Sometimes He Makes It So Hard

…to hate him.

After much debate, planning, and not running away…Shelby and I finally got this picture happen.

He doesn’t have to like us, but as long as he likes his back up 🙂

August is Such a Happy Month.

The earlier we are before training camp, the more I seem to like Ryan Miller. It’s a weird thing I cannot explain…

I think it’s because deep down inside, I don’t actually mind him, and he’s a mellow guy when in his presence. Also, I haven’t seen him since…April? So four months off does a lot for me.

Also, he hasn’t had the chance to blow it, yet.

But he made his return to the Pepsi Center this morning (apparently he was there before orientation camp, but how the hell was I suppose to know that?) He got new pads, I suppose that’s to him what getting a new notebook is to me.

Speaking of goalies, one of my friends reminded me today that Patty had hip surgery/hernia surgery. I knew about this, it just slipped my mind throughout the summer. He said he saw him in Wegmans (they’re always in Wegmans) about a month ago and he was limping.

SUDDENLY that means he’s a goner (or will be at the end of his contract) and Johnas, who has NEVER even played in the NHL, will be taking his place. Because of a little limp! He said on the Sabres show that he was fine! Also, Darcy said that he’s going to be in net/bench this season…and this will be the one time ever that I use Darcy as an advantage, so please save this post.

He said on the Sabres show that he was doing fine, and why would anyone lie to Kevin? I think I’m just freaking out for nothing, people like to screw with me. I probably won’t feel better until I see him, which is hopefully soon…because this entire hockey year is all pushed back a week.

I believe in you, Patty Cakes. You’ve survived through tougher things, and you’re not going anywhere.

This is the video in which Shelby said Betruzzi is the actual Patty Cakes.

Clearly, this was a minor filler post.

Coming Soon: The Buffalo Sabres Goaltending Farm.

So, I wake up late this morning, and do my usual search of Sabres related sources, only to find out that Buffalo signed…get this… a goalie!

I haven’t done much research on him. His name is Jean-Philippe Lamoureux (I had to copy paste that one, sorry), and despite sounding like he was born in bred somewhere in northern Quebec, he’s actually from North Dakota (from November to March, I think those two places can be the same thing).

This is him…

He’s going to be 25 in August, and he played at the University of North Dakota (this may be as close as we’re going to get for awhile to signing Drew…they’re Facebook friends though!)

okay this actually continued about five minutes later because I was looking at my friends pictures from the Billy Joel and Elton John concert (in Philly, they are yet to come back to Buffalo)….

Okay! So, like I said I didn’t read too much into him, but so far nothing that makes me gag. Except for the fact, that he is a goalie, but that isn’t something I can hold against him (just Ryan…).

When I texted a friend about it, she responded with ‘ but…why?’ EXACTLY, Kristina, EXACTLY! The Sabres have this thing for making long term solutions for a short term problem. Did it kind of suck that Ryan got hurt last year? Of course. Was it the end of the free world as we know it? Heck no. We had equally bad games with Ryan as we did without him.

And I know that we were in a bit of a pickle when Ryan got hurt, and Patty got sick, and Jhonas probably got really scared because, lets be honest, the chances the third string plays starter is a rare event…I’m sure it happens, but only on days that Hank Tallinder goes without smiling.

Not to mention, that if Patty could not have been kept alive with being 80% dayquil, we could have usually relied on Adam Dennis, who I believe was hurt at the time. So, when you look at it, what are the chances that Scott Gomez is gonna sit on Ryan, Patty is going to get sick, and Adam Dennis is going to be hurt all at the same time.

For the sake of the Swedish goalie, hopefully never again. And realistically speaking, it probably won’t ever happen again.

And even if Darcy is paranoid of such (this should not be the top of his priority list, it just shouldn’t be) then there’s other things we can do.

Such as…

1.) Put out a restraining order against Scott Gomez (and Mike Ryan, just to be sure).
2.) Insure all goalies groins, ankles, and…uh, hands I suppose. Use that money to find a goalie at the last minute. Its cheaper.
3.) Do NOT let Ryan and Patty on the same plane (don’t Prince Charles and William do this?). Do not let them stay on the same floor in the hotel (don’t even tell them they’re in the same hotel). Same rules apply to Patty and Jhonas when and if needed.
4.) I was going to say Patty should not be allowed near his kids- who got him sick originally- but that would be cruel for both parties (and me). How about we double his intake of juice and keep on hand those things that you sniff that makes the cold go away? I’m sure there’s a real name for them.
5.) I’ll get back to you on that.

Can’t we take the salary cap from a ‘ nobody loves me’ team like LA or Atlanta and make that strictly our sick goalie fund? Whatever is left from that can be our ‘ Restricted Agent Gone Wrong’ fund.

I should so be a GM…

Toni!

Not really.

I’m under instruction to make a list of the top 5 (hence Toni) things that made me laugh while working with the sabres.

So far, I only have three.

1.) Larry Quinn and the pizza*
2.) Making Thomas Vanek laugh. Really hard.
3.) Drew Stafford and the light bulbs **

* When I worked at the Puck Drop, I was often left standing alone in places, cold and confused (not to mention, sick). At one point, Larry Quinn was eating some of the pizza that had been brought. He was told, very firmly, that they were going to Chefs. He said ‘ okay’ with a mouth full of pizza and continued eating. I found it amusing. Maybe you just had to be there?

** Another time I was in the locker room with my boss. There was a worker guy there fixing some of the lights in the room. Anyways, Drew was standing under a light, fiddling with something, not paying attention. And Lindy pointed to the light above him (to tell which one needed to be fixed) and said ” that’s the one that’s not too bright.” …Drew thought Lindy was referring to him.

And making Vanek laugh is something the Nobel Peace Prizes should be awarded for. Though I can’t really remember what I did.

In other non-lame news, while swimming today, I spent a lot of time sitting on the step next to a hot water jet. I figured myself to be boring and useless until I realized that, at July 3rd, I was doing more than Darcy Reiger. Much more.

Seriously, the Habs are going to get everyone (since they kind of have). They’re going to take Drew…and Kaleta…and Ellis. They already took Jaro! Hell, they can take Vanek or Miller without us noticing. Or Pominville…not like I’d go fighting for him back.

I suppose with so many free agents, they can do this. What’s it called…cap space? Ohhh it’s been too long.

In a random closing note, it was just brought to my attention that Toni’s arena portrait…that I have photographic evidence of, and love (it’s the hair, he should reconsider that), and have seen NUMEROUS times because I am cheap…

HAS HIS NAME SPELLED WRONG!

son of a bitch!

He probably thinks its funny…

It is.

Congrats, Ryan.

I’m not going to lie. Usually when ‘ Breaking News’ and ‘ Ryan Miller’ appear in the same text message…it’s not pretty.

But, I learned only minutes ago that Ryan was invited to go to the Olympics. It’s exciting! I’m not his biggest fan, but I think he’s got the mentality to do this. Also, I get a kick out of beating my friend Stephanie to news about him, as she is the Miller fan. I made her burn her pizza when he signed his contract last summer.

The rest of the Americans invited the orientation camp in august are…

Tim Thomas, Boston
Ryan Miller, Buffalo
Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles

Defensemen
Tom Gilbert, Edmonton
Tim Gleason, Carolina
Ron Hainsey, Atlanta
Erik Johnson, St. Louis
Jack Johnson, Los Angeles
Mike Komisarek, Montreal
Paul Martin, New Jersey
Brooks Orpik, Pittsburgh
Brian Rafalski, Detroit
Rob Scuderi, Pittsburgh
Ryan Suter, Nashville
Ryan Whitney, Anaheim

Forwards
David Backes, St. Louis
David Booth, Florida
Dustin Brown, Los Angeles
Dustin Byfuglien, Chicago
Ryan Callahan, New York Rangers
Chris Drury, New York Rangers
Scott Gomez, New York Rangers
Patrick Kane, Chicago
Ryan Kesler, Vancouver
Phil Kessel, Boston
Jamie Langenbrunner, New Jersey
Ryan Malone, Tampa Bay
Mike Modano, Dallas
Kyle Okposo, New York Islanders
T.J. Oshie, St. Louis
Zach Parise, New Jersey
Joe Pavelski, San Jose
Bobby Ryan, Anaheim
Paul Stastny, Colorado

Mike Modano and Ryan Malone are really the only ones that excite me right now.

I think when Canada’s list comes out, I’m going to freak out. That should be exciting, no wonder they’re still working on it 🙂