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!

I was upset about the decision to pass leadership along to different players each month: Everyone is on the same level, theoretically, but once someone built up any authority, it was quickly taken away. There are a handful of guys who deserve the spotlight, and one can only look forward to what happens. As fans, we have a lot to be happy for! The Sabres organization may not be perfect… No one can deny that. There will be changes during the next few months, yet everything in life is always changing. I am proud of my team, even without a playoff position. October, here we come.

Tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens could equate to the end of the season, or the continuation of the chance to earn a playoff spot. Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington could help us out by falling apart at this point… Which could happen, judging by the recent scores. There is always a chance for something good to happen: Especially with the Sabres! I might tear them apart every now and then, but only because we all know what they are capable of. And if all else fails, an all-out brawl would just as easily make my day.

7:30 PM. Tonight on MSG. It WILL be good.

Similarly, the last few games have simply been great hockey. Some might say it was a shame that the Buffalo Sabres waited until the end of the season to whip out all the talent, but we all can agree that it is better late than never! Maybe somebody went out and listened to a little Vanessa Williams… Add that song to the game playlist! The Sabres are still in a precarious situation, situated between Philadelphia and Washington in the ninth spot. Everything is going quite well, though, and does not appear to be slowing down. Word even has it that Numminen is skating with the team in practice! How I miss Teppo and his smile. The rest of the blueline is pretty banged up, yet I see no reason to panic. The only issue is being careful about pronouncing #3’s last name in an adrenaline-filled moment!

The Sabres take on the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday, March 21st, at 7:30 PM. Be prepared for another great rivalry, some possible fights, and more unbelievable hockey moments!

Coming down the stretch, the Sabres look worn out and lost. It is so frustrating to see them struggling from injuries and mistakes! We all know what they are capable of, and how many goals they can put up in a few minutes. The final playoff spot is inching further and further away, while other teams (Washington, Florida, and Toronto) are creeping up. When every game needs to be a win, I can just imagine the pressure that the players are under. I doubt there is a simple solution, or Lindy Ruff would have figured it out. As good ol’ Bastian from The Neverending Story points out, “Be confident!” Nobody is perfect, and a lot of these mistakes seems to stem from a panicked state of mind. Buffalo just needs to acknowledge their talents, work together, and figure out a way to have a little fun. The somberness and seriousness of every game is enough to spell disaster from the beginning. We do not need to see a bunch of goofy smiles out there, though: Just some energy and simplistic hockey.

The Sabres will try their luck tonight at 7:30 PM against the Carolina Hurricanes. Somewhere around half of the regular defensemen are expected to be out, paving the way for some rookies, such as Sekera and Funk, to take their places. I have often been saying, “Sekera, don’t make an erra!” (Pronounced with a Jersey accent, of course) and think that might very well be said for the whole team. The Sabres are not at the end of their season, and could be quite far from it. Keep hockey alive and well in Buffalo!

On a bit of a random tangent, is it just me, or do the Versus announcers absolutely hate the Sabres? Every goal we scored was blamed on Biron being out of position… But how common is it for a guy to get a puck through a six-inch area?! There was more talent than the announcers cared to share. Or maybe I was just going through withdrawal without my Jeanneret-Neale team.

The Sabres next play tonight at 7:30 PM against the Washington Capitals. Both of these teams are hovering around the bottom of the playoff rush, with the Sabres ahead of the Capitals by a somewhat comfortable three points. Fatigue might be a factor for Buffalo, after coming off of last night’s rough and tumble match. One thing is true, though: This is another must-win situation that can be achieved.

Make sure to tune in to Versus tonight to see the Sabres and the Flyers go at it at 7:00 PM. Expect some sparks to fly, as these two teams have never been all too friendly, and both are grasping at the bottom rung of the playoff ladder. Go Sabres!

Both the acquisition of a powerful forward and a solid win are exactly what the Buffalo Sabres have been looking for. There were some sticky spots from time to time, such as when a 3-0 lead was cut to 3-2 in a matter of minutes. Fortunately, the Sabres had a lot of fight in them. Once again, this proves that they have the talent to score enough goals to paralyze their opponents. For heaven’s sake, Peters scored his fourth career goal! Physically speaking, Nashville was bowled over on many different occasions. I still have the opinion that the team is still maturing, but with so many young players willing to do anything towin, every Sabres fan can rest assured that there will be many good seasons to come.

The Sabres will next play tomorrow, February 29th, at 7:30 PM against the Montreal Canadiens. This is a vital divisional game, seeing how Buffalo is at 71 points and Montreal is at 77 points. Another star performance from the team could put them in a much more comfortable position within the standings.

This was a game that was very much needed. With such a close playoff race, even one point can mean a huge difference. There was very little to complain about… Aside from a missed shutout opportunity! Buffalo Sabres hockey is all about scoring and continuing to attack. There is no reason to sit back, even with a three or four goal cushion. Last Thursday proved this point.

Sabres (3) vs. Rangers (4): Simply Not Enough

The final seconds of Saturday’s game were heartbreaking. After seeing the Sabres fight their way back in the game three times, the dying seconds sopped up any and all energy left on the ice. The puck barely moved, even though I was holding my breath for a tying goal at 19:59. Not tonight, apparently. The Rangers outplayed the Sabres at some points, but this was a game that we should have taken. The one saving grace was the awesome Buffalo crowd who booed Chris Drury every step along the way! Sad to see him be on the winning side of a game against the team he ran away from. The Sabres might feel a little demoralized after this loss, but there were a lot of positives. They never gave up, and are still 100% in penalty killing against the New York Rangers. Not too shabby… Aside from falling in the standings.

The Sabres will next play tonight, February 25th, at 7:00 PM against the Philadelphia Flyers. An almost reunion of those two co-captains, now known as co-conspirators. At least in my book. The Flyers have been struggling lately, and hopefully the Sabres will be able to take advantage of this.

The boys next play tonight, February 21st, at 7:30 PM against the Toronto Maple Leafs. As much as anyone, I would love to see a complete game, but a few miracle moves saved up for the last period will work just fine. Go Sabres!

Wednesday, February 13th: Sabres (1) vs. Maple Leafs (0)

A little bit goes a long way sometimes! Although the scoring was virtually absent from this game, the Sabres were alive in every department. Toronto played a solid game, yet we were there to hold them off and give them a taste of their own medicine. Ryan Miller was the difference throughout the three periods, looking good on every save and coming alive whenever he was needed. As much as I hate to point out the leadership issues with the Buffalo Sabres, the loss of a stable captain has hurt the team. A goaltender is an unlikely candidate for being a leader, but Miller fills those shoes… Or skates. Many offensive rushes are the result of a big save, and he rarely disappoints. Speaking retrospectively, it was shocking to see what happened next in the Sabres’ playing history. Although this win was not the best one, it was still a continuation of a successful burst.

Saturday, February 16th: Sabres (1) vs. Rangers (5)

Numbfully painful. Maybe afternoon games are just not the right thing for the Sabres… What other explanation is there?! The Rangers attacked right off the bat, while the Sabres looked like they were ready for a nap. Ryan Miller surprised me, most of all, by simply being BAD. One easy save turned into a goal, which turned into two, then three, and pretty soon, it was a runaway game. When a goalie is not on par, it obviously upsets the team and brings about a feeling of losing before the game even begins. However, it was possible for the team to turn around and eclipse one bad period with two good ones. Not so, and I doubt I need to re-hash the details of the loss.

Sunday, February 17th: Sabres (1) vs. Penguins (4)

Anyone notice a pattern with these lone Sabres goals? Not enough in most cases! Last night was another fairly downhill game, despite the team looking much better. They could have done a lot better, though. We could blame it on Tim Connoly’s facial hairstyle, just in time for the Old West classics! Good ol’ TC, putting a smile on my face even when the Sabres have absolutely no idea what they are doing. I know I am being harsh about their losses, but it is only because this team is not a losing one. Again and again, people will point out all of the losses the team suffered prior to October. Yet, more focus should be put on the progress of new talent, in the ranks of Mike Ryan, Kaleta, Paille, and MacArthur. Back-to-back weekend losses are never all too wonderful, but this season is far from over. With a little more patience and determination on the part of everyone, Buffalo will be able to go far. A year without any playoff beards (or lack thereof) is simply disastrous!

The Buffalo Sabres will next play on Wedneday, February 20th, at 7:00 PM against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The team’s next game is on Wednesday, February 13th, at 7:30 PM against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Keep an eye out: This is another crucial game where Buffalo must make their presence known very early on.