Out of the Mouths of Crunchys…
March 3, 2008Things have been a little on edge around town lately. The team hasn’t been performing up to snuff, and with the loss of Campbell recently, everyone has fixed their attention on the teams next big free agent: Ryan Miller. I don’t understand why people automatically think that Miller’s going to leave town when his deal is up. There’s plenty doom and gloom to deal with currently, why do we have to go looking for more?
However, I think Miller safely put to rest the rumor of his impending move to Detroit , with the following comment in the Detroit Free Press:
“You know, my home state would be a nice opportunity but honestly, Buffalo’s been great to me,” Miller said. “I have a lot of fun here. We have a young core of guys. As far as I know, you guys got Hasek and (Chris) Osgood. I’m settled here and happy here.
“I’d like to stay. I’d like the opportunity to keep building here. Who knows how hockey careers go?
And even if Hasek and Osgood were to be suddenly hit by a bus, the Wings still have a very strong AHL goalie whom they’ve spent a lot of time and money developing. Miller’s not going to throw away what he’s built in Buffalo to go play for the hometown crowd. Rotating C aside, he’s the leader of this team. He’s not going to throw that away to go play second banana to the assorted garbanzos in Detroit.
I do have to wonder how Pratters and Kalinin feel about this whole situation. They’re the teams current UFA’s and they’re being overlooked by pretty much everyone because of the team’s past record with big name UFA’s. Its comically sad that these two are being overlooked when they’re a pretty essential – but not expensive – part of the team.
Shots off the Crossbar 
I think a lot of the Miller moving on afterwards can be attributed to Pierre McGuire after the comments he made guaranteeing that Miller would move to Detroit in 2009 during TSN’s trade deadline coverage. I don’t know what to think, I think that he likes Buffalo a lot but I also think that he is going to go where the money is and hopefully Buffalo is ready to pay that.
It seems that the Sabres are gearing up to make some big offers after next season. I certainly hope they hold onto Pommer and Millsey.
Why haven’t they worked anything out with Pratt? I can understand wanting to let Kalinin go, but I really don’t think we can afford to give up any more veteran defensemen anytime soon. I love Paetsch but I don’t think he’s quite up the challenge of being a Top 4 defenseman just yet. Sekera? Uh, please no.
Kalinin is scratched tonight, which makes me think that this is perhaps’s Kalinin’s last chance here. If he doesn’t become the Tri we all know he can be, but yet he hasn’t been, I think he’s done here.
Whoa, its Kalinin that’s scratched? I just assumed it was Paetsch. I love Nathan Paetsch but I assumed it would be him that was scratched because he’s the youngest and he’s been scratched for about 20 games this seaon.
Go Patches go!
According to what the Snooze is reporting, Lindy had a profanity laced shouting conversation with Tri, the gist of which was to play with passion (or remove head from sphincter, then play hockey). I can’t believe that Sejkera is a better defenseman than Tri, especially at this point in the season.
I read that article after I read Amanda’s comment. Maybe Sekera will bring some new energy to the defensemen. Now they can all be like, “Ok, we might suck, but at least now we can blame it all on Andrej.” Sorry to see Pie-YAY is scratched too. Although he hasn’t been playing so hot lately, and when he was scratched in December it did wonders for him.
I thought Sekera played quite well in his most recent call-up. I have no problem with him being brought up again. I have rather more of a problem with Kalinin being scratched instead of Paetsch despite the fact that I’d say he’s been playing better than Paetsch.
I think Lindy might see Paetsch as power play help.
I think Lindy might see Paetsch as power play help.
And if he’d done anything at all on the power play since sometime in the middle of last season I might consider that a decent reason. 🙂