"So far so good", newly minted Sabres Dman Craig Rivet told me with a beaming smile as he hopped in his rig and peeled out of the rink.
#52 had just run up and down at a furious pace for eighty minutes with a bunch of his new teammates.
Heart rate up. Smile beaming. Sweat furrowing down the brow. Rivet just got a taste of what its like to shinny with the Boys Of Buffalo. "That was cool!".
Rivet seemed to fit right on his perch in front of Ryan Miller. Millsie gave Rivet a love tap on the pants to say thanks for busting up Marek Zagrapan's cross-crease pass to Elena's boyfriend. Nice stick, Rivet! That's Rivet in a nutshell: no panic, no jitters--- just make the smart, high percentage play. Turn pucks over and throw the loose change up to the forwards.
Rivet and Miller spent a lot of time talking with one another during water breaks. I like when I see the vetrean extending himeslf to a new teammate. Miller and the rest of the boys will show Rivet what it means to be a Sabre.
***
The rink was abuzz with Sabres today.There's nothing cooler than watching NHLers fill the fifty mission cap with a $10 bill after the day's workout. Rivet and his mates were boys being boys today. They will skate at he same furious pace until camp opens with physicals on September 18. Due to the new CBA, NHL teams are opening their camps a week later this season. Still, the players buy ice and get their tails in gear in advance of the grueling workouts. Gone are the days where you reported to camp to get into shape. Today, if you don't arrive in shape, you'll have noone to blame but yourself.
No refs. No whistles. No systems. No TV timeouts.
Just road hockey on ice--- dudes changing on the fly after their 30-40 second shifts.
Great to see the boys back in town. Jay McKee, Marty Biron and Michael Peca had been skating on the same pond throughout the month of August, however, now it appears as though they have migrated back to their hockey homes.
*****
On the ice today, in no particular order:
Teppo
Max Afinogenov
Andrew Peters
Geoff Peters (Phoenix bound)
Dan Paille
Pat Kaleta
Clarke MacArthur
Adam Mair
Jaroslav Spacho
Toni Lydman
Patrick Lalime
Nate Paetsch
Marek Zagrapan
Mike Weber
Mike Funk
Craig Rivet
Ryan Miller
Stafford, Roy, Vanek, Pommer, Jochen, Hank and the rest of the guys will join in the impromptu jam sessions next week. Will Tim Connolly be on the ice? Not sure. Not a lot of TC buzz around the rink. Will he or won't he remains to be seen.
****
There was one conspicuous non-Sabre playing river hockey with the Sabres and their friends today.
His name:
Patrick Kane.
Kaner's been in Buffalo this Summer. He's been working out and enjoying himself. Today, he drove his Eastern Conference frat brothers crazy with his fast hands and faster feet. What else is new? The guy can stickhandle in a phone booth!
Kane will be back for more in the days to come.
******
Speaking of Sabres, physicals, and training camp, I chatted up Teppo on the way out the door.
Teppo is is excellent condition. He looks more like a 31 year old than a 40 year old. I was kidding him that despite all he's been through, still, not a grey hair on his head. "They are there"...., he said wryly.
Teppo's lean and fit, and he skated with authority in the pond hockey matches. " I feel great. I got back to town last week and could not wait to see the boys. I'm really looking forward to training camp".
"Man, I'm excited", he told me.
***
Nathan Paetsch looks to me to be a guy who will not go quietly into obscurity. Paetsch knows that respect is earned, not give. He looks to be in great shape. Toned upper body and core, complete with strong legs. That's "The McKenney Way". With Teppo and Weber making a case for the 6 and 7 D, Paetsch has invested time in his off-ice conditioning.
"I spent the Summer here in Buffalo... working out with Mairsie and the boys. It was a great Summer from that standpoint because I really concentrated on my fitness. I like working out with the guys here rather than doing it on my own out of town".
Tallinder, Rivet, Lydman, Spacho, and Sekera are your top 5. Teppo will push hard for the 6. Paetsch and Weber will battle for the 7. Funk will be a Portland Pirate.
***
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