← Buffalo Plus: A Buffalo Bills podcast
Buffalo Plus: A Buffalo Bills podcast
Can the SABRES WIN the STANLEY CUP? Marty Biron on WHY they are GOOD and HOW it happened!?
00:47:40
Loading summary
Transcript152 lines
- [00:00]
Mike Catalana
How many goalie fights did you have and did you win?
- [00:03]
Marty Biron
No, I had one. I lost very, very badly to Ray Emory. You guys all remember that Ottawa Brawl.
- [00:09]
Jenna Cotro
Marty, I grew up in love with those Sabres teams. That's where I grew up. Like in, in Rochester, like, rooting for these teams.
- [00:16]
Mike Catalana
Former Webster Thomas hockey player, too, by the way.
- [00:19]
Marty Biron
I want to say All Star, probably right.
- [00:21]
Jenna Cotro
Hey, hey, we won a state title in 08. What do you want me to say? We won't.
- [00:25]
Dan Dunleavy
Speaker 1 All right, Marty, fill in the blank. If the Sabres keep playing like this, the ceiling for this team is blank.
- [00:33]
Marty Biron
Well, this year I, I think it could be a Stanley Cup Final appearance.
- [00:46]
Jenna Cotro
Now, from the Connors and Ferris podcast studio, this is the Buffalo plus podcast.
- [00:51]
Dan Dunleavy
All right, welcome back to the Buffalo Plus YouTube channel. Today, it's a little bit different. The Buffalo plus, the Plus stands for the Sabers because we're going to be talking about the hottest team in Western New York. Mike Catalana, Dan Fates, I am Jenna Cotro. Please be sure to, like, comment, subscribe and share. Mike, we got a special guest talking, talking Buffalo Sabers.
- [01:12]
Mike Catalana
Yeah, Marty Baran, you know him, certainly if you watch the Sabers, you know him. Tremendous accent that he has. Goaltender, Amex, hall of Famer, all those different things. And on the broadcast now, doing the pregame, the between periods, the post game with Brian Duff, Buffalo plus fan. Yes, knows us. We've talked to him about it. Big Bill's fan, so we'll talk to him about that and knows his stuff.
- [01:38]
Jenna Cotro
Yeah, it was this was we posed this question with the Sabers being one of the best teams in the NHL this year, would there be any desire for Sabers content on this channel? We asked, you answered, and we're bringing it to you and to me, guys, like, again, I know people sometimes seem shocked when we say we're not necessarily Bills fans. I grew up a diehard Sabers fan, Like, didn't miss games, like in my household, like football teams were. You watched it for fantasy football. But like, when Marty's talking about Maxima Fennegan off, like, I tucked my jersey in like Maxima Fenneganov did, because that's what it was. You know, Miroslav Shatan, like, that he had the coolest goal celebrations, like, all of that stuff. When I grew up playing hockey, that was who I wanted to be as tough in the leader that Michael Pekka was. And so to see the jury in Ponneville era and to see the way that they've always kind of said, like, Buffalo is A. It's a hockey town.
- [02:34]
Mike Catalana
Yeah.
- [02:34]
Jenna Cotro
And to see where it went from the fans being angry, going to games,
- [02:40]
Mike Catalana
and then dismissive for a long time, where it was just like, correct.
- [02:44]
Jenna Cotro
To see this back and to hear Marty talk about the excitement, the juice, all that goes into it is just really cool. For all of that, we got to
- [02:52]
Dan Dunleavy
talk about the best team in the NHL right now.
- [02:55]
Jenna Cotro
Yeah.
- [02:55]
Mike Catalana
Isn't that wild the way they've played? So when we talk to Marty, you're going to hear him talk a little bit about the Bills, what he sees, because he's right there. They do their show right in the Bill's field house in that area. We talked to him a lot about what he sees for them in the playoffs, what their goal is, how far they can go. And we also asked him about dropping the gloves and fighting as a goaltender. All that's coming up in our interview now with Marty Braun. All right, Marty Baran, welcome to Buffalo. Plus, thanks for being with us.
- [03:27]
Marty Biron
Oh, thanks for having me. This is one of the things I don't think I've been on your show before, so I think that's the first. And I'm enjoying that you're now a recurring guest.
- [03:36]
Jenna Cotro
You now have to come on whenever we ask you to.
- [03:38]
Marty Biron
Well, yes. And, you know, because I said I was happy to be on the show, now I gotta say yes, the next time you're asked, I will come back on. Because, listen, I'll say this, and I said it many, many times, and I said, especially when I went into the Emirates hall of Fame in my speech, I said it takes a village to raise a child. And I feel like Rochester was my village and it was great for me, my development, not just on the ice, but personal development. So always something good for you guys. Down to 90, just an hour down the road.
- [04:10]
Mike Catalana
Yes. Well, Amex, hall of Famer that you are, I know you follow the Bills, and I know we've talked about it. What has been your thought over the last few years, watching them get so close and then watching the change they made in the off season with Sean being gone.
- [04:29]
Marty Biron
So, I mean, I really enjoyed the culture that Sean McDermott had brought to the team and the change that happened in. In Bills and inside those walls, like our studio for Sabers Live is in, you know, and for the road game is in the Bill's field house. So I've got to see the interaction and. And how things change. Right. So that was always great, but at the same time, you know, you have to obviously try to make some Changes. And, and I remember when I was in New York with the New York Rangers, Glenn Sater, our gm, used to always say, I can't fire all you guys, so the only one I can fire is the coach. And I think he was saying it as a joke, but often that's the answer, right? Trying to say we need some changes, but, you know, the roster is what it is and our star players are, you know, what they are. And the Bills have tons of star power in that room, especially with Josh, but just needed a change. And luckily for us and what we do, we had Brendan Beane and Joe Brady on the set during a Sabres game, and we got to ask a lot of questions. So I'm looking forward to what they're going to do. But I am a fan. So when I say I'm a fan, I want to call in like hotlines after the games and I want to listen the Post game until 2am on a Monday night or Sunday night, because I'm a fan. Like with hockey, I'm not a fan. I, I studied a game. I watched a game with a, A, a trained eye and whatever. With the Bills and football, I'm a fan. I'm Bill's mafia all the way.
- [06:05]
Mike Catalana
Yeah. We can all be irrational when we're fans. Right? That's what you want to do. You mentioned the word culture. So Sean had it with his team, but now Joe's there and it's got to be different. He's got to build it for someone who was in a lot of rooms. You played a long time in the league. What does that mean? Because I think a lot of times fans will push back on culture. They like talent, talent, talent, and you need the talent. But I think we even see it with this hockey team. We're going to talk about that. What does culture mean to you when you hear the team or you see and you think a team's got good culture?
- [06:39]
Marty Biron
Oh, I think it's hard work. It's. It's when nobody's watching, what are you doing to get better? It's the details of the game. Like, yeah, it's great to have the stats to pad and say, I know what I ran for, you know, 125 yards and I had eight catches for 150 yards or whatever. It's great to all have that. But at the end of the day, that's not what matters to the team. And that not. That's not what matters to the fans. Did you win? Did you do everything you needed to be able to get to your ultimate goal, which is in football, winning a Super Bowl. John Tortorello and Lindy Ruff were two of the coaches. For me, that set in motion that culture. And I know when Lindy was hired here in Buffalo the second time around, he talked about culture, but he also said, you know, sometimes a coach got to come in and really put in the culture in place. But the only way it works is if the players take it over, if the players in the room now are responsible for the culture moving forward. And I think that what Sean McDermott did was put in the culture. But right now, it's not a Sean McDermott culture. It's not a Brendan Be culture. It's a Josh Allen, it's a Dion Dawkins. It's all those guys culture that has to continue forward. And that's the biggest thing. Like, when I was in New York with the Rangers, Torts was hard, but, you know, what continued the culture was Henrik Longquist and Ryan Callahan. And I. I know that, you know, Kelly's a Rochester guy, but that's what continued the culture when. When Torts was there and after Torts left. And, you know, I. I love Brian Boyle and some of those guys that were there. Right. So that's what made the difference. It's not the coach, it's the players carrying that culture.
- [08:30]
Dan Dunleavy
Marty, I'm so curious because what the Sabres team has been able to do just this season, I mean, we saw them string together some wins in December, and then, you know, the firing of Kevin Adams and then just what this team has done, the turnaround, and you mentioned culture change, but like, when you boil it down, what has been the difference for this team? Because for fans, it has been so enjoyable to watch.
- [08:51]
Marty Biron
Yeah, it's definitely is a lot of fun to watch for me as well. The biggest thing for me is health. Like, when I looked at the roster that this team had assembled in the off season, was I expecting mCloud to be as good as he was last year, Zucker to be as good as he was last year? Like, you have to think that there may be some regression, especially with all the guys that had career years last year, new guys, but Josh Norris was going to be healthy and. And then he gets hurt in the first game and missed 24 games, and you're like, oh, and Kesselring wasn't healthy. Not that he's been as the impact that we thought he was going to have, but that changes your plans, right? You prepare for something in training camp, and then all of a sudden you're like, Tage Thompson was playing the wing. And then there was a. You know, from my seat anyway, it looked like there was maybe a little disagreement, right? Like Lindy Ruffs in. I like Taj on the wing, Tajin. I like to play center better. Well, when Tej was put back in the middle of the ice, he showed. He was like, I want to be a centerman and that's where I want to be. So. But health, I think, was the number one thing. And then when everybody got healthy, late November, early December, you saw a change. Now you win, and all of a sudden you see another change. I remember we traveled down to Nashville for a game in January, and the Sabres took a three or four nothing lead early. And then all. I think it was three nothing. And then all of a sudden Nashville came back, right? And it was like, oh, boy, like, how are they going to respond to this? And I saw Tage Thompson on a one on one lateness shift, take two strides forward, like he was going to try to beat that defenseman and then chip the puck in the corner and go for a change. And I remember I looked over to Duffer and I was like, that's the difference right there. Like, these are the plays you'll never hear or talk about, but that's the difference. Like, you have a chance to score a goal, maybe to make it 4:2, but no, he's not going to turn the puck over and give Nashville a chance to make it 3 3. Jarmo Kekalainen talked about that. He says, I don't want you to score the next goal. I want you to win. And that was my example when I saw a really big difference in the way they were playing.
- [10:58]
Jenna Cotro
And for me, Marty, what has surprised you most about this team? Whether it's the character or things like that, because you've been a part especially of winning teams here in Buffalo. Back in 06 and 07, we went on those runs. But what has surprised you most? Because I have an answer, but I want to hear what you have to think about. What has surprised you about this team?
- [11:17]
Marty Biron
Well, one thing that is surprising to me is the fact that they had three goalies all year and they've made it work. Like, three goalies is terrible and there's nobody that can really get going right. But they've had, you know, some injuries and then some guys. Like all three of them have won out games. All three of them have gotten on the run a little bit now. I think they've come down to, okay, it's going to be lying and Lucanin and, you know, that's what it should be. But that to me was so surprising. No one, especially that the past history with the Sabers is having three goalies and, you know, nobody can really establish themselves. So that was very surprising. I think another surprising fact is that just like you mentioned, 05.06,0607 is they've had some major contribution from guys that maybe you don't expect or guys that got called up. Noah Oslin has had a huge impact on that depth. Zach Mezza, I mean, Lindy couldn't stop talking about Zach Mezza, you know, after the, the. The game against Toronto on Saturday night. And the fact that he came in and played with Darlene and I mean, he's been excellent. So you're looking at, you know, back in 0506 was the Palm and villain, Roy and Vanek playing a bigger role and Gostad and, you know, so you're getting the support that you need from guys that are getting called up. I think that has been very surprising as well. But I want to hear what you think.
- [12:46]
Jenna Cotro
I think I'm very surprised, especially watching the teams for over these years. And like I said, Marty, I grew up in love with those Sabres teams. That's where I grew up. Like in, In Rochester, like rooting for these teams.
- [12:58]
Mike Catalana
Former Webster Thomas hockey player too, by the way.
- [13:01]
Marty Biron
All star probably right.
- [13:02]
Jenna Cotro
Hey, hey, we won a state title in 08. What do you want me to say? We won. Stakes. Okay.
- [13:06]
Marty Biron
All right, Marty.
- [13:07]
Jenna Cotro
But to see what this team has been like, especially this year. And I go back to that Tampa game, which was just an unbelievable game. They stood up for everybody.
- [13:17]
Marty Biron
Yeah.
- [13:17]
Jenna Cotro
Like the way that this team has rallied when there's been a cheap shot or a penalty or something the team hasn't agreed with. They've acted on it and not just with their fists. They've act. They've acted on it with scoring goals and responding. And that's something. I don't think I remember seeing much from this team the last few years. And do you think that's. That galvanizes the team that like, everybody is literally fighting for one another?
- [13:43]
Marty Biron
Well, I think that was the word that Lindy Ruff used after the Sun. The. The Sunday game against Tampa was galvanizing type of game. And G. That's the word he used. Now, I'll say this. Those moments and those moments where you feel a team get getting together right in front of your eyes and. And supporting one another, and they happen on winning teams. Like winning is. Is A way. It's a. It's a. It's a, you know, highway to the backing up one another. Look at what happened to Auston Matthews and the Leafs, and there was no response. And everybody's complaining, well, yeah, but they're losing this year and it's not been a good year. And you're sitting there and it's like, oh, man, like things are not going well, and then your, Your. Your head, your brain is. Is somewhere else. Not in that moment. Not in a moment of saying, oh, I'm going to back my teammate up or I'm going to jump in the pile or. Or, you know, you saw what the new guys have done. You know, Stanley comes in for. Well, Carrick comes in first game, gets the fight. Stanley comes in his first game, gets in the fight. Lucian comes in his second game, gets in the fight. And I'm not saying that everybody's got to come in and fight, but those guys have seen all year what this Sabers team is about. And they come in and they're like, I don't want to be the one that's left off to the side here. I want to be right in the middle of what these guys have done. And they don't need to fight every day. But just that made a big difference from where the team is this year to where they've been the last 10, 12 years. Like, we go back to Ryan Miller and Milan Lucic, right? And I think that has been something that everybody's been talking about and it's been missing, but when you lose, it's hard to find it. But when you win like they are right now, it's a lot easier to find that. That gear.
- [15:26]
Mike Catalana
How many goalie fights did you have and did you win?
- [15:29]
Marty Biron
No, I had one. I lost very, very badly to Rembry. You guys all remember that Ottawa brawl? I wanted to get in a bunch of them. I chased John Graham in Tampa Bay. I went all the way down the ice. I tried to grab him. Corey Sarich, who was a teammate of mine in Rochester, in Buffalo, a good buddy of mine, he was with Tampa back then. He grabbed me and he goes, marty, you stay over here. Like, let me go. I want to fight him. He's like, he's going to kill you. I tried to go against Sean Burke, and Berkey, like, in a stern voice, told me, hey, kid, stay. Stay in your crease if you don't want to get hurt. And I got to meet Sean Burke later, and I get to know him really well going to the World championship and he's a tough guy. And I'm like, I'm so thankful I didn't fight him. So yes, I wanted to get in a lot of fights but that one against Ottawa, it all started because one of our player Chris Drury got knocked down by Chris Neil and we hated the sends and we were all wanted to back each other up, right? And that's, that's what it look I, I was maybe 175 pounds back then. Ray Emory was 215. Like I didn't care. I was like, I'm doing it because he's my teammate. He got hurt.
- [16:39]
Jenna Cotro
And Marty after that, like I think about that Tampa game. You got Darlene getting cheap shotted and upl's running out there to go after it. Like to me that was like that moment. It brought you back a little bit to that Ottawa brawl and you went
- [16:53]
Marty Biron
at the same time. I was like, I didn't want him to fight because I didn't want him to be kicked out and everything. I'm like, he's been playing so well. For me it was different. I was the backup to Milsy. I like I don't care if I get kicked out. But, but you're right. Like that angle that we see he punching, dallying and coming down and UPL takes off right away and, and even Lindy joked about it after the game he goes upl got in there. The other guy stayed at the other end. Well okay, like you don't want to take penalties for not but, but that was great for Lucan and to jump
- [17:21]
Mike Catalana
in there goaltender it who's going to start like and does it have to be. Is a decision have to be made when the playoffs start? He's the guy. And what would head coach Marty Braun do?
- [17:36]
Marty Biron
Okay, so Boston a few years back decided to rotate in the playoffs until like they did game 1, 2, 3, 4. They rotated swayman and all Mark and then they decided after that, okay, who is our guy. I don't like that but I get if both goalies are playing well, both teams, both goalies are getting the team to respond. And you're getting it right now. If that was me right now, right. The playoffs start tomorrow. I would say Alex Lyon would be my starter. Game one.
- [18:12]
Dan Dunleavy
Okay.
- [18:12]
Marty Biron
I wouldn't be opposed to say I'm giving Lucan in Game 2 regardless of a win or a loss in Game 1. But it also depends. Are you starting on the road? Are you. Do you have all my advantage? You know I, I would have a plan in place But I would say lion is my guy to start game one. He's got a little bit more of the calmer. Like, this is going to be bananas, right? When the Sabers play their first playoff game in 15 years, it's going to be absolute bananas. And I think that lion has the calm demeanor a little bit more than Lucan and Lucan and scum, but, like, he's very acrobatic, athletic, chases a little bit. I think they would need a guy like Lyon to just settle it down for their first playoff game.
- [18:56]
Mike Catalana
So. So you played behind, you know, a couple of average goalies like Dominic Hashek and Ryan Miller.
- [19:02]
Marty Biron
Yeah.
- [19:03]
Mike Catalana
But would this be discussed? Like, you know, the way Lindy is. Is this like, I'm going to sit down with you guys and we're going to come up, I'm going to tell you what my plan is so everybody's on board, or is it more in the NHL? It's like, okay, this is what we're doing.
- [19:18]
Marty Biron
I think that most of the conversation would be through Mike Bills, the assistant coach and goalie coach of the Buffalo Sabers. So he would be talking to the guys and say, hey, you know, four games this week with the rotations working, let's keep it going. We're not looking. And Lindy Ruff has said that many times, we're not looking down two, three weeks a month down the road. We're listening. We're looking at one game. But with the goalies, you can kind of make more of a plan, like a week plan or a couple of week plans as to what happens. So. So the guys prepare for it, and they know, you know, when they want to practice a little bit more, maybe the workouts and. And all of that. But I think it would be a. This week we have four games. We're going to go looking in Vegas on Tuesday and in LA on Saturday. We're gonna go lion in San Jose Thursday, and I am Sunday, and we leave it at that. And then we go. I think all the players and involved in this, Colton Ellis as well, they all understand the situation. Like, Lucan and Lion aren't dumb. Like, they know, like, okay, like, we're gonna get to a point in the season where maybe they'll make a decision. Maybe one guy is going to play the last three games of the year to prepare for the. The playoffs. Or maybe it happens just in the playoffs or maybe it doesn't. So they know at some point maybe there will be a change. But they're not worried about it right now because they're both playing well and it's working.
- [20:41]
Dan Dunleavy
Yeah, it certainly has been. I'm curious your thoughts on this. It's a fill in the blank question. So fill in the blank. If the Sabers keep playing like this, the ceiling for this team is blank.
- [20:54]
Marty Biron
Well, this year I, I think it could be a Stanley cup final appearance. And, and look, this is crazy to say. The West, Colorado, Dallas, they're top teams. And you got the Oilers that have been to two straight standing cup finals with Conor McDavid and if they could ever figure out their structure and their goaltending and maybe it's Connor Ingram who's played better right now, but I think they could still be a team that could get there. But as we woke up on this Monday morning or whatnot, the Sabres were fourth in the NHL. You have Colorado, Dallas, Carolina, Buffalo. And I'm just saying like since December 9th, like the Sabres are the top team in the NHL. So Dallas of late, they're 14, 0 and 1. Dallas's stud. But that's why I'm saying a Stanley cup final appearance is not crazy to think. And yes, maybe it's the fan in me again. Like the Bills going to the super bowl every year it's like the Sabres can go to the standicop final, but realistically they can, they have to stay healthy. That's number one. And they, you know, just got to continue playing that way. I really feel they can beat anybody in the east in a seven game series.
- [22:11]
Dan Dunleavy
What has this been like for you? Like, how wild has this been to watch? And could you ever have predicted kind of seeing this type of a run?
- [22:19]
Marty Biron
Not this season. And I, I knew this team was kind of putting himself in a way to be better, but I, I felt like they needed a top line left winger like Zach Benson with talking Thompson like, but Benson has been great there, or Peyton Krebs has been great there. And these are surprises that maybe you're not expecting. Josh Doane has been fantastic. That's another surprise. I say Oslin earlier, but it's Oslin, Norris and Doane. I didn't really know what to expect out of a third line this year because Norris was playing top line minutes before the injury. So, you know, it's been great. I go back to when the Sabres drafted Jack Eichel and then when they got Rasmus Dahlin and every year I was like, it's going to happen, it's going to happen, it's going to happen. Like they, they got a good roster, they have the players to get it Done, you know, and, and maybe different circumstances, different reasons it didn't happen. It could be coaching, it could be, you know, know, injuries, it could be go tending, it could be anything. We've gone through a lot of different cycles. So every year now I'm a little cautious. You know, everybody asked me to put my, you know, standings, my projection for the standings. And I last few years I was always putting Buffalo in there. This year I decided to put them just a little outside of it because I didn't want to be like the one that just says, I always believe. And in November it was hard to believe, but I remember Duffer and I went to Seattle for the third game of that 10 game winning streak and we were on the plane on the way back and that's the day that they ended up, you know, firing Kevin Adams and whatnot. But, but at the back of the plane there was a different feeling. And that different feeling, I think is what has given them the chance to win.
- [24:03]
Jenna Cotro
Speaking of that different feeling, you know what it's been like when the HSBC arena was rocking to see that place this year, especially of late, like you said, since December 9, what has the Keybank center been like, atmosphere wise? Because it feels like it's been the hottest ticket in town.
- [24:20]
Marty Biron
Yeah. And I get kind of brought in with the crowd, right? Like I'm trying to do my job, but lately, you know, you scored the first goal, Owen Power scores the first goal against the Leafs on Saturday night. And I give a little like, yes. And it brought me back to remember when we celebrated RJ and RJ's last year and that game against Nashville, I remember, like when we did the RJ banner and everything, Nashville, like we scored the first goal of the game. I stood out of my chair and the crowd was nuts. Different emotional attachment to it. Or the last game that RJ called against Chicago when Casey Middlestadt scored in overtime, got me out of my seat. Like, I was so happy, but for different reasons. Like, it was Rick Jenette, this, you know, a legend, and I wanted it so bad for him. Now it's switched over that I want it so bad for all the fans that are in the building and all the fans that are watching and the little kids, like the 8, 9, 10 year old kids or even younger that come to the set and they wave and they watch the, you know, the Sabers broadcast. I'm like, oh, okay, this is what it's about. Something that we've lost a little bit the last, you know, decade. But you see the buzz you see the fans coming back. Fans like waiting after the game by our set, you know, and we do longer post game shows now because there's a lot to talk about. And so that's all like giving me the, that's what I was hoping was gonna happen with Eichel and Darling and all of that. It took a longer, you know, road to get there. But we're seeing at the buzz and it's fun.
- [25:55]
Jenna Cotro
Marty, you talk about all the nine and ten year old kids that wait by the set or you have a 60 year old woman like my mom who was so excited to get a picture with you. I think it was earlier this year. Just want you to know my mom is a huge fan of yours, has always been. I would be remiss. I had breakfast with her yesterday and she goes, tell Marty I said hi. And she sent me the picture. I'll have to try and find it. But just you made her the happiest woman in the world for that moment of getting to take a picture with her. So it's not just nine and ten year old kids.
- [26:25]
Marty Biron
Wow. I appreciate it. Appreciate all fans, I appreciate. But it's, it's been fun though, like the amount of people and you know, after loss or whatnot, people run out of the KeyBank center and maybe even in the third period. Right. But now, you know, we're done. I'm packing up my stuff or even in, in the, when the intermission is over and there's people like can you sign this? And then they'll say, oh, we watch your show all the time and we watch all the games and, and they're like, next week it's going to be late, but we will be watching at the West Coast. And I'm like, okay, well you know, there's people on the other side of that camera, which is great because sometimes you, you start to wonder if anybody's watching.
- [27:04]
Mike Catalana
Hey, well, Marty isn't. Well, when you're our age is, it's the mom who says she watches you.
- [27:10]
Marty Biron
Yeah, that's good.
- [27:11]
Mike Catalana
It does change. Speaking of guys who've been around a little bit, what have you seen out of Lindy? He publicly, he seems the same that he was last year that he always was. We haven't seen him, you know, go too high or too low. What has he been like this year and how cool has this been to see him have the success back in Buffalo?
- [27:33]
Marty Biron
I think it was a long year last year and he was trying to make sure everybody understood what they needed to do. And it was Going to take maybe more time than expected. But I see Lindy this year almost like I saw him in 2005, 2006. Look, I came to Buffalo in 99, 2000 and I played for Lindy for five years before we ended up having success. And man, he was tough every day, just always like pushing you, pushing you, pushing you. And at one point you're like, can he get off my back? Like I've got enough. And, and, and. But then you start winning and then all of a sudden he shows up for practice and he's wearing full goalie gear because, you know, Ryan Miller is taking a day off or maintenance day and Lindy's full goal year and we're playing three on three and it's, it's a lot of fun. And I think I've seen the same change in season this year with Lindy. Not that he's putting the goalie gear. He's not as young as he was 20 years ago. But you know, we had that 20 year reunion with all the guys that came back in the town and, and some of the players I was talking to were like, Lindy was so appreciative of all the guys that came back and Maxima Finneganov brought him a nice bottle of Russian vodka and he went into his office and gave him that bottle. Lindy told the story after the game, but he's like, I was telling the guys on the bench when they announced Maxima Finneganov, 61, the crowd goes crazy and Lindy says, the guys on the bench, he goes, you know what? I was maybe harder on Max than anybody else as a coach and my whole career. And this morning he brought me a bottle of Russian vodka and he says, thank you for everything that you've done. And the guys are like, oh, this is cool. And then he cracked up a joke. He goes, I think he may have poisoned it, but that's okay. So the guys are like, you're seeing a different size of side of Lindy now. You're seeing the guy that is going to be tough. He's going to demand a lot out of you. But he's also, you know, the player, the guy that used to be the biggest jokester in the locker room, pranks and whatever. But he's having that fun too, with everybody, with the coaching staff and with the players.
- [29:48]
Dan Dunleavy
That's so cool to see. What is, what has this been like for you personally? Like getting to see this and just being around this.
- [29:56]
Marty Biron
It's, it's fun and it takes me back to you know, even before I. I was full time with the Buffalo sabers. But the 98, you know, run in the playoffs when they lost to Washington. I was a black ace coming up from Rochester. My first year with the Amerks. The second year we go to the Calder cup final to Providence, and then we get called up for the Dallas finals. I remember we got just to Buffalo in time for game three. And you know, I was there game six in the third overtime and it was just crushing, right? But. But I remember being around because I stayed in Western New York, Buffalo, even the off season and in the fan interaction and being on the golf course or, you know, just, you know, to a Buffalo Bison's game or whatnot. And the fans all wanted to talk hockey. Wanted to talk hockey. It's the same thing now. Like, I go to the grocery store and. And you know, it used to be I go in and out and grab my stuff and be done. Now I go in, I forget, have the stuff I have to get because I talk to so many people like that. Then I gotta go back later. And they're like, marty, you're back here again. I'm like, yeah, I forgot a lot of stuff. So that's what it's like. And you know, when you're working in this field now, like that's, that's what you're hoping. You're hoping to just continue these relationship with these fans where in the past it was just a lot harder to. To build on those.
- [31:28]
Jenna Cotro
Marty, they also just want to talk to you because you have the best accent and maybe the biz.
- [31:32]
Marty Biron
Yeah, I had a. I had an appearance yesterday, I had to do. And one of the, the. Well, I would say younger girl, like a teenager, she goes, are you from here? And I'm like, I grew up in Quebec City, Canada. And she goes, I could tell because of the accent. I'm like, unfortunately, that's a giveaway. Although my kids, they always say, dad, we don't hear your accent anymore. I'm like, that's because I've trained you so well. But yeah, I mean, that's part of it. It's also. It's easy for TV guys. That's the trick. Like when I first started doing the TV thing and we record these hits, right, for, you know, sports center or post game or whatnot. And I would say something that maybe was not like proper or whatnot, was not English, correct English. And my producer would say, marty, do you want to redo this hit? You kind of stumble on that. I'm like, nope, that's. It's part of my charm. That's my accent. It makes the job a lot easier.
- [32:31]
Mike Catalana
That's.
- [32:32]
Jenna Cotro
That's my charm.
- [32:33]
Dan Dunleavy
Dan was born in Rochester.
- [32:36]
Mike Catalana
He does that all the time.
- [32:37]
Jenna Cotro
Can't spell. It's part of my charm. That's what I'm going with now I'm taking Marty's term. It's the charm of my charm.
- [32:43]
Mike Catalana
It makes it.
- [32:43]
Marty Biron
It has a life feel. I keep saying it has a life feel even though you recorded it. Mistakes are part of it.
- [32:49]
Mike Catalana
Right?
- [32:50]
Dan Dunleavy
That's where you get to absolutely stealing that line. We really appreciate your time. Real quick, before we wrap up, I just want to give you the opportunity. Bald for Bucks coming up. Obviously, a really important. Just what. What can you tell people that want to get involved and how they can help out and donate?
- [33:04]
Marty Biron
I do have my Bald for Bucks T shirts. It's, you know, it's a great design this year. And you can go on sabers.com bald for bucks. And if you donate $50 or more, you will get the T shirt. They'll send it to you. It's awesome. But the relationship, again, that I've. I've developed with, with, with Bald for Box itself, with Roswell park here in Buffalo and some of the. The youngsters, right, that have gone through cancer treatments and. And I talk about Bella a lot. Bella, unfortunately, lost her battle a few years back. She was the very first one that featured in a commercial with me and Ryan O'Reilly. We're talking about a few years back. And, you know, we do an event every year. It's called, well, her family put it together. I go, I judge. It's Bella's belted out battle. It's a karaoke event. Everybody sings, I sing, we have fun. But then we judge, like, American Idol style. And we do that. That's coming up in April. But on March 28, that's when I shave my head. Dan Dunleavy shaves his head over the years. Like, we probably get over $100,000 in donations just for the month of March through the Sabers and through, you know, the ball for Bucks. So it is. It's amazing. And, yeah, I can't wait for it this year. We're gonna have a surprise this year there is, you know, Dan's gonna shave his head. I'm shaving my head. But there's also a doctor from Roswell park, and he has been so touched by it that he's been letting his hair grow this winter so he could shave it with us. On that night. So something different. But the NHL, the Sabres do such a great job with hockey fights cancer. The American Hockey League and the Amex do such a great job with it as well. But this is just something else later in the year to just remind people that, you know, everybody has been in with family members or people they know. Obviously you have as well. So it's, you know, it's just for. It feels like we all get connected and all, you know, stay together. It's, it's, it's a great passion of ours and passion of mine and has been awesome.
- [35:17]
Mike Catalana
Yeah, well, we look forward to seeing that. And does Duffer feel left out when you guys do that?
- [35:21]
Marty Biron
Well, I keep saying the Duffer, maybe he should grow it. Sometimes people will bring out pictures and be like, you used to have hair. Yes, he's a great support. Duffer's awesome. You know, I wouldn't be able to do what I do without him. It's been awesome from the beginning. And his knowledge, especially when it comes to the Sabers and their history. I mean his mom was a French Connection fan back in the 70s, so they listened to Sabers hockey in the 70s, you know, and, and 80s. And so he's been a Sabers fan and he worked for the Leafs one time with Leafs tv and he said he only did it for the money and he wanted to give it back because he didn't want to do it. But yes. Yeah.
- [36:10]
Mike Catalana
Well, for those who don't know and obviously we've had John. So Sabers live, you're on Tell everybody know because there been some 12 to
- [36:18]
Marty Biron
1 on WGR in Buffalo and MSG. So 12 to 1 every day now that the football season's over. Usually we do Tuesday through Friday during the Bill season, but you know, it's every day. And then there's the pregame which is always a half hour before and then the post game show and I mean I'm keeping my fingers crossed because I don't want to say anything yet, but spring hockey is coming in and we're going to have extended coverage obviously when the Sabers get to the playoffs. And this is going to be also a lot of fun to be able to, to break it down in that way when it comes to playoffs.
- [36:56]
Mike Catalana
Well, that's going to be awesome. We're looking forward to it. We're looking forward to it. These guys have not gotten a chance to cover Sabres playoff hockey. Got great experience with the AMEX here in town. Yep, there's nothing quite like that place going in the Playoffs.
- [37:09]
Marty Biron
Do you guys think the 33 in or do you go the 90 all the way around or what do you do?
- [37:15]
Mike Catalana
Usually take at 33 and then head down? Yeah.
- [37:19]
Marty Biron
So that welcome to Buffalo sign back in the days it said, welcome to Palmerville. Somebody puts. Yes, I'm sure somebody is gonna put something over that as soon as the playoffs start, because that's the staple. Like, you come in down to 33 and it's like, you know that it's playoff hockey in Buffalo.
- [37:36]
Mike Catalana
Awesome. Well, we appreciate you being here and we're definitely having you back and you have to say yes, but we will see you up at the arena and if not, I know we'll see you on golf course at some point this summer too. So. Marty Braun AMER hall of Famer SABERS BROADCASTER thanks for being with us.
- [37:55]
Marty Biron
Thanks. It was awesome, guys.
- [37:57]
Dan Dunleavy
That was awesome.
- [37:58]
Jenna Cotro
He was great.
- [37:58]
Mike Catalana
I love that you asked him about the accent. So I told you guys the story. I'm in the locker room after a game was a playoff game, so it had to be a long time ago. And I'm talking to one of the guys who covers the team all the time. And Marty's on the side talking to a reporter in French because obviously. And he's like, man, Marty loves to talk. And I was like, yeah. And then he says, and that reporter doesn't even speak French, which was so good. Marty is always great. We talked once at a golf tournament. He's like, I watch Buffalo plus. So it was cool. So I really wanted to see him get a. Get a chance to. And he. His knowledge of the sport is phenomenal and his knowledge of the Sabres and their history is great.
- [38:44]
Jenna Cotro
Well, and I thought it was really cool when he was talking about how he looks at hockey. It's kind of similar to how we look at the Bills. He sees it from a systematic and X's and O. It's like he looks at it through that fine tooth lens. But when it comes to the Bills, he. He just sees it as a fan. He just. Just wants him to win. He thinks everything can. Is going to work out. But he's even saying before the season, I didn't have him in the playoffs because I didn't want to get hurt. Like all of that. I thought that too. Just like from somebody that's been it. Because he's played for five, six different teams.
- [39:13]
Mike Catalana
Wild. His career is. Nobody's like, nobody. Because there's a few guys that have played for the. Well, the Islanders, the Rangers and the Saviors.
- [39:23]
Jenna Cotro
He covered New York.
- [39:24]
Mike Catalana
Yeah. And he played for Philly, too, so he stayed all in the same area to play. Born in Quebec, just one of those guys. Like I said, Amerx hall of Famer, played behind. You know, he played a lot of games for the Sabers, but he played behind both Ryan Miller and Dominic Hashek, two incredible goaltenders. So, yeah, fun to have him on.
- [39:44]
Dan Dunleavy
I'm a little worried how much Dan is gonna steal the charm that Marty was talking about, about how Marty's is charm. Marty's charm, maybe not yours is. You were born in the Rochester area. You don't have the same excuse.
- [39:55]
Mike Catalana
Excuse me, he's a native of Webster. Excuse me. Now in Iranquoit, now Fairport.
- [40:01]
Marty Biron
You.
- [40:02]
Dan Dunleavy
You can't spell, but also grammatically, there's.
- [40:04]
Jenna Cotro
Oh, it's just pathetic.
- [40:05]
Dan Dunleavy
Yeah, but I'm saying you were born here.
- [40:08]
Jenna Cotro
Yeah, but it's. It's charm.
- [40:10]
Mike Catalana
Now Marty's got the charm. He's. His first language is French. Your first language is English.
- [40:15]
Jenna Cotro
That's true. That is a great. That's a great counterpoint to me trying to try to steal.
- [40:19]
Dan Dunleavy
That's what worries me.
- [40:20]
Jenna Cotro
Yeah, but it's. And he has just the bluest eyes of all time. Yeah, just the bluest eyes.
- [40:25]
Dan Dunleavy
It was really cool.
- [40:26]
Jenna Cotro
He's a great guy, and that was really cool to get, again, that inside where you have the fan side of the Bills and. But he still looks at it through being in an NHL locker room. Like when you ask him about the culture and things like that and how winning is and. And I didn't. I didn't know Lindy was that much of a jokester. I've only seen. I've seen the fiery Lindy.
- [40:48]
Dan Dunleavy
That's softened over time.
- [40:49]
Mike Catalana
Yeah, I do think it is. And I also think that was at a time probably because, you know, unlike the way some people think that people can't change. You know, there's people that have said, like, you don't change as you get older. You know, I called BS on that because people do. But Lindy did what was probably needed for the team at that time. Then it changed. But he was. Believe me, you look at Lindy, when they. That team went to the finals, we were covering that team. That was the most fired up guy you're ever going to get. I would not expect him to be the. That way. By the way, he also played for John Tortorella.
- [41:24]
Jenna Cotro
Amazing. Always fired the stories.
- [41:27]
Mike Catalana
Yes, always.
- [41:28]
Jenna Cotro
You were there on the bench when he fought a player.
- [41:30]
Mike Catalana
Wait. Yes. In Rochester's own players. Yeah.
- [41:32]
Jenna Cotro
And they won the Cup.
- [41:34]
Mike Catalana
I think Torts lost the fight, but
- [41:36]
Jenna Cotro
they won the Cup.
- [41:37]
Mike Catalana
They won the cup that year. So yes, he's played for those tough coaches and he sees it, but now he's getting a chance to see this. And the fact that he said, I mean, I agree with them the way they're playing, why not? But you know what this is like. They've not been in the playoffs as a group. They have guys that have, like Alex Tuck.
- [41:56]
Jenna Cotro
Yeah.
- [41:57]
Mike Catalana
You know, and, and Zucker and they've got a few players that have had playoff experience. But for most of them it's going to be pretty new.
- [42:04]
Jenna Cotro
And when he was talking about the history and he talked about, you know, Duffer and his family ties and, you know, listening to Sabres games, like that was my grandma. And as she got older, like, I'll never forget, I had my college roommate. My grandma was getting older. We were in Fredonia. I was driving back, I was dropping him off and I said, hey, we got to stop at my grandma's house just to say hi. And it's like, it's your college roommate. Like, I don't really want to meet somebody's 80 year old grandma. And I go, we're just going to talk about the Sabers and that's it. And she knew more about the Sabers than me and him combined. And he left and he's like, grandma knows hockey. I go, she hates the Devils in that uzone trap. I go, they had tickets at the odd. Like when they blow the odd open and you could see my dad took me there to be like, there were your grandma's seats. We sat here in this and all that stuff. I remember getting like the Pizza Hut deal to get. You got a Pizza hut, you got four tickets in the 300 section. But I would sneak down and I would go, and my first puck, I still have it in my office. JP Dumont flip me the puck.
- [43:02]
Mike Catalana
Like that.
- [43:03]
Jenna Cotro
Where people relate to and I understand it, where they grew up at the Ralph. They have all those stories and memories. For me growing up, those were Sabers games. We didn't get to go to a bunch of them. But when we went there, it was like we got there early. We stayed until they announced all three stars and then we left. You were no leaving early with Jack Fates and Kathy Fates. You were there for the game and that's why it's really kind of cool. And like you and I went up there when Lindy was reintroduced back.
- [43:28]
Mike Catalana
Yeah. You were like, little fanboy.
- [43:30]
Jenna Cotro
I'm sitting there, I was like 13 year old Dan, who was playing hockey, would lose his mind. The fact that he's covering Lindy Ruff back in. Back in Buffalo. So that's always cool. And again, where people. You're not Bills fans. No, we cover the team.
- [43:43]
Mike Catalana
That.
- [43:43]
Jenna Cotro
That's our job. And how Marty looks at it in
- [43:45]
Mike Catalana
relation to the Bills. Like it is. Got that 19 feel to it. And yes, you know, we talked about that Tampa game being a lot like maybe the Dallas Thanksgiving game for the Bills, where it's like, hey, America. In that case, it's hey, North America. These are the Buffalo Sabers. The way they played, just like Josh and that team did. That team had a lot of talent and it was just learning. And you never know if they'd have won that Houston game. Who knows what they would have done after that. Let's see what the Sabres can do with this first opportunity because they're going to be in the playoffs. That's not jinxing. They've established that they're going to get in the playoffs. Just a matter of when it's official. And they could very well be starting at home, which would be wild.
- [44:28]
Dan Dunleavy
Sabers podcast bringing Marty back.
- [44:30]
Mike Catalana
So I had an idea a while ago. No, guys, I go, what if we did some stuff on the Sabers? Jenna was like, I don't think that'll work.
- [44:37]
Dan Dunleavy
No, that was a Jenna idea.
- [44:39]
Mike Catalana
Once again, by the way, when you had that idea, I was laughed at. Why? Because how were the Sabers then?
- [44:45]
Dan Dunleavy
They'd won a couple games all season.
- [44:48]
Jenna Cotro
Yeah.
- [44:50]
Mike Catalana
And now they're fun.
- [44:51]
Dan Dunleavy
It was earlier this year.
- [44:52]
Mike Catalana
Yeah, but it was. They were bad still.
- [44:54]
Dan Dunleavy
Yeah, I saw it.
- [44:56]
Jenna Cotro
Hey, you weren't wrong. You were just early. That's what it is.
- [45:00]
Mike Catalana
Oh, you know what that is, Jenna? That's charming.
- [45:05]
Dan Dunleavy
Absolutely.
- [45:05]
Marty Biron
T shirt charming.
- [45:08]
Jenna Cotro
It's gonna be spelled wrong. We're gonna make it.
- [45:11]
Mike Catalana
That might work, actually.
- [45:13]
Dan Dunleavy
How would you possibly spell it wrong?
- [45:15]
Mike Catalana
C H A R. No, wait a minute.
- [45:20]
Jenna Cotro
C h, a r. 2 Rs.
- [45:23]
Mike Catalana
Charming.
- [45:25]
Jenna Cotro
Kh silent, silent p at the beginning.
- [45:28]
Dan Dunleavy
Oh, my gosh. All right. Thank you for watching a little bit. Something different.
- [45:34]
Jenna Cotro
Plenty more Bills content.
- [45:35]
Dan Dunleavy
Yeah. Yes. All the Bills all the time. Please be sure to, like, comment, subscribe and share. And thank you for watching the Buffalo plus plus Sabers for Mike and Dan. I'm Jenna. We'll catch you next time.
- [45:51]
Jenna Cotro
Buffalo plus.