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Dmitri “Can’t Teach Me” Kalinin
June 3, 2008 |
There has been one player that has been a part of the team for a long time, but I have always questioned his performance. Good ol’ Kalinin has had some awesome plays from time to time. Yet, I found myself wondering who would be covering for him when he was on the ice. The problem was in his consistency: It just was not there. I figured that he would have learned a bit over time… Not so. This led to his nickname, at least in my household, of Dmitri “Can’t Teach Me” Kalinin.
Today, WGR 550 announced the following:
WGR 550’s Paul Hamilton asked Regier about their plans for unrestricted free agent defenseman Dmitri Kalinin. Regier says that the team will not offer Kalinin a contract.
My first reaction? Excitement! Not like I wish Kalinin anything but the best. Still, it just seems like this is the right time to let him go. He gave a lot to the Sabres and was the reason for a few wins. There is a lot of defensive talent being signed at this point, which adds to the good timing. A lot of the young players still have a ways to go, but giving them some opportunities is definitely needed.
Granted, there has been no official announcement. However, it makes sense, and I hope that the Sabres will be able to pull together an amazing line-up for next year. The defensive base is the most important area, and hopefully this will give Buffalo a push forward. Farewell, Kalinin!