Couple major Chris Drury items coming from the Rangers: He's moving to right wing alongside Scott Gomez and the calls are growing for coach Tom Renney to name Drury the captain for the Rangers' season opener Saturday in Prague against the Lightning.
The Bergen Record says Renney should make the call. Brett Cyrgalis' New York Post blog says the same thing. He tells how Drury went down the bench barking at his teammates to wake up when the Rangers fell into a 3-0 hole Wednesday night against European champion Metallurg Magnitogorsk of Russia. Drury scored one of the goals as New York rallied to win, 4-3.
With Jaromir Jagr gone, it seems like this would be a pretty easy choice. And maybe Drury can light a fire under Dmitri Kalinin while he's at it.
Like most of his teammates, Biron is looking forward to this afternoon's exhibition game against Carolina in the old Spectrum, one last hurrah for the Flyers against an NHL team before the building gets torn down. Unlike most of them, Biron actually played in the building in an AHL game with the Rochester Amerks.
The NHL Network announced Friday that it will be showing several more preseason games -- including the Sabres' finale at Detroit Oct. 5 at 5 p.m.
Another game of interest you can see will be Saturday at 1, when Carolina visits Philadelphia in a special game being played at old Spectrum. As I wrote in July, the Sabres' house of horrors from the 70s is being torn down to make way for a hotel and entertainment complex and this will be the final time the former home of the Flyers will have two NHL teams on its ice (the Flyers and Phantoms, their AHL affiliate, will play there Oct. 7).
In this Philadelphia Daily News story, Flyers chairman Ed Snider admits it's going to be hard to see the building that's been "my baby" since its 1967 opening finally get torn down.
Meanwhile, the Rangers, Lightning, Penguins and Senators are all making their way to Europe to open their season. But first, they'll have exhibitions and the Rangers' games at SC Bern (Tuesday at Noon) and at Metallurg Magnitogorsk (Wednesday at 1:30) will be both shown as the team makes its way to Prague to open the season against the Lightning.
SC Bern (whose roster during the lockout year featured Daniel Briere, Henrik Tallinder, J.P. Dumont and Dany Heatley) is coached by 55-year-old ex-Sabres defenseman John Van Boxmeer. Lindy Ruff's former teammate returned behind the bench just last week after suffering a heart attack in July.
More news out of Dallas: Former Sabres captain Stu Barnes has announced his retirement after a 16-year career and will trade in his Stars jersey for a job as an assistant coach with the team.
The chants of "Stuuuuuuuuuu" were a big part of the atmosphere in HSBC Arena during the '99 Cup run and as the team continued through the playoffs at the start of this decade. Widely considered one of the best guys to come through the locker room, Barnes scored Buffalo's only goal in the Game Three and Game Six losses to the Stars. He also scored huge overtime goals during the 2000 playoff loss to Philadelphia and the 2001 seven-game defeat to Pittsburgh.
Here's Barnes' Game Five OT winner against the Penguins in 2001. Cool.
Click here for a Canucks.com video talking to Steve Bernier at Vancouver's prospect camp. Looks like there's a chance he'll be on a line with the Sedin twins. We'll see him in HSBC, remember, on Oct. 17.
I'd still like to know what the Canucks saw to give Bernier $2.5 million and thus automatically turn him into a marquee guy. He says in the video he's lost 8-10 pounds and I think he could have helped the Sabres this year -- as a third- or fourth-liner. His skating ability is a real question, so all of a sudden he's playing with the Sedins?
Either the Sabres were very wrong about Bernier -- which makes the take in the Brian Campbell trade a real head-scratcher -- or the Canucks are grossly overpaying.
"For my family and the situation and everything, I think it's going to be a great experience," Brown told the San Jose Mercury News.
Brown's life is one of those that is made for the movies, filled with triumphs, tragedies, interesting life choices and swings of emotions.
He was a young, popular professional athlete with the ability to fully enjoy every town he visited, yet in his early 20s he decided to abstain from drinking, swearing and premarital sex. It was a decision he embraced after committing to God.
"I knew I was ready," he told Bucky Gleason in 1999 on the way to the Stanley Cup finals. "I wasn't doing the right things, and that was being
a hypocrite. If I believe in something, I have to do it 100 percent. I
can't stand on the fence. I had to change some things up."
I can attest to his devotion. Back when we traveled on the Sabres' charter, I was writing a story about Michael Peca (then with the Islanders) and couldn't remember the charity for his golf tournament. I went toward the back of the plane to ask Brown, Peca's good friend. While other players were playing cards and hanging out, Brown was in his seat, reading the Bible and marking passages. It was an eye-opening experience.
Brown was also a player with daily dressing-room swings. One day, he'd walk right up to you and talk for five minutes about your life, your background and what was going on. The next, he'd curtly answer questions or engage in an argument, like the one we had on his last day as a Sabre.
It was in the Amherst Pepsi Center, and he was the subject of several trade rumors. We somewhat-hotly debated the legitimacy of the media and its impact on players' lives. I'll always remember the look and smile on Adam Mair's face as Brown and I went back and forth. Brown was soon on his way to San Jose.
The most recent story of Brown in Buffalo was a sad one, as coach Lindy Ruff was on the verge of tears while recounting the funeral of Brown's infant daughter.
But to Brown's credit, he continued to rely on his faith, and it appears to have carried him through that tragedy. Below is a look from a CBC interview last year. Here's hoping Brown enjoys his next chapter.
NEW YORK -- It's not going to make much of a dent in the media here today but Ted Nolan is out as Islanders coach with one year left on his contract. After all that time waiting for another chance in the NHL, it seems Nolan simply couldn't get along with management again, specifically GM Garth "Shoulder Pads" Snow. Sounds like Teddy wouldn't have minded taking a few shots at Snow, ala Steve Shields.
Brooks Orpik, Marian Hossa and Mats Sundin are still mulling big offers and we still don't know what's going to happen with Jaromir Jagr. So there are plenty of unanswered questions even after more than $300 million was handed out on the first day of NHL free agency -- with $57 million of that somehow going to Brian Campbell from the Chicago Blackhawks. They either got the perfect guy for their blueline to make them a real contender or just woefully overpaid. We'll see. There's no gray area when you're talking those kinds of dollars.
The Sabres, of course, got their backup goalie when they signed Patrick Lalime but have dropped out of the Orpik sweepstakes and won't be netting any big fish from the free agent waters as John Vogl and Bucky Gleason report in today's News.
Here's a morning look at some of what's being said elsewhere:
Campbell speaks -- to the Hawks' Web site: "The organization started to make the city take note and provide a lot of entertainment and something the fans could hold onto. I think that’s pretty exciting. I’ve been involved with that, especially in Buffalo the last couple of years. When you get a city behind you, things just go up and up."
Rangers sign Redden, keep Roszival -- As this New York Daily News story points out, the Rangers will be paying nearly $33 million to just five players (Wade Redden, Michal Rozsival, Chris Drury, Scott Gomez and Henrik Lundqvist) for the next four years. That's a good way to land in salary cap jail. Better not keep losing in the second round.
Who's Jeff Finger? -- I had the same question Vogl did yesterday. In this Toronto Star article, new coach Ron Wilson insists Leafs fans will find out. But Star columnist Damien Cox says it's still Laffland with this kind of deal.
The Sabres didn't want to move Brian Campbell to an Eastern Conference team at the deadline, but they might be seeing a lot of him now that he's a free agent. The latest buzz has him going to Ottawa to replace Wade Redden. He's a step up from Redden and would look good feeding Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza.
Unless the San Jose Sharks come up with a whopper of an offer, it's hard to see Brian Campbell staying out west. While there's been talk of Chicago, it seems likely that Campbell is going to be high on the shopping list of several Eastern Conference teams.
The Rangers have reportedly already been given the OK by the Sharks to negotiate with Campbell, with old friend Chris Drury a big factor in the recruiting. But several other teams are probably in the hunt as well. You'd have to compensate the Sharks with a draft pick or two if you sign him before July 1 but there's a thought that somebody might make a pre-emptive strike to get Campbell and be willing to make that sacrifice.
Most accounts have Campbell garnering $6.5-$7 million per season. Wow. Rough parts of the season in Buffalo, rough playoff in San Jose. And he's going to get that coin. Bank on it (no pun intended!) Still, I'd like to know which bonehead writer voted him first in the Norris Trophy balloting. No way. Jeez.
Glenn Anderson, Igor Larionov, longtime NHL linesman Ray Scapinello and former Western Hockey League Commissioner Ed Chynoweth were elected today to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
As far Anderson and Larionov go, no quibbles there. I'm a little surprised that Pavel Bure and Adam Oates didn't make it. Dino Ciccarelli leads all non-inductees with 608 goals and will keep getting looks. Meanwhile, three ex-Sabres (Tom Barrasso, Phil Housley and Doug Gilmour) were also shut out this time.
Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull and Brian Leetch are among the first-ballot players looming in the next couple of years. Dave Andreychuk also becomes eligible.
So out of Barrasso, Housley, Andreychuk and Gilmour, which ex-Sabres do you think get in at some point?
After two straight wild springs around here, it seems a little odd to be talking about the conference finals without the Sabres being a part of it. But anyway, the NHL's version of the Final Four gets revved up tonight. It's Motown vs. Cowtown and the Battle of Pennsylvania as the Briere/Birons go against No. 87.
By the way, with all the talk of ex-Sabres it's been easy to forget that Amherst native Brooks Orpik of the Penguins is still alive in his bid to make it three straight years the Stanley Cup could come home for a summer visit. Kevyn Adams won it two years ago with Carolina and Todd Marchant did likewise last year in Anaheim.
You can read our playoff preview here. Cast your votes for the winners and be sure to chat it up in the comments section as well. This thought just struck me: If the Flyers keep going and pull this off, how about Marty Biron for the Conn Smythe? Halfway through the playoffs, he's certainly one of the leading contenders.
That Sharks-Rangers Stanley Cup final that was predicted in so many publications and Web sites officially went poof in the second round at 2:25 a.m. ET Monday, when Campbell's Sharks lost, 2-1, in the fourth overtime of Game Six to Dallas. Several hours earlier, the Rangers got dumped in OT of Game Five at Pittsburgh, 3-2, on Marian Hossa's goal. Had to be hugely disappointing for both ex-Sabres, who seemed to have legitimate Cup hopes when the playoffs began.
Bloodied earlier in the game, Drury took a high-sticking penalty with 1:18 left in regulation that carried over into OT but the Pens didn't score. Campbell wasn't so lucky. He was in the box when Brenden Morrow ended the Sharks' season and sent Campbell into the world of free agency come July 1. Not much of a playoff run by Campbell, who had only one goal in two rounds and nearly was the goat in OT with a bad giveaway three periods earlier before his penalty turned out to be the difference.
You can click here to check out NHL.com's highlight package of the Stars-Sharks marathon, the eighth-longest game in league history. I notice some of you are already chatting up the end for Drury and Campbell. Feel free to do it at the bottom of this post as well.
The NHL also announced the conference finals schedule this afternoon. The West final between Dallas and Detroit opens in Joe Louis Arena on Thursday night while Philadelphia and Pittsburgh play Game One in Mellon Arena on Friday. We'll have previews, polls and prediction posts later in the week.
After the Friday night deadlines for most East Coast papers -- including The News -- the San Jose Sharks somehow stayed alive in the Western Conference semifinals with a 3-2 overtime win over the Dallas Stars. It was easily one of the best games we've had so far in this playoff year.
The Stars had a 2-0 lead and were 14 minutes away from skinning the Sharks in five games. But Milan Michalek scored at 6:20 of the third period and some guy named Campbell took a breakaway pass from Jeremy Roenick to dramatically tie the game at 11:07.
In overtime, it took only 65 seconds for San Jose to steal a 3-2 win on Joe Pavelski's goal. Unreal.
So the Sharks are back in the series, trailing it by just 3-2 after Dallas won the first three games but blew a chance to complete a sweep on home ice. Only two teams in NHL history have come back from 3-0 deficits, none since the 1975 Islanders did it to Pittsburgh. But if the Sharks pull out Game Six Sunday night in Dallas to get this series even, you won't be able to bet against them in Game Seven back at the Shark Tank.
You can check out the highlights from Friday's game here. Click the arrows on the right of the screen if you just want to see an individual goal, hit or save.
So what do you think about the Sharks' chances now? Do or die for Dallas in Game Six?
---Mike Harrington
(AP Photo: Brian Campbell, 51, celebrates his game-tying goal)
It looks like Chris Drury will be on the ice tonight for the Rangers as they try to prevent a sweep at the hands of the Penguins. Drury skated briefly this morning and his injury (officially unknown but believed to be bruised ribs) doesn't look like it will keep him out of Game Four.
The same can't be said, of course, for Sean Avery. He remains hospitalized from his lacerated spleen. Blair Betts is also out with a fractured orbital bone and won't play again this season unless the Rangers make a miraculous comeback and get all the way to the Stanley Cup finals.
Pretty amazing to think Drury & Co. are in the predicament they're in while Marty Biron and Daniel Briere are in starring roles as the Flyers are one win away from an upset of the Canadiens and a berth in the conference finals. Click their names for links to today's Philadelphia columns on each.
Now if the Habs lose this series, that would be cause for the folks in Montreal to riot.
They're down, 2-0, heading to Big D with coach Ron Wilson teetering on the edge of unemployment. Not to mention what could be the end of Brian Campbell's brief career out west. Campbell has no goals and five assists in the postseason and is even in the plus-minus rating. He played 28:37 and 28:38 in the first two games of this series.
---I know the Sharks had the league's best road record during this the season but how about the impressive work by the Stars? They beat both the Ducks and Sharks on the road in Games One and Two, proving they weren't getting enough pub coming into the playoffs as a real contender. Lindy Ruff maintained the Sabres' best road win all season was their 2-1 victory in Dallas Jan. 24. He sensed how good a team they were.
---Should we just let the Dallas-Detroit West final get started or do Colorado and San Jose still have reasons to stick around?
---I'm not about to write off the Rangers, even though they're in a 2-0 hole to the Penguins. After all, they're going home and quickly talking about how they climbed out of a similar rut last year against the Sabres. Lots of chirping in this series between Tom Renney and Michel Therrien, largely about whether Sidney Crosby is a diver. Oh, dear Jaromir Jagr: Shut up and play.
---Most compelling series so far is Flyers-Habs. The Briere-Birons are back home tonight and there's plenty of yapping going on in that series as well heading into Game Three.
---One last note: Now available in local bookstores are paperback copies of "Rayzor's Edge", Rob Ray's book that was written with News Sports Reporter and stat research guru Budd Bailey. The hard-cover edition sold out in about three weeks.
---Mike Harrington
(AP Photo: Mike Modano, left, celebrates his second-period goal with Brendan Morrow)
I was out and about watching games the other night, and there was a guy in the bar wearing a Flyers jersey with the No. 48 and Briere on the back. Now, I'm well aware that by simply mentioning a certain former ex-Sabre, some of you will say why won't they let that go?! That's not what this is about, so relax a second.
I just thought it was interesting that a Buffalo person would have that jersey. I'm not saying he abandoned the Sabres or anything, it just appears people have room for more than one team. So who else roots for former players to the point that they are now legitimate fans of another team?
And once again, this is not a commentary on negotiations or anything, but it simply has to be said ... Briere is pretty good, huh? Playoff-best five goals, including a game-winner and at least one game-tying tally, a plus-4 rating and a 31.3 shooting percentage.
Dominik Hasek got pulled from the Red Wings' Game Four loss Wednesday night at Nashville after giving up three goals on 14 shots. And here's today's update from practice: Hasek is out and Chris Osgood is in for Game Five on Friday night.
Pretty stunning that the Predators are even in this one through four games, isn't it?
---Mike Harrington
(AP Photo: Darcy Hordichuk celebrates after the Preds' first goal Wednesday)
First I admit the shame: After covering the Bisons game and watching the Rangers-Devils OT thriller, the Sharks-Flames game was past my bedtime and I didn't see anything after the first five minutes.
Yep, I saw those three San Jose goals, saw CuJo come in for Calgary and figured this one was over (I wasn't trying to miss it mind you, but you know how those things go). So I was pretty surprised to see those highlights of the Calgary comeback when I turned on NHL Network quickly before coming to Cleveland for tonight's Indians-Red Sox game (I'll have more on that tonight at the Inside Pitch blog).
A big hit by ex-Sabre Cory Sarich gets the Flames going (reminded you of Brian Campbell-R. J. Umberger a little didn't it?). Speaking of Campbell, he was a plus-1 in the game, on the ice for all three of his team's goals and three of Calgary's as power plays accounted for the difference in his rating.
Hey Soupy: When the game is tied late, maybe you should either BLOCK THE SHOT OR GET OUT OF YOUR ELITE GOALIE'S WAY! Owen Nolan should send Campbell a Christmas card for the game-winner that Campbell ole'd. Ron Wilson is a goner if the Sharks lose this series, and Campbell's price tag in free agency might get a drop too.
Anyway, Campbell has just one assist in the three games thus far and is plus-1. Chris Drury, meanwhile, is pointless in the Rangers' three games against the Devils and Daniel Briere has two goals and an assist in the Flyers' two games. But he's certainly rueing that blown two-goal lead in Game One because Marty Biron's shutout in Game Two got the Flyers even heading home.
Still feeling sour over last night's meltdown against Montreal? Check out these nuggets. They won't make your mood any better.
---The Bruins have scored twice in the second period and have a 2-0 lead over Ottawa. Twenty minutes left for the Senators to give Buffalo some help.
---Habs center Saku Koivu and defenseman Mark Streit will both miss tonight's game in Toronto with foot injuries suffered when they took shots from Ales Kotalik in the opening minute of the first period Friday. Both recovered to play the entire game -- with Koivu making the key play from behind the net on the Habs' overtime goal and Streit assisting on the final three Montreal tallies -- before their pain grew overnight.
---The Sharks clinched the Pacific Division title with last night's 3-1 win over the Ducks. So for those keeping a Brian Campbell scorecard, San Jose is 14-0-2 since he was acquired from the Sabres at the trade deadline and he has 15 points (2-13) in those games. The Sharks are unbeaten in regulation in their last 18 games (16-0-2). Any Steve Bernier sightings lately?
I know how much some of you just LOVE hearing about Daniel Briere and Chris Drury, so here's an article by ESPN's Scott Burnside all about the former Sabres co-captains.
This week's Monday Extra in the sports section, designed by The News' Vince Chiaramonte, focuses on the Spin-o-rama. Sabres fans, of course, associate that move with former defenseman Brian Campbell.
Here is the YouTube clip of the Spin-o-rama goal Cambpell, in a Sharks uniform, scored March 3 against the Montreal Canadiens:
Brace yourself, Soupy fans. This one is gonna hurt.
Brian Campbell had a smashing home debut for the Sharks Monday night in a 6-4 win over the Canadiens. Long after most of us went to bed, he pulled off the spin-o-rama of his career to score San Jose's insurance goal.
In the wake of the trading deadline and two days off, I have a lot on my mind to unload this morning as the Sabres prep for tonight's game against the Canadiens.
---Even before we saw Steve Bernier play Wednesday night, you had to like what Darcy Regier got for Brian Campbell. But Regier took the deal from the Sharks at 11:30 a.m. If he had waited closer to the 3 p.m. deadline, could he have squeezed even more from San Jose or someone else? Look at the haul Atlanta got from Pittsburgh in exchange for Marian Hossa just under the wire.
---Less than two months later, the Ice Bowl already has a remember-them feel. Both goal scorers in regulation (Campbell and Pittsburgh's Colby Armstrong) were dealt at the deadline.
---Former Campbell defense partner Jaro Spacek had an interesting thought Wednesday about how Campbell will find it tougher in the Western Conference. Sure enough, in his first game Wednesday in Columbus, Campbell (left) got mugged by BlueJackets center Rick Nash and new defense partner Douglas Murray had to jump in and rescue him.
---The Sabres' three-year offer was a joke and Campbell's tears were genuine but it's hard for me to get all misty-eyed when a guy simply can't take $17.75 million. Especially when he keeps insisting the players' union didn't put any pressure on him. Right. All the tears we saw the last two weeks were the sign of a tormented guy getting squeezed on both sides, from his own emotions and the demands of his union and agent.
---Wow, was that Hockey News cover with Campbell in a Sharks jersey prophetic or what? Couple weeks ago in New York restaurant, Campbell ran into some Sharks players and old buddy Joe Thornton joked with him to come over and meet his new teammates. Wishful thinking at the time.
---The Sabres got manhandled in December in Anaheim and LA and their toughness was certainly in question. No questions anymore, especially with what we saw in the late going of Wednesday's slugfest against Nashville. Adding Bernier certainly helps in that area and so does Nolan Pratt's regular turn on defense. And how would you like to be playing against a fourth line of Adam Mair, Patrick Kaleta and Andrew Peters? Keep your head up!
---We don't see the Predators much at all, in person or on TV. Fine with me. What a bunch of chippy hacks.
---Speaking of the Ice Bowl, it's the last time we saw Maxim Afinogenov on the ice. Isn't it kind of odd to you that he's suddenly healthy two days after the deadline? The way he'd been playing before he got hurt, the Sabres would have almost certainly been looking to unload his bloated contract.
Chris Drury is back in town tonight and I just remembered what happened a year ago Friday! Have a few laughs reminiscing about this one and keep it here for injury updates during the morning skate, which begins at 10 a.m.
Two matinees and two wins for the Rangers, who parlayed their momentum from Saturday's victory over the Sabres to a 3-1 triumph over the Sharks this afternoon at MSG. Ryan Callahan had two more goals today while Chris Drury had a goal and an assist.
So the Rangers now have 67 points and are temporarily two ahead of the Flyers for sixth. The Sabres and idle Boston are tied for eighth at 64.
One point tonight puts Buffalo no worse than eighth. The Sabres can leapfrog Philly with a win and a regulation loss by the Flyers against visiting Montreal. Philly has suddenly lost six straight to fall from the division lead to the mere fight for eighth place.
News Sports Reporter Budd Bailey was working in the Sabres' public relations department on that fateful night in the Aud when Malarchuk was injured. The latest entry in his personal blog relives it and there's some pretty interesting anecdotes that aren't widely known.
Joe Juneau, who nearly helped the Sabres to the Stanley Cup in 1999, one year after knocking them out in the Eastern Conference finals with Washington, has dedicated his life to helping kids in the far reaches of Quebec.
This Sportnet.ca documentary, though slow loading at times, examines how a rare rocket scientist/hockey player can make a difference.
ATLANTA -- J.P. Dumont was going to be a big name on the trading block this month. Instead, he's now a big name in Nashville.
The Predators signed the former Sabres forward to a four-year, $16 million contract. It's a nice a nice raise from the $2.5 million he was getting this year. The Sabres allowed Dumont to become a free agent two summers ago when they declined to accept the $2.9 million contract awarded by an arbitrator.
Dumont was set to become an unrestricted free agent in July.
TARRYTOWN — I got a few minutes Tuesday in the Rangers' locker room with Chris Drury and he was all class, as usual. Plenty of good things to say about Buffalo and its fans, no shots at the organization that betrayed him last summer with its slipshod negotiating tactics.
You can read Drury's comments in Wednesday's paper. One thing I didn't get in was the story behind how Drury was able to keep his beloved No. 23, worn in honor of ex-Yankees great Don Mattingly. Drury and Scott Gomez, signed from New Jersey, both wore 23 with their former teams. Who would wear it here? It was a flip of the puck on signing day back in July.
"We went behind the scenes first to see who would call it in front of the media," Drury said. "He lost that so I got to call it. It was a puck with a Rangers logo on one side, NHL on the other. [Rangers GM] Glen Sather flipped it, I called "Rangers". It landed Rangers and that was it."
And if Gomez had won, what number would Drury have taken?
"I didn't have an alternate choice," he said. "Hopefully they didn't make me choose it right there."
Great guy. Great leader. In three years, he became one of the all-time Sabres. Hard to see him in a different uniform. Biggest bonehead move in the history of Buffalo sports? I can't think of another one even close.
---Mike Harrington
(Photo: Drury and linemate Sean Avery celebrate a goal/Associated Press)
This video has been making the rounds, but here it is for anyone who hasn't seen it or wants to see it again. It's a superbrawl in the Russian Superleague, with old friend Mika Noronen getting some (bloody) face time. Two things:
1) If you like the music in this video, you and Toni Lydman can go to concerts together;
2) Mika could have been a good NHL goalie if he would have gotten a real chance to play. His friends say he's doing well over there, though, so that's good.
COLUMBUS, Ga. -- Sometimes life just works out perfectly. The Sabres play in Atlanta on Sunday, so I got to travel to Georgia, where I began covering hockey for the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer in 2000. The city is about an hour south of Atlanta, and the team I wrote about, the Columbus Cottonmouths,is playing tonight. So I made the journey down.
The best part is, it's the 10-year reunion of their 1997 Central Hockey League championship team. There are 25 guys in town, and I covered probably 20. I still keep in touch with the captain of those teams, Jerome Bechard, and he's now the GM and coach.
Which gets me to the point of this. Beesh was the greatest hockey player I've ever seen. (Here are his numbers.) He was born to play hockey. You know those guys: missing teeth, fearless, eager to do anything to win, would block a shot with his skull if it prevented a goal. He's not the best player, but he's the ultimate player. Bechard is absolutely beloved by his town and teammates, and of course hated by everyone else's players and fans. During one playoff series, an opposing player tried to hit him with his car in the parking lot!
Chris Drury was the closest I've encountered to Beesh from the aspect that he'd do anything to win. But Bechard loves hockey off the ice, while I've always got the sense Drury just loves the on-ice aspect.
So, the question is, who's your Jerome Bechard? Who's the guy that makes hockey matter for you? He doesn't have to be the best, just the ultimate.
Daniel Briere and Martin Biron were all smiles at the Flyers' pregame skate today, chatting and laughing with ex-teammates and arena officials. Here's a sampling of what was being said the last couple days in the Sabres locker room about Briere, the team's former co-captain:
Derek Roy: "It will be different. He's one of my mentors. It's good just to play against him. He's a great player but we need the points. We can't be making friends out there. It's going to be business."
Thomas Vanek: "We all realize he's a very good player who brought a lot to this team when he was here and helped this team grow to where it is now. It's part of business. Players move around. We're happy he's in a good place. He likes it but we're not going to hold back."
Ryan Miller: "We're trying to move past it. It's obviously a story that keeps coming up ... You're not just going to get away from it overnight. The fans kind of jumped early and I understand that. They got panicky. We felt it in the room too in that we wanted to win right away but there's a sense in the room there are new roles. We're handling them much better, settling down and playing better hockey."
Some words about Biron, the team's former chatterbox in the net:
Miller: There can't be a barrier between two [goaltenders'] stalls in the locker room. There can't be tension. It's a tough enough job without the tension. This organization has done a good job looking out for personalities at that position. I've had fun with all the guys I've played with Marty taught me a lot. I watched him coming up through my career. He's a big part of helping me get to where I am now."
Lindy Ruff, when asked what he missed most about Biron: "Asking him one question and getting a half-hour story."
VORHEES, N.J. -- Daniel Briere had every opportunity to bash the Sabres on Thursday but instead took the high road after practice at Flyers Skate Zone. The only thing he wanted to discuss was how many good memories he had in three-plus years in Buffalo.
Good for him. He's a class act.
It will be interesting to see how fans react to him tonight with the Flyers in town. The guy led the Sabres in playoff scoring the last two years. He led them in scoring during the regular season last year. If anything, he deserves a standing O.
Yeah, I know, he's on the other team. Don't blame him for that one.
Fans get tired of me defending Briere, but it doesn't change the facts. Briere wanted to stick around and was basically blown off. His agent has said many times that Briere would have stayed if the Sabres offered him a five-year deal worth $25 million. So he wasn't even looking for a raise.
It was pretty tough to ignore the Flyers when they showed up with an eight-year deal for $52 million when his own team offered him nothing until three days before free agency opened. It amazes me how many people still believe his departure was all about the money. It was about the money only after it became clear the Sabres weren't interested.
My guess is Martin Biron will get a warmer welcome tonight. Marty is one of my all-time favorite athletes to cover, mainly because you can ask him one question and get 14 answers. Quick quiz: How many postseason games has Biron played in his NHL career?
Time is up. It's zero.
--- Bucky Gleason
The Sabres are the talk of the town and much of that talk will be here. Sabres beat writers John Vogl and Mike Harrington get you behind the scenes, and columnists Bucky Gleason and Bob DiCesare provide perspective with frequent postings on the team and the league.
Couple major Chris Drury items coming from the Rangers: He's moving to right wing alongside Scott Gomez and the calls are growing for coach Tom Renney to name Drury the captain for the Rangers' season opener Saturday in Prague against the Lightning.
The Sabres are the talk of the town and much of that talk will be here. Sabres beat writers John Vogl and Mike Harrington get you behind the scenes, and columnists Bucky Gleason and Bob DiCesare provide perspective with frequent postings on the team and the league.
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