Kalinin's departure a two-way street

PITTSBURGH -- It was March 4 in Philadelphia when Dmitri Kalinin's eight-year run with the Sabres came to an end. He was skating laps around Wachovia Center, and coach Lindy Ruff was in his face screaming, "Show some [expletive] passion!" Sure, the mistake-prone defenseman likely deserved it, but with unrestricted free agency coming up, why would he go through it again?

Agent Jay Grossman said by phone last week he had not had one discussion with the Sabres, who reportedly aren't interested in Kalinin, either. It was clearly time to split ways, something that's been obvious for sometime. The 1998 first-round pick can start anew elsewhere. Hopefully, the quiet and gracious guy can live up to his potential there.

Now it's off to the Penguins' dressing room as they try to avoid elimination again. Hopefully, Game Six of the Stanley Cup finals is just as exciting as Game Five.

---John Vogl

Comments

[Steve]

Tommy boy,

You're either high on something, slightly slow, or 7 years old. Your comment made absolutely no sense.

The defense is just soft. They made that run in 06 when defenders weren't allowed to touch anyone and having good skaters worked.

The game has since gone back. Smart and tough on defense is what it takes.

I've ragged on this management, but letting Campbell go was the first step in the right direction. Can you picture him on the Wings?

In hindsight, of course we shoulda kept McKee over signing Kalinin or whoever. Who knew they for sure that the ridiculous way they called penalties after the lockout would fade away.

Deep down we knew it would, but we took our shot with speed and offense and the honeymoon is over.

The more I watched the playoffs this year, the more my anger over this management faded. I never thought I would say that after swearing this team was dead to me last July 1st.

[Tommy Boy]

Replacement for Kalinin? Isn't the brain trust ready for a Chinese player? It doesn't take too many yuan so as to not break the bank and he might be more understandable without a translator than Golisano-Quinn-Regier triumvirate's thoughts on how they arae going to compete with Pittsburgh, not to mention Detroit.

[Chris]

Your basic message is correct, but you are wrong on one important point. Weber, Sekera and Paestch are the future of the blue line. They will blend well with the new crop of guys (they will all be up at various times this year). They proved last year they can get the job done, but they do need 1-2 gritty vets to help tie it down. If they were going to reup Nummi last year, why not make a run at Aaron Miller. He is a little old and slow but so is Nummi and he Miller has won before. Instead we stockpile small forwards and sign a bunch more to the AHL. The best thing the Regis's did was let go of Quinn when they took over.

[michael]

The Sabres entire defense is pathetic. Kalinen is one of many. Put Kalin on the Ducks 2 yrs ago, or detroit this year and I bet the guy does pretty well. He would be surrounded by a bunch of hard nosed winners. Instead he is surrounded by a bunch a soft Dmen that play with no passion and heart. Campbell great skater and occasionally would lay someone out in the open ice, don't expect this guy to battle in the corners, by the way he's gone. Turnover Tony Lydman, probably the softest defenseman we have on the team, not to mention his 1 to 2 crisp clean givaways per game. 40 plus yr old Numminun wouldn't hit a fly let along an NHL forward, thats if he ever plays again. Nathen Patch over rated and under performed this yr. By the way not physical at all. Pratt desent defenseman with some physicality, way to slow. Sekera/Weber good young prospects, but way too young to rely on next year. Tallender, I have no idea what happened to him. 2 years ago this guy looked like a stallworth. Last year afraid to get hit, not physical, and was consistently beat to the edge. This defense needs a major overhaul. We need at least 2 stud VETERAN defenseman if this
team has any hopes of going to the playoffs next year.

[Chad]

How can any player on the Sabres have "passion" when the management obviously cares nothing about its players or winning?

Uhhh, did you really just ask that? Let's start with the fact that they're playing a game for (a lot of) money. Or, that they are professionals who got to where they are, in part, because they are competitive people who wanted to maximize their talent. I'm sorry, but that was a ridiculous statement by you, Debbie. Besides, when is the last time you heard a player say "Let's win the Stanley Cup for management!!" As if somehow their passion draws from their personal feelings about the GM and Managing Partner. What?!

"Watch how Mario (an owner who actually CARES about the game) keeps his young Pens team together to come back year after year and be contenders."

Watch how Hossa leaves for the highest bidder this summer. Watch how Malkin possibly bolts to be the alpha dog on another team in a couple of years. Let's see if Pittsburgh native Ryan Malone stays in his hometown after some team offers him $3-4 million this offseason. Needless to say, I have my doubts for reasons W alluded to. And if you think elite FA's are going to flock to Pittsburgh to play with a superstar like Sidney Crosby, tell me how that worked for Cleveland and LeBron James.

I couldn't help but notice Debbie's comment on another thread how Buffalo "screwed up" by not firing Lindy for Randy Cunneyworth, attributing all of Lindy's success to players that Cunneyworth "developed." Debbie, who drafted those players? The same guy you suggested should be fired: Darcy Regier. Cunney is a very good coach, but we have a coach who has proven himself to be one of the best in the NHL. It's ridiculous to say he should be bounced for an unproven coach.

[jan]

Time for Kalinin to go somewhere else to play-- he's had too many inconsistent games for someone who's been in the NHL as long as he has.

[W]

Pittsburgh will start losing players in the same way as Buffalo did, its the economics of the cap, simple as that. Detroit will too, though their scouting department is second to none I think, so they will be ok.

The fact that Pitt has drafted (not counting last year because they drafted 20th) overall: #2, #1, #2, #1, #5 in the last 6 years should not be forgotten. Any team with a Crosby, Malkin, and Fleury had BETTER be playing well. The question is whether they can realistically keep all of their talent together once they reach the end of their entry level deals, which I think will not happen.

[OHS73]

Go Kalinin...and take Min with you!

[Debbie]

How can any player on the Sabres have "passion" when the management obviously cares nothing about its players or winning? This team is a dead end for any player. If you had a choice between Buffalo and say Detroit, which team would you pick? Watch how Mario (an owner who actually CARES about the game) keeps his young Pens team together to come back year after year and be contenders. While Darcy and Tom bring young guys in just to let them go once they reach their peak.

[Steve]

He got hurt in game two of the second round against Ottawa.

I stand pat, he would have had at least a few turnovers or missed assignments that led to pucks in our net and a shorter series against the Canes.

Swap his replacement Fitzpatrick back with Kalinin and we lose that series in 5.

[Heather B.]

"I definitely think we would have never gotten to game 7 with Carolina if he was in the lineup."

Kalinin was very good in that playoff run and before he blew up in the ECF, he was one of the best players in the postseason last season too. He was one of the few Sabres not named Ryan Miller who played well in the first two rounds IMO. He was definitely inconsistent and I get why people have been frustrated with him over the years but I don't think he's ever deserved the level of crap he's had thrown at him over the past few seasons. He's been the scapegoat for a lot of other players mistakes and poor play. Whether he ends up in Russia or somewhere else in the NHL, I hope he finds somewhere to play where people are okay with what he is - a good third pairing defensemen - instead of obsessed with what he isn't.

[Tom]

Kalinin is a favorite whipping boy of the fans, but if he doesn't go back to Russia, I predict he will do very well outside of Buffalo.

Please, tell me one player on the Sabres that DOES have passion. Kalinin is an example of a guy that can excel when paired wisely with a stay at home and physical partner. Pratt did wonders for Kalinin, so what does Ruff do the day Campbell is traded? Move Pratt away from Kalinin. Three days later when Kalinin regressed, the plug was pulled.

Kalinin is one of the best 4 on 4 defensemen in the league. He has brilliant offensive vision, and when he has a rock to play next to him, he can showcase those skills by breakout passing and jumping up into odd man situations. People also seem to forget Kalinin did play a somewhat physical style when paired with Zhitnik. Kalinin dropped the gloves against some heavyweights as well.

I wish the guy well. There is a market for a guy like this, and on a real team, I can see him taking a 2nd pairing spot and hitting the 10 goal and 35 point mark. Just let the guy play and don't overteach.

[sal]

I heard on WGR today that Darcy said there was a time where whenever a team called him about a trade they wanted Kalinin included. If this is fact, Darcy should be fired right now on the spot. A blind monkey would have seen Kalinin's lack of passion and sheer dumb play and would have traded him years ago for something.

[Steve]

Seriously, there has been a less passionate player here since Richard Smehlik. I'd say he belongs in a no-contact league, but even then he would fumble the puck like a pee-wee.

Not to harp on the guy, he's better than any of us on this blog... but it's more about management sticking with and defending brutal players until their contract finally runs out just because they were a draft pick.

Just like Smehlik was around at least 3 years too long.

If you recall, he was hurt during the playoff run in 06, and I definitely think we would have never gotten to game 7 with Carolina if he was in the lineup.

[Nate]

It's about time. This guy has been terible.

[Meredith]

At the risk of sounding xenophobic, could we please sign some big Canadians to play defense instead of the usual "skilled" Europeans?