CAN SABRES GET BACK TO BIG DANCE?
Rick Anderson gives his views of the new 1999-2000 season
Saturday, October 2, 1999
The Buffalo Sabres came 2 goals and one game from winning their first Stanley Cup ever last June. Now the big question is whether they can get back to the Big Dance again in the New Millennium's first Stanley Cup Finals?
Over the off season, Dominik Hasek dropped his bombshell announcing his retirement after this upcoming season. And that came after promises by Sabres owner John Rigas that he would do whatever necessary to take the Sabres one step further. The owner of Adelphia Cable and a huge network of other cable companies across the nation has yet to live up to his word. In fact, the Sabres not only have not added impact players from outside the organization, they still have not signed all their own players. Buffalo still has three key components from last year's Eastern Conference championship lineup. The great defensive pairing of Jay McKee and Rhett Warrener are still unsigned. Also 40-goal scorer Miroslav Satan has not come to terms with Sabres general manager Darcy Regier. These three restricted free agents must be signed before Halloween if the Sabres want to get serious again this season.
This being Hasek's last season with the Buffalo Sabres, the team must go the extra mile to take advantage of having one of the greatest goalies of all time in their lineup. That does not mean "mortgaging the future." But it should mean that the Sabres brass go all out in surrounding Hasek with the best they can get in his final run at the Cup. First things first - they must get their own house in order. That means signing all four free agents. The Sabres cannot sneeze at Satan's money demands. Forty goal scorers in the NHL are at a premium these days. What's more, the Sabres need all the scoring they can get seeing that they didn't light up the lamps too often with their scoring last season.
McKee and Warrener became the "Bruise Brothers" of the NHL last season. Warrener acquired from Florida for Mike Wilson at the trade deadline last March, became quite a hit (quite literally) with the defensive corp in 1999. The two meshed well together and had the knack of knocking any player with an opposing sweater on their seats (or sometimes into the seats!). To not have this duo back on the ice for the opening game is a real travesty for the team and a huge disappointment with the job Darcy Regier has done keeping the chemistry of the team together. Once again the words echo in many Sabres fans ears from that rally after the disappointing Finals loss to the Dallas Stars - John Rigas addressing 20,000 cheering fans at a Niagara Square noon-time rally: "I will supply the tools to get the job done!" Well, John, we're still waiting........
Here's my forecast for the Sabres entry into the New Hockey Millennium:
Rewind you video tape back to that early Sunday morning in June. No, there wasn't any fog on the ice that night, only in your eyes and maybe your mind. Both teams were dragging. The game was almost into it's second full session when a tired and beat Brett Hull maneuvered the puck in front of a prone Dominik Hasek, kicked the puck from his skate to his stick and fired it past an outreached Hasek glove and into the net to spark probably the greatest controversy the sport has ever known. In the few seconds before the goal, Brian Holzinger skated right into the crease, knocked Hasek's catching glove out of the way, not once but twice. He interfered with the great goalie just enough to give Hull a clear shooting lane and the rest is history. Had Holzinger taken Hull's body out of the play instead of going after the puck, would the final result have been any different? Only Lord Stanley knows.
The Sabres have one final chance to redeem themselves with the Dominator in the nets. In Hasek's "Farewell Tour" of the NHL this season, one thing must be keep in mind during all the hoopla and festivities surrounding his last season. And that is that the job is not yet finished. The team came ever so close, but the taste in the players' mouths is still bitter over being denied the opportunity to sip the sweet champagne from the Stanley Cup. Well, the champagne is still on ice, now it's time for the team to get on the ice and prove to the world that they deserve to drink from that Holy Grail.
Here's the my team analysis for the upcoming season:
Position depth:
Michael Peca, Curtis Brown, Wayne Primeau, Brian Holzinger, Domenic Pittis.
Mike Peca had a break out year, scoring 27 goals and 56 points. He added to his fame of being a ferocious forechecker the knack of scoring his share of goals. Last season Peca was able to balance his act and become a well rounded player. However, his play slipped a little at the end of the playoffs as wear and tear took a toll on him. The Sabres will need him to improve even more this season if they want a legitimate chance to capture the Cup this spring.
Curtis Brown has just signed a four-year deal worth around $5.3 million which includes an option year. That should set him up as one of the foundations for the Sabres to build their future on. Last year, Brown was thought of as one of the future stars as he started pumping home the rubber behind opposing goalies. Brown also had a strong playoff performance and should help take some of the work load off Peca's shoulders.
Wayne Primeau finally was able to use his size to his advantage late last season and into the playoffs. The big forward is getting closer to the kind of player his brother, Keith, is and the Sabres are hoping he speeds up the process even quicker. Brian Holzinger did not have a very good year last season and may be packaged in a deal before the March trading deadline.
Position depth:
Dixon Ward, Stu Barnes, Michal Grosek, Geoff Sanderson, Paul Kruse. Stu Barnes, who came to the Sabres in a trade with Pittsburgh for Matthew Barnaby, quickly endeared himself with the fans. The fans yell "STUUUUUUUUUUU" every time he touches the puck at the Marine Midland Arena. Barnes didn't pick up a goal in the regular season for the Sabres, but more than made up for it in the post season, lighting the lamp 7 times in the playoffs. With Pittsburgh, Barnes scored 20 goals. The year before, he had 30. It is the hope of the Sabres brass that he gets back up to that higher plateau.
Dixon Ward scored 20 goals last year, his best with the Sabres, and hopes that he can add another five to that this season. He was awarded a $1.2 million contract by an arbitrator this summer and seems to be on cloud nine with this team. His workmanlike performance the past few seasons has won over many a fan in his court. He teams with Peca on a line that not only can check, but now has the enhanced ability to score goals.
Grosek has been under attack by critics the past few years. When Grosek wants to play, he can play hard and produce positive results. Last year in the playoffs, he was too wired up for the games and took undisciplined penalties that hurt the team. He also scored 20 goals last year like Barnes and Ward and accumulated 50 points. But his inconsistent play and the possibility of being a head case makes him also possible trade bait this year.
Then there is Geoff Sanderson. During the playoffs, he amazed everybody with his speed and scoring touch. That was something that was lacking during most of his career with the Sabres. Last season he did score 12 goals, however, with any luck, he could have had 30. Atlanta was about to take him in the expansion draft, but the Sabres dealt a couple players to the Thrashers to keep him under wraps. Whether he breaks out this season and produces a 40-goal effort like he did early in his career remains to be seen.
Position depth:
Miroslav Satan, Vaclav Varada, Erik Rasmussen, Rob Ray, Maxim Afinogenov, David Moravec.
Miro Satan had his breakout year last season, by scoring 40 goals. Not since Pat LaFontaine did it in 1996, have the Sabres had someone in that group of goal scorers. He plays along side Brown and with his speed and great hands, is a force that other teams have to find ways to stop. The problem is that both Brown and Satan are restricted free agents and are holding out. That leaves a huge hole to be filled in until the Sabres get the two back.
Varada was another holdout until he signed last week. Varada is best causing havoc in the corners and knocking the stuffing out of opposing players. Playing on the Ward-Peca line, Varada is the enforcer, but can also light the lamp. He tried to become more of a scorer last season, but that attempt hurt his style. He is best when he can get in an opponent's face and annoy the hell out of him, maybe even drawing a penalty in the process.
Rasmussen had sparks of brilliance last year, especially in the playoffs. Like Primeau, he has size and can punish most opponents with his hits. Like a lot of the other younger players on the Sabres, Rasmussen has had bouts with inconsistency. He needs to stabilize to become a good NHL player.
Rob Ray, along with Paul Kruse, is more of and enforcer than scorer. But they both have their place on the team and know their job well. This could be Ray's last season in the NHL.
Maxim Afinogenov was a flash during training camp. He amazed everyone with his speed and his moves. People likened him to the great Gil Perreault. However, he upset Lindy Ruff with his lack of team work and discipline and was sent down to Rochester for plenty of grooming.
Moravec's is a stay or go kind of a deal. If he doesn't stick with the big club, he goes back in the Czech Republic. That is what his contract states. The fans can expect to see him go once Satan signs his multi-million dollar contract.
Position depth:
Alexei Zhitnik, Richard Smehlik, Jay McKee, Rhett Warrener, Jason Woolley, Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre, James Patrick, Cory Sarich, Brian Campbell, Jason Holland.
The Sabres have a lot of defensemen, when they get everyone signed and back on the ice. However, with the dynamic duo of Warrener and McKee holding out, that make Grand-Pierre the fourth-most experienced defenseman on the ice for the Sabres. And that's a scary thought!
Zhitnik who is probably the most well-rounded, if not skilled defenseman, his now hampered with a separated shoulder. It is the Sabres hope that he gets back for the home opener next week. When he's healthy, Zhitnik teams with Smehlik and the two usually have the task of stopping the opposing team's top scoring line.
McKee and Warrener emerged last season as probably one of the best pairings in the league. Both have good size and love to hit anything in the opposing sweater. Warrener was the biggest steal since the Sabres acquired Dominik Hasek. The Sabres traded the much-maligned Mike Wilson to Florida for his rights. Now the Sabres owner John Rigas must dig deep into his pockets if he wants to keep this pair terrorizing the league this year.
Jason Woolley had his best year ever as a Sabre, or anywhere else for that matter. He scored 10 times and had 33 assists, and was the key component on the powerplay. An arbitrator also settled his contract dispute with the Sabres this summer, but he was not as happy with the outcome as Ward. He was awarded only a one-year, $950,000 contract and was devastated by the ruling. But he insists that it will not affect his play. In fact, it just might motivate him to have an even better season.
Grand-Pierre, after starting out his career with the Sabres on a high note, fell out of grace and was shipped back to Rochester for most of last season. He has a lot of fans who love his size and speed, along with his aggressiveness, but he his prone to make mistakes. Sarich, who also had a favorable outing in Buffalo last season, is hoping to stick with the club. Then there is Brian Campbell, a highly-touted rookie that has turned some heads in preseason.
"There are some players who come out of camp who surprise you, and (Campbell's) one of them," Ruff said. "He deserves a spot. He's played better than any other young defenseman, and he's going to get an opportunity."
Position depth:
Dominik Hasek, Dwayne Roloson, Marty Biron.
This is it! The Farewell Tour of Dominik Hasek. His last year! Will he make the most of it and finally win the prize that is one of the few to elude him all these years? That is the question on everyone's minds this season. After he announced his retirement this summer, most people wondered if the Sabres would do its best to surround with enough talent to give Hasek a better chance of winning that big piece of silver. However, the Sabres brass stuck to their guns and don't even have all the pieces of the puzzle back yet.
After winning five Vezina Trophies, two Hart Trophies and one gold medal, he has more precious metals than a dozen or more good NHL players. But he assures everyone that he has enough room for that most coveted prize.
Roloson has once again won the backup job behind Hasek. Biron played his heart out in training camp to win a spot on the roster, but the Sabres management want him playing games, not sitting on the bench.
Biron took home as many trophies as Hasek did in the AHL last season. He doesn't think that he has any more to accomplish in that league, but Ruff thinks that it would be better to keep in game shape rather than marvel over Hasek's antics this season while riding the pine. There is some talk that Biron may be brought up to start some games after the All-Star break. They may even take him along on long road trips.
Lindy Ruff got a fat new contract as a reward for a job well done a few weeks ago. He is the winningest playoff coach in Sabres history, and that includes the great Scotty Bowman. With a record 24 victories behind the Sabres bench, Ruff knows that he has one more step to take to make his career an ultimate success. After some calls for Ted Nolan's return by a few fans in the midst of last year's long slump, Ruff has quieted his critics by hard work and positive results.
This is the last season with the current coaching staff. Mike Ramsey had announced his retirement, but after thinking it over, he decided that the team was just too close to call it quits. He announced that this would be his last, so the Sabres have two departing figures to give it all for. Don Lever had interviewed for a head coaching position and may finally get his chance next year, especially if the team wins the Cup.
The Sabres came a game and a goal from winning the Cup. The question is whether the management will surround Hasek with enough talent to finish the job come this June. With four holdout still remaining, it appears that the Sabres appear to stay pat with what got them last year. I do believe a trade or two could make a big difference and put the Sabres right back into the Show.
In the West, Dallas looks improved, if that's at all possible. They seem to have gotten faster and are gearing up for a repeat performance this year. But they will be challenged by both Detroit and Colorado. Detroit is seething over losing the chance of winning its third straight Cup. Look for the Red Wings to pull out all the stops come the trading deadline and the playoffs.
1. New Jersey
2. Buffalo
3. Philadelphia
4. Boston
5. Toronto
6. Washington
7. Pittsburgh
8. Ottawa
9. NY Rangers
10. Florida
11. Carolina
12. Montreal
13. Atlanta
14. Tampa Bay
15. NY Islanders
1. Dallas
2. Colorado
3. Detroit
4. Phoenix
5. St. Louis
6. Anaheim
7. San Jose
8. Los Angeles
9. Chicago
10. Edmonton
11. Calgary
12. Nashville
13. Vancouver
Eastern Conference:
Buffalo beats New Jersey in 6
Western Conference
Detroit beats Dallas in 7
Stanley Cup Finals:
Detroit wins over Buffalo in 7
HOME
SEASON'S RESULTS
SABRE TALK MESSAGE BOARD
NEWSROOM
99 PLAYOFFS
THE PLAYERS
STATISTICS
SCHEDULE
PROSPECTS
LIVE GAME RADIO
HISTORY
TEAM INFO
PHOTO GALLERY
MULTIMEDIA
SABRES POLL
TROPHY CASE
LINKS
THE STAFF
E-MAIL SABRESWORD
Copyright © 1999 Sabres Central, all rights reserved
