Author: Chris Ostrander

Regier makes a deadline splash: acquires Cody Hodgson and a first

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Many Sabres fans were sitting in front of their televisions, or on Twitter, waiting for a deal to be made. Surely some were losing patience, thinking Darcy Regier wasn’t going to make a single move.

Just when the fans thought he couldn’t get any worse, he went out and acquired Cody Hodgson. And totally redeemed himself.

Regier made one of his most surprising trade deadline moves over his entire tenure, sending Zack Kassian and Marc-Andre Gragnani to Vancouver in exchange for Cody Hodgson and Alexander Sulzer. It was a trade no one expected to see, but one that ultimately addressed the needs of the hockey team.

Hodgson provides the Sabres with immediate help at center, a position at which they have very little depth. He is a top-ten talent, picked 10th overall in the 2008 draft – three spots ahead of Tyler Myers. Hodgson has a wide skill set and has respectable numbers (16+17) over 63 games this season. Those numbers were put up playing third line minutes behind the likes of Ryan Kesler and the Sedins.

For those who aren’t familiar with Hodgson, he was a major player on the 2009 Canadian junior team that took gold in Ottawa. He has the potential to be a number one center, but certainly qualifies as a 2A at the very least.

Looking at Buffalo’s centers before and after this trade, it is obvious Regier knew he needed to make a move to shore up more top-end talent at center. Hodgson addresses this need today and for the future.

Giving up Zack Kassian is going to be a very tough pill to swallow for a number of Sabres fans. He was drafted with the hopes of providing a gritty, talented winger for the Sabres to ride for years to come. While his physical game seemed to wane on a game-to-game basis, the offensive chops appeared to be growing. However, finding a physical winger who can hit and score is far easier than finding a true talent at center. Continue reading →

Deadline Primer: What direction should the Sabres take?

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Tomorrow could be a make or break trade deadline for Darcy Regier. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it will determine his future with the Sabres; but if he falters at the deadline, there could be ramifications in the summer.

Buffalo’s stance for deadline day has yet to be truly determined. Even by taking three of four points this weekend, and five of six for the week, the Sabres are still clawing to gain ground in the playoff race. There have been some bright spots this season and even as of late. However, there still seems to be far too many question marks surrounding the roster.

Derek Roy seems to be a prime candidate to be traded tomorrow.

Considering that, there should be one stance that Reiger should be taking; retooling his roster to improve the glaring weaknesses that have been revealed this season. While that is the approach that 60% of the NHL’s general managers will take, but the Sabres shouldn’t necessarily be labeled as a buyer/seller this season.

Regier’s stance should have been unwavering ever since December when his team began their slide towards the bottom of the conference. It was obvious that Buffalo needed to get tougher and better down the middle. Their secondary scoring had disappeared, but it wasn’t for lack of personnel. There are players on the roster who appear to be in need of a change of scenery and there are other players who just need to be sold for some return (see: UFAs).

With the Sabres still within shouting distance of a playoff spot, they haven’t dug themselves in as a buyer or seller, necessarily. However, Dave Pagnotta on The Fourth Period radio raised some excellent questions. He first made strong points by saying a number of teams need to realize that their roster is flawed and change is necessary. This was also pumped by Pierre LeBrun who said a handful of teams need to stop looking at the standings and start looking in the mirror. I would certainly count the Sabres among that group.

Another interesting point made by Pagnotta and Dennis Bernstein was that the Sabres shouldn’t be waiting any longer to make their call on Drew Stafford or Derek Roy. They made very cogent points that it is obviously time for change and a message needs to be sent to the locker room that a shift in attitude is necessary. It was actually a terrific show, you should get XM just for NHL Home Ice.

I’m in total agreement that the Sabres should be in a position to sell assets, or at least start the process of recycling talent to upgrade the roster. What is unfortunate is that Buffalo’s success this week will likely keep Darcy Regier from shipping off his tradeable pieces – namely Roy, Stafford and even Paul Gaustad. I expect to see a conservative approach from Regier in the hope that his team is indeed capable of finding a playoff position. Continue reading →

Double Minors: Point slips away as Sabres prepare for the deadline

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Two different one-goal leads escaped the Sabres last night as did a precious point for their playoff run. Ryan Callahan scored the deciding goal against the Sabres for the third time this season, this time in OT.

Pat Kaleta had a pretty rough night, getting beaten on Marian Gaborik’s game tying tally and then being undressed by Callahan on the winner. For the first time in a number of games, the Sabres allowed their opponents dangerous scorers in alone on their goalie. For the first time in  number of games they paid dearly.

Ryan Miller certainly wasn’t the goalie who has ran up sparkling numbers since January 1, he also received less support than he has recently. Without Miller’s dazzling play in the first period, the game had great potential to be a blowout. Miller made 14 of his 25 saves in the opening stanza.

Another ugly trait reared its head last night. While the Sabres got a pair of goals from a forward, they only managed a handful of shots on goal. Drew Stafford potted two goals, but the Sabres only managed to direct 17 more shots towards Henrik Lundqvist. The last time Buffalo had a shooting effort that was so poor, Miller bailed them out with a shootout win against New Jersey. For the record, the Sabres only manged 14 shots that night.

With the deadline coming tomorrow afternoon, Darcy Regier still needs to address the fact that his forwards are incapable of performing on a consistent basis. It would seem that Miller has truly settled into a groove and the top-six defensemen are performing admirably. However, the forwards have been out to lunch for a good portion of the season. Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville are the only two who have been consistently effective all season. Tyler Ennis has turned the corner in his new role at center, but still isn’t going to have fantastic numbers. Ville Leino has shown flashes of brilliance, but still hasn’t come around and the other scorers – Derek Roy, Stafford and even Nathan Gerbe – have been largely invisible this season.

If changes are made to the top six, there could still be a legitimate chance at creating enough offense to turn this season around. Continue reading →

The Morning Skate: Sabres final skate prior to deadline

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The Buffalo Sabres have been able to roll together an impressive run of hockey as of late. Looking back to early January, they were on a major skid, couldn’t score goals and weren’t supporting their goaltenders. But as the All-Star break approached they began turning things around. A couple sets of five-game stretches have kept the playoffs within reach and the Sabres can take another step forward tonight in New York.

Well, maybe it will be a lateral step.

Each team the Sabres are chasing are in action this evening. A pair (Toronto and Washington) play each other. Since Buffalo won’t be able to get too much help in terms of gaining ground, they will need to be content with keeping their head above water.

Getting wins last night and Tuesday all but guarantee the Sabres won’t be selling at the deadline. Consider Paul Gaustad safe from any suitors that may come calling. Derek Roy and Drew Stafford probably fall into the same category. Darcy Regier is in a position where he needs to make a few significant moves, but his team is in a position where those moves could potentially be detrimental.

The Sabres will not only see one of the league’s best teams tonight, they will also need to deal with one of the best goaltenders. I won’t be surprised if Ryan Miller is in net to face Henrik Lundqvist, but Lindy Ruff should know Miller needs to rest prior to next week’s road trip. Continue reading →

Double Minors: Sabres stay alive with shootout victory

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Make no mistake, the Buffalo Sabres are riding on the slimmest of playoff hopes. But those hopes remain alive after tonight’s 2-1 shootout win over Boston.

Compared to the last two visits to First Niagara Center by the Bruins, this contest was quite placid. In fact, parts of the game were downright stale. The clubs combined for only 15 shots in the first period before going off for 41 over the final two frames.

Ryan Miller was superb in net once again, turning aside 35 of the 36 shots he faced. His lone goal came on a snipe by Slovakian-born Zdeno Chara in the third period. Derek Roy made a glorious pass to feed Chara on the goal. In all seriousness, it was a well placed shot that found its way past Milan Lucic and Tyler Myers at the hashmarks.

Boston’s goal shared plenty in common with that of Buffalo’s lone tally. Slovak Andrej Sekera place a wrist shot in the top corner with some traffic around the crease in the second. Tuukka Rask made 26 saves on the night.

The Sabres pretty much held on for dear life for the final 20 minutes of the game – they were outshot 15-5 in the third – and leaned on Miller to get them to overtime. Another strong overtime penalty kill gave the Sabres a chance in the shootout where the skill players came through.

This team still needs to realize that they need to score goals if the hope to even make the playoffs. Hoping for 2-1 victories is not wise. The scoring situation on this roster needs to be addressed before this playoff push can be taken seriously.

Buffalo travels to Madison Square Garden today for a matchup with the East’s best club. I understand the Sabres are in desperate need of every point, but it would be wise for Lindy Ruff to give Jhonas Enroth a game tonight while resting Miller in preparation for a lengthy road trip next week. Continue reading →

Regier wise to avoid Carter trade

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The Sabres missed out on another number one center when Jeff Carter was shipped to Los Angeles last night. However, Buffalo not jumping into the Carter sweepstakes isn’t as upsetting as missing out on a player like Brad Richards.

Los Angeles sent defenseman Jack Johnson and a conditional first-round pick to Columbus in exchange for the disgruntled center. Plenty of people in Sabres nation are likely wondering why Darcy Regier failed to acquire Carter. I say, who cares?

The most obvious issue regarding Carter’s trade is the fact that he is moving on to his third team in less than a year. There were the reports of locker room issues in Philly, there was the Dry Island debacle and now it seems his cancer spread to the locker room in Columbus as well. Additional reports of being less than pleased with his move to Ohio’s capital were floating around as well. How many of these reports are true? There is no way to be sure. But if even half of that information is true, placing him in “the worst city in the NHL” probably wouldn’t do much to pick up his spirits.

What is the true reason the Sabres weren’t involved in this sweepstakes is the simple fact that they didn’t have the pieces to send to the Kings. Buffalo’s first round pick this year is going to be in the top-10. A top-10, potential lottery pick is not the type of asset you move in a trade like this. Like it or not, Jeff Carter is not Rick Nash. In addition, there is no player on the Buffalo roster with the equivalent value to Jack Johnson. Jordan Leopold and Andrej Sekera play a similar role, but only Sekera would be close in regards to Johnson’s overall value. Tyler Myers is far superior to Johnson in a two-way role. The only way you’re seeing Myers moved is for an elite talent (see: Getzlaf, Ryan). Continue reading →

The Morning Skate: Weekend results to determine Monday’s stance

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No one really knows if the Sabres are buyers or sellers just yet. Most fans would lead you to believe they should be sellers. Many members of the media would likely say the same thing. However, it would appear the verdict is still out down at Seymour H Knox III Plaza.

The Sabres sit seven points out of eighth place in the Eastern Conference, the same place they were before their win on Tuesday. As you can tell, this is going to be a difficult journey. Buffalo are well within striking distance of a playoff spot and simply need to continue the run of strong play they have been on since the All-Star break. That evidence alone would lead me to believe that the organization wants to wait before determining what steps they plan on taking on Monday.

Tonight’s game will do a lot for that decision. For that matter, tomorrow’s game carries just about the same weight. If the Sabres end the weekend 0-2, they can all but kiss their chances goodbye and begin to retool on the deadline. If they come away with four points – six points for the week – there will be some careful stepping by Darcy Regier and company when deciding in what direction to move.

The last time the Bruins came to town the Sabres didn’t wilt under the weight of Boston’s physical game. The Sabres pushed back and showed they’re not completely incapable of standing up for themselves. Of course, the Sabres got handled in all three fights. But they didn’t back down.

Buffalo also enjoyed some poor goaltending and cruised to a 6-0 victory. I doubt that the Bruins will come with another poor effort tonight and the Sabres will need to be prepared. Ryan Miller has been playing terrific hockey and needs to extend that streak as it seems obvious the team still rolls with his fortune.

The Sabres simply need another full effort if they hope to win. They have proved they’re capable of playing more than 30 minutes of hockey lately, they just need to carry that swagger into this weekend’s games. Continue reading →

Sabres Stat Pack: Examining Ryan Miller’s recent play

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Ryan Miller hasn’t been the goaltender that put the US Olympic team on his back and was one shot from a gold medal in 2010. He isn’t the Vezina winner, nor the goaltender who stole a pair of win for the Sabres in last year’s playoffs.

As is the case with most Buffalo sports fans, Miller has fallen into a bad light with many because of his substandard play this season. However, he is enjoying a noticeable turnaround as of late. While his improved play may not be enough to vault the Sabres into the playoffs, many need to realize that he isn’t playing like the sieve he is being made out to be.

The first thing every Sabres fan needs to realize is that Ryan Miller is not Dominik Hasek. It is doubtful that Buffalo will have another goaltender of that caliber, so get over it. Stop thinking Miller is going to roll up 15 shutouts and keep his goals against below 1.90 every year. It is unrealistic and, frankly, an unfair standard to hold any player to.

Miller’s career numbers have hovered right around 2.50 goals against with a save percentage right around .910 to .920. His elevated play in 2009-10 produced significantly better numbers (2.22 GAA and .929 SV%) which obviously raised expectations.

Last year and this year have brought more scrutiny to his game, even though it hasn’t been much different than it had been in years past. Goaltending is often more objective that just looking at the numbers. Say what you will about career statistics, but an eye test will tell you that Miller is the guy you want on a nightly basis compared to Marty Biron, for example.

Without any tangible proof, I’ll stay away from calling Miller a big-game goalie. He has stepped up and performed for his team when they have needed him (see the wins in last year’s playoffs). Add to that his success in the shootout over the course of his career. Many argue that Miller isn’t worth the money they’re paying him. I’d say those people are dead wrong. They also say the money would be better spent elsewhere, that is a valid argument that would be worth exploring. But don’t try and say Miller is the reason the Sabres are floating around the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

The hot start to Miller’s season cooled after a tough outing against Philadelphia and his subsequent concussion against Boston. Those two games combined with his horrific performance against Pittsburgh dragged his numbers to the bottom of the league’s goaltenders. However, as he has gotten further from the pair of concussions he suffered in less than a year, his play has improved. Continue reading →

Another athlete bags on Buffalo, maybe it is time to answer the bell

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This is the part when everyone is supposed to freak out. You know, when everyone stands up, puffs their chest and says how Buffalo’s heritage is fantastic, the architectural history is unparalleled and you simply don’t know this city unless you’ve lived here.

Brad Marchand likes to try an injure people, he does not like Buffalo.

When Joffery Lupul first started ragging on the city, Buffalo as taken some heat from athletes in the NHL and NFL for the fact that the city isn’t as nice as the ones they call home. Lupul, Tom Brady and now Marchand have all had their pot shots as of late. Sure it stings to hear people say our city stinks, but are they really that off base?

This just in, Boston is a cooler city and has more things to do than Buffalo. Yeah, no kidding. Also in the new today, it is cold out, the sky is blue and Marchand’s nose would be mistaken for a shark fin if he was doing the backstroke. Comparing Buffalo to Boston or Toronto would be like trying to compare Channing Tatum to Tom Hanks. There is no common ground for comparison, aside from the fact that Buffalo and Boston are both indeed cities.

Where I take offense is not so much in the comments made by Marchand, but in the fact that Buffalo is still treading water rather than attempting to improve the city. Sure the swarm of bees becomes infuriated when the nest gets poked, but everyone is content to stay inside unless otherwise provoked. Continue reading →

Double Minors: Close win puts Sabres six back

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Two points go in the win column tonight but the Sabres only enjoyed a one-point improvement in the standings. Buffalo played two dominant periods of hockey before hanging on for a 2-1 victory over the Islanders.

The trade deadline is fast approaching and teams that sit on the playoff bubble are nearing the point where they need to decide if they’re contenders or pretenders. The Sabres will need help for a while longer if they are to climb into the eighth or ninth spot in the conference.

However, more performances like tonight will certainly help matters. Ryan Miller was brilliant yet again in goal, turning aside 30 of 31 shots and the Sabres received another smart performance from Tyler Myers along the way.

The obvious problem of not having the “right” players still exists. It appears that teams who remain in the hunt but realize their shortcomings are beginning to sell off pieces. The Sabres certainly fall into that boat, but have plenty of skill on the roster that may just need the right amount of glue to get them on a playoff run.

Frankly I see too many issues that need to be addressed before the Sabres are capable of making a true run in the playoffs. They could certainly get the ball rolling at the deadline and carry that momentum into the off-season. In the meantime, their push towards eighth will be an uphill battle and they will need those above them to stumble along the way. Continue reading →