First, I want to give a big thanks to Mike Augello,who has been filling in for me. I hope you have been enjoying his posts and we will continue to split the duties for a little bit.
Every year, there's a disappointing feeling for 29 teams. But when you watch the playoffs and wonder how long it will be before your team is back there, that's what's frustrating. Unless you're a Red Wings fan, you've probably dealt with this.
With three Game 7s last night, it was a great night of hockey. Just a few years back, the Sabres were in their own game 7, but got clobbered by the Flyers. I don't mean to dwindle on some bad memories, but I miss playoff hockey in Buffalo...and things could be worse.
Just look at what the Sharks did...another collapse. Every year they head into the postseason with a strong team and should be a good bet to go three or four rounds. Yet, every time, they find a way to choke. A 3-0 series lead couldn't even prevent them from it, either. Embarrassing. It will be interesting to see what kind of events take place this offseason in San Jose.
Even with veteran guys like Marleau and Thornton, the Sharks can't get anywhere. I do feel bad for their fans who have to deal with this every year. I like the Sharks, but after this disaster, it's time for them to make some changes. Clearly, they don't have what it takes when it comes to the postseason, a time when winning matters most.
Why am I talking about the Sharks? I'm a Buffalo Sabres blogger. Well, the Sharks have built some great teams over the past few years, at least for the regular season. Did you ever stop and wonder just how successful this Sabres rebuild will actually be?
When you look at it, Buffalo has set itself up nicely over the next few year. Plenty of young talent already in the system, a bunch of early draft picks and a head coach to pull us through the rebuild.
What if it doesn't work? Or what if it does take longer than expected?
It's not a guarantee that the Sabres are going to be Stanley Cup contenders down the road. I'm just saying that the organization needs to proceed with caution. The plans don't always go as they were written up. And without an elite goaltender, how much does that affect the style of play.
While watching the game 7s, I couldn't help but think how long it would be for Buffalo to get back there. They've never missed the playoffs four seasons in a row, but are in danger of doing so next year.
So what are your thoughts on this rebuild and how long before Buffalo makes it back to the postseason?