Can They Make It?

The question still remains: will the Sabres finally get back into the playoffs? Or will they miss them for a third straight year?

The standings are pointing towards yes, but watching their games may point to no, or at least a first round exit.

The Sabres lack physical toughness, not many players finish their checks, and fights are a rarety in Buffalo. Many believe that if the Sabres enter the playoffs with this kind of toughness, they will go nowhere. All teams that are in the top eight need to have a physical mentality. That's the kind of team that wins championships. Buffalo relies on its finesse offense, which still doesn't score very much, and without hard work they will go nowhere.

Thomas Vanek and Derek Roy have the potential to do great things, when you see them out on the ice however, it seems they just don't care and they skate around waiting for the game to end.

The only players I can give credit to for coming to play every night would be the likes of Patrick Kaleta, Adam Mair, Matt Ellis, and of course, Ryan Miller. Miller is our X-factor. Without him, we would be absolutely nothing. Fans witnessed that last year when Miller became injured and the Sabres missed the playoffs for the second year in a row. With mistakes being a rarity, he comes to play every night.

Another key player for this team is Tyler Myers, who has more points than the rest of our defense and a lot of our offense. This kid is a strong candidate for the Calder Trophy, and is one of the few bright spots on Buffalo's defense. I have a feeling he might not do well under the pressures of the playoffs, though.

Many of the players have faced the playoffs before, seeing how Buffalo went to the conference finals in 06 and 07. But without captain clutch (Chris Drury) and 95 point scored Danny Briere, these guys might be lost. If the Sabres can manage to stay in the top 8 or even win the division, I don't really expect anything out of them, a first round upset at best but we definitely won't get past the second round.

Raffi Torres hasn't done much since we've picked him up. It seems he's just another one of the Sabres annual trade deadline scrub.

I'm getting sick and tired of the way this team plays. Something needs to happen. whether it be changes in the lineup or a new coaching technique (it wouldn't hurt for Tom Golisano to stop being a little baby and start spending a little more either.) If they don't change their game, making the playoffs won't mean a thing. Everyone in Buffalo wants a cup. and nothing less.

Deadline Deals

With the tradings of Ilya Kovalchuk and Dion Phaneuf long gone, trades that took place after March 1st were not of the "blockbuster" caliber. This was a record-setting trade day, yet not many recognizable names were moved.

I'll start off with the trading of Raffi Torres to Buffalo for Nathan Paetsch and a 2nd round draft pick in 2010. Torres will bring more grit to Buffalo's rugged offense and is used to back up the top offensive players. There's only one problem, the Sabres HAVE NO OFFENSE. I'm not ridiculing Torres, but this guy was a third line winger from the Columbus Blue Jackets and he has more goals (19) than any player on Buffalo!
Hopefully he continues his season, I just hope his game doesn't fall off as it does with the other players that have entered Buffalo's system.
I was not upset to see Paetsch go, but then again, I wouldn't be upset to see any of our team go (besides Ryan Miller). He has been a healthy scratch for most of this season, and nobody was really surprised to see him go. Clarke MacArthur also left for a only a few draft picks.

Another trade that I liked was that of Wojtek Wolski to Phoenix for Peter Mueller and Kevin Porter. Wolski was having a good season with the avalanche along with the other young players. He will be good in Phoenix who is looking to make a playoff push in April. For Peter Mueller, things weren't working out in Phoenix, I think he'll fit very well into Colorado's system very well. He's ver agile and can move the puck well.

Phoenix was also looking for some veteran leadership, and got just that. They picked up Derek Morris, who is starting his second stint with the Coyotes. Morris played well in Boston and hopes to make an impact on the young Coyotes as they look for their first playoff birth in years.

They also picked up Matheiu Schneider and Lee Stempniak.

A late trade was Lubomir Visnovsky for Ryan Whitney. Visnovsky was facing troubling times with Edmonton, and with a team such as Anaheim, he will finally display his true potential and good shot.

Ryan Whitney has not been having the best time in Anaheim either. He's a great pcuk moving defenseman, as we all saw in Pittsburgh, and maybe a change in scenery will do him good.


Names that weren't moved that were subject to many trade rumors. Ray Whitney was the most talked about, and I hoped that Buffalo would make an offer to him. But it wasn't so. I really though he could help us if we made the playoffs or any other team for that matter.

Sheldon Souray probably would have moved also, for his age he can still play very well and his shot is still ferocious. However it was the broken hand that he suffered in a fight with Jarome Iginla that turned people off. Not just that, but an infection formed after surgery that will keep him out for the season.

Another controversy is that of Chicago's goaltending. Huet and Niemi have played well all season, but not great. Everyone though Huet might be gone.

Ray Emery's season has also ended after hip surgery and Philedelphia chose to make no moves. That means they're going to close out the seasons with started Michael Leighton and Brian Boucher, two very inconsistent goaltenders.