| | If everyone in Buffalo points a finger at Dominik Hasek as the reason for the Sabres' struggle, they're missing the point. Although the pressure's on Hasek and the team, Sabres skaters should be picking up the slack for Hasek, who has done it for them so often in the past.
Elsewhere, Ulf Samuelsson helps salvage the Flyers' season, while Joe Sakic and Mark Recchi quietly get off to great starts. Here is a look at where the pressure lies this week.
High pressure: Sabres need to bail out Hasek
From a fan's standpoint, the question is always the same: What have you done for me lately? Hasek may be acknowledged as the best goaltender in the world the last few years and has the stats to back it up. But he gets booed off the ice in his own rink, and Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff benches him in favor of Martin Biron?
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EARLY UNSUNG HEROES
At the beginning of the season, Joe Sakic knew what he
was up against in Colorado. No Peter Forsberg. No Valeri Kamensky. A completely different feel. Playing with
kids. And Sakic has just been outstanding. We forget
how good Sakic has been ever since he came into the
league. He can play with anyone on any team, good or
bad, and still produce, using his world-class skills. It's
easy to overlook Sakic because of his personality. He
likes to be one step out of the spotlight. But on the ice,
he is not one step behind anyone.
The same thing applies to Mark Recchi. On the Flyers,
you look first at Lindros and LeClair. Meanwhile, Recchi
is tied for third in the league in scoring, and leading the
league with 11 assists. In Montreal, with the general
lack of exposure given to Canadian teams in the U.S., he
became a super, well-rounded player on an average
team. Like Sakic, we forgot about Recchi a bit. Now that
he is playing in Philadelphia and has some talent around
him, Recchi is showing how talented he has been the
last several years.
I expect him and Sakic to have great seasons.
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Unfortunately, that is what pro sports are all about. What has happened to Hasek is a great lesson for every player in any sport. The bottom line is you have to produce.
Former Buffalo Bills coach Marv Levy said that when a player announces his retirement, mentally he has already retired. I'm sure some people took Levy's comment and formed an opinion about Hasek, but I don't know if it applies to Hasek. I don't believe he would regret making the announcement early because he had thought it out. He did it for the right reasons, wanting to take the pressure off, so it wouldn't be a constant drain on him throughout the season. People will argue about his decision all season, but you have to give Hasek the benefit of the doubt. He did what he thought was right, so leave it alone.
Sure, Hasek and the Sabres are off to a horrendous start. But if any player in hockey deserves to be bailed out by his team, it's Hasek. His teammates would be the first to say that. Hasek has won so many games for the Sabres; they need to start winning some games for him.
He will pull out of it. Rangers coach John Muckler may have been the first one to say that Hasek thinks and sees the game like Wayne Gretzky. In other words, Hasek is too smart, too aware and too good to allow this funk to continue for long.
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Low pressure: Ulf gives Flyers some oomph
Ulf Samuelsson, one of the game's ultimate warriors, was a great pickup for the Flyers. When he plays for the opposing team, you hate him. There's almost nobody in the lineup you would hate more than Samuelsson. When he's on your team, there's nobody you love more than Samuelsson. That's one of the biggest compliments you can give to a player. He is nasty, competitive and talented.
At his age, it's difficult for Samuelsson to sustain a high level of play like he once did. Quickness is the first thing to go. But the Flyers really needed his ingredients, that warrior mentality.
Every time he gets on the ice, we talk about how rough and tough Samuelsson is. But in the locker room, his personality is almost the opposite. What struck me was his relationship with Wayne Gretzky last year with the Rangers. When he showed up for Gretzky's last game at Madison Square Garden, it really made an impression on Wayne. Great players connect with Samuelsson, and he does with them. Everybody likes him as a person and wants to be around him. Then he puts on his uniform and turns into a warrior. Few players are like that.
Samuelsson will have a tremendous impact on the Flyers' top-level players -- Eric Lindros and John LeClair. It will help them prepare and deal with the pressure. They can look at him and be almost amused and pumped up by being around him. That part of Samuelsson's game is underrated. And he will be the glue on the Flyers' defense.
Medium pressure: Rangers need more time
The Rangers have played twice as many games as the Penguins and have three fewer goals, an alarming statistic. They are suffering from the same malady they had last year: a scoring drought.
Bringing in quality free agents is the best and quickest way to refuel, and the Rangers have the financial capabilities to do that. But it takes time for new players to adjust to a new environment. And the Rangers' environment is as hostile as any when things aren't going well. Even good players just sort of settle in and get comfortable at first as part of the feeling-out process. A poor start makes the adjustment period even more difficult.
Sometimes it's just fate. Everyone is trying to make something happen, but it's not. The fault doesn't lie with the Rangers' management. GM Neil Smith brought in some good ingredients, players like Theo Fleury and Valeri Kamensky. The ingredients just need time to cook. It's taking more time than people would like.
Everything is at a full boil in New York, but the Rangers will get better. It all comes down to pressure and how the players handle it. Muckler is turning up the heat, which he had to do. Now the players must respond.
Brian Engblom is a hockey analyst for ESPN, and he played 11 seasons in the NHL. | |
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