11 replies to this topic

[DropThePuck]

As the NHL regular season hits its halfway mark Saturday -- the Hurricanes-Islanders game is listed as No. 615 in the 1,230-game campaign -- the Bruins must be considered among the biggest flops of the NHL's comeback year.

Sitting 13th in the Eastern Conference at 15-18-6 wasn't what GM Mike O'Connell had in mind for his club halfway through the season.

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[jojo983]

As the NHL regular season hits its halfway mark Saturday -- the Hurricanes-Islanders game is listed as No. 615 in the 1,230-game campaign -- the Bruins must be considered among the biggest flops of the NHL's comeback year.

Sitting 13th in the Eastern Conference at 15-18-6 wasn't what GM Mike O'Connell had in mind for his club halfway through the season.

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I think the St.Louis Blues have been the biggest disappointment of the NHL.

[Dark Knight]

I think the St.Louis Blues have been the biggest disappointment of the NHL.

Not for me, I expected them to be bad especially due to all the trades. I think my disappointments would be Atlanta and Anaheim.

[GLOVESAVE35]

I think the St.Louis Blues have been the biggest disappointment of the NHL.

Not for me, I expected them to be bad especially due to all the trades. I think my disappointments would be Atlanta and Anaheim.

I agree about the Blues. Personally, Anaheim is a HUGE disappointment so far, and Chicago has really underperformed in my expectations.

[ahtikullervo]

I think the St.Louis Blues have been the biggest disappointment of the NHL.

Not for me, I expected them to be bad especially due to all the trades. I think my disappointments would be Atlanta and Anaheim.

I can excuse Atlanta due to their goalie probems. Lehtonen back they have been a power house!

I would add Pittsburgh though...

[Jennifer1515]

I think the St.Louis Blues have been the biggest disappointment of the NHL.

those Blues are just now starting to actually play semi-satisfactory hockey
so IMO they were disappointing the first half of the season... i see the second half to be decent...not play-off material but decent

[ahtikullervo]

3 most negative suprises (for me):

1. Pittsburgh Penguins
2. Boston Bruins
3. St.Louis Blues

3 most positive supises:

1. Buffalo Sabres
2. New York Rangers
3. Dallas Stars

[Dark Knight]

Biggest surprise to me bar none has to be LA. Credit where credit's due. Their goaltending has been superb.

[Jennifer1515]

Biggest surprise to me bar none has to be LA. Credit where credit's due. Their goaltending has been superb.

and that means a TON coming from a Ducks fan

I would have to say Buffalo has surprised me...but maybe that is because I tend to 'forget' about Buffalo from time to time

[Duckywuv]

I think the St.Louis Blues have been the biggest disappointment of the NHL.

Not for me, I expected them to be bad especially due to all the trades. I think my disappointments would be Atlanta and Anaheim.

Ouch... but, Atlanta? Thier hot as all heck right now!, I think they are in a playoff spot. But yes, Anahiem is.... a disappointment.

[GLOVESAVE35]

3 most negative suprises (for me):

1. Pittsburgh Penguins
2. Boston Bruins
3. St.Louis Blues

3 most positive supises:

1. Buffalo Sabres
2. New York Rangers
3. Dallas Stars

I agree with you there, especially the positive surprises. I think I'd add the Sharks to the negative surprises, though - at least so far.

[GLOVESAVE35]

Link to article about the surprising Sabres

Making a point
We should've seen it coming -- these Sabres are good

For those of you out there wondering how the Buffalo Sabres have 26 wins -- second-most in the NHL -- you're not alone. Many prognosticators overlooked the Sabres coming into this season, despite some favorable signs.

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But as is the case with many performances this season -- see the Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators for further proof -- the link between that edition of the Sabres and the current incarnation is traceable to last season in the AHL. Several young players who made great strides in Rochester have carried their development forward to the NHL level.

The influx of contributors goes beyond the obvious of former first-round picks goaltender Ryan Miller and winger Thomas Vanek. Success, while not a given, was projected for both. Miller had a defining season with the Amerks in winning 41 games, garnering the AHL's top netminder award in the process. Vanek scored 42 goals in his first professional season and led the AHL with 25 power play goals.

...
Still, this Sabres' start goes beyond the numbers. Head coach Lindy Ruff knew all about his personnel because of the hours spent in Rochester last season. As he put it, "I am 18,000 miles over on my lease vehicle." That is a lot of time spent behind the wheel on I-90 between Buffalo and Rochester. But talk about return on investment.

Ruff, acting as an assistant for the Amerks, was able to get to know his young players in a teaching capacity -- a role he enjoyed since he didn't have to be "the bad guy" as head coach.

The rapport established in Rochester gave Ruff the insight to pencil in the unheralded Gaustad as the checking center long before training camp. When camp arrived, Ruff knew what he had and how it should all fit together.

One player not penciled in was Tim Connolly. He missed all of 2003-04 due to the aftereffects of a concussion and only played a couple of months last season overseas in Switzerland. Still, Connolly says his European experience served as a necessary stepping stone to this season.

But Ruff sees it differently. He watched as Connolly hired a personal trainer, committing like never before to his off-ice workouts and conditioning prior to training camp. "The light went on for him and now he's our leading scorer," Ruff said. "That's quite a story and a tribute to him."

Yes, another tribute to hard work -- by the way, that is a defining characteristic of the on-ice Sabres, whose work along the boards is the best I've witnessed league-wide -- and just one of many identifiable reasons as to why the Buffalo Sabres have enjoyed such first-half success. Surely the fanfare will follow.