{Editors Note}  First of all I would like to tank Bob Sheppard for writing this diary and sharing his thoughts on the Sabres.  I would like to encourage everyone to write more diaries and help this site be what it is supposed to be, a community of Buffalo Sabres fans.  As we make the transition to SB Nation 2.0 this will become even easier and more fun.

I felt this was important enough to get on the front page because it is the perfect example of what this team is about and what this site is about.  I think everyone should have this attitude towards the team but I know everyone doesn't.  Feel free to comment away on the subject matter.

Being so far removed from a hockey town, there is a lack of coverage for the NHL yet alone the Buffalo Sabres in general.  With that said I was unable to follow closely how the season progressed this year.  I'm sure there is much agitation in the local Buffalo media and from the fans perspective as well, for this being a disappointing season...especially since the city was spoiled with two consecutive conference finals appearances.  I can confidently say its quite refreshing to see such a avid fan cover the Buffalo Sabres with such passion and still hint towards a neutral position on the organization.  I commend D.O. for keeping up with the highs and lows of the season with such constant professionalism...it allows those who have relocated from the heart of the team to still keep up with the ongoings of the team we have rooted for, and still satisfy those who are privileged enough to watch the games on a daily basis.

As for the 2007-2008 season, of course there is a level of disappointment for the next month we will be watching playoff hockey without having a home town team to root for, but all in all this was a successful season.  We as a club ranked 4th in scoring for the entire league (even higher than the Penguins whom everyone seems to hail as the second coming of the 80's Oilers)...not bad for a team that lost two top scorers and an offensive defensmen late in the year.  You can point fingers to goaltending, to injuries, and to the lost of their captains, but the truth is this team is in the process of re-establishing their identity.  39 wins for a club that had little leadership in the locker room at the start of the season, and 4 points shy of dancing in April is a solid start to a new generation of Sabres.  I guess you could say I'm looking for the silver lining, but the fact of the matter is there is obvious talent on this roster.  Now every club has talent...we are talking about the NHL here, but this team has superstars in the making...Vanek seems far more comfortable with the weight on his shoulders. Miller's season may have been a bit uncharacteristic, but he has now seen the downside of an NHL season, with a stronger stay at home defenseman in front of him, I believe in his ability to be the franchise goaltender we all want him to be.  Roy and Stafford are special talents that will continue to lead the team next year.  

If you look at the season in terms of playoffs it was a losing season, but add Drury and Briere back to this roster the Sabres would have been the top team in the east again hands down.  Yes we need to find more role players to step up in the critical moments of games, and yes we need Miller to perform better in shootouts and late in games, but the foundation is there...they are starting to believe in life after the captains. So I say cheers to a successful start and a promising future...and if all that sounds like a half full attitude think about this, the Leafs still suck for like the ninth straight season.