty minutes. They finished their checks, they scored, and they played defense. On top of that, their goaltending was magnificent.

The bad Sabres are a completely different story.

“The effort is there,” goalie Ryan Miller said.

He's right. The effort is still there. The only glaring difference between the good Sabres and the bad Sabres are the mistakes that the team makes now compared to those that they didn't make a month ago.

And yes, the effort is still there, but it's how they are putting forth the effort—one period at a time. Since the start of the season, the Sabres have yet to play a full 60 minutes.

Tonight, the Sabres meet their old friend Marty Biron in a match against a team that Ryan Miller has faired well against throughout his career—the Philadelphia Flyers. Miller is 5-0-1 with a 2.60 GAA against Philly. This bodes well for a goaltender who has gone 1-3-1 in his past five games, and has seen his GAA rise from 1.62 to 2.61.

Hopefully, with the help of the surging Thomas Vanek and the resurgent Jason Pominville (ten points in his last eight games, with a four-game goal streak), the Sabres can be put back onto the right track. It would help if Derek Roy could play up to the potential expected of him this year.

Also, Mark Mancari has been called up from the Sabres' AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates. Mancari is currently second in the AHL in points (25) in 14 games. Mancari was named AHL Player of the Month for October.

Unfortunately, I don't think the Sabres are looking for Mancari's offense at this point. The Sabres already have plenty of that—but a little more defense would help this team out a lot.

Despite a Full Lineup, Buffalo Sabres Unable To Pull Out a Win

TJ Luckman — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 05:07:03 -0500

With Jochen Hecht back in the line-up last night, the Sabres are playing with a complete team for the first time this season.

The Sabres were forced to put Matt Ellis on waivers, exactly where they found him at the beginning of this season with the Kings. Ellis has cleared waivers and will be playing with the Sabres AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates.

With Hecht back, the Buffalo Sabres were able to roll out the punches last night. The Sabres have the offensive depth to be able to run four potent lines that could score on an opponent at any moment.

Unfortunately for the Sabres, the Thrashers were able to match each punch the Sabres threw at them, with neither team going down by more than a one-goal deficit in the full 60 minutes and 48 seconds played in the game.

There were four different scorers for Buffalo: Clarke MacArthur(6), Ales Kotalik(5), Maxim Afinogenov(1), and last but not least, Thomas Vanek(12). Vanek's score keeps him atop the league in goals scored.

Goalie Ryan Miller ended his shutout streak about 4:12 into the game, ending his steak at 149:12 of shutout time, dating back to the 15 minute mark in the game against Tampa Bay last week.

An especially weak goal that Ryan should have had was the goal that knotted the score up at two. Bryan Little came in from the right and slid a floater right underneath Miller after being tripped up by Sabres defender Toni Lydman.

After killing off 14 straight penalties, the Sabres were unable to defend two of Atlanta's three power plays, including the power play goal in overtime by Atlanta's Jason Williams, shutting down the Sabres two-game win streak.

Getting one point off the OT loss, the Sabres remain at the top of the Northeast Division. However, their trailers, the Montreal Canadiens are only one point behind the Sabres with two games in hand. The Canadiens also lost in overtime last night to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Sabres play tonight in Boston at the TD Banknorth Garden to face-off against the Bruins. The Bruins are coming off a two-game winning streak of their own, defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.

If it were my educated guess, I'd expect to see a goalie match-up of Tim Thomas and Patrick Lalime tonight. Hopefully, Ruff hasn't lost much faith in his backup since he gave up five against the Ottawa Senators over a week ago. Miller has gotten four straight starts since then, so it would seem like a good time to start Lalime, seeing Miller's performance last night.

Whatever happened to the defense last night better not happen to them again tonight. Although the offense is potent, it can't make up for all of the defenses mistakes. The Sabres have become much more accustomed to the defensive style of play they've utilized through most of this season, beginning with the acquisition of Craig Rivet.

With Craig Rivet Missing from Sabres Squad, Defensive Woes Are Showing

TJ Luckman — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:23:42 -0400

It's no secret that the Sabres are hurting in the defensive area at the moment.

The loss of Craig Rivet, the Buffalo Sabres Captain, has hurt the team where it hurts the most: the goals against column.

The Sabres have been without him for the past three games. Without Rivet, the Sabres have let in 11 goals. Buffalo allowed only 14 goals through the first seven games.

Not helping matters was an injury to Henrik Tallinder when the Sabres played the Colorado Avalanche. Tallinder suffered a lower leg laceration, causing him to sit out the game against Ottawa on Monday. The Sabres have called up defenseman Mike Weber from the AHL's Portland Pirates to fill out the defense while it heals.

The momentum has shifted. After going through the first eight games with at least one point in each, the Sabres have lost the last three, including a shootout loss to the Avalanche on Saturday night.

Buffalo can make all the excuses they want. Sure, they were in Colorado on Saturday, and they were probably running on jet lag, so we can just brush the ugly Senators game under the carpet.

However, there was no excuse for letting the Lightning come in and destroy them. The No. 1 Overall Draft Pick for 2008 scored two goals on a goalie considered to be one of the best. Those were the first two goals of his NHL career.

So we've analyzed the defense. Now, where is that offense?

The offense has only managed a mere five goals over the past three games. In the previous seven games, they had 26 goals, including eight from soon-to-be superstar Thomas Vanek. Vanek has just one point in the past three games.

Also gone cold is Ales Kotalik. He hasn't scored in four games. He had seven points in the first six games of this season.

The Sabres have been playing some ugly hockey for these past three games as well. Bad passes, too many giveaways, and that's the least of their problems.

Their goaltending has been less than stellar, both from Ryan Miller and Patrick Lalime.

Maxim Afinogenov has to stop playing keep-away with the puck, because that's getting his team absolutely nowhere. Every time he touches the puck, it ends up going the other way. Amazingly enough, Max has contributed seven points to this team, all assists.

The only positives that can be seen on the ice at this point are from youngsters Clark MacArthur and Daniel Paille.

Paille skates the hardest out of anybody on this team. He is always winning races to the puck, out-hustling anybody that tries to test their speed against him. MacArthur has been outstanding for the past four games, picking up two goals to go along with his three points. He has a three-game point streak going.

Don't forget special teams. Ottawa tallied two power play goals on six tries against the Sabres on Monday. The Lightning were able to get one as well. This against a team who was 26-for-26 on the PK this season until Phil Kessel of the Boston Bruins buried one home against Ryan Miller.

You can't really complain about the Sabres' power play though, as it's still scoring. However, not when it really needs to.

What this team has to do is what it always does when they're getting a little too fancy or a little exhausted. They need to go back to the fundamentals. I know, as a hockey fan, you ask yourself, "What does a professional NHL hockey team have to go back to fundamentals for?" Well, it's quite simple actually.

Simplicity wins hockey games. You don't need the extra pass or the extra little deke. The Sabres simply need to throw pucks at the net, and not wait for that pretty little play that will get them the nifty goal and a YouTube clip.

Just have Vanek sit atop his perch at the front of the net, and get shots through. Odds are he'll get the tip of his stick on it and deflect it by. He'll chip in the rebound, as well.

Max can stop carrying puck across the blue line, too. That causes way too many calls on the offsides. Just dump it, then chase it. You're quick enough to make the dekes, so just skate head-on into the corner, and work your magic behind the net. Get it out in front, and just hope that the player in front of the right thing: keeps his stick on the ice.

For what it's worth, it was nice to see Paul Gaustad back in the swing of things tonight. His presence can only help the team as it tries to come back onto the winning side of things.

Once Hecht and Rivet come back, this team will be much better off defensively, and will hopefully score some goals to go along with it. Hecht's return is a key to the production of Jason Pominville, who only seems to play well when Jochen is on his side.

Injuries are always the worst plague, but the Sabres have always been known for their depth. Unfortunately, their defensive depth is a lot worse than what the forwards have, but that's just the obstacle Buffalo has to jump at the moment in order to get back on the winning side of things.

Buffalo Sabres Not a Surprise, Just Ahead of Schedule

TJ Luckman — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 19:32:35 -0400

Darcy Regier expected the winning to come. He knew he could win with the players he signed to long-term deals this summer. He said right out that these were the players that would bring Buffalo a championship a few years down the road.

Years, months, weeks. What's it matter? The Sabres we expected to see later in their careers are growing up quickly—and that's okay with the fans in Buffalo.

A huge factor in the reason the Sabres have been winning is the stellar play of recently re-signed goaltender Ryan Miller, who currently holds the league's number-one rank amongst starting goalies with a 1.60 goals-against average. He's also second in save percentage with .940, trailing only Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Mike Smith, who has a .941 for that same stat.

It helps that the Sabres finally have a stable, reliable goaltender to back Miller up in journeyman goalie Patrick Lalime. In the two games that Lalime has played for the Sabres, he has a 1.44 GAA along with a .961 save percentage, much better than what was expected from him.

Of course, the goaltenders can't get all the credit. It helps that the improved Sabres defense has been nothing but stellar in the eight games Buffalo has played this season. Even without Craig Rivet for the past two games, the Sabres still have allowed the second-fewest goals against in the NHL this season, trailing only the Minnesota Wild.

Constantly labeled an offensive team, Sabres Coach Lindy Ruff has finally realized that he will need to tone it down on the run-and-gun style of play that the team has utilized throughout the three seasons after the lockout. It worked for the first two years, but after teams started increasing the physical, defensive playing style that was used before the lockout, the Sabres were shut down last year. They were always being picked apart on the transition game, allowing teams to capitalize on their less-than stingy "D".

Stingy is an understatement when considering the defense of this year's team.

Even though the defense has improved, that doesn't mean the offensive potency has decreased, either. Their offense works a lot like that of the Detroit Red Wings—their defense is their offense.

The Sabres' style of play, now, is to capitalize on the opposing team's mistakes, keep possession in the opposing zone, and not wait for the perfect play to put the puck in the net. Of course, the last of the three qualities doesn't seem to show.

The Sabres still show how young of a team they are when it comes to them making a few-too-many moves, a quality that almost all of them can grow out of as time progresses. There will always be a few, like Maxim Afinogenov, that will try to put in the extra move here, or the little deke there to throw off his opponents.

Thomas Vanek is possibly becoming one of the best two-way players in the NHL. Always picked on for a lack of effort, and an inability to back-check, Vanek has found a way to score every which way this season. Whether it be shorthanded, on the power play, or even strength, Vanek shows the patience of a highly-matured player who looks for the right play rather than the first choice.

In his first eight games, Vanek has found the net eight times, and he's also found the sticks of three other players for assists. As for his back-check, it's fine now. Vanek is a plus-six this season, on pace to be better than the +47 he had two years ago.

The Sabres have shown the league once again that they should not be underestimated, a mistake that experts made after the lockout, when the Sabres were pinned to be in the doldrums of the NHL. I can assure you, that with the way this team is playing now, and the players they have for the next five or six years, they won't be coming anywhere close to the basement for a little while now.

The Bye Week: What Does a Football Fan Do?

TJ Luckman — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 17:45:41 -0400

Bye weeks are tough. For the first, say four to five weeks (at the most what, 12?), a football fan has his team to watch, and then other games to take a peak at when his team isn't doing well, or if there's a commercial, something like that.

You could be checking the Jets game to make sure Brett Favre isn't having one of his "interception days," as I like to call them, or the other way around, making sure you made the right decision on a quarterback for your fantasy team this week.

The bye week comes, so you're stuck watching any team but yours. I wish I could have watched the Bills today, but that didn't happen. Now I don't want to see them play next week, seeing how the Chargers absolutely tore apart the Patriots.

Bye weeks make me worry. They make me excited. It's just a different story, depending who you are, but it's always different from your normal story: watching your team.

As for me, I watched the Patriots and the Dolphins fall today, so it's a good day in my book. As for the Jets, I'll worry about them when that game comes. As for now, I am probably like a football coach; I am just focusing on my team's next game, which happens to come against a high-powered Chargers offense, complete with Rivers, with sides of Tomlinson, Jackson, and Gates.

I'm sure Patriots fans didn't appreciate watching the Bills go 4-0 during their bye week. Titans fans were probably the most content going into their bye week, sitting on top of their division with a 5-0 record, with the next closest team being the 3-2 Colts.

As a football fan, I understand. You are confused. You are frustrated and happy at the same time, glad that your team does not have to play so that you don't have to worry about them losing, but frustrated that your team couldn't get that much better today.

That's why it's always good to like other sports, like baseball, and hope that during football season, your city's MLB team is heading for the month of October. If not, then you just pick a game, preferably your own division's, because for you, that will be the most exciting.

Pretty much, you just want it to be next week already. You don't know if the bye week is a breather that your team sorely needed, or if it's going to be a complete momentum breaker where your team doesn't do well for the rest of the season (I'm looking at you, Kansas City).

What do you do during your bye week? Obviously, I write articles like this one.

Sabres-Canadiens: Buffalo Off and Rolling

TJ Luckman — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:39:54 -0400

The Buffalo Sabres have started their 2008-09 season off on the right foot, winning in close fashion with a 2-1 shootout victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

Thomas Vanek tied the score at one apiece in the first period, about five minutes after Montreal's Robert Lang scored his goal. That's how the score stayed for the next two periods, plus an overtime frame.

What the game lacked in scoring was made up for in excitement. Both goalies—Ryan Miller for the Sabres and Carey Price for the Canadiens—were spectacular, with Miller making 27 saves, including four in the overtime period, the only period that the Canadiens out-shot the Sabres. Carey Price put on a show of his own, saving 35 of the 36 shots that came his way.

The nightmares that Buffalo may have had about shootouts last year may be over, as both shooters for Buffalo scored, allowing them to win in the shootout 2-0. Ales Kotalik did his signature shootout move, faking to the right before switching to his backhand to put one past Carey Price. Drew Stafford only widened Buffalo's lead on his goal, making Saku Koivu's chance a do-or-die situation.

Concerns for Buffalo include Tim Connolly, who is still out with a back injury.

Teppo Numminen picked up an assist on Thomas Vanek's goal in his first game back in Buffalo since the Sabres played Ottawa in Game Five of the Eastern Confernce Finals. After missing the playoffs last season, it seems the Sabres are driven to do well this season in order to get back into playoff contention again.

Buffalo Names Craig Rivet Sabres Captain

TJ Luckman — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 05:59:08 -0400

The Sabres announced today that Craig Rivet will be the captain of the team this year. Jason Pominville, Jochen Hecht, Jaroslav Spacek, and Teppo Numminen will all serve as alternate captains. There will be two away alternate captains and two home alternate captains.

It was stated yesterday by coach Lindy Ruff that there will only be one captain this season, rather than the rotating captaincy used last season.

The team captaincy was left up to a vote by the team, and it seems that the vote has lead to Rivet being captain. Although at first, Craig Rivet being picked as captain was a surprising move, the fact that the teammates voted for Rivet to be captain may give the team the extra push of leadership that it needs, which was missing last year.

Quite honestly, I was under the impression that Lindy Ruff would choose someone who has been with the team a little longer, however, the choice of Rivet makes sense. The fact that Rivet has been with the Sabres for such a short time, along with the fact that his younger teammates trust him after this short time, shows us what kind of character that Rivet must have. It seems that the Sabres have finally found a leader.

Buffalo Sabres' Captaincy to Be Settled Wednesday

TJ Luckman — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:00:43 -0400

UPDATE 11:47 AM: It has been announced that there will only be one captain for the Buffalo Sabres this season. No other information has been disclosed. Tim Connolly is probably for Friday's game against the Canadiens.

Lindy Ruff announced today that the captain of the Buffalo Sabres will be announced Wednesday.

Whether or not he will announce one captain or a committee is yet to be heard, however, WGR has reported that Ruff will make his decision public tomorrow.

Ruff has stated that he likes the rotating captaincy that the team has used for two seasons over his 11 years behind the bench. He used such a system last year, and also in the 2003-04 season.

Last year's captains were as follows: Jochen Hecht (October), Toni Lydman (November), Brian Campbell (December), Jaroslav Spacek (January), Jochen Hecht (February), and Jason Pominville (March and April).

A smart pick for the Sabres would be Jason Pominville. Pominville picked up his game immensely last season when he was wearing the captain's "C". In the months he was captain, Pominville scored eight goals and racked up 21 points over the final 17 games, including a four-point game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Other good picks for captain include veteran Teppo Numminen, Jochen Hecht, Derek Roy, or Thomas Vanek.

Alternate captains could pretty much be anyone on the whole Sabres team. The whole team brings out a certain quality of leadership from all its players, which is probably why the idea of a rotating captaincy came about.

However, a team is never gonna win when a different guy is the designated leader each month. The Sabres should pick just one leader and stick with him.

Thomas Vanek Must Be Ready to Perform

TJ Luckman — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:01:26 -0400

Thomas Vanek had the excuses of a heavy contract and tough breaks at the beginning of last season to explain why his play was less than average. This season, that shouldn't happen.

Vanek had his fair share of bad breaks at the beginning of last season. He hit posts, he hit crossbars, he missed wide-open nets. He couldn't catch a break before the All-Star break. Finally, after the All-Star Break in February, Thomas Vanek hit his stride.

Heading into the break, Vanek had only 13 goals and 31 points. The lack of production from the star player was worrying, seeing as the player had just signed a seven-year contract worth $50 million just prior to the season. Keep in mind that this was not the contract that the Sabres brass were expecting to give Thomas.

It was GM Kevin Lowe from the Edmonton Oilers who tendered Vanek this massive offer sheet in order to force Sabres GM Darcy Regier's hand in order to give up his future star player. However, due to certain circumstances in the free agency period of the summer of 2007, Regier was forced to bitterly accept the large contract.

Vanek made $10 million for the first year of the contract, however, he certainly did not play like he was supposed to be payed at first. It seemed like Thomas could not mature fast enough into the player that Buffalo needed him to be.

Something must have kicked in after the All-Star Break, though, because after the break, Vanek turned into one of the league's best players. Vanek finished with 36 goals in 2007-08, scoring 22 of those goals over the final 34 games of the season. Vanek also had four hat tricks after the break: two vs. Tampa Bay at home, one vs. Ottawa, and one vs. Boston, both away from HSBC Arena.

Although Vanek didn't really progress from his breakout season in 2006-07, in which he scored 43 goals and 84 points, he sure has shown that he can now play under the weight of his large contract.

Vanek has also shown that he can put the whole team on his shoulders and win a game for them, a big reason why Buffalo drafted him fifth overall in 2003. Vanek has shown signs of leadership, as well.

Vanek blamed a lot of Buffalo's woes last season on himself, showing that he is in no way selfish, but considers himself a strong part of the team who should be a contributor, an important quality in a leader.

Whether or not Vanek can keep playing with the consistency he brought at the end of last season will be seen when the Sabres open against the Montreal Canadiens on Friday at home.

Trent Edwards, Buffalo Bills Suffer in Big Loss

TJ Luckman — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 17:13:34 -0400

The Bills couldn't pull off any fourth quarter magic this time.

As expected, they were unable to keep up with a powerful Arizona offense that walked all over the Bills. Kurt Warner completed 33 of his 42 pass attempts for 250 yards and two touchdowns. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, there was no way the Bills could catch up.

They were also missing a key factor in an attempt to make a fourth straight fourth quarter comeback. Trent Edwards was lost to a concussion during Buffalo's first offensive series, forcing J.P. Losman to throw for the game's entirety.

Losman was 15 for 21, throwing for 220 yards and one touchdown, an 87-yard bomb to Lee Evans. Losman also ran for a touchdown in the red zone, using a draw play to put the Bills at the lowest deficit they faced in the entire game. What Losman lacked, however, was the fourth quarter magic that Edwards has shown three weeks in a row.

It also didn't help to have Terrence McGee out with a knee injury. Not only did the defense suffer, but the special teams suffered. Also, a blow to the Bills special teams is Roscoe Parrish's thumb injury, which is keeping him out of action for at least the next three weeks.

All of Arizona's first half drives resulted in scores, the first three being touchdowns. The Bills' offense actually kept the game close until the start of the second half.

Another weak area for the Bills, in this game, was the their third down defense. Despite being ranked first in the league in third down percentage, the Bills were not able to defend the Cardinals on third down.

The Cardinals converted nine third downs, converting for their first six in a row to start the game. The Cardinals offense was also more consistent, getting more than double the first downs the Bills had.

A key play that was probably the turning point of the game was in the third quarter, with the Cardinals leading the Bills by seven. It was fourth down, and the Cardinals were going for a field goal. The Bills' special teams committed an offsides, causing the Cardinals to get a first down in the red zone, resulting in an Arizona touchdown rather than a field goal.

The Bills head into the bye week with a 4-1 record. After the bye, the Bills face a true test in the San Diego Chargers. Whether or not the Bills bounce back from this loss in that game will be a key factor in determining if they'll be contenders this year.

UPDATE: Trent Edwards' concussion will be dealt with on a day-to-day basis, says Coach Dick Jauron. Edwards felt fine after the game.

Buffalo-Arizona: A Quick Look at Week Five for Buffalo

TJ Luckman — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 05:29:42 -0400

Bills (4-0) at Cardinals (2-2)

Buffalo is going to want to jump off the starting line this weekend. Their "comeback" style of play may not work against a great offensive threat in Arizona.

Even with the fumbles and interceptions, Kurt Warner somehow found a way to throw for over 400 yards on a Jets defense that never had a lot going for it to begin with. Although the stats might tell you otherwise, Trent Edwards still had a tremendous fourth quarter last Sunday for the third week in a row.

The Cardinals Might Win If:

They reduce their turnovers. If Warner can put up the numbers he did last week without all the turnovers, he and the Cardinals' talented offense can overrun the Bills and cancel out any chance at a fourth-quarter comeback that has become somewhat of a regular thing in Buffalo.

The Bills Might Win If:

They take advantage of the Cardinals' pass defense. Sure, Brett Favre is a great quarterback, but his receivers are somewhat average. Edwards is a smart quarterback, and if the blitz doesn't come straight for him from play one, he may have some time for plays (and routes) to develop.

The Bills also must subdue the Cardinals' passing offense with a little defense of their own. With McGee out, this may be a difficult task for nickel corner Ashton Youboty and rookie Leodis McKelvin.

Advantages

Pass Offense: Cardinals
Run Offense: Bills
Pass Defense: Bills
Run Defense: Bills
Special Teams: Bills

Prediction

The Bills' defense will keep it close, and Edwards will be able to take advantage in the end. 32-24 Bills.

Sabres In For A Long, Telling Season

TJ Luckman — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:09:33 -0400

BUFFALO, NY- It's that time of year again.

Hockey teams are playing their meaningless games in a more meaningless preseason than any sport in America. There is nothing telling about the preseason at all in the NHL, especially when you have NHL teams going to Prague for exhibition games like the Rangers and the Lightning.

This is extremely good news for the Sabres.

The Buffalo Sabres have had an awful preseason, losing almost every game, save for a comeback victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs last Saturday. They've taken the lead in only one game, and they ended up losing that game in pretty much the same fashion they had won the night before in Toronto. New Buffalo Sabres goaltender Patrick Lalime let in a tricky goal, sending the match to OT where the Sabres lost in, surprise surprise, a shootout.

If there's anything telling about a preseason, it's how their minor league teams will play this year. All signs have pointed to bad for the Portland Pirates, the Sabres AHL affiliate this year.

But finally, as the regular season approaches in less than two weeks, the Sabres will be back in action for the first time since they cleaned out the locker room last season after a disappointing year, missing the playoffs after two straight seasons of going to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Sabres fans know the story. Chris Drury and Daniel Briere both left Buffalo for more money, and rightfully so. Although Drury was offered the same contract he received from the Rangers, Drury picked them over Buffalo simply on the fact that growing up, the Rangers were Drury's team.

Briere, however, simply went for the money, and who could blame him? He had a career season in Buffalo, with 95 points, and all Buffalo could do was offer him the same lousy contract that an arbitrator awarded him the year before. Sure, Briere was going to take a hometown discount, but from a team who didn't even seem to make a push to show him that they wanted him, Briere wanted out. Philly offered him a contract that he couldn't refuse.

All is said and done, and as Buffalo Sabres fans, I think we've moved on.

It's safe to assume that the acquisition of Jocelyn Thibault last year was a horrible move. Darcy Regier moved to amend that mistake, signing Patrick Lalime to a two-year contract in the hopes that he could be the answer that Regier was hoping Thibault would be.

Regier did his homework this summer, too, locking up all his core players that he told Buffalo faithful that Ryan Miller and Jason Pominville would be his top priority this summer, and he wasn't kidding. Miller signed a contract worth $31.5 million, which keeps him in Buffalo until the 2013-14 season (as long as Thomas Vanek is there, in case you were wondering).

Pominville also signed a long-term deal worth $26.5 million, keeping JP in navy blue and maize (as long as they don't change the colors again) for another 5 years to the 2013-14 season. Also a surprise signing by Regier early this summer was the signing of C Paul Gaustad, to a 4-year $9 million contract. Daniel Paille was also signed to a 2-year contract. He'll be a restricted free agent by the end of his campaign.

Regier also pulled off what will likely be a heck of a trade in the dealing of Steve Bernier to the Canucks for some draft picks. Sure, that may look like a horrible trade, but when those picks are transferred over to the Sharks for a veteran D-man in Craig Rivet, it looks like Darcy has once again shown why the Sabres have kept this guy around for so long.

So coming into this season, here is a prospective look at how the line-up will shape up (barring injury to a certain guy wearing the numbers 1 and 9 along the back, but I'm not naming any names).

Line 1: Vanek-Roy-Afinogenov
Line 2: Paille-Connolly-Pominville
Line 3: Hecht-Gaustad-Stafford
Line 4: MacArthur-Mair-Kotalik
Scratches: Peters
Possible Call-Ups: Gerbe, Kennedy, Zagrapan, Gragnani

D-Pair 1: Lydman, Tallinder
D-Pair 2: Numminen, Rivet
D-Pair 3: Spacek, Sekera
7th D: Weber
Waiver Wiggler: Paetsch

Goalie Depth Chart: Miller, Lalime, Enroth, Dennis

Also, if Coach Lindy Ruff things he's going anywhere with that rotating captaincy, he's completely wrong. The two-captain system they employed with Briere and Drury was acceptable, but really Lindy, you must be able to pick someone out of that young team of yours.

How about Jason Pominville? He played the best with the "C" last year, and probably showed the most poise in the locker room out of any player. Anybody they threw money at over the summer is fine with me, too. Rivet is worthy of an "A" in my opinion, as is the 40-year-old Teppo Numminen. But seriously, when's the last time you heard of the Stanley Cup Champions who had rotating leadership roles throughout the season?

All in all, the Sabres will probably be on the bubble of making the playoffs this year. At best, I'll give them 5th place in the East, however, 3rd if they win the East.

But with powerhouse Montreal, and the unsure Bruins and Senators, the Northeast division is probably one of the most up-for-grabs divisions in the NHL at this point. They are a close second to the atrocious Southeast division, though.