Cautiously Hopeful About Sabres’ Chances

"Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-US PRESSWIRE“Let me tell you something my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane” – Red (Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption)"

This awesome quote from one of the ultimate movies of all time could reflect the state of mind some Buffalo Sabres fans are in right now, especially after Wednesday’s 6-0 drubbing of the Boston Bruins.

Is everyone back on board with this hockey club going forward again, with how they’ve managed 9 out of a possible 10 points in their last 5 games? Admit it, you are checking out the standings obsessively, on a nightly basis. Are you looking at each evening’s games and match-ups, and deciding who to pull for, based on which team will hurt the Sabres the least in the Eastern Conference standings?

I can tell you my feelings, and they directly relate to the great quote above. I know what Red meant by being driven insane by the concept of hope. Especially if you’ve gone through a period of having none whatsoever. You’ve got to be careful, tread lightly and try not to get too caught up it in all, because it can, and does, let you down. Hard. The Buffalo Sabres are sucking us all back in again, just like they did last year. We all know how that ended. But, this year could be the ultimate let down, if we succumb completely to the notion that they do, in fact, have a chance to make the playoffs.

That said, we shouldn’t abandon ship. None of us are cowardly Italian boat captains. The Jekyll and Hyde act hasn’t made any decision on how we feel about this hockey team easy, has it? But that’s why they play the games, and that’s why we’re all fans. To the end.

"“Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies” – Andy Dufresne to Red (Tim Robbins to Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption)"

Does that mean we can just put all our eggs in that basket, thinking they’ll go on some unprecedented run? There are optimists and pessimists. In the Buffalo Sabres’ case, I am a hopeful realist. I will continue my unwavering dedication, as I always have. I will watch or attend every single game. I am faithful to the Blue and Gold. I hope to see them go on a 20-7-2 tear. I hope to see them sneak up on the rest of the pack. I hope they sneak into the playoffs.

But, I will not have an anxiety attack over it. I know better.

And, saying all of this, I still feel there needs to be some changes to the on-ice product. This is not the team, as we are (were) led to believe, to take us to the promised land. So, with that, I hope to see some player movement on or before February 27th, and into the off-season, as well.

After all, a man can hope, can’t he?

Or can he?

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