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Sabres Report: Q&A with Marty Magers
Written by: Ken McKenna on 12/31/2002 
Throughout their 32-year history, the Buffalo Sabres have always had a knack for finding good, and sometimes great, goaltenders. While the current crop of youngsters (Martin Biron, Mika Noronen, and Ryan Miller) is experiencing some growing pains, the future for the Sabres at this position nevertheless should be secure.
Another youngster who could eventually have an impact on Buffalo’s goaltending rotation is the team’s fourth round pick from the 2002 Entry Draft, Marty Magers. After spending a couple of seasons with the Omaha Lancers (now called the River City Lancers) of the USHL, Marty moved over to the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack for the 2003-03 season. Marty has so far appeared in 26 games for the Attack, posting a 6-15-2 record while sporting a save percentage of .883 and a goals-against average of 4.05.
I had a chance to speak with Marty prior to a recent game, with the transcript of that conversation being posted below.
HF: Let’s start by talking about your season so far in Owen Sound. How have things gone for you, and what types of things do you need to improve on to move to the next level?
MM: I think I need to be more consistent. I started out average, then I started playing pretty well, and then lately I haven’t been playing my best hockey. So, I definitely have to be more consistent.
HF: What style of goaltender would you consider yourself to be? I know "butterfly" goaltenders seem to be the standard today.
MM: Yeah, definitely butterfly. There aren’t too many that are stand-up goaltenders today, you know?
HF: Why do you think the stand-up style of play has gone by the wayside? Is the "butterfly" style simply the way to play the position? Dominik Hasek, for instance, wasn’t necessarily a butterfly goaltender…
MM: But did he have a style? I don’t think there was a style behind him, he couldn’t really be labeled as anything. The game today is more angles, so you play your angles, and when you go down, you take up a lot of the net, you know? As far as standing up, I don’t know why it’s not big. I never tried it. It could be a great thing, you know?
HF: I’m not asking you to change your game, I was just curious about why there are no more goalies who stand their ground. You were drafted by the Sabres in the 2002 NHL Draft. Were you expecting to be drafted, or was that a bit of a surprise?
MM: I was hoping to be drafted, but I wasn’t expecting anything. I watch the Don Cherry videos, and he always says at the end about players going to the draft and then not getting drafted. So that’s why I didn’t want to go, I didn’t want to be disappointed in case I wasn’t drafted. Then, I got a call saying I was drafted in the 4th round, so I was pretty excited.
HF: Talk about your time in the USHL. What kind of hockey was that, and how does it compare to playing in the OHL?
MM: I think it’s very similar, but teams have more depth than in the USHL. Where they’d have one line or two lines on the top teams, the top OHL teams are pretty much stacked all the way down, and their goal-scorers really score goals, you know?
HF: I noticed in your profile that your favorite arena was some arena in Nebraska. I assume that must be where you played for Omaha?
MM: Yeah, Aksarben Colesium. It was just so old. Actually, I think they’re knocking it down this year; they’ve got a new stadium already and a new rink. It was unbelievable, though.
HF: I also noticed that you had played Junior B hockey in Fort Erie, so I assume you must be somewhat familiar with the Buffalo area, then.
MM: Yep, definitely.
HF: While I know the Sabres are having some financial problems right now, were you happy to be drafted by them? You’d be going to an area that you know a bit, anyway.
MM: Well, definitely. I got drafted, and that was a big thing, and it was the Sabres who I got to watch for a year. Every morning I’d be driving to school, and I’d hear Rob Ray talking to Domi on the radio when they’d play the Leafs. It’s a big rivalry there for the two teams. It was fun watching them, and being drafted by them is great.
HF: You were going to attend Michigan Tech in the NCAA. Did you decide that playing in Owen Sound was the better route to the NHL?
MM: Yeah, I saw all the players that go to the pros from here. You got Spezza, Nash, all of those guys, so I figured that this was the way to go to try and better myself.
HF: I saw you play a little bit in camp in September. What were your impressions of your first NHL training camp?
MM: Well, I thought going in that the guys might be a little cocky because I’m a rookie, and maybe they wouldn’t talk to me. I was so wrong. The guys were unbelievable, everybody was so friendly, they always wanted to help me out and make sure I’m OK. It was just unbelievable. It’s these guys that you watch on TV your whole life, and you’re skating with them or they’re shooting at you, and they tap you on the pad and say "nice save". So, it was unbelievable.
HF: How was it working with Marty Biron, Mika Noronen and Ryan Miller?
MM: And Tom Askey. They were all so great, it was a dream come true, to tell you the truth. They helped me out every way they could, telling me what was wrong with my game. They were just great people.
HF: What do you anticipate for the future, then? Another year in junior, maybe, then on to the AHL? What do you see coming up?
MM: I just want to start playing good hockey for the boys here in front of me. I just want to make the playoffs right now, short term. I don’t need to look ahead, I just need to start stopping the puck for my team here, and hopefully we’ll go on a playoff run.
HF: You’re from Illinois, right? So, I’m guessing that you were a Blackhawks fan growing up. Who were some of your favorites growing up, was it goaltenders, or were there some skaters that were favorites?
MM: Yeah, Eddie Belfour was always my favorite goalie, and Steve Yzerman was always my favorite player.
HF: You traitor, you’re not supposed to like the Detroit Red Wings!
MM: Yeah, I know, but Yzerman was amazing, the guy did everything, you know?
HF: I notice that it says in your profile that your favorite food is a beef sandwich. Does that come from living in the Buffalo area, where they are famous for beef-on-weck sandwiches?
MM: No, just growing up in Illinois, I’d always be out with my Dad, and we’d stop to get a hot dog or a beef sandwich. I just grew up eating it, and I love it. You go to Nebraska or Canada, you can’t get one, so it’s something I really miss.
HF: Were there any other sports that you played other than hockey?
MM: I just played baseball growing up. I always wanted to play football, but I couldn’t because hockey kind of conflicted with it. I just watch every sport. My Dad, he’s still young, he’s like 40-something, he wants to always go out there and play with me and my brother. He’s always throwing the football around, golfing; he just likes to have a good time with it.
HF: Thank you, Marty. Good luck in the future.
MM: OK, thanks!