I know I'm not the only person to have a nostalgic love for my hometown team, I know it isn't such an unusual thing. But I will always love the Buffalo Sabres.
My family has strong roots in Buffalo hockey history. My mom's father was a part of the Buffalo Bisons organization - my uncle still has a championship ring that belonged to my grandfather. I remember being a little kid, going to games with my dad's mother (who was a season ticket holder for more than 20 years). Those were the days of Pat LaFontaine, Alexander Mogilny, and Rob Ray. I remember how disappointed our city was when we lost in the Finals in 1999 - in fact, I still see "NO GOAL" flags when I go back to visit.
I moved from Buffalo to Philadelphia in 2004, and even though I've developed a certain affection for the Flyers, the Sabres are still my number one team.
I'm excited for the new season to start (thirty one days!!) and here are some of the reasons why:
TYLER MYERS: The 2009-2010 Rookie of the Year is one of my players to watch this year. He's a 6'8" workhorse - he blocked 137 shots last year and put up 48 points, not to mention posting the most ice time for the Sabres. He's a smart defenseman, especially for a rookie, and I'm pumped to see what he's going to bring to the ice this year.
PATRICK KALETA: Now I know that this guy isn't going to be leading the league in goals, shots, or assists. Most people think that this hometown boy is just a goon (and they might be right). But he's capable of scoring goals as well as delivering hits (148 last year to be exact). One highlight of mine from last season was watching him score 2 goals against the New York Rangers on December 12. I'm looking forward to seeing him shake things up on the ice.
RYAN MILLER: I'd honestly like to skip having to write about Miller, but since so many people proclaim him to be the best goaltender in the NHL, I think he's worth mentioning. He has great stats - I can't argue with that. The thing that drives me nuts about him is every once in a while he gets into a really stupid situation. He needs to stay healthy and play solidly.
I'm excited to see what a few others will do this year, namely Tyler Ennis and Nathan Gerbe. I'm also curious to see if Thomas Vanek will heat up a little more than he did last season.
The Sabres start the 2010-2011 season off on October 8th in Ottawa.
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