Buffalo Boy's Blog

After watching the last two weeks I can't help but feel that tonights game is going to be a let down. The intensity will not be nearly as high as it was over the last two weeks of Olympic hockey and the Sabres are no where near the team in front of Ryan Miller as the rest of the US squad.

So that said, I am looking forward to this week but since I didn't get a chance to write much on the Olympics and the gold medal game I'm taking my chance here.

First off, congradulations to Canada, it was deserved, that team got better throughout the tournament and as a diehard hockey fan I can't remember when hockey was more exciting in recent memory and yes that includes the Sabres runs with Drury and Briere. I hate Heatley and Crosby but after watching them the last two weeks there is a healthy hate/respect for many of those players.

What the last two weeks did for fans of hockey probably won't be measured until after this years playoffs. For me it took a diehard fan and made me all the more a fan of the game when its played right....with passion, grit and determination. For casual fans, they saw some of the best hockey has to offer and it may have made some casual fans diehards.

The biggest difference I saw of the players in those Olympic teams as compared to what we go back to tonight is that those players play with passion, they go to the net and they pay a price to put the puck in the net by any means. They don't screw around with behind the back passes and if they do its because they know exactly where players are on the ice.

Tonight we will probably see more Tim Connolly and Derek Roy dipsy doodle crap and no effort to go to the net. If there is any hope its that Ryan Miller, Toni Lydman, Henrik Tallinder, Jochen Hecht and Lindy Ruff come back and tell their peers what it takes to win hockey games, they all saw it, they all lived it for the last two weeks.

I wondered why Tim Connolly wasn't pcked for the US team, I now know why, hes not willing to go where these players were going. Hes not willing to go to the net.

So, the trade deadline is tomorrow and after tonight, if Buffalo loses its trade time. Even if they win there is not enough room on this team for Connolly and Roy, we need grit and leadership and someone who can contribute offensively. Who wouldn't take Chris Drury for Derek Roy at this point?

We need one solid, young, power play type defenseman who isn't afraid to grind a little too and we need some leadership/scoring up front.

Its fitting that we see Pittsburgh and Sid Crosby tonight first game back, its a good measure as to how good this team really is. Granted, Patrick Lalime is getting the start, but who cares. This team has to show they are a team and they have to play in front of him. If they don't I hope Darcy has a phone on speed dial to some willing trade partners in his hand to bolster this roster.