The Top Five Changes I Want to See the Buffalo Sabres Make

Confession, Buffalo Sabres fans:

Nov 15, 2013; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres head coach

watches play from the bench during the first period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

I used to despise Twitter.  I avoided it like the plague, found it to be a pointless exercise in self-indulgence for celebrities and athletes, and really dragged my heels when it came to finding a reason to actually use the account that I had set up for myself.

Now, however, I use Twitter (or at least, I check my timeline) fairly frequently, and today I came across this blurb from Sabres interim coach Ted Nolan:

The first time I read that, I nodded my head and went back to whatever it was that I was doing (probably nothing, if we’re being honest).  The more I thought about it, though, the more excited I became.  This is the sort of talk I want coming from the Buffalo Sabres right now, because it essentially admits the obvious: for the past few years, the organization has been headed in the wrong direction, with the wrong people steering the boat.  Mistakes have been made, and it’s time to change them.

If the Sabres are taking suggestions (and they should be), here are the five most important changes the franchise needs to make ASAP.  Enjoy, and feel free to leave me your ideas on what the Sabres need to change in the comments below!

Nov 27, 2013; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres goalie

(30) in net during the game against the Montreal Canadiens at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Trade Ryan Miller and Bring Up Matt Hackett

I like Ryan Miller – always have.  I think Buffalo Sabres fans end to over-value him a bit – he’s not one of the top 10 best goalies in the NHL, and really hasn’t been except for his 2009-2010 campaign – but he’s a good goaltender who could win a championship with the right team/system around him.   There is no doubt that Miller and Jhonas Enroth are the Sabres’ MVPs so far this dismal season, so props to him for stepping up and giving this rough-around-the-edges team a chance to win so many times this season . . . but it’s time to let him go contend for the Stanley Cup, folks.  Whereas Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek were traded solely to help the team stockpile draft picks, Ryan Miller should be traded because he deserves to finish his career with a few more playoff wins under his belt.  (That doesn’t mean Buffalo should trade him for magic beans, just that this is the RIGHT reason to trade him.)

Besides, it would come as an absolute stunner if Miller chose to resign with the team come the offseason.  He’s going to be gone this time next year, and the Sabres are going to be relying on the goalie tandem of Enroth and Matt Hackett, so let’s get Hackett up in the big leagues now and see what we have in the guy.  After all, he presumably has the inside track over guys such as Nathan Lieuwen and Andrey Makarov, and even though his 4-7-2 record and 3.06 GAA with the Rochester Americans right now isn’t super impressive, he’s on a team that is just 9-8 and that has been outscored 64-71 so far this season.  Hmm, sounds like the same predicament Miller, he of the 5-15-0 record and the 3.05 GAA, is in.  I want to know who the goaltenders of the future are, today, so let’s throw Enroth and Hackett into the flames and see what we’ve got!

Swap John Scott for Someone Who Fights AND Scores

Nov 29, 2013; Buffalo, NY, USA; The Toronto Maple Leafs celebrate a goal by left wing

(41) (in group) as Buffalo Sabres goalie

(30) and left wing

(32) react during the second period at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

I have not been shy when it comes to sharing my opinions on Big John Scott.  Let me say this much about him, though: ever since he was suspended for elbowing Loui Eriksson in the head, Scott has been smart.  He has avoided being suckered into unnecessary fights (ah, those classy Toronto Maple Leafs!) and has actually tried to play hockey.

And therein lies the problem: John Scott is terrible at playing hockey.  My son is only eight years-old, but I am pretty sure he can skate better then Scott, pass at least as well as him, and could definitely get his stick on more pucks around the net than this guy can.  Is my son going to make the NHL?  Well, as much as I would love that, the odds currently point to no . . . which means that if he isn’t NHL-material, than neither is John Scott.

Clearly, losing Scott means the Sabres lose some muscle, but seriously folks: the NHL is changing.  I don’t care whether you like or not; the NHL wants guys like Scott and Patrick Kaleta out the door, UNLESS they can change their game and focus on playing hockey more and destroying/fighting people less.  Kaleta may still have an NHL career ahead of him, as he used to be able to score.  Scott – not so much.  And on an offensively-challenged team such as the Sabres, who managed only 15 SOG in their last game, every minute John Scott plays is a minute you can guarantee the Buffalo Sabres will not score.  Time to bring in a guy who is more than a one-trick pony.

Provide More Value for Fans’ Dollars

Mar 21, 2013; Buffalo, NY, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs fans during the game against the Buffalo Sabres at the First Niagara Center. Sabres beat the Leafs 5-4 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Watching the Sabres-Leafs game from last week, I was both livid and embarrassed by the number of Maple Leafs fans I saw in attendance in the First Niagara Center.   I don’t care how bad the Buffalo Sabres are (and I would argue that they are clearly playing better hockey than even two weeks ago) – the team shouldn’t have to play a home ice game with an away-game atmosphere, especially when the visiting fans are known for their immature behavior.

I understand that one way to keep Buffalo fans from hawking their tickets on Stub Hub is to create a solid, playoff-bound team; winning cures a lot of ills.  Even so, the Sabres’ organization needs to do more in order to make fans want to come to games, even when the franchise is in the middle of a rebuild.   Affordable ticket prices is just part of  the approach; the Sabres need to ramp up the PR campaign and hold more special events, and hand out free merchandise that is better than the glow sticks they handed out for last year’s opening night.  Have more “Meet the Players” events, for example, or . . . .

Hey – I’m sure if I had time, I could brainstorm 20+ promotional events that the franchise could use to keep fans coming in – but I’m not employed by the team, so I’m not doing their work for them!  Still – the city of Buffalo is lucky to have two professional sports franchises.  This organization needs to find ways to make fans proud of what they have, and keep them packing the joint game after game.

Change the Culture and Perception Surrounding The Team

Apr 5, 2013; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres fans move a flag around the center before the game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Ottawa Senators at the First Niagara Center. Sabres beat the Senators 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

During the offseason, I wrote a lot about how the Buffalo Sabres need to create a culture of winning.  Step one, in my opinion, was to bring in some personnel who actually have enjoyed success in the NHL – Dominik Hasek, for example.   I was happy to see Terry Pegula bring in Ted Nolan and Pat LaFontaine, as both of these guys fit the description of guys who have enjoyed success in the league.

However, there is much more work to be done.  The Buffalo Sabres are the whipping boys of the NHL, the sports media, and fans around North America, and not just because of the team’s record.  Keeping Darcy Regier on board for way too long hurt the team’s credibility; allowing some players-who-shall-not-be-named to leave town did the same; and naming Ron Rolston the head coach, only to can him before November – yep, it all adds up to a franchise that resembles the punchline to a joke more than a professional hockey team. No free agent in his right mind would want to play for this team; anyone who gets traded here is going to jump ship the first chance he gets; and even my previous suggestion won’t keep fans coming to the arena if the team is an absolute laughingstock.

Again, winning games will help in this regard – but it takes the right people to make the right decisions to bring respect and glory back to this team.  I honestly think the HARBORCENTER project will help to establish Buffalo as a bit of a hockey mecca, but there’s so much more work to be done.  I don’t envy Pat LaFontaine and the rest of the Buffalo Sabres’ front office, as they have quite the challenge in front of them.

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