It's OOOOOOVER

by Anne

Here lies the 2008-2009 Buffalo Sabres playoff hopes
Loved by many
Missed by all

Say it together now folks:

I'm sure once the sadness wears off and people will start freaking out about "WHAT WENT WRONG?!?!"

I'm sad but I've been ready for this for weeks. They brought this on themselves. Except Ryan Miller. Ryan Miller deserves better.

IT'S FINALLY HERE!

by Anne

Get out your abacuses and spread sheets and try to follow the fun as it unfolds until 3:00pm EST today!!

Glowing, flashing, pink sparkly text was the most appropriate choice for today, right?

Here's what's a-happenin':

First trade text: 10:00 am Senators acquire Goaltender Pascal Leclaire and 2nd round pick from Columbus for Center Antoine Vermette. Maybe with this acquisition of a center that means they won't be getting Timmy and we won't have to get Rositslav Klesla? And the turnstile in net continues for the Ottawa Senators.

*~*More than $4 million a season for two years of Timmy? I don't know about that. But this "Connolly to Chicago" rumor is magical. Brian Campbell and Tim Connolly back together again to troll the bars of ChiTown? I'd be so jealous. It brings a tear to the eye.*~*

10:45: He stays a Sabre! Timmy signed a two year extension for $9 million. Aw, ok I am happy to keep you Timmy!

11:40 Colorado sends Defenseman Jordan Leopold to Calgary for Lawrence "three teams in three days" Nycholat, prospect Ryan Wilson and a 2nd round pick

11:45: In a deal ROCKING the league the Blues send Andy Wozniewski to Pens for DANNY RICHMOND. I need to sit down, these trades are making my head spin.

12:00: Darcy press conference. I can't hear anything but I can see Timmy:

Does his hat angle fall into douchebag range? Its slightly off to the side but most straight back...

Also: Toronto claims Martin Gerber and Dallas claims Brendan Morrison off waivers

As soon as I hit "publish" of course we make a trade.

12:08: Buffalo Sabres trade for Michael excuse me, Mikael Tellqvist from the Phoenix Coyotes for a fourth round pick. Portland will be happy to get Enroth back?

12:13: More waiver claimings: Toronto also claims Eric Reitz from NYR and Pittsburgh claims Craig Adams from Chicago

I love that Bucky's reaction to Timmy's deal is to completely rip it apart because he was wrong about being COMPLETLEY CERTAIN that the Sabres were DEFINITELY going to deal Timmy today. He's right that its a lot of money but his whole post has a very pouting tone to it.

12:40: Olli Jokinen traded from Phoenix to Calgary for Matthew Lombardi, Prust and a first round pick. This will be Jokinen's first post-season appearance in his 10 years in the NHL. Yeesh, Calgary gave up a lot for this guy.

Also: Boston acquires Defenseman Steve Montador from Anaheim for Forward Petteri Nokelainen.

1:40 Ok so my test was easy. More trades:

Mark Recchi to Boston for two dudes I've never heard of

Lots of goings on for the 'Hawks but last I checked, nothing official yet? Dominic Moore is apparently headed to Chicago?

Also toss in Phoenix sending a 3rd round pick to Calgary with Jokinen for Lombardi, Prust and a first round pick. Still, I think Calgary is overpaying.

*~*Please tell me the Sabres aren't done dealing for the day. That would be sad times.*~*

Where are the "all but guaranteed" deals for Guerin, Morris and Antropov? Just over an hour left til the deadline, kids.

2:00 Final hour of trades.

Bill Guerin apparently headed to Pittsburgh.

Dominic Moore NOT going to Chicago apparently.

Bouwmeester may be headed to Vancouver.

Still waiting, Darcy.

2:08 Its official: Bill Guerin to Pittsburgh for a conditional pick. Wow. I'm sure that's REALLY what the Islanders were hoping to get for their captain.

2:40: Chris Neil to the Panthers. This would be even better if we didn't have to play the Panthers a few more times this season. (This isn't official yet I guess)

Also: Daniel Carcillo from Phoenix to Philly for Scottie Upshall and a 2nd round pick. Awww, Scottie the Hottie. One of our All-Stars is headed to the West. This is a crushing blow.

I'm going to be sick if the Sabres do nothing else in these last few minutes.

2:49 Rangers acquire Antropov from Leafs, no details on what the Leafs are getting in return yet. (Its a 2nd round and a conditional pick for the Leafs)

2:57 Ponikarovski from Toronto to Nashville for two picks. I'm reeling at the "new look" Eastern Conference. YAWN.

3:00 Derek Morris to the Rangers. And that's all she wrote, folks. There may be a few more deals trickling in but that's basically it.

What a waste of time for Sabres fans. A temporary back up goalie and an overpaid Timmy. Great. We still have Max and a lot of other pieces that probably could've brought a great return.

Wow. I can't wait to get to the game tonight.

Late announcement:

3:09 Dominic Moore from Toronto to Chicago for 2nd round pick.

CORRECTION Dominic Moore to Buffalo?!?! Is this the top 6 center I whined about earlier in the season?!

3:17 Sammy Pahlsson from Anaheim to Chicago

Erc Christensen to Ducks for Eric O'Dell

Maybe Moore isn't coming to Buffalo??

3:23 Nevermind, Moore is still coming to Buffalo. Wow, Darcy trading within the division. He rarely does that.

4:07 Ok like 90 trades happened on my drive home:

Sammy Pahlsson to Chicago for James Wisniewski (awwwww :( )

Lightning trade Steve Eminger to Florida for Noah Welch (both D)

Kyle McLaren traded from San Jose to Philly (and the girls at Slightly Saucy rejoice)

Ducks trade Travis Moen (F) and Kent Huskins (D) to San Jose for some random prospect type players

Some complicated trade is going down involving like 4 teams but all I've heard is Patrick O'Sullivan from LA to Edmonton :( Ask Greener for advice! :(

ALSO in that trade: Kotalik to Edmonton?! Are we getting anything in return? So help me if its Dustin Penner...

ALSO Justin Williams to LA, Eric Cole to Carolina

ALSO we get a 2nd round pick? We lose our top shoot out guy for a 2nd round pick?!?!

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Its So Much Better This Way

by Anne

The Buffalo Sabres current pathetic downward spiral could not have come at a better time.

The team is floundering, desperately searching for answers as to why they have suddenly forgotten how to play hockey. Fans are looking for tangible change; a sign of better or at least new and different things to come.

How fortuitous that this coming Wednesday, March 4 at 3:00 PM EST just so happens to be the end of the Best Day Ever aka the NHL Trade Deadline.

If the team was holding things down, squeaking by on their charm and good looks, we might not have noticed the impending post-season epic collapse we were headed for. We'd be trotting along, gingerly clinging onto 7th place or so with not too much worry and we might even have been a little bit sad to watch Darcy trade away some of the boys come March 4th.

However, because the team chose the week before the trade deadline to start nosediving (we're in 9th place as of this writing) we are all scrambling for trades and changes and something to be done to salvage our chance at playing past April 11th.

After all this nonsense going on with Bill Guerin being pulled from the line-up only to sit around and not be traded has gotten us all a-flutter. Coyotes defenseman Derek Morris has given a list of teams for which he will waive his no trade clause and now will not play again until he is with that new team so as to avoid injury. Can you feel the excitement a-brewin'?

I'm hoping for movement that walks the delicate balance between "Instant Gratification" and "Burn it To the Ground."

Here is my list of players that I don't want to see traded and most of them I know won't be so its not really a concern.

Ryan Miller
Patrick Lalime
Thomas Vanek
Derek Roy
Paul Gaustad
Jason Pominville
Drew Stafford
Adam Mair
Jaroslav Spacek
Craig Rivet
Chris Butler

Also to the extent that he scores a lot in the shootout, Ales Kotalik, but I could easily be swayed to give him up.

The rest? You can take them. As long as we get some good stuff in return. Except Max, you can just take him, I don't really care what we get.

That's my list, what's yours?

Btw, now we need to go 11-7-1 to make the 92 point mark. Yeesh.

Oy.

Peace OUT, Girl Scout

by Anne

YESSSS. Just when I was seriously contemplating taking a vaycay from hockey, I hop over to TSN and see a beautiful, beautiful story:

BYE BYE RAY!

Ha! Even the Russians know Emery isn't a long-term gamble. 1 year! Weeell that might mean he'll be back in the NHL after that... eh I'll have forgotten about him by then... nope, that's a lie.

The creation of this new Russian Continental League may one day depress me, but as it stands its taken 2 of my least favorite players OUTTA HERE!

See ya!