Inside the NHL for 10/23

11:25 Good morning! The sun is shining, the Sabres are winning and the Bills are winning. Could this be the year one of them finally wins .... OK, I'll stop there.

11:27 [Comment From frank]
Nice and toasty here in south carolina

11:28 Good. I can stay at your house for three or four days of golf and a little R&R. Wait, there's nothing relaxing about golf.

11:29 [Comment From anxious fan]
When will the lack of scoring from the centers become an issue?

11:30 Anxious, the name certainly fits. I'm not one to fret over where the scoring comes from, as long as it's coming from somewhere. Derek Roy has been a little snakebitten so far, but he's playing extremely well. He was everywhere the other night against the Bruins. How many goals did he prevent, two or three? To me, it's like scoring two or three. It will come around. Plus, MacArthur has been pretty good, so far.

Granted having hindsight in doing these makes them more interesting. The total scoring from center positions so far this season has been 7-6-13. This includes Matt Ellis who has not registered a point this season. 7 goals coming from your five centers is not all that impressive but their play as of late has been getting better. Roy scored the game winner against the Wild and Clarke MacArthur has been playing well with 3 goals and 2 assists.

11:31 [Comment From frank]
I am concerned about the sabres slow starts in the last 2 games

11:32 Yeah, that shoud be a concern. The Sabres have a good, talented team but they aren't so loaded with talent that they can just throw their sticks out there. I'm a big effort guy. You would be surprised how little I look at the scores or the results of games before writing my columns. I check effort first, effort second and the result third. Usually, they jibe, but not always. They need to start realizing the game starts when the puck is dropped at 7:05 or 7:30 or whatever -- not at 8:15.

Slow starts seem to be the mantra for this team in the past few years. This is not new for this team seeing as they liked playing only when they needed to in 2006 and 2007. The leadership on this team can bring that around or in any case fire the team up to be able to turn the jets on when needed. That didn't exist in 2007.

11:33 [Comment From OriginalSix]
Bucky: Assuming it's short term, what's the impact with Rivet's injury and any idea when he got hurt?

11:35 I'm under the assumption it is a short-term, just a couple weeks. It sounds like he had swelling there and needed to relieve the pain early in the season rather than late. When did he get hurt? Good question. I'm not sure, but I do know how these guys think. I'm going to guess and say he had knee problems before arriving in Buffalo but thought he could play through them. Once the season started, it became increasingly painful. Then, he made the decision. These guys often think they can play through anything. He's a tough guy. I'm sure that was part of his thinking, too.

Surprisingly, this team has responded well with the absence of Rivet. Sekera and Spacek have stepped up as the prime defensive pairing and Nathan Paetsch has played well in replacing Rivet. That being said, this new injury to Tallinder may cause some issues on the blue line. Weber will most likely be called up and the lines will be shuffled around again.

11:35 [Comment From Ron]
Bucky: He'd cost a lot of money but might the Sabres make a play for Gaborik with all the money (Max and Connolly for starters) that might be coming off their books next year?

11:36 Gaborik was a big topic last week. I'm not big on them going after Gaborik. They already have an expensive forward in Vanek. Gaborik is a great, great player but I'm not sure he fits here. Montreal wants him, as I've stated in the past. Los Angeles needs him. I see a better fit for him elsewhere than I do here.

No, not worth the money to get him.

11:36 [Comment From David]
Injuries have to be the issue of the day- now that we add Rivet to the list that already includes Connolly, Hecht, and Gaustad. Who do you see stepping up on defense to fill Rivet's spot (especially on the PP and PK)? Will there be another captain while is out?

11:39 They're going to start with Paetsch, who is coming off a tough year. He's a better player than he showed last year. He's very good at getting pucks to the net. I said before the season that Mike Weber should be here. Now, they could use him more than ever. He's good on both ends of the ice. I don't see him helping the PP much, but they should have enough with Spacek and Numminen to run both units. Lindy always has the option of throwing a forward back there, so you could see Pominville back there again, bombing away.

Paetsch has looked really good in the past two games. He probably will have to stay there with the injury to Tallinder but he has shown his 2006 form which impressed most Sabres fans.

11:39 [Comment From frank]
regardless of who is shooting the puck left handed or right handed, there still has been too many desparate moments in the sabres end recently

11:41 It has been a little out of sorts at times, but that's just pressure that all teams need to handle on a given night. The Sabres are trying to pressure the other team and vice versa. I'm not telling you anything you didn't already know. Teppo has played well, better than I thought he would, but there have been times when things have been scattered. Tallinder needs to play better in his own end. It should get better, in terms of sloppiness, as the season rolls along. If it doesn't, they're going to have problems.

11:41 [Comment From anxious fan]
The good news is that the Flyers haven't won a game. What's their problem?

11:43 Defense. It has been horrrrrrrible. Last night was yet another disaster against San Jose. Marty Biron is also having a tough time. It's a bad combination, which makes for a bad record. And to think I picked them to win the division. That might be something I regret later.

11:43 [Comment From David]
How impressed are you with Miller's play so far this season and do you think he can keep it up all year? I thought he was awesome against Boston and the #1 reason why the Sabres pulled out that game.

11:45 Ryan has been great. Really, you couldn't ask for anything more after the start he had last season. He's won four games. He's won two shootouts. He's only allowed six goals. Yes, he was the biggest reason they beat the Bruins. Who was it Sturm? I think it was Sturm. He's still shaking his head over that glove save. Miller's play has been important, too, because he's giving his team time to make mistakes and get the kinks out. Lalime has been good, too, obviously.

The goaltending have held this team together. Miller has looked much much better to start this season than last season and much of that has to do with all of the distractions that occurred at the beginning of the season. Lalime has played well in relief as well. I don't have much of an opinion on the backup because of how Thibault played to start last season. But what I see now looks good.

11:45 [Comment From Snidder]
Bucky, I'm going to Tampa Bay for the Sabres game in early December. Any suggestions on a good Buffalo bar to go to down there?

11:47 Do have any idea who you're dealing with in that department? Of course, I know. There's a place right down the street from the rink, a couple blocks away, 10-minute walk, called Hat Tricks. Every time I walk in that place, there are Buffalo people in there. And that includes when the Sabres AREN'T in town. The last time I walked in there, I found my cousin working there. No kidding. I had no idea. The beer is cold, and the food is good enough. Just my style.

11:47 [Comment From Mike]
It seems to me that Tallinder is playing very tentatively, like he is afraid to make a play or carry the puck. Last game he threw the puck up the sideboards a number of times when there wasn't really any pressure on him. I also can't remember the last time he rushed the puck up ice. Has Lindy commented at all on his play?

11:50 Tallinder, to me, is tentative about the physical side. I'm not sure there he's thinking about it consciously or not, but somewhere in the back of his head it seems he's worried about getting hurt again. I've seen other players go through this. Sometimes, it takes a couple years to overcome that hurdle. But he needs to play better. Lindy has hinted that he's not happy with Tallinder. I'm not going to hint. I'll tell you straight out that he's been brutal. The good thing is, he's a much better player than he has shown. Basically, he can be fixed.

Tallinder is looking horrid and maybe the injury will clear his mind. He almost looks lost without Lydman though.

11:50 [Comment From Michael]
I think it's time to cut Tim Connolly loose. He's been nothing but hurt the last 2 seasons and isn't much of a star power to hang on to.

11:52 Agreed. I had my doubts when they signed him to that three-year deal that it was the wrong move. I regret not questioning the decision with more vigor. I should have been more skeptical and cynical, if you can imagine. Instead, I looked at the ONE year he had and overestimated his value. What can you do? It's all hindsight. I would have no problem with Buffalo cutting him loose, for a vareity of reasons.

Great start to the contract year for Connolly.

11:52 [Comment From WizzerdPot]
When are we going to see Gerbe in the bigs? Anytime this season?

11:53 Gerbe will be here at some point, I believe. Same with Kennedy. The Sabres want them to experience life in the minors, which is no picnic. Plus, they can make their mistakes in Portland, where it doesn't matter as much. I agree with teh philosophy because they're deep now. If they had less talent, I would say they needed to get him up here ASAP.

I hope not to see Gerbe in the majors this year. I would like to see him gel with his Portland teammates so it becomes another case of the Pominville crew who have grown together and want to play with each other. That would be an amazing case if that happened.

11:54 [Comment From frank in sc]
How long is this latest Connolly issue going to last.? This has been a real bust for the sabres

11:56 Who know how long it will last? OK, I need to say this in a delicate fashion. There are people in the organization who have grown tired of him. It's getting harder and harder for them to ignore that he's a persistent problem. Yes, I'm dancing around the question. In short, he needs to play and play well or he's a goner. And he might be a goner, anway.

11:56 [Comment From Geoff]
So what are we looking at, a 75/25 split between Miller and Lalime?

11:57 It's about right. I see Miller playing three or four games in a row and Lalime taking over. Lindy for years has gone with the hot goalie. I'm pretty sure, after what happened in past years, that he changed his approach. We'll see what happens after the first time Lalime has a bad game.

A 75/25 split for the goalies would work out well only if Lalime keeps the performance at the level it is now. As I have said before, if Miller plays more than 65 games this season the Sabres will not make the playoffs. Right now Miller is on pace for 51 games this season.

11:58 [Comment From Lot]
Miller referred to Lalime several times during the post game interviews following the victory against Boston. It seems to me that they have formed a fast friendship and look to learn from each other this season, different from Miller and Thibault last season. Is that an accurate representation of the feeling you get from the two in practice and the dressing room?

11:59 Ryan respects Lalime. FYI: I wasn't sold on Lalime when that move was made. I was unimpressed with him over the past few years. However, he's always been known as a very good guy and a great teammate. That's what Ryan needs, plus a little push from someone who has been a No. goalie in this league. They've built a pretty strong relationship in very little time.

11:59 [Comment From frank in sc]
I don't care how many ex-sabres are on Philly. Still always great to see them at the bottom. Old feelings don't die from the 70's

12:01 Hey, let it go. It was 33 years ago for heaven's sake. I lived in Philly and loved that town, by the way. But even now, when I see Bernie Parent, there's a part of me that wants to tackle him. I was a 8-year-old fan once, too. That changes when you have this job. You're no longer a fan, just an observer.

12:01 [Comment From tray32]
I know that Stafford had by far his best game of the year last game. But has he really deserved to be on the number one line, and when do you think they will call up, I think a future all-star in Gerbe. Thanks ps Lets Go Buffalo!!

12:03 Stafford was on the top line, in my opinion, because Lindy was looking for more balance among his top nine forwards. He needed someone who could bang on that line to help open up the ice for Vanek and Roy. The problem Stafford had, especially in the first few games, was that he wasn't hitting anybody. To me, that comes with effort, too. He's skating better, moving better, hitting more and obviously contributing on the offensive side.

This came before the Minnesota game in which he scored another highlight reel goal. Stafford is starting to become into his own and almost looks like a young Connolly with the ability to deke out anyone.

12:04 [Comment From Roch]
Why haven't the Sabres sold out? Do you think they have pushed prices too far given the current economy? Perhaps spending all the currency they built up with Fans prior to the "Black Sunday" from last summer?

12:04 Honestly, I didn't even realize that they didn't sell out. Is that true?

Well, technically yes. The first three home game attendances are as follows: 18,690, 18,449, 18,334. While they are not technically sell outs, they are close enough. The Sabres are still a good draw but there are going to be tickets available for every game. Much like the 2005-2006 season.

12:04 [Comment From Geoff]
I know I probably don't need to provoke you to pile on Max, but he hasn't been very effective yet this season. Do you think he has any trade value at this point?

12:07 You don't need to provoke me at all. I can usually get going on my own about him. I thought he should have been gone two years ago. That said, he played his best game in a long time against Boston. He was moving well, passing well and playing under control. Here's the problem: He'll return to the same style in which he's skating everywhere and accomplishing nothing. He does have trade value, however. He's still an electrifying player. There's always a team, a GM, a coach who thinks they can fix a player like him. Lindy has tried and mostly failed. Max is no better now than he was when he was 21 or 22 years old.

Max is just Max. Which is just a bad sign for this team. If Afinogenov was a better passer and had more of a team first mentality he probably would be a very good player. But his me first mentality when it comes to puck handling makes him very prone to turning over the puck. Which he does very, very well. Afinogenov leads the team with 8 giveaways. This means that Max is good for one giveaway a game. That's just plain ugly.

12:07 [Comment From TC]
What are your early feelings on Ellis? Do you think he was a good aquisition?

12:08 My early feelings on Ellis is that he reminds me of Adam Mair. He's not overflowing with talent but he's an honest player.

Ellis is playing his role well. The fourth line of this team is not giving up goals which is what they are meant to do. The fourth line as a whole is a -1 through eight games. None of the players on that line have scored a goal but they really haven't given up a goal.

12:08 [Comment From greginva]
Stafford; was about time he showed up the other night. That was a big time move to the net he made on his goal. He was mentioned as eventual captain material his rookie season. Do you see him progressing to that level of play and leadership?

12:11 I was the one who suggested he was captain materal someday. We'll see. He had a very good head on his shoulders for a young player, and that's what impressed me about him. Now, he needs to continue to evolve as a professional, which means doing all the right things on and off the ice, becoming a stronger leader. It's hard to be a leader unless you're a good player, in my opinion. He should concentrate on his play, let that do the talking for him for a while and become more comfortable with his own voice. It takes time.

12:11 [Comment From Jim]
Do you think the absence of Hecht is a factor in Pominville's lack of goal production??

12:12 Yes, but it's not something to get overly concerned about. Hecht and Pommer have really good chemistry. They can communicate throughout the game without talking. Hecht will make them better when he returns. The goals will come. The key for now is to keep winning without them.

12:12 [Comment From Nick in NC]
Do you think Buffalo will be taking a look at Gaborik tonight. He would sure look pretty with Roy and Vanek.

12:14 Buffalo is looking at all players every night. Lindy watches an amazing number of games for someone who spends so much time coaching them. Darcy is watching what's happening around the league. As for Gaborik, he would look pretty with me and your next-door neighbor -- unless your next-door neighbor is Max.

12:14 [Comment From Jim in SC]
I know we're very early in the season, but do you anticipate the sabres trying to make some moves via trade to improve their club??

12:16 Teams generally wait for the first 20 games or so. Darcy generally waits for the trade deadline. He has made very few moves over the years before they were absolutely necessary. If something falls on his lap that's utterly ridiculous, such as Gaborik for Peters, yeah, he'll make that move. Otherwise, I don't see them doing much until the pressure gets turned up a few notches.

No, why fix something that right now isn't broken.

12:16 [Comment From Wayne Kovach]
Bucky, do you think Montreal will make any significant moves to help bolster their already good chances at a Cup run this year?

12:19 I've said before that the Habs have their eye on Gaborik. I can see them making such a bold move. It was interesting last week when the story came out of Minnesota that the Wild were shopping him and had spoken to one team. I wondered if the one team was the Habs. By the way, the fact Minny was shopping him wasn't overly shocking despite how it was played on a national scale. Most people paying attention knew that was the case for several weeks or more. It just took a while for the club to acknowledge as much.

Gaborik should bolster the Canadians offense very well. But by the way the numbers look, the Canadians do not have the cap space to get Gaborik at this point. Minnesota will hold on to Gaborik for as long as they can and he will become a good trade deadline guy. Then more teams will be interested.

12:19 [Comment From Mike]
I know this is off the topic but here's my cynical side: Do you set up a Tiki Bar next to your rink? If so how about inviting McCargo and some neighbors over so we can shoot pucks at him for being the defense's version of Mike Williams.

12:20 No Tiki Bar or Tiki Kane or Tiki Barber.

A tiki kane should be a small statue I think. But it is good to know that Patrick Kane's father's nickname was Tiki. So he could be referring to that as well. Not exactly sure.

12:20 [Comment From Don]
Who would you rather see in the lineup on D, Paeche oe Webber?

12:21 I would rather see Paetsch for a couple games, but I wouldn't waste too much time before turning to Weber. It could mean sitting Teppo down for a game or two to keep him fresh. He is 40, after all.

Tonight is the night that we can better make that comparison.

12:22 [Comment From tray32 from Ft Lauderdale]
I know that Lydman and Tallinder for some reason are Darcy's boys, but Cmon! The giveaways by both together tonite will cost atleast two goals. Dont you think teaming them up would be a terrible idea?

12:23 They had great chemistry two years ago, when they won the Presidents' Trophy and the previous year. Putting them together is hardly a reach. There once was a time when Lydman played poorly whenever he was with anybody BUT Tallinder.

12:23 [Comment From Kevin]
Bucky, do you think Sarah Palin will be dropping the first puck at a Sabres game next week? She's making the circuit from Philly to St. Louis...

12:24 Doesn't she have more important items on her agenda?

12:24 [Comment From Geoff]
Out of curiosity, do you or any other News Sports dept. staffers play hockey?

12:26 I would last about three shifts before begging for Mommy. I'm not sure who plays and who doesn't play, although I would like to see Sully on double-runners. I'm no Katarina Witt, but at least I can stand up and skate a round for a little while.

12:26 [Comment From TC]
It looks like to me that Peters is actually trying to be a hockey player this year. Yes, he still likes to mix it up, but seems to be jumping into the play more. Your thoughts on him, please.

12:28 Peters has done a better job of being a hockey player, yes. It's almost required these days because roster spots are so valuable. The days of having guys who only fight are just about over. You have to play a little bit to stick around. Remember, he was a second-round pick based on his potential, not because he was a fighter.

Peters will probably double his goal total from last year if he keeps on playing at the level he is playing at. He has not been bad at all playing the puck and his backchecking as been pretty good this season.

12:28 [Comment From Jay from Tampa]
Hey Bucky. Love your chats. I'm still wondering what Max is still doing here too. My guess is that the Sabres haven't received any good offers that were worth what they would call of value. My question is about the hurt though. When is Hecht scheduled to come back and Connolly? I think Hecht isn't a flashy player but he provides leadership that could assist this team with getting quicker and better starts.

12:30 My guess is that the Sabres didn't get any offers that they considered good enough for Max. They wanted to move him, and he wanted to be moved. But you don't just trade a guy. Darcy is a very patient guy and, at times, too patient. Hecht should be back in the next week or so. Connolly, who knows?

12:30 [Comment From Rick in Poughkeepsie]
Forget that we like to see Philly at the bottom of the standings, how about cheap shOttawa? They've been terrible starting mid-last season and nothing makes me happier than to see that team suffer. I figure the end this season in 10th place, what do you think?

12:32 I picked Ottawa behind Buffalo, for what it's worth. They have three great players in Spezza (good quote, by the way), Alfie and Heatley. They're also gobbling up a boatload of money under the cap. That has created a trickle-down effect on their roster, which is thin on their bottom two lines and the blue line.

12:33 [Comment From David]
I am very excited about tonight's contest in Minnesota- this game will tell us a lot about how the Sabres' respond after a lackluster outing- especially considering they have to face an undefeated team on the road. They really can't afford to have another slow start tonight. Do you believe the Wild are true contenders this year and how well do you think the Sabres match up against them?

12:35 You can never count out the Wild because they play such great defense under Lemaire. It's not exciting by any means, but it works. The Sabres patience will be tested tonight playing against those guys. It's going to be an interesting game. Buffalo has more talent, in my opinion, but Minny is better than most people think. It should be a good game, but it has the potential to be boring.

12:35 [Comment From Zach]
Are you getting sick of answering the same questions over and over again?

12:36 Not really, because they're not all the same. I see reporters asking the same questions every day. If the players can handle it, I'm pretty sure I can. Good question, by the way, and original.

12:36 [Comment From greginva]
enough about Gaborik please!! he is the last thing this team needs. a strong tough leader up front will fill out this team nicely. other than that this team has the talent.

12:36 see my previous answer.

12:36 [Comment From arturs irbe]
any chance we'll see weber called up soon? paestch looked really rough last year and in the pre-season...

12:37 Weber could get a call in the next two weeks. He's ready, but my thinking is that he's not going to replace Paetsch. My guess is Weber would play for Rivet and Paetsch would give Teppo a breather. We'll see.

12:37 [Comment From Hools in DC]
Do you see any similarity between Kaleta and Roy from the standpoint that Roy developed a diving reputation that refs jumped on and that Kaleta's ease in the early season of drawing penalities by chirping but not fighting may become similar (diving penality vs. Vancouver as an example)?

12:39 The only similarities I see between Kaleta and Roy is that they're rooting for the same team. Roy was a diver, plain and simple. Kaleta isn't a diver. He's an instigator who took a diving penalty. Big difference.

12:39 [Comment From Aaron]
Bucky, what's your prediction on the average auction price for 2 seats from The Aud?

12:40 I'm not sure, really. It will be interesting. I said in a column a few years ago that I want a few oranges for my basement. Best seats in professional sports were first row oranges, center ice, at the Aud. That's assuming you didn't kill yourself after falling down the stairs and flying over the railing into the upper golds.

I would imagine that the first sets of seats are going to be more expensive than the last sets. As soon as most of the memorabilia guys get their seats then the auction price should decrease. Unless there is an attachment to a certain group of seats.

12:40 [Comment From Soupy]
Bucky play? anything? NO WAY!

12:42 Soupy, I've seen you on the golf course. It's not pretty. You sat the bench for Lackawanna hoops. And if I was on that team, well, I would have been sitting right next to you.

12:42 [Comment From Matt]
How many goals do you think MacArthur can end up with? I know he has started fast in the past and trailed off but do you think he can be a 20 goal scorer?

12:43 He's capable of scoring 20 goals. I'm not sure that he'll score that many because he's going to be playing with different teammates when Hecht comes back. It depends on linemates, ice time, etc. But he's done a good job this season, especially round the net.

Right now he is filling his role really well. Without Hecht, MacArthur has stepped in nicely to fill that role and be able to handle the second line status. It is going to be really hard to demote him when Hecht comes back.

12:43 [Comment From Snidder]
Hey Bucky...If you were the Sabres GM and could go out and pick someone up...who would it be?

12:44 Alex Ovechkin. He scores, he hits and he shows up every night.

12:44 [Comment From Brian (Albany, NY)]
Connolly, Max and a draft pick for Marion Gaborik. Discuss.

12:44 [Comment From Brian (Albany, NY)]
The Sabres are in Minnesota tonight, any chance they depart with Marion Gaborik and leave Max and Connolly in the Twin Cities?

12:46 Brian, you showed up for the game midway through the second period. I don't see it happening any time soon or any time, period. I just don't see Gaborik winding up in Buffalo, but it's OK to dream. I've been wrong before, once or twice.

12:46 [Comment From Mo]
Tastes Great or Less Filling?

12:46 Tastes great.

12:46 [Comment From put em up]
what does Kaleta have to do to shed his fast-growing image as the pest who wont duke? I know he went in Atlanta, but he got the dive call against Vancouver and its gonna keep happening...

12:48 Kaleta is more than willing to fight. He'll shed his image when the players he plays against realize that they're doing all the fighting for him. He doesn't care about his image. He cares about winning, and he's done his share to contribute so far this season.

See Matt Barnaby

12:48 [Comment From eric]
At the game the other night I observed something about Max...he's always liked to go wide, so the D generally compresses and forces him that way. However, now it seems to be about avoiding contact. The one time I saw him cut to the middle it was because he didn't want to get rubbed out on the boards. He had another amazing opportunity to split the D but had his head down and I don't think he even noticed. He played much better when he skated with his head up and initiated contact. He's not a big guy but certainly isn't a small guy...does he have Tallinder's I-Don't-Want-to-Get-Hurt-Again disease?

12:51 Max in recent years has been easy to defend for the reasons you gave. He skates wide and, assuming he didn't draw his teammates offside on the way to the zone, stays on the perimeter. The two defensemen play below the faceoff dots, two forwards help create the box and they wait for him to make a mistake. The last thing you want to do is caught chasing Max because that's where he can hurt you. Most goals are scored around the crease. If he wants to score, he need to get closer than 20 feet from the net.

12:51 [Comment From eric]
If you actually had to spend $ from the hard-earned Gleason family till on hockey, which five players would you pay to watch?

12:53 Ovechkin, Crosby, Zetterberg up front with Scott Niedermayer and Phaneuf on the back end.

12:53 [Comment From Soupy]
Factual correction: I started every game and was co-captain my senior year. & former10 handicap until childrens! See you at Christmas!

12:54 In my next life, I want to dream like Soupy.

12:55 Couple more questions, preferably not about Gaborik.

12:55 [Comment From TC]
When is Derek Roy going to quit being the hockey version of Scott Norwood and score a few instead of shooting wide right or left of the open net. This has to be frustrating for him, it is for me to watch.

12:57 Sorry, I somehow missed this question a few minutes ago. Roy is going to be fine so long as he keeps his feet moving. The guy never gets tired. If anything, he's trying to be too precise. The scoring will come around with all the chances that line creates. And then people will wonder why Vanek isn't scoring as much.

12:57 [Comment From Chris]
I think its great that Kaleta draws PP and doesn't fight if he doesn't have to. How long can he keep this up without someone eventually taking a nasty cheap shot. Doesn't the league still have the good ol boy mentality where they conspire to hurt a player like him?

1:00 Certain players want a piece of him, definitely. What they haven't realized is that Kaleta has been baiting them into penalties while they're trying to bait him. He's been the same since he was in the OHL. He keeps on coming, and he's a punshing hitter, one of the better hitters in the league. Whether someone will go out of his way to attempt to hurt him, I'm not sure. I am sure that Kaleta knows what he's doing out there and will continue watching the parade to the penalty box for as long as it lasts. And he enjoys every minute of it.

1:00 [Comment From jqinpdx]
Micros or domestic beer? Hot wings or mild?

1:00 Great question. Labatt Blue and hot.

1:01 [Comment From eric]
Will Mats Sundin return to the NHL this year? Will it matter? I could see the Caps making a play for him given their relative youth

1:05 Last one, folks. Sundin seems to be in a strange place mentally right now -- not sure if he wants to play. From here, it looks like he's keeping close watch on the league and trying to figure out where he can have the best chance to win a Stanley Cup before making a commitment. Clearly, it's not all about money because Vancouver offered him a two-year deal for $20 million. He's never really had a sniff at the Cup. You just might see him in Montreal. My guess, and it is a guess, will be that he waits until there's about 60 games left in the season before making a decision. That way, he'll have enough time to adjust to his new team without getting overly taxed from a full season. Thanks for all the questions, see you next week. One more thing -- cheap plug -- you'll love what Rivet has to say in Inside the NHL about his first two months in Buffalo.

No Sundin will not come back. If he does it just looks bad for him plus he hasn't been working out all that much. Vancouver or Montreal seem to be likely places for him to fall if he decides to come back but I really don't see that happening. The longer a player decides the less likely he is to come back.