Last season, with the team in disarray and in the tank, Sabres fans were venting their frustration at just about everyone in the organization save for Rip Simonick. And if fans knew that he was the long-standing (36 years) equipment manager for the team, they probably would've been blaming him for the dismal on-ice product as well.
From GM Darcy Regier to coach Ron Rolston to owner Terry Pegula, nobody was safe. And that included Head Amateur Scout/Assistant General Manager Kevin Devine.
It's no secret that Devine is looked upon very kindly at this site. After replacing the Boston-bound Jim Benning, he has done an outstanding job finding top amateur talent from middling draft slots.
But, the decline of defenseman Tyler Myers from Calder-trophy winner to possible trade bait in a span of three years brought Devine to the fore for some fans.
They began to question Devine's scouting abilities based upon Myers' play those post-Calder years.
Myers went from the draft in 2008, to dominating one more year of junior in 2009 before winning the NHL Rookie of the Year honors at the age of 19 in 2010.
That was exactly the talent-level Devine and his scouts had projected.
Was there something that Devine and his scouts missed that would've cued them to a "flash-in-the-pan" status for Myers?
As proven this season with his Calder trophy-like play, Myers is not a flash in the pan. He's regained his form and is playing as projected--a big, lengthy, gazelle-like skater with a 200 ft. game, a finish to his shot, and an edge to his defensive game.
All the talents were still there.
Myers' fall into the abyss the previous three years had nothing to do with Devine or his scouting staff. Rather it had everything to do with proper development of prospects, which for Myers meant developing at the NHL-level.
His two former coaches tried many things with him to bring him along. Lindy Ruff wanted him to be more conscious in his own end and it worked pretty well, but his scoring numbers declined.
Ron Rolston stressed positioning on the ice, and that just totally effed him up.
Add in the lockout last season and his admitted poor shape coming in, and you get the train wreck that was Myers' worst professional season in 2013.
Myers began rebounding earlier in the season after a conscious off-season commitment, but he was still far removed from his rookie year.
Exit Rolston, enter Ted Nolan.
In 27 games under Nolan, Myers has five goals and six assists. Projections over an 82 game season would put him at 16 goals and 20 assists. Those are numbers that would be comparable to his second year in the league.
Although his plus/minus rating is weak (minus-9 under Nolan,) that's not the point.
What Nolan did with the kid is put him in a position to succeed by playing to his strengths and allowing his confidence to build.
He's doing the same thing with center Cody Hodgson.
The hockey world knows that Hodgson isn't a Selke candidate, but he can skate well, he sees the ice well, can dish and can finish.
Hodgson has played 20 games under Nolan compiling five goals and seven assists.
His first 13 games with Nolan were pedestrian at best and he suffered a hand injury in December that sidelined him for eight games.
It should also be noted that while recovering from his hand injury, he worked extensively with skating coach Dawn Braid (and it really shows.)
Since his return from the hand injury he has four goals and four assists in seven games and looks as skillful as ever.
Granted he's a minus-2 in those games, but that's not the point. The Sabres have the Matt Ellis' and Zenon Konopka's and any number of third and fourth liners to pay attention to defense. Hodgson has skill and needs to use it for scoring.
All of this is not to say that Ted Nolan is the greatest thing since sliced bread either.
Rather, it's to point out that he has managed to instill confidence in both Myers and Hodgson and he's bringing out the best in both of them.
There has been a disconnect between what the scouting departments (both amateur and professional) have brought in and the on-ice product over the years and Nolan is capably filling that void right now while waiting for the cavalry to come.
First on the horizon is Randy Cunneyworth who was hired by LaFontaine as a scout in November and was promoted to Special Assistant and Player Development Coach earlier this month. Said LaFontaine of Cunneyworth's promotion, “Randy will work to ensure that the link between the Sabres and Amerks grows even stronger."
Cunneyworth coached the Rochester Americans from 2000-2008 and oversaw the development of Ryan Miller, Thomas Vanek, Derek Roy and Jason Pominville, among others.
He's one of those key links between the scouting department and the on-ice NHL product.
With the scouting department bolstered over the past three years and the recent hiring of new GM Tim Murray, who's expertise lies in scouting and player evaluation, the pipeline for prospects should be even stronger than before.
Having that will allow LaFontaine to place more of a focus upon the developmental aspect of the organization.
When he sent the youngin's back to their respective development leagues, he put the entire development aspect into reset-mode.
Each individual player in the Sabres organization right now--from 18 yr. old Rasmus Ristolainen to 19 yr. old Mikhail Grigorenko to 21 yr. old Johan Larsson-- are where they belong at this stage of their development.
And that includes 20 yr. old Zemgus Girgensons, who has stuck with the Sabres the entire season.
Every player from vets to the most recent draftees will have the opportunity to take advantage of the resources Pegula and the Sabres have to offer like the top-notch facilities and development coaches from Cunneyworth to Amerks coach, Chad Cassidy, to Braid.
And every player coming up should know they were drafted by the Sabres for a reason, and that they will be put in a position to succeed.
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