At 5pm EDT Friday afternoon, great news broke out along the Niagara Frontier regarding the final approval of the sale of the Buffalo Sabres to Terry Pegula. The NHL Board of Governors had finally approved the terms and conditions of the deal, and now Pegula is due to take over the team on Tuesday 2/22.
Thats the good news.
The bad news is the Buffalo Sabres slept walked through yet another ugly loss on home ice this week. Sunday's debacle vs. The Islanders was one to forget, as was the futility demonstrated against the hapless Leafs.
Now this stink bomb!
Buffalo squandered six points to teams that have fewer point than themselves in the NHL standings this week, They are in a fight for their Playoff lives and they have laid three rotten eggs in their past four games. Frankly, I do not get it. The collective effort put forth Friday night is inexplicable. Lindy Ruff gave his team the day off on Thursday and they appeared to be well rested and healthy, with Steve Montador re-joining the lineup after a five game absence.
Unbeknownst to the hockey world, The Blues management team were in the midst of improving its team for a Playoff push by selling off high profile D men, Eric Brewer and Erik Johnson, while they resided briefly in the Buffalo region on Friday.
So why is it that the Sabres could not muster up a sixty minute effort in order to beat a distracted opponent? Once again, an opponent keeps Stafford and Vanek off the score sheet and the result is a flatline for all of the others on the team. Where is the secondary and tertiary scoring?
I have a solution. Do what St. Louis just did. Trade ahigh profile veteran, or two, and shift the paradigm. Do it NOW, while there are still quality players still available. waiyting until the 2/28 trade deadline day will only get the Sabres dust. They need the diamonds that are being traded around now. In the past 48 hours, every team in the Norstheast division, save Buffalo, have peddled players and have improved themselves for the short and long term. Friday with Boston, Toronto, and Ottawa all subtracted players, then added quality people that they deem to be integral to their future success. On Thursday night, Montreal added rugged Dman Paul Mara to help their blue line. Atlanta and Carolina got in on the act on friday as well. In the West, St. Louis, Colorado, and San Jose were active on Friday. There are more deals to come. Will Buffalo respond to the peer pressure, or, will they become sellers? Don't look now, but here come the Devils and Maple Leafs to try their hand at chasing down Buffalo, Atlanta, and Carolina for the eighth seed. Buffalo and Atlanta are tied with 60 points, four behind Carolina, and only four ahead of Toronto, five ahead of florida, and only eight ahead of new Jersey.
Shortly before the supper hour, the Blues sent veteran D, Eric Brewer to Tampa for a prospect. certainly this move must have sent shock waves through the Blues room. How does buffalo not read this situation? Rather than attack right off the opening faceoff, Buffalo shawdow boxed and played touch feely with St. Louis for the first forty minutes of uninspired hockey.
After the game, STL GM, Doug Armstrong, traded former first overall pick Erik Johnson and forward Jay McClement and a first-round pick to Colorado for rookie defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, third-year forward Chris Stewart and a second-round pick.
St. Louis flew into Buffalo a struggling team that were barely alive in the Playoff chase. They departed with a needed regulation win and they have helped themselves by adding assets that wiill help them as they move forward.
Whats next for the Sabres? Ovechkin, Backstrom, Semin and the Caps will torment them on Sunday afternoon. Losers of three of their last four, the Sabres are a team that are in desperate need of a character infusion.
The vets that havee skated in Buffalo for years are not getting the job done. There are too many passengers on the Buffalo bench. There are not enough playmakers and finishers. Make a move or two, before its too late.
Join the Discussion:
»