Monday, January 19

I'M CONVINCED

Seriously. Maria Genero has totally won my heart over...

...for Henrik Tallinder. (Don't even get me started on Genero. I've said it before, I want her job, and I'd stop at nothing short of lumping her up to get it. That is, if I weren't afraid of the ensuing arrest.)

Really, though, I've always liked Hank and thought he was a decent enough defenseman. And it didn't hurt that during practices or whatever he always, always is smiling, and you can often her him shouting in celebration or just because they're having fun. And that's what I want from the Sabres. I want them to play well, but I want them to have fun.

Everyone knows that when you're having fun and you're getting satisfaction from your job or task at hand, than you'll perform better while doing it. So if the Sabres are having fun, then they'll most likely be playing a hell of a lot better than we've seen out of them this season.

Anyways, I just thought it was adorable during the Sabres Show, when Henrik was talking about sledding with this wife Ann(e) and their children Nathan and Amelie. He smiled and went all cute and sentimental on us when he said he loves to hear the kids giggle.


Come on, now. Big collective AWWW. =]

But that's only the first part of my conviction.

The rest has to do with the long-term injuries suffered by Teppo Numminen (fractured jaw) and Andrej Sekera (ankle).

I've been saying it for weeks: The Sabres somehow needed to devise a defensemen rotation of sorts. Yes, before you even say it, I know it would screw up the pairings and the chemistry, blah blah blah, but we all know that our defense corps tend to break down and fall apart (i.e. every single one gets hurt) from the middle of the season, down through the stretch, and into the playoffs.

(I honestly believe that, had Jay McKee not contracted a ridiculous staph infection in his leg, due to a laceration from his pads, we would have a Stanley Cup banner in the rafters at the HSBC Arena.)

But now Chris Butler is really going to know what it's like to be a regular NHL player. Teppo Numminen is not going to be there to show him the ropes now, and he's going to have to step up even more than he has already to carry this team. Yes, I said carry this team. Out of the six defensemen that are going to be dressing now, I believe that Butler is the most consistent and most reliable. At least he has been since he was called up before Christmas.

And Nathan Paetsch?

I've been saying all along that Lindy Ruff needs to change the ways he deals with his seventh defenseman and his back-up goalies. If they have one bad game, they never again see playing time. You can't expect a guy who sits about 10 games or more to come back to the lineup and play better than your starter(s). It just won't happen. They either have to be played more often, or given a string of two, maybe three, games, depending on who it is (i.e. position).

Lindy did it last year with Thibault, and he's doing it this year with Lalime.

The sad thing is, this thinking and method has seeped it's way up to the press box, which has become much like a prison for Paetsch, I'm sure.

No matter how many bag skates this guy does, no matter how many extra minutes he logs with James Patrick, no matter how many times he hits the stationary bikes, he is not going to be used to game-play. It just won't happen.

I can only hope that Nathan has a good game tonight. Well, actually, whether he does or not is slightly irrelevant, because no one is going to be getting a flight from Portland to Buffalo any time soon. Not a defenseman, at least. Mike Weber has been injured for some time now, and Mike Funk is recuperating in his hometown of Abbotsford, BC while he recovers from his second concussion since training camp of this year. (The first was suffered during camp, I believe the opening day. He returned from that on November 7, 2008, which just so happened to be the night I was there. The second concussion was suffered from a vicious hit from behind into the boards (which I still can't find video of), mid-December. Funk has only played in 13 of Portland's 37 games.) Out of the other d-men there, only two have seen any time up in Buffalo (Mike Card and Marc-Andre Gragnani, the latter used to play as a winger).

So like I said, hopefully Paetsch will have been worked in practice hard enough to be near game speed. I really hope he does well, because I'd hate to see him go. And the likely scenario is that he will if he doesn't play well.

Die By The Blade has already furthered the trade rumor that could be bringing in veteran Mathieu Schneider to bolster the blue line in exchange for the mostly unwanted Maxim Afinogenov.

Could something along these lines happen? It will be interesting to see which rumors turn out to be actual moves once the trade deadline passes. But if this one does go through, the Sabres will be in a rut as far as bodies go. We've got too many defensemen, but most of them are very young. I'm anxious to see what Darcy and the management will do, come February and March.

Anyways, Go Sabres! (And Derek? Remember what I said about no friends on the ice. You shouldn't even be friends with Greg Campbell off the ice, so definitely no niceties on the ice.)

Oh, and I just feel the need to tell you that Thomas Vanek giggles like a girl, and he and Drew Stafford stuck Butler with the bill at Chef's on Saturday. He laughed it off when asked about it, but still. Way to treat the rookies like that.

17 comments:

Caroline said...

I've always had a soft spot for Hank...I think it stems from his play in earlier days, before he broke his arm. Now, well...I just wish he made it easier to like him. :/ He's improved his play, though.

Anonymous said...

It's kind of annoying how Darcy refuses to make in-season trades.
And Jay's staph infection...ugh. It all went downhill from there.

Cari said...

I've always had a soft spot for Hank...I think it stems from his play in earlier days, before he broke his arm.

I wish he were still as physical as he was back then.. =[

I still love him though.

Cari said...

It's kind of annoying how Darcy refuses to make in-season trades.

It's extremely frustrating. He's being all defiant and not following trends.

Jill said...

Oh, and I just feel the need to tell you that Thomas Vanek giggles like a girl, and he and Drew Stafford stuck Butler with the bill at Chef's on Saturday. He laughed it off when asked about it, but still. Way to treat the rookies like that.

OK this is great! LOL!

I think the Sabres may need another D-man if the injuries will be added up like this. We will have to see if Nate can play it while Teppo is out. I would like to see another power forward though. Someone who Max was supposed to be.

I haven't read Die By the Blade yet but I read that Max is starting to skate again. So with trade talk starting to heat up... I don't know. He isn't worth much unless he is packaged with someone. We will just have to sit and wait...

I miss the old Hank... for sure. I think we all do...

Go get Maria... I know nothing.

Anne said...

I don't want Mathieu Schneider, is that just me? Its not that he's bad or anything, its just that he's 40. I don't want a temporary patch. I want something a little more long term than that. Can we get Ron Hainsey instead? Not that he's exactly lighting it up down there, but no one is, its the Thrashers.

Cari said...

I haven't read Die By the Blade yet but I read that Max is starting to skate again.

He was skating when Kim and I went to practice on Saturday. He didn't do a whole lot because he's not cleared for contact yet, but he was skating pretty hard and looked to be moving without holding back, so that's pretty good.

Cari said...

I want something a little more long term than that.

THANK YOU!!! I mean, we need some sort of balance. We don't need another guy who will ponder retirement after every season, and then come back and maybe play somewhat decently. Maybe. I'm all for Hainsey, though. Just, someone. And I love Teppo, but I think it's time for him to hang them up.

Defy Gravity... said...

Thomas Vanek giggles like a girl, and he and Drew Stafford stuck Butler with the bill at Chef's on Saturday.


haha.... I guess the rookies got to earn their keep off the ice too.

Cari said...

I guess the rookies got to earn their keep off the ice too.

Chris tried to play it off by saying something along the lines of "they've been great to me, so it's the least I can do," but he makes chump change compared to what Drew and Tommy make. I realize that a lunch bill at Chef's isn't too, too bad, but still.

Defy Gravity... said...

he makes chump change compared to what Drew and Tommy make.

This is true, but I would gladly make his chump change any day. How did you hear that they made him pay for their lunch?

Shelby said...

Oh, and I just feel the need to tell you that Thomas Vanek giggles like a girl,

Cari, I don't think you've realized how much reading this made my day. THANK YOU, haha.

I also have a real soft spot for Hank. He's so adorable, and the interview Maria Genero had with him for the Sabres Show made me love him even more. I get made at him sometimes during games, but I can't hate the guy. I never will be able to.

Cari said...

How did you hear that they made him pay for their lunch?

I watched him dig around in his coat for his wallet while Stafford and Vanek left the table, sign a couple autographs, take a couple pictures, and walk out. Plus, the guy sitting at the table in between us asked him if they stuck him with it, which is when he said that.

Cari said...

Cari, I don't think you've realized how much reading this made my day. THANK YOU, haha.

Oh, you're welcome, darling. He laughed, I figured it was a girl at the table next to us. Kim looks at me, flabbergasted, and says, "You know that was Vanek that just laughed, don't you?"

I DIED.

Defy Gravity... said...

I watched him dig around in his coat for his wallet while Stafford and Vanek left the table, sign a couple autographs, take a couple pictures, and walk out. Plus, the guy sitting at the table in between us asked him if they stuck him with it, which is when he said that.

That sort of reminds me of the third Mighty Ducks movie when the upper classmen leave the restaurant and send in a cake with the bill and a note saying "Thanks for Dinner, losers" minus the whole cake and Butler having to wash dishes for his dinner.

Cari said...

That sort of reminds me of the third Mighty Ducks movie when the upper classmen leave the restaurant and send in a cake with the bill and a note saying "Thanks for Dinner, losers" minus the whole cake and Butler having to wash dishes for his dinner.

NO LIE, THAT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF THOSE MOVIES!!

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