Long National Nightmare Over: Hasek Returns
Having been without Dominik Hasek for 12 games, the Sabres head
toward the NHL trade deadline in seventh place in the Eastern
Conference, looking up at Toronto and Ottawa in the Northeast
Division. Hey, get this! This is precisely where they were when
Hasek missed his first game, February 19! Who says Hasek is this
whole team?
Hasek returned March 19 against his personal ball of yarn, the
New York Rangers. A little rusty, Hasek actually allowed two
goals against the Blueshirts, after shutting them out in five of
his previous six starts against them. Still, Slinky-For-A-Spine
was priceless in the second period against forward Manny
Malhotra, who faked Hasek to his back without a stick and...
you've seen the rest, a couple dozen times.
The team played inspired hockey in front of Hasek, particularly
in the third period which they entered trailing 2-1. Michael
Peca connected on his 27th devastating open-ice hit of the
season, closing in on the team record set in 1983 by Mike Ramsey,
when he levelled Petr Nedved. That was sweet.
They're Not Boo-ing, They're Saying "Barrrrrnnneesss"
Darcy Reiger finally pulled the trigger on a trade that ended the
Matthew Barnaby era in Buffalo on March 11 when he shipped the
disgruntled winger to Pittsburgh for under-utilized center/left
wing Stu Barnes. Barnes' contract with the Penguins paid him a
significant bonus for achieving certain milestones in goals
scored, and the Penguins have, like, no money. Despite a
reduction in ice time this season, Barnes had followed his 15
power-play goals in 1997-98 with 13 this year before the trade.
Beyond a nose for the net on the power play, Barnes possesses a
talent for winning faceoffs. The Sabres' faceoff winning
percentage had been in the high forties, but has been over fifty
in each of the three games Barnes has played.
Most importantly, all this is accomplished in the person of a
capable two-way, coachable player who already, from their days
together in Florida, has an outstanding rapport with Lindy Ruff.
"Coachable" and "rapport" were two words almost never used in
conjunction with Matthew Barnaby.
We don't want to diss Barnaby. We looked him up right after the
Sabres drafted him and learned he had something like 440 PIM and
145 points in junior playing on a line with Alexandre Daigle. He
immediately became one of our favorites.
Considering Barnaby's volatile personality and the fact he's
demonstrated repeatedly he can get awfully motivated to play
hockey when he's pissed off, it's somewhat odd that he was traded
to a possible playoff opponent. This is likely why Chicago had
been rumored to be a final destination for Barnaby, perhaps in a
three-way trade. Nevertheless, Barnaby-for-Barnes improves the
Buffalo Sabres.
Barnes can be found wearing number 41, and most often on a line
with speedy Geoff Sanderson and Brian Holzinger and on the number
one power-play unit with Michal Grosek, Miro Satan, Jason Woolley
and Peca.
More Trade Fun!
Fifteen hours before the trade deadline, which is when we're
submitting this piece, the sense was that the Sabres would like
to add a defenseman, not necessarily of the blockbuster variety,
and another two-way forward if the price wasn't too high.
Of course, there's always another dynamic going on: maybe you
don't want to make a blockbuster deal, but the best way to keep
Chris Chelios off the Flyers roster or Wendel Clark out of
Toronto is to make a better offer. If you can afford it.
With Eric Desjardins of the Flyers and Igor Korolev of the Leafs
out for an extended period of time, the pressure might be on to
make a significant deal. If you can afford it, you go for the
jugular. If you don't land (or don't want to land) a Chelios or
Clark yourself, maybe you tie up the talks until the deadline has
passed.
And of course, you're in seventh place. Maybe it wouldn't be so
bad to have Chris Chelios after all.
All this makes for pins 'n needles time around NHL teams, even
seemingly cohesive, no-shakeup-required outfits like the Sabres.
"It is a nervous time," says Lindy Ruff. "Anytime there's a
possibility that players might get moved, there's some anxiety
around the team. There's nothing you can do about it. You worry
about how you play and your effort on the ice, and that's all you
can control really."
Hey, wouldn't Chelios and Ron Hextall beat each other up?
Remember that Brian Propp incident in the playoffs ten or so
years ago? For the sake of sportsmanship, let's offer Bob Murray
a prospect and a pick, or something.
Satan Player of the Week, Again
If the Sabres team MVP award were given out right now, think we'd
have co-winners? Or maybe an outright upset?
Miroslav Satan was honored for the second time this season as NHL
Player of the Week after four goals and an assist in two games.
If Satan scored against New Jersey Tuesday night, it would give
him 30 goals in his last 45 games. (Unfortunately, I go to bed
right after Sports Night on Tuesdays so I won't know until this
article is already in print.) But for the fact he only scored
four goals in his first 24 games, that's a 55-goal pace.
Quick: name a more impressive season by someone who was traded by
Glen Sather for reasons other than Peter Pocklington needing cab
fare. Slats doesn't get taken that often, but Satan is
developing into a legitimate NHL scoring threat. Then again, it
could be a contract drive.
Big Pete Watch
The team re-recalled Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre on March 10, and James
Patrick hasn't seen the light of day since. We can wonder why
it's Patrick and not Mike Wilson who's the healthy scratch, but
the point is that Big Pete has won himself a place in the
National Hockey League with his presence and intelligence.
Derek Plante has also been a healthy scratch in four straight
games, and Randy Cunneyworth hasn't played since Vaclav Varada
returned from his ankle injury on March 5.
Get Well Soon, Mr. Rigas
Sabres and Adelphia Cable owner John Rigas is recovering from
triple bypass surgery, and Sabres fans wish him a speedy return.
Amerks Honor Gage
Does anybody remember Jody Gage's various cups of coffee with the
Sabres during the Bowman-Meehan era? He, like, kept leading the
Amerks in scoring and stuff and he'd come up for ten days or two
weeks and he was so slow that he even made Dave Andreychuk go
offside a few times. Gage is the GM in Rochester now, and on
Friday night the 19th the Amerks retired his sweater number 9.
This makes us think of Crash Davis setting the record for minor
league home runs and getting all defensive about it with Susan
Sarandon, but we're not entirely sure why. Anyway, memories of
Jody Gage live on. Good for him.
