The Buffalo Sabres pulled the trigger on a trade deadline that brought Raffi Torres to town to bring in some scoring and toughness to the forward corps of players. 

So far that trade has not panned out the way the Sabres wanted it, and if the reports are correct, he is just biding his time before jumping on board with Toronto.  If these reports are accurate, the Sabres lose again and are burned for the second straight year at the deadline, which will force Darcy to keep his cards closer at subsequent deadlines. 

The Sabres have however, gotten some offensive help from other non-traditional areas.  Adam Mair was by far the best Sabre on the ice during the Philly game Friday night and Patrick Kaleta grabbed the spotlight on Broadway [again].  Those wins gave Buffalo a crucial four points to regain the Northeast Division lead, and they still have a two game cushion on Ottawa (their cushion will return to three when Ottawa  plays Tuesday, GO EDMONTON).

If the Sabres are going to hold onto first place in the division and ensure themselves home ice in the first round of the playoffs, they are going to need more than Adam Mair and Patrick Kaleta scoring goals.  Where are Tim Connolly, Thomas vanek, Jason Pominville, Jochen Hect, Drew Stafford [injured], Derek Roy, and Raffi Torres?

They are going to need to turn the offense up a notch or so – with a suspect blue line in front of  a world class goaltender.

The Sabres crawled into the Olympic break, and have crawled out of it.  First place is theres once again, tied with Ottawa, but having fewer games played.

However, the Sabres didn’t look anything different Friday night – and his first game in a Sabres uniform, well he looked like he had been here for awhile.

The Sabres need to build off the lucky win against Philadelphia, and put together a string of games to show the rest of the league that they are ready for the playoffs, and are not going to be the team that falls apart and collapses during the first round.

Tonight’s opponents are the New York Rangers.  While the Sabres struggle to maintain first place in their division, the Rangers are struggling to make the top eight in the conference.  The Sabres need to take advantage of the fact that the Rangers are struggling, for fear of going nine straight road games without a win, for the first time in the history of the franchise.

Friday night the Sabres had to contend with a team trying to rebound from a nasty 7-4 loss at the hands of the Panthers.  Tonight, the Sabres face a Rangers team looking to rebound from their sixth shutout of the season.

Finally after 2 long weeks and a sloppy road game in Pittsburgh hockey fills the HSBC arena again. Ryan Miller makes his debut following an MVP performance in the Olympics. It is no surprise the roof will blow off the hinges when Miller is introduced and likely given a small ceremony for his Silver Medal Achievement. Miller gets no real rest though as he will face the leagues best team and the always dangerous Alex Ovechkin. Buffalo can still regain the division point lead with a win as Ottawa lost last night as well.

The Sabres will soon have a small new look when Raffi Torres makes his debut assumably in the team’s next game. With Gaustad hurt and McArthur making his long awaited exit the Sabres do have a void to fill tonight. It would be assumed Derek Roy will be leaned on more for Center and faceoff duties; while many fans wanted to see Roy or Tallinder or both moved it did not happen but if we need to find a positive it would be Roy has 6 goals in the last 8 games including 1 last  night. My only concern is Roy’s maturity after watching him run to the bench and dance when he scored his goal but was not immediately counted, play was still going on and I understand he thought he scored but come on everyone knows you play till the whistle blows regardless.

At any rate there’s some reason to look forward to the rest of the season, we got a new high scorer with good potential, dropped some dead weight and of course a very determined Ryan Miller. I believe with the Olympic pressures behind him and the disappointment Miller has shown in not winning gold he will be very focused and determined to bring the cup home.

Its a scene that plays out in movies, books, and sometimes in real life all the time.  Deathrow inmate slowly taking his last steps towards his impending fate, hoping for an eleventh hour call from the governor and getting a stay of execution. 

It kind of seems like that in Buffalo every year around trade deadline.  There is usually at least one call that happens and this year, fans are left scratching their heads over a simple last minute trade.  Luckily there are twenty-five minutes left until this years D-Day for NHL trades, they might not be done yet. 

Nathan Paetsch no longer has to worry about being the odd man out on game night when his name doesn’t make the starting lineup in Buffalo.  Darcy also gives up a second round pick. 

Its not that long of a drive Paetsch has to make, as his new home is the Columbus Blue Jackets.  The Sabres are getting a winger in return, the newest Buffalo Sabre is Raffi Torres. 

A first round pick in 2000 (5th overall) by the Islanders- Torres has spent time with Columbus, Edmonton, and New York.  In 60 games with the Blue Jackets this year he has 19 goals and 12 assists.  Despite not netting a goal for the Sabres all year, he now becomes the teams leading goal-scorer. 

The question remains, will this trade work for the Sabres, or will we once again continue down the path to our fate, doomed because the eleventh hour call did not work?

While I was typing this, the Sabres restocked their draft picks, sending Clarke MacArthur to Atlanta for a third and fourth round pick.

Dear Darcy,

Did you have a troubled childhood?  Were you forced to go without because your family didn’t have? 

I am beginning to think that while other kids were eating pickles at school, you were eating stale cucumbers bathed in vinegar for two days.  How else can you treat this team like your personal vegetable garden in order to save money?

Do you realize their is a trade deadline today?  Did the NHL forget to send you the memo?  Or have you been around long enough have they asked you to move your desk several times, and now your just wandering around the basement trying to find your stapler?

Everyone else is getting better, or at least trying to.  Your goaltender just won a silver medal, hell he almost won the gold.  Did you ask him what he thinks?  Are we going to be forced to watch two more players wave good bye as unrestricted free agency comes and takes them off to greener pastures because your too cheap to pay a UFA, or to stingy to trade them away? 

Sometimes you have to screw the pooch to get better.  Screw the pooch Darcy, screw the pooch.  I know its not your style because it is probably how you made it through high school, but get off the wall and find a dance partner.  Trust me, the hockey, it will get better if you do. 

You could start with a goalie.  You could follow it up with toughness.  You don’t have to sell the farm (team) to bring in someone for a rental, or hell, even grab something for a few years.  Do you think Pittsburgh is going to be a basement team for giving up a prospect and Skoula to bring in Ponikarovsky?  I don’t think so.  Are they going to be better headed into April, you can bet your ass.