I am a little bit surprised, to say the least, but Zemgus is back. As you have read, I have both strong feelings in regards to his significance to the team and an appreciation that the organization chose to be loyal to its longest tenured player. I do not have a problem with it at all. He deserves it, we should respect it, and, above everything, we know that he will fill the role that is expected of him. In many aspects of the game, he makes us a better team. That being said, I believe that this is an indication that there will be a few moves to formulate our roster for immediate success beyond the draft. You got a free pass for some time now Kevyn, stop blowing smoke with irrelevant press conferences preaching sustainable success. The pieces are there for a considerable length of time, and your proactivity has set us up nicely. Please do not go status quo. You have cap room and the ability to infuse some top editions for next year. Valuable veteran leadership up front that meshes with the current group can fit in on a short-term deal, regardless of Dahlin and Power making bank. I would like to see two forward roster spots open up for one of our prospects and a proven high scoring winger, and another be created on the blueline for a home run hit. If our first-round pick isn’t moved to fill the needs I have outlined, I want the best player available, regardless of position or time he takes to develop. As I have stated before, Olofsson, Greenway, and Jokiharu are on the table. If it takes somebody else than be open to it. It’s time to dine with the big dogs and you might have to pick up the check. You are wet behind the ears no longer, and we are excited to see what takes place. Pull the pacifier out of your mouth and get it done. We have your back, and if there are mistakes, you will still have a mulligan. In the grand scheme of things, your slow and steady approach will still be intact. We will be contending for a considerable time, so drop the gloves and get after it.
Switching gears as I always do, I love to bring some history to the blog for fun. Matt Barnaby was somebody that John Muckler gave a chance to, and he didn’t disappoint the fans. Sometimes all it takes is a door opening to the NHL. The 1992 11th pick in the fourth round played fifteen seasons, and he finished with 113 goals and 187 assists in 834 games. The 2,562 penalty minutes definitely are a glaring stat. Known for his on ice antics, as well as his propensity to be a spectacle off the frozen surface, Matt the Rat brought the fun. He defined “Sabretooth” and wore our colors proudly with his mouth, and in it with his custom dental work.
Here is an excerpt from his recent publication. Apparently, an inquiry from Muckler -
“What’s going to happen at 8:05 on a Saturday night when Bob Probert asks you to fight?” I just looked at him calmly and said, “At 8:03, I would have already asked him to fight.”
Next week in Nashville will be closely watched, and all of the available players have been analyzed thoroughly. With three picks in the top forty-five, the Sabres are poised to add depth to a pipeline that has been purposely replenished to be able to have flexibility in regards to possible lineup retooling. I am not trying to be critical of Adams in a harsh way because I am very grateful for both the patience he has had with the current players and his staff’s ability to get the best out of them. Don Granato is steadfast in his approach, and compared to the recent history behind the bench, he has been nothing but endearing. We all are excited and have our opinions on how to get us into the post season. Hopefully we will have the answers in place soon for puck drop in the fall.
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