Quick Hits

by Anne

• Chicago seems like a big stinky hot mess right now

• Toronto has signed "The Monster" a supposedly phenomenal Swedish goalie named Jonas Gustavsson. I wonder if he and Jhonas Enroth know each other

• Jhonas Enroth took some time to adjust to the North American game, keep the fact that there is an adjustment period, before we go hoisting The Monster's head on a pike if he lets in some softies, Leafs' fans

• The Funky Chicken apparently has signed in Vancouver

• Joe Sakic is going to announce his retirement soon :(

• Steve Montador looks like Derek Roy's older, more rugged and better looking brother

• I'm house sitting for my sister and her boyfriend. I'm hanging out with Maximus the cat, a Wii, a stocked bar and a huge HD TV. I wish it were hockey season

• SO'B re-signed in Vancouver for one year at a $600,000 raise. I'm glad. Never mind that he scored his lone goal in the very last game of the post-season. I love him and I want him to stay there!

• Of my four teams, I'm still most excited for the Kings. If all four of my teams were to make the playoffs next year, I'd be so exhausted, switching loyalties multiple times a night.

• When is Brooks Orpik bringing the Cup to Buffalo?

• The Blackhawks are supposedly looking to or supposedly should trade Soupy. His contract was a mistake as anyone in Buffalo or even San Jose could've told you.

• The Leafs have already signed this year's first round pick, Nazem Kadri, to an entry level contract. Wonder when Tavares' contract will come through.

• Speaking of Soupy and the Islanders: they have room for him. As of this writing, without Tavares' contract, the Islanders are still not yet at the salary floor, with only about 3-5 players including JT to sign. Interesting.
  

• If you live in Buffalo, you should see Julius Caesar at Shakespeare in Delaware Park. Its got lots of sword fighting, death and betrayal. The kids will love it. Also, ladies, there are a few men with really nice arms who swing around heavy swords. I don't mind coming to work and watching that. There are also some old dudes who you fear may collapse and any moment.

• Its really freakin' cold by July standards today. Its only about 68 degrees. Booo

• I might go to development camp tomorrow. But I can only stay until 5:00. Sad face.
  

A Week In the Life, Day 2

by Anne

I wasn't able to take a picture of it, but Oscar decided this morning that I REALLY needed to give him breakfast at the usual time my dad gives him breakfast... 5:30. NOT HAPPENIN' CAT. He bugged me for a few minutes and just as I was considering getting up to feed him, he scurried away, and I went back to sleep.

Sooooo yyyeah I already fail at this, I forgot my camera at work, so tomorrow will have to be a little Day 2 and Day 3 mixed together.

On the Sabres' front:

Tim Kennedy is writing a prospect blog. And, if you know me, there are few things in life that make me happier than:

1. Hockey players from Buffalo
2. Hockey players who blog

This has all the makings of the greatest blog of all time. A few highlights:

Derek Whitmore, Mike Funk and Drew Schiestel are all here working out. Then guys like Nathan Paetsch, Adam Mair, Daniel Paille and Patrick Kaleta come in as well.

Awesome. Can I show up there? Ok, truth be told I wouldn't know Drew Schiestel if he came up to me and introduced himself. Out of the context of actually being IN HSBC Arena, or him in full Sabres gear, I would have no clue why I was supposed to know him. DO YOU THINK ADAM MAIR IS AS SCARY TO THESE PROSPECTS AS HE IS TO ME? Why does Adam Mair scare me so much?!

I'm pretty sure I've never laid eyes on this guy before.

I’ve talked to those guys for the past few summers. They are all great and tell you what to expect, what’s going to happen.

Come on, Kennedy. They're ALL great? Not one is a douche bag? You and Gerb-Dogg don't talk about your back to back NCAA championships? This "Drew Schiestel" enigma doesn't talk about how great it is to be TOTALLY annonymous in the City of Buffalo? Wait, I notice he casually forgot to mention TimmyHO. He's probably got the dick-head quotient locked down.

We’re all good friends so it will be good to meet up with them again as well as meeting the new guys- everyone who was recently drafted and signed.

Does that not seem like the naive country bumpkin from Kansas who finds herself in a crazy web of sex lies and destruction in a recent season of MTV's Real World? I bet Nathan Gerbe has a secret serious drinking problem and Derek Whitmore has a crazy ex-girlfriend who shows up at practices. Wait until Andrew Orpik starts sleeping with Pat Kaleta's girlfriend and then has an emotional confessional room break-down about it. THEN we'll see who your "good friends" are, Tim Kennedy! Not everyone who LIVES in Buffalo is as awesome as we people FROM Buffalo.

Anyway, here's the link ch-ch-check it out.

2008: The Year of the Tyler

by Anne

YO. WHAT THE HELL, NHL? Talk about crazy trades and shenanigans.

Olli Jokinen FINALLY gets the move we've all been expecting for a while, to Phoenix for 2 defensemen and a draft pick. Hey, maybe Phoenix realizes that they need more than Shane Doan to lead them. Well done, Wayne.

UMBERGER!!! NOOOOOOO!!! Haha, R.J., that stinky weasel, heads to Columbus. Don't taint NASHER!!!

Let's see... Tanguay to the Habs... ok... that's fine. Calgary will be ok. Sweet. Sundin may be a Hab soon too. Hmmmmm, Mats Sundin, finally a cup contender?? WHOA.

The Buffalo Sabres traded up 1 spot to get, surprisingly, the one defenseman that I wanted them to get that I thought we actually could get, Tyler Myers. HE'S GINORMOUS. He's skinnny and he'll have to bulk up but I hope he actually makes it to us, we really could use some size down the road. 6'7"?!?! SWEET. We actually got a top prospect!!!! YAY!!!

CAN YOU IMAGINE THE PHOTO OPS WITH NATHAN GERBE??!! JUST THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE.... HHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Tyler #1 aka Big Tyler

Oh, yeah, speaking of needing size. We already have like the smallest corps of forwards in history so we drafted a 5'8" 155ish lb forward. GREAT. AWESOME. Tyler Ennis hearts Danny Briere. Great, so did we, maybe he'll do well here.

Tyler #2 aka Little Tyler

Well, whatevs. Its hard to get pumped about draft picks. Although, they'll be around for the camp next week up at NU so that's pretty sweeeeeeeeeet.

OMG SO TIRED. Good night all. Draft Party was sweet. The only players I saw were Kennedy and Funk. I didn't meet them because the line was REDONKULOUSLY long. But they're pretty cool dudes, so it would've been nice to meet them. Alas. The locker room tour was cool. It really is pretty small in there. Building togetherness?? Whatevs.

Bring in da noise, Bring in da Funk

by Anne

Welcome back to the NHL Funky! I can't lie, I totally forgot you'd played a few games for us before. Whoops. It was November of 2006, how can one be expected to remember that far back?

Apparently Pommerdoodle was not up for the challenege of full time NHL defenseman. As hilarious as it would've been, apparently Lindy and the boys are not yet ready to sign off on the season as the rest of us are, and they're giving it another go. Bah, where's the fun in that?

Welcome back to the Big Show, Funky. I'm giving you a nickname now. It's The Chicken, enjoy it while you can. Some day I will try to write down all nicknames I've dubbed people over the past few seasons.

I sincerely enjoy the choice of what appears to be masking tape on your socks. Excellent. none of this "clear" stuff the big kids use.

At 6'4" and right around 200lbs, this could should be ok. AND he played for the Portland Winter Hawks like another certain bird nicknamed player.

Goose: Anne! Is it me? Is it?! IS IT?!

Anne: Yes Goose! It is you!

Goose: Hooray! Toni! Hank! It's me!

7:30 faceoff at HSBC Arena.