Wait, what just happened??!

So yesterday, I guess the Sabres organization, or parts of it, decided it was time to shake it up. I don't know if anyone did any actual dancing (I would say negative on that), but things did get shaken up. All shook up. (K)


So if you have been a fan of the Sabres for anything more than, I dunno, 2 weeks, you probably know Pat LaFontaine. Hell, a hockey fan in general for more than 2 weeks. Great player, great man, just all around great. My dad was setting the stage for a love of Pat LaFontaine early for me and my sisters, so we have known of him since we were really little. If I could not name any other player at a young age, I for sure could name him. So when this news came about that he was going to be a part of the Sabres organization, I pretty much saw the tears forming in his eyes. But wait, they let Darcy go too??! Might as well have told my father santa came already because this was like Christmas for this man. He has hated Darcy since forever (I guess pretty much the whole time he was here?), and it seems a lot of other people had too, or if they didn't before, this year they were starting to. Whatever your thoughts may have been on him, it was time for a change. The job was just not getting done (obviously), and Rolston getting let go too, well yeah, a no brainer really.

Ted Nolan coming back is something I can not say yay or nay to as I don't remember when he was here the first time (I was a child, sorry), but I do know the story my dad has told me dozens of times. He was coach of the year, then fired sometime after. Yikes. Also, google gives you a little note of something when you search his name:

"ted nolan blackballed"

ok then

So I would like to say that I guess he deserves another shot at this coaching thing. Hell, I would have let my 90 year old grandmother try to coach them at this rate. Nothing at this point can hurt now can it? Probably not.

So we now have Patty Lalalalalafontaine as director of hockey operations or some jazz, and a new (old??) coach to shake things up. Now we know this will take time, of course it will. Starting from scratch always does. I am just glad Terry Pegula actually figured that out and now we can put things in motion. Franchises have let go of coaches after courses of single digit losses, but he wanted to take his time. Hell if Darcy can have 16 YEARS, why not give Rolston more than a couple months to see how things turn out hmmm? (Granted the 16 Darcy years are not all on the back of Pegula, but you get my drift). Mr. Pegula had said that he does not give up on people, he wants to work with them, and have everyone work together to see what can get done, but sometimes things just need to change. He is just lucky he bought a team in a city not only known for good neighbors, but also, as it seems, boat loads of patience. Ahh yes.

So, here we are standing on the verge of something new and exciting. Hell I am even going to the game tomorrow, my first one since early 2011 I think? I am just ready to see someone new behind the bench (new, old, new). I am just hoping this can put a spark back into these guys, make them feel like good things are to come. At least I hope they will. At this point, hope is all we really have now isn't it? Oh and if you have a LaFontaine jersey, make sure you wear it with much pride, because that man sure as hell deserves it.