With a small core spear-headed by Alexander Barkov, and Aaron Ekblad, the Florida Panthers have created a tenacious team. They have done so because they were not afraid to move popular players, or change anything in their organization for that matter, from top to bottom. The hockey team down on the east coast of the sunshine state is hard to root against. They are a cohesive unit with a stellar goaltender, who refuses to quit on his career. The last time the Buffalo Sabres made the playoffs, Bobrovsky was manning the pipes for Philadelphia in the first two contests. After losing the first game 1-0, he was chased in game two after allowing three goals on seven shots. That was 2010-11 folks. As we all know, the Flyers went on to win the series in seven. They parted ways with their netminder after a couple of seasons, shipping him off to Columbus. The Blue Jackets could never get over the hump, and after seven years, he was exiled to Florida, lol. He fought off challenges from multiple prospects, and at the age of thirty-five, he is a tested veteran who gives his club a chance to win every night. This goes to show you that you have to know what you are looking for when you are building a successful franchise, and you also have to be conscious of your decisions regardless if a guy has a past of being unable to take it to the next level. What I am trying to point out is, that no matter how much we all think that we have the answer, the mountain can be climbed in many different ways. Like I reiterated time and time again, not making the top sixteen for so long is utter ineptitude. There is no excuse. Florida didn’t accept losing, and they tweaked the roster with bold moves. Five guys from Buffalo, a couple from Calgary who weren’t happy, etc. It is an ongoing puzzle that they have refused not to complete.
Let’s go back to our heroes, of what destiny, I am not sure. It is obvious that we have been inadequate when it comes to being proactive. Successful triumphs are achieved through hard work, and admitting that you need to be better, and then actually doing something about it. As we have all discussed before, we have failed long enough, we are poised with ammunition. Locked and loaded, we have no excuses not to take the NHL by a lake effect storm. While we have been taken advantage of countless times, our pea-shooter is ready to fire. With any luck, even though they try to mitigate our strike, we come out looking like geniuses, leaving our prey in our path to the top. For once, let us be the big dog in a transaction.
Dear general manager pulling the strings. The news out of the house that Seymour Knox built is so broke, we have stopped paying attention. It is June 2nd, and all that we have is mock drafts, and how our prospects are doing in lesser tournaments than the big one. Is this the plan, to lull us to sleep, so if you don’t get anything done, we will hibernate through winter? Oh yeah, we also are blessed with multiple sources claiming who we should obtain, or assets organizations “might” be willing to part with. Are you bored yet? Nothing is newsworthy, extinction of the league with our brilliance is not been set in concrete, the next month better clarify a direction geared towards a championship. We need to hear something soon that at least reiterates a specific plan. They teed us up with the hiring of Lindy, and went into the clubhouse, not realizing that they need to patronize us with a few strikes. Kevin James knows how to entertain a crowd when it is needed. He can multi-task. Can our Kevyn provide us with some comic relief while we wait in anticipation? Distract us with your skills Great Oz, prove to us you are the man behind the curtain pulling our finger.
The road to the cup has been definitely entertaining, if the Oilers are able to be the representative from the west, it is going to be a fun battle between friendly countries. Will people put aside their allegiances to support just their demographic? Will it be us against them?
Quick notes from avoiding yard work. The rain came at a perfect time.
Does anybody realize that the top four picks from the 2014/15 NHL draft are still lacing them up? Florida has three of the top four. Remember when everyone was wondering if Reinhart or Bennett would be the best choice, and then there was the pull up issue.. Who is tougher now? Bennett is the lesser guy, but both have proven worthy in different fashions. Nobody really wanted him when Calgary had given up. He found his niche, and he is putting important points on the board at crucial times. A great snag by the Panthers, opponents don’t enjoy playing against him and that is what we are looking for. Right?
Simple shout out to Kyle Okposo for getting some ice time and filling his role. With a deep line-up he obviously is doing something right. Although his usefulness was expired here, I hope he attains his dream of holding the cup over his head. Perhaps at least Adams did him a solid. You can’t help not to hope him the best at the end of the road.
Thanks, did anybody hear that Auston Matthews and Gritty were on the market?
Buffalo Sabres Blogger • 
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