In The Crease

Hasek retires — again, but likely for good this time

For the fans who booed Dominik Hasek out of Buffalo — and I was one of them — it's time to step back and forgive.

Hasek retired on Monday, less than a week after winning his second Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings. But it's only natural not to take Hasek at his word this time. By my count, he's retired officially at least twice (1999 and 2002)... unofficially, well, that's up for debate.

Hasek last retired on June 25, 2002, after winning the first Cup he left Buffalo for in 2001. Remember the mood then?

It was forgotten, almost as if it never happened.

Dominik Hasek was seated on a dais in Detroit's Joe Louis Arena for a news conference to announce his retirement Tuesday. Only when a reporter asked The Dominator about the Buffalo Sabres did he acknowledge his old team.

Hasek finally found his Holy Grail two weeks ago when he and the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. He had won six Vezina Trophies as the NHL's top goalie and two Hart Trophies as the league's MVP -- all with the Sabres.

But the Stanley Cup completed his spectacular career.

"I am and I will be a Red Wing forever," Hasek read in his opening statement.

And just like that, the Sabres were rendered the same discarded fate as Chuck Cunningham on "Happy Days." For those unfamiliar with the sitcom: The oldest child of Mr. and Mrs. C was eliminated from the show's consciousness as if he never existed after the first season. -The Buffalo News, June 26, 2002

Hasek added: "I do not feel that I have enough fire in me to compete at the level that I expect for myself.'

On Monday, he said the main reason for his retirement was a lack of motivation. Fire, motivation... sound familiar?

Needless to say, Buffalo fans remember how Hasek forced his way out of town, even telling Darcy Regier that he couldn't take away the good players from the team he was being traded to. (See, the Kozlov years) It was always about Dom. And that worked perfect when he was making 70 saves against the New Jersey Devils in 1994 — but not when he wanted to go an enemy. And that Red Wing "forever" send off stung.

There's no excuse for the way Hasek left Buffalo, or how he treated the Sabres at that retirement ceremony. What you can focus on is today, when he spent the majority of his written speech talk about the very city he left seven years ago. He's 43-years-old now — not that he was young in 2002, but it seems the added years and trials have left Hasek to reflect on how special his time in the Queen City was:

"I had opportunity to play with some incredible players… Dale Hawerchuk, Pat LaFontaine, Grant Fuhr, Dave Andreychuk, Alex Mogilny, Michael Peca and Miro Satan. I want to thank them for all the great work they did in front of me, and helping me to be more successful.

And I will never forget Richard Smehlik and Alex Zhitnik, who played more games in front of me than any other two defensemen. I cannot thank them enough for helping me to have the level of success I could only have dreamt of before we played together.

But it was John Muckler who gave me the chance to be a starting goaltender. I don’t think I disappointed him. But I can tell you, tell all of you for sure, not much of the success would ever have happened without John’s support and encouragement. I want to thank John very, very much for all he did for me in Buffalo and in Ottawa.

Buffalo Sabres president Larry Quinn had helped me through many tough times. He has always stood behind me. I could always turn to Larry for helping hand and thought and in tough times. ...

I want to thank Larry for being there, for being a good friend, as well as congratulate him for his success in selling out 80 Sabres games in a row. That’s not easy to do.

And Mitch Korn, my goalie coach in Buffalo who worked with me to help me adjust my unique style to be more effective in the NHL. Mitch never tried to change me, but he just helped me to be a better goalie. Thanks Mitch.

I would… Buffalo… to our family make many friends who helped us a lot. Unfortunately, I can’t name them all today. I will always remember the fans. Buffalo is a small market, but they supported us in huge numbers. I will never forget the many sold-out games in the old Aud, and especially at the HSBC Arena. They pushed the team forward and helped me in some ways make every save.

Leaving Buffalo was difficult. But in 2001, I knew if I was to win a Cup, I had to move on. I decided on Hockeytown, and I asked for a trade to Detroit and Buffalo agreed to make.

...

"Last time I was talking here, I didn’t mention Buffalo too much, just because it was a different time. But today, it was a great nine years. And now I’m with the Wings, I’m very proud to be a Red Wing also. These are two places in my life that will always stay in my heart."

I almost burst out laughing when he mentioned the Zhitnik/Smehlik pairing. Did anyone else have a goatlord flashback? Those are the days the still-boiling Sabres fans need to remember now. When Hasek and shutout coincided on a nightly basis. When Slinky for a spine wasn't just an old "priceless" Mastercard commercial. When Hasek was winning games for the hometown team, even though they had little business doing so on many nights.

It would be an embarrassment if Hasek's number was not retired next season at HSBC Arena. It doesn't hurt that Larry and Dom sound like they're still buddy-buddy. I don't doubt people will boo — fans just booed Daniel Briere this past season and he wanted to stay. But it's the right thing to do, and it's the right time to do it.

As long as Hasek is truly retired this time, of course.

Complete Audio of the Hasek Press Conference | Video:

In Tom and Larry We Trust?

Buffalo Sabres fans — pretty much any professional sports fans — want desperately to trust their team's front office. Those suits have a lot of say in whether a team wins or loses during the season, postseason and offseason. And just like coaches, they rarely get praise when things go well — usually the players steal the limelight then. But when things go south, poor draft choices, poor trades or poor contract negotiations are to blame.

Most franchises have their share of good and bad. I'm bias, but the Sabres franchise has joined the dark side on more than one occasion in recent memory. Former owner John Rigas is now in jail. The team almost left Buffalo and went through bankruptcy under the watch of Gary Bettman. Buffalo businessman Mark Hamister was supposed to save the franchise, only to back out at the last minute.

Like an angel from heaven, Tom Golisano flew in, bought the franchise and kept the Sabres from fleeing to southern Ontario, Las Vegas... wherever. He also brought in Larry Quinn as managing partner. Quinn, who was president and CEO of the Sabres prior to the Rigas era, "oversaw" the Ted Nolan/John Muckler debacle and was fired when Rigas assumed control. (Not up on Quinn's antics? Business First ran a great feature on him in 2004.)

We didn't know much about Golisano in spring 2003. Now, we know he's a good businessman (Forbes estimates the franchise worth at $162 million, while Golisano reportedly bought the franchise for $92 million). But questions about his hockey decisions came to the forefront once Daniel Briere and Chris Drury skipped town last summer, and Brian Campbell was traded this spring.

When the team went to back-to-back Eastern Conference finals in 2006 and 2007, Golisano was everywhere, always on the jumbotron at Sabres games. This year?

"I’m still wondering who appeared at more Sabres games this season, Drury and Briere or owner Tom Golisano. The guy was absent most of the year before showing up for the team photo Monday (at the end of the season). Apparently, he had other commitments."-columnist Bucky Gleason, The Buffalo News, 4/8/08

And Tuesday, The Toronto Star ran this story:

"Billionaire Jim Balsillie contacted the owner of the Buffalo Sabres about buying the team earlier this season, a sign the Research in Motion co-founder is still seeking an NHL franchise after two previous high-profile flameouts.

Balsillie phoned Sabres owner Tom Golisano around Christmas, according to a source familiar with the matter. Golisano indicated he would be open to selling the club – but not if Balsillie intended to relocate it."

Oh, are you comforted by the fact that he wouldn't sell unless on his own terms? Because yes, there's all these local Western New York buyers waiting around.

True, the validity of this report is suspect. But Golisano's grace period was officially over July 1. Same with Quinn's.

Sabres fans have always had the right to distrust the front office. It's just a shame that trust was broken again so quickly.

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GOOD NEWS: It does exist! In the past two days, Buffalo Sabres general manager Darcy Regier has signed prospects Nathan Gerbe (Boston College) and Feliz Schutz (German Elite League). I know nothing about Schutz. But I personally witnessed Gerbe's greatness at the Frozen Four in Denver this year, and boy, excited is an understatement. Kevin Sylvester has a terrific interview with Gerbe on Sabres.com.

Tim Kennedy (Michigan State) is next on Regier's list. Kennedy, who just finished his junior year, could elect to become a free agent after next season if he cannot agree to terms with the Sabres.

Broad Street Dilemmas

I hate the Flyers. I wasn't around in the Broad Street Bullies days, but it doesn't matter. I had 1997, when I was still a Red Wings fan. I had Legion of Doom. And John Leclair's phantom goal, when Sabres fans learned that scoring through the side of the net is not only legal, but also series-changing.

Even one of my proudest moments as a fan came rooting against the orange and black. Amidst a 10-game winning streak to open the 2006-2007 season, the Sabres destroyed the Flyers, 9-1. Ken Hitchcock fired. Bobby Clarke resigned. Life couldn't get better.

But that was then. Now, former Sabres - former Sabres most fans absolutely LOVED - wear that evil sweater. They get cheered and booed by fans wearing "VENGEANCE NOW" t-shirts.

Despite all this, I'm struggling, as are many other Sabres fans. How can you hate Daniel Briere's face? The one that can't grow a playoff beard. He's leading the playoffs in scoring. When he scored last night to recapture the Flyers' lead, I screamed in agony. But I'm not sure if it was sincere. Because at the same time, it reminded me of Briere scoring against Carolina in Game 6 of the 2006 conference finals, which is as far from Philly hatred as you can get.

And then there's Buffalo-backup-now-Philly-starting-netminder Marty Biron. It's Marty. Goofy, loveable ... he's still the same, but he doesn't wear a goatlord anymore. Oh, and all of a sudden he's the biggest story of the playoffs. He looks borderline cocky (which of course, can't be true, because he's Marty) in the crease, but with good reason. He's been outstanding.

And that's just the Flyers/Habs series. The other Eastern Conference series has not just my favorite ex-Sabre, but pretty much my favorite player of all time, Chris Drury. He looked as if he popped his shoulder out of its socket the last game, but struggled back to play in the third period. In Game 4, I just watched him crouch on the ground to block a shot, cringe with pain, and then skate gingerly to the boards. But then he opens the door and sits on the bench, like nothing happened. Just like when he tied Game 5 with 7.7 seconds to go against the Rangers last year. Same Drury, different jersey.

So here's the dilemma: as sports fans, do we cheer for teams? Or do we cheer for individuals?

Or is it possible to do both without driving yourself crazy?

Fellow Michigan grads say they pick their NFL team based on which one has the most former Wolverines, probably since many Detroit natives couldn't find the strength to root for the Lions. This has always sounded absurd to me. But is it?

Cheering for the Sabres through the dark years, could you really have a favorite player? If you did, they probably left, retired or got traded. You were more worried with losing the TEAM. That's when I became a sports fan in camp one, leaving behind my individual player allegiances. I practically disowned Dominik  Hasek and Michael Peca.

Could there be middle ground? Can you root against the Flyers, yet cheer for Briere and Biron? It seems mathematically impossible. If Biron stops everything and Briere scores, Flyers win. (The Rangers will probably be eliminated this week, if not tonight, so I'm not as concerned with Drury.)

In sports, you can try to control your emotions. But in the end, it's just like love. Your true feelings will show through. I wonder if that's finally happening to me, and if it is, whether I can be a Sabres fan and live with that.

LIVE: Emotions on Trade Deadline Day

Okay, there are too many emotions and thoughts going through my head post-Brian Campbell trade not to blog about it:

12:57: On TSN’s TRADECENTRE, James Duthie looked like he was going to cry post-Brian Campbell interview. Great, now all I need is the broadcasters breaking down, too. That helps.

12:59: Caller on WGR:

“They’ve lost their two best forward and best defenseman in one calendar year. Who does that?”

Thank you. You need to worry about your top guys first (think Detroit’s GM Ken Holland), and then fill in the pieces. Don’t give me bullshit on how we need to save money to sign Paul Gaustad, Jason Pominville, etc. – those are the guys you can fill in. You can’t fill in Chris Drury, Daniel Briere or Brian Campbell. They are the core.

1:03: I so need to eat lunch.

1:17: What happens to the Sabres power play now? Does this mean Dmitri Kalinin automatically gets a much bigger role on the team? Scary. And get ready for the triumphant return of the Nate the not-so-great Paetsch.

1:26: Just realized the Red Wings are playing the Sharks on Friday night. I'm ready to pull my hair out.

Oh, and what happens to the Brian Campbell  sweating commercial?

1:35: Yes, I hate that Campbell was traded. But how can you not be excited about his first Drew Remenda interview on Shark Byte?

Who is going to be the Sabres captain? Shit the Capitals are just picking up tons of people (Cristobel Huet, Sergei Fedorov, Matt Cook).

2:02: Less than an hour left. Have we seen the last from Regier and Co.?

2:15: More talk about the "future" on WGR. Tell me about potential, too. The last two years, it was beautiful to be a Sabres fan because for once in a long time, you could think about the present. Too often, you're left looking to the past, or hoping for the future. You're always being pulled away, plucked from the here-and-now because you just can't stay in the present. It's just too painful.

2:40:

"It was the greatest thing ever for two years ... and now it's gone."                                                                            -Bulldog on WGR 550

Brokenhearted is the word of the day. Of the year. Of the past two years.

3:00: Marian Hossa to Pittsburgh. Wow. Lots of scoring.

Still, Pittsburgh hasn't proved anything past the regular season. They were atrocious in the playoffs last year. Hossa has 35 points in 55 playoff games, all with the Senators. Can Marc-Andre Fleury really rebound for the playoffs? Or is Ty Conklin for real? I'm not placing any bets - the Penguins are young, inexperienced, and I'm not sure how much they learned from the Ottawa series last year except that they had no business being there.

3:22: I thought I could get a lot done today. Stupid. Between WGR 550 and TSN TRADECENTRE, the day is almost gone.

Ken Holland finally makes a move, acquiring Brad Stuart. I used to be a big Stuart supporter back in his San Jose days, but is one of those "potential" guys that never really panned out. Definitely a minor move.

Al Montoya (and Marcel Hossa) land in Phoenix. Interesting collection of Wolverines assembling in the desert, with Hobey Baker-hopeful Kevin Porter and Chad Kolarik joining the squad next year.

3:28: WGR finally got the Campbell audio up. Too bad Sabres.com didn't put video up. I know the official sites are half news, half marketing, but as a Sabres fan, I need time to lament Campbell leaving. Best stuff from the interview:

“I allowed them to call me Soupy, and that was fine."

"The disappointing part is that we didn't bring the prize home to Western New York."

Campbell describing scoring last week in Toronto, and Lindy Ruff subsequently tapping him on the shoulder and smiling, as being one of the best moments in his time in Buffalo.

"I can't sign for a three-year deal like that. You see what happens in the NHL. A person almost lost their life here a couple weeks ago. Life is short."

Keep tabs on the Sabres? "Yea, obviously. The coaching staff, everybody. It goes down the line. Everybody."

Mike Grier, Briere, Drury: "Wish I wasn't in that setup of names there."

"There's still potential in that (Buffalo) locker room."

"I've loved every minute of it, and I hope they enjoyed watching me play.

Don't boo me when I come back. C'mon. That's all. Don't boo me, c'mon."

"I'm a human being. I have friends here. That's basically what it comes down to."

And for a few laughs on Deadline Day: Steve Bernier aka Big Bear introduces himself to the Buffalo fans.

"I'm 22 years old, and I play right wing. I'm 6'2'', 220 pounds."

4:04: Here's another pipe dream: Maybe Buffalo will be so awful without Campbell the rest of the season that Regier/Golisano will have a change in heart about long-term contracts.

The ex-Sabre list: Brian Campbell, Chris Drury, Daniel Briere, Jay McKee, Marty Biron, JP Dumont, Mike Grier...

4:07: Wonder how Ryan Symth is feeling in Colorado. Last year this time, he was the crying player at deadline time. Now it's Campbell on the verge of tears. Wishing there were more Mats Sundins out there, willing and wanting to stay with "their" team. True, Sabres management has royally screwed over players and failed to sign players at the right time, right price. But Campbell ultimately can make the decision to stay, whether it was this morning or July 1.

4:15: Per TSN: number of trades: 23, players: 43, draft picks: 22. Fourth busiest deadline day in NHL history (1-2008, 2-2006, 3-2003).

Mike Schopp: "I think they needed a forward." Yea, that's what happens when you lose Briere, Drury, Zubrus, Grier and Dumont. It's not like they don't need defensemen, either. The pickings on the farm are getting very slim.

Numbers don't lie, and even if they did, it's not over

Thirteen-percent.

That’s the number of teams in NHL history that have successfully returned from a 2-0 deficit to win a series. But don’t bother telling the Buffalo Sabres the odds of beating the Senators. Even as recently as Saturday night, Daniel Briere led another late-game comeback. And how probable was it that he would score with 5.8 seconds left?

What was the probability that four out of its top six defenseman would be knocked out last spring? Or that the Sabres would have won their first 10 games this season?

Try this: how many times has Buffalo won four of five games this season? 35 times. (Thanks to Brad Riter for this stat!) Two of the last four teams that won the Stanley Cup (Detroit—2002, Vancouver and Carolina—2006, Montreal) made the charge back from 2-0, albeit in the first round. Buffalo tied its 2001 series with Pittsburgh, winning twice at the Igloo and Game 5 at HSBC before dropping the final two games — both in overtime.

There’s been many times where the fans (including me), have hesitated, or even stopped believing. But this is the team that taught Buffalo to believe again. To not expect losing and heartbreak go hand-in-hand with being from The Queen City. So I’m still believing. And it’s not over:

Playoff notebook

Since I’ve failed to blog with any regularity, I put together a smorgasbord of off-ice thoughts through two rounds:

-Is it just me or does Madison Square Garden have the most pathetic horn in the entire NHL? It leaves me thinking, “Honey, the buns are ready!” at the end of each period.

-I’ve never liked Ray Emery as a player, but his off-ice antics are annoying, too:

“I’m not a big fan of Buffalo,” Emery said early this week. “There’s not a lot to do on days off.” ...

“He’ll find things to do,” Ruff said with a laugh. “Rent a Hummer truck, go for a ride. Drive around a little bit.” -TBN

Emery had the latest word Wednesday when asked if he'd have anything to say to Ruff if he saw him on the road - Emery quipped he'd greet him with a little ‘nudge.’ ” –CP

Don’t worry, Ray. WIVB has called fans to help him find something to keep him busy in Western New York. The best suggestions so far? “Go to a driving school!” and “Have you ever heard of a little place called Niagara Falls? I'm sure that they can find a barrel big enough to fit your ego.”

-Most hockey players have superstitions, but I doubt most involve a newspaper’s beat reporter:

"Ales Kotalik just one day asked me how my coffee was, I said it was delicious and we left at that. Then that night he scored two goals," said [TBN's Tim] Graham.

"I see him the next day and he says 'Timmy how's the coffee?' And as soon as he asked me that, I knew what he was talking about, and I said it was delicious and he kind of laughed about it and then went out and had a goal and an assist."

Says Kotalik, "It was always when he was holding a Dunkin' Donuts coffee that I had a good game, so I kind of told him make sure you have it before every game."

Check out the video here.

-Yes, Buffalo is crazy for the playoffs:

“I think [Sabres] fever is hot when I drive by the Catholic church near my house, and it doesn’t list the Mass times or the inspirational message,” Sabres public relations director Michael M. Gilbert said. “It says, ‘Go Sabres.’ ” –TBN

I also like the “Welcome to Pominville” sign on Rt. 33.

-Oh, and it’s not just Buffalo. It’s also Buffalo’s collection of fans around the globe. I’m listening to WGR right now, and people have called in everywhere from England to South Africa. Especially here in Detroit, people complain about those “late” west coast games. What if you’re a Sabres fan living across the ocean where the games don’t START until 1 a.m.? Now that’s dedication!

-Even the New York Times is taking notice of Buffalo's obsession:

"On Versus, Buffalo has the highest ratings and the most viewers. 'The Buffalo fans are a force of nature,' said Gavin Harvey, the president of Versus. 'We crushed ‘American Idol’ up there.'

In Game 4, Buffalo had a 24.8 rating from Versus, accounting for 158,000 households. Meanwhile, New York did a 1.5, the highest ever for a hockey game on Versus in that market. In Detroit, which appropriated the nickname Hockeytown in 1996, then backed it up by selling out 452 consecutive home games and winning the Stanley Cup three times, has failed to sell out its first five playoff home games this year. That has caused some hand-wringing in the Motor City, but it may be premature to cede top status to Buffalo and the Sabres."

-I’m begging Larry Quinn: Please get rid of the white pom pons! Doesn't he realize home teams wear COLOR now? And am I the only one that thinks HSBC is less enthusiastic about pom pons than other hockey-crazed cities?

-It’s no secret that Hockeytown has failed to sell out any of its playoff games. Living in Detroit, I have to chuck it up to the economy. With such a large corporate season ticket base and the decimation of the auto industry, businesses and its employees don’t have the disposable income to spend on Red Wings tickets, which are much higher than Pistons playoff tickets or the hottest ticket in town — the Detroit Tigers. Free Press columnist (and former Michigan Daily EIC) Michael Rosenberg wrote about the struggle to sell out:

“I don't blame people for staying home. People can spend their money however they'd like. It is just too bad that Mike Ilitch has chosen to alienate his fan base like this, by acting like the economy is still thriving and the Wings are still the only winner in town.

In the last few years, we have seen the state unemployment rate rise, the Pistons become one of the best franchises in sports, the Tigers make the World Series, Steve Yzerman retire and the Wings' payroll drop from almost $78 million in 2004 to $44 million this year. Yet the Wings expect fans to open the checkbook as they did in 2002.”

-Isn’t it funny how Ryan Miller sounds more and more like Chris Drury in his interviews? “It’s just a hockey game, it doesn’t matter who the opponent it is, I’m just focused on the game…”

-I was listening to the "60s on 6" channel on XM Radio this past Tuesday while driving to work. A Sabres fan called up, and he requested  "A Wonderful Dream" by The Majors, in honor of the Senators matchup. Pretty sweet.

-Best quote of the playoffs thus far, courtesy of TBN columnist Bucky Gleason: “Drury’s heart never skips a beat when everybody else is ready to drop dead.” Of course, it was in reference to Drury’s game-tying goal with 7.7 second remaining in Game Five against the Rangers. Rick Jeanneret’s call was great, too: “Who else? Who else?”

Conspiracy theories

I'm not one of those fans panicking, whining about how Teppo Numminen's age is finally showing or how Ryan Miller is slumping. I'm too busy wondering how a team that should have been reinvigorated by the return of its captain, Chris Drury, had two of its most pathetic outings of the season in a row this week.

This is the same team that had captured 23 of their last possible 28 points without a third of its lineup. They didn't have Max Afinogenov, Tim Connolly, Ales Kotalik, and then lost Chris Drury to a vicious Chris Neil hit. The team looked more like the Rochester Americans than the Buffalo Sabres, but they managed to pile of up the points and score like crazy. Last week, the Sabres scored 17 goals in three games. And now, just three goals in two games.

But it wasn't just the lack of finish. Buffalo's looked a little uninspired. Bucky Gleason in today's TBN:

"Here’s a word that hasn’t been tossed around in a few years: boring. Looking for another? Sloppy. Another? Ugly. If you didn’t know any better Friday night, you would have thought the Buffalo Sabres revisited the forgettable 2002-03 season rather than being energized by starting back-to-back home games for the first time in eight years."

The team looked disorganized, like a turnover machine, and couldn't make the passes that make them the most dangerous offensive team in the league.

Even more puzzling was Lindy Ruff's decision to start Miller Friday night against the Minnesota Wild. All week, it seemed Ruff had Ty Conklin penciled in for his first start with his new team. But suddenly, Friday came and Miller, who has a history of getting tired, got the nod for his 11th straight appearance. Tonight, Miller has to play against New Jersey. The Devils are just three points behind the Sabres for first overall in the Eastern Conference. And now, the Sabres have dropped to third overall in the league behind Detroit and Nashville.

The mixture of no Conklin and Drury's return doesn't equal up to what's happened on the ice. I almost wonder if Ruff and the team know something the fans don't. Are Afinogenov and Connolly still coming back eventually? Or has there been some injury news the team is hiding from the media? This week, it came out that Connolly still isn't improving:

"Connolly’s leg, however, still hurts. He hasn’t been on the ice and nobody knows when he will be. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff has figured Connolly will need six weeks to get into game shape. Four weeks remain in the regular season.

"When you look at a week to 10 days, that wasn’t going to be that big of a setback," Ruff said after Thursday morning’s practice in HSBC Arena. “When you go beyond that, it’s a setback. . . . We were making good progress. Right now, we’re not making any progress." ' (TBN, 3/9/07)

So call me crazy, but maybe the team knows something we don't. This is still the same team that went on the hot streak, that shocked the league with its NHL-leading play with and AHL-looking roster. It's gotta be a problem between their ears. I just hope that I'm wrong; maybe it's just a freak occurrence. And I still can't explain the Miller start on Friday. Let's just hope we won't be kept wondering after tonight.

Emotions lost in the new NHL economics

As new Islander Ryan Smyth took the ice tonight, I didn't feel the urge to join the ovation at Nassau Coliseum. I didn't feel that bad for Smyth, either, who cried his way out of Edmonton yesterday. Lost in the equation were the Edmonton fans. These were the fans who watched their eighth-seed team get all the way to the Finals last season only to lose Dwayne Roloson to injury in Game One, rally from a 3-1 series deficit, and fall short in Game Seven. Follow that up by losing both Micheal Peca and Chris Pronger (and a few more for good measure) in the offseason, and then topped by a shocking deadline deal that sent Oiler-lifer Smyth east. ESPN's Damien Cox writes about Edmonton's plight:

"They believed somehow it was the inalienable right of every one of the 30 franchises to identify one or more key players and then be able to retain the services of those players. In Edmonton, they really believed that. So they supported the owners' lockout of the NHL Players' Association and even gave NHL commissioner Gary Bettman an ovation when he came to town. ...

So all the promises of the "new economic order" captivated the imagination of Edmonton fans, maybe more than fans anywhere else. It would be an even playing field again. The big, dirty cities like New York and Philadelphia and Toronto wouldn't be able to steal all the good Oilers players away, and the self-proclaimed "City of Champions" would be great again."

As a Sabres fan, I can vouch that I felt the cap would bring this too. And so far, it's been great for Buffalo, except that it might prevent them from keeping both Chris Drury and Daniel Briere around after this season.

But Smyth's situation reminds me more of a former Sabres' contract fight -- Michael Peca. Well, pretty much every sob-story-negotiation does. But the facts are similar in this case. Agent Don Meehan represent the player. (I swear he drives evil in to them...) The team and the player are within $100,000s of each other. Both sides are stuck in concrete, not willing to budge. The city is head-over-heels in love with the guy, as he is the heart of the team. And in the end, the fans end up losing. Big time.

I was moved by Smyth's statement as he departed Edmonton. The tears, the emotions... they seemed genuine. But what I don't get -- in both Peca and Smyth's case -- is why it came to this. Why couldn't either of them take a slight hometown discount? Why did negotiations escalate to the point where both sides were completely irrational and unreasonable? Chalk it up to good old human nature. With both sides so entangled in their positions, they completely forgot about the problem and therefore couldn't possibly find a resolution.

In professional sports, it's cold, hard economics that fans are forced to accept. But there's always the hope that the next heart-and-soul player is coming. Although the Peca debacle hurt for a long time, Tim Connolly turned out to be more than just a pretty face and a washed-up juniors star. And Daniel Briere was picked up for a song. It happens. And, if Smyth keeps his words, the Stanley Cup will come back to Edmonton, anyway:

"I want to thank them [the Islanders] for this. I'm going to go there and do my best to make the playoffs and win that cup so I can bring it down here to Edmonton because that's where my heart is."

All I ask is the same thing I asked six years ago -- if this is where your heart is, why leave?

It was all about bringing Timmy back

Funny how today ended up being about yesterday. About 10 months ago, to be exact.

Buffalo had just won one of the most thrilling games in NHL history when Chris Drury's OT winner clinched a 7-6 decision over the Ottawa Senators in Game One, Round Two.

And while the Sabres would end the series in five games, one of the most lasting effects of the playoffs happened in the first minute of Game Two. Ottawa's Peter Schaefer demolished Tim Connolly, who made the mistake of cutting through the ice with his head down. Connolly hasn't played since, suffering the second concussion of his Sabres career.

It seemed Connolly would make a miracle comeback in the new year, but a stress fracture has kept him off the ice. That was Feb. 13. He was projected to return to practice 7-10 days later. But Darcy Regier and company still believe. So much so that everything swirling around today's Trade Deadline rested on the fact that their rising star would return before the end of the season, and this meant that regardless of future injuries or acquisitions, Regier had to free up cap room. In comes second round draft pick, out goes Marty Biron. Simple as that.

This all started with Gary Bettman telling Darcy Regier that Connolly had to come back by the end of the regular season or he was ineligible for the first round of the playoffs. And with Daniel Paille eating up cap money while on injured reserve and not being able to send back to Rochester, Paille's money was greater than the money freed by putting Paul Gaustad on LTIR.

' "Based on all the medical [reports] we have, all the other players will return by the end of the season," Regier said. "If you went and bought different players, even though you could fill with their money, the [injured] players would be ineligible to come back. ...

"The league is suggesting that they're going to have some remedy to that whole process, but nobody knows what that is yet," Regier said. "It did come up last year, but it didn't become a factor because a lot more teams are at the cap this year. While it came up, it was a minor issue compared to where it is now, and it certainly didn't come up with us." ...

"The league's position is they're going to be very vigilant in respect to anyone being injured," Regier said." (TBN)

I just hope Regier and Co. are right. A healthy, or even semi-healthy, Connolly is worth more than any of the players that were acquired today. He's a difference maker, a magical center who fits Buffalo's style like a glove.

Regier was on WGR 550 post-trades, and the most important thing that I heard was that management didn't only look at the numbers on the statsheets when making trades. He said that while they set out to get results on the ice, a lot of that comes from inside the room. With a chemistry so strong in Buffalo, you can only hope that the new guys don't rock the sailing ship.

Regier also addressed what he believed was a "hole" that existed between the seventh and eighth defenseman on the Sabres' depth chart by grabbing Washington's Timo Helbling and Nashville's Mikko Lehtonen. While this might not have been the toughness I had been looking for, it does go to address the defensive parade to the IR that Buffalo incurred last spring.

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SICK? SICK!: So word on WGR 550 is that Danny Briere is sick. I'll say it Mike, "REALLY?" Are you kidding me? Good time to get the flu, buddy. With no time to call up another American, and Danius Zubrus not around yet, it looks like Derek Roy will be centering our number one line. Followed by Clarke MacArthur's banging second line. And I'm going to stop there. Maybe Darcy should have sought out some depth at forward...

JEALOUS: Ryan Smyth on the Island? So jealous! Every time I hear his name I see him limping off to the dressing room with his teeth scattered on the ice. If this guy's picture isn't next to heart or soul in the dictionary, I'm not sure who's is. He's a kingpin to any playoff run, and he automatically makes the Islanders dangerous in the first round.

A few things to consider on Deadline Day

I'm not normally nervous on Deadline Day. Darcy Regier has never been the type of general manager to make a "splash" on the Deadline. He's more the let-me-find-a-great-player-when-we're-not-making-the-playoffs (see Daniel Briere) or please-forget-this-trade-as-soon-as-possible (see Bob Corkum).

But today's a little different. Call it contender syndrome. Call it the cap conundrum. Maybe I'm still in a little shock after seeing Chris Drury's blood splattered on the ice last Thursday. Whatever it is, while many Sabres fans are concerned about dollar signs, I'm boggled down by a few other thoughts today too:

1) Not biology or physics... it's the chemistry, baby!
The mayhem against Ottawa proved once again that the chemistry inside the Buffalo dressing room is second to none. Drew Stafford, a Rochester call-up and not seen as a rough-and-tumbler, leapt into action after Chris Neil nailed Drury. He didn't hesitate; he just started throwing punches. And while Stafford's only played a handful of games, he, like the other call-ups, plays right into the system that is Sabres hockey. The bind is stronger than defensive pairings or Buffalo-Rochester; it's engraved deeply into the organization that begins with Lindy Ruff and ends... who knows where. It continued on the next shift, when all five guys plus Marty Biron defended their captain. You can't teach that in the last couple of weeks of the season. If a guy is brought in, he must be of the personality that isn't going to detract from the chemistry established in Buffalo already. And the guy you take out -- well, that's another issue.

2) This year may be destiny -- or not
TBN columnist Jerry Sullivan was on WGR 550 today, spouting out how Regier must think differently because Buffalo has never won a championship in football or hockey. Thus, since the Sabres are so close, it has to be all about this year. I understand that Drury and Daniel Briere might be out of town after this season due to the economics of the game, but I disagree with anyone who thinks this year they win or that's it. Regier has built a system of young guys not only in the NHL, but also at the minor league level, understanding that in the new NHL there will be turnover. With the cap situation as such, Regier must be careful with the rent-a-player scenarios. He's worked hard to get this group under contract and locked up for the next few years; it may not be worth it to sacrifice one or two young forwards for a veteran for just this playoffs.

3) What the holes were last year at this time
Why did Buffalo eventually lose out last year? The easy answer is that injuries, mostly on defense, cost them a shot at Lord Stanley. But the reality is that rash of injuries, along with this current one, isn't just bad luck (as much as fans try to convince themselves that's the case). This team still lacks toughness and size. While Drury is no doubt gritty in the trenches, and there maybe be few forwards peskier than Derek Roy, no one in the lineup strikes fear in an opposing team. And there is the perception that a team can push Buffalo around and get players off their game. Philadelphia tried last year, and ultimately failed. But injuries continued to pile up. I don't think a fourth-line banger would hurt the cause. And you have to remember that this year's squad is without Mike Grier and Jay McKee, two from last year's crew that took care of a lot of the hitting required to "send a message."

4) The case for Marty Biron
I firmly agreed with Mike Robitaille and Co. that keeping goaltender Biron around this season was the right choice. Goaltending is by far the most important position; why not have depth where it counts most? And Biron's personality seems to perfectly complement Ryan Miller's intense, complex style. But with most of the season behind us, and Buffalo sitting comfortably at the top of the division, Biron's $2 million+ salary weighs heavy. With the recent injuries and the real possibility that Tim Connolly may not return this season, Biron is the obvious choice to help clear cap space. Besides, does any Sabre fan truly believe that Buffalo can win if Miller went down with an injury? Few, I suppose. Regier's difficulty here is the problem that he's faced since last season -- the market just doesn't seem ripe.

I firmly believe the Sabres can win as presently constituted. But no Connolly (or a half-strength Connolly)? A late return from Max? A no-show from Thomas Vanek again? The playoffs aren't fun and games like the regular season has been this season for the Sabres. The pressure's on Regier to make sure that the playoffs this year maybe could be.