  Buffalo Sabres goaltender Martin Biron is congratulated by teammate Jaroslav Spacek after his shutout performance in the the Sabres 4-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in NHL preseason action in Toronto on Monday Sept. 18, 2006. (CP PHOTO/Frank Gunn) |
There are very few slugs, if any, on the speedy Buffalo Sabres roster.
That being the case, why does their new logo look like one?
The Sabres, eastern conference finalists from one season ago, showed off their new duds during their pre-season opener against the Maple Leafs last night.
In an effort to revive some of the franchise's tradition, the team dropped its red-white-and-black scheme in favour of the original blue and gold.
But as for the logo, well, it has been compared to a slug, the Ocean Spray emblem, even Donald Trump's hair.
"Maybe they are trying to appease some of the traditionalists by bringing the old colours back. But this style, new and funky, well, it's a terrible combination, in my opinion," said Maple Leafs forward Michael Peca, the former Sabres captain who still lives in the Buffalo area.
"To me, the logo looks like that of the St. Louis Rams. I guess the true test will be if the marketing department tells them the jerseys are selling."
When the public first was made aware of the logo there was collective outrage in western New York. Angry fans reacted to the jersey controversy by creating an online petition that featured more than 20,000 names.
The bitterness seems to be softening down Buffalo way, however. About 200 fans looking to snap up the new jerseys were lined up outside the Sabres team store at the HSBC Arena during an open practice on the weekend.
"I admit when I first saw the logo I was a little worried," Sabres forward Jason Pominville said. "But I like the colours, and once I saw the logo on the jersey I loved it."
The uniforms are not the only reason the Sabres have a different look this season.
Gone are defencemen Jay McKee and Rory Fitzpatrick, and forwards Mike Grier, J.P. Dumont and Taylor Pyatt. Nevertheless the Sabres still own a young, quick nucleus of players augmented by the addition of former Edmonton Oiler blue liner Jaroslav Spacek.
"Getting one game from the final gave us confidence and made us hungry," Pominville said. "We feel we have unfinished business."
Pominville's shorthanded overtime goal in the conference semi-final eliminated the Ottawa Senators last spring, making him a celebrity in his native Montreal.
"I was asked about it a lot," he said. "My friends taped the game, so they have the video evidence."
