Sabres and NHL News
Jun 3, 2008 NHL
Most of this was heard on WGR on the way home.
Buffalo will NOT be offering Dmitri Kalinin a contract this offseason, according to Darcy Regier. Not too surprising, considering the minutes Weber and Sekera were getting.
The announcement for the new AHL affiliate will be coming within “days”, and is thought to be Portland (last I heard).
Barry Melrose may be taking John Tortorella’s coaching job with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Who will ESPN roll out every few nights during the NHL regular season now?
Tags: buffalo, Hockey, kalinin, lightning, melrose, NHL, sabres, sekera, tampa bay, tortorella, weber
Gameday - Sabres at Leafs
Apr 1, 2008 NHL
Buffalo must win tonight to keep the slim playoff hopes alive, as they visit the Toronto Maples Leafs tonight at the ACC, 7:30pm start time. Still no Kalinin, Spacek or Numminen, lineup will be the same as far as I’m aware. We’ll be seeing Andrew Raycroft in net, as the Leafs are out of playoff contention and don’t really have a need to play the hot hand in net any more.
It was pointed out on WGR’s morning show that Buffalo teams have a history of getting the help they need to make the playoffs and then not holding up their end of things, I hope that doesn’t happen tonight.
Tags: B-Lo Sports, Hockey, kalinin, maple leafs, NHL, numminen, raycroft, sabres, Spacek, toronto
Patches Back, Funk Sent Down
Mar 25, 2008 NHL
Just what the title says, Nathan Paetsch is back in the lineup, so Mike Funk is back down to Rochester. Lindy Ruff was quite happy with his callup this time, but likes having Nathan’s ability to join the rush from the blueline back. Dmitri Kalinin and Jaroslav Spacek are both skating on their own and are getting closer to returning. I hope they are able to help the team in time. At least Philly and Boston were idle tonight, the situation didn’t get any worse.
Tags: B-Lo Sports, funk, Hockey, injury, kalinin, NHL, paetsch, ruff, sabres, Spacek
Gameday - Hurricanes at Sabres
Mar 14, 2008 NHL
I narrowly resisted some sort of overplayed Hurricane pun, you guys should know that. The Canes blow into Buffalo (okay, I lied) on a five game win streak while the Sabres remain 4 points out of the playoffs, having lost 4 straight and 6 of the last 7. To make matters worse, the Leafs, Caps and Panthers are all just one point behind Buffalo in the standings. D Mike Funk was called up to take the roster spot of Nathan Paetsch, out with a concussion. Kalinin, Spacek and Connolly are all out as well.
I’m trying very hard to stay positive about the team, but it gets tougher the closer they get to the end of the season out of the playoffs. My son wants to see another game, but I don’t think I’m throwing down silver or gold level money for a 4 year old to go to a game, when he may not even last all the way through. It’s too bad, as he’s a pretty solid good luck charm for the team. 7:30pm start at HSBC Arena.
Tags: B-Lo Sports, Carolina, funk, Hockey, Hurricanes, injury, kalinin, NHL, paetsch, sabres, Spacek
Gameday - Sabres at Penguins (updated)
Mar 12, 2008 NHL
The Buffalo Sabres travel to the Igloo to face the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight, and they do so without Andrew Peters. Peters was suspended for one game for hitting Colton Orr while he was on the bench. Peters was retaliating for a hit that Orr put on a Sabres player that put him into the bench as regulation time expired. On the injury front, Steve Bernier and Michael Ryan both practiced but at this point their status for tonight is uncertain. Kalinin is out for 1 to 2 weeks, and Spacek longer, so Mike Weber will be on the ice.
Buffalo currently sits 4 points behind Philly in the standings, and Philly plays the Maple Leafs again tonight for the back-end of a home and home. You can just go ahead and fill in al the typical sports cliches about it being ’crunch time’ or ‘must-win’ on your own, don’t need my help with that by now.
Update: No Sidney Crosby tonight, he is sitting with that ankle injury that kept him out the past several weeks. Connolly may sit with the continuing hip soreness, getting The Kaleta back in. Bernier will play.
Tags: connolly, crosby, Hockey, injury, kaleta, kalinin, NHL, orr, penguins, peters, pittsburgh, ryan, sabres, Spacek, Steve Bernier, the kaleta, weber
Another Worrisome Shootout Loss for the Sabres
Mar 11, 2008 NHL, They Said It
Despite a parade of Rangers to the penalty box (including a full 2 minute 5 on 3), the Sabres could not pull away from the Rangers, and it cost them as they lost another shootout. That puts the team’s record at 2-9 in the skills competition. Miller is letting in 50% of shots taken on him, last year it was more like 20%. Vanek and Pominville were the Sabres goal scorers.
It was a costly game for the Sabres’ blueline as well, with Spacek and Kalinin both leaving with ‘upper body injuries’, and Paetsch was down for a while after a hit from Sean Avery but returned. Coach Ruff:
(Spacek’s injury) looks a little longer than shorter. “Dmitri, it’s going to be period of time for him, too. Probably a shorter period of time than Jaro.
I don’t think (it is season-ending injuries) with either guy. Again, either guy could be weeks, though.
Tallinder is supposed to be back on Wednesday, but this means Mike Weber will be getting another shot with the big show most likely. And can we please put the kaleta back in??
Tags: Hockey, injury, kaleta, kalinin, new york, NHL, pominville, rangers, ruff, Ryan Miller, sabres, Sean Avery, Spacek, the kaleta, They Said It, Thomas Vanek, weber
Gameday - Predators at Sabres
Feb 27, 2008 NHL
The Nashville Predators are the first post-deadline opponent for the Buffalo Sabres tonight at the Arena. The newest Sabre, Steve Bernier, will be in the lineup skating alongside Roy and Vanek. I would very much love for this combo to click, as having an ass-kicker on the ice (hopefully while still being able to help out with the scoring) would make teams think twice about taking cheap shots on them. I do wonder what will happen once all the injured players come back.
Nathan Paetsch gets back in with the absence of Campbell, working alongside Nolan Pratt. Kalinin will get his shot next to Spacek (boy, if their heads ever collide it could crack spacetime). 7pm start time, let’s get back in the playoffs tonight, boys!
Tags: B-Lo Sports, campbell, Hockey, injury, kalinin, Maxim Afinogenov, nashville, NHL, paetsch, pratt, predators, roy, sabres, Steve Bernier, Thomas Vanek
Miller Injured in Shootout Loss to Thrashers
Feb 2, 2008 NHL
To be honest, as soon as Miller went down in the second period, I sort of stopped worrying about the outcome of the game. I thought Ryan’s bell had just been rung by hitting his helmet on the post, but when you watch the replay, you see him react a few seconds AFTER that…and unfortunately, it reminds of when Hasek got injured in the Olympics a few years back (down for a save, head jerks back in obvious sharp pain). More will be known today, and I hope it’s not so serious as that.
As for the game, the Thrashers came out swinging early, getting the 2 goal lead in the first period. However, the second period was all Buffalo as they scored 3 goals. The first was a blast from Spacek at the point on the power play that was redirected by Jochen Hecht. Pominville netted the next one, and they took the lead on a sweet pass from Derek Roy out to Dan Paille who was left alone for the easy shot.
The Thrashers tied it early in the third on a goal from Jim Slater, after Thibault came out to replace Miller. Kalinin gave Buffalo the lead back a few minutes later on the power play, but Tobias Enstrom sent the game to OT with 17 seconds to go. The Sabres were down 2 men for a 6 on 3 disadvantage (with Hedberg on the bench). Hard to blame T-bo for that. The OT session was one big PK for the Sabres, and the shootout was ended in the 4th round. T-bo made some good saves to get it that far, but the Sabres could not get one past Hedberg.
I want to go all positive on you guys, what with 5 out of 6 points, better scoring (including D involvement, 2 PPGs) and all, but the injuries worry me. Miller, obviously, is a cornerstone. The Sabres cannot push for the playoffs without him. I thought I heard mention of a shoulder injury for Spacek, and then there are the guys already down.
I would like to give special recognition to Derek Roy, he was outstanding last night at both ends. Also to the refs, for missing multiple calls, possibly calling a no goal that should’ve counted on Gaustad’s ‘interference’ of Hedberg. I still don’t know how they can call a no goal but not the penalty. Roy got a stick to the face that went uncalled also.
The Sabres next play on Tuesday, so maybe some of these guys will be okay by then.
Tags: atlanta, B-Lo Sports, hecht, hedberg, Hockey, injury, kalinin, NHL, paille, roy, Ryan Miller, sabres, slater, Spacek, thibault, thrashers
Soup to Nuts: Campbell Calls Off Negotiations
Jan 15, 2008 NHL
You can guarantee every Sabres blogger is going to bust out the soup puns. I apologize in advance.
Brian Campbell told the media that he will not be negotiating a contract extension for the rest of this season. He says that he wants to concentrate on hockey and it’s not fair to the team or him to continue at this time and possibly cause a distraction. He will be heading to his second All-Star game.
Let’s do some comparisons. Campbell is currently 8th in the league in scoring (with Zdeno Chara). Chara has a cap hit of 7.5 million per year, by the way, though he is more of a physical presence than Soupy. Others of note: Rob Blake (6mil but is 37), Wade Redden (6.5mil) and Kimmo Timonen (6.33mil). You can assume that some team that wants to make a splash in free agency (Washington has been thrown out there) will make Brian an offer in that range.
Looking ahead to 08/09, the Sabres have Paetsch, Lydman and Tallinder locked up for that year and the next, and Spacek will be in his final year. Kalinin, Campbell, Numminen and Pratt are all UFAs. Weber and Sekera are both in Rochester, and could get a shot at a roster spot. If Campbell goes, I can’t imagine them not keeping Kalinin. I’m not saying anything on Teppo until we know if he will A: ever be healthy again and B: want to come back to this team.
Outside the defense corps, Ryan Miller will be the next big deal to be done. Mike Ryan is the only forward that will be a UFA, MacArthur, Gaustad and Paille will be RFAs. I really have no problem at this time with the Sabres signing any of those guys to a longer term deal, although if losing Ryan means more time for MacArthur, I’d do that in a heartbeat.
So that’s next year. I’m not sure what arbitration will look like, but after getting burned by that a few times, I’m sure the Sabres management will avoid that as much as possible…right?
Tags: B-Lo Sports, brian campbell, campbell, chara, Hockey, kalinin, lydman, macarthur, NHL, numminen, paetsch, pratt, redden, Rob Blake, ryan, Ryan Miller, sabres, sekera, signing, Spacek, tallinder, timonen, weber
Better Effort, Same Result
Jan 9, 2008 NHL
The Sabres tied it late and forced a shootout, but lose again to the New Jersey Devils 2-1. The Devils got on the board first on the power play, as Mair and Kalinin whiffed on Andy Greene slipping down from the point and Elias nailed him with the pass for the easy score. It stayed that way until 2 minutes to go, when Buffalo scored on a rare 3 on 2 opportunity. Hecht drove toward the net and passed to MacArthur, who slipped it to Pominville for the wide open net. It was Jason’s 10th goal of the season. The Sabres dominated the OT session, but were unable to score. Vanek had the best chance, sweeping the puck toward the net while falling, but it hit the post and went out. Brodeur stopped 2 of 3 Sabres in the shootout (making a great save on MacArthur) while Miller was surprisingly average, letting 2 in for the loss. After the game, TV took the loss on himself, as he almost whiffed on his SO chance.
Still, this was a very fun game to watch with the Sabres play improving as the game progressed. You could feel the energy from Kaleta, MacArthur and Pratt (in place of Paetsch) as bodies were flying a heck of a lot more than usual. I think Kaleta knocked Vishnevski down 3 times on his first shift. I want to see the boys play like this (with this lineup!) against the Sens and see how many goals they score on a goalie who is not a future Hall of Famer.
Tags: B-Lo Sports, brodeur, devils, elias, greene, hecht, Hockey, kaleta, kalinin, macarthur, mair, new jersey, NHL, paetsch, pominville, pratt, Ryan Miller, sabres, vishnevski
