Sep

15

Going, Going, Gone

September 15, 2007 | Leave a Comment

9:00 AM this morning marked some brand new mayhem and hysteria for the world. Namely, Buffalo Sabres tickets went on sale. Judging by the selection of tickets earlier this afternoon, the team can carry on the tradition of selling out home games. Ticket prices are pretty high, according to the Tickets.com web site. Fortunately, other ticket deals will probably be available soon. No need to donate the extra kidney yet! There is also Replay, a resource to get seats from season ticket holders for individual games. It might not be a bad thing to rule out the former nosebleed sections either: Keep that HD scoreboard in mind!

Speaking of other things that are gone, or nearly gone, Teppo Numminen has been suspended by the Sabres, due to his surgery scheduled for Thursday. He has hopes of playing again, but will he still be a valuable player? His 18-year career in the NHL has been very impressive, yet there are a lot of doubts surrounding his impending surgery. More importantly, we hope that he recovers well from his procedure. Perhaps the preseason will help in determining who will make the best candidate for his replacement. He should, by the way, have a name comparable to Teppo Numminen’s, and the ability to come up with ridiculous nicknames, such as TNT.

Lastly, on the subject of that which is gone, are the “old” jerseys of last year. No need to panic: The logo and color scheme did not undergo another drastic change. Instead, new Reebok Edge uniforms will become the standard. The bottom line? They look very similar to last year’s jerseys, but absorb less water. So the clumsy ones can breath a sigh of relief, now that a spilled water bottle will do less damage. And no more sweaty jerseys! Just what we always wanted. One wonders if this has anything to do with the radical views on sweating held by Brian Campbell…

Sep

13

Teppo NumminenThe Buffalo Sabres announced today that defenseman Teppo Numminen will undergo heart surgery. After a physical exam by team doctors, it was determined that he would need surgery for a past cardiac condition, unrelated to the procedure he underwent in 2006. At the end of last season, many were speculating that he would retire after finishing a memorable season, during which time he scored 2 goals and 27 assists (NHL Stats). Numminen also surpassed Jarri Kurri on November 13, 2006, when he played in his 1,252 game. Clearly, he is not a defenseman that does the bare minimum. Numminen has been an asset to the Sabres, and has surprised many, despite his age.

No word has been stated about when the surgery will take place, or how long Teppo will be sidelined for. The Sabres have a good mix of defensemen to step up and take his place, but he brings more than just talent to the ice. He has had a steady leadership role, often masked in the past by the dual captaincy that was recently dissolved. This will most likely be Numminen’s last season in the NHL, but now his future is even more unpredictable. Now to hope that the other veteran defensemen can step up! Or step off…

Good luck Numminen!

(Photo Courtesy of Let’s Go Sabres.)

Sep

13

Hockey Announcements

September 13, 2007 | Leave a Comment

The Sabres web site has announced that the NHL will be making an Announcement in regards to a “special event.” There will be a press conference at 2:00 PM on September 17, 2007. As it is taking place at Ralph Wilson Stadium, there is no question as to the subject matter! Regular season tickets do not go on sale until this Saturday, September 15, at 9:00 AM, but many may have noticed the fact that the January 1 game against the Pittsburgh Penguins has not had a ticket link. Judging by the complex processes that go into having an outdoor game, the announcement could go either way. However, seeing as the NHL is coming out to Buffalo to make a “major announcement” seems to point towards the fact that the Ice Bowl will take place in Buffalo.

In more positive news, the Buffalo Sabres are finally getting a much-needed improvement to HSBC Arena: A new scoreboard! Not just a minor update, but an actual HD system that promises to rival some of the best scoreboards in hockey. It seems like the Sabres have invested in many updates and improvements over the last two years, and it does appear to be for the better. The original JumboTron was pretty ancient, and already suffered its fair share of problems. It might be noted that having a scoreboard in HD may point to HD broadcasts in the future. The near future, hopefully!

Sep

10

With the Training Camp and Preseason Schedule announced, the start of the Sabres’ 2007-2008 season is quickly approaching. The biggest dilemma stems from not knowing if the team can replicate another prosperous season. However, re-stating the obvious over and over again is far from original. There are certain things that could happen this season that have either been rare, or simply not occured during the “Golden Era” of modern Sabres hockey. We all are hoping for a Stanley Cup to culminate years of hard work, but let us look towards some other hockey hopes!

Rick Jeanneret in HD - Whenever a Sabres game is broadcast in high definition, that night is a good night! However, there is always something missing from the crystal clear details. Namely, Rick Jeanneret. His calls are legendary, and bring a unique element to every hockey game. It is true that national recognition is a huge boost for the team’s economic success, yet the void created without Jeanneret makes the mute button look all the more appealing.

A Shut Out or Two, or Ten - Ryan Miller is an amazing goaltender, which nobody can deny. It has been frustrating, however, to only see him amass one or two shut outs per season during his full-time career with the Sabres. Several instances from last season, involving goals in the last minute of play, resulted in feelings of loss and frustration. Miller has the potential to take on every type of shot, and throw his body about in a logical sense. Of course, shut outs are not all-important, but who does not want to see a score of 3-0 every now and then?

Successful Special Teams - When the power play worked last season, it worked like a charm. Anyone familiar with the Sabres, though, knows that there were precious few opportunities in 2006-2007. The Sabres’ power play was ranked 17th, while the penalty kill unit was ranked 20th (NHL Stats). Last season’s President’s Trophy showed that special teams are not the most important aspect of a team, but ranking within the top half would definitely be a plus this season. There are a good number of players on the team, such as Connolly, Roy, and Vanek, capable of making the plays. It will remain to be seen if the off-season changes will make a difference for the power play and penalty kill.

Many other factors have been left out, since there are so many things that are expected from the Sabres. Is there enough pressure being put on them? Most likely, judging by the heart breaking playoff losses of the past two seasons. The one thing we do know is that this team is still intact, and ready for another run at the Stanley Cup: Three times a charm.

Sep

8

In a Buffalo News article, it was reported that the Sabres will be working on re-signing three players in the last year of their contracts. This is a much different strategy, compared with the policies of the past. Arguably, working with Drury from the start of the season could have resulted in his retainment. However, the past can not be changed. What stands to be decided, though, is the future of Brian Campbell, Jochen Hecht, and Dmitri Kalinin. Their contracts with the Buffalo Sabres will end at the end of the 2007-2008 season, but starting to work with them now seems to be a very worthwhile move. It does seem like the lessons of the off-season have been learned, and not necessarily at a high cost. The main team is still intact. The three players that will potentially leave at the end of the season each have their advantages and disadvantages, like the draft animals from Oregon Trail II.

Brian Campbell is one of the most valuable defensemen on the Sabres, and has proven his worth time and time again. His reliability is also a serious factor to take into consideration, along with his uncanny ability to score goals. His mistakes over the past few seasons have not been extremely noticeable, simply due to the fact that he does not usually make them. Campbell is a vital member of the Sabres who makes up a part of a defense that struggles at times. With the expectation of Numminen’s retirement at the end of this season, keeping Campbell around for a few more years seems like a smart decision. Besides, who else can do a commercial for the Center of Excessive Sweating?!

The offensive side of the Sabres is clearly in-depth and filled with hockey’s best, but Jochen Hecht is one important piece of the puzzle. He has the ability to score goals, while also finding a way to be in the right place at the right time. We witnessed him struggle at various points throughout the last two seasons, but he has a relatively consistent style of play. The Sabres may be a hockey team built up around young players, yet having a few veterans on the front lines is another way to diversify. Hecht also has the skills to work with different teammates on different lines, further pointing to his importance on the team.Lastly, Dmitri Kalinin enters the discussion. Popular opinion has slated him for trading, especially after some of his performances last season. He has been with the Sabres since the 1999-2000 season, and is a veteran to the NHL. Somehow, however, he finds his way into making mistake after mistake. It almost comes as a surprise when he manages to make a strong defensive move. Judging a player by their past performance is one of the only ways to predict how he will continue to play in the future, but Kalinin may have made some improvements during the off-season. We all may remember when Afinogenov was listed as a healthy scratch in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, only to storm back and score the game winning goal in Game 5. Although it may not be plausible, there still is a chance that Kalinin will be able to act more consistently and reliably. If not, keeping him with the team after the season unfolds will be more of a liability than an asset.

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