Commentary
Sullivan: Biron-Sabres reunion would fit like a glove
Last July, after Martin Biron became a free agent, he drove his wife, Anne Marie, and three children from Philadelphia to Buffalo. Biron got off Interstate 90 at the Pembroke exit so he could take a nice, leisurely drive through the country roads.
"We drove down Main Street and got to our house in Clarence," Biron said Wednesday before the Islanders lost to the Sabres, 3-0, at HSBC Arena. Biron made 36 saves. "We told each other it felt like we were coming home."
Biron has never really left Buffalo, not in his heart. Maybe that's why the former Sabres goalie got that standing ovation here last month. Fans know he's one of them, a Buffalo guy, an NHL player who came of age here and grew to love the place. So when Biron signed with the Islanders, he left his wife and kids in Clarence.
Anne Marie, a Buffalo native, is pregnant with their fourth child. The "summer" house will likely be their permanent home. Biron is fairly certain he will settle here, like so many people in the extended family of professional hockey.
"We've got a network of friends around here," Biron said, "so it's definitely a very good possibility. I have liked it here from the day I got drafted. I always said I wanted to be part of this for a long time. I remember walking through this building when it was being built. I played a game in the Aud."
Biron spent 12 years with the Sabres, who traded him to the Flyers late in the 2006-07 season. He talked with the Sabres about returning as a free agent last summer. But he signed a one-year deal with the Isles, hoping to parlay regular playing time into a better free-agent deal next year.
But Biron, who calls himself a "French-Buffalonian," would love to return here sooner or later. My vote goes for "sooner."
A month from now, Biron could be part of a three-man goalie rotation on Long Island. Biron has been splitting the duties with Dwayne Roloson, who is in the first year of a two-year, $5 million contract.
Rick DiPietro, who signed a 15-year, $67.5 million contract three years ago, is practicing again after missing a year with a knee injury. Isles coach Scott Gordon said DiPietro has been on the ice every other day. Once DiPietro feels ready, he'll begin working out with the team in earnest.
Isles coach Scott Gordon wouldn't give a time table, but there's a good chance DiPietro will return in early December. Something will have to give. Isles General Manager Garth Snow knew that when he signed Biron in late July, giving him three capable NHL goalies. The Isles will need to trade a goalie, and Biron is the obvious candidate.
It's equally clear that the Sabres need a more reliable backup goaltender. Ryan Miller started for the 11th time in 12 games Wednesday night. Coach Lindy Ruff claims to have confidence in Patrick Lalime, but his actions suggest otherwise.
The Sabres needed Lalime last year when Miller went down with an ankle injury. He played well at first, but went 1-4-1 with a 4.35 GAA in his last six starts. It's a harsh judgment in retrospect, but Lalime might have cost the Sabres a playoff spot.
Lalime missed Wednesday's game with a groin injury, which could further complicate the issue. Lalime had surgery on his hip to repair a sports hernia last spring. Ruff said the groin injury was unrelated. But as we learned with Dominik Hasek, groin injuries can be a lingering issue with goalies. In the meantime, Jhonas Enroth is Miller's backup.
Enroth has been slow to develop in the AHL. Ruff said there's a good chance Enroth will play one of the back-to-back games this weekend if Lalime isn't ready. "We're going to stick with the program," Ruff said.
Presumably, the "program" calls for Ruff to sit Miller when the Sabres play three times in four nights, or in other busy stretches. It'll happen soon enough, when the NHL schedule becomes compacted in the weeks leading to the Olympic break.
Miller has a good chance to be the No. 1 goalie for the U.S., even more reason for Ruff not to overuse him. But you know Lindy. Hasek spoiled him. Ruff can't resist using his goalie when he's on a roll. Last Saturday, he deviated from the program, playing Miller a third time in four nights. He wound up pulling him.
The stakes are higher this year. Ruff might be coaching for his job. The Sabres are off to a good start, but the coach hates to give away points in the standings. He says he believes in Lalime, but if the playoff race tightens, he might be even more reluctant to use the backup. That's why going after Biron makes sense.
The Sabres were serious about it in the summer. That tells you they were uneasy about Lalime. Biron is a top-level backup. You know what you're getting.
Biron still believes he can be a starter in the NHL. But his options are limited. If he has to be a backup for a year, he'd just as soon it be in Buffalo. He's making only $1.4 million. It's not about money, though it'll be worth it if Biron helps the Sabres advance in the playoffs.
This is a critical year for the Sabres. Why not fix the team's No. 1 weakness and bring home a beloved Buffalo guy in the bargain?
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