Do you follow a second team to ease the suffering?

[Wisent42]

The Sabres are pretty much unwatchable and this is going to be a long season (is it June yet?) so are you guys jumping on other teams bandwagons? Finding a team to follow more closely to ease the suffering and hope for better days?

I myself am going with Minnesota. Besides having two of our best players over the last few years (I'm already starting to think of the last several years as the Pominville/Vanek-era, while I've already forgotten about Roy and Goose) I also see some similarities between the two franchises. Like Buffalo, Minnesota is more of an underdog, as a contrast to cocky big city teams that sell a lot of jerseys to people who don't care about hockey.

I also see Buffalo's future in Minnesota. Like us, they've stacked up on talent and in the last two years started to make aggressive moves. We consider ourselves the winners of the Pominville trade, and we sure made them overpay, but they could afford it and Pommers seem to have settled in great. They've also been able to bring in Parise, Suter and Vanek as free agents. Watching Minny gives me hope of a brighter tomorrow.

And they can't score on the PP, so that also feels like home.

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[enthusiast]

I've anticipated following the NBA a bit more this year

 

[millija26]

I'm paying closer attention to CBJ. Like how they are playing .

 

[Ness]

I like the Avs. The Flames have been entertaining to watch so far, surprisingly. Brodie-Gio is a fantastic D-pairing.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

Isles, oil, and I've caught a couple more amerks games than usual

 

[Heraldic]

Rochester. Planning to watch as many games as possible.

 

[misterchainsaw]

As an RIT alum, I always follow the Tigers as much as the Sabres during hockey season - and during seasons such as this I follow them much, much more. Although RIT's been down the last couple of years as well, at least they aren't embarrassingly, unwatchably bad.

I do track Vancouver's progress, mainly because RIT's lone current alum playing in the NHL is Chris Tanev, who's on the Nucks top defensive pairing right now with Edler and is probably among the NHL's most underrated and unknown defensemen. Think Tallinder at his very best for the Sabres - with room to grow as he's only 24.

 

[jBuds]

Absolutely not - not with any passionate interest at least. I watch a ton of Rangers because of where I am. And I keep a close eye on the isles and blues for obvious reasons.

I just abuse gamecenter because I love hockey.

 

[Bps21*]

Am I the only one who doesn't find them hard to watch at all?

I find them infinitely more interesting now than they were as we watched the franchise slowly die for the last decade...knowing it was happening the whole time while Darcy fiddled.

Now I can watch a couple young guys I have hopes for...see who is going to play their way out of the league next...and with no more darcy I can actually think about moves that could be made to improve the team when the time comes...or at least feel like I won't be stuck watching underachievers play here for their entire careers because the gm loves his players too much.

Not to mention that having those other 2 firsts makes the rest of the league more interesting. I root for 27 other teams every day. I root against 2 other teams. And I let the Sabres chips fall where they are predestined to fall.

 

[Heraldic]

Am I the only one who doesn't find them hard to watch at all?

I find them infinitely more interesting now than they were as we watched the franchise slowly die for the last decade...knowing it was happening the whole time while Darcy fiddled.

Now I can watch a couple young guys I have hopes for...see who is going to play their way out of the league next...and with no more darcy I can actually think about moves that could be made to improve the team when the time comes...or at least feel like I won't be stuck watching underachievers play here for their entire careers because the gm loves his players too much.

Not to mention that having those other 2 firsts makes the rest of the league more interesting. I root for 27 other teams every day. I root against 2 other teams. And I let the Sabres chips fall where they are predestined to fall.

I don't think it's exactly hard, it just lacks almost entirely the excitement, because you will have mixed feelings if the team wins (as long as last place isn't guaranteed). Ideal situation of course is that they play quality hockey and nevertheless draft McEichel. But the harsh fact is that being last is the best result for this franchise long term.

 

[Bps21*]

They've been doing me a favor lately and getting down real early lol. Then I can root for some goals and see who wants to step up and be worth something.

...

So far no takers.

 

[wunderpanda]

I've been following the Panthers since the lockout ended. They are two years ahead of us in the rebuild seemingly, Tallon has made good trades and signings, they just need a finisher up front. Wanted them to get Moulson this summer

 

[Thorton02]

I follow 27 other teams this year. It's been great.

 

[glimradnor]

Sabres are my second team. Started following them when the Oilers started sucking in the 90's.

I hate my life.

 

[Bps21*]

Do us a favor and jump to loving the islanders and blues real quick lol

 

[Jim Bob]

I follow my boys' Pee Wee and Squirt teams.

 

[Paxon]

I follow MODO more than another NHL team but I'm pulling for Minnesota and Tampa Bay. I'm also a Knicks fan and the season's going to kick off soon.

 

[TragicallySabres]

Calgary has always been my #2, because of Iginla. After following them for so long, I still do. Their young talent is incredible. Towards the end of last season I decided to follow the Avs a bit more, as I wanted a team to cheer for the playoffs. Young talent,.and Iggy ended up signing there. Win win for me haha

 

[Clock]

I like the Blues and the Isles.

 

[TehDoak]

I like the Blues and the Isles.

You monster

 

[Karate Johnson*]

I've checked out this season. I'm gonna step up my NBA game.


But I don't even watch the Sabres. I pay for center ice and I've watched like 2 periods all season.

 

[phosphene*]

I casually stat-watch and pay attention to some promising young players and ex-Sabres around the league. I like a few teams out West, namely St. Louis and Minnesota. Can't wait for the playoffs to come around so I can see all of these stacked West teams develop rivalries and then steam-roll whatever chump team comes out of the East.

 

[Zip15]

Pulling for the Preds. They're surprisingly exciting under Laviolette. Very mobile, involved D-corps with Weber, Jones, Josi, and Ellis.

 

[Ruckus007]

Nope. Will just switch around between interesting games.

I get all the satisfaction I need from the Sabres, Bills, Illinois, Syracuse.

At least Richmond and Marshall are having good years?

 

[Wisent42]

Sabres are my second team. Started following them when the Oilers started sucking in the 90's.

I hate my life.

You poor thing! It's like you're the Job of the hockey gods.