I just hope Tyler Myers gets a real shot at sticking with the club. Gosh, outside of Brian Campbell (who was a mid-round pick), the Sabres haven't had a defenseman they drafted this highly-touted since Phil Housley. And that's over 25 years ago!

I think the Sabres will surprise some pundits this year, many of whom seem to think that inactivity in free agency equals doom in the regular season. As we've seen over the years from teams like the Rangers and the Leafs, overpaying players past their prime isn't a recipe for success. I mean *really*, is Jeff Finger that much better than Ian White?

I see them once again fighting for one of the last three playoff spots. I think they have a ceiling of second in the division, with Boston seemingly the class of the Northeast. Toronto is much improved and scare me much more than the Montreal midgets and the Sens but only if the Leafs brass finally admit that Toskala is just another in the long line of goaltending busts for the club.

That all said, an injury to Ryan Miller would be catastrophic...Patick Lalime is not an NHL quality keeper anymore. I very much worry about the backup goaltending situation. Keeping Tim Connolly healthy is also of utmost importance, although the emergence of Buffalo native Tim Kennedy is a positive development. Kennedy made the team out of camp but will have to score points early and often if he intends to stick.

The Sabres have the makings of two quality scoring lines with Thomas Vanek, Derek Roy, Drew Stafford, Connolly and Jason Pominville in the top six. Clarke MacArthur is currently the second line left winger after a great training camp but he'll need to be much more consistent if he intends to maintain that lofty status. Kennedy or mighty midget Nathan Gerbe, who was just sent down to the AHL after winning the rookie of the year in that league last year, can step into top six roles if necessary.

The checking line is excellent: Jochen Hecht (who had a horrific year last year but is in a much better role as a third liner in 09/10), Paul Gaustad and Mike 'Stonehands' Grier should be a great shutdown trio although I'm sure I'll be screaming at Grier all year for missing empty net after empty net.

The fourth line is full of energy and pests, with overacheiver Matt Ellis centering Adam Mair (when healthy) and Patrick Kaleta (perhaps one of the most hated players in the league).

The defense is a question mark - who will quarterback the powerplay after the departure of Jaro Spacek? Likely sophomore Chris Butler, who impressed in a half season as a rookie. Craig Rivet, newcomer Steve Montador and Myers will likely get time as well early in the season. Henrik Tallinder, who two years ago likely was the best d-man on the team, will have to fight to keep a spot in the lineup...he had a rotten camp and is coming off a bad season.

If I were a betting man, and I am, I'd bet on the Sabres finishing around 8th and making the postseason but again, they need to keep Miller healthy AND get wins out of Lalime when he plays, especially in an Olympic year when Miller will need a bit of rest.

Great summary, 'Skillz.

I really see the second line and the D being all important this year. This is the first time in a long time I've come into a season not really having much idea of what to expect out of the blueliners. The second line guys -- Staff, Timmy, Mac -- all have something to prove this year. If they all live up to their upside [and stay healthy], then we can be pretty dangerous.

I like the extra grit and leadership this year -- that alone might pay dividends.

Elsewhere in the division, I totally agree that Toronto is becoming a more scary prospect than Montreal and that we're all looking up at Boston, but I wouldn't be shocked if Ottawa has a bounce-back year. I think Leclair has the skills to be a very solid G.

I am looking forward to the Toronto/Montreal game tonight. Not only do I enjoy the rivalry, but the match up between the big, truculent Leafs and the wee, little Canadiens is something that I've really been interested in watching. Montreal's big, vegan-yogi tough guy could really have his hands full.

Go Go Black & Gold!

I'm wicked excited for the season. I don't see the B's ending the season first in the east again, but no lower than fourth either. I think Thomas will fall a little back to Earth, and the offense will sputter a bit. But overall I think this team is better suited for the playoffs than lat year's version.

When have the Flyers done anything that has made sense?

No real comment about the Sabres, but this makes me think of how Patrick Kaleta's NHL career started. His very first game was that comic experience against Ottawa a couple of years ago, the game where the Senators sent out Spezza, Comrie, and Heatley, and then Lindy Ruff countered with his tough guys. Kaleta is the guy who was matched up with Heatley at the faceoff, right before Heatley ran like a girl. That's what I'll always remember about Patrick Kaleta.

the Avs are retiring Joe Sakic's jersey tonight.

Ahhh, that brings back fond memories! I was at that game and it was right after Chris Neil knocked the crap out of Chris Drury with a cheapshot hit. Drew Stafford (a rookie that year) went after Neil then Ruff sent out Peters, Mair and Kaleta against the Spezza line.

Heatley was skating for his life as Spezza took a beating from Mair then of course, the goalies got into it before Peters and Ray Emery went toe to toe.

I think the Sabres finished the game with 13 skaters but won the game 6-5 or something. One of the greatest games I've seen in person...that building was ROCKING that night.

Is that the one where Emery was wierdly smiling as he got into the fight?

Whatever fight that was, that's when I knew Emery wasn't all there. :)

Here are the Flyers Line combos to start the season:

Gagne-Richards-Pyorala
Hartnell-Carter-Briere
JVR-Powe-Giroux
Dan Carcillo-Blair Betts-IIan Laperriere.

Pronger-Carle
Timonen-Coburn
Parent-Syvret

Woohoo Briere on RW....that helps my pool team big time :)

Yup, that was the one. He dispatched poor Marty Biron in about three seconds then Peters said "how about you try someone your own size?". Emery, who likes to box on the side, was more than willing to accommodate. :)

I'm hearing that Shanny has left the Devils and will retire.

He just signed with them less than a month ago, didn't he? I wonder if he has a problem with Lemaire....

They had an agreement before the season that if he wasn't on the top 3 lines, he would walk away.

Love this Nylander cartoon.

4.5 hours till puck drop...woohoo!

Really? I'm not sure I agree. As much as I didn't like his attitude Kessel was still a very good goal scorer and, although Sturm is a good player he is injury prone and is hardly a sure thing. I think in order for the Bruins to really step it up they will need guys like Sturm and Derek Morris to play very well and Wheeler to put in a full season's worth of production. I think this year's team will experience an inevitable dropoff from last year's team, especially in the scoring department, and so I'm not sure I see them as being better suited for a playoff run. Still I hope they prove the ESPN analysts wrong: every analyst chose Boston to win their division but not even advance to the Eastern Conference finals.

Halfway through the first in Toronto and there have been 2 fights.

And Gionta just buries one seconds after a Komisarek penalty.

And Toronto ties it up on a nice forecheck from Hagman. He gets it out to Ponikarovsky who buries it from the slot.

You mean in Toronto :)

Ha yes. I have to edit. I blame it on Brian Burke though.

Don't make him get truculant on your ass.

Another dumb Komisarek penalty leads to a Montreal PPG to tie it up with 4 minutes left.

After watching parts of three games tonight (haven't watched the Calgary/Vancouver game), I have a few thoughts.

1. Toronto looked rather slow and out of sync, and Montreal was all over the ice, yet the Leafs severely outshot them. Not sure how that happened exactly.

2. Nabakov looks terrible for the Sharks. Just terrible.

3. Tim Thomas also did not look very good.

4. Ovechkin leads the league in goals and probably will all season.

So far, the goaltending has looked quite ordinary, even outright bad in some instances. I am looking for it to stabilize as the season wears on. Hopefully.

So far, the goaltending has looked quite ordinary, even outright bad in some instances. I am looking for it to stabilize as the season wears on. Hopefully

And Osgood has'nt even played yet :D

Yeah, I was thinking about that as I typed it. Nabakov, Luongo, Kiprusoff, all look awful. Maybe this is Osgood's year to win the Vezina. :D

Emery either

I get the award for teh first major injury to my fantasy team as Andrei Markov is out for 2 to 3 months......I knew i should never have drafted an f'n Hab.

That sucks. Kessel is out for me until November, but that pales in comparison to your situation.

I gotta admit the crowd singing O' Canada at the start of the Toronto/Montreal game gave me goose bumps. Really cool!

So I didn't get to watch a LOT of hockey last night, but what's the deal with this Gionta guy for Montreal? He actually scored a goal? It seems like ages since I saw a guy named Gionta score a goal. So confusing.

In other news, I hear that Lemaire flipped a coin to decide who'd play wing on the second line in New Jersey. My wife won the coin toss, so Shanahan left. Wifey will be wearing #44 in honor of Mike Peluso's hair tomorrow night. I predict that she'll score 3 goals this season, which should put her third on the team behind Parise and Brodeur.

Go Devils.

You never disappoint, Pumpy.

While I'm in this thread, I'd like to borrow bbor's toothbrush for about an hour.

LOL

hmmm.....
It is a 'Reach" toothbrush:D

I've got the Nerf football ready to go.

Bad news for the Hab. Andrei Markov is out 4 months with a lacerated tendon in his ankle.

Blackhawks lose their first game in a shootout to Florida. I would be lying if I didn't admit that I like this.

Osgood is pretty miserable, yeesh. Not all his fault as the D didn't do much to help him out so far but he has looked all out of sorts since the first preseason game.

4 goals already, and they blew a 3-1 lead. Yikes. :(

Carolina couldn't hit the broad side of a barn in a 2-0 loss at home to Philly tonight. Emery made some good saves for Philly, but we had so many badly-off-target shots it was laughable. 0-for-8 on the PP, too. At least that picked up where it left off in the playoffs.

Cleary scores just 2 minutes in....hopefully today will have a better outcome.

Cleary scores again, and it's 3-0.

EDIT: No goal.

I know it's early, but this team just doesn't look like they have the same drive as in past seasons. Goaltending could be a problem too. *shrug*

Pumped about the Coyotes-Kings game tonight!

Are you a Yotes fan because they "used" to be the Jets? ;)

Haha....that does reinforce my fan-hood, but it's mostly because I randomly decided to play as them way back in NHL98 for the PC. I kept playing as them each year because I knew the players.

To be completely honest though, this year is my first real attempt to follow the NHL. I've always loved hockey. I played it as a kid, but I've never really followed a team before and I thought I'd start now.

Monster in for the Leafs....Toskula pulled.

4-1 Thrashers over Tampa late in the 2nd period. 10 different players with at least 1 point for Atlanta, including goals from two D-men.