He Likes Us, He Really Likes Us

Because I love lists, I bring you five interesting things I learned at Ryan Miller's press conference yesterday (which can be found on sabres.com):

1. Ryan looked good. I don't mean that in a puck-bunny "ohmyGodRyanMillerissohawt" kind of way (no offense, Ryan, I can't get past the eyebrows). I mean, he looked the way I've always wanted to see him look - happy. Summer looks good on him; he looks rested and he may even have added some weight to that supermodel-skinny body he was dragging on the ice for the last few weeks of the season. He looked genuinely happy throughout the whole press conference, which I take to mean he is genuinely happy to be playing here for the next six years.

This adorable photo courtesy of the Derek Gee of The Buffalo News

2. I've found the greatest words in the English language, and they are as follows:

"I'd trade all the money in the world to bring a championship here, and to accomplish something with my group of friends, my teammates."

Hearing Ryan say this literally brought tears to my eyes (I know, I'm a crybaby). It just feels like we've waited for so long for someone to say that winning a championship for us is priceless. As Sabres fans, we've been burned by "fan favorites" who've left us in search of the big paycheck, a quick chance at success, or a bigger name team. For once, we have a star player who understands that the pride of being the first to bring us the win we've always dreamed of will be better than any amount of money.

3. There's a definite method to Darcy's madness. Darcy has always talked about the importance of keeping the "core" of our team together. I believe that, in order for that to have happened, we could never have kept Drury, Briere, and Campbell. Now, looking at it with all that was said yesterday, I'm not sure they were the best for the team in the long run, anyway. Ryan said over and over again that he loves the Sabres because he gets to go to work with his best friends. Those guys from the 2004-2005 Amerks are like family, and what they have is rare in pro sports. They've grown up together, and they've dreamed of winning the Cup together. I can only hope that they get to accomplish that all together because I feel like that would be such a unique and emotional moment for them and for all of us who got to watch them grow together. I think Darcy said it best:

"I do believe that when Ryan signs, Paul [Gaustad] signs and you’ve got [Thomas] Vanek and [Derek] Roy and others, that group is together...The dressing room is a big deal. It’s a big deal to walk into the room and say, ‘I like that guy, I like that guy, I like that guy.’ It’s a bigger deal to say you trust them and a bigger deal again to say you’ll go to work for them.”

4. I fully expect Jason Pominville to be signed before training camp. Now that Pommer is Darcy's number one priority, I can't imagine negotiations will take too long before one more piece of that brotherly "core" is locked up long-term. Jason seems very similar to both Ryan Miller and Paul Gaustad in his loyalty to the team that drafted him, the team he grew up on. He's part of that Rochester group that seems so inseparable, Goose's roommate for the last seven years. I can't wait for the next press conference, announcing that Jason is signed and has been named our fearless leader and Captain. What a difference a year makes, I've gone from fully expecting captains to leave to fully expecting this one to be signed long before he hits free agnecy.

5. Teppo's coming back! I know, I know, Darcy said nothing was final yet, but it's definitely moving that way. I couldn't be happier. I've been chirping about his importance to the team since July 1, and I stand behind everything I said. We need a calming force both on the ice and off of it for these young players still growing into new roles. He can teach our baby d-men so much, and he genuinely likes it in Buffalo. Wait, a veteran player liking it here? I though Bucky Gleason said we were a terrible organization to play for, and no one would ever come here by choice? Maybe not...

As a reward for getting through this novel of a post, I present to you a daily dose of cuteness, courtesy of Goose and Danny Paille at a street hockey game with kids from Camp Good Days: