How sabres measure up, over the last 20 years

by 4honors on Aug 10, 2010 4:24 PM EDT

Looking back on the Buffalo Sabres franchise the last 20 years, we have had some interesting players. I wanted to start a discussion about what players everyone thinks are the best at specific parts of the game. let's only keep it within the last 20 years. Comparing generations is too tough.

1. Best goal scorer

2. Hardest body checker

3. Best passer

4. Toughest Sabre

5. Most overated

6. Most underated

7. Best captain

8. Sabre with the best shot

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Good topic.

Best goal scorer – Mogilny
Hardest body checker – Campbell/Kaleta
Passer – This is a tough one… ill have to think about it.
Toughest – Rayzor
Overrated – Zhitnik (never really thought he was that great) or Chris Gratton
Underrated – Stu Barnes, Jason Wooley or Jochen Hecht.
Captain – Drury/Briere combo
Shot – The 06-07 version of Pominville was pretty deadly.

Old school Bills tattoo [ √ ] Old school Sabres tattoo [ √ ] ... see the avatar.
Lets Go Buffalo!!

by bflo on Aug 10, 2010 7:03 PM EDT reply actions

goal scorer Mogilny
hardest checker Kaleta
passer Lafontaine
toughest May
overrated Satan
underrated Barnes
captian Lafontaine with Drury a real close second
shot Sanderson

Rookies are like teabags...you don't know what you're gonna get until you put them in hot water. -Harry Neale

by weswed51 on Aug 10, 2010 9:46 PM EDT reply actions

goal scorer Mogilny (76 in a season no need to say anymore)
passer Lafontaine
hardest checker is a close one between Peca and Kaleta – Kaleta knocks 2 or 3 people out a season, Peca had some monster hits too. this one is too close to judge.
overrated Zhitnik (sooo true)
underrated Wooley (guy was at times our best d-man and able to play on the PP and SH. Hit, moved the puck and solid in our own zone)
captain Peca (fought/hit /scored/commanded the locker room- when i think of how a captain should be i think of Peca. The only knock is he wasnt that vocal enough)
shot Mogilny (the guy took slapshots on breakaways)

time to ring that championship bell

by 4honors on Aug 10, 2010 10:05 PM EDT reply actions

My memory going that far back is a bit fuzzy, but here goes

1. Scorer: Dave Andreychuk – 3rd on the all-time team list. Yes, Mogilny had 76, but averaged 29 for his other 4 Sabre seasons. Andreychuk averaged 32 goals a year for 11 years in Buffalo. (Yes, I went past the 20 year mark for this, sue me [Also, Miro Satan ranks ahead of Mogilny for Sabres goals, just to rub salt in that wound])
2. Checker: Take your pick between Ray, May, Kaleta, Peca, a few others.
3. Passer: Don’t have a good answer here either – Lafontaine, Hawerchuck, Connolly?
4. Toughest: Rob Ray – come on.
5. Overrated: Martin Biron – He’s a fantastic person and teammate – but I wouldn’t even want him playing backup goalie on this team.
6. Underrated: Dave Andreychuk – I know he mostly played in the 80’s but even if you only take his 4 years in the 90’s into account he still had 146 goals in those 4 seasons alone, and I almost never see his jersey at HSBC.
7. Captain: Pat LaFontaine – Patty captains the all-time Sabres team.
8. Best Shot: Alex Mogilny – He had to win some offensive category.

by Andy Boron on Aug 10, 2010 11:53 PM EDT reply actions

Scorer: Mogilny. Not that he was the most consistent, just the flat out best at putting biscuits in baskets.
Checker: Kaleta is right there, but always loved Peca’s style, until he was a douche and held out for an entire season.
Passer: Maybe Connolly? My memory is fuzzy on this. Campbell? We’re talking passes, not just assists so he has to be mentioned I feel.
Toughest: Brad May, hands down IMO.
Over-rated: I will take slack for this but I don’t care: Most over-rated player in NHL history IMO, Hasek.
Under-rated: Good ones mentioned above (Woolley, Barnes, Hecht) but to me it’s Andreychuck. Guy is maybe the most under-rated player in NHL in the last 20 years.
Captain: Have to go with Patty. Although the Drury/Briere combo was quite fruitful for us. Peca would have won this but a captain doesn’t hold out for an entire season.
Best Shot: For a short time they were here I thought Gratton and Spacek were quite excellent. I will go with Pominville though. 05-06 everything he touched hit twine it seemed. We were run and gun, and he was the gun.

Fear the Grier!!!!

by willgarr15 on Aug 11, 2010 1:34 PM EDT reply actions

1. Best goal scorer – Satan, though I think Vanek may overtake him shortly
2. Hardest body checker – Peca
3. Best passer – Connolly or Hawerchuck.
4. Toughest Sabre – May
5. Most overated – Lafontaine. I get that he’s in the Hall of Fame and had a few good years with Mogilny, but I remember him more with a broken jaw and concussions and always having injury problems. Is this how we’re going to remember Connolly too?
6. Most underated – Curtis Brown. He was a solid guy on the PK and could score, too.
7. Best captain – Peca. He was the captain when they went to the finals.
8. Sabre with the best shot – Kotalik. Zhitnik would be here if he could actually hit the net.

by bstoos on Aug 12, 2010 10:00 AM EDT reply actions

1. Best goal scorer – Andreychuk
2. Hardest body checker – Kaleta
3. Best passer – LaFontaine
4. Toughest Sabre – Larry Playfair (I think he’s just barely eligible for list having played 4 games for the Sabres in 89-90), easily the toughest Sabre ever
5. Most overated – Fuhr
6. Most underated – Lydman
7. Best captain – Peca or Drury, I can’t choose
8. Sabre with the best shot – Kotalik, despite all his shortcomings he was almost automatic on 5-on-3’s

by Tsujimoto on Aug 14, 2010 9:49 PM EDT reply actions