The Buffalo Sabres at the All-Star break

by Steve

Holy moley that Buffalo Sabres victory tonight against the Ottawa Senators was more boring than the State of the Union Address with all the standing ovations, jeez. The Sabres had 8 shots in the final 40 minutes of regulation and there were only 7, yes seven, total shots in the third period. Neither team deserved to win, further proof, Shaone Morrisonn scored the winner. Based on the new rules someone had to win better be the Sabres.

The completion of this game now leaves the Sabres with nine days off until their next game. This is the only time it is a good thing the Sabres have zero all-stars, they get a ton of time off (save for overrated Tyler Ennis who plays in the 'young guns game'). This team needs the time off. Look at the players that played for them the last few days with significant ice time and near zero results: Matt Ellis, Paul Gaustad, Mike Griere, Rob Niedermayer, Jochen Hecht, Cody McCormick and Nathan Gerbe.

Those guys are all scrubs. McCormick has played a little better and Gerbe actually got lucky and scored a small handful recently but those guys are all bums. This doesn't even take into consideration the perennially hurt Tim Connolly and Pat Kaleta ( who I actually don't mind). Oh but we have Paul Byron! Great another tiny forward, a duplicate of Ennis. What is our obsession with these little dudes? Is it because they are so quick in juniors they move up the food chain too fast but then realize there are only so many Martin St Louis? Whatever it is, we have too many of them.

The Sabres have played 49 games and have 51 points (putting them at 85 points for a full 82 game season). They are in tenth place, four behind Atlanta with two games in hand. Teams in the six/seven/eight spots are all relatively jammed together with no team striking fear in my heart. The Rangers have the ability to pick up a key piece or two down the stretch to stay in the hunt, Montreal will do what it has to but isn't scary and Atlanta could easily fall flat quick.

The only reason the Sabres are getting any space on this blog is because they have been hotter than shit (in relative terms) the past thirteen games. 9-3-1 and some how two of those L's were against the Islanders is a great stretch for this team. Getting 19/26 points is hot for the Sabres. Unless this team stays remarkably healthy the rest of the way or Miller turns into the anomaly that was 2009/10 the Sabres need to bust a few moves.

There are a few problems. Darcy Regier loves his players, the pending ownership sale puts a cloud over everything and this team has almost never mortgaged its' future or made a big splash. If I was the GM or whoever is now calling the shots at 1 SKP this is what I would do:

• Trade Tim Connolly, that remaining $1.8 mil (and decreasing by $54,878 per game) is not awful enough that some desperate team won't take him
• Find a middle of the road or higher center to replace him
• Do not trade your first round pick trade someone like Byron or Ennis if the return is significant.
• Decrease Griere and Hecht's ice time.
• Trade Rob Niedermayer
• Trade Chris Butler if you refuse to play him over someone like Morrisonn
  
• Give Mark Mancari an actual chance in the NHL over players like Ellis and even Gaustad.
• Cut/buyout/trade Craig Rivet. It is a complete and utter joke that his bum is still the captain. The mother ****er hasn't played significant minutes in months. Give the C to Vanek.
• Decrease ice time for Myers and increase time for Mike Weber.

If all else fails pray Terry Pegula rips this team from Golisano fires Ruff and Regier and buys out Quinn. The day Darc/Quinny aren't running (sic) ruining this team will be the greatest day of my life.