RickyHP
Registered User
Just outside the decade but post lockout. 2006 Sabres. They get overlooked because the team lost in the ECF. However, 4 of their top 6 were injured for all or part of the ECF vs Carolina. The group was deep, mobile, and moved the puck well. They were the reason the post lock out Sabres were able to skate and score so well. They freed up Briere, Drury, and the rest of the forwards to take a lot of offensive chances.
Jay McKee - Brian Campbell. Top pairing with a legit 1D puck mover. McKee brought a physical veteran presence.
Henrik Tallinder - Toni Lydman. Mobile puck movers who were also the Sabres shutdown pair.
Dmitri Kalinin - Teppo Numminen. Second pairing playing as a third pair.
By game 7 against Carolina, McKee, Tallinder, Kalinin, and Numminen were all hurt. Sabres fans are convinced that if that doesn't happen, the team wins game 7 and goes to the finals.
I've always thought that the black and red era sabers had put together some monster teams. I still can't get over the fact that they lost in 2006, but I agree and I think they should have had 2 stanley cups under their belt between 96-06