Its Thursday October 9th. I've been patiently waiting for this day top arrive since last April.
Today is the Sabres 2014-15 season opener. Its a new season, with a new leadership group, and a new mission statement from Tim Murray and Ted Nolan. This Sabres team will not go 0-82. It won't go 82-0, either. Reality is that this Sabres vintage will be a very competitive team and will be a hard out for opponents to deal with.
Will they make the playoffs?
The players seem to think so. To a man, they relish the "us against the world" rally cry. They are committed to proving critics wrong. There is a new energy and a positive current running through the Sabres room right now. There is no more "Where will Miller, Vanek, and Ott be traded too" distractions in the room. That's all gone now. That negativity and speculation has been replaced with an organic, honest culture of positivity and togetherness. To be candid, I haven't felt this palpable positive vibe in the Buffalo room since 2006-07.
Its a real departure from the culture that has existed here the past two years. The old core is gone. The new core has been re-built and fortified in its place. The foundation has been patched and the support beams are new, reinforced pressure treated lumber and galvanized steel.
Today also my birthday. It also would have been John Lennon's 74th birthday. Its also Jackson Brown's birthday.
All of my favorite distractions are converging to make this a memorable day.
Today also marks the first official day of Terry and Kim Pegula's joint ownership of the NHL Buffalo Sabres and the NFL Buffalo Bills. The Pegulas and their family will be in attendance at tonight's season opener against the Columbus Blue Jax.
The noise and emotion inside First Niagara Center is going to be deafening tonight. I can't wait to take my seat on press row for what promises to be a legendary night!
Here are the Sabres line trios and D pairs for tonight's game:
Forwards:
Moulson-Ennis-Stafford Folingo-Girgensons-Stewart Hodgson-Reinhart-Gionta Deslauriers-McCormick-Flynn
Defense:
Gorges-Myers Benoit-Meszaros Weber-Ristolainen
More to come....
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