Bay Side
January 11th, 2007, 6:06:05 PM
I was at the game vs. the Hawks in chi-town last night, Did anybody see this??
http://www.sabresreport.com/blogs/
Last night during the 2nd intermission of what was a pretty uneventful game between the Sabres and the Blackhawks (who, while improving, need a lot of work and for a run-down see Kevin’s post on Bfloblog.) TSN had a round-table discussion of what, if anything, the Sabres need to do to improve for a Stanley Cup run. While Bob McKensie was his normal, sober and reasonable self, noting that the Sabres are pretty much locked into the team they have now, blowhard-extrorindaire Glen Healy re-iterated the need to trade not only Martin Biron but also…. deep breaths please…. Maxim Afinogenov.
I’ll leave that hang in the air for a minute or two.
I guess Healy thinks the Sabres should give up the best bargain in the league for a chance at the Gary Roberts sweepstakes, rent a big-name defenseman or some such nonsense. He brought up Max’s lack of production in the playoffs, and while that is a worry, this is also a much different Afinogenov than we’ve seen in the past. He’s meaner, more determined and working harder than he ever has. I would not be surprised if Max scores some of this team’s biggest goals come playoff time this year. He’s playing with such fire and with such an edge on most nights that I just don’t see him disappearing ala Yashin if you hit him a couple of times.
Healy hasn’t seen enough of Max to understand just how far he’s come from where he was even 12 months ago. In my mind, he’s been one of the most consistently engaged players on a nightly basis. An honor I would have him share with only Goose and Drury. His strength in the corners and along the boards is frightening. Next to Danny Briere, there is no guy on this team that wants the puck more than Max when he’s on the ice.
Just to prove to the world how much of a moron Glen Healy truly is, Max goes out and scores another highlight reel goal, more subtle than his normal acrobatics, for sure, but, as Mike Robitaille pointed out this morning on WGR, it was a goal that Max did not have the patience to give him self an opportunity to score in previous years. He was the best Sabre on the ice in the 3rd period and along with Derek Roy made up for Thomas Vanek’s decision to not show up last night and produce some real quality shifts/chances.
Trade Max? Ask me that question in September of 2005 and I’d've said without reservation, yes, absolutely. Now? With that contract and the way he’s playing? Not for anyone except a handful of the best players in the game, because he’s rapidly evolving into one of them himself.
http://www.sabresreport.com/blogs/
Last night during the 2nd intermission of what was a pretty uneventful game between the Sabres and the Blackhawks (who, while improving, need a lot of work and for a run-down see Kevin’s post on Bfloblog.) TSN had a round-table discussion of what, if anything, the Sabres need to do to improve for a Stanley Cup run. While Bob McKensie was his normal, sober and reasonable self, noting that the Sabres are pretty much locked into the team they have now, blowhard-extrorindaire Glen Healy re-iterated the need to trade not only Martin Biron but also…. deep breaths please…. Maxim Afinogenov.
I’ll leave that hang in the air for a minute or two.
I guess Healy thinks the Sabres should give up the best bargain in the league for a chance at the Gary Roberts sweepstakes, rent a big-name defenseman or some such nonsense. He brought up Max’s lack of production in the playoffs, and while that is a worry, this is also a much different Afinogenov than we’ve seen in the past. He’s meaner, more determined and working harder than he ever has. I would not be surprised if Max scores some of this team’s biggest goals come playoff time this year. He’s playing with such fire and with such an edge on most nights that I just don’t see him disappearing ala Yashin if you hit him a couple of times.
Healy hasn’t seen enough of Max to understand just how far he’s come from where he was even 12 months ago. In my mind, he’s been one of the most consistently engaged players on a nightly basis. An honor I would have him share with only Goose and Drury. His strength in the corners and along the boards is frightening. Next to Danny Briere, there is no guy on this team that wants the puck more than Max when he’s on the ice.
Just to prove to the world how much of a moron Glen Healy truly is, Max goes out and scores another highlight reel goal, more subtle than his normal acrobatics, for sure, but, as Mike Robitaille pointed out this morning on WGR, it was a goal that Max did not have the patience to give him self an opportunity to score in previous years. He was the best Sabre on the ice in the 3rd period and along with Derek Roy made up for Thomas Vanek’s decision to not show up last night and produce some real quality shifts/chances.
Trade Max? Ask me that question in September of 2005 and I’d've said without reservation, yes, absolutely. Now? With that contract and the way he’s playing? Not for anyone except a handful of the best players in the game, because he’s rapidly evolving into one of them himself.