2007-08 Buffalo Sabres: Return of the Underdog??
Posted 11:37 PM ET | Comments 8
With the recent departures of Co-Captains Daniel Breire & Chris Drury a lot of people have written off the 2007-2008 Buffalo Sabres. Not this fan! Well not anymore atleast.
Let’s take a minute to look back at this time in 2005. Many experts and fans around the league didn’t expect the Sabres to make the playoffs yet reach the ECF. The Sabres fought numerous injuries to key players through out the season and playoffs, only to come within 20 minutes of the team’s goal: to play for Lord Stanley’s Cup.
That brings us to the 2006-2007 campaign. With high expectations, Buffalo stormed out of the gate to a 10-0-0 start. They also obtained points in 17 of the first 20 games of the year. They had their tough spots. Like a 6-8 January. Followed by 8-3 in February. Then 11-8 in March & April combined. Due to Buffalo’s amazing hot start they secured home ice advantage through out the NHL Playoffs. The high flying Sabres put together an impressive Presidents trophy winning season. But Buffalo’s inconsistent play in the second half of the season led to their demise. Was it a lack of desperation in their game? Problems in the locker room? Or did they just get uninterested? Who knows except for the 22 guys in the locker room? Change was coming; the writing was on the wall.
One has to wonder if the Sabres thought it was coming to easy. Let’s face it. How many of you were ever worried in the first half of the season if they got down by 2 or 3. We just sat back and wondered when Lindy was going to flip the switch? Or was it that this team didn’t do as well when they were the favorite to take it all?
I honestly think that Lindy’s Sabres do better as the underdog. In 05-06 no one expected them to do anything let alone make the playoffs. What did they do? Make the ECF for the third time under Ruff’s watch. A lot of fans were probably ready to burn down the arena after July, 1st, myself included. But after the smoke has thinned, I have come to this conclusion: Watch out NHL!!!!! Don’t take the 07-08 Sabres squad for granted. They WILL use the loss of Drury, Briere & Zubrus as motivation. A motivated club is a Dangerous club. Lindy knows how Motivate, and to use his teams strengths & weaknesses to his advantage. They will once again gain a new identity on & off the ice. New leaders will emerge and new stars will be born. Will Campbell come out of his shell and lead this team as we all expect? Can Connolly stay healthy? Are Adam Mair & Paul Gaustad ready for added responsibilities? Will Regier & Co. learn from their mistakes? Only time will tell what’s in store for this year’s squad. I think the NHL will once again be suprised
Now I’m not predicting them to go to the cup finals and win it all but, stranger things have happened.
Let’s take a minute to look back at this time in 2005. Many experts and fans around the league didn’t expect the Sabres to make the playoffs yet reach the ECF. The Sabres fought numerous injuries to key players through out the season and playoffs, only to come within 20 minutes of the team’s goal: to play for Lord Stanley’s Cup.
That brings us to the 2006-2007 campaign. With high expectations, Buffalo stormed out of the gate to a 10-0-0 start. They also obtained points in 17 of the first 20 games of the year. They had their tough spots. Like a 6-8 January. Followed by 8-3 in February. Then 11-8 in March & April combined. Due to Buffalo’s amazing hot start they secured home ice advantage through out the NHL Playoffs. The high flying Sabres put together an impressive Presidents trophy winning season. But Buffalo’s inconsistent play in the second half of the season led to their demise. Was it a lack of desperation in their game? Problems in the locker room? Or did they just get uninterested? Who knows except for the 22 guys in the locker room? Change was coming; the writing was on the wall.
One has to wonder if the Sabres thought it was coming to easy. Let’s face it. How many of you were ever worried in the first half of the season if they got down by 2 or 3. We just sat back and wondered when Lindy was going to flip the switch? Or was it that this team didn’t do as well when they were the favorite to take it all?
I honestly think that Lindy’s Sabres do better as the underdog. In 05-06 no one expected them to do anything let alone make the playoffs. What did they do? Make the ECF for the third time under Ruff’s watch. A lot of fans were probably ready to burn down the arena after July, 1st, myself included. But after the smoke has thinned, I have come to this conclusion: Watch out NHL!!!!! Don’t take the 07-08 Sabres squad for granted. They WILL use the loss of Drury, Briere & Zubrus as motivation. A motivated club is a Dangerous club. Lindy knows how Motivate, and to use his teams strengths & weaknesses to his advantage. They will once again gain a new identity on & off the ice. New leaders will emerge and new stars will be born. Will Campbell come out of his shell and lead this team as we all expect? Can Connolly stay healthy? Are Adam Mair & Paul Gaustad ready for added responsibilities? Will Regier & Co. learn from their mistakes? Only time will tell what’s in store for this year’s squad. I think the NHL will once again be suprised
Now I’m not predicting them to go to the cup finals and win it all but, stranger things have happened.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to leave a comment.Blog Archive
06 MAY DAY FINALLY GETS HIS CUP!!!!!!!!!
25 Buffalo's Silence Speaks Volumes. But what does it say??????
25 Buffalo's Silence Speaks Volumes. But what does it say??????
04 TEPPO NUMMINEN RESIGNED E5
06 2007-08 Buffalo Sabres: Return of the Underdog??
12 A with The Sabres Homegrown Patrick Kaleta
13 A w/ Sabres Hometown Prospect Tim Kennedy
14 A with Sabres Prospect Adam Dennis.
17 Sabres 07-08 Pre-Season Schedule???
18 Sabres Pre-Season Revised 7/18/07
20 MAN CAVE SABRES STYLE!!!!!!!!!!
26 Darcy.......The 11th hour
06 2007-08 Buffalo Sabres: Return of the Underdog??
12 A with The Sabres Homegrown Patrick Kaleta
13 A w/ Sabres Hometown Prospect Tim Kennedy
14 A with Sabres Prospect Adam Dennis.
17 Sabres 07-08 Pre-Season Schedule???
18 Sabres Pre-Season Revised 7/18/07
20 MAN CAVE SABRES STYLE!!!!!!!!!!
26 Darcy.......The 11th hour
10 Sabres Sweaters Still HOT commodities for NHL.com
12 20 Players 18 spots........A look @ Sabres lines for 2007-08
13 OFFICIAL: SABRES TO PLAY @ THE RALPH
26 This date in Sabres History.......
29 Revised 4:14pm 07-08 Reebok Edge NHL Jerseys
12 20 Players 18 spots........A look @ Sabres lines for 2007-08
13 OFFICIAL: SABRES TO PLAY @ THE RALPH
26 This date in Sabres History.......
29 Revised 4:14pm 07-08 Reebok Edge NHL Jerseys
Agree 100%, but i don't know what kind of leader campbell can be. The question is who is the captain?
I agree, we sucked last year as favorites. We almost NEED to be 'dogs!
I tend to agree, and also I question where the leadership came from last year, I think Campbell, Miller and Gaustad were bigger leaders than we think. I am looking forward to seeing what Mair can do with more playing time.
I agree with everyone here. The Sabres will definitely not be prez Trophy winners, but they will be an underdog. With the new signing of Vanek and the rumors of Lindros coming to Buffalo, we will have a shot in the playoffs.
I agree with everyone here. The Sabres will definitely not be prez Trophy winners, but they will be an underdog. With the new signing of Vanek and the rumors of Lindros coming to Buffalo, we will have a shot in the playoffs.
I agree with everyone here. The Sabres will definitely not be prez Trophy winners, but they will be an underdog. With the new signing of Vanek and the rumors of Lindros coming to Buffalo, we will have a shot in the playoffs.
People,why oh why do we always, as a fanbase always feel the need to be the underdogs? Whether you like or not this team is very much on the radar, w/ or without #23 and #48 lining up at center ice next season. Even though I agree success or maybe the pressure of being on top from wire o wire may have effected the teams performance, perhaps creating tension or lackadaisical play meant their ultimate demise, surely noone can believe this team will be forgotten or taken lightly with this talented roster next year? And as far as comparing the upcoming season to the 2005 season, I'm not so sure thats relevant. Going into the 05 season the Sabres were coming of 3 straight seasons as cellar dwellers of the Northeast Division post lockout, and a young team, still looking for leadership found it in veterans like Teppo Numminen, Jay McKee, Mike Grier, and Drury and Brierre came into their own as co-captains...the result...a fun ride to a heartbreaking exit in the ECF. So, now going into the 07-08 season the only similarities between the two seasons is that Teppo is still here and even more of a veteran (not totally a good thing considering he's due to make 2.6 million and turned 39 on July 3rd while scoring 2 whole goals for all of 06-07 INCLUDING the playoffs) and this is once again a young team looking for leadership. Whats different? All of that leadership is GONE. Brierre, Drury, Grier, Dumont, McKee all here in 05..GONE in 07. And now that the Sabres are the reigning President Trophy winners and well known as one of the more offensively talented teams, coupled w/ quality D and solid Goaltending from Miller the chance of this team going unnoticed like the one in 05 are slim to none if you ask this fan.