On July 4, 2008, not even a day after trading right wing prospect Steve Bernier to Vancouver, Darcy Regier acquired Craig Rivet from San Jose, and the Sabres' indentity changed.

        Before the season, not many people knew who Craig Rivet was, maybe a top four defenseman who provided a legitimate veteran prescence to a team that desperantly needed a leader. In the preseason he was named captain, much to my demise. (I disagree with new players being named captain, or atleast I did) But in the second game of the year, when he got ejected for kicking the crap out of some scrub on the islanders, I was sold.(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTPudRyyhsE) Then learning he played hurt most of the year, I was shocked. He had been playing solid the whole year and nobody could've guessed he was playing hurt. This got me thinking how much he wanted this team, fanbase, and city to succeed. He gave the Sabres a gritty prescence who sparked players like Adam Mair, and Patty Kaleta. Every game he lead this team by hitting the other team square in the mouth.

He is the leader this team needed, and that the fanbase deserved. With the addition of Myers, and maybe Weber, the emergence as a solid top 3 defenseman by Sekera, and Rivet's leadership, this defensive core may be able to emerge as the foundation for the franchise.

     This offseason may be "out with the old, in with the new," but one thing is for sure, Captain Craig Rivet is here to stay.