8 May 2001: Domink Hasek of the Buffalo Sabres stands guard in the goal during game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semi Finals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Penguins defeat the Sabres 3-2 in overtime.DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Doug Pensinger/ALLSPORT

Sabres criticized over modest ceremony for Dominik Hasek

Did you watch Buffalo’s ceremony for goaltender Dominik Hasek? If you missed it, you may be relieved to know that you really didn’t miss much. The Sabres had Hasek’s number painted behind the nets and raised a banner featuring his number. That’s about it. No special tributes, no former teammates and nothing worth tuning in to see.

While fans have questioned why the Sabres didn’t go a bit further in honoring Hasek, Matthew Barnaby ridiculed the team a bit more publicly. The Buffalo News recapped Barnaby’s comments on Sirius/XM in which the former Sabres player criticized the Hasek ceremony.

“I think I’ve seen better ceremonies for players that have won Player of the Month for the Montreal Canadiens.

This was embarrassing. There was no one. There wasn’t a former teammate on the ice. And yes, I wouldn’t have been there, but there’s a lot of players that did like him, respected him and are in good graces with him. There was no fanfare for that. There was no family there.

I love Rene Robert and I love Danny Gare ,but to see two guys just skate out with a little banner and raise it and it was over. It was just weird. It was awkward. It was weird.”

It’s pretty noteworthy that Barnaby, a guy who has made it known that he and Hasek are not on good terms, is criticizing the team’s handling of the ceremony. If one of Hasek’s enemies (that may be too harsh of a word) is questioning the ceremony, imagine the reaction from his biggest supporters.

From a more neutral perspective, the ceremony did seem to be lacking. That’s not to say it wasn’t a nice tribute, but we have certainly seen some lengthier tributes to a former player from just about every team in the league.

Unless Hasek requested the modest ceremony, you really have to wonder why the Sabres didn’t pull out all the stops.

About David Rogers

Editor for The Comeback and Contributing Editor for Awful Announcing. Lover of hockey, soccer and all things pop culture.

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