Sabres lock up Paul Gaustad

Holy proactiveness, Batman!

TSN brought us the news earlier this evening that the Buffalo Sabres signed soon-to-be restricted free agent Paul Gaustad to a 4 year, $9.2 million dollar contract.

“I’m excited about where this team is headed, and I’ve really come to love playing in Buffalo,” Gaustad told THE CANADIAN PRESS by telephone from his home in Portland, Ore.

“It’s something where you take a step back and look at where I came from and how I got there. I’m very proud to have this contract,” Gaustad added. “It’s something where I never really thought I’d make it in the NHL, and now I have a contract like this.”

”It’s a good deal for both and I think they recognize his value,” Gaustad’s agent, Carlos Sosa said.

The deal will pay Gaustad $1.7 million in 2008-09, and $2.5 million in each of the three subsequent years. He would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency following next season, so the Sabres “bought” three UFA-years.

I’m not gonna say it’s a bad deal, because Gaustad is one of the guys they have to build around, but damn, these contracts are gonna make it tough to give some of these players reasonable contracts. Drew Stafford and Daniel Paille are gonna be in the same ballpark now, so it’ll be tough to bring in outside help when you’re shelling out for your own guys.

Sabres select Tyler Ennis

So the Sabres decided to go with a small forward with their second 1st rounder.

Obviously, it’s because they don’t have enough of those.

TYLER ENNIS
Center
Shoots Left
5′9″, 146 lbs
Born: Edmonton, Alberta, October 6, 1989
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta

Absolutely tiny. I can’t say I’m thrilled that the Sabres would use the pick on Ennis, because I’d think they could trade down and still get him. But they must know something we don’t.

And now, the pertinent information:

Sabres select Tyler Myers

We have our big defenseman.

The Sabres traded up one spot to #12 to get Tyler Myers with their first pick.

Here are the basics:

TYLER MYERS
Defense
Shoots Right
6′7″, 204 lbs
Born: Houston, Texas, USA, February 1, 1990.
Hometown: Dewinton , Alberta

Now, thanks to the NHL, are the things you REALLY need to know about him:

2008 NHL Draft: Picks 1-10… and 11

And we’re a third of the way through.

Here’s the recap so far:

1. TB – Steven Stamkos
2. LA – Drew Doughty
3. ATL – Zach Bogosian
4. STL – Alex Pietrangelo
5. TOR – Luke Schenn
6. CBJ – Nikita Filatov
7. NSH – Colin Wilson
8. PHX – Mikkel Boedker
9. NYI – Joshua Bailey
10. VAN – Cody Hodgson

Some huge trades so far, too. Olli Jokinen is a ‘Yote, so now we don’t have to hear Eklund spew his shit about “Jokinen to Buffalo”.

Montreal did pick up Alex Tanguay, so obviously we’ll have better luck shutting down their potent powerplay next season, since the Sabres did so well at that last season.

Chicago just took Beach.

Only a couple picks until the Sabres go.

Only a few more hours, people

The 2008 NHL Entry Draft is a few hours away, and the rumors are swirling.

The Sabres, as they have stated themselves, are looking to make a deal.

“Boy, it’s been interesting,” Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier said Thursday night. “There’s been lots of talk. A lot of teams are open to trading, but they’re not locking into anything until they get a sense of who’s going to be available.”

Regier said there were a number of phone calls regarding the Sabres’ first-round selections, and he placed more than he received. He is interested in moving up to make sure the Sabres get one of the three players they are targeting, but he’s not alone.

“There are a lot of teams trying to get into the top 10,” Regier said.

It will be a very interesting night. As of now, the Sabres will be picking 13th and 26th in tonight’s 1st round.

So, to bide your time until things get going, here is all you need to know about the prospects.

Some guys I’d like to see pull on that white Sabres jersey tonight:

This is why Bucky is not the GM

For those unaware, I am not a fan of Buffalo News columnist Bucky Gleason.

I know I’m not alone.

Gleason’s pathetic agenda against Sabres management has polluted his work for as long as I can remember. He had a field day when a couple unnamed players left last July 1st. As a Sabres fan, it bothers me knowing that many fans who don’t follow the team closely might believe his garbage.

Today, I opened up my copy of the News to see an illustration of the joke himself on the front of the sports page. I was disheartened to see that he reprised his “If I was GM” column from last season. I wondered how long it’d take him to reference Chris Drury and/or Daniel Briere.

First line. Big surprise.

Basically, Gleason goes through and acts like he knows what kind of contracts free agents would be willing to take, or casts aside players who seem expendable.

Cheated, Not Defeated: Nine Years Later

Hello, children. Do you know what today is?

If you’re a Sabres fan, this date should be etched in the depths of your emotionally tortured heart.

June 19.

It’s been nine years.

“I believe everybody will remember this as the Stanley Cup that was never won in 1999.”
– Joe Juneau, Buffalo Sabres

Nine years later, and it’s still bullshit.

Yes, fans, nine years ago tonight was the sixth game of the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals. It’s been nine years since the Sabres got hosed out of their chance at a Stanley Cup. Nine years since the Sabres were as close as they have ever been to being champions. Nine years since the worst officiating/public relations job in professional sports history.

RIP Tim Russert 1950-2008

I honestly don’t know where to begin.

Buffalo native Tim Russert, the host of NBC’s Meet The Press, died today at age 58.

Russert was a world renowned journalist who held one of the premier posts in the national media. The host of Meet the Press since 1991.

Tim Russert, who pointedly but politely questioned hundreds of the powerful and influential as moderator of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” died suddenly Friday while preparing for his weekly broadcast. The network’s Washington bureau chief was 58.

In addition to his weekly program, Russert appeared on the network’s other news shows, was moderator for numerous political debates and wrote two best-selling books.

President Bush, informed of Russert’s death while at dinner in Paris, swiftly issued a statement of condolence that praised the NBC newsman as “an institution in both news and politics for more than two decades. Tim was a tough and hardworking newsman. He was always well-informed and thorough in his interviews. And he was as gregarious off the set as he was prepared on it.”

NBC interrupted its regular programming with news of Russert’s death and continued for several hours of coverage without commercial break. The network announced that Tom Brokaw will anchor a special edition of “Meet the Press” on Sunday, dedicated to Russert.

Competitors and friends jumped in with superlative praise and sad recognition of the loss of a key voice during a historic presidential election year. Personally, Russert was a family man and a father figure to his colleagues. Parenting organizations several times had named him Father of the Year.

Tim was always there to speak kindly of Buffalo. In a Sports Illustrated article about Chris Drury done during the 2007 NHL Playoffs, Russert was quoted about the hope Drury brought.

“The Sabres and the Bills are the city,” says Tim Russert, Buffalo native and host of NBC’s Meet the Press. “They give it life.”

Russert, Mayor Brown, most anyone in town will say that Drury is the perfect Buffalo player, an embodiment of the city’s self-image: hardworking, self-sacrificing, down to earth. But Buffalonians, as MacDonald, who coached at nearby Niagara University, says, “can also feel sorry for themselves. Woe is me, Scott Norwood, Brett Hull, why does this always happen to us? Chris is the anti of that mentality. He never feels sorry for himself and his team. He doesn’t look in the past, no pity parties. Nope. Next play.”

That, of course, is what Buffalo is counting on. “This is it! Brother Drury is bringing us to the mountaintop!” Russert shouts. “There’s a sense of mission. He has proved he knows how to win championships and he is the leader.” Then he pauses.

“Let’s hope,” Russert says, his voice dropping almost to a whisper. “One time.”

Russert was a beloved member of the media. Just watch some of the news coverage about his passing. The stories of how his Buffalo upbringing made him who he was just reiterates what he meant to Buffalo’s image. He was a personable, down-to-earth guy who spoke to the common man. That’s what he knew. He knew us. Buffalo.

After the jump is an NFL Films special done about Buffalo a few years back. It’s Russert who really does the best job conveying what Buffalonians felt.

Dominik Hasek Retires. Again.

By now you’ve heard the sad news, future first ballot Hall-of-Famer and Sabres legend, Dominik Hasek has retired.

Again.

We believed him the first time, when he said his children needed to grow up in the Czech Republic. He kinda bailed on that one.

We figured he was done when he finally won his Stanley Cup in 2002. We assumed he wouldn’t return following the lockout in 2005. It was widely expected he’d hang them up when his Ottawa Senators fell apart in the 2006 playoffs. But each time, he defied the odds and returned.

Now, he retires with his second Stanley Cup, as he watched from the bench as his replacement Chris Osgood backstopped the Red Wings to a title.

Detroit wins. Welcome to the offseason.

Congrats to Swedish legend Andreas Lilja and your 2008 Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings.

Although it would’ve been nice to see it go 7 games, it was a hell of a series.

Props to Detroit for playing a system that completely sucks the life out of their opposition. With all the firepower Pittsburgh had, there were times when they could not generate anything. If I’ll be the one to say it, I’ll say it: It was boring as hell to watch.

Maybe I’m spoiled, getting to watch the Sabres play every night, but the Red Wings reminded me why I loved the rule changes. Obstruction everywhere, shut down defense… just boring-ass defensive hockey.

And amazingly, the ratings were phenomenal. Props to the NHL for pulling that off.

But now is the sad part, no chances to see action on the ice until September.