Well, I'm around for now with regular internet access! That means you get to read my ramblings on a more regular basis. I knew when I started this blog that I wouldn't have great access during the summer. But I figured if I could post relatively regularly through the summer then the season shouldn't be any problem at all. My summer plans did get changed, but I did an almost decent job.

Now onto some hockey related ramblings. As of right now both Teppo Numinem and Nolan Pratt are unsigned UFAs. Earlier this summer there was talk that Teppo was still interested in another season with the Sabres. I'd love to see him play as I think his veteran leadership will help the defense out quite a bit. Of course the is a bit of a question as to whether or not he'll be able to keep up since he missed all of the last season recovering from open heart surgery, but there are still the intangibles he brings -- after years of play he's got great instincts. As for Pratt I'm more ambivalent since I didn't actually get to watch a lot of games last season. (Although I did listen to many of them thanks to WGR's webfeed).

One of the many things I love about hockey are the goalies. Here in Buffalo we have been spoiled with great goalies for almost as long as I can remember. When I was in upper elementary and middle school, and even my freshman year of college one name was synonymous with the the Sabres -- Dominick Hasek. Even those of us who sucked at sports still would go outside in the winter and pretend to copy his moves. Although I have since learned that his style is not the norm, for those of us who grew up as Sabres fans the Dominator's style was the only style.

After he left Buffalo, causing many of us to hate him in process, Buffalo wondered who could replace his big skates. Marty Biron stepped up, though we still sucked. Yet not every year with Hasek was a play-off year as many of us remembered. After the lockout a young star decided to buck the trend, and we got to see the stylings of on Ryan Miller. For a while we even enjoyed two co-starters sharing the goal. Now we have pinned our hopes for the next 6 seasons on Miller.

So here's to Buffalo's goalies, past and present. I have omitted other great Buffalo goalies since they were really before my time.

Here's a little something else about me. I enjoy running sound. It's become a hobby of mine. I started my freshman year of college helping another guy run sound for a youth ministry, and eventually took over that position and I ran sound for my church in Scranton for a couple years. I'm even running sound for a friend's wedding later this month. (no pressure there, haha) I'm starting to buy my own sound equipment now, though I only have a mixer and some odd cables. I'd like to eventually own my a small sound system.

Odds 'n Ends from the weekend

Ok, so first off, Sean Avery is an idiot. Gary Roberts even said so. I'm sorry, but waving your hands to taunt another player, let alone Martin Brodeur, a very talented and classy (at least in my mind, even if I do hate it when the Sabres can't score against him) goalie, got old when I was about 9 years old. Heather linked to a video of the idiot on YouTube. No adult should have to have a rule made for doing this, especially at the professional level. And of course Chris Neal has no problem with Avery.

Next, congratulations to Boston College and Nathan Gerbe on winning the NCAA Frozen Four. Rumor has it that The Hobbit will forgo his senior year for a contract, following fellow Sabres' prospect Chris Butler, who signed this past weekend. WGR speculates that The Hobbit will be able to get the league max for a rookie. 

I must give major props, yo, (or whatever) to Flyers defenseman Patrick Thoresen. Talk about taking one for the team, he went to block a shot and blocked it with his groin, denting his cup. Although the doctors were worried about damage, well, down there, nothing was ruptured. Let me know when Brian Campbell does something like that. (Although if he did block a shot and say he'd do it again I'd think that maybe he should be paid Bucky's 5/25 mantra).

Also, congratulations to Marty Biron and his wife on the birth of their 3rd kid, a girl. Details at the bottom of that last link.

Oh, for the record I think I'd like to see Montreal vs. Pittsburgh in the ECF this year, with maybe Pittsburgh going on. I'm pretty ambivalent (I hope that's the right word) towards both teams, but I really respect them.  On a [slightly] related note (at least it's related in my thought process), I find that one or two players can ruin a team that I might otherwise respect. This is why I can't stand the Rangers.

That's all for now,

-- Sharpie