Sabres Edge

Wacky weekend

I'm still decompressing from Saturday's 11-round shootout and that was just one of a litany of crazy happenings around the NHL.

It all started Friday night, when the Devils-Lightning game was suspended because of a power outage in the Prudential Center with 9:12 left in the second period. That game will be finished tonight at 6 at a big cost to the Devils. That brings us to Saturday. Let's see. While we were dealing with another Sabres comeback and the marathon shootout, here's what was happening elsewhere:

---Phoenix coach Dave Tippett forget to put a player in the penalty box to start the second period and serve Ed Jovanovski's elbowing major. The Islanders essentially turned it into a 10-minute power play and got two goals out of the situation because Dwayne Roloson kept playing the puck and preventing icing calls to allow the Coyotes to get a man on the ice at a stoppage. Tippett will lose some Coach of the Year votes for that gaffe.

---The Laffs had a penalty shot wiped out in their 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh because Sergei Gonchar's shot a few seconds earlier for the Penguins actually went in the net and was awarded as a goal on replay. Gonchar, however, still had to serve his hooking penalty but Alexi Ponikarovsky's penalty shot attempt was wiped out. You can see the video of the crazy sequence at the link.

---The Blackhawks blew a 5-1 third-period lead at Minnesota and lost in a shootout, 6-5. Stanley Cup contending teams should never blow four-goal leads. Ever. in fact, it was the first blown four-goal edge in the third period in franchise history. But maybe it was the hockey gods' karma for Chicago's rally from 5-0 down against Calgary on Oct. 12.

---Devils standout Zach Parise can thank a broken stick for his overtime winner in Montreal. When he headed to the bench for a new one, that put him in position to sneak behind the defense, take a breakaway pass from Travis Zajac and beat Jaroslav Halak. Check out the video here. Great isolation work by the Devils' MSG crew to follow Parise to the bench and through the breakaway.

---Here's one Olympic security officials are probably talking about today: A fan toting a laser pointer spent much of last night's game at GM Place in Vancouver taunting Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff with the device. Calgary coach Brent Sutter was not amused.

Crazy night. Have a say on the craziest part in our poll.

---Mike Harrington

(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

poll by twiigs.com

Ice chips: Paetsch on waivers

After their charter plane got stuck in the mud before they got to the Montreal airport, the Sabres returned to their hotel and hunkered down for the night. They didn't get home until around 11 this morning so coach Lindy Ruff canceled practice. Some odds and ends from the notebook:

---Sabres utility man Nathan Paetsch has been put on waivers. Might he get claimed? We'll see. Adam Mair got through waivers earlier in the year. Paetsch has some versatility that you'd think would be attractive to teams. Plus, he only makes a shade over $1 million on a deal that runs out after this season so you can basically get him for $500K. If he clears waivers, the bet is the Sabres would send him to Portland to get some ice time.

---Canada and the U.S. play for the gold medal in the World Junior Championships Tuesday night at 8 in Saskatoon (Sabres prospect Luke Adam plays for Canada). You can watch it live on NHL Network. Worth a look if you haven't checked out any of this tournament yet. And remember, of course, that the next version of it comes to HSBC Arena starting Dec. 26.

---The Bruins and Rangers meet tonight at 7 on Versus. Boston is seven points back in the Northeast Division and will join the Sabres at 41 games played after tonight.

---Look for Team USA Olympic coach Ron Wilson to make Ryan Miller his man in Vancouver. Said Wilson on a conference call today: "I would in my mind tend to .... play one goalie, ride the hot goalie. One of our things here was when we talked with our players is we're not going to Vancouver to prepare anybody for Sochi (the 2014 Games site in Russia). This is about going to Vancouver to win a gold medal. Generally speaking, teams in the past that have won goal medals played one goaltender. It's not unlike what you do in the playoffs."

---What's up with the Penguins? They've lost five straight, including Sunday's 6-2 defeat in Florida. Evgeni Malkin's struggles continued in that one and he took the blame. 

---Ratings for the Winter Classic in Boston were down but Yahoo's Puck Daddy blog said that shouldn't be cause for concern.

---Mike Harrington

(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Christmas video with Buffalo hockey flavor (and more)

Alyonka Larionov, the daughter of former Red Wings star Igor Larionov, was a guest on NHL Live this afternoon.

Alyonka -- one of the hosts of "NHL in Russian," a radio show -- spoke about the music video she and her sister, Diana, have put out in an attempt to raise money for Hockey Fights Cancer. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the single benefit the charity.

The song is called "What Christmas Means to Me." The sisters convinced a number of NHLers to appear in the video, holding signs indicating what Christmas means to them.

Three with Buffalo connections include East Amherst's Brooks Orpik (2:36, Snowed in in Buffalo), former Sabre Brian Campbell (3:50, Seeing Kids Smile!) and South Buffalo's Patrick Kane (3:51, Going home to Buffalo).

Remember, the only reason you are watching this video is to check out the Buffalo references.

---Geoff Nason

TSN's McKenzie clueless on Kaleta/Ruutu

Here's how the TSN broadcast crew talked about the Ruutu/Kaleta hit during last night's second intermission in Ottawa.

Very disappointing that TSN veteran and Hockey News maven Bob McKenzie, one of the most widely known media figures in the sport, could be so off base here on a broadcast that goes nationwide through Canada and all through the United States on Center Ice. McKenzie first says it should be a suspension, then his train of thought gets completely off track. Here are his three key points with my responses.

"The fact that it's Patrick Kaleta probably doesn't help the cause very much." -- While probably true, shame on the NHL for letting that come into play. We've already seen that though with Alexander Ovechkin and the TSN crew than goes on to say the book should be thrown at Colorado's David Koci because his hit from behind was against Washington star Mike Green. Boo.

"And you never know whether he's hurt, he's really hurt."  Say what? Kaleta missed how many games last year because of head and neck trouble? Shame on you for that accusation. That one should never be played.

"The fact that Kaleta came back and played [might mitigate a suspension]."  End of argument, dude. Plain wrong. He wasn't seen or heard from again. Wasn't at practice today. No excuse to have that fact wrong, especially when it's a basis of your argument. Guess he really was hurt, huh?

Terrible job by McKenzie.

Thanks to Kevin at BfloBlog for the link.

---Mike Harrington

(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Hockey sounds of the season

It is a Sabres off day wedged between matchups with the Senators and Leafs, so here goes ...

CBC Hockey Night in Canada host Ron MacLean and TSN's Dave Hodge (who handled play-by-play duties in the Sabres' inaugural season) played bit parts during a Holiday Jam benefit concert at Toronto's Phoenix Concert Theatre earlier this week. The two were squaring off in cards in sort of a Western saloon setting as Sam Roberts (intermission performer at the '08 Winter Classic) led a group rendition of Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler."

Hodge also took part in a duet with noted Senators fan and Ottawa native Kathleen Edwards. The two sung -- although Hodge was mainly using spoken word -- a racy version of Linda Ronstadt's "We Need a Whole Lot More of Jesus (and a Lot Less Rock and Roll)."

Edwards is no stranger to mixing hockey with music. Marty McSorley, Paul Coffey and others starred in her "I Make the Dough, You Get the Glory" video and she has another song titled "Hockey Skates."

Oh yeah, the show was kicked off by the Tragically Hip's Gord Downie. We will close with the Hip's 2006 effort, "Lonely End of the Rink" before returning to your regularly scheduled hockey blogging.

---Geoff Nason

Game on: Rev up your DVRs

It's a big opening night of NHL play and you've got some big decisions to make: At 7, it's Leafs-Habs on CBC or Caps-Bruins on Versus? At 10, its Canucks-Flames on CBC or Avalanche-Sharks on Versus with Joe Sakic's jersey retirement ceremony? Tough calls on both.

DirecTV is still embroiled in a carriage dispute with Versus that the NHL is desperate to get settled (my advice is to call DirecTV and gripe because I've heard they've been handing out Center Ice discounts).

Meanwhile, Time Warner is offering a complete free preview of Center Ice beginning tonight and carrying through all the games of Oct. 24 if you have digital cable. If you order the package before Halloween, you get an early-bird price of four installments of $40.95. Count me in.

---Mike Harrington

(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Like father, like son

Mark Jeanneret, the son of Sabres broadcaster Rick Jeanneret, will handle the play-by-play duties for the Portland Pirates this season.

Mark Jeanneret, 41, has been the voice of the Erie (Pa.) Otters -- a junior club that is part of the Ontario Hockey League -- the past 12 seasons.

"Portland has proven to be a first-class organization with a great AHL history and heritage," Jeanneret said of the Sabres' American Hockey League affiliate. "I hope to help continue that tradition."

---Geoff Nason

Attorneys for Kane, cabbie on Chicago radio

   Patrick Kane's attorney, Paul J. Cambria Jr., was interviewed on WGN-AM 720 in Chicago this morning. He continued to defend Kane, saying he would ultimately be cleared of any charges. Listen to the full interview here.

   Host Greg Jarrett also spoke off the air with Andrew C. LoTempio, the attorney for cab driver Jan Radecki. Jarrett said LoTempio told him his client had gone to the Department of Motor Vehicles this morning to try and "straighten out" any issues with his license.

   We published a story today on buffalonews.com reporting Radecki lacked a valid driver's license at the time of Sunday morning's incident involving Patrick and James Kane. Radecki also has drunk driving convictions, according to state records.

   LoTempio also was interviewed on the air yesterday by Jarrett. Listen to that entire interview here.

---Aaron Besecker

Sabres back on TV

MONTREAL -- Sabres minority owner Larry Quinn emerged from the board of governors meetings and announced four upcoming games previously destined for radio only will be aired on TV.   The team reached an agreement with MSG and the NHL to make it work.

The Sabres and MSG are splitting the costs of the NHL Network feed, which had to cover the game anyway. The games will be shown on MSG or an alternate station. Quinn had coffee this morning with a league representive and an MSG exec to make it work. It was a good move.

Now, everybody can relax.

Quinn told me this morning that the team was basically trying to save a few bucks on production costs, which are expensive enough and even more on the road in the West. Another reason he struck the deal was because so many fans were upset upon hearing the games were radio only.

The people spoke, and the team reacted. Good job all the way around.

--- Bucky Gleason

Sabres, MSG should compromise

The Sabres and MSG have to come to some compromise over airing these West Coast games next week and not leave a rabid fan base to radio-only calls -- from substitute announcers that include a Winnipeg-based guy no one in Buffalo has ever heard of. I've been directed to this article in SportsBusiness Journal that came out this week and lists local TV ratings for NHL teams in the U.S. this season. Check out these numbers:

1. BUFFALO 8.87

2. Pittsburgh 6.14

3. Detroit 3.7

4. No one else over 2.3!!!!

Buffalo was NBC's No. 3 market for the Winter Classic behind Detroit and Chicago but I'm floored we are so much further ahead of every American-based team. Except for Pittsburgh and Detroit, MSG's ratings for Sabres game are nearly four times that of the other US markets.

And so they're not going to show four games in a row and be off the air for two weeks? How does that make any sense at all? The Sabres should be on the horn to MSG right now trying to work something out to allow the home-market broadcasts into Buffalo. And I think those ratings show there should NEVER be radio-only games. This isn't the 1970s.

Maybe the Sabres are trying to work on this issue behind the scenes. But I reiterate the piece of basic marketing advice that I said yesterday: If the customers want your product, why would you keep it away from them?

---Mike Harrington

Fire up your radios: I goofed

TAMPA, Fla. -- My bad. In today's Sabres notebook, I steered you wrong that the four games on next week's Western road trip can be seen in Buffalo on NHL Network, Center Ice or NHL.com's GameCenter because they're not being shown on MSG. They can't. They're all blacked out in Buffalo even though they'll be on those outlets everywhere else. You have no way to follow them except on radio -- and Rick Jeanneret is taking the trip off too. We've already fixed the story to reflect the new information.

Sabres spokesman Michael Gilbert explained the deal to me this morning as protection for the home market, protection for MSG, etc. It's all contractural legalese and that's fine.

As a practical matter, it's ridiculous.

The Sabres' deal with MSG is for 70 games and Versus took eight more this year. That's 78, leaving four games out. Seems to make sense they would choose the four Western games with late starting times during Super Bowl week as the ones to bag. Save production costs, some travel costs, etc-etc. No problem there.

But what it means is the Sabres are off television in the middle of the season for two full weeks because of the All-Star break -- not returning to the air until the Feb. 4 home game against Toronto. I suppose it benefits protection of the MSG contract not to let the Sabres air in Buffalo via other outlets but it bears noting the Versus games are on here. And an outside marketing man would tell you that part of the contract protects MSG but hoses the fans and the Sabres, who don't get their product out when people want to see it.

Baseball fans go through this whole blackout mess a lot too and I've never understood it. It seems like a vestige of the 1970s. You don't want to produce the telecast and pay all that entails for four games, that's fine and totally understandable in this economy. But why allow MSG to prevent your fans from seeing your team in a far-off locale when they're never going to be able to get to the game?

---Mike Harrington

Live from the Forum: Sabres vs. Bolts

TAMPA, Fla. -- Greetings from the St. Pete Times Forum for tonight's Sabres-Lightning game. Always laugh at the name. Pretty certain the Tampa Tribune just calls this place the Forum in its pages. Odd fact from your blogger: I've seen a Lightning game in all three of their home rinks -- tiny Expo Hall on the Florida State Fairgrounds, the Thunderdome (now known as Tropicana Field in its reincarnation as the home of the Rays) and this place, which opened as the Ice Palace and regularly lured me during spring training trips.

Tampa Bay is still well out of the picture in the playoff race but the Lightning is 8-5 in its last 13 games under interim coach Rick Tocchet. Had a good chat this morning with No. 1 pick Steven Stamkos, who has sat out a couple games recently as the coaching staff works on his conditioning and gives him more intense video study. Stamkos has even been told to take notes during the games he's watching. Asked today what that entailed, Tocchet joked, "It's not like he's up there watching the Lightning Girls."

Lindy Ruff is concerned about Tampa Bay goalie Mike Smith, who is a terrific puckhandler. Watch for some long passes out of the goal if Smith gets a hold of the puck. The Sabres are trying to tie their season-high with their fourth straight win but Ruff is wary: "Dallas came in here and lost a game [Monday] Tampa Bay has been going good. We want to go into the break on a high note and the only way to do that is by winning a game."

HUGE cheers from the crowd as the Sabres took the ice by the way. The building is still only about half full just as we kick up the national anthem.

---Mike Harrington

PREGAME: What's this blasphemy? They trot a celebrity out to scream "Let's play hockey"  and lo and behold, it was Thurman Thomas -- wearing a No. 34 Lightning jersey. Boo.

Also, the Sabres have just released their broadcast schedule for next week's Western road trip. As many of you already figured out, none of the four games will be on MSG. In addition, Rick Jeanneret will be taking the trip off (he usually sits out one a season). The radio only calls will be done by MSG host Kevin Sylvester, WGR's Paul Hamilton and Curt Keilback, who spent 27 years behind the mic in Winnipeg and Phoenix.  Keilback will do the Edmonton and Calgary games, while Hamilton will do the Phoenix game and Sylvester will do the wrap-up Feb. 2 in Anaheim. Jeanneret returns for the Feb. 4 home game against Toronto.

Postgame

Ruff on Tallinder's injury: "Henrik's not good. He's going to be out for a good period of time probably." Tallinder will be reevaulated in Bufalo in the next day or two and Ruff openly admitted the injury situation in Portland means it may be time to look outside for another replacement: "It's either going to be pushing some pieces around or finding a piece."

Third Period

13:44 left: Lightning has tightened up, allowing just two shots so far. Sabres going to another power play, however, as Krajicek is off for interference. Sabres are 2 for 4 with the man advantage so far.

6:04 left: Sabres still down by two. Only four shots on goal for Buffalo in this period.

4:55 left: Miller keeps Buffalo alive by stonig Lecavalier on a breakaway and a quick rebound.

Second Period

Of note: First off, this just in from Philadelphia: Daniel Briere is going to have exploratory surgery  for his abdomen on Thursday and is out another two weeks, rendering the Flyers' cap concerns moot. John Vogl had an interesting post on the Philly dilemma earlier today. Briere's situation sounds a little ominous, almost like doctors are looking for something.

19:41 left: Huge start as Roy takes advantage of the 4-on-4 situation to pump home a Pominville rebound to make it 2-1. Nice work by Lydman to get the puck into the zone starts it.

18:37 left: 3-1 Tampa. A few seconds after getting wiped out by Hecht, miller stops Recchi on a 2-on-1 after a brutal pass by Butler behind Rivet. The faceoff stays in the Buffalo end and Tampa scores its own 4-on-4 goal as Lukas Krajicek's shot hits the goalpost but bounces in off a Buffalo player. Haven't seen a replay up here -- somebody help me out. That hit Vanek?

15:56 left: Sabres pull within 3-2 as Kotalik rifles a one-timer from the left point past Smith on a nice feed from Rivet. A power play goal as Jeff Halpern is off for high-sticking. Great power play as Connolly and Lydman also put point shots on net that Smith stopped.

15:00 left: Huge start for the Sabres. An 8-2 edge in shots thus far after getting just five in the opening 20 minutes.

10:48 left: Buffalo had a huge chance to tie it on another power play but Roy clanked a backhand rebound off the post with Smith out of position and most of the net available.

6:08 left: Tampa goes back in front by two as Jeff Halpern blasts one by  Miller on a 2-on-1. That's a save that's got to be made as the puck leaked through his arm. Was he playing the pass rather than the shot? Offense has 17 shots on goal this period and he needed to keep his team within one there.

3:05 left: Back comes Buffalo again to make it 4-3. Again, it's Roy potting a Pominville rebound on a power play, with the goal coming on Buffalo's 20th shot of the period. Tampa tough guy David Koci was in the box for interference, his third trip of the period. He's been out of control all night and has been hurting his team.

2:10 left: THAT'S what Miller needs to do. He just stones St. Louis on a clean breakaway to keep things a one-goal affair.

37.4 seconds left: Disaster strikes the Sabres. With Chris Butler off for tripping, Henrik Tallinder goes for tgripping Vincent Lecavalier. Tallinder stumbled to the ice and clearly has a right shoulder problem. What do they do on defense now? HAVE to make a deal, don't they?

5.8 left: Disaster II. Cory Murphy rips one past a screened Miller on the two-man advantage to make it 5-3.

End of the 2nd: Wild period. Three goals for each team. Sabres had 20 shots, Tampa Bay 14 so its 25-21 Buffalo through two. But the Tallinder situation looks large over this one.

First Period

15:15 left: The Sabres talked a lot this morning about scoring first but it didn't happen for them again as Steve Eminger beat Miller on the power play with a shot from the point that went five-hole on Miller, who didn't have his stick on the ice. The goal came after Smith stoppedDerek Roy on a breakaway after he took a pass from Pominville on what started as a 2-on-1.

14:41 left: Yeesh. Miller didn't see that one at all. Cory Murphy let it go from the slot and it hit Steve Downie in front. Another five-hole special. All of a sudden, it's 2-0.

9:11 left: Best check of the night by referee Brad Watson, who took out Smith as the goalie was straying behind the net for the puck. They both went down hard. Look for it on a hockey blooper reel near you for, oh, about the next 20 years.

End of the 1st: Talk about nothing happening. The Lightning continues to hold the 2-0 lead even though the teams combined for 12 minutes without a shot on goal at one stretch. Tampa had a close call as Martin St. Louis cranked one off the crossbar with 30 seconds left. Mair went off with 15.6 seconds left on a foolish elbowing call but St. Louis wiped that out with an equally foolish tripping penalty nine seconds later. Shots on goal were 7-5 for Tampa.

Check out our latest video update

Get all the scuttle on this week's trip to the Midwest as Bucky Gleason and I chat up the Sabres in our latest video update. This week's topics: The January schedule highlighted by Wednesday's reunion with Brian Campbell, the dilemma on defense and some big performances from Ryan Miller and Derek Roy.

---Mike Harrington

It's Winter Classic day

We'll have full coverage of tonight's Sabres-Leafs game here but the day has to start with the Winter Classic between the Red Wings and Blackhawks in Wrigley Field.

You can see pregame coverage beginning at 11 a.m. on NHL Network with the game at 1 on both NBC and CBC. NHL Network is planning an hour postgame show as well, beginning at 5.

It was a year ago today, of course, we woke up to that light fluffy snow and made our way to the Ralph for that memorable Sabres-Penguins game. A pretty amazing day to say the least. One of my favorite memories was looking around just before Ales Kotalik opened the shootout -- seeing everyone on all three levels of the stadium standing. The fans in the bottom bowl had been on their feet all day as if they were at a college or high school game and everyone else joined in.

You can relive the Ice Bowl at the Ralph as it happened here on Sabres Edge by going to this link.

(By the time the shootout ended, I was in the press box muttering that it seemed like an NBC fix that Sidney Crosby's turn to shoot decided the game. A year later, maybe that's why the thing turned out to be even more dramatic. But I digress).

I saw on NHL Network, by the way, that Buffalo finally made it to the big leagues of MLB. The famous center field scoreboard at Wrigley has out-of-town scores on it just like it does all summer. And what's on today? Buffalo-Toronto. Cool.

Here's your space to post your memories of last year's Classic in the Ralph, from the tailgating to the shootout. And feel to spend the day chatting up Hawks-Wings as well.

---Mike Harrington

(AP Photo: The Red Wings work out Wednesday at Wrigley)

One point on the OT goal

I am not going to crack on the officiating last night since the Penguins had exactly one power play in 61 minutes. And it would have been nice if the Sabres had simply converted opportunities to maintain their lead.

That said, maybe I'm being a cynic but I can't get away from this point on the winning goal: It's No. 87 in overtime on a Versus game. Hmmm. Think the folks in the war room in Toronto give, say, Patrick Kaleta that same call in Pittsburgh in OT on a Tuesday night with only regional television? 'Nuff said.

The Sabres are practicing early today before the Christmas break. Nathan Gerbe and Paul Gaustad have already been on the ice on their own and the rest of the team is getting ready to start its workout now (Jochen Hecht is skating after taking a puck to the ear last night).

Post-practice update: It was a hard 75-minute workout because the Sabres will be off until their morning skate Friday in Washington. Lindy Ruff initially wasn't biting when asked for some overnight reaction to the Crosby goal, saying, "It doesn't matter what I think anymore. It was ruled a goal and we'll leave it at that."

Crosby had not scored in the last nine games and Ruff let go this zinger, which exposed his real opinion, when asked about Jason Pominville's goal drought: "Look at what Crosby just went through -- or still could be going through."

---Mike Harrington

Need more Roby and Rayzor

I've quickly grown to hate the Sabres' road telecasts this season. There's nothing wrong with the game and the intermissions. All standard-issue stuff. No arguments with Rick Jeanneret, Harry Neale or host Kevin Sylvester. But there's no longer any real postgame show. No analysis of what went right and what went wrong when these games scream for it.

If you watched Saturday's collapse in Pittsburgh, weren't you dying for Mike Robitaille and Rob Ray to dissect the carnage? You can't all turn the TV off in disgust, right? I'm assuming lots of you want insight.

The Sabres don't think so. Larry Quinn said over the summer the postgame show was getting dumped on the road because it was just three guys talking (Roby, Ray and Sylvester). What's so wrong with that? He said the ratings on the road were lousy. I believe him but the team stunk last year and many road games are on Saturdays, an admittedly tough ratings night.

Every road "postgame" show now is a total rush job. Saturday night, for instance, Sylvester piled through two quick questions of Lindy Ruff and two more of Dan Paille. No more locker-room interviews or Ruff's postgame press conference with the media at large. After a few highlights and lots of commercials, the whole thing was done and signed off in 11 minutes.

Sure makes you pine for the glory days of Roby and Brian Blessing sparring for an hour on "Hockey Hotline".

The Sabres are clearly going in another direction, pushing you to their Web site. You'll usually see some locker room and Ruff video there. It seems they're more interested in the glitz of the Sabres Show, their nicely packaged weekly magazine, than their actual game telecasts.

Seriously, do they really think we care more about a show featuring Maria Genero's inane talks with players at local restaurants or her probing "interviews" with the likes of Tom Golisano?

I want substance and I want hockey talk. That means Roby and Rayzor. They've chosen Genero's fluff and it's pure silliness. Phooey to that.

---Mike Harrington

Melrose out in Tampa

Sabres-Blue Jackets coming up at 7:35 but some bizarre breaking news first: The Lightning has fired Barry Melrose as coach after just 16 games! Yep, the ESPN mullet is gone less than two months into the season after returning to his old gig following a 15-year TV run.

Is there a more messed-up franchise in this league right now than the Bolts? Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2004, they ran themselves into salary cap jail and haven't been heard from since. It's bound to come out soon what went on with Melrose, as a run that short certainly points to severe internal strife. But Tampa's new owners and GM Brian Lawton clearly seem to be on the we-have-no-clue path. Rick Tocchet has been named to replace Melrose. Wanna bet on his credibility? (Sorry, couldn't resist).

St. Pete Times columnist Gary Shelton sensed in his column today that the organization seemed to have an oddly low supply of patience, almost foreshadowing something big was about to happen. Wonder if that impatience was caused in part by the Bay Area's market's sudden infatuation with the Rays, which pushed the Lightning further down the food chain.

Wonder what the folks at ESPN think too. Matthew Barnaby has Melrose's old job.

---Mike Harrington

Remembering Dick Johnston

Former Buffalo News hockey writer Dick Johnston died on Thursday evening in Boston. He was 89 and had been retired from the paper since 1984.

Johnston was recognized as one of the finest at his craft when the Professional Hockey Writers' Association honored him in 1986 with the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award, making him a media honoree in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Former News hockey writer Jim Kelley received the same honor in 2004.

"He was a sports icon in my opinion on the Buffalo sports scene and he thoroughly enjoyed covering the hockey beat," said sports writer Wayne Redshaw, who covered more than 1,100 Sabres games for the Welland (Ont.) Tribune.

The Sabres honored Johnston with induction into the team's Hall of Fame in 2004.

Feel free to share reminiscences about Johnston in the comments.

What if?

I've been reading the autobiography of Jim Devellano, an executive with the Detroit Red Wings, this week. The book is called, "The Road to Hockeytown." The publication is mostly of interest to Red Wing fans, of course, but there are a couple of portions than might be of interest to Sabre backers and hockey followers in general.

Devellano said that in 2001, Darcy Regier called him to say that the Sabres could no longer afford to pay Dominik Hasek's salary and were interesting in trading him. Devellano said Detroit jumped at the chance to get the goalie, worked out the trade for Slava Koslov and a first-round pick, and signed Hasek to an $8 million contract (with a $1 million bonus if the Wings won the Cup, which they did). The Sabres had said at the time of the transaction that Hasek had asked for a trade, so if nothing else this adds a bit to the historical record.

Devellano also supplies a bit of a bombshell about a March 1988 trade discussion. He said Oilers' owner Peter Pocklington called the Red Wings and asked if they had any interest in trading for All-Star goalie (and eventual ex-Sabre) Grant Fuhr. In addition to some players, the Oilers needed something else in any deal: $5 million. The two sides talked and couldn't get anywhere on the deal. Pocklington moved on to other ideas, as he traded Wayne Gretzky that summer to the Los Angeles Kings in a deal that brought $15 million to the Oilers in a complicated transaction.

This raises an interesting "what if?' question. If Pocklington had been able to send Fuhr to the Red Wings, would that have been something of a short-term cure for his financial problems? And would that have meant Gretzky could have stayed in Edmonton, at least a while longer? A lot of hockey history might have come out differently had Gretzky remained an Oiler.

-- Budd Bailey

Sunday's game on MSG

The Sabres have announced that Sunday's preseason finale at Detroit will be televised live on MSG at 5 p.m. (If Time Warner and Ch. 4 don't settle their differences, you won't be able to watch the Bills game at Arizona anyway). The game is slated to be on the NHL Network but that channel will be blacked out locally. The feed will be from Fox Sports Detroit, so you'll still need a radio to listen to Rick Jeanneret and Harry Neale.

When the Sabres played Montreal last week in Roberval, Quebec, the game was on the NHL Network but was suddenly blacked out from that channel and cherry-picked on to MSG a minute or so after sign on. Judging from my email, and from my similar issue at home, a lot of folks didn't realize the switch was made until several minutes had passed in the first period. Even Sabres officials had no idea (that's not good).

Nice to see everyone seems to be on the same page this time.

---Mike Harrington

NHL Network adds Sabres game, Spectrum finale

The NHL Network announced Friday that it will be showing several more preseason games -- including the Sabres' finale at Detroit Oct. 5 at 5 p.m.

Another game of interest you can see will be Saturday at 1, when Carolina visits Philadelphia in a special game being played at old Spectrum. As I wrote in July, the Sabres' house of horrors from the 70s is being torn down to make way for a hotel and entertainment complex and this will be the final time the former home of the Flyers will have two NHL teams on its ice (the Flyers and Phantoms, their AHL affiliate, will play there Oct. 7).

In this Philadelphia Daily News story, Flyers chairman Ed Snider admits it's going to be hard to see the building that's been "my baby" since its 1967 opening finally get torn down.

Meanwhile, the Rangers, Lightning, Penguins and Senators are all making their way to Europe to open their season. But first, they'll have exhibitions and the Rangers' games at SC Bern (Tuesday at Noon) and at Metallurg Magnitogorsk (Wednesday at 1:30) will be both shown as the team makes its way to Prague to open the season against the Lightning.

SC Bern (whose roster during the lockout year featured Daniel Briere, Henrik Tallinder, J.P. Dumont and Dany Heatley) is coached by 55-year-old ex-Sabres defenseman John Van Boxmeer. Lindy Ruff's former teammate returned behind the bench just last week after suffering a heart attack in July.

---Mike Harrington