How are they doing now? (Former Sabres Players) Top 100 pics/stories

[MarkusKetterer]

Slightly OT: (though this is the go-to thread for Sabres history)

Did the Sabres and/or Amerks have some sort of agreement with the Detroit Vipers of the IHL in late 90s? Looking at their rosters I see a lot of Amerk players of the time (Todd Simon, Patrice Tardif, etc) and their coaches seemed to have Buffalo ties pretty consistently: Rick Dudley, Steve Ludzik, etc.

I don't recall them being part of the org. but I was fairly young at the time.

Apologies for the potential hijack of the thread, I just wasn't sure if the above questioned warranted its own thread.

The Vipers were an independent team for most of their existence. It was only after they had a disastrous affiliation deal in the 90

Slightly OT: (though this is the go-to thread for Sabres history)

Did the Sabres and/or Amerks have some sort of agreement with the Detroit Vipers of the IHL in late 90s? Looking at their rosters I see a lot of Amerk players of the time (Todd Simon, Patrice Tardif, etc) and their coaches seemed to have Buffalo ties pretty consistently: Rick Dudley, Steve Ludzik, etc.

I don't recall them being part of the org. but I was fairly young at the time.

Apologies for the potential hijack of the thread, I just wasn't sure if the above questioned warranted its own thread.

The Vipers were an independent team through most of their existence, save for a disastrous couple of seasons as the farm team for Tampa Bay. So most of the former Sabres players you’ve seen were just guys not good enough for the NHL, but got paid more than they would have over in Europe or the AHL.

Because of that, it’s why the league eventually folded. Salaries were too high for the independent teams without getting money from an NHL team, and when it folded only 4 teams were affiliated with an NHL team (Grand Rapids - Detroit, Milwaukee - Nashville, Cincinnati - Carolina, & Utah - Dallas).

 

[WiHockeyGuy]

The Vipers were an independent team for most of their existence. It was only after they had a disastrous affiliation deal in the 90


The Vipers were an independent team through most of their existence, save for a disastrous couple of seasons as the farm team for Tampa Bay. So most of the former Sabres players you’ve seen were just guys not good enough for the NHL, but got paid more than they would have over in Europe or the AHL.

Because of that, it’s why the league eventually folded. Salaries were too high for the independent teams without getting money from an NHL team, and when it folded only 4 teams were affiliated with an NHL team (Grand Rapids - Detroit, Milwaukee - Nashville, Cincinnati - Carolina, & Utah - Dallas).

I kind of figured this had to be the case, because the only affiliation agreements I can recall in the 90s-00s were Roch (obviously), Portland, Cincinnati, Bossier-Shreveport in the old CHL, South Carolina in the ECHL, and the Elmira Jackals for a bit.

It was just intriguing to me to see so many familiar faces on some of those Detroit teams, from the coaches on down.

The IHL was fun while it lasted, Milwaukee's independent years were pretty cool, but I get why that model isn't sustainable for minor league teams. Without big-league funding these teams just can't exist in most cases.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Jim Bob]

Nathan Gerbe retires Nashville Predators Buffalo Sabres Carolina Hurricanes Columbus Blue Jackets | TSN

After 13 professional seasons, Nathan Gerbe has officially retired as a player and joined the Nashville Predators organization as the club's forward development coach.

www.tsn.ca

 

[Howie Hodge]

I was in Wegman's on Sheridan last weekend, September 11.

And who do I see in The Produce Aisle?

Fred Stanfield!

No mistaking those eyes and hair.

So I was approaching him to say hello when it hit me; Fred passed away a year ago!

That would have been awkward...

RIP Freddy.

On the positive side of things, his Doppelganger was looking very well....

 

[brian_griffin]

Nathan Gerbe retires Nashville Predators Buffalo Sabres Carolina Hurricanes Columbus Blue Jackets | TSN

After 13 professional seasons, Nathan Gerbe has officially retired as a player and joined the Nashville Predators organization as the club's forward development coach.

www.tsn.ca

For a 5th rounder, he carved out a decent career (435 NHL games played).
He ranks top-25-35 in games played, goals, and points from that entire draft (the Crosby - Kopitar - Paul Stastny draft).

Other notable 5th (and later) rounders from that 2005 draft:
5th round
Darren Helm (before Gerbe) 812 games, still active.
Ryan Reaves 755 games, still active.
6th round
Former one-time Sabres Tim Kennedy and Matt D'Agostini, last NHL seasons were in 2013-14.
7th round
Anton Stralman 930 games, currently unsigned UFA.
Patric Hornqvist 879 games, signed for this season.

 

[Chainshot]

Nathan Gerbe retires Nashville Predators Buffalo Sabres Carolina Hurricanes Columbus Blue Jackets | TSN

After 13 professional seasons, Nathan Gerbe has officially retired as a player and joined the Nashville Predators organization as the club's forward development coach.

www.tsn.ca

Good for him! The man knows a few things about how to work to get to the show.

 

[Dingo44]

 

[MarkusKetterer]

I knew somewhere that Benning had something to do with the Sabres, but I forgot all about it

 

[Jim Bob]

Former NHL netminder Roloson joins Lake Superior State staff as goaltending coach, director of player development - College Hockey | USCHO.com

Lake Superior State has named former NHL All-Star goaltender Dwayne Roloson the team's goaltending coach and director of player development. Roloson

www.uscho.com

 

[brian_griffin]

I knew somewhere that Benning had something to do with the Sabres, but I forgot all about it

I think that's Dan Paille in the photo (with Luce & Regier, obviously).
Under Benning, the 1999-2001 Sabres drafts and talent retention were outright disasters in the early rounds.
Pretty sure that was all before the Rigas scandal and the house of cards collapsed.

 

[Jacob582]

I think that's Dan Paille in the photo (with Luce & Regier, obviously).
Under Benning, the 1999-2001 Sabres drafts and talent retention were outright disasters in the early rounds.
Pretty sure that was all before the Rigas scandal and the house of cards collapsed.

The 1999 draft for most teams was pretty rotten.

 

[Gras]

 

[Gras]

 

[MarkusKetterer]

I think that's Dan Paille in the photo (with Luce & Regier, obviously).
Under Benning, the 1999-2001 Sabres drafts and talent retention were outright disasters in the early rounds.
Pretty sure that was all before the Rigas scandal and the house of cards collapsed.

Yes it’s Paille. It was the only photo I could find of Benning during his Sabres time

 

[Chainshot]

I knew somewhere that Benning had something to do with the Sabres, but I forgot all about it

Ah yes, three people who hated to see me when they would have lunch at Swannie House.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

The Big Man himself liked my tweet. Although I thought he was with the Sabres for longer than two seasons.

 

[Gras]

The Big Man himself liked my tweet. Although I thought he was with the Sabres for longer than two seasons.View attachment 588557View attachment 588557

The GOAT

 

[cybresabre]

He's lucky that he's one of the "happy birthday" notifications, and not a "hey, remember when you got cut from a terrible team?" notifications

 

[MarkusKetterer]

He's lucky that he's one of the "happy birthday" notifications, and not a "hey, remember when you got cut from a terrible team?" notifications

Poor Kyle Criscuolo

 

[Howie Hodge]

Did someone say Jim Benning??

 

[MarkusKetterer]

 

[Jacob582]

Aaron Dell stopped 26 of 27 shots in preseason action with a win over LA last night.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Aaron Dell stopped 26 of 27 shots in preseason action with a win over LA last night.

Stop lying. It’s Aaron Dell

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

Stop lying. It’s Aaron Dell

He meant A A Ron Dell