Sabres Press Conference at 4pm

[kasper13]

The Retirement of Pat Lafontaine's #16 and Danny Gare's #18. Both are well deserved.

[ofiba]

To announce the return of Black and Gold!

[Chilly]

To announce the trade of Martin Biron!

[duey]

To announce the trade of Martin Biron!

478233[/snapback]

...to the Islanders for Miro Satan.

[PTS]

The Retirement of Pat Lafontaine's #16 and Danny Gare's #18. Both are well deserved.

478229[/snapback]

Absolutely disagree. Sabres retire to many numbers. They should only retire the best of the best and have a "Wall of Fame" for the other greats. Only three numbers deserved to be retired.

 

2, 11, 39.

 

The rest is too much. 50 years from now, players are going to be wearing 54 and 73 as standard numbers because all of the "hockey numbers" will be retired.

 

No knock on Patty or Danny, but if they go be these standards they will be retiring a lot of other numbers.

[ofiba]

When does Vanek get his number retired?

[PTS]

When does Vanek get his number retired?

478255[/snapback]

Which number? Because he's going to have to switch to a new number after they retire Derek Plante's 26.

[Campy]

The rest is too much. 50 years from now, players are going to be wearing 54 and 73 as standard numbers because all of the "hockey numbers" will be retired.

478248[/snapback]

Gare was from the 80's, LaFontaine from the 90's. In 50 years they will have retired 5 jerseys at the current rate, provided we have at least 1 player that is HoF calibre like Gare and Pat in each decade.

 

I think you'll be OK.

[Taro T]

Gare was from the 80's, LaFontaine from the 90's.  In 50 years they will have retired 5 jerseys at the current rate, provided we have at least 1 player that is HoF calibre like Gare and Pat in each decade.

478307[/snapback]

How do you figure they'll have only retired 5 numbers? After 16 and 18 go up, there'll be 6 numbers in the rafters and #39 will go up sometime in the next few years.

[ofiba]

be 6 numbers in the rafters and #39 will go up sometime in the next few years.

478788[/snapback]

Will it? He was the best, but he left on pretty bad terms. It'll be interesting to see how that is handled.

[Dante]

Will it? He was the best, but he left on pretty bad terms.  It'll be interesting to see how that is handled.

478894[/snapback]

No way Hasek should have his number retired. He's a ingrate. Only Gil Perrault and Tim Horton should be retired.

[Campy]

How do you figure they'll have only retired 5 numbers?  After 16 and 18 go up, there'll be 6 numbers in the rafters and #39 will go up sometime in the next few years.

478788[/snapback]

I'm talking about how many they'll retire over the next 50 years, not including the 4 they already did.

[Mark VI]

They can retire all the numbers they want. Who cares if someone has to wear 67 or 3 to the 4th power on their jersey ? I'm there to watch the game.

[smokinandjokin]

No way Hasek should have his number retired. He's a ingrate. Only Gil Perrault and Tim Horton should be retired.

478900[/snapback]

 

I will confess to not knowing much about Tim Horton's career, especially as a Sabre. I know he was not here long, maybe one or two seasons? I know that he died tragically, but reckless driving on his part was the reason.

 

Does he deserve to be up there with Sabre legends? Did the emotions involved with his untimely death cloud the memories of the fans/organization? I guess what I'm asking is, if the accident never occured, and he played five seasons here, would his number be hanging in the rafters?

 

Like I said, I really don't know much about him as a player....I heard the Sabres had a young team, and he came in as a veteran leader...that's about it.

 

Also, I think Hasek single-handedly lifted the Sabres to a level they had only been once in their history. As Sabre fans, we would get mad when the national media would say they had a mediocre team in front of the best goalie in the world. As much as you didn't want to believe it, it was true. Hasek was THE REASON those teams in the late-90's were successful. As strange as he was, and despite the terms under which he was traded, I say he goes up there. The franchise is not exactly loaded with two-time NHL MVP's.

[wnyguy]

I will confess to not knowing much about Tim Horton's career, especially as a Sabre.  I know he was not here long, maybe one or two seasons?  I know that he died tragically, but reckless driving on his part was the reason.

 

Does he deserve to be up there with Sabre legends?  Did the emotions involved with his untimely death cloud the memories of the fans/organization?  I guess what I'm asking is, if the accident never occured, and he played five seasons here, would his number be hanging in the rafters?

 

Like I said, I really don't know much about him as a player....I heard the Sabres had a young team, and he came in as a veteran leader...that's about it.

 

Also, I think Hasek single-handedly lifted the Sabres to a level they had only been once in their history.  As Sabre fans, we would get mad when the national media would say they had a mediocre team in front of the best goalie in the world.  As much as you didn't want to believe it, it was true.  Hasek was THE REASON those teams in the late-90's were successful.  As strange as he was, and despite the terms under which he was traded, I say he goes up there.  The franchise is not exactly loaded with two-time NHL MVP's.

479025[/snapback]

 

 

You said it. If Hortons number goes up simply because he died then Lafontaine and Gare and Hasek should be no brainers.

[shrader]

You're not going to see a wave of numbers retired. This is a publicity move to get some fans back. After Hasek (maybe in the next 10 years), you won't see another one for a while, unless we develop a superstar.

 

 

edit: As for Horton, talk to guys like Mike Robitaille and you'll understand why he's up there.

[Campy]

I will confess to not knowing much about Tim Horton's career, especially as a Sabre.

479025[/snapback]

We had an article on BillsBackersofVirginia.com about Tim Horton. If you want to know more about Tim Horton and the circumstances around his death, click here.

[Sound_n_Fury]

I will confess to not knowing much about Tim Horton's career, especially as a Sabre.  I know he was not here long, maybe one or two seasons?  I know that he died tragically, but reckless driving on his part was the reason.

 

Does he deserve to be up there with Sabre legends?  Did the emotions involved with his untimely death cloud the memories of the fans/organization?  I guess what I'm asking is, if the accident never occured, and he played five seasons here, would his number be hanging in the rafters?

 

Like I said, I really don't know much about him as a player....I heard the Sabres had a young team, and he came in as a veteran leader...that's about it.

479025[/snapback]

 

IMO, Horton would still be up there, even if he hadn't had the accident. He was one of the best D-men of his era and was a rock for the Sabres, even playing in his twilight years. He mentored Jim Schoenfeld and was the leader of a defense that improved rapidly over the team's first three years.

 

Here's some interesting background on why Horton was so admired:

 

Tim Horton was born in Cochrane, Ontario on January 12, 1930. He was signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1949 and performed as one of the steadiest defencemen on the blueline throughout his 22 years in the National Hockey League. He played in 1,446 regular season games, scoring 115 goals and 403 assists for a total of 518 points.

 

He played 17 full seasons and 3 partial seasons for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He served a short stint with the New York Rangers before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. His final years in hockey were with the Buffalo Sabres, where he played a major role in developing the team’s younger players.

 

Tim Horton played on four Stanley Cup teams, was an All-Star player six times, and was honoured in 1969 with the J.P. Bickell Memorial Cup in recognition of his outstanding service to the Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Club. George Armstrong says of Tim, “No finer person, teammate or hockey player ever lived.” In Bobby Hull’s words, “Few players brought more dedication or honour to the game. He was my idea of a pro.”

 

One of the most heartfelt tributes came from Punch Imlach, then of the Buffalo Sabres. Tim played for Imlach in Toronto during the glory years of the 1960's, and when Buffalo had a chance to pick him up, Imlach didn’t hesitate. “I know he was the backbone of our team in Buffalo”, said Imlach. “(His death) was a terrible loss, not only to his family and the team, but to the game of hockey.”

 

Gordie Howe has called Tim Horton hockey’s strongest man. In a fight, Horton was known to edge into the melee and “grab a couple” of players to help keep the peace. But despite his legendary strength, he was not a proponent of violence on the ice. Some claim Tim invented the slap shot, and he could always be counted on to get the puck out of his own end of the ice with his “heads up” skating style.

[Terry Tate]

We had an article on BillsBackersofVirginia.com about Tim Horton.  If you want to know more about Tim Horton and the circumstances around his death, click here.

479176[/snapback]

"The company's first road car, the Vallelunga, had Ferrari-like lines but a Ford Cortina engine."

Named after the town in Sicily my grandparents grew up in, and where all my uncles were born. A nice little city, quiet agricultural community - with a racetrack.

[BILLS4LIFE]

Long,long overdue!