11/11/2018
Attention: Buffalo does not qualify for the playoffs in 1998 and 99 without the best goalie of all time. Nothing against Holzinger, Brown,Varada, Satan or Rob Ray,. They did not win the cup, but they do not make the playoffs without the Hart trophy (back to back) Vezina (six time winner) period. Simply put, they do not make the playoffs without the French Connection during the first cup run in 75. That said, I firmly believe the team put on the ice in 2005/2006 that was down to high school quality defense-men because of injuries was the best Sabre's team ever. They went to the conference finals and took Carolina the distance before they could not hold on with mostly AHL defensemen. They had above average goal-tending with the first year stater Ryan Miller and the extremely streaky Martin Biron who if he is put in to cover 15 games or so gets in a groove at an all-start level. The defense was gritty in areas and amazing at breaking out of their own zone and jumping in with the rush..... with the Jay McKee, Tallinder , Hecht, Campbell, Numminen,Toni Lydman, Andrej Sekera and Dmitri Kalinin
The depth coming out of the lockout with the no clutching and grabbing skating style made Darcy Regier look like a pure genius as other teams were trying to build the Anaheim style huge and physical teams that had pre-lockout success. The Grier's and Dumont had enough skating and offense but would grind it our in the corner. The superstars like Brier and Drury were BOTH gritty and talented. That kind of depth leaving guys like Vanek and Roy as third liners tossing Max in on that line was simply ravishing.Previously struggling talent like Tim Connolly and Afinigenoff just excelled with room to skate and show creativity .That team should have stayed healthy and easily beat the Carolina empty seats and would have swept Edmonton , THt Team that was just about ready to start sucking for the next decade of first round draft picks. The next season looked great coming out the gate with an amazing winning stretch and scored so much that THEY won the presidents trophy even with some stretches of bad hockey. Something to be said for coming out the gate strong. Unfortunately as predicted, the refs put the whistles away for the playoffs. Talent got them past the Islanders and Rangers, but the big physical Ottawa team paid the Sabre's back for the previous years defeat and made Buffalo look small and weak. Keep in mind they lost guys like JP Dumont and Grier who in m opinion are playoff studs because they will outwork you, can shoot and skate. Lets see how these new gelling teammates come together with this up and coming defense and the offense who finally has a top tier line with Skinner, Pominville (yes..the one who scored the winner in the 06 Ottawa series). They look grounded in goal combining youth and experience and this generation does not spend the chunk of money on goal-tending that they did in previous generations.
So yes 05/06 was the best Sabre's team ever across he board even though they won the Presidents trophy the next season. But step aside Lafontaine. Gilbert , Drury...Hasek is by far the best Sabre ever to wear the jersey. Argue all you want but no single player impacted game after game and when you say its impossible to be better, he did some never seen before move that caused the entire crazy 8 LINE on the region of doom Flyers team to talk to the blades of their sticks as he was the only goalie who really got in the other teams head paralyzing them when given the puck near the crease. The amount of saves he made every single night as we got outshout and out played, but won the game outshines the soft goal that people claimed he let in from time to time. They never would have been playing hockey that deep in the playoffs or Olympics or even overtime had he not stood on his head . USUALLY the "easy" goal allowed was deemed that based on peoples opinion who never played goalie before and do not know what goes in to making some saves look easy that are really scoring chances on any other goalie. COFFEE IN MY Hasek Mug inspired this rant on this Sunday Funday.
Be good Bills and Sabres Fans.
Whether you're drinking your morning coffee, your evening tea, or something in between – this mug's for you! It's sturdy and glossy with a vivid print that'll withstand the microwave and dishwasher. • Ceramic • Dishwasher and microwave safe • White and glossy
