Buffalo Sabres Round Table: Favorite Player Of All Time
By Tim Redinger
Melissa Kania, Editor Buffalo Sabres Defenseman Mike Weber
I’m going to be the wild card here and say that my favorite Sabres player of all time is defenseman Mike Weber. I know, I know. A lot of people don’t like him and will say he’s not a very good hockey player, but the fact is that I’ve been closely watching Weber play for years and it’s nice to see him develop into an NHLer.
Throughout my life as a hockey fan, I’ve always naturally had a favorite. When I was young, it was Pat Lafontaine, then Brian Holzinger, then J.P. Dumont. But Weber is different.
I’ve been following Weber since he first joined the Sabres organization back in 2007.
I have this ridiculously old card of his from that year, when he wore #33, the first in a string of jersey numbers he’d be tacked with during his time in Buffalo. (In case you’re wondering, it’s 33, 34, 3, 4 and of course, 6.)
He spent most of the next season with the Portland Pirates. I followed along as best as I could and attended the few games they held in Buffalo. Weber was eventually graced with an “A” on the Pirates, a leadership role I knew he deserved. He also made the AHL All-Star Game roster in 2010.
Fast forward a couple of years and Weber is now the longest-tenured defenseman on the Sabres roster. His tenure in Buffalo hasn’t been the easiest. He’s always been knocked out of his spot by a veteran, by someone acquired by trade, or what have you.
Just when you thought he had a viable spot in the NHL, along came someone else to knock him to the 7th spot. It was frustrating for me as a fan of his, and I imagine even more frustrating for him, but he never gave up.
I remember a few seasons ago when Weber was facing one of those press box periods. They said that he didn’t sit in the press box during games anymore, but instead, watched the games on a TV in the basement of the arena while working out on a bike.
Even when he was scratched, he always wanted to work hard and better himself, prepare himself for that next big opportunity.
He may not be the absolute best player out there, but… that’s not why I like him.
You don’t have to like a player because of how many goals he scores or his plus/minus. I value his leadership qualities, and his fearlessness in standing up for his teammates AND standing up in the locker room, both internally within the team and to media members and the like. His fire, perseverance and overall, the fact that he never gives up, are qualities that have made Weber one of the top ones in my book.
So while this may be a rare choice — I remember a few years ago when the Sabres’ Twitter account asked if I’m the “president of the Mike Weber fan club” — I think that Weber has a lot to offer. I remember when he got his first NHL goals, then eventually, his first goal at home; I remember a game I went to a few years ago when he was named first star.
Though realistically I don’t know how much longer he’ll be in Buffalo, he’ll always be one of those guys that I’ll follow as he continues to work hard night in and night out.
Next: Adam Savard, Contributor - SabreNoise