In The Crease

Hockey night in Buffalo, U.S.A

Sabres fans will be happy to know that while Empire Sports Network is gone, Mike Robitaille will be back on the air this fall covering the Sabres.

When Empire went off the air in March, Western New York lost more than just a sports network — it lost a part of Buffalo sports culture. But if you're a hockey fan (and I'm guessing you are if you're reading this), the bigger loss was Empire's hockey coverage, specifically the Sabres post-game show, Hockey Hotline. For over a decade, fans from WNY and around the country could call in and sound off on each Sabres game for over an hour. Robitaille's colorful commentary and analysis were the backbone of HH. But while Robitaille will return, Hockey Hotline will not according to The Buffalo News:

"The Buffalo Sabres' TV plans for their first season on the Madison Square Garden Network include a post-game show with a new name, a different cast and a different agenda than "Hockey Hotline" had on the defunct Empire Sports Network.

Kevin Sylvester, the former WGR-AM morning host, will host "The Shootout." Mike Robitaille, the "HH" regular who worked with Josh Mora (now in Chicago) two seasons ago, returns with a former Sabre to be named later. If Rob Ray retires, he would be an obvious option.

Larry Quinn, the Sabres' managing partner, said the show will be live at HSBC Arena after home games and will include more in-depth features and more thorough analysis than offered by "HH." The show's call-in component won't be as large as it was on "HH."

Hmm, "The Shootout?" Like Sharpshooters? What was wrong with the name "Hockey Hotline?" Assuming rights to the name do not belong to Adelphia, I feel the name change either has to do with Quinn wanting to deemphasize the fan call-in portion, or Quinn wanting to just make it his own. I don't think the format change was needed, as HH was one of Empire's highest-rated programs and arguably the best post-game show in the NHL. In the article, Robitaille explained why he thought the change was made:

' "There is a lot to talk about this year, more than any other season," Robitaille said. "There will be more time to evaluate the game and teach the public the best we can. It might be difficult for people to grasp a lot of rule changes." '

I'm not familiar with Sylvester's work, but he'll be hard-pressed to live up to Brian Blessing or Josh Mora's standard. Seriously, though, I'm doing cartwheels now that a part of the Buffalo hockey culture I love will return in October!

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Last week, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Comcast made a two-year, over $100 million deal to nationally broadcast NHL games for the next two seasons. Games would be shown on Outdoor Life Network, a move by Comcast to expand OLN and sway sports viewers away from ESPN. Still, long-time NHL partner ESPN reportedly gets the right to match any offer that Comcast makes. And while I don't appreciate the sub-par coverage of hockey on the deuce, the Los Angeles Times's Mike Penner makes some interesting points on why it's best for the NHL to stick with ESPN:

"Ice hockey, the quintessential indoor sport, on the Outdoor Life Network?

That makes as much sense as having more NHL franchises south of Kentucky than in Canada, but that's the NHL.

Of course, the Outdoor Life Network prefers to cloak itself behind its initials, OLN, a handle that became popular among cycling enthusiasts, who came to know the channel as the Only Lance Network. The NHL on OLN? It does have a ring. Say it fast enough and no one will have the chance to make any more outdoor hockey jokes. ...

For the NHL, the incentive is obvious. For better or worse, ESPN is the leading brand name in American sports television. In today's media culture, the ESPN logo has a legitimizing effect on any activity — even non-sports — it chooses to air. Look what the network has done for poker, fishing and competitive eating.

Without its long-standing ESPN rubber stamp, the NHL risks becoming more of a niche sport tucked away on a niche network.

But ESPN also needs the NHL. What kind of "Worldwide Leader in Sports" allows the sport of Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull to leave the building, quit the family, vacate the premises without a fight?

Keeping the NHL makes economic as well as promotional sense for ESPN, which has had a virtual monopoly in the national cable sports market ever since it squashed Fox's challenge. Let the NHL slip away to OLN and ESPN will essentially assist in birthing a new cable rival."

Currently, 61 million households receive OLN, while 71-plus million get ESPN. I just can't picture hockey moving off of a household name to OLN, a channel I've rarely watched. And I don't think a new start on OLN gives the NHL a better place in the broadcasting marketplace. Even though hockey on ESPN was not perfect, it's important that the NHL stays there if it ever hopes to re-solidify its roots in the American sports landscape.

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AROUND THE LEAGUE:

-Redden to be shopped?: The Ottawa Sun reports GM John Muckler is in a tough position, wondering whether he'll have to part with star defenseman Wade Redden due to cap economics. Ottawa's long had a team of fast, skillful youngsters that helped the Senators finish near the top in the East almost every year. But with the lowered age of free agency and star players demanding more money, it seems Ottawa won't be able to afford to keep their roster intact for much longer.

-Crosby-mania just beginning: Just days removed from his appearance on The Tonight Show, Sidney Crosby's star-studded tour hit Pittsburgh according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

"Mario Lemieux didn't get this kind of reception in his first moments in Pittsburgh. Neither did Ben Roethlisberger or any other athlete in the 20 years between the time those two were drafted by local teams.

But when Sidney Crosby rode down an escalator to the baggage claim area of Pittsburgh International Airport just after 7 p.m. yesterday [Wednesday], his white polo shirt reflected the glare of a host of television cameras. When he reached the bottom and was escorted into a back corner for a brief interview session, Crosby was mobbed by reporters, photographers and a few dozen fans who had gotten wind of his arrival or were just lucky enough to be there and figured out what was going on."

Now with the addition of solid goaltending in the form of Jocelyn Thibault, the Penguins are definitely shaping up to be a favorite to make the playoffs in the East. And with the possibilities of Mario Lemieux, Crosby and Ziggy Palffy up front, along with Thibault in net, it's a good chance the Penguins could upset a eastern powerhouse in the first round.

Thank goodness for Friday

It's only Wednesday, but I all I can think about is Friday. Friday is the truly the beginning of it all -- the return of the NHL, the draft lottery, and Sidney Crosby's career as a Buffalo Sabre. Okay, the last part was wishful thinking, but hey, it could happen!

People like Toronto Sun columnist Bill Lankhof are jealous of Buffalo's three-ball chance at scoring Crosby:

"The New York Rangers, Columbus, Pittsburgh or Buffalo have the best chance of winning the draft lottery for Sidney Crosby.

So , he's either going to The City That Never Sleeps or some place where he'll be the biggest thing next to:

a) the intramural college flag football championship;

b) a controversy over who'll be the Steelers' third-string quarterback, or;

c) the arrival of a new fire truck in Lackawanna."

A fire truck? Honestly?

After the players ratify the CBA tomorrow, the spotlight turns on Friday's board of governors meeting. The meeting will include a vote on the CBA and new rule changes, and yes, the much anticipated "who's-the-luckiest-team-in-the-NHL" show, broadcast live on NHL.com.

And if you live in Canada, you get to enjoy five hours of SportsCentre Special: Game On, airing Friday on TSN from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. EDT! Me, the poor American fan? I'll be sitting near my computer, awaiting the 4 p.m. lottery and praying a lot.

So while Friday gets the whole thing rolling, Saturday is truly when the craziness begins. GMs, agents and players will be scrambling: a six-day window for player buyouts (that don't count against the cap) and a nine-day period for teams to negotiate exclusively with their unrestricted free agents. And then -- boom -- free agency starts Aug. 1, promising to be one of the most explosive free agent seasons ever.

If you're crying because your team is one of those grossly overpaid franchises (see Philadelphia, Detroit) and you know some fan favorites will be hitting the road for -- gasp! -- Atlanta or Calgary, be comforted to know that my favorite team, the Buffalo Sabres, is in fine shape. Well, besides a certain goaltender merry-go-round and Alexei Zhitnik's unrestricted free agency status. Tim Graham (The Buffalo News):

"The Sabres, unlike some other NHL clubs, have an abundance of players. A few changes aside, they will look much like the team that finished the 2003-04 season with only 16 regulation losses in their last 47 games.

...

Buffalo has as many as nine players under contract for the upcoming season and holds the rights to at least 15 restricted free agents. Defensemen Alexei Zhitnik and James Patrick are the only two unrestricted free agents."

That means Buffalo only has $9,149,000 of the cap taken up, plenty left to sign important restricted free agents such as Daniel Briere and JP Dumont. But just because Sabres fans won't see a huge shake-up in the roster, is that really a good thing? Jay McKee thinks so (Buffalo News):

"I think our team is in one of the best situations possible. We have a group of young, talented players ready to step up," said defenseman Jay McKee, the Sabres' NHL Players' Association representative, who will be in Toronto for Thursday's union ratification meeting. ...

"Now, in a cap world, the playing field is on an even level. We won't be going into Colorado or Toronto against teams spending so much more money." '

Hmm... will it be enough? I'm not convinced that Sabres GM Darcy Regier is ready to shell out the bucks for streaky/moody forward Miro Satan. And what if Alexei Zhitnik goes elsewhere? That puts a lot of pressure on Dmitri Kalinin and the young defense core to protect either Marty Biron, Mika Noronen, or Ryan Miller. Yea, that terrific threesome -- again.

Regier is faced with the same challenge he has been faced with the past couple of years -- is it worth protecting his "promising and growing" group of young Sabres rather than adding some proven veterans to the mix? And I'm not talking about James Patrick. What about bringing in some free agents from the outside? I don't think I can take another year of "Biron is maturing" or "superstar-in-the-making Connolly" will return from his concussion to what, lead the fourth line in scoring?

I just hope Regier keeps reminding himself that this is the same team that has missed the playoffs three consecutive seasons -- last season by six points. To ensure that it's really a level playing field next season, Regier must bring in a few new faces to solidify Buffalo's chance at a playoff spot. See you Saturday, Darcy!

John Rigas broke my heart, but October might save it

For most Sabres fans and Western New Yorkers, the name John Rigas and Adelphia still get met with anger and sadness, a reminder of the man who swooped in to "save" the Sabres in 1998 and then, just five years later, leave the team in bankruptcy and on the verge of extinction.

Jerry Sullivan's (The Buffalo News) column from April 2002:

"I feel a profound sadness for the people of Buffalo, who have absorbed so many economic hits in recent years and desperately wanted - no, needed - to believe that Rigas and Adelphia were the real thing. Rigas filled that most basic human need. He gave them hope. But once again, they've discovered that their capacity for belief is exceeded only by the ability of their appointed to disappoint them. Under Rigas, the Sabres went to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in 24 years. Adelphia's stock price soared to an all-time high during that playoff run. When it was over, Rigas promised to deliver the tools to finish the job. Before long, there was the promise of a high-rise corporate headquarters on the waterfront.

I bought into it, too. Four years ago, I spent a week talking to Rigas and his friends and family. The result was a First Sunday Magazine piece entitled "The Most Popular Person In Buffalo." The subhead was "John Rigas Reminds Us How to Dream." The story chronicled Rigas' rise from a son of Greek immigrants to founder of one of the largest cable TV companies in America. He was a product of the Depression, a self-made billionaire with small-town roots. I called him a fitting symbol for Buffalo's revival, "the new hope, not only of the city's sports fans, but of those people dreaming of a new, more vibrant downtown." Tim Rigas, the son and Sabres' chief executive, said the family wanted to "stretch our imagination" to explore the possibilities of downtown Buffalo. Meanwhile, as we know, they were stretching themselves financially to a perilous degree. Today, they find themselves banished from the board of directors of their own company, disgraced and facing possible criminal charges. In Buffalo, they've become yet another false hope, another example of money and influence gone awry.

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Once, he had a magic touch in his fingers. Now there is the residue of oversized dreams, crumbling into dust."

Thankfully, the Sabres were rescued by new owner Tom Golisano. But Adelphia's revitalization of the riverfront never happened -- the jobs and massive devlopment never came. The team lost Michael Peca and Dominik Hasek and missed the playoffs three straight seasons. And WNY sports fans lost both EMPIRE -- the regional sports network -- and WNSA -- sports talk radio. So while WNY didn't lose hockey, it lost a lot of its soul. And the sports coverage in WNY is still up in the air, according to Alan Pergament of The Buffalo News:

"The only things certain about the Buffalo Sabres broadcast plans this coming season are that Rick Jeanneret will return as play-by-play man and Jim Lorentz as analyst and the games will be carried on MSG and WGR-AM.

"I haven't really had a chance to finalize anything beyond Rick and Jim," said Larry Quinn, the Buffalo Sabres' managing partner. That means the futures of reporter Danny Gare and post-game analyst Mike Robitaille are up in the air.

"I don't want to say anything about anybody," said Quinn. "Everything is up for grabs right now. It doesn't mean we're going to change anything." '

After losing EMPIRE and WNSA -- my only lifeline as an out-of-town Buffalo sports fan -- I can't even imagine what the coverage will be like in the fall. Is it really Sabres hockey without Mike Robitaille cracking jokes on Hockey Hotline after every game? That hour post-game show was better than the game itself on many occasions. Robitaille's banter with Brian Blessing and then Josh Mora was absolutely priceless. Robitaille has that old, rough-and-tough hockey feel that can't be replicated by one of MSG's cookie-cutter sports hosts.

Even if Larry Quinn (don't you just have loads of confidence in him?) manages to secure a decent pre- and post-game show for the Sabres, it can never be the same. I doubt there will ever be a return to an exclusive WNY sports network. And forget about afternoons listening to Sharpshooters with Robitaille and Jim Kelley, a pregame show with Mora, fantastic game coverage by EMPIRE, interviews by Danny Gare, and then the best postgame in the North America (I can verify this, buying Center Ice the past four years).

Looking back, the link between Adelphia and its stations -- EMPIRE and WNSA -- seem almost like a blessing. Now fans are left with WGR -- far from the quality seen in the heydays of EMPIRE and WNSA. Even with Howard Simon and Mike Schopp, who both worked at WNSA/EMPIRE, WGR is and always will be a distant second in honest, intelligent sports talk.

Another WNY sports disappointment. But what is truly great is that I can actually post about this now -- because there will be a return of Sabres hockey in the fall. And this will be a Sabres franchise able to compete on a more level playing field, with a solid owner, and a dedicated city of sports fans.