Cast your mind back to this previous summer – say around June 30th. Free agency had opened in the NHL, and Sabres fans were clamouring for activity from their GM. Some move – any move – would be welcome and would surely be an improvement to an underachieving Sabres team.
But who was the busy team? The Montreal Canadiens. Right out of the gate they signed OUR free agent defenseman, Jaroslav Spacek, to a three-year deal for $11.5 million. Nearly four million per year, and Sabres fans said our defense was screwed. Whatever would we do?!
To be fair, the 35-year-old Spacek has become their horse. He is second in ice time to Roman Hamrlik, sees time on the power play and shorthanded, and is 3oth in the league in average time on ice. I’m sure he’ll be juuuuust fine logging those minutes after 80 games. At least with Montreal you probably don’t have to be worried about saving yourself for the playoffs.
Then Montreal stepped up and signed Brian Gionta from the Devils for five years and $25 million. Now I love any former Niagara Scenic as much as the next guy, and I’m sure after he recovers from his broken left foot he’ll be right back at it, but he’s gone for a while and will not be on the ice tonight.
But no big deal, because Montreal pulled off THE big trade of the offseason. You know, the one that netted them a big-name center named Scott Gomez! Gomez, along with his five-year contract and over $7 million cap hit, came over from the Rangers and has nailed two whole goals this year (along with nine assists). He has been consistently called out by his coach to “do more,” which should be easy tonight because he is actually back in the lineup after missing four games with a back injury. Please note that after the Toronto game Gomez has now gone 46 periods without scoring a goal (thanks, RDS announcers, for pointing that out). There’s your No. 1 centre center!
Oh, yeah. Montreal also signed Hal Gill ( one point all year,out), Mike Cammalleri (good move, actually), Paul Mara (minus-11), and Travis Moen (nine points, not living up to hype).
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2009 offseason champions!
And what did the Sabres do? Freaking Steve Montador and Mike Grier. What the Hell did that get them besides the top of the Northeast while Montreal sits a mere two points out of a playoff spot?
Yet, I am worried about tonight. Montreal got spanked by Toronto 3-0 a couple nights ago and the players are properly embarrassed about losing in such an unseemly fashion to a bunch of suckasses. Sounds like a fine time to try and show what you’ve got.
For Buffalo, they have The Kaleta! back tonight and he’s probably going to destroy someone: “I’m fired up. I’ve got a lot of energy ready to go, I hate sitting out games.”
Oh, and the Sabres turned 40 today? Wow, that must mean that I’m…old. Crap. Hopefully I can expand on that at some point. The Sabres part, that is…
7:00, HSBC. Should be a good one.