Buffalo Sabres

Grading the Sabres: Adam, Chewy and those departed

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This is the final group of forwards I will evaluate. This set of grades will actually include reviews of the three players who were traded at the deadline, plus a pair of centers who are still with the team.

Luke Adam – B-

Adam sort of got a raw deal this season. After a scorching hot start, he ended up in the doghouse and eventually was sent down to Rochester after the All-Star break. His demotion was permanent as he is still playing on the farm. I loved his play with Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville and I contend that line should probably have stayed together through the brief slump that eventually led to Adam being sent to Rochester.

Adam did struggle some along the way this year and may have needed more seasoning. However, I think he was handled poorly and I question if his confidence has been shaken by the way Lindy Ruff decided to ship him away.

All things considered, Szczechura proved he is a capable depth forward, perfect for the AHL and spot call-up duty.

Paul Szczechura – B

Just one game short of ten, I felt comfortable giving Szczechura a grade for his play. He was called up in the middle of Buffalo’s injury crunch and actually outperformed some regulars. He had a few very nice games at center and proved that he is more than worthy of an early call up in the future. Like Derek Whitmore, Szczechura doesn’t fill a fourth line role all that well but has that offensive touch that makes him intriguing to recall. Again, if the Sabres are in need of a bit more skill, Szczechura is likely to get a call. Continue reading →

The Instigator Podcast 1.10 – Inflating Expectations

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The tenth edition of The Instigator Podcast is a milestone for a few reasons. First, it is the tenth podcast we have put together. Second, we kept it under 45 minutes for your listening pleasure. Lastly, Eric celebrates the return of Kevin Richardson to BSB.

Also, we hit on the new season ticket prices, the accusations levied against Cody Hodgson and, naturally, play a little plus/minus.

Grading the Sabres: The new core

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The next group of player grades for the Sabres is comprised of young talent and new faces. This group either arrived in Buffalo this season, or are part of the burgeoning youth movement on the depth chart.

Tyler Ennis – A-

This might seem like a high grade to some, it may even look like a low grade for some. I say it is adequate with the understanding that Ennis still has room to grow, especially as a center. The ankle injury that sidelined him for 34 games was a devastating blow to his progress and the Sabres in general.

While he was sniffing at a point per game pace, it was basically just in the second half. That bodes quite well for a player that is looking like he could be a major weapon for the Sabres in the coming seasons. I still think Ennis needs to add a little size, but he certainly doesn’t need to change anything on the offensive side of his game.

Tyler Ennis and Cody Hodgson should prove to be the centers of the future in Buffalo

Cody Hodgson- C+

I like Hodgson’s game. His numbers weren’t ideal, but he showed some traits that should make him a dangerous piece of the puzzle moving forward. His brief time here was highlighted by a few nice goals and assists, obviously putting him with scorers will be a necessity. Depending on what kind of summer he has could mean that he comes to camp has the incumbent number two center (behind Ennis) with the chance to be a key contributor for next year.

Continue reading →

The Instigator Podcast 1.9 – Southern Aggression

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For the ninth episode of The Instigator, Eric and I talk about the first round of the NHL playoffs, parity and non-traditional hockey markets. Of course, we also play plus/minus.

Thought, comments and criticism is welcome here, there or on Twitter. Find us: @3rdmanin @2ITB_Buffalo

Grading the Sabres: Goaltenders

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Over the next few days and weeks, I will be providing some grades for each player to suit up for the Sabres this season. The evaluations will be done in groups, beginning with the goaltenders.

Ryan Miller – B

Overall, the Sabres goaltending wasn’t good enough this season. Based on numbers alone, both Miller and Jhonas Enroth would be right in the middle of the pack among their peers. However, it was an up and down year for each highlighted by rough patches and some great play.

Miller’s hot streak to end the season was one of the main reasons the Sabres were even alive in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt. His slump through November and December was one of the main reasons Buffalo was so deep in the Eastern Conference.

Overall, Miller played some very good hockey for long stretches. Obviously the run he began in January all but erased the ugly stats he developed earlier in the season. I would contend that a great deal of his struggles were tied to the long recovery from his collision with Milan Lucic. The injury itself may not have done as much damage as the lengthy recovery period Miller went through. A simple eye test would show that he wasn’t back to normal until well into January – nearly two full months after the injury.

Critics and apologists should all be able to agree that Miller’s season needed to be better. However, when healthy, I would argue he would have produced one of his best professional seasons to date. His play in early October was stellar, as was his final three months. There were a couple appearances that hurt his numbers – when he was injured and stepping in for Enroth in Philly – but his play at the end of the year all but righted the ship.

Miller’s play has always been more about his actual results rather than strictly numbers. Goaltending has always been about making the big saves when necessary, that doesn’t always mean your numbers will be Hasekian. For Miller, there is plenty of room for improvement. I would say a good offseason and a run of healthy hockey could certainly help shake some of the critics from his back. Continue reading →

Sabres in review: What went right

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Hopefully my season recap provided a broad view of the ups and downs of the Sabres’ season. Chances are that I didn’t accomplish such a goal, apologies. I would also like to highlight some more specific cases as to the pros and cons, the good and bad of the 2011-12 Buffalo Sabres season. What went right and wrong will be presented in different posts. First, what went right.

Tyler Ennis

Like just about everyone on the roster, Ennis didn’t enjoy a full year of successful hockey. However, when Ennis finally got healthy, he was one of Buffalo’s most consistent and dangerous forwards.

Despite missing 34 games with a high ankle sprain, Ennis finished the season with 34 points (15+19) in 48 games. His early season struggles were caused by his injury. Seven of Ennis’ multi-point games came in the final 15 contests of the season. His move to center not only jump started his production, but it provided a spark to the entire roster. He found instant chemistry with Drew Stafford and eventually Marcus Foligno. Ennis has suddenly become the best center in the Sabres organization and will be due a healthy raise, I’m guessing in the $3M range.

Jason Pominville

Pominville won the team MVP award and he earned it. Despite all of their struggles this season, Pominville was the only consistent performer over 82 games. Aside from last year, Pominville has always been a consistent point scorer over the entire year. He hit 30 goals, the only Sabre to do so this season.

He embraced the captaincy, despite not being an outspoken, rah-rah player. His first All-Star appearance was great to see and well deserved from a player who used to be a whipping boy for many fans. I have to think he could have achieved more had he been kept with the same linemates for a majority of the season. Separating he and Thomas Vanek didn’t do well for either player’s numbers.

Thomas Vanek (1st Half)

Vanek’s first half play probably surpassed the contributions that Pominville at certain points. However, January brought some bumps and bruises that developed into what seem to be nagging injuries. His second half was one of the biggest disappointments on the year, but his first half play was one of the reasons the Sabres were competitive on some nights.

I won’t include Vanek in both the highs and lows, but understand that he did need to be better during the homestretch this year. Perhaps if he was given the same center for the entire year and treated like an actual superstar, not a 13-minute third line winger, he would continue to top the 30-goal plateau. Continue reading →

The Instigator Podcast 1.8 – No Answer

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After a moderate layoff, Eric and I are back at it with a new edition of The Instigator. We take a look at what decisions have been made by the Sabres as of late and what decisions may lie in the future. Our conversation is based on conjecture more than anything, but share your thoughts if you think we are on the right, or wrong, path. As always, we play Plus/Minus and this week likely features the best intermission music yet.

Comments, criticism, music and topic requests are welcome here or on Twitter: @3rdmanin @2ITB_Buffalo

American prospects are coming to Buffalo

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You can’t argue that Terry Pegula and the Buffalo Sabres aren’t interested in growing the game of hockey. The Sabres and USA Hockey hooked up for the second time in two years to announce that Buffalo will host the inaugural All-American Prospects Game.

The game will be played at First Niagara Center on September 29, 2012. According to the release from the Sabres and USA Hockey, 40 of the top draft-eligible prospects will participate. From the release:

“It’s a concept we’ve been talking about for a couple of years and we’re excited to bring it to life in partnership with the Buffalo Sabres,” said Dave Ogrean, executive director of USA Hockey. “The talent level on the First Niagara Center ice on Sept. 29 will be exceptional. We view this game as an opportunity to gain additional exposure for hockey and help influence growth of the sport through showcasing the future stars of the game.”
“We’re extremely pleased to have this inaugural event come to Buffalo,” said Ted Black, president of the Buffalo Sabres. “We have a tremendous working relationship with USA Hockey and I know our fans will embrace the All-American Prospects Game.”

The release specifies that the rosters will be comprised of players from major junior and collegiate programs with additional players from elite high school and prep hockey programs. Expect roster information to come out in June or July, with ticketing information to be released in May. Continue reading →

Inaugural 2ITB Sabres season awards

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Since the 2011-12 campaign ended without a playoff berth, I have decided that the inaugural 2ITB Awards will have some real awards and some awards that are more worthy of a Dundie. If you don’t like the winners, leave a comment; perhaps you will get a vote for the second annual awards next spring. Here are the winners:

Most Valuable Player – Jason Pominville

In line with the players’ choice, Pominville is an easy choice on a team that did underachieve for portions of the season. I was happy to see him hit the 30-goal plateau, it was a well deserved accomplishment. Pominville embraced his captaincy this season and had a great year. I think consistent line mates could yield similar results in 2012-13.

Least Valuable Player – Brad Boyes

Boyes suffered through a miserable 82-game season with little to show for it. Sure he was stuck on the fourth line and had little chance to produce, but at $4M you can’t afford to be not scoring goals. I was happy to see him come to Buffalo, things just didn’t work out for him this year.

Top Prospect – Marcus Foligno

This was a tough one for me to pick. Foligno was right up there with Brayden McNabb, David Leggio and Joel Armia for the organizational award. However, Foligno’s arrival was such a shot in the arm for the Sabres that it was too difficult to ignore.

Jekyll and Hyde Award – Ryan Miller

It is actually pretty easy to sum up Ryan Miller’s season. Elite hockey, then garbage hockey and then more elite hockey. Sounds like a pretty decent sandwich, no? October was kind to the netminder before suffering a rough start against Philly on national television. He followed that game with a five-goal win against the Jets. His GAA didn’t get any help when he was knocked from his next start in Boston by Milan Lucic. He didn’t start again until December and struggled to find his game for the entire month. He then locked down beginning on January 1 and didn’t look back, putting together a 2.27 GAA and .924 SV%.

Consistently Consistent Award – Tyler Ennis

He didn’t start rolling at a regular clip until after he had missed 34 games with injury. He only played 48 games but picked up 34 points (15+19) in that span. He was indeed a consistent weapon the Sabres could rely on down the stretch, making him extremely valuable heading into next season.

Unsung Hero – Christian Ehrhoff

In case you were wondering, Ehrhoff only makes $4M per year, technically. Considering that cap hit, he was really freaking valuable for most of the season. He was easily the most consistent defenseman the Sabres had and they missed him desperately when he was hurt. Too many people ignored his performance because he wasn’t scoring goals and because he makes $10M per season. He caught a lot of flak for not putting up monster numbers offensively, but he was still extremely valuable. Continue reading →

Sabres retain Ruff and Regier for 2012-13

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Ted Black confirmed to a number of sources that the Sabres will retain Darcy Regier and Lindy Ruff in their respective roles as general manager and head coach for the 2012-13 season. This should come as a surprise to no one.

I just posted some thoughts on how the pair did this season while wondering if it is time for them to be replaced. That post was written knowing that there was a better than good chance the pair would be retained. It was also written not knowing that this announcement would be made minutes before it going up. My goal was to evaluate where the two stood after yet another season without a playoff berth, not to speculate whether or not they would remain with the team.

The choice to retain Regier and Ruff was likely made sometime in December or January, when the injury bug had a firm grip on a team mired in a franchise-record losing streak. While nearly everyone in Hockey Heaven wondered if the organization would make a change at the top, Ted Black identified the course of action the team planned to take. By saying they were not married to any particular “core” players should have told everyone that Regier and Ruff were safe and it was the players who should be on watch.

To his credit, and Regier’s, they stuck with the plan. Regier moved a cornerstone member of the locker room while also trading away a useless defenseman and a highly touted prospect this season. I would imagine he had been working the phones to move additional players, but the offers probably weren’t there. Expect to see at least one or two players from the post-Drury/Briere era shipped off in the summer. Continue reading →