What's been going down?

Not a whole lot, or a whole lot, depending on how you look at it.

Resigned:

Lalime--I don't think I gave the dude enough credit. I sometimes was like ehhh why are you doing this??? But you know what? The dude tries, he really does, and he has heart. I'm going to look forward to seeing what he can do for the team this season. Welcome back Patty!

Cody McCormick--Don't know a whole lot about the guy, but I do remember he did pretty well when he was up here for the short time this past season. It's one of those things where you have to see him play more to see what he's really about. More grit is needed in certain areas, so I think that's what the Sabres were going with in signing him. Also I hear rumors it may be because Adam Mair is on the way out (but I don't know this, the rumor mill is mighty vicious if you ask me...).

Mike Weber signed a one year qualifying offer and Corey Tropp signed a 3-year entry level contract. Mike Weber has been floating around camp forever it seems, but I still know little to nothing about him. I'm sure (maybe?) all this will lead up to something in the future, but for now, it is what it is.

We also signed Rob Niedermayer a couple days back and that was the big talk. He is the younger brother of Scott Niedermayer (which confused me that day...lol) and he won a stanley cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. I don't have much say on the situation because it is always hard to tell how a player will mesh with a team and what will end up happening until the season actually starts and the players all play together. Hopefully this will bring good things to the team and something more of a stable leadership, because I really think the Sabres lack that at times.

Went to development camp yesterday to check out some of the younger talent and see how they play. Gerbe, Ennis and Myers were the ones with a little bit more experience than the others obviously, but they all seemed to get along really well and play well together. A bunch of kids came in to sit in on the practice yesterday, and they were amped, it was so funny. They were screaming and stomping their feet, I'm sure it made the guys on the ice feel like it was a real game...haha. Pretty fun times.

I don't know if the Sabres are looking to make more moves (I would HOPE so), but who ever knows. The management makes me nuts half the time (like they do for a lot of people it seems) because they are often scared of testing waters. Maybe the moves they did make will be the right ones and things will go really, REALLY well this season. Cause that big, shiny, silver cup seems pretty damn cool to me.

July 1st is kind of scary to me.

People are talking it's like the Christmas of the NHL, but to me, it's scary. I mean, you get used to a set of guys making up your team, and then it is broken up and new people are added and it's weird.

Toni Lydman is off to Anaheim (I'm not sad, sorry) and Hank the tank is going to New Jersey (but he gets to play with Parise and Brodeur on his team, come on, that is awesome) so we say goodbye to some. We got a man by the name of Jordan Leopold, and I don't know much about him. I read he has been prone to concussions (hmmm) and really doesn't have any big, good stats to talk about. So we shall see. It's 3 years, so I just hope he doesn't end up the Raffi Torres of defense, because that will suck for 3 whole years. Oh well, time will tell.

Nothing really big happening with the Sabres camp though. I mean signing that one dude is just, eh. I want big action, but I have to realize I am a fan of the wrong team if I'm looking for that type of thing. I just can't believe that like 5 Blackhawks are gone, and I think 3 of them went to Atlanta or something like that, with Kris Versteeg going to Toronto and Adam Burish off to Dallas. That team was all shook up, geez. Their cap was crazy tight though, and with Kane and Toews needing to be under lock for a long time, there was just NO wiggle room for them. Sucks, but at least those guys got the cup and the love from the city before they left. Atlanta is going to have a brand new team come October, that's for sure.

The rumor mill goes crazy out of control during times like these though. I've heard that they are in talks with Torres to sign him for like 3 more years or something (hope this is FALSE) and that Lalime isn't going anywhere and that the Flyers want Kaleta. I also heard the Flyers wanted Tallinder and Lydman before they went to those other teams though, so it's all so crazy. No use in getting all nutty about it until it's finalized, so we'll have to see what else happens for the Sabres. Hopefully something good....maybe? Eh.

Is it October yet?

Yeah, I miss our team of buttheads right about now, but I also miss hockey in general. July 1st can also be a pretty fun day, but I want the actual PLAYING of hockey back please. Having to start one of those cross off the days calendars in June is pretty pathetic, but hey, I'm not above it, and I did it. So hmpfffff.

I was also trying to figure out what games this season are games I just HAVE to be at, like can not miss ones, and have come to the conclusion that I will need to have money for the home opener plus money for tickets to see the Blackhawks the one time they come here, which just happens to be a few days later. So yeah, I will be a ticket buying machine it would seem. I would also like to see them play a few other teams, but they are teams they will play at least twice I think, so that's ok.

Development camp starts for the newbies next week, and that can be fun too I guess. I'm thinking of going up to NU maybe Thurs. because it's in the evening, or Friday morning if I can maybe get some people to go with me. I really want to see this Mark Pysyk in action and see what he's all about. Plus another 40 some guys getting their skills on. Or something like that...lol.

The draft party at the arena was pretty cool, it was nice to be back in HSBC again, and the locker room tour was pretty awesome as well. I can't believe Robi is still in that neck brace though :( I hope he gets better over summer and can be 100% once the season starts back up. It was cool to be on the floor and sit on the players bench and all that other stuff. No ice makes it kind of ehhh, but still cool. I still don't understand how they hop over those boards though, geez. I mean, my dad kept saying "there is ice, which is higher than this floor, and they wear skates which makes them taller, and they are taller than you to begin with" lol. All of which is true, BUT I am taller than Nathan Gerbe, so what about that huh? He must literally have to hop over the boards. Or, as my dad noted "they can just use the door sometimes" which is also true...haha. So yeah, that was a fun night for sure.

Hockey, just come on, come back. This summer time crap is bull. I want my cold weather back (or at least COOLER weather) and the sound of the fans in the arena, and the pucks hitting the boards and the chill in the arena and the goal horn and blahhh. Now I'm really sad. Booo. :(

I hate you summer.

It's been awhile eh?

We have a new team of Stanley Cup champions (congrats dudes, you deserve it!) and a new 2010-11 NHL schedule to break down.

First off, the Chicago Blackhawks seem like an awesome bunch of dudes to hang out with, and then the cup gets thrown in there with them, and it's like MAJOR PARTY TIME. I'm sure it has been like that for every team that has won in the history of winning, but they are a pretty young team, so they just seem so energetic and...sparky. I want to hang with that team and that cup (sigh) for a day and just get into major shenanigans. Yep.

The NHL Awards are tomorrow, and we have two guys there to represent us, and two that will hopefully bring these trophies back with them. Myers is pretty much the talk of the Calder, so I think that is pretty much a sweep, but you can never get too over sure about these things. Ryan Miller is also high up for the Vezina, but, we shall see. I hope for both of them though that they win.

Then the draft party is Friday at the arena which I am pretty excited about. Hell, I'm just excited to go to the arena again. It's been a long 2+ months since I saw my last game there, and I just need to go back. Should be a fun night.

The 2010-11 NHL schedule was announced today, and all I have to say is that I need to see the Sabres play the Blackhawks. That just has to happen this season. I would also like to see them play the Devils, Penguins, Flyers (heh, gotta take the boy to this one) and the Kings. I already printed out the schedule and highlighted "games of importance" so that I will know what I need to get tickets for. Yes, I am some sort of nerd.

So in these 100+ days until regular season starts up again (ughh, really? doesn't count pre-season though...) I will take hockey fixes where I can get them, like in these type of things. It's even come down to me missing that stupid Geico commercial with the caveman zamboni driver and Mike Green. Oh boy.

So I've been thinking...

that this will be a really, REALLY good Stanley Cup Final. The Flyers have been the so called "underdogs" the whole time, and the Blackhawks, well, they of course came primed to win it all. That's what pisses me off about how the Sabres were. I know this is reopening a can of worms all over again, but hear me out. Those dudes DID NOT look like Chicago out there. Of course the talent is way different, but aside from that. There is something about the Blackhawks. The spark, the wanting of the cup, wanting it more than any other team. The Sabres I don't think ever had that. It was like, you know what, I'm ready for vacation now. It's sad to think that they could be in this very same spot at this very same time if they just gave a crap, which they didn't. I will miss the team all summer long, and that makes me nuts probably, but it is what it is. Next year we will probably have the same team altogether, and we'll have to see what can be done with it. Mean time dudes, have fun doing whatever, golf or some junk.

I loved watching Ryan Miller last night during the intermissions on NBC. Like, do you remember how it was to face Dustin Byfuglien, like when he was in front of you in the net? He probably has vague memories seeing as the Sabres took them on like twice this year if that, and how can anyone remember? Geez. Ask some more stupid questions guys. My dad couldn't stop remarking on his ugly tie. I couldn't stop feeling happy just to see a Sabre on tv. -sigh-

I also can't get over the weird pronounciations of players names on the Blackhawks. Byfuglien looks like BYE-FUG-LEEAN and it pronounced BUFF-LIN. Ok then. Also, Toews. Looks like TOES, but is pronounced TAVES. Right, and people have trouble with Gaustad? Ummm, there is no way to pronounce it GOOS-TAD unless you failed a couple years of elementary school...there is an A. Oh boy. (This is all just for amusement if you can not tell...lol).

So until then, go Blackhawks! Patrick Kane can bring the cup on a little journey to Buffalo and maybe Darcy will cry into it and we can try to throw it at Tim Connolly. Oh, and I hope we are still thinking of maybe trying some maneuvering to get Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane to Buffalo? Probably couldn't do both, so maybe just Toews. Yeahhh, that would work quite well. A trade of a 19 for a 19? Oh you KNOW that would work out great. Just like trading 9's to New Jersey. (I like living in a hockey fantasy land if you couldn't tell). :)

Is that you Mike Grier?

Thanks for sticking with us for another year! I can't say that it will be all roses and cupcakes, but it will be an adventure (don't know if that's good or bad though...). Now if we could just see what's up with the other UFA's on the team, and the fact we also have some RFA's as well, and the whole set up makes me kind of ehh. I don't have a lot of faith in the "office" part of the team, so I always make up horrible scenarios in my head of what COULD happen, and then freak because the worse it is, the more likely it will happen. Then the obvious thing just never gets done. Ackk.

But, anyway, playoffs are almost coming to a close, just four teams left. It's really crazy because it goes really fast when you think about it. Dreaded Boston is gone (thank goodness) and they were beat out by Philly which makes me laugh a long, evil laugh. You deserve it. (I'm not bitter, really). I am choosing Philly over Montreal, and Chicago over San Jose, and then Chicago over anyone else. Hey, when can we get Kane and Toews in Buffalo huh? You can have any 4 or 10 guys you want for them. haha. Ok, enough of that for now. I'm just watching what hockey is in front of me for now and that is that. It works out better that way.

I love when I find stuff like this.

I found all this stuff while cleaning out and organizing our shed today. I can't believe all the good stuff I didn't know went out there. I love that Patty Lala is on the cover of that book, and now it will stay in safe keeping with my stuff, not out in the shed, lol. Also stumbled upon a Miroslav Satan rubber ducky??! Yeah, I dunno, my dad said someone got it for him AFTER he was traded, so we just threw it out...haha. I also found my Sabres carnival puck! It wasn't MY exact one, because mine was signed, but it was my dad's or something, so it's better than nothing. I also found a bunch of official game pucks my dad caught (I don't know how he got one more than once, geez) and also some of his hockey equipment from when he played years ago, and a Sabres goalie mask and also a trophy he got for being mvp of his adult league. It was pretty cool to see that stuff, because some I had either never seen or it had been a longgg time and I didn't remember. It's also cool looking through the 05-06 media guide and seeing all the guys that are still here, and how young they looked then...haha. The one ticket stub my dad wanted to throw out, or he said it could go in the trash, but I told him I would take it. I didn't even notice until we were back inside the house that it was signed on the back. I was like "dad, this is signed by someone, I just can't tell who" he turned it over and said "oh, it's signed by Lindy Ruff, can't you recognize that?" I could after the fact, but at first I couldn't at all. Pretty awesome. I also took the Robi signed Sabres fan only parking sign, even though it was my dad's...haha. He said I could, so of course I took him up on that.

So this was my Sabres happenings for now, as hockey is still going on without them. I hope the Blackhawks make it, as they are now tied in their series with Vancouver if I'm not mistaken. Philly is down by 2 games, and I want them to beat Boston....badly. Come on guys, take 'em down! :)