Buffalo Sabres Spark Community Divide

Normally a sports team brings a city together.  The Buffalo Sabres rallied the Western New York area after the surprise October storm many years ago that crippled much of their fan base, with a heavy wet snow and ice that battered the area after heavy rains, toppling trees and destroying neighborhoods.

In late November the Buffalo Bills “lost” a home game to another early winter surprise in a snow storm that crippled the area codes of 716 and 585 for the better part of a week.  Scott Chandler makes it to the end zone, and does a touchdown celebration worthy of the fifteen yard penalty for excessive celebration.  (Chandler wasn’t flagged on the play, but you get my point).

In December however, the Buffalo Sabres continue their winning ways and have moved themselves to within four points of the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.  They just swept four straight opponents at home, and are continuing their red hot ways.  But wait, didn’t you get the memo, this was the year of the tank?  We were a lock for the first (or second) overall pick because Tim Murray had assembled a team of guys that got him to the salary cap floor, but wasn’t going to threaten anyone in the Eastern Conference.

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The stats don’t support the fact that the Buffalo Sabres are riding one of two hot streaks that should have opponents looking, they are one of two teams in the bottom of the Eastern Conference with blood on their hands.  The Buffalo Sabres have won four straight game, and the Columbus Blue Jackets* are looking at winning their seventh straight.

If the season were to end today, the Buffalo Sabres would be picking in one of three spots, they could win the draft lottery, and get the first overall pick,  they could select ninth overall, which is where they are in the standings, or they could be picking tenth overall if a team behind them wins the draft lottery.  Winning is only going to push them further down that chain.

Now listen, I am not a draft dreamer, getting that first overall draft pick and bringing home Connor McDavid does not solve the woes of this franchise, but the chance to grab a generational player is a once in a franchise opportunity.  Buffalo has been down this road before.  They had Gilbert Perreault from the beginning.  Perreault gave them a shot, but in that era of hockey without free agency, you need more than one draft pick, more than one line.  They got close in 1975.

The Buffalo Sabres struck gold again in drafting Pierre Turgeon, but he wasn’t the player that Perreault was, nor what McDavid is projected to be.  Come hell or high water the Buffalo Sabres should want to curl up in the fetal position and roll over.   Sure, give me the argument that no professional hockey player is going to lose on purpose.

The Buffalo Sabres are causing a stir in the community however, and its drawing a divide through the 716.  The cries and cheers of jubilation at winning are contagious as the Buffalo Bills will end the 2014 season with a winning record after upsetting the Green Bay Packers.  The Buffalo Sabres are on a hot streak and the team isn’t buckling under pressure.

Then you have those that want to stop with the winning (not the Bills – the playoffs for them would be nice).  The more we win the further from the bottom of the heap we are.  We need that number one or number two pick.  Tim Murray should be screaming at the NHL to impose the draft lottery for the first three picks this year, it might improve his chances of picking in the top five.

Now that I have gotten you spun up and ready for war, stop worrying.  This team is going to level out.  How many back up goaltenders have we faced?  How long are Jhonas Enroth and Michal Neuvirth honestly going to last holding this team up?  Sure good teams lose games, but they find away to get winning again.  Teams will start to win against the Buffalo Sabres.  Injuries will start to pile up.

The sooner the Buffalo Sabres come back down to reality, and start their losing ways again the better, because the divide between the bottom and the middle are starting to separate.  The Buffalo Sabres are closer to a playoff spot than not.  They could end the year holding one of the coveted eighth spots.

You woke up this morning with both of your Buffalo sports teams in the hunt for a playoff spot.  How does that make you feel Buffalo?

*Editor note – this article was changed to reflect that it is the Columbus Blue Jackets that are looking for their seventh straight win, not the Carolina Hurricanes.  The Carolina Hurricanes are looking to avoid a sixth straight loss!