Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo Sabres coverage. Related to the Sabres, their prospects and the minors.

Value increases for Sabres as more players re-sign

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For those expecting to see a fire sale along Perry Street, don’t hold your breath. However, the market for Sabres rumored to be on the block continues to rise – thanks to the fine work of a few general managers from around the NHL.

A new contract for Tuomo Ruutu could increase the interest and return regarding certain players on the Sabres’ trade block.

In recent weeks players who have been at the center of trade rumors have been given new contracts, all but eliminating them from trade talks. Tim Gleason, Vinny Prospal and Andy Sutton are recent signees who were expected to be commodities on February 27. This development, along with the potential of Tuomo Ruutu being signed, has only good results for the Sabres.

There are a few names of Buffalo Sabres that have been floating around the different rumor mills for some time. Brad Boyes, Derek Roy and Paul Gaustad all seem to have some interest from around the league. Drew Stafford’s name is also out there but it seems as if he is someone who is being focused on more from a local standpoint.

When considering the players who may be moved, keep in mind where you’re hearing the reports from and the specific player who is being referred to. For example, there are a whole lot of fans who want to see Stafford, Roy and Boyes shipped out. Some of these people would even trade Ryan Miller, for whatever reason (hockey IQ). However, hearing your friends talk about moving a player isn’t the same as hearing reputable sources say certain scouts and teams are discussing a particular player.

What you can put in the bank is the fact that the assumed market for the players that are said to be on the block has been rising in recent weeks. Paul Gaustad’s recent play has shown the two-way game that many teams covet. In addition, the thinning of the scoring winger market means that more teams may be willing to jump at the chance for Brad Boyes or Drew Stafford. If you’re on the “Trade Stafford” bandwagon, hope to god Jim Rutherford reaches an agreement with Ruutu this week.

If Ruutu and Prospal are off the market it leaves a very thin depth chart of pending UFAs to pick from. It also thins the number of potential trade pieces from teams well out of the playoff race. Despite rumors surrounding Buffalo being fairly quiet, the fact that these signings are occurring will only help Darcy Regier move the players he wishes to part ways with.

As of right now the asking price for Ruutu is alleged to be astronomical. I don’t necessarily think that it makes much sense to ask for a ridiculous return, but Sabres fans should be praying for him to re-sign in Carolina. I don’t think that his market value would translate to the players on Buffalo’s roster that teams would be targeting. However, if he re-signs, I do know that interest in the players on Buffalo’s block will skyrocket. UPDATE: Ruutu was taken out of tonight’s game with an upper-body injury. I can’t speculate length without any additional information. But if he was to be shelved beyond the deadline, it has the same effect as if he were to re-sign.

Consider this hypothetical for a moment: Drew Stafford had been tossed around rather casually for some time as a solution for a team searching for offense. Perhaps his original value was a second-round pick and a prospect, but interest was weak. With Prospal and Ruutu off the market his value likely remains but the interest now skyrockets. With increased interest, there is the opportunity to ask for a better return.

The same goes for Boyes, Gaustad and the rest of the players who are potentially on the block. When a team appears to be approaching the “sell to retool” phase, having a high demand for product is a very good thing. The only question that remains is; will Regier pull the trigger on these deals?

Double Minors: Slow starts leads to end of point streak

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On Friday night the Buffalo Sabres managed to claw their way to overtime after trailing the Dallas Stars by a pair. The same script didn’t play out on Saturday as Buffalo fell to Tampa Bay, 2-1.

We didn’t play well enough. I thought the second period, we were terrible. We didn’t play the game quick enough and didn’t make enough plays. ~ Lindy Ruff

The loss, coupled with Montreal’s thrashing of the Leafs will temporarily drop Buffalo to 14th in the East. That alone illustrates the need to get points on a nightly basis for the Sabres. Two points obviously being ideal (and somewhat necessary) but at least getting to overtime is almost a necessity.

Buffalo was hurt by a criminally slow start for the second-straight evening. The Sabres played 40 minutes of flat hockey and paid with a 2-0 deficit entering the third period. Another carry-over from Friday was Buffalo’s spark in the third period. The Sabres fired 14 of their 27 shots in the final frame and threatened to beat Mathieu Garon numerous times. Christian Ehrhoff, Zack Kassian and Jason Pominville had the best looks at a beating the career backup.

Pominville found the net for the 20th time this season, receiving a nice setup from Thomas Vanek. What else is new? Vanek was put back on the left wing with Pominville and Derek Roy after reprising his role with Tyler Ennis and Drew Stafford to begin the game.

The success that Pominville and Vanek have enjoyed this season has been compounded on all year, there is no denying the pair’s stellar play. In fact, Pominville nearly provided all the scoring Buffalo needed for a tie but he was robbed by Mathieu Garon. Without help from other forwards, this team will still struggle to win games. That is another statement which has gotten plenty of circulation this year.

Ryan Miller continued his stellar play tonight, stopping 26 of the 28 shots he faced. I’ll eat some crow for thinking Jhonas Enroth should have gotten the start, but I’m not mad that Miller has continued to play at an all-world level.

The Sabres are back in action on Valentines Day as they host the Devils. Tuesday’s game becomes a must win after a point was squandered tonight.

  • As Lindy Ruff said, the second period killed Buffalo. Sloppy play was evident through the first period, but the second period was particularly ugly. Steve Downie cashed in after his line with Teddy Purcell and Steven Stamkos sustained possession for some time. Downie had all day to stop Victor Hedman’s feed from the point and beat Miller. Tyler Myers was caught on the wrong side of his goalie after his partner floated well above the faceoff dot on the play.
  • Giving Steven Stamkos multiple looks from the top of the circles is a bad thing. It is particularly bad when he is given a one-timer on a two-on-one. Not too many goalies are coming up with that save.
  • Christian Ehrhoff was two different players tonight. He had a rough go for the first two periods but was easily Buffalo’s best defenseman in the third. He was still vicitmized more than his partner on the two goals. He was too high on the first and was way up ice on the game-winner.
  • Reuniting Pominville, Roy and Vanek was the right choice. I’m interested to see the choice Ruff makes with Leino. He has been good playing in a definitive role. Placing him on the wing with Ennis and Stafford seems to make the most sense here.
  • I liked Zack Kassian tonight. He just missed a beautiful feed from Andrej Sekera in the third. In his defense it was a hard sauce that was going to be real tough to handle. He was credited with three hits (I had him for four or five) and three takeaways. He was dominant below the goal line – yet again – and showed a solid jump. It was the type of game you want to see from him.
  • I’ve loved Ryan Miller’s game of late. He is playing stellar hockey. He was the main reason this game was 2-1. Had Buffalo earned a win, he would have been a star. However, he is going to be due a rest soon and this is a tricky week for scheduling goalies. Mid-week back-to-back games (Thursday and Friday) along with a Sunday matinee makes things tricky. I hate playing Miller against the Penguins and I think Lindy Ruff would be wise to avoid making that decision. Start Miller all three games this week if you must, but I would keep him on the bench on Sunday.

Game Summary/Event Summary

The Morning Skate: Weekend series capped with visit from Bolts

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The only thing the Buffalo Sabres need to be worried about at this moment is winning hockey games. They started too far out of the playoff hunt to discuss games in hand or how far behind they are from the team’s they’re chasing. Just winning games and getting points is all that should matter.

Tonight’s game against Tampa Bay presents the chance for a clean weekend sweep of four points and to continue the run of good hockey the team has played since the All-Star break.

The Lightning are a rested bunch. They played Thursday in New York, stayed in Buffalo all day yesterday and will have had plenty of time to rest as they prepare for this evening’s tilt. Tampa lost Thursday’s game in overtime 4-3.

While Buffalo did go a full 65 minutes last night, they didn’t do too much work in the opening 40 minutes of play. Hopefully there is some gas in the tank for tonight. Add in the fact that Luke Adam will be inserted in the place of Cody McCormick, which provides a fresh set of legs.

Buffalo has not played Tampa well this season. They were shutout in Florida before dropping a 4-3 loss on the return trip in Buffalo. Tonight’s game has a lot more weight behind it than the previous two meetings. Then the Sabres were still riding the cushion of their strong start. Now they are a desperate bunch in need of a long win streak.

Highlighted Matchup

Buffalo’s forwards vs. Tampa’s trap. The Sabres had trouble engaging offensively last night as Dallas choked out the neutral zone. Tampa will do that, and more tonight. The Sabres were able to dump and chase yesterday but will not have the same luxury tonight with more fatigue weighing them down. The Sabres still need to effectively break the trap to win tonight.

Projected Goaltenders

BUF: Jhonas Enroth

TBL: Mathieu Garon

Last Meeting

Sabres 3 – Lightning 4, First Niagara Center, 10/25/2011

 

Double Minors: Sabres find a way to get two more

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Make it 11 of the last 12 points for the Sabres. After over a month of finding different ways to lose, they have begun finding different ways to win.

Despite playing 40 minutes of disinterested hockey the Sabres managed to tie the game late and earn a shootout win. Buffalo played with edge and passion in the final period and scrapped enough to get the game to overtime. Nathan Gerbe tallied one of the sickest shootout goals I’ve ever seen to win it and Ryan Miller was only beaten once in the skills competition.

The third period effort was nice to see as the Sabres failed to establish any sort of tone against a team that had played on the road the night before. Considering the Stars had to travel after a game on Thursday, I expected to see a similar Sabres team to the one that played on Wednesday. While the first 40 didn’t provide any such result, Buffalo managed to establish an impressive strategy in the third.

Lindy Ruff confirmed in his press conference that Cody McCormick will miss time due to an injury. His absence didn’t seem to hurt the Sabres as James Patrick pretty much rolled three lines for the second and third periods.

Despite giving up a power play goal on a nifty tip by Michael Ryder, the Buffalo special teams units were sound. Thomas Vanek tallied on the power play and the penalty kill came up big when they needed it. Ryan Miller had another solid outing, stopping 24 of 26 shots and remaining capable to the task when Kari Lehtonen turned in numerous big saves.

In my opinion, starting Jhonas Enroth tonight is the right move. Buffalo has five games in the next eight days with Monday, Wednesday and Saturday to rest. Giving Enroth a start tonight would be the conventional wisdom. Hopefully the coaching staff agrees.

  • Thomas Vanek had a good return from injury. His power play goal was a vintage Vanek deflection. He had Lehtonen beat on three occasions tonight but only managed to get the deflection past the Finn. That is the type of game the Sabres will need from Vanek, providing another regular scoring outlet will be needed if Buffalo is to make a run.
  • I’m glad Ryan Miller has righted the ship. This is some of the best hockey I have ever seen him play, that includes the 2010 Olympics. He didn’t have much of a chance on either goal as Ryder’s was a perfect tip and the Vincour goal either hits him or hits the net. He didn’t get a shutout yesterday and I’d give him the rest he deserves tonight.
  • Good on Ruff to leave Leino with Pominville and Roy. Another tip of the cap for putting Vanek on the wing with Stafford and Ennis. I would assume Vanek finds his way back to a line with Pominville, I just don’t know when exactly that will happen.
  • Another solid night from the defensemen. There were some ugly plays here and there, but that is to be expected. I have to think it will be a long time until MAG finds his way to the lineup.
  • The third jerseys may not be everyone’s favorite, but by my count they remain undefeated this season in the royal unis.
  • Cody McCormick is really having a rough go this season. That concussion really derailed things for him and it doesn’t seem as if he has found his way out of the woods. I won’t speculate what his injury is, I actually thought he was simply benched for that bonehead penalty he took in the first period. When his game is on he is an effective piece of this roster, this year he has been little more than a grocery stick.
  • Drew Stafford is truly snake bit. Tyler Ennis had a nice bit of stickhandling on Wednesday to set up Stafford. Tonight the North Dakota product had two glorious chances but was thwarted by Lehtonen.

Game Summary/Event Summary

The Morning Skate: Suddenly potent Sabres host Stars

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The Buffalo Sabres offense was there in October but has been nothing but a face on a milk carton in the months since. Finally, as the team has begun to find some footing, the offense seems to be coming back to life.

Two late, unanswered goals in New York led the Sabres to a shootout victory and they followed that performance with a six-goal barrage against Boston on Wednesday. If this is the type of offensive attack the team will be coming with for the foreseeable future the likelihood of piecing a run together is much better.

Dallas comes to Buffalo after a 4-2 win in Columbus last night. Kari Lehtonen played against the Blue Jackets yesterday and has played the lion’s share of play for the Stars as of late. A non-conference game on the back half of a road back-to-back series would be a good opportunity to play Richard Bachman. However, Dallas is in a position where they need every point available and I’d expect Lehtonen to be back in net tonight.

The Sabres will get Thomas Vanek back in the lineup tonight but where he will play remains a mystery. I’d be apprehensive to take Ville Leino away from Derek Roy and Jason Pominville. Reuniting Leino and Ennis wouldn’t be all bad, but the production of Leino, Roy and Pominville cannot be broken up.

Highlighted Matchup

Thomas Vanek. Prior to missing time with injury, Vanek was experiencing his first slump of the season. I wonder if his injury had lingered prior to the hit that forced him out of the lineup. If Vanek could find the scoring touch that had been so consistent earlier in the season, the Sabres would have two lines capable of scoring on a regular basis.

Projected Goaltenders

BUF: Ryan Miller

DAL: Kari Lehtonen

Last Meeting

Sabres 0 – Stars 4, American Airlines Arena, 10/30/2011

Double Minors: Offense continues as Sabres top Bruins

Chris Ostrander2 Comments

It would appear re-investing in XM Radio this week came at the right time. I can only imagine what the whiner line (and message boards) are saying about the idea of leaving James Patrick behind the bench permanently.

News flash, Lindy ain’t going nowhere. Seriously though, the team had begun to turn things around before Ruff’s injury. This game was not a magical cure-all because Ruff was watching from the press box.

The fact of the matter is that the Sabres set the tone out of the gate and maintained that attitude for the entire game. It is something the team has struggled to do this season, but they played 60 good minutes tonight and were rewarded on the scoreboard.

Billy Jaffe may have said it best on NHL Tonight. He acknowledged that Buffalo doesn’t have the DNA to push teams around, but they pushed back this evening and proved they aren’t complete pushovers. Despite the fact the Sabres lost each of the fights they were a part of, I was impressed with the physical side of Buffalo’s game.

Ryan Miller turned in another sparkling performance, making 36 saves for his 25th career shutout. The shutout and his recent run will make it tough for Lindy Ruff to rest his starter this weekend. In fact, a Saturday start for Jhonas Enroth could be a long shot.

The Sabres have ran up an impressive run of nine points of their last ten; they’re still in need of a handful of points from their next games. The four points available on Friday and Saturday will go a long way in determining how for real this run could be.

  • I give credit to Ryan Miller for being diplomatic about the no goal call he received in the first period. It was an obvious blown call and he admitted that the Lucic incident from earlier in the year likely had some impact on that call.
  • Ville Leino has flourished playing on Buffalo’s top line. He has five points in his last six games and four points since receiving the promotion to the wing with Pominville and Roy. Leino made two nifty passes tonight and has slowly begun to look like the player the Sabres were looking for last summer.
  • I wonder if Mike Milbury needs to go on the way he does during the intermission and pre/post-game reports. I feel like he is trying to be Don Cherry and he doesn’t need to imitate CBC’s resident curmudgeon. Cherry’s personality has developed for some time, I feel as if Milbury has turned his attitude up a notch recently. I understand his dislike for players who fight with visors (Cherry has dibs on that one) but Brad Marchand is virtually the same guy. So let’s call a spade a spade, shall we?
  • I do really like Tim Thomas. I could care less about his political opinions, he is a darn good goalie and seems pretty down to earth. For example, he pretty much gave Tuuka Rask a shoulder shrug and a “no big deal” when he went in to replace the young Finn.
  • Cody McCormick is a fine fighter, but he isn’t in the same class of Shawn Thornton. Needing a fighter of that caliber isn’t entirely necessary. But none of the Sabres were able to hold their own tonight, all were over matched. Kaleta bit off way more than he could chew with Lucic and Mike Weber clearly needs to take boxing lessons this offseason, I’m not sure he has ever won a fight in the NHL.
  • It was cool to see Tweets about the rowdy Mannheim fans upping the volume late in the game. What is disappointing is the fact that so many fans with such a high hockey IQ felt the need to leave a 6-0 beating of Buffalo’s main rival so early. The louder fans stuck around and made some quality noise as the game came to a close.
  • Tyler Ennis is officially the number two center. No need to split hairs anymore. He shouldn’t take another shift at wing for the rest of this season. He gives a mean hockey hug too, eh Harrison?

Game Summary/Event Summary

 

The Morning Skate: Bruins present a stiff test for surging Sabres

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The Buffalo Sabres have taken seven of their last eight points thanks to some strong shootout play in net and from the forwards. Points nine and ten are on the table tonight.

Of course the Boston Bruins stand in the way of those precious two points. The Bruins remain a team this current Sabres roster is not built to take down. The Bruins are big, physical and tough. The Sabres  are small, agile and soft.

Because of the hole Buffalo dug between November and December, this is a must win game. Of course expectations will likely be a bit lower considering the way Boston has played Buffalo this year.

The Bruins’ last visit to First Niagara Center was the “grudge match” game after Ryan Miller was hit by Milan Lucic. The Sabres lost 4-3 in a shootout that night after playing 20 minutes of physically engaging hockey in which they controlled the play. The following 40 were far more passive and the team paid for it with the loss.

Buffalo not only needs to set an early tone, they need to carry it throughout the night. There are players on the roster capable of providing a steady physical presence, the key is making sure it survives beyond the first period.

With the possibility of not having Lindy Ruff on the bench, I’m curious to see how the team responds.

Highlighted Matchup

Nathan Gerbe vs. Brad Marchand. Both have the honey badger moniker following them around. Although, Marchand seems more fond of Nose Face Killah. Both are agitators who can easily stick in their opponent’s craw. Last time Marchand scored a big second period goal and acted like a real professional while taunting the Buffalo bench. Gerbe was the most physically active Sabre that night, but was ineffective on offense. Both have the ability to have an impact on this game. It will be interesting to see who has the better night.

Projected Goaltenders

BUF: Ryan Miller

BOS: Tim Thomas

Last Meeting

Sabres 3 – Bruins 4 SO, First Niagara Center, 11/23/2011

The Instigator Podcast 1.3 – Looking for Direction

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Episode number three of The Instigator takes a look at where the Sabres may be heading as they work towards the trade deadline. This episode also introduces fan Twitter questions in addition to a new segment called “Plus/Minus”.

As always, comments and criticism are welcome and encouraged. You can find me at @2ITB_Buffalo and Eric at @3rdmanin. Don’t forget to check out Eric’s work on 3rd Man In as well.

Deadline Preview: Evaluating Paul Gaustad’s trade value

Chris Ostrander3 Comments

Paul Gaustad is an assumed part of the Buffalo Sabres “core”. He is a homegrown player who has come up through the minors with a number of players on the current roster. Lately it seems as if he is a prime target to be traded away from Buffalo.

Gaustad was a late-round draft pick (7th round, 220 overall, 2000) who has blossomed into a leader and a strong defensive forward. He has become one of the league’s best faceoff men, is a mainstay on penalty kills and plays with grit (sometimes). He is also due to become an UFA at the end of the season.  All of these factors have made him a prime candidate to be moved by the trade deadline later this month.

The rumors have begun to swirl around a number of Sabres players who are expected to be on the chopping block. While some are expected to bring minimal returns (Brad Boyes), Gaustad has a number of traits that will make him an attractive piece for a Stanley Cup contender to chase.

His salary ($2.3m cap hit) is somewhat prohibitive, particularly for a player with his skillset. However, his free agent status makes his impact on the cap and real dollars far less significant.

The biggest rumor surrounding the center ties him to Detroit. Apparently Kirk Maltby has been sniffing around for a few games as of late. Detroit would be a team expected to chase Gaustad. He kills penalties and wins faceoffs, two traits playoff teams covet. Certainly there are other teams out there who will likely inquire about Gaustad as well. San Jose and Vancouver could probably be roped in as potential suitors as well. Continue reading →

Double Minors: Miller makes team history with win over Isles

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Ryan Miller and the Buffalo Sabres rallied for a 4-3 shootout win over the New York Islanders last night. The win was the 235th of Miller’s career – giving him the Sabres franchise record for victories.

Miller had a rough first period, allowing three goals on nine shots thanks to a bad redirect and some poor team defense. Mike Weber was the first culprit, making a horrible behind-the-back pass which led to the first of Frans Nielsen’s two goals. Nielsen’s second goal came off Miller’s stick as he attempted to block a clearing pass. Josh Bailey also scored on a rush that was barely defended by all five Sabres on the ice.

However, Miller went on to stop the next 29 shots and two in the shootout to get the victory. Miller’s play in the second and third was strong and he was spectacular in overtime. He was a key to the victory, in the end, making a number of clutch saves in the dying minutes and through a full four-on-three in overtime.

The Sabres have earned seven of their last eight points and points nine and ten will be up for grabs on Wednesday night. Wednesday’s test will be significantly tougher than the previous four as the Bruins come into town. On the bright side, the Sabres seem to be slowly finding some offense in this recent stretch of strong play. Continue reading →