See, I have this theory. One season removed after the Buffalo Sabres played to a 39-32-11 record and a 9th place finish in the East to miss the playoffs by three points, in what was arguably the most hype, built up around the team in there 41 years of existence, the team will win the Stanley Cup.
Many will say, “that is one of the boldest predictions I’ve ever heard, your an idiot”. Call me an idiot, moron, nimrod, ningcompoop, I don’t care because you have another thing coming. I’m not just saying this to start fights, arguments, and feuds with fans, I have evidence to back it up.
First, the Buffalo Sabres have always thrived as an underdog. Countless examples arise that date further back than my birth in 1992. Moments that have been burned in my memory include the 2005-2006 season following the lockout. The Sabres had been so bad for several years preceeding that season that nobody had any business giving them any sort of expectations. What did they do? Came one game away from a Stanley Cup Final appearance. That same year, in the final game of the seven game conference finals series against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Sabres were missing four regulars from there defense corps, yet still managed to carry a lead going into the third period, where they were halted by the infamous Brian Campbell “delay of game” penalty. Should I even bother to mention the last two years, where they have carried identical 20-8-6 (2012), 29-11-6 (2011) records when they were all but counted out of the eastern conference playoff races. Going into this season the Sabres will be all but an afterthought to the rest of the league, but they will soon find out this team is a lot more dangerous than the squad who missed the playoffs last year, and this is the type of mentality that the Sabres feed off of.
Second, people don’t want to hear it but the Sabres had the worst injury bug I have ever seen before last year. For long periods they were without Tyler Myers, Christian Ehrhoff, Robyn Regehr, Mike Weber, Tyler Ennis, Patrick Kaleta, Jochen Hecht, Ryan Miller, among others and usually all at the same time. I am a strong believer in karma, and if this season is any indicator of the karma that is coming the Sabres way, it should be nothing short of a Stanley Cup. The Sabres have the type of roster (star forwards- Thomas Vanek, Jason Pominville, potential superstars- Cody Hodgson, Mikhail Grigorenko, Tyler Ennis, grit- Patrick Kaleta, Steve Ott, John Scott, Adam Pardy, star defensemen- Tyler Myers, Christian Ehrhoff, followed by one of the top goalies in the league in Ryan Miller), that if healthy most of the year will and should contend for a Stanley Cup Championship.
Lastly, not every theory can be explained through statistics, evidence, and Math. There is an aura around the Buffalo Sabres that that I have never before felt. Whether its just my thirst for a championship, being backed by the most dedicated owner in the league, all of the years of disappointment and heartbreak as a Buffalo fan, whether its the Bills or the Sabres. The Sabres are underdogs this year, and whether you like it or not, the Sabres are my pick for this year’s Stanley Cup. This video below illustrates my point best.
Apr 3, 2012; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller (30) during the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at First Niagara Center. Sabres beat the Leafs 6-5 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-US PRESSWIRE