Okay, I’m ready, more than qualified and unlike most of our professional hockey representatives, I’ve touched the Cup. See. I don’t have evidence of the first time as it was when my dad and I walked into the hockey hall of fame when I was 13, but recent evidence below.
We are all general managers on the days after defeats like the Sabres’ season ending loss to the Bruins. I figured them to be a first round and out team. The surge of the final few regular season games made you think it was possible to made take it to the Bruins and surprise somebody.
When your third and fourth lines are supplying all the offense, all the desire, you know something isn’t right. It’s disappointing when the goaltender is having an all world year and the bulk of the top forwards are zombies.
Tyler Ennis, Nathan Gerbe, Cody McCormick, Marc Mancari and Mike Weber are all ready and should be in Buffalo next season from the start. Derrick Roy and Tim Connolly were ghosts, not something to look to when they are supposed to replace Briere and Drury. Three seasons should be enough to convince that that formula was a failure. Craig Rivet’s time has passed, but Mike Grier should be the captain next season. I would sign either Tallinder or Lydman as both played well this year, but we probably can’t afford both. The Sabres certainly haven’t been cheap, but have spent too much on things that just look good on the shelf. As Connolly and Roy have deals into next season, maybe we should make they can make the playoffs with the rest of the team.
When your power play is so bad, that declining penalties starts to sound like a viable concept, your offensive centers are just flat out offensive and not in a good way. When a 28 goal scorer returning is treated like the second coming of Phil Esposito, that’s more sad than anything else. If I could get a trade for Roy or Connolly I’d take it. There was a shot of the Buffalo bench with about 5 minutes left and they looked done, no energy, no passion, like they were making space for handwriting on the proverbial wall. It’s infuriating to see a mad rush to the Bruins blue line, and then a drop pass to a guy who either isn’t there or wearing a Boston sweater.
It’s only a game, as within five minutes of the end of the game, I changed from the platitude laden press conferences to the much more fun Top Gear. Hope the Bruins have fun getting whooped by the Penguins or Capitals (if they can escape the plucky Canadiens). Could Ryan Miller be any classier, not hesitating to get to centre ice for the handshakes? That, my friends, is a team leader.
Listen to me, Darcy, I’ve held the cup, and didn’t spill my drink.
Mike's Pub 