Buffalo Sabres season preview

by Steve

Oh, its a couple days late? Well... there are 80 games left. The big question was why would the Sabres be any better or worse than last year? Nothing seemingly has changed since last season. Campbell is out, Rivet is in. Connolly is out, Numminen is in. Pominville got paid, Miller got paid, and most of the young guns are in Portland. So nothing really did change right? Left, er wrong.

Obviously this team did not have a true captain last year. If they had one he or she would have been named the permanent captain this year. (Thanks for screwing us last year Regier) In steps Rivet. (Thanks for helping us this year Regier) The dude is hard. He is a stay at home defenseman. He is kind of a beast. He isn't Campbell, and thats a good thing. He is a captain. Craigy is exactly what this team DID NOT have in 07/08. He will be the reason the Sabres make the playoffs somewhere in the 5th 6th or 7th seed ala 05/06.

The other difference not mentioned above. THE BACK UP GOALIE STUPID. T-bo was god damn awful last year. A joke, a travesty, he made the entire team worse and that goes double for Millsie. Millsie wasn't that good last year. Millsie was average at best. Millsie will be better this year because of Patrick Lalime. We saw it already today against the Islanders in a blow out. True the Sabres scored 7 goals but early in the second period it was still only 1-0. A cheap goal and the game could have swung big time.

If Lalime plays any better than Jocelyne this team will be exponentially better this season. Millsie will get to rest and the team won't have to press when the back up is in there.

Teppo being back could have a lasting effect on an awful defense as well. He is a wiley vet and has a calming effect on the whole team. Maybe because he can't get worked up because of heart problems, but still, he is calm. I don't like him, and I thought he was a detriment to the team at times in 06/07 but what do I know. The defense some how DID play worse last year without him. Plus if he does go out for another heart surgery and misses a few games, now Weber, Andrej and Paetsch will have last year as experience that hopefully elevates their game.

Normally I would reserve this area for ripping on the $7 million man but he IS on pace for 123 goals which would be pretty good. So I'll let him slide until he hits his usual Satan-esque cold streak. For now I'll focus on the three amigos. The three contract year bums. Connolly, Kotalik, and Afinganov. These three have to play better than last year. For Connolly, he just has to play(which won't happen). For the other two, they need to be less putrid. If that happens this team could be looking something like the 05/06 team in that they made it not only to the playoffs but dominated until Carolina got a few lucky breaks and the defense all caught staff infections or something.

Prediction
6th seed 2nd round loss in 7 to the Rangers or Philly