Buftex Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 I think Pommers is a great player but a horrible captain. Unfortunately history dictates that you can't strip the C off his sweater unless its via a trade. Biggest mistake Ruff made was not making Vanek the captain. Not sure if I agree with that. It is pretty well known, particularly early on, that Ruff and Vanek had a pretty contentious relationship. It might have improved some the last season or two (might have), but Ruff wouldn't have had much credibiltiy if he annointed a guy as "C"aptain, if they were constantly butting heads. I happen to think Pomminville is a really good hockey player, but I will agree, he may not have the "fire in the belly" that you normally associate with an NHL team captain. When I think captain, Ott seems the obvious guy right now, like Mike Foligno and Mike Peca beofore them. But, I remember a time, way back, when HOFer Gilbert Perreault was the Sabres team captain, and many Sabres fans had issues with that too. Like Pomminville, Perreault was considered too mild mannered by some, to be wearing a "C" as absurd as that sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Not sure if I agree with that. It is pretty well known, particularly early on, that Ruff and Vanek had a pretty contentious relationship. It might have improved some the last season or two (might have), but Ruff wouldn't have had much credibiltiy if he annointed a guy as "C"aptain, if they were constantly butting heads. I happen to think Pomminville is a really good hockey player, but I will agree, he may not have the "fire in the belly" that you normally associate with an NHL team captain. When I think captain, Ott seems the obvious guy right now, like Mike Foligno and Mike Peca beofore them. But, I remember a time, way back, when HOFer Gilbert Perreault was the Sabres team captain, and many Sabres fans had issues with that too. Like Pomminville, Perreault was considered too mild mannered by some, to be wearing a "C" as absurd as that sounds. Exactly! I was gonna cite those situations... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyMannn Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 One thing about Pommer, did you know he has only missed 9 games, in the 2010-11 season, since 2006. That is one heck of a durability factor. Got to love guys that you can pencil in every game cause you know they are going to be there. A bit of a parallel to ex-Bill Levitre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 One thing about Pommer, did you know he has only missed 9 games, in the 2010-11 season, since 2006. That is one heck of a durability factor. Got to love guys that you can pencil in every game cause you know they are going to be there. A bit of a parallel to ex-Bill Levitre Yeah...I am not saying Pomminville is a HOFer, but the abuse he takes from fans is rediculous. They look at Plus/Minus ratings and think that tells the story...but you know what, when you are on a team that always seems to struggle to score goals consistantly, is perennially outshot, most guys are going to have poor P/M ratings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PTS Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Not sure if I agree with that. It is pretty well known, particularly early on, that Ruff and Vanek had a pretty contentious relationship. It might have improved some the last season or two (might have), but Ruff wouldn't have had much credibiltiy if he annointed a guy as "C"aptain, if they were constantly butting heads. I happen to think Pomminville is a really good hockey player, but I will agree, he may not have the "fire in the belly" that you normally associate with an NHL team captain. When I think captain, Ott seems the obvious guy right now, like Mike Foligno and Mike Peca beofore them. But, I remember a time, way back, when HOFer Gilbert Perreault was the Sabres team captain, and many Sabres fans had issues with that too. Like Pomminville, Perreault was considered too mild mannered by some, to be wearing a "C" as absurd as that sounds. I get where you are coming from but Vanek isn't a soft player. He proved earlier this season that he can carry this team on his own. He's uber-talented but he's not afraid to go into the dirty areas. To me, he is like Drury with far greater skill. Pominville is a poor-man's Perreault. I wish we could keep Pominville, just not as captain. Maybe there is a way to do, but I would think it involves getting a new GM and coach and saying they are picking captains for their team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leelee Phoenix Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 When Nolan was the coach, every team in the NHL HATED playing the Sabres. Yes, because the Sabres had the greatest goalie ever. The most banal talk there is in sports is about hockey captaincy. If a grown adult really cares about wearing a "C" on their shirt like it means anything, go away, good riddance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 I get where you are coming from but Vanek isn't a soft player. He proved earlier this season that he can carry this team on his own. He's uber-talented but he's not afraid to go into the dirty areas. To me, he is like Drury with far greater skill. Pominville is a poor-man's Perreault. I wish we could keep Pominville, just not as captain. Maybe there is a way to do, but I would think it involves getting a new GM and coach and saying they are picking captains for their team. No, I didn't say Vanek was a soft player...but Lindy Ruff, IMO, made him tougher. He had soft tendancies early on. As recently as last season, Ruff and Vanek still seemed to be butting heads. I think a coach (Lindy in this instance) is wise to make somebody a captain who buys into whatever he is preaching. Though we don't get a ton of insider info on the inner-workings of the Sabres, most accounts I hear are that Pomminville is a vocal leader in the locker room. And, he was one of Lindy's guys, so the choice to make him captain was obvious. Vanek, on the other hand (and this isn't a slam, I like Vanek a lot) was known to roll his eyes at Ruff and "tune him out". It would be a bad message to send the team to make him a captain. Not sure, but I get the sense that Vanek is kind of a moody guy. I also hear he is incredibly hard on himself...he may have outgrown this stuff, but at the time Ruff plugged Pomminville into that role, to me, it made complete sense. It appears that Pomminville or Vanek are on their way out (maybe both), so the point is moot. But I can understand why Ruff would have been hesitant to pull the "C" from a good soldier, and I can understand why Rolston would be hesitant to step in and make that change. It probably is not as big a deal in the locker room as it is to us fans. Keeping that in mind, Vanek would be alright as captain, but Ott, to me, has already established himself as a true leader...the fact that he is a new guy might even be a positive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
\GoBillsInDallas/ Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Sabres 4, Penguins 1. Go figure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 (edited) Sabres 4, Penguins 1. Go figure. Blind squirrel finds an acorn... Broken clock is right twice a day. Edited April 3, 2013 by ExiledInIllinois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Blind squirrel finds an acorn... Broken clock is right twice a day. EII is comprehensible... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted April 3, 2013 Author Share Posted April 3, 2013 Will be interesting if that was Millers' last game as a Sabre...one more start than Dom! If so, a great way to go out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 I predict that it wasn't #30's last game as a Sabres, but that it was Pominville's. It's Ott's team now, as far as I can tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PastaJoe Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Pominville is a good 2nd line player who was forced to play 1st line minutes by default after Briere and Drury were let go. Vanek has never had a 1st line center to maximize his potential. Both of those issues are on Darcy, and unfortunately he will be the one staying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Pominville is a good 2nd line player who was forced to play 1st line minutes by default after Briere and Drury were let go. Vanek has never had a 1st line center to maximize his potential. Both of those issues are on Darcy, and unfortunately he will be the one staying. Darcy's always had a mind toward scoring centers. Not that Briere, Roy, Connolly, and now Ennis and Hodgson, can't gather assists, but none have been true facilitators for a sniping winger. I always wanted to see Vanek paired up with Joe Thornton. Probably never going to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Bye Bye Captain Pomiville. He's gone Wild to Minnesota for prospects and maybe picks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyMannn Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Bye Bye Captain Pomiville. He's gone Wild to Minnesota for prospects and maybe picks. Yesterday on the radio they were saying how everyone wants guys gone, then someone is dealt and fans are like "Why trade THAT guy?" I'm sort of feeling that way right now. Pom was a solid 25G a year scorer who played EVERY game. Hope we did OK here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted April 3, 2013 Author Share Posted April 3, 2013 (edited) Yeah...not happy about the trade...but I really don't know a lot about the guys they got in return...Larsson and Hackett. A back-up goaltender...has to make you wonder if anyone else is headed out in the next hour or two. This, for me, is one of the top two or three most exhilerating moments in Buffalo sports history...good luck Pommers.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEpr8moQBPs Edited April 3, 2013 by Buftex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PastaJoe Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Too bad they didn't do enough. I want to see more players gone before next season; Stafford, Leino, Hecht, Sekera. Let the youngsters play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted April 3, 2013 Author Share Posted April 3, 2013 Too bad they didn't do enough. I want to see more players gone before next season; Stafford, Leino, Hecht, Sekera. Let the youngsters play. I would keep Lleno..the Sabres may have something in him. He just has to stay healthy...the guy is good with the puck, and was really the only forward, this season (in the breif time in the lineup) who was able to move the puck smoothly into the oppositions end. He is still pretty young...even though he had a rough first season, overall, the last 20-25 games last season, he played pretty well...all the others I would say can go. Unless Hecht gets traded today (not looking like it will happen) he isn't going anywhere. If somebody doesn't want him for a playoff run this year, as vetran depth, he is pretty useless. Stafford is definitely a guy who needs a change, and Sekera is just way too inconsistant...more bad than good this year. But, I suppose you can say that about pretty much everyone. Don't give up on Lleno just yet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helpmenow Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 And stafford stays wow! This guy is one big stiff. Too bad they didn't do enough. I want to see more players gone before next season; Stafford, Leino, Hecht, Sekera. Let the youngsters play. 100% agree, seen enough here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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