Published by hockeybuzz.com, 6-4-2018
Right Wing--Matt Moulson
DOB: November 1, 1983 (Age, 34)
Draft: 2003, 9th round (263rd-overall, PIT)
How acquired: FA, 2014
Last contract signed: July 1, 2014, 5yr./$25 million
Final year of contract: 2018-19
2017-18 Stats: 14 games played | 0 goals | 0 assists | 0 points | -9 | 10:17 ATOI
Buffalo Career Stats: 297 games | 46 goals | 77 assists | 123 points | -37 | 14:15 ATOI
What we wrote preseason: Forward Matt Moulson has had a rough go of it for the better part of his three seasons in Buffalo as he's not been able to regain his 30-goal form from his time with the NY Islanders. Moulson's first season in Buffalo was promising as he totaled 41 points (13+28) on Buffalo's top line for an offensively inept Sabres team. However he's had trouble in the two seasons since. In 2015-16, under Bylsma, he fell down the depth chart in large part due to improper off-season conditioning. He came back in much better shape, and with a renewed desire last season, but was relegated to powerplay specialist status as 11 of his 14 goals came with the man advantage.
He has two years left on his contract with a $5 million cap-hit. Buying him out would have been impractical this season but next year may be a different story. Moulson is a great guy, who even took rookie Jack Eichel into his home to help him adjust. However, the speed of the game may have passed him by.
What we wrote mid-season: Individual goal-droughts cost Sam Reinhart and Kyle Okposo regular spots in the top-six and an 0'fer on the season cost Matt Moulson a spot on an NHL team as the Sabres waived him and he's presently playing for the Ontario (California) Reign of the American Hockey League.
As mentioned, the 34 yr. old Moulson was waived by the Sabres. In 14 games he failed to register a point and was a minus-9 despite Housley giving him ample opportunity to succeed.
Impressions on his play this year: 14 games, 0 goals, 0 assist, 0 points, -9, 10:17 ATOI. Not much more needs to be said on his play. The bigger question revolves around what they will do with him and the final year of his contract.
From everything written and said about him, Moulson seems like a great guy, but with the game passing him by in a big way he looks done in the NHL. The Sabres have treated him as respectfully as they possibly could with him falling behind and out of the league and it's presumed they'll continue to do so. The options for the final year of his deal include buying him out, keeping him and waiving him again or trading him to a team that needs to get to the salary floor. Actual salary for Moulson this season is $2 million with a $1 million bonus. A team in need can claim a $5 million cap hit while only dishing out $2 million in post-bonus salary in a trade for Moulson. And they could possibly land a lower round pick in the process for doing so.
Questions moving forward: Is there a team out there willing to make that trade?
Contract info via CapFriendly, stats via sabres.com and hockey reference.com.
Showing posts with label Matt Moulson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Matt Moulson. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Matt's last chance?
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 11-29-2017
Matt Moulson would probably be the first to admit that things haven't gone exactly as planned since signing with the Sabres as a free agent in 2014. Moulson signed a 5-yr/$25 million contract with Buffalo that off season and proceeded to score 13 goals and 41 points in the 2014-15 season. It was a pretty mediocre season for him, but considering he was on a last place team that challenged the league record for fewest goals in a season, stats like that from him could be rationalized.
Much was expected of him while being surrounded by more talent. The Sabres had drafted Jack Eichel in 2015 and also traded for Ryan O'Reilly on Draft Day. A few months prior to the draft, then GM Tim Murray traded for an injured Evander Kane who would be back on the ice for the 2015-16 season. Moulson was slated for top-six duties with work on the first powerplay unit. In 81 games he scored eight goals and added 13 assists and was often times found flailing on the fourth line.
The following season, then head coach Dan Bylsma and his assistant in charge of the powerplay, Bob Woods, at least found a niche for Moulson. Although they had him playing mostly fourth-line minutes, they kept him on a Buffalo powerplay that would finish tops in the league. Moulson scored 14 goals last season, with 11 of them coming on the powerplay.
Unfortunately for him, and for the powerplay in general, that regime is gone and has been replaced by new head coach Phil Housley.
The powerplay has been a disaster this season. After converting 24.5% of their opportunities last season, the Sabres powerplay has a 13.3% conversion rate going into tonight. Moulson's season has been a disaster as well with zero points and sits at a minus-8 rating in only 12 games played. Housley had him on the powerplay earlier in the season but that didn't help and so he sat the last six games as a healthy scratch.
Moulson, however, is back in the lineup tonight thanks to an injury to center Jacob Josefson and the waiving of forward Seth Griffith. According to Housley Josefson will be out 4 to 6 weeks with an ankle injury. Griffith cleared waivers and is in Rochester making a pretty strong Amerks squad even better.
What also helped Moulson get back on the ice is that Sabres GM Jason Botterill didn't call anybody up from Rochester. Forward CJ Smith has had a heck of a season thus far and forward Evan Rodrigues, who many thought was a shoe-in to make the team out of camp, came off of an injury and has played five real strong games. Winger Hudson Fasching has also played well as of late and any one of them could've gotten the call thus keeping Moulson on the bench.
But with Rochester going well and the Sabres struggling mightily at 6-14-4, perhaps Botterill wants to keep the Amerks going for just a little while longer while giving Moulson another opportunity to crack the lineup. Which is strange to say for a $5 million man.
*****
Word from KeyBank is that the lines from practice yesterday will be what Housley goes with tonight vs. the league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning who have a .739 winning percentage:
Kane-Eichel-Reinhart
Pouliot-O'Reilly-Okposo
Nolan-Larsson-Pominville
Girgensons-Criscuolo-Moulson
*****
Defenseman Zach Bogosian has returned to practice but according to reports from the rink this morning, he will not be in the lineup. Bogosian skated with Josh Gorges as the extra pairing and won't see the ice tonight. Housley told the gathered media today, “I really like the progress that [Bogosian's] been making, but we want to be cautious with this type of injury.
“He looks really good out there and I feel with just one practice and a pregame skate, I think he just needs more time.”
After tonight's game the Sabres are off until Friday when they begin a home-and-home with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
For tonight's game these look to be the d-pairings:
Ristolainen-Scandella
McCabe-Antipin
Beaulieu-Falk
*****
As mentioned earlier, the powerplay has been a disaster. After Saturday's loss to the Montreal Canadiens, Housley said that he and his staff would focus on playing with the man advantage.
This is what they came up with for powerplay units:
#1--Kane Eichel Reinhart Antipin Beaulieu
#2-- Okposo O’Reilly Moulson Ristolainen Pominville
Sabers beat writer Paul Hamilton was on WGR550 Radio today and said that unlike prior powerplay schemes, the men on the point were locked in meaning Antipin/Bealieu and Ristolainen/Pominville stayed at the point.
We'll see how that works out.
*****
Finally, two seasons ago the Sabres played the reigning Eastern Conference Champion Lightning four times in a 30-day span. Tampa apparently got bored beating the Sabres and after winning the first three matchups while outscoring them 10-3, Buffalo finally won the fourth meeting.
Last season the Sabres went winless vs. the Lightning going 0-3-1 and being outscored by a 14-6 margin.
In those eight games vs. Tampa over the past two seasons, Moulson has one goal, zero assists and is a minus-3.
Matt Moulson would probably be the first to admit that things haven't gone exactly as planned since signing with the Sabres as a free agent in 2014. Moulson signed a 5-yr/$25 million contract with Buffalo that off season and proceeded to score 13 goals and 41 points in the 2014-15 season. It was a pretty mediocre season for him, but considering he was on a last place team that challenged the league record for fewest goals in a season, stats like that from him could be rationalized.
Much was expected of him while being surrounded by more talent. The Sabres had drafted Jack Eichel in 2015 and also traded for Ryan O'Reilly on Draft Day. A few months prior to the draft, then GM Tim Murray traded for an injured Evander Kane who would be back on the ice for the 2015-16 season. Moulson was slated for top-six duties with work on the first powerplay unit. In 81 games he scored eight goals and added 13 assists and was often times found flailing on the fourth line.
The following season, then head coach Dan Bylsma and his assistant in charge of the powerplay, Bob Woods, at least found a niche for Moulson. Although they had him playing mostly fourth-line minutes, they kept him on a Buffalo powerplay that would finish tops in the league. Moulson scored 14 goals last season, with 11 of them coming on the powerplay.
Unfortunately for him, and for the powerplay in general, that regime is gone and has been replaced by new head coach Phil Housley.
The powerplay has been a disaster this season. After converting 24.5% of their opportunities last season, the Sabres powerplay has a 13.3% conversion rate going into tonight. Moulson's season has been a disaster as well with zero points and sits at a minus-8 rating in only 12 games played. Housley had him on the powerplay earlier in the season but that didn't help and so he sat the last six games as a healthy scratch.
Moulson, however, is back in the lineup tonight thanks to an injury to center Jacob Josefson and the waiving of forward Seth Griffith. According to Housley Josefson will be out 4 to 6 weeks with an ankle injury. Griffith cleared waivers and is in Rochester making a pretty strong Amerks squad even better.
What also helped Moulson get back on the ice is that Sabres GM Jason Botterill didn't call anybody up from Rochester. Forward CJ Smith has had a heck of a season thus far and forward Evan Rodrigues, who many thought was a shoe-in to make the team out of camp, came off of an injury and has played five real strong games. Winger Hudson Fasching has also played well as of late and any one of them could've gotten the call thus keeping Moulson on the bench.
But with Rochester going well and the Sabres struggling mightily at 6-14-4, perhaps Botterill wants to keep the Amerks going for just a little while longer while giving Moulson another opportunity to crack the lineup. Which is strange to say for a $5 million man.
*****
Word from KeyBank is that the lines from practice yesterday will be what Housley goes with tonight vs. the league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning who have a .739 winning percentage:
Kane-Eichel-Reinhart
Pouliot-O'Reilly-Okposo
Nolan-Larsson-Pominville
Girgensons-Criscuolo-Moulson
*****
Defenseman Zach Bogosian has returned to practice but according to reports from the rink this morning, he will not be in the lineup. Bogosian skated with Josh Gorges as the extra pairing and won't see the ice tonight. Housley told the gathered media today, “I really like the progress that [Bogosian's] been making, but we want to be cautious with this type of injury.
“He looks really good out there and I feel with just one practice and a pregame skate, I think he just needs more time.”
After tonight's game the Sabres are off until Friday when they begin a home-and-home with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
For tonight's game these look to be the d-pairings:
Ristolainen-Scandella
McCabe-Antipin
Beaulieu-Falk
*****
As mentioned earlier, the powerplay has been a disaster. After Saturday's loss to the Montreal Canadiens, Housley said that he and his staff would focus on playing with the man advantage.
This is what they came up with for powerplay units:
#1--Kane Eichel Reinhart Antipin Beaulieu
#2-- Okposo O’Reilly Moulson Ristolainen Pominville
Sabers beat writer Paul Hamilton was on WGR550 Radio today and said that unlike prior powerplay schemes, the men on the point were locked in meaning Antipin/Bealieu and Ristolainen/Pominville stayed at the point.
We'll see how that works out.
*****
Finally, two seasons ago the Sabres played the reigning Eastern Conference Champion Lightning four times in a 30-day span. Tampa apparently got bored beating the Sabres and after winning the first three matchups while outscoring them 10-3, Buffalo finally won the fourth meeting.
Last season the Sabres went winless vs. the Lightning going 0-3-1 and being outscored by a 14-6 margin.
In those eight games vs. Tampa over the past two seasons, Moulson has one goal, zero assists and is a minus-3.
Sunday, October 29, 2017
Will the Sabres take a page out of the Bills playbook?
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 10-28-2017
Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus and his bloated contract were traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars yesterday. Although the return for the former third-overall pick in 2011 was a conditional sixth-rounder that could end up being a fifth, expunging Dareus from the team should be good for both the team and the player himself.
When Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula brought in a new coach and GM after a disappointing season, a big reason behind the move was to change the culture of the team. Dareus was a two-time Pro Bowler with the size and skill to be a difference maker on the interior line but unfortunately he had a couple of suspensions and some off-field issues that drew the ire of those at One-Bills Drive.
In addition, he didn't buy into what the Bills were now doing and the new regime showed no hesitation in showing him the door when the opportunity arose. The biggest obstacle facing Bills GM Brandon Beane in the case of Dareus was the six-year, $96.6 million contract extension he signed in 2015. Reports had Dareus on the block all summer but finally the Jaguars came forward and the deal was done.
Buffalo will still be on the hook for $24 million in dead cap space through 2018, according to reports, but to them the cap-hit and low return was worth it just to move him.
The Buffalo Sabres are in a similar situation cap-wise to the Bills in that they have some high salaried players with low production whom they'd seemingly like to move. Although the NFL and NHL salary cap structure varies immensely, the bottom line is that there is only a limited amount of money for the roster. And, just like with the Bills, the Sabres have a new GM and head coach this season and are trying to change the culture at the foot of Washington St.
Sabres GM Jason Botterill inherited a number of contracts from the previous regime that will become thorny issues beginning next season. Although he still has flexibility this season while being a least $4 million under the NHL cap-ceiling, according to CapFriendly.com, next year Jack Eichel's $10 million cap-hit will be on the books and they'll need to do some financial finagling.
A lot of the near and long-term cap decisions this club needs to make have to do with the performance of the team and the individual players and this season the Sabres are off to a rough start. A 3-6-2 record isn't exactly ideal for a team that's headed towards the middle of the pack age-wise while having the 19th largest projected cap-hit amongst the 31 NHL teams.
Back in 2014, then GM Tim Murray brought three veterans on board to help stabilize and guide the team through impending troubled waters. Brian Gionta, Josh Gorges and Matt Moulson went into the 2014-15 season pretty hefty salaries but then it didn't matter too much as they fit easily into a team that filled with young players and journeymen players on low-paying contracts. But as Murray began building his team, he added higher priced players and things got tighter financially to the point where they were watching every penny last season.
Heading into this season, the Sabres have some bloated contracts that are beginning to weigh them down. Although Gionta and his $4.25 million cap-hit is off the books, the Sabres are paying Gorges $3.9 million in this the final year of his contract and are on the hook for $5 million to Moulson through the end of next season. That's $8.9 million for two players who've been healthy scratches for a combined 12 games in the Buffalo's short 11-game season thus far.
The Gorges contract will eventually take care of itself sometime between now and July 1 as he will either be traded before or at the NHL Trade Deadline or not re-signed come season's end. Moulson, on the other hand, is more of a problem.
No doubt the Sabres would move him in a heartbeat if someone would take on his contract and there is precedent for something like that happening. The Arizona Coyotes made three trades for bloated contracts over the course of the past two off seasons while on the other side of the equation, Toronto Maple Leafs offloaded some pretty hefty contracts in 2015 and 2016 to help their rebuild.
Ideally Botterill could work something out with another team that has the cap-space for Moulson's contract without having to give up too much in return but if that doesn't happen, it's expected that the Sabres will buy him out and stretch out his buyout-hit over two seasons with a cap-hit of $3.67 million next season and $667K in 2019-20.
Those three contracts were expected to come off the books but the Sabres may also have unintended trouble on the horizon with a couple other contracts should things not turn around.
Defenseman Zach Bogosian was part of a blockbuster deal by Murray on February 11, 2015. The former third-overall pick (2008) came to Buffalo barely removed from signing a multi-year extension with his former team, the Winnipeg Jets. Bogosian has a cap-hit of $5.1 million through 2019-20 and was still part of the deal despiteMurray Buffalo Buffalo
Kyle Okposo was the best free agent on the market last season and Murray signed him to a 7-year/$42 million contract. Okposo had a good first season in Buffalo scoring 45 points (19+26) in 65 games, however it was cut short by a concussion. He had an adverse reaction to medication and was in the Intensive Care Unit before beginning his return to the ice in July.
Okposo is off to a rough start this season with only one assist in nine games thus far. Much of his slow start could be attributed to him trying to get up to game-speed, which may have taken a little longer than some anticipated, but uneasiness with his contract has begun to seep into the conversation.
Some may also look to defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen's $5.4 million cap-hit for the next five seasons and there will always be questions as to whether Ryan O'Reilly's can achieve and maintain a top-level, two-way consistency to justify his $7.5 million cap-hit. Right now neither seem to be serious cause for concern, but things may change if the team can't turn things around within the next year or two.
However, those are the contracts of the future for Botterill and the Sabres to worry about. It doesn't look as if they'll be going for broke on a Stanley Cup run this year so the need for immediate cap-relief doesn't seem to be of the utmost importance. But next season, if things go as planned and desired, it might be different.
As the Dareus situation, and many in the NHL over the past couple of years, proves, an unwanted contract can be moved if a team is willing to do so and is willing to pay a price to get it done.
Will the Sabres be interested in taking a page out of the Bills' playbook?
*****
A quick note.
Today the Sabres are at home to take on the San Jose' Sharks. Game time is 1:00 pm.
*****
Quick note Part 2:
Today is Jack Eichel's 21st Birthday.
Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus and his bloated contract were traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars yesterday. Although the return for the former third-overall pick in 2011 was a conditional sixth-rounder that could end up being a fifth, expunging Dareus from the team should be good for both the team and the player himself.
When Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula brought in a new coach and GM after a disappointing season, a big reason behind the move was to change the culture of the team. Dareus was a two-time Pro Bowler with the size and skill to be a difference maker on the interior line but unfortunately he had a couple of suspensions and some off-field issues that drew the ire of those at One-Bills Drive.
In addition, he didn't buy into what the Bills were now doing and the new regime showed no hesitation in showing him the door when the opportunity arose. The biggest obstacle facing Bills GM Brandon Beane in the case of Dareus was the six-year, $96.6 million contract extension he signed in 2015. Reports had Dareus on the block all summer but finally the Jaguars came forward and the deal was done.
Buffalo will still be on the hook for $24 million in dead cap space through 2018, according to reports, but to them the cap-hit and low return was worth it just to move him.
The Buffalo Sabres are in a similar situation cap-wise to the Bills in that they have some high salaried players with low production whom they'd seemingly like to move. Although the NFL and NHL salary cap structure varies immensely, the bottom line is that there is only a limited amount of money for the roster. And, just like with the Bills, the Sabres have a new GM and head coach this season and are trying to change the culture at the foot of Washington St.
Sabres GM Jason Botterill inherited a number of contracts from the previous regime that will become thorny issues beginning next season. Although he still has flexibility this season while being a least $4 million under the NHL cap-ceiling, according to CapFriendly.com, next year Jack Eichel's $10 million cap-hit will be on the books and they'll need to do some financial finagling.
A lot of the near and long-term cap decisions this club needs to make have to do with the performance of the team and the individual players and this season the Sabres are off to a rough start. A 3-6-2 record isn't exactly ideal for a team that's headed towards the middle of the pack age-wise while having the 19th largest projected cap-hit amongst the 31 NHL teams.
Back in 2014, then GM Tim Murray brought three veterans on board to help stabilize and guide the team through impending troubled waters. Brian Gionta, Josh Gorges and Matt Moulson went into the 2014-15 season pretty hefty salaries but then it didn't matter too much as they fit easily into a team that filled with young players and journeymen players on low-paying contracts. But as Murray began building his team, he added higher priced players and things got tighter financially to the point where they were watching every penny last season.
Heading into this season, the Sabres have some bloated contracts that are beginning to weigh them down. Although Gionta and his $4.25 million cap-hit is off the books, the Sabres are paying Gorges $3.9 million in this the final year of his contract and are on the hook for $5 million to Moulson through the end of next season. That's $8.9 million for two players who've been healthy scratches for a combined 12 games in the Buffalo's short 11-game season thus far.
The Gorges contract will eventually take care of itself sometime between now and July 1 as he will either be traded before or at the NHL Trade Deadline or not re-signed come season's end. Moulson, on the other hand, is more of a problem.
No doubt the Sabres would move him in a heartbeat if someone would take on his contract and there is precedent for something like that happening. The Arizona Coyotes made three trades for bloated contracts over the course of the past two off seasons while on the other side of the equation, Toronto Maple Leafs offloaded some pretty hefty contracts in 2015 and 2016 to help their rebuild.
Ideally Botterill could work something out with another team that has the cap-space for Moulson's contract without having to give up too much in return but if that doesn't happen, it's expected that the Sabres will buy him out and stretch out his buyout-hit over two seasons with a cap-hit of $3.67 million next season and $667K in 2019-20.
Those three contracts were expected to come off the books but the Sabres may also have unintended trouble on the horizon with a couple other contracts should things not turn around.
Defenseman Zach Bogosian was part of a blockbuster deal by Murray on February 11, 2015. The former third-overall pick (2008) came to Buffalo barely removed from signing a multi-year extension with his former team, the Winnipeg Jets. Bogosian has a cap-hit of $5.1 million through 2019-20 and was still part of the deal despite
Kyle Okposo was the best free agent on the market last season and Murray signed him to a 7-year/$42 million contract. Okposo had a good first season in Buffalo scoring 45 points (19+26) in 65 games, however it was cut short by a concussion. He had an adverse reaction to medication and was in the Intensive Care Unit before beginning his return to the ice in July.
Okposo is off to a rough start this season with only one assist in nine games thus far. Much of his slow start could be attributed to him trying to get up to game-speed, which may have taken a little longer than some anticipated, but uneasiness with his contract has begun to seep into the conversation.
Some may also look to defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen's $5.4 million cap-hit for the next five seasons and there will always be questions as to whether Ryan O'Reilly's can achieve and maintain a top-level, two-way consistency to justify his $7.5 million cap-hit. Right now neither seem to be serious cause for concern, but things may change if the team can't turn things around within the next year or two.
However, those are the contracts of the future for Botterill and the Sabres to worry about. It doesn't look as if they'll be going for broke on a Stanley Cup run this year so the need for immediate cap-relief doesn't seem to be of the utmost importance. But next season, if things go as planned and desired, it might be different.
As the Dareus situation, and many in the NHL over the past couple of years, proves, an unwanted contract can be moved if a team is willing to do so and is willing to pay a price to get it done.
Will the Sabres be interested in taking a page out of the Bills' playbook?
*****
A quick note.
Today the Sabres are at home to take on the San Jose' Sharks. Game time is 1:00 pm.
*****
Quick note Part 2:
Today is Jack Eichel's 21st Birthday.
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
After a big comeback win at Boston, Housley has some lineup tweaks
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 10-23-2017
With Buffalo down 4-2 headed into the third period against the Boston Bruins, Sabres coach Phil Housley stuck with the lines he'd been using for nearly the entire game and it paid off with constant pressure and a goal from Benoit Pouliot to bring the Sabres to within one goal. The game-tying goal was scored just 10 seconds after the Boston Bruins killed off a minor penalty as the Sabres were transitioning from the powerplay to 5v5.
After an inconsistent first period where the Bruins took a 2-0 lead before extending that to a 3-0 lead less than a minute into the second, Buffalo got it's groove on and for the better part of the final 39+ minutes the Sabres were buzzing all over the ice. Every line was contributing in some fashion with the top two lines contributing three goals. The defense settled in and were instrumental in getting the puck up ice in the transition game. From there the Sabres controlled much of the play. Buffalo outshot Boston 30-18 in the second and third periods combined and outscored them by a 4-2 margin which included three unanswered goals to send the game to overtime, where they won.
Sounds like they finally found some chemistry. Right?
At the morning skate today one would have expected Housley to keep the lines and defense-pairings as is, especially after a win with many positives attached to it. However, word from the rink is that the first-year coach mixed things up today with the forward lines.
According to reports from today's practice, Housley moved Justin Bailey off the Jack Eichel/Evander Kane line and put Kyle Okposo in his place. Bailey was moved to the third line with center Sam Reinhart and Jordan Nolan, who was moved up a notch. Matt Moulson who was on the third line was dropped to the fourth line with Johan Larsson and Seth Griffith. The only line that was kept intact was the Pouliot/Ryan O'Reilly/Jason Pominville line, which scored two 5v5 goals against the Bruins.
Here's what the lines were for the Boston game:
Kane-Eichel-Bailey
Pouliot-O'Reilly-Pominville
Moulson/Reinhart/Okposo
Nolan/Larson/Griffith
Here's what they were today:
Kane-Eichel-Okposo
Pouliot-ROR-Pominville
Nolan-Reinhart-Bailey
Moulson-Larsson-Griffith
These may not be the final lines for tomorrow night's home game vs. the Detroit Red Wings, but it's kind of curious that Housley would mix things up after a pretty successful game.
Moving Okposo up makes some sense as they really need to get him going. The Sabres only have two right wingers who've proven that they can play in a top-six role and he's one of them. The 29 yr. old has recorded 20+ goals in two of the past four seasons and the other two seasons (18 and 19 goals)were cut short by injuries. Last season was one of them as Okposo scored 19 goals and 45 points in 65 games before being felled by concussions.
The concussion wasn't the only problem Okposo suffered last season and into the off-season as he had an adverse reaction to medication taken for it that landed him in the neurosurgical intensive care unit of Buffalo General Medical Center. It took him all summer to recover although he did play in Da Beauty League with other NHL'ers in his home state of Minnesota in mid-July. Seeing him on the ice was a welcome sight in Sabreland.
But it's taken him a while to get up to game-speed. The Boston game was by far his best of the season and it looks like he's finally back to the player he was before all this happened. It took him five games of ineffective play and an in-game benching in his sixth game (vs. Vancouver) before he came to life in Boston which included a plus-1 rating and ringing the crossbar with less than :30 to play in a 4-4 game.
Should Housley stick with those lines having Okposo with the likes of speedsters Kane and Eichel should open up plenty of ice for him. He's also smart enough and skilled enough to get those two the puck when the opportunity arises.
Unfortunately for Bailey, Okposo moving up means he's moving down.
Bailey has impressed ever since he was called up for the Anaheim game on October 15. He scored in that game and also opened the scoring two games later against Vancouver. His two goals in four games equals the two he scored in 32 games last season and he's added an assist so far while chiming in at a plus-1.
Housley has moved Bailey around the lineup and the 22 yr. old has responded well. For a man his size he has great speed but his biggest developmental hurdle has been his hands and head catching up with his feet. Bailey has come a long way in that department as the play seems to be slowing down for him and he's not losing the puck as much as he did over the course of his two previous pro seasons.
Bailey seems of the mindset right now that no matter where he plays, he wants to have an impact. That's a good thing, and it's something that will help keep him up with the Sabres.
Buffalo's top defensive pairing of Rasmus Ristolainen and Marco Scandella remained intact as they should. The duo logged huge minutes for the club and looked as if they're really building something. Jake McCabe and Matt Tennyson skated as a pair again while Taylor Fedun cut in. The bottom pairing was Victor Antipin with Zach Redmond. Fedun had skated with Antipin during the Boston game while Redmond was in the press box.
Housley also made changes to the powerplay units.
Today's top unit at practice was Eichel, O'Reilly, Reinhart, Ristolainen and Antipin.
The second unit was Pominville, Okposo, Kane, Scandella and Tennyson.
The Sabres went 0/2 on the powerplay against Boston bringing their season totals to five goals in 32 opportunities (15.6%.) Interesting to note that Moulson, in addition to being dumped to the fourth line was also removed from the powerplay. The 33 yr. old may have played his best game of the season in Boston but still has zero points and a minus-6 rating.
With Buffalo down 4-2 headed into the third period against the Boston Bruins, Sabres coach Phil Housley stuck with the lines he'd been using for nearly the entire game and it paid off with constant pressure and a goal from Benoit Pouliot to bring the Sabres to within one goal. The game-tying goal was scored just 10 seconds after the Boston Bruins killed off a minor penalty as the Sabres were transitioning from the powerplay to 5v5.
After an inconsistent first period where the Bruins took a 2-0 lead before extending that to a 3-0 lead less than a minute into the second, Buffalo got it's groove on and for the better part of the final 39+ minutes the Sabres were buzzing all over the ice. Every line was contributing in some fashion with the top two lines contributing three goals. The defense settled in and were instrumental in getting the puck up ice in the transition game. From there the Sabres controlled much of the play. Buffalo outshot Boston 30-18 in the second and third periods combined and outscored them by a 4-2 margin which included three unanswered goals to send the game to overtime, where they won.
Sounds like they finally found some chemistry. Right?
At the morning skate today one would have expected Housley to keep the lines and defense-pairings as is, especially after a win with many positives attached to it. However, word from the rink is that the first-year coach mixed things up today with the forward lines.
According to reports from today's practice, Housley moved Justin Bailey off the Jack Eichel/Evander Kane line and put Kyle Okposo in his place. Bailey was moved to the third line with center Sam Reinhart and Jordan Nolan, who was moved up a notch. Matt Moulson who was on the third line was dropped to the fourth line with Johan Larsson and Seth Griffith. The only line that was kept intact was the Pouliot/Ryan O'Reilly/Jason Pominville line, which scored two 5v5 goals against the Bruins.
Here's what the lines were for the Boston game:
Kane-Eichel-Bailey
Pouliot-O'Reilly-Pominville
Moulson/Reinhart/Okposo
Nolan/Larson/Griffith
Here's what they were today:
Kane-Eichel-Okposo
Pouliot-ROR-Pominville
Nolan-Reinhart-Bailey
Moulson-Larsson-Griffith
These may not be the final lines for tomorrow night's home game vs. the Detroit Red Wings, but it's kind of curious that Housley would mix things up after a pretty successful game.
Moving Okposo up makes some sense as they really need to get him going. The Sabres only have two right wingers who've proven that they can play in a top-six role and he's one of them. The 29 yr. old has recorded 20+ goals in two of the past four seasons and the other two seasons (18 and 19 goals)were cut short by injuries. Last season was one of them as Okposo scored 19 goals and 45 points in 65 games before being felled by concussions.
The concussion wasn't the only problem Okposo suffered last season and into the off-season as he had an adverse reaction to medication taken for it that landed him in the neurosurgical intensive care unit of Buffalo General Medical Center. It took him all summer to recover although he did play in Da Beauty League with other NHL'ers in his home state of Minnesota in mid-July. Seeing him on the ice was a welcome sight in Sabreland.
But it's taken him a while to get up to game-speed. The Boston game was by far his best of the season and it looks like he's finally back to the player he was before all this happened. It took him five games of ineffective play and an in-game benching in his sixth game (vs. Vancouver) before he came to life in Boston which included a plus-1 rating and ringing the crossbar with less than :30 to play in a 4-4 game.
Should Housley stick with those lines having Okposo with the likes of speedsters Kane and Eichel should open up plenty of ice for him. He's also smart enough and skilled enough to get those two the puck when the opportunity arises.
Unfortunately for Bailey, Okposo moving up means he's moving down.
Bailey has impressed ever since he was called up for the Anaheim game on October 15. He scored in that game and also opened the scoring two games later against Vancouver. His two goals in four games equals the two he scored in 32 games last season and he's added an assist so far while chiming in at a plus-1.
Housley has moved Bailey around the lineup and the 22 yr. old has responded well. For a man his size he has great speed but his biggest developmental hurdle has been his hands and head catching up with his feet. Bailey has come a long way in that department as the play seems to be slowing down for him and he's not losing the puck as much as he did over the course of his two previous pro seasons.
Bailey seems of the mindset right now that no matter where he plays, he wants to have an impact. That's a good thing, and it's something that will help keep him up with the Sabres.
Buffalo's top defensive pairing of Rasmus Ristolainen and Marco Scandella remained intact as they should. The duo logged huge minutes for the club and looked as if they're really building something. Jake McCabe and Matt Tennyson skated as a pair again while Taylor Fedun cut in. The bottom pairing was Victor Antipin with Zach Redmond. Fedun had skated with Antipin during the Boston game while Redmond was in the press box.
Housley also made changes to the powerplay units.
Today's top unit at practice was Eichel, O'Reilly, Reinhart, Ristolainen and Antipin.
The second unit was Pominville, Okposo, Kane, Scandella and Tennyson.
The Sabres went 0/2 on the powerplay against Boston bringing their season totals to five goals in 32 opportunities (15.6%.) Interesting to note that Moulson, in addition to being dumped to the fourth line was also removed from the powerplay. The 33 yr. old may have played his best game of the season in Boston but still has zero points and a minus-6 rating.
Saturday, October 14, 2017
Sabres and Sharks both looking for their first win of the season
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 10-12-2017
Do you know the way to San Jose'?
Sure. And as the Buffalo Sabres get ready to hit the Shark Tank, aka the SAP Center in San Jose, California, the game against the Sharks couldn't have come at a better time. It does seem a little strange writing that. This Sabres team is reeling from back-to-back blow-out losses, but despite that, recent games against the Sharks, who are just over a year removed from a Stanley Cup Final appearance, have almost invariably turned in Buffalo's favor.
According to Sabres PR the Sabres are 8-1-1 in their last 10 meetings vs. the Sharks which includes back-to-back season sweeps when the team was in the tank from 2013-15, and overall Buffalo has a 27-7-6 record against San Jose'. Things are a bit different at the Shark Tank as the Sabres are only 6-3-1 in their last 10 visits to northern California.
The Sharks finished outside of the playoffs last season, the first time that's happened post '04-05 lockout, and they're off to an 0-2 start this season. San Jose' suffered both of their losses on home ice to Philadelphia (5-3) and to So. Cal rival Los Angeles (3-1.) Although there's no panic in the Bay area yet there's some concern and players like alternate captain Logan Couture told the local press that "there should be some sense of urgency" and that "we need to be better."
Sounds eerily familiar to what we've been hearing from Sabres' players after they stunk up the joint on Columbus Day. It was Buffalo's second loss in regulation, the second game in a row they gave up six goals and it was the third time in a row that they allowed a momentum changing shorthanded goal.
The Sabres were extremely sloppy in both those losses to the NY Islanders (6-3) and the New Jersey Devils (6-2) with Evander Kane summing it up like this, "we have a big trip out west we need to be ready for because if we play like that, [the score's] going to be 10-0."
In an effort to play an up-tempo game and manufacture shots, the Sabres are forgetting the defensive zone and are getting caught cheating up ice. While in the offensive zone the effort isn't there to win battles, especially on the powerplay. And when they the momentum shifts, they're swallowed up in the tsunami.
Buffalo coach Phil Housley mixed things up a bit in the forward group and according to media reports from San Jose, the lines from yesterday's practice are intact save for one surprise. Multiple tweets report that Kyle Okposo is not out there for the morning skate and is being replaced in the lineup by Matt Moulson.
Here are the lines as reported:
Kane-O'Reilly-Moulson
Girgensons-Eichel-Pominville
Pouliot-Larsson-Reinhart
Nolan-Josefson-Griffith
On defense:
Scandella-Ristolainen
McCabe-Gorges
Beaulieu-Tennyson
Goalie Robin Lehner took a shot to the face mask off the stick of Zemgus Girgensons at practice yesterday. He got stitched up and was back on the ice. Chad Johnson got the start against New Jersey on Monday and didn't fare well so it's safe to assume that Lehner will be back in net against the Sharks.
Tonight begins a four-game West Coast road trip for the Sabres. After this they head south to take on Los Angeles Saturday and Anaheim on Sunday before they arrive in Las Vegas for their first-ever game against the expansion Golden Knights.
Game-time against the Sharks tonight is 10:30 pm EST.
Do you know the way to San Jose'?
Sure. And as the Buffalo Sabres get ready to hit the Shark Tank, aka the SAP Center in San Jose, California, the game against the Sharks couldn't have come at a better time. It does seem a little strange writing that. This Sabres team is reeling from back-to-back blow-out losses, but despite that, recent games against the Sharks, who are just over a year removed from a Stanley Cup Final appearance, have almost invariably turned in Buffalo's favor.
According to Sabres PR the Sabres are 8-1-1 in their last 10 meetings vs. the Sharks which includes back-to-back season sweeps when the team was in the tank from 2013-15, and overall Buffalo has a 27-7-6 record against San Jose'. Things are a bit different at the Shark Tank as the Sabres are only 6-3-1 in their last 10 visits to northern California.
The Sharks finished outside of the playoffs last season, the first time that's happened post '04-05 lockout, and they're off to an 0-2 start this season. San Jose' suffered both of their losses on home ice to Philadelphia (5-3) and to So. Cal rival Los Angeles (3-1.) Although there's no panic in the Bay area yet there's some concern and players like alternate captain Logan Couture told the local press that "there should be some sense of urgency" and that "we need to be better."
Sounds eerily familiar to what we've been hearing from Sabres' players after they stunk up the joint on Columbus Day. It was Buffalo's second loss in regulation, the second game in a row they gave up six goals and it was the third time in a row that they allowed a momentum changing shorthanded goal.
The Sabres were extremely sloppy in both those losses to the NY Islanders (6-3) and the New Jersey Devils (6-2) with Evander Kane summing it up like this, "we have a big trip out west we need to be ready for because if we play like that, [the score's] going to be 10-0."
In an effort to play an up-tempo game and manufacture shots, the Sabres are forgetting the defensive zone and are getting caught cheating up ice. While in the offensive zone the effort isn't there to win battles, especially on the powerplay. And when they the momentum shifts, they're swallowed up in the tsunami.
Buffalo coach Phil Housley mixed things up a bit in the forward group and according to media reports from San Jose, the lines from yesterday's practice are intact save for one surprise. Multiple tweets report that Kyle Okposo is not out there for the morning skate and is being replaced in the lineup by Matt Moulson.
Here are the lines as reported:
Kane-O'Reilly-Moulson
Girgensons-Eichel-Pominville
Pouliot-Larsson-Reinhart
Nolan-Josefson-Griffith
On defense:
Scandella-Ristolainen
McCabe-Gorges
Beaulieu-Tennyson
Goalie Robin Lehner took a shot to the face mask off the stick of Zemgus Girgensons at practice yesterday. He got stitched up and was back on the ice. Chad Johnson got the start against New Jersey on Monday and didn't fare well so it's safe to assume that Lehner will be back in net against the Sharks.
Tonight begins a four-game West Coast road trip for the Sabres. After this they head south to take on Los Angeles Saturday and Anaheim on Sunday before they arrive in Las Vegas for their first-ever game against the expansion Golden Knights.
Game-time against the Sharks tonight is 10:30 pm EST.
Friday, September 22, 2017
Building the 2017-18 Buffalo Sabres roster--The Fourth Line
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 9-21-2017
There are a lot of variables that need to play out in the top-nine before a fourth line can be established, most notably what coach Phil Housley wants to do with Sam Reinhart. Moving him to center would push Johan Larsson down a spot which and with Jason Pominville moving into Reinhart's spot in the top-six, a third-line right wing spot is open.
What Housley does with another forward will also dictate what happens on the fourth line.
LW, Zemgus Girgensons
6'2" 207 lbs.
23 yrs. old
2012, 14th-overall
Career stats: 277 games | 37 goals | 49 assists | 86 points | -29
Housley has given Girgensons first crack at landing a spot in the top-six on a wing with Ryan O'Reilly and Kyle Okposo. The 6'2" 207 lb. native of Latvia has the speed and will to get the forecheck going and once he gets the puck on his stick along the boards, the opposition can't get it away from him.
Girgensons' trials and tribulations under former head coach Dan Bylsma have been well documented as had been his 15-goal season prior to Bylsma coming to Buffalo. All that has been changed now with Housley behind the bench. In Buffalo's first pre-season game against Carolina, Girgensons skated 18:38 with three of the line's eight shots on goal. Although they didn't hit the score sheet, that line spent an abundant amount of time in the offensive zone.
"I thought that line was terrific," said Housley post game to the gathered media. "They provided a lot of energy. When we needed a big shift, they gave it to us, they changed the momentum of the game."
Housley also pointed out that they had a lot of looks, however that line failed to hit the scoresheet.
Girgensons has the will and desire to make a difference in the top-six, but any offensive acumen he may have had seemed to get lost under Bylsma. A golden opportunity is right in front of him, and the only question is, does he have enough offensive acumen to stick in that top-six role?
C, Jacob Josefson
6'0" 196 lbs.
26 yrs. old
2009, 20th-overall (NJD)
Signed by Buffalo in 2017.
Career stats: 276 games | 18 goals | 42 assists | 60 points | -17
A Reinhart move back to center will directly affect Jacob Josefson as it means he's probably in the pressbox.
Josefson was signed by the Sabres in the off season as a depth move as GM Jason Botterill and were not sure what we have yet in him. The 26 yr. old center was labeled "an enigma" by Amanda Rosko of The Hockey Writers back in November, 2015. She wrote that he "exhibits a solid skill-set" but lacks "physicality and finish" and goes on to perpetuate the curious case of Jacob Josefson when she writes, "the mystery continues when a person examines Josefson’s shootout record and ability. When number 16 takes the ice for the Devils, it is almost automatically assumed that he will beat the oppositional goaltender regardless of whom it is when the game goes beyond 65-minutes. He excels and stands out in the skills competition."
The past five seasons Josefson has gone 11/20 (55%) in the shootout and is tops in the league over that period for players with 20 or more shootout attempts. The Sabres were 25th in the league scoring at a 22% rate (6/27) last season.
RW, Matt Moulson
33 yrs. old
6'1" 203 lbs.
2003, 9th round (263rd-overall, PIT)
Signed by Buffalo to a five year FA contract in 2014
Career stats: 636 games | 176 goals | 193 assists | 369 points | -33
Forward Matt Moulson has had a rough for the better part of his three seasons in Buffalo as he's not been able to regain his 30-goal form from his time with the NY Islanders.
Moulson's first season in Buffalo was promising as he totaled 41 points (13+28) on Buffalo's top line for an offensively inept Sabres team. However he's had trouble in the two seasons since. In 2015-16, under Bylsma, he fell down the depth chart in large part due to improper off-season conditioning. He came back in much better shape, and with a renewed desire last season, but was relegated to powerplay specialist status as 11 of his 14 goals came with the man advantage.
He has two years left on his contract with a $5 million cap-hit. Buying him out would have been impractical this season but next year may be a different story.
Moulson is a great guy, who even took rookie Jack Eichel into his home to help him adjust. However, the speed of the game may have passed him by.
Building the 2017-18 Buffalo Sabres roster:
LW, Evander Kane / C, Jack Eichel / RW, Sam Reinhart
LW, Benoit Pouliot / C, Ryan O'Reilly / RW, Kyle Okposo
LW, Evan Rodrigues / C, Johan Larsson / RW, Jason Pominville
D, Marco Scandella / D, Rasmus Ristolainen
D, Jake McCabe / D, Zach Bogosian
D, Nathan Beaulieu / D, Victor Antipin
G, Robin Lehner
G, Chad Johnson
Follow me on twitter @boosbuzzsabres
There are a lot of variables that need to play out in the top-nine before a fourth line can be established, most notably what coach Phil Housley wants to do with Sam Reinhart. Moving him to center would push Johan Larsson down a spot which and with Jason Pominville moving into Reinhart's spot in the top-six, a third-line right wing spot is open.
What Housley does with another forward will also dictate what happens on the fourth line.
LW, Zemgus Girgensons
6'2" 207 lbs.
23 yrs. old
2012, 14th-overall
Career stats: 277 games | 37 goals | 49 assists | 86 points | -29
Housley has given Girgensons first crack at landing a spot in the top-six on a wing with Ryan O'Reilly and Kyle Okposo. The 6'2" 207 lb. native of Latvia has the speed and will to get the forecheck going and once he gets the puck on his stick along the boards, the opposition can't get it away from him.
Girgensons' trials and tribulations under former head coach Dan Bylsma have been well documented as had been his 15-goal season prior to Bylsma coming to Buffalo. All that has been changed now with Housley behind the bench. In Buffalo's first pre-season game against Carolina, Girgensons skated 18:38 with three of the line's eight shots on goal. Although they didn't hit the score sheet, that line spent an abundant amount of time in the offensive zone.
"I thought that line was terrific," said Housley post game to the gathered media. "They provided a lot of energy. When we needed a big shift, they gave it to us, they changed the momentum of the game."
Housley also pointed out that they had a lot of looks, however that line failed to hit the scoresheet.
Girgensons has the will and desire to make a difference in the top-six, but any offensive acumen he may have had seemed to get lost under Bylsma. A golden opportunity is right in front of him, and the only question is, does he have enough offensive acumen to stick in that top-six role?
C, Jacob Josefson
6'0" 196 lbs.
26 yrs. old
2009, 20th-overall (NJD)
Signed by Buffalo in 2017.
Career stats: 276 games | 18 goals | 42 assists | 60 points | -17
A Reinhart move back to center will directly affect Jacob Josefson as it means he's probably in the pressbox.
Josefson was signed by the Sabres in the off season as a depth move as GM Jason Botterill and were not sure what we have yet in him. The 26 yr. old center was labeled "an enigma" by Amanda Rosko of The Hockey Writers back in November, 2015. She wrote that he "exhibits a solid skill-set" but lacks "physicality and finish" and goes on to perpetuate the curious case of Jacob Josefson when she writes, "the mystery continues when a person examines Josefson’s shootout record and ability. When number 16 takes the ice for the Devils, it is almost automatically assumed that he will beat the oppositional goaltender regardless of whom it is when the game goes beyond 65-minutes. He excels and stands out in the skills competition."
The past five seasons Josefson has gone 11/20 (55%) in the shootout and is tops in the league over that period for players with 20 or more shootout attempts. The Sabres were 25th in the league scoring at a 22% rate (6/27) last season.
RW, Matt Moulson
33 yrs. old
6'1" 203 lbs.
2003, 9th round (263rd-overall, PIT)
Signed by Buffalo to a five year FA contract in 2014
Career stats: 636 games | 176 goals | 193 assists | 369 points | -33
Forward Matt Moulson has had a rough for the better part of his three seasons in Buffalo as he's not been able to regain his 30-goal form from his time with the NY Islanders.
Moulson's first season in Buffalo was promising as he totaled 41 points (13+28) on Buffalo's top line for an offensively inept Sabres team. However he's had trouble in the two seasons since. In 2015-16, under Bylsma, he fell down the depth chart in large part due to improper off-season conditioning. He came back in much better shape, and with a renewed desire last season, but was relegated to powerplay specialist status as 11 of his 14 goals came with the man advantage.
He has two years left on his contract with a $5 million cap-hit. Buying him out would have been impractical this season but next year may be a different story.
Moulson is a great guy, who even took rookie Jack Eichel into his home to help him adjust. However, the speed of the game may have passed him by.
Building the 2017-18 Buffalo Sabres roster:
LW, Evander Kane / C, Jack Eichel / RW, Sam Reinhart
LW, Benoit Pouliot / C, Ryan O'Reilly / RW, Kyle Okposo
LW, Evan Rodrigues / C, Johan Larsson / RW, Jason Pominville
D, Marco Scandella / D, Rasmus Ristolainen
D, Nathan Beaulieu / D, Victor Antipin
G, Robin Lehner
G, Chad Johnson
Follow me on twitter @boosbuzzsabres
Thursday, June 15, 2017
No reason for the Sabres to buy out any player this season.
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 6-14-2017
Buyout season has begun and the big name so far is Dan Girardi. The 33 yr. old veteran was bought out by the NY Rangers and because of it they opened up a spot on their protected list for the expansion draft. The undrafted Welland, Ontario native played in 788 games for the Rangers and compiled 230 points. He had a cap-hit of $5.5 million and according to a TSN report, "Girardi will count for $2.6 million against the cap next season, $3.6 million in the next two years and $1.1 million for the following three seasons starting with 2020-21."
Unlike the NY Rangers, the Buffalo Sabres really don't need a protected spot to free up. In fact they actually have an opening in the 7 forwards, 3 defensemen, 1 goalie protected format and would gladly trade for a top-four d-man to add to their roster.
New GM Jason Botterill was known for his cap wizardry in Pittsburgh where the Penguins had $32.2 million tied up for just four players--Evgeni Malikin ($9.5M,) Sidney Crosby (8.7,) Kris Letang (7.2,) Phil Kessel (6.8)--and had another $5.5 million cap-hit for goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. Those five players took up over half the $73 million cap-ceiling and Botterill was in charge of filling the other 18 roster spots with only $35 million to spend.
Buffalo finished last season close to the cap and right now, according to CapFriendly, they have less than $52 million against the cap, which includes the $750K cap-hit goalie Linus Ullmark signed for. As of right now they have over $20 million to use on six roster openings--3 forwards, 2 defense and one goalie.
Let's project that goalie Robin Lehner will sign for $4.5 million and that forwards Nick Baptiste (718K) and Justin Bailey (670K) along with defenseman Victor Antipin (925K) are all on the roster at the beginning of the season. That adds about $6.2M to the cap giving the Sabres just under $15M to use on one forward and one defenseman.
Botterill has said that bolstering the defense will be a top priority and I'm sure he'll jump at the opportunity to upgrade any position on the roster. And as much as he'd probably like to rid himself of an undesirable contract, conceivably he could go into this season and this season alone without having to resort to a buyout.
The Sabres have four undesired contracts that are of concern on various levels. Based upon term remaining, they belong to Zach Bogosian (three years,) Tyler Ennis (two years,) Matt Moulson (two years) and Josh Gorges one year.) When buyouts were first mentioned during their very disappointing season, Moulson was the name that popped up most frequently. Gorges was a close second.
Moulson has two years remaining on his contract that pays him $5 million/yr. The former 30-goal scorer has seen his numbers decline drastically the last two seasons as he posted only eight goals in 2015-16 and 14 goals last season. In 2016-17 he was basically reduced to the role of a powerplay specialist in that 11 of those goals were scored on the powerplay. CapFriendly has a buyout cap-hit of $2.83M this year, $3.83M next year and $833K for the remaining two years.
It's something that doesn't make a lot of sense.
Nor does buying out Gorges.
Gorges has only one year remaining on his contract and his cap-hit is $3.9M. Although the numbers are favorable $1.3M buyout cap-hit for the next two seasons, they can keep him in a bottom-pairing/penalty kill role and if things don't work out for the Sabres when the calendar turns, they can explore trading him at the trade deadline.
As for Bogosian and Ennis, the former has three years left on his deal and buying him out would mean his six more years of a cap-hit with the final three being close to $2M. Ennis would have the Sabres eating $2.6M over the first two seasons and $1.6M after that.
Both Bogosain and Ennis have value to the club right now and it would seem as if Botterill would have one more option to rid himself of one of those contracts--the expansion draft.
The Las Vegas Golden Knights will fill their roster with one player from every NHL team and GM George McPhee knows that there are teams desperate to rid themselves of contracts. Through various interactions with many GM's throughout the league, he's letting it be know that he's the man for a job like that. But it won't come cheap.
Apparently trades have been agreed to already and we're not sure if Botterill is in on any of them at this point. My guess is that he will be able to send a particular player to Las Vegas--it's my belief it will be Ennis--thereby giving himself even more wiggle room both this year and next, when Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart and possibly Evander Kane will start new contracts.
The Sabres have done plenty of buyouts the last few seasons, but this year they can back off if need be.
Buyout season has begun and the big name so far is Dan Girardi. The 33 yr. old veteran was bought out by the NY Rangers and because of it they opened up a spot on their protected list for the expansion draft. The undrafted Welland, Ontario native played in 788 games for the Rangers and compiled 230 points. He had a cap-hit of $5.5 million and according to a TSN report, "Girardi will count for $2.6 million against the cap next season, $3.6 million in the next two years and $1.1 million for the following three seasons starting with 2020-21."
Unlike the NY Rangers, the Buffalo Sabres really don't need a protected spot to free up. In fact they actually have an opening in the 7 forwards, 3 defensemen, 1 goalie protected format and would gladly trade for a top-four d-man to add to their roster.
New GM Jason Botterill was known for his cap wizardry in Pittsburgh where the Penguins had $32.2 million tied up for just four players--Evgeni Malikin ($9.5M,) Sidney Crosby (8.7,) Kris Letang (7.2,) Phil Kessel (6.8)--and had another $5.5 million cap-hit for goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. Those five players took up over half the $73 million cap-ceiling and Botterill was in charge of filling the other 18 roster spots with only $35 million to spend.
Buffalo finished last season close to the cap and right now, according to CapFriendly, they have less than $52 million against the cap, which includes the $750K cap-hit goalie Linus Ullmark signed for. As of right now they have over $20 million to use on six roster openings--3 forwards, 2 defense and one goalie.
Let's project that goalie Robin Lehner will sign for $4.5 million and that forwards Nick Baptiste (718K) and Justin Bailey (670K) along with defenseman Victor Antipin (925K) are all on the roster at the beginning of the season. That adds about $6.2M to the cap giving the Sabres just under $15M to use on one forward and one defenseman.
Botterill has said that bolstering the defense will be a top priority and I'm sure he'll jump at the opportunity to upgrade any position on the roster. And as much as he'd probably like to rid himself of an undesirable contract, conceivably he could go into this season and this season alone without having to resort to a buyout.
The Sabres have four undesired contracts that are of concern on various levels. Based upon term remaining, they belong to Zach Bogosian (three years,) Tyler Ennis (two years,) Matt Moulson (two years) and Josh Gorges one year.) When buyouts were first mentioned during their very disappointing season, Moulson was the name that popped up most frequently. Gorges was a close second.
Moulson has two years remaining on his contract that pays him $5 million/yr. The former 30-goal scorer has seen his numbers decline drastically the last two seasons as he posted only eight goals in 2015-16 and 14 goals last season. In 2016-17 he was basically reduced to the role of a powerplay specialist in that 11 of those goals were scored on the powerplay. CapFriendly has a buyout cap-hit of $2.83M this year, $3.83M next year and $833K for the remaining two years.
It's something that doesn't make a lot of sense.
Nor does buying out Gorges.
Gorges has only one year remaining on his contract and his cap-hit is $3.9M. Although the numbers are favorable $1.3M buyout cap-hit for the next two seasons, they can keep him in a bottom-pairing/penalty kill role and if things don't work out for the Sabres when the calendar turns, they can explore trading him at the trade deadline.
As for Bogosian and Ennis, the former has three years left on his deal and buying him out would mean his six more years of a cap-hit with the final three being close to $2M. Ennis would have the Sabres eating $2.6M over the first two seasons and $1.6M after that.
Both Bogosain and Ennis have value to the club right now and it would seem as if Botterill would have one more option to rid himself of one of those contracts--the expansion draft.
The Las Vegas Golden Knights will fill their roster with one player from every NHL team and GM George McPhee knows that there are teams desperate to rid themselves of contracts. Through various interactions with many GM's throughout the league, he's letting it be know that he's the man for a job like that. But it won't come cheap.
Apparently trades have been agreed to already and we're not sure if Botterill is in on any of them at this point. My guess is that he will be able to send a particular player to Las Vegas--it's my belief it will be Ennis--thereby giving himself even more wiggle room both this year and next, when Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart and possibly Evander Kane will start new contracts.
The Sabres have done plenty of buyouts the last few seasons, but this year they can back off if need be.
Sunday, November 13, 2016
No time to think...
...and that's a good thing.
Published by hockeybuzz.com 11-12-2016
After dropping a 2-1 overtime decision to the New Jersey last night, the Buffalo Sabres head to the Prudential Center to face the Devils again tonight. And there's a litany of gloom hanging over their collective heads at this juncture of the season.
From a team perspective, despite the injuries that have been crippling the team, the Sabres are 5-5-4 which is the .500-mark points wise. Unfortunately that's an 82-point pace which is a tich above where their 81 points from last season. What's really deflating thus far in the season is their 1-3-2 home mark.
Maybe it's also a good thing that they will be on the road in New Jersey tonight and between travel and the morning skate, there's not a lot of time to think about last night's loss although the Devils have been giving them fits as of late. The Sabres head to Newark with a 1-4-2 record against the Devils since 2014-15.
Offensive woes have been plaguing Buffalo recently as they've scored one goal or less in their last three games (0-1-2) and have scored two or less goals in six straight games (2-2-2.) Although they rank fifth in the league with a 2.21 goals-against average, they rank 29th in the league in goals scored and are approaching tank-year levels with a miniscule 1.93 goals per game.
Forward Matt Moulson finally broke an eight-game scoring drought with his fifth goal of the season. All of Moulson's goals this year have come on the powerplay, which is great as he's looking remove the stink of last year's eight-goal season. But there a long list of players who are having trouble scoring and that includes the entire defense who've yet to score a goal through 14 games.
Yes, that's was typed correctly. Through 14 games so far this season, no Sabres defenseman has scored a goal.
The droughts up-front:
Derek Grant--0 goals in 14 games this season
Zemgus Girgensons--11-game drought, one goal in 14 games
Brian Gionta--six-game drought, one goal in his last 12 games
Marcus Foligno--four-game drought, one goal in his last 11 games
Ryan O'Reilly--four-game drought, one goal in his last 10 games.
You get the idea.
Although most of the players listed are considered bottom-six forwards, team-wide, confidence seems to be lacking but it's not because they've been slacking. The players have been getting their chances but in an unwelcome deja vu that brings back dark memories of "The Core Years," this team is having problems finishing and it doesn't matter which goalie is in net for the opposition. Starter or back-up, in the last six games the Buffalo Sabres have scored seven goals total or 1.17 goals per game.
"We had some Grade-A chances that we didn't put away," forward Evander Kane told the gathered media post-game after last night's loss. "It seems to be the theme the last little while here and we've got to find a way to change that.
"We just got to find a way to score, it's our biggest issue."
Yes it is but another big issue is penalties.
Last night, with the Sabres on top 1-0, defenseman Josh Gorges went off for holding and :35 seconds later d-partner Rasmus Ristolainen was whistled for delay of game after he shot the puck over the glass. For 1:25 the Sabres were facing a 3-on-5 with their top penalty-kill d-pairing in the box. They survived, but any chance of continuing with the momentum they had while working for that crucial second goal was gone. They also survived a double-minor in the third period to Kane with the score tied 1-1.
It's the second time in three games that the Sabres have been two men short and the second time that they've incurred a double minor in the same game as well. Unfortunately for Buffalo, the last time it happened was in Boston on Monday night when they tempted fate with a double-minor to Girgensons and 1:26 later, simultaneous 2:00 minute minor penalties to defenseman Jake McCabe which had the Sabres facing a 3-on-5 for 2:34. They were lucky to allow only one goal during that span, but it put the Bruins up 2-0 which all but finished Buffalo.
You can't continue to hammer at a brick wall in an effort to score when you're on the defensive killing penalties all the time. Props to the penalty kill units as they're holding the fort, but defense, especially goaltending, is not the issue.
The Sabres need offense which brings us to the love affair with Grant.
When it comes to his fourth-line defensive work, I get. At one point earlier in the season recognition for his work was warranted. But the fact of the matter remains--Grant is a goal-scorer at the AHL-level but in 54 NHL games, including 14 as a Buffalo Sabre, he has yet to score a goal. Why on earth head coach Dan Bylsma would have him centering the top line, even he if is great on faceoffs, is beyond me.
We all remember former Sabres coach Lindy Ruff putting the likes of Matt "Friggen" Ellis and Adam Mair on the top line and it boggled the mind. But his underlying reason for those two up-top was for them to do the dirty work while the soft-but-skilled top-liners could focus their fancies on trying to score. It didn't work all that well and neither is the Grant experiment.
In fact Bylsma doubled down on this experiment by giving him powerplay time.
The Sabres need scoring and they can't wait until Jack Eichel gets back. They need it now, by any means necessary and that includes calling up Rochester's third leading scorer in defenseman Taylor Fedun.
Sure Justin Falk, who was called up yesterday to replace an injured Dmitry Kulikov, has much more NHL experience than Fedun, but Falk is a defensive defenseman. Fedun had a goal and three assists (two primary) last night in the Amerks 5-2 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) bringing his season total to 11 points (2+9) in 11 games. Fedun has played in 12 NHL games for his career and has registered two goals and five assists.
It can't hurt, can it? I mean, what's the worse that can happen? Another defenseman won't score a goal?
And while we're at it, how about making some room for Cole Schneider. The Amerks leading scorer played in his first NHL game of the season on Wednesday and recorded a primary assist then with the return of O'Reilly, Schneider was relegated to the pressbox. I love what William Carrier brings--speed and tenacity--but the Sabres need goals, plain and simple.
There's a lot to be said for the team holding it's own while the walking wounded recover. And it's also worth noting that the 2011-12 Florida Panthers made the playoffs with 94 points on a 38-26-18 record so these extra-session losses aren't killing Buffalo. But it would be nice for the home fans as well as their goaltending duo if the skaters could add a few goals here and there. Maybe get another win or two along the way.
***
Yesterday was Veteran's Day and before last night's game First Lieutenant Sean Lucas of the U.S. Army rapelled from the KeyBank Center rafters to the ice for the ceremonial puck drop on Miliktary Appreciation Day at the Center.
It reminded me of what Buffalo's beloved mascot Sabretooth once did.
For more on the person that performed that feat, click here.
Published by hockeybuzz.com 11-12-2016
After dropping a 2-1 overtime decision to the New Jersey last night, the Buffalo Sabres head to the Prudential Center to face the Devils again tonight. And there's a litany of gloom hanging over their collective heads at this juncture of the season.
From a team perspective, despite the injuries that have been crippling the team, the Sabres are 5-5-4 which is the .500-mark points wise. Unfortunately that's an 82-point pace which is a tich above where their 81 points from last season. What's really deflating thus far in the season is their 1-3-2 home mark.
Maybe it's also a good thing that they will be on the road in New Jersey tonight and between travel and the morning skate, there's not a lot of time to think about last night's loss although the Devils have been giving them fits as of late. The Sabres head to Newark with a 1-4-2 record against the Devils since 2014-15.
Offensive woes have been plaguing Buffalo recently as they've scored one goal or less in their last three games (0-1-2) and have scored two or less goals in six straight games (2-2-2.) Although they rank fifth in the league with a 2.21 goals-against average, they rank 29th in the league in goals scored and are approaching tank-year levels with a miniscule 1.93 goals per game.
Forward Matt Moulson finally broke an eight-game scoring drought with his fifth goal of the season. All of Moulson's goals this year have come on the powerplay, which is great as he's looking remove the stink of last year's eight-goal season. But there a long list of players who are having trouble scoring and that includes the entire defense who've yet to score a goal through 14 games.
Yes, that's was typed correctly. Through 14 games so far this season, no Sabres defenseman has scored a goal.
The droughts up-front:
Derek Grant--0 goals in 14 games this season
Zemgus Girgensons--11-game drought, one goal in 14 games
Brian Gionta--six-game drought, one goal in his last 12 games
Marcus Foligno--four-game drought, one goal in his last 11 games
Ryan O'Reilly--four-game drought, one goal in his last 10 games.
You get the idea.
Although most of the players listed are considered bottom-six forwards, team-wide, confidence seems to be lacking but it's not because they've been slacking. The players have been getting their chances but in an unwelcome deja vu that brings back dark memories of "The Core Years," this team is having problems finishing and it doesn't matter which goalie is in net for the opposition. Starter or back-up, in the last six games the Buffalo Sabres have scored seven goals total or 1.17 goals per game.
"We had some Grade-A chances that we didn't put away," forward Evander Kane told the gathered media post-game after last night's loss. "It seems to be the theme the last little while here and we've got to find a way to change that.
"We just got to find a way to score, it's our biggest issue."
Yes it is but another big issue is penalties.
Last night, with the Sabres on top 1-0, defenseman Josh Gorges went off for holding and :35 seconds later d-partner Rasmus Ristolainen was whistled for delay of game after he shot the puck over the glass. For 1:25 the Sabres were facing a 3-on-5 with their top penalty-kill d-pairing in the box. They survived, but any chance of continuing with the momentum they had while working for that crucial second goal was gone. They also survived a double-minor in the third period to Kane with the score tied 1-1.
It's the second time in three games that the Sabres have been two men short and the second time that they've incurred a double minor in the same game as well. Unfortunately for Buffalo, the last time it happened was in Boston on Monday night when they tempted fate with a double-minor to Girgensons and 1:26 later, simultaneous 2:00 minute minor penalties to defenseman Jake McCabe which had the Sabres facing a 3-on-5 for 2:34. They were lucky to allow only one goal during that span, but it put the Bruins up 2-0 which all but finished Buffalo.
You can't continue to hammer at a brick wall in an effort to score when you're on the defensive killing penalties all the time. Props to the penalty kill units as they're holding the fort, but defense, especially goaltending, is not the issue.
The Sabres need offense which brings us to the love affair with Grant.
When it comes to his fourth-line defensive work, I get. At one point earlier in the season recognition for his work was warranted. But the fact of the matter remains--Grant is a goal-scorer at the AHL-level but in 54 NHL games, including 14 as a Buffalo Sabre, he has yet to score a goal. Why on earth head coach Dan Bylsma would have him centering the top line, even he if is great on faceoffs, is beyond me.
We all remember former Sabres coach Lindy Ruff putting the likes of Matt "Friggen" Ellis and Adam Mair on the top line and it boggled the mind. But his underlying reason for those two up-top was for them to do the dirty work while the soft-but-skilled top-liners could focus their fancies on trying to score. It didn't work all that well and neither is the Grant experiment.
In fact Bylsma doubled down on this experiment by giving him powerplay time.
The Sabres need scoring and they can't wait until Jack Eichel gets back. They need it now, by any means necessary and that includes calling up Rochester's third leading scorer in defenseman Taylor Fedun.
Sure Justin Falk, who was called up yesterday to replace an injured Dmitry Kulikov, has much more NHL experience than Fedun, but Falk is a defensive defenseman. Fedun had a goal and three assists (two primary) last night in the Amerks 5-2 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) bringing his season total to 11 points (2+9) in 11 games. Fedun has played in 12 NHL games for his career and has registered two goals and five assists.
It can't hurt, can it? I mean, what's the worse that can happen? Another defenseman won't score a goal?
And while we're at it, how about making some room for Cole Schneider. The Amerks leading scorer played in his first NHL game of the season on Wednesday and recorded a primary assist then with the return of O'Reilly, Schneider was relegated to the pressbox. I love what William Carrier brings--speed and tenacity--but the Sabres need goals, plain and simple.
There's a lot to be said for the team holding it's own while the walking wounded recover. And it's also worth noting that the 2011-12 Florida Panthers made the playoffs with 94 points on a 38-26-18 record so these extra-session losses aren't killing Buffalo. But it would be nice for the home fans as well as their goaltending duo if the skaters could add a few goals here and there. Maybe get another win or two along the way.
***
Yesterday was Veteran's Day and before last night's game First Lieutenant Sean Lucas of the U.S. Army rapelled from the KeyBank Center rafters to the ice for the ceremonial puck drop on Miliktary Appreciation Day at the Center.
It reminded me of what Buffalo's beloved mascot Sabretooth once did.
For more on the person that performed that feat, click here.
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Disco Dan doing the Sabres shuffle
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 10-24-2016
In their first game together as a line they came out on fire and looked as if they'd been playing together for years. Ryan O'Reilly, Sam Reinhart and Kyle Okposo hit the Rogers Place ice in Edmonton, Alberta and proceeded to light up the Oilers for three goals and four assists in a 6-2 Sabres victory. From there the team traveled to Calgary and Vancouver with the trio accounting for only one goal (O'Reilly) and one assist (Okposo) against the Flames and zilch against the Canucks.
Reinhart, who sparkled in his rookie campaign last season with 23 goals (second on the team) and 42 points (third) has hit a speed bump as he's been held to two assists through four games. Reinhart hasn't been playing poorly as his even plus/minus alludes to, but he hasn't taken the reigns on the top line in the absence of Jack Eichel and Evander Kane.
Head coach Dan Bylsma did some juggling yesterday an told the gathered media after practice yesterday that the team is "looking for more balance" in the top-nine. Bylsma moved Reinhart to another line centering Tyler Ennis and Zemgus Girgensons, who was at center and is now on the wing again, to make room for Matt Moulson who's made a strong pitch to exercise the demons from last year.
Bylsma pointed out that Moulson had played with Okposo before (for the NY Islanders) and "had some chemistry before" while also pointing out that he was "around the net" and had numerous scoring chances in Vancouver. Moulson has been a different player through four games and even though both of his goals have come on the powerplay, he's been working hard to get into position to score, which is a far cry from his eight-goal, 2015-16 campaign.
For Bylsma, moving Reinhart to center (hopefully) works on a couple of levels. As mentioned, the Sabres are in need of secondary scoring and perhaps distributing the wealth, so to speak, can spark the trio as Ennis is also goalless while Girgensons has just one on the year. But Bylsma also pointed out that Reinhart needs some jump in his step. While acknowledging that Reinhart has made some "great plays for us," Bylsma needs more from Reinhart. "I think Sam needs to get his feet moving a little more and needs a little more speed to his game," he said. "We need more out of Sam--playing a little bit faster, a little bit quicker--and [for him] to provide a little more offense for our team."
One line Bylsma isn't touching is the Johan Larsson, Brian Gionta, Marcus Foligno line. Reunited late in the 4-1 opening night loss to Montreal, the trio easily found the chemistry that last year made them the most consistent line on the team. Through four games they've combined for three goals and seven points while humming the net with scoring chances. Bylsma pointed out yesterday that Foligno has had 10 scoring chances while Gionta and Larsson have had eight each.
Outside of the six-goal outburst against Edmonton, the Sabres have only been able to score four goals in the other three games forcing "Disco Dan" to do his shuffle.
We'll see how it works out in Philadelphia tomorrow night.
***
One more note. Apparently some Sabres players are dealing with illness. Bylsma wouldn't confirm individual players but the reporters noticed that goaltender Robin Lehner "didn't look good coming out of the locker room." Bylsma said that illness has affected four or five players "a couple," he said, "of the Scandinavian culture." Lehner is from Sweden.
In their first game together as a line they came out on fire and looked as if they'd been playing together for years. Ryan O'Reilly, Sam Reinhart and Kyle Okposo hit the Rogers Place ice in Edmonton, Alberta and proceeded to light up the Oilers for three goals and four assists in a 6-2 Sabres victory. From there the team traveled to Calgary and Vancouver with the trio accounting for only one goal (O'Reilly) and one assist (Okposo) against the Flames and zilch against the Canucks.
Reinhart, who sparkled in his rookie campaign last season with 23 goals (second on the team) and 42 points (third) has hit a speed bump as he's been held to two assists through four games. Reinhart hasn't been playing poorly as his even plus/minus alludes to, but he hasn't taken the reigns on the top line in the absence of Jack Eichel and Evander Kane.
Head coach Dan Bylsma did some juggling yesterday an told the gathered media after practice yesterday that the team is "looking for more balance" in the top-nine. Bylsma moved Reinhart to another line centering Tyler Ennis and Zemgus Girgensons, who was at center and is now on the wing again, to make room for Matt Moulson who's made a strong pitch to exercise the demons from last year.
Bylsma pointed out that Moulson had played with Okposo before (for the NY Islanders) and "had some chemistry before" while also pointing out that he was "around the net" and had numerous scoring chances in Vancouver. Moulson has been a different player through four games and even though both of his goals have come on the powerplay, he's been working hard to get into position to score, which is a far cry from his eight-goal, 2015-16 campaign.
For Bylsma, moving Reinhart to center (hopefully) works on a couple of levels. As mentioned, the Sabres are in need of secondary scoring and perhaps distributing the wealth, so to speak, can spark the trio as Ennis is also goalless while Girgensons has just one on the year. But Bylsma also pointed out that Reinhart needs some jump in his step. While acknowledging that Reinhart has made some "great plays for us," Bylsma needs more from Reinhart. "I think Sam needs to get his feet moving a little more and needs a little more speed to his game," he said. "We need more out of Sam--playing a little bit faster, a little bit quicker--and [for him] to provide a little more offense for our team."
One line Bylsma isn't touching is the Johan Larsson, Brian Gionta, Marcus Foligno line. Reunited late in the 4-1 opening night loss to Montreal, the trio easily found the chemistry that last year made them the most consistent line on the team. Through four games they've combined for three goals and seven points while humming the net with scoring chances. Bylsma pointed out yesterday that Foligno has had 10 scoring chances while Gionta and Larsson have had eight each.
Outside of the six-goal outburst against Edmonton, the Sabres have only been able to score four goals in the other three games forcing "Disco Dan" to do his shuffle.
We'll see how it works out in Philadelphia tomorrow night.
***
One more note. Apparently some Sabres players are dealing with illness. Bylsma wouldn't confirm individual players but the reporters noticed that goaltender Robin Lehner "didn't look good coming out of the locker room." Bylsma said that illness has affected four or five players "a couple," he said, "of the Scandinavian culture." Lehner is from Sweden.
Saturday, October 22, 2016
Next stop, Philly. What we learned from the western Canada swing
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 10-21-16
The Buffalo Sabres are off until Tuesday when they finish their four-game road trip with a stop in Philadelphia to face the Flyers. Buffalo just completed a western Canada swing where they went 1-1-1 and outscored their opponents 11-8. Heading into Vancouver last night the Sabres special teams were on track with the powerplay clicking at a 25% rate while the penalty kill had not allowed a goal and was nine-for-nine. They left Rogers Place with a 19% conversion rate after going 0-5 on the PP vs. the Canucks while their PK dropped to 92.8% after allowing their first goal against as Vancouver went 1-5 with the man advantage.
Numbers change, obviously, throughout the course of the season as hot start cools and vise-versa. Good teams can go in a funk or get stronger. Strong teams sometimes take a while to get going while bad teams offer glimmers of hope but just don't have the horses to compete and in the end succumb to lack of talent.
The Sabres are coming off of a good season where they pulled themselves out of the basement. Last year they started out rough, steadied the ship and began to make serious progress by the end of the season. This season looked to be promising but it was undercut by two key injuries in a span of about 24 hours. Jack Eichel went down with a high-ankle sprain at practice the day before opening night and winger Evander Kane crashed heavily into the boards in the opener and cracked three ribs. Both are out long-term.
In their absence lines have been shuffled, roles have changed and through four games head coach Dan Bylsma has stabilized things and is in search of consistency. The Sabres got schooled in the opener by the Montreal Canadiens 4-2 then proceeded to blow out the Edmonton Oilers on the first game of this road trip, 6-2. They played sporadically good hockey vs. Calgary but blew three one-goal leads, including twice in the third period, then proceeded to lose in overtime 4-3.
The Buffalo Sabres are off until Tuesday when they finish their four-game road trip with a stop in Philadelphia to face the Flyers. Buffalo just completed a western Canada swing where they went 1-1-1 and outscored their opponents 11-8. Heading into Vancouver last night the Sabres special teams were on track with the powerplay clicking at a 25% rate while the penalty kill had not allowed a goal and was nine-for-nine. They left Rogers Place with a 19% conversion rate after going 0-5 on the PP vs. the Canucks while their PK dropped to 92.8% after allowing their first goal against as Vancouver went 1-5 with the man advantage.
Numbers change, obviously, throughout the course of the season as hot start cools and vise-versa. Good teams can go in a funk or get stronger. Strong teams sometimes take a while to get going while bad teams offer glimmers of hope but just don't have the horses to compete and in the end succumb to lack of talent.
The Sabres are coming off of a good season where they pulled themselves out of the basement. Last year they started out rough, steadied the ship and began to make serious progress by the end of the season. This season looked to be promising but it was undercut by two key injuries in a span of about 24 hours. Jack Eichel went down with a high-ankle sprain at practice the day before opening night and winger Evander Kane crashed heavily into the boards in the opener and cracked three ribs. Both are out long-term.
In their absence lines have been shuffled, roles have changed and through four games head coach Dan Bylsma has stabilized things and is in search of consistency. The Sabres got schooled in the opener by the Montreal Canadiens 4-2 then proceeded to blow out the Edmonton Oilers on the first game of this road trip, 6-2. They played sporadically good hockey vs. Calgary but blew three one-goal leads, including twice in the third period, then proceeded to lose in overtime 4-3.
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Building the 2016-17 Buffalo Sabres roster--LW, Matt Moulson
Matt Moulson, by the numbers.
Contract:
--$5M cap-hit
--3 yrs. remaining
2015-16 Stats:
--8 goals (10th on Sabres)
--13 assists (T-8th)
--21 points (10th)
--minus-5 rating (T-7th)
--ATOI, 11:54 (12th amongst forwards)
--PPTOI, 1:58 (8th)
--PP Goals, 2 (T-5th amongst forwards)
--PP Assists, 5 (T- 3rd)
--PP Points, 7 (5th)
--81 games played
--1 healthy scratch (Dec. 30)
What we wrote at season's end: "Moulson finished 10th on the team in scoring and had the fourth highest cap-hit. Not a good combination. And he did find himself in the press box as a healthy scratch after going 24 games without a goal. That dubious streak would continue for another 20 games despite head coach Dan Bylsma giving him ample powerplay time and numerous opportunities playing in the top-six. But nothing worked, and early season predictions of solid production soon gave way to questions of, what happened?"
Moulson is a good guy. To my knowledge there's not a player or coach who's ever publically said otherwise. He mentored John Tavares on Long Island when the two played for the NY Islanders. When Moulson was traded to the Buffalo Sabres Tavares said, "I don't think Matt's ever gotten the credit he's deserved for the success I've had. Words can't really describe how much he was there for me." And in Buffalo Moulson and his family also opened up their home to rookie Jack Eichel last year to help him make the transition to the NHL. The 18 yr. had a standout season for the Sabres.
Which is all well and good. But at the price and term he was signed for, the team needs him to be more than just a billet father.
Moulson managed three 30-goals seasons on those Islander teams with Tavares and he even managed to place second on the Sabres in scoring during the first year of a 5 yr./$25M contract he signed on July 1, 2014. With the influx of talent including Eichel, Ryan O'Reilly and Evander Kane, it was expected that Moulson would follow up with a similar, if not better, 13-goal, 41-point 2014-15 campaign.
It was not to be and it put the Sabres in a quandary. Fortunately for Moulson he had three years remaining on his contract which was a bit to long for Buffalo to buy out. For Buffalo, however, they may end up carrying the hefty contract if an underperformer in what could very well his final year with the club.
Training camp should give us a good indication of how Moulson intends to approach the upcoming season as he was called out by his GM back in March. Tim Murray talked of Moulson's less than stellar training regimen to the gathered media. “I see a player that maybe has neglected some things in the last couple years," he said, "as far as how workouts are changing, how we as an organization are changing with our young players and even our players on the team." Which was about as close to saying "you're out of shape" as you can get.
Head coach Dan Bylsma has the team playing an up-tempo style which would leave Moulson in the dust on the top two lines even if he were in great shape to begin with but on the third line the chances of having success might be better. If he can re-establish a net-front presence and regain his sniping ability from in close, he might be able to get back into that 15 goal range. Which are a lot of 'if's' for a player making $5M/year.
That said, often times we Sabres fans forget why Murray brought in three vets--Moulson, Brian Gionta and Josh Gorges--back in July, 2014. We forget where the team was as well as where they were headed. The Sabres had traded away nearly every vet worth his salt in the season prior, including Moulson, and were about to finish the job by trading whatever was left at the 2015 trade deadline. They needed veteran players who could actually play the game. They needed players who wanted to play in Buffalo. And they needed players who would basically take a bullet for the team during they're plunge into the abyss.
Moulson, Gionta and Gorges were by no means superstars, but they were legitimate NHL players who had a decent amount of success playing in the upper-half of their rosters and they opted to play in Buffalo. Their role on the Sabres was to make it through the 2014-15 season and come out the other end to contribute to, and provide veteran leadership for, one of the youngest teams in the league.
The five year deal Moulson signed meant that he was expected to do at least that, if not more, on an extended basis but even though it hasn't worked out, he has a shot at redemption this season. There's probably not a fan in Buffalo who won't root for him on a personal level as most want to see a good guy like him succeed. But then again, how many times have we seen that sports is a business and if he can't get it together on the ice, Moulson will probably be playing somewhere else next season.
Building the 2016-17 Buffalo Sabres roster:
LW, Evander Kane / C, Ryan O'Reilly / RW, Kyle Okposo
LW, Tyler Ennis / C, Jack Eichel / RW, Sam Reinhart
LW, Matt Moulson / C, Zemgus Girgensons
D, Rasmus Ristolainen/ Dmitry Kulikov
D, Zach Bogosian/ D, Jake McCabe
G, Robin Lehner
Contract:
--$5M cap-hit
--3 yrs. remaining
2015-16 Stats:
--8 goals (10th on Sabres)
--13 assists (T-8th)
--21 points (10th)
--minus-5 rating (T-7th)
--ATOI, 11:54 (12th amongst forwards)
--PPTOI, 1:58 (8th)
--PP Goals, 2 (T-5th amongst forwards)
--PP Assists, 5 (T- 3rd)
--PP Points, 7 (5th)
--81 games played
--1 healthy scratch (Dec. 30)
What we wrote at season's end: "Moulson finished 10th on the team in scoring and had the fourth highest cap-hit. Not a good combination. And he did find himself in the press box as a healthy scratch after going 24 games without a goal. That dubious streak would continue for another 20 games despite head coach Dan Bylsma giving him ample powerplay time and numerous opportunities playing in the top-six. But nothing worked, and early season predictions of solid production soon gave way to questions of, what happened?"
Moulson is a good guy. To my knowledge there's not a player or coach who's ever publically said otherwise. He mentored John Tavares on Long Island when the two played for the NY Islanders. When Moulson was traded to the Buffalo Sabres Tavares said, "I don't think Matt's ever gotten the credit he's deserved for the success I've had. Words can't really describe how much he was there for me." And in Buffalo Moulson and his family also opened up their home to rookie Jack Eichel last year to help him make the transition to the NHL. The 18 yr. had a standout season for the Sabres.
Which is all well and good. But at the price and term he was signed for, the team needs him to be more than just a billet father.
Moulson managed three 30-goals seasons on those Islander teams with Tavares and he even managed to place second on the Sabres in scoring during the first year of a 5 yr./$25M contract he signed on July 1, 2014. With the influx of talent including Eichel, Ryan O'Reilly and Evander Kane, it was expected that Moulson would follow up with a similar, if not better, 13-goal, 41-point 2014-15 campaign.
It was not to be and it put the Sabres in a quandary. Fortunately for Moulson he had three years remaining on his contract which was a bit to long for Buffalo to buy out. For Buffalo, however, they may end up carrying the hefty contract if an underperformer in what could very well his final year with the club.
Training camp should give us a good indication of how Moulson intends to approach the upcoming season as he was called out by his GM back in March. Tim Murray talked of Moulson's less than stellar training regimen to the gathered media. “I see a player that maybe has neglected some things in the last couple years," he said, "as far as how workouts are changing, how we as an organization are changing with our young players and even our players on the team." Which was about as close to saying "you're out of shape" as you can get.
Head coach Dan Bylsma has the team playing an up-tempo style which would leave Moulson in the dust on the top two lines even if he were in great shape to begin with but on the third line the chances of having success might be better. If he can re-establish a net-front presence and regain his sniping ability from in close, he might be able to get back into that 15 goal range. Which are a lot of 'if's' for a player making $5M/year.
That said, often times we Sabres fans forget why Murray brought in three vets--Moulson, Brian Gionta and Josh Gorges--back in July, 2014. We forget where the team was as well as where they were headed. The Sabres had traded away nearly every vet worth his salt in the season prior, including Moulson, and were about to finish the job by trading whatever was left at the 2015 trade deadline. They needed veteran players who could actually play the game. They needed players who wanted to play in Buffalo. And they needed players who would basically take a bullet for the team during they're plunge into the abyss.
Moulson, Gionta and Gorges were by no means superstars, but they were legitimate NHL players who had a decent amount of success playing in the upper-half of their rosters and they opted to play in Buffalo. Their role on the Sabres was to make it through the 2014-15 season and come out the other end to contribute to, and provide veteran leadership for, one of the youngest teams in the league.
The five year deal Moulson signed meant that he was expected to do at least that, if not more, on an extended basis but even though it hasn't worked out, he has a shot at redemption this season. There's probably not a fan in Buffalo who won't root for him on a personal level as most want to see a good guy like him succeed. But then again, how many times have we seen that sports is a business and if he can't get it together on the ice, Moulson will probably be playing somewhere else next season.
Building the 2016-17 Buffalo Sabres roster:
LW, Evander Kane / C, Ryan O'Reilly / RW, Kyle Okposo
LW, Tyler Ennis / C, Jack Eichel / RW, Sam Reinhart
LW, Matt Moulson / C, Zemgus Girgensons
D, Rasmus Ristolainen/ Dmitry Kulikov
D, Zach Bogosian/ D, Jake McCabe
G, Robin Lehner
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Lookin' for that top-six left-winger.
Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray has done a lot of work putting together a lineup to his liking. He's come a long way since this lineup to open the 2014-15 campaign:
Matt Moulson, Tyler Ennis, Drew Stafford
Cody Hodgson, Sam Reinhart, Brian Gionta
Marcus Foligno, Zemgus Girgensons, Chris Stewart
Nicolas Deslauriers, Cody McCormick, Torrey Mitchell
Josh Gorges, Tyler Myers
Andre Benoit, Andrej Meszaros
Mike Weber, Rasmus Ristolainen
Jhonas Enroth
In the Press Box--Brian Flynn, Tyson Strachan, Nikita Zadorov
That said, despite fortifying his roster with young-vets like Ryan O'Reilly, Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian and as of July, Kyle Okposo, he still has some holes to fill.
In June Murray took a calculated risk sending third-rounder to the Nashville Predators for the rights to Hobey Baker-winner, Jimmy Vesey. Although the Sabres gave it their best shot, Vesey (in a curious move considering what other teams had to offer) opted for the NY Rangers. The 6'3" 195 lb. Vesey would have had the opportunity to land in a top-six/top-nine role in Buffalo despite not having any pro experience.
With him out of the equation, there is a top-six slot on the left side that needs to be filled. How will Murray do it?
Let's take a look at the contenders.
Matt Moulson, Tyler Ennis, Drew Stafford
Cody Hodgson, Sam Reinhart, Brian Gionta
Marcus Foligno, Zemgus Girgensons, Chris Stewart
Nicolas Deslauriers, Cody McCormick, Torrey Mitchell
Josh Gorges, Tyler Myers
Andre Benoit, Andrej Meszaros
Mike Weber, Rasmus Ristolainen
Jhonas Enroth
In the Press Box--Brian Flynn, Tyson Strachan, Nikita Zadorov
That said, despite fortifying his roster with young-vets like Ryan O'Reilly, Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian and as of July, Kyle Okposo, he still has some holes to fill.
In June Murray took a calculated risk sending third-rounder to the Nashville Predators for the rights to Hobey Baker-winner, Jimmy Vesey. Although the Sabres gave it their best shot, Vesey (in a curious move considering what other teams had to offer) opted for the NY Rangers. The 6'3" 195 lb. Vesey would have had the opportunity to land in a top-six/top-nine role in Buffalo despite not having any pro experience.
With him out of the equation, there is a top-six slot on the left side that needs to be filled. How will Murray do it?
Let's take a look at the contenders.
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Impressions of, and questions concerning--LW, Matt Moulson
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Left Wing--Matt Moulson
DOB: November 1, 1983 (age, 32)
Draft: 2003, PIT, 9th round (263rd overall)
How acquired: Free agent signee (MIN,) 2014
Last contract signed: 2014--5yr./$25M
Final year of contract: 2018-19
2015-16 Stats: 81 games played, 8 goals, 13 assists, 21 points, -5
What we wrote preseason: The well-travelled, Cornell university graduate mentored 2009 first-overall pick John Tavares with the NY Islanders. It was a beneficial situation on and off the ice for both players. "I don't think Matt's ever gotten the credit he's deserved for the success I've had," Tavares said at the time Moulson was shipped to Buffalo in 2013. "Words can't really describe how much he was there for me."
Moulson and his wife Alicia took a liking to the Buffalo area after the trade. When free agency hit in 2014 he signed a 5yr./$25M contract with the Sabres and settled in. After the Sabres selected Jack Eichel with the 2nd overall pick in 2015, Moulson offered his home to the 18 yr. old, just as he did with Tavares. Expectations were lowered with the influx of talent like Eichel, Ryan O'Reilly, Evander Kane and Jamie McGinn and the third line looked like a good slot for him. "There's plenty of skill down the middle [in Buffalo] to get Moulson the puck where he's at his best. At the age of 31 Moulson can still snipe and with that ability perhaps we'll see yet another 30-goal-season."
What we wrote mid-season: "Would you believe he's tied for sixth on the team in points? Me neither. Moulson has struggled mightily and now finds himself on the fourth line thanks to the emergence of Reinhart and McGinn on the top line. A scorer on the fourth line could mean a banishment to King Moonracer's press-box island for a game or two.
Impressions on his play this year: Moulson finished ninth on the team in scoring and had the fourth highest cap-hit. Not a good combination. And he did find himself in the press box as a healthy scratch after going 24 games without a goal. That dubious streak would continue for another 20 games despite head coach Dan Bylsma giving him ample powerplay time and numerous opportunities playing in the top-six. But nothing worked, and early season predictions of solid production soon gave way to questions of, what happened?
Sabres GM Tim Murray openly stated that Moulson may not have been in the best possible shape to handle Bylsma's up-tempo system and it sure looked like it most of the time. Perhaps there were other pressures for a genuine good-guy like Moulson and the confluence of organizational changes with those pressures were just too much. With words like "buy-out" and "unmovable salary" entering into the equation this past season, and with the team looking to add even more talent, Moulson will need to be better, plain and simple.
Questions moving forward: How can he get his confidence back? What will his off season workout program entail and could lack of conditioning have been the problem all along? Can he slot into a third-line/second powerplay unit role and produce enough to make his salary bearable in the very near-term? Can his 31.8% rate in the shootout to help the Sabres that way? Has age caught up with him or was his NY success more a product of being wingman for Tavares? These are a lot of questions for a 31 yr. old, and for the organization the big question would be, is he worth it?
Left Wing--Matt Moulson
DOB: November 1, 1983 (age, 32)
Draft: 2003, PIT, 9th round (263rd overall)
How acquired: Free agent signee (MIN,) 2014
Last contract signed: 2014--5yr./$25M
Final year of contract: 2018-19
2015-16 Stats: 81 games played, 8 goals, 13 assists, 21 points, -5
What we wrote preseason: The well-travelled, Cornell university graduate mentored 2009 first-overall pick John Tavares with the NY Islanders. It was a beneficial situation on and off the ice for both players. "I don't think Matt's ever gotten the credit he's deserved for the success I've had," Tavares said at the time Moulson was shipped to Buffalo in 2013. "Words can't really describe how much he was there for me."
Moulson and his wife Alicia took a liking to the Buffalo area after the trade. When free agency hit in 2014 he signed a 5yr./$25M contract with the Sabres and settled in. After the Sabres selected Jack Eichel with the 2nd overall pick in 2015, Moulson offered his home to the 18 yr. old, just as he did with Tavares. Expectations were lowered with the influx of talent like Eichel, Ryan O'Reilly, Evander Kane and Jamie McGinn and the third line looked like a good slot for him. "There's plenty of skill down the middle [in Buffalo] to get Moulson the puck where he's at his best. At the age of 31 Moulson can still snipe and with that ability perhaps we'll see yet another 30-goal-season."
What we wrote mid-season: "Would you believe he's tied for sixth on the team in points? Me neither. Moulson has struggled mightily and now finds himself on the fourth line thanks to the emergence of Reinhart and McGinn on the top line. A scorer on the fourth line could mean a banishment to King Moonracer's press-box island for a game or two.
Impressions on his play this year: Moulson finished ninth on the team in scoring and had the fourth highest cap-hit. Not a good combination. And he did find himself in the press box as a healthy scratch after going 24 games without a goal. That dubious streak would continue for another 20 games despite head coach Dan Bylsma giving him ample powerplay time and numerous opportunities playing in the top-six. But nothing worked, and early season predictions of solid production soon gave way to questions of, what happened?
Sabres GM Tim Murray openly stated that Moulson may not have been in the best possible shape to handle Bylsma's up-tempo system and it sure looked like it most of the time. Perhaps there were other pressures for a genuine good-guy like Moulson and the confluence of organizational changes with those pressures were just too much. With words like "buy-out" and "unmovable salary" entering into the equation this past season, and with the team looking to add even more talent, Moulson will need to be better, plain and simple.
Questions moving forward: How can he get his confidence back? What will his off season workout program entail and could lack of conditioning have been the problem all along? Can he slot into a third-line/second powerplay unit role and produce enough to make his salary bearable in the very near-term? Can his 31.8% rate in the shootout to help the Sabres that way? Has age caught up with him or was his NY success more a product of being wingman for Tavares? These are a lot of questions for a 31 yr. old, and for the organization the big question would be, is he worth it?
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Two more off the schneid. Casey Nelson continues to impress.
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
When forward Zemgus Girgensons finally lit the lamp in Detroit on Monday, thus ending a 23-game drought, surprisingly it wasn't the longest goal-less streak on the team at the time. That dubious distinction belonged to the team's leading scorer, Ryan O'Reilly.
O'Reilly finally poked one home last night in the Buffalo Sabres 5-4 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Short-handed, no less. With the Sabres up 1-0 and Josh Gorges in the box for holding, O'Reilly battled two Pens along the boards and got the puck to David Legwand in open space inside Pittsburgh's blueline. Legwand's backhander squeaked through and trickled to the goal line before a Pens player saved it from going over the line. But the puck hit another Penguins player and lay there in the crease. O'Reilly smacked it home for his first goal in 24 games.
The first period was rather kind to those who hadn't scored in long time. The much maligned Matt Moulson, who's five goals on the season were far below expectations, opened the scoring for Buffalo on the powerplay. In the past, Moulson was a fixture in and around the crease and with a quick stick and accurate shot he was able to net three consecutive 30-goal seasons with the NY Islanders as well as solid production while with the Sabres during the past two bottom-feeding seasons. But this year, not so much. Moulson's goal ended an 18-game drought for him.
When forward Zemgus Girgensons finally lit the lamp in Detroit on Monday, thus ending a 23-game drought, surprisingly it wasn't the longest goal-less streak on the team at the time. That dubious distinction belonged to the team's leading scorer, Ryan O'Reilly.
O'Reilly finally poked one home last night in the Buffalo Sabres 5-4 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Short-handed, no less. With the Sabres up 1-0 and Josh Gorges in the box for holding, O'Reilly battled two Pens along the boards and got the puck to David Legwand in open space inside Pittsburgh's blueline. Legwand's backhander squeaked through and trickled to the goal line before a Pens player saved it from going over the line. But the puck hit another Penguins player and lay there in the crease. O'Reilly smacked it home for his first goal in 24 games.
The first period was rather kind to those who hadn't scored in long time. The much maligned Matt Moulson, who's five goals on the season were far below expectations, opened the scoring for Buffalo on the powerplay. In the past, Moulson was a fixture in and around the crease and with a quick stick and accurate shot he was able to net three consecutive 30-goal seasons with the NY Islanders as well as solid production while with the Sabres during the past two bottom-feeding seasons. But this year, not so much. Moulson's goal ended an 18-game drought for him.
Friday, February 19, 2016
Moulson scores...finally...and, time for Patrick Kaleta to get his shot
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
It lasted 44 games dating back to November 1, but last night it came to an end.
Matt Moulson, a former three-time 30-goal scorer with the NY Islanders and a player who suffered through the better part of the last two seasons with a bottom-feeding Buffalo Sabres team, finally scored. Leave it to Jack Eichel and Zemgus Girgensons to get the job done and some props should be given to defenseman Jake McCabe who actually started the play by knocking down an Ottawa shoot-in at the red line.
McCabe would get the puck to Eichel at center ice who used his speed to gain the zone and ring one around the boards where McCabe was waiting at the point. McCabe shot it towards the net and Girgensons tipped it to Eichel down low. The rookie phenom gathered the puck and sent a behind the back pass to the crease to a charging Moulson who deposited the puck...finally.
We're not sure who was more excited about the goal, the entire Sabres team or Moulson himself. Or maybe it was GM Tim Murray who's been wondering all season what he's going to do with a four-goal scorer making $5m a season for the next three-plus seasons.
It lasted 44 games dating back to November 1, but last night it came to an end.
Matt Moulson, a former three-time 30-goal scorer with the NY Islanders and a player who suffered through the better part of the last two seasons with a bottom-feeding Buffalo Sabres team, finally scored. Leave it to Jack Eichel and Zemgus Girgensons to get the job done and some props should be given to defenseman Jake McCabe who actually started the play by knocking down an Ottawa shoot-in at the red line.
McCabe would get the puck to Eichel at center ice who used his speed to gain the zone and ring one around the boards where McCabe was waiting at the point. McCabe shot it towards the net and Girgensons tipped it to Eichel down low. The rookie phenom gathered the puck and sent a behind the back pass to the crease to a charging Moulson who deposited the puck...finally.
We're not sure who was more excited about the goal, the entire Sabres team or Moulson himself. Or maybe it was GM Tim Murray who's been wondering all season what he's going to do with a four-goal scorer making $5m a season for the next three-plus seasons.
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Letdown at the F'N Center. Bruins beat Buffalo in shootout.
For Buffalo Sabres fans watching last night's game vs. the Boston Bruins, the 3-2 shootout loss at the hands of the Bruins was a letdown, especially after blowing a 2-1 third-period lead on a goal that caught the entire team napping.
Boston's best penalty killer, Zdeno Chara went to the box for tripping and an inept Sabres powerplay couldn't convert. To make matters worse, just after the penalty expired, the Bruins' Brad Marchand, the second-most hated Boston player behind Chara, caught the entire Sabres team napping as he went one-on-six and lifted a backhander past a surprised Buffalo goaltender, Chad Johnson. The game-tying goal.
Even though Johnson was stout in net the rest of the way, including a sterling save in overtime, it was "that one goal" that he and all of Sabreland wanted back.
C'est la vie.
Although management, coaches and players are saying all the right things about this season, the playoffs are a far too distant dream at this point. The Sabres have 47 points, good for last in the Atlantic Division and they're 11 points back of the last wild card spot with six teams ahead of them. If they're not sellers at the February 29 trade-deadline it would be really surprising.
Boston's best penalty killer, Zdeno Chara went to the box for tripping and an inept Sabres powerplay couldn't convert. To make matters worse, just after the penalty expired, the Bruins' Brad Marchand, the second-most hated Boston player behind Chara, caught the entire Sabres team napping as he went one-on-six and lifted a backhander past a surprised Buffalo goaltender, Chad Johnson. The game-tying goal.
Even though Johnson was stout in net the rest of the way, including a sterling save in overtime, it was "that one goal" that he and all of Sabreland wanted back.
C'est la vie.
Although management, coaches and players are saying all the right things about this season, the playoffs are a far too distant dream at this point. The Sabres have 47 points, good for last in the Atlantic Division and they're 11 points back of the last wild card spot with six teams ahead of them. If they're not sellers at the February 29 trade-deadline it would be really surprising.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Who's ready for primetime? Sabres at MSG, face baffling Rangers
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
For a change, the Buffalo Sabres are headed into a city digging out of a massive snowstorm instead of the other way around. Images from the blizzard known as Jonas, are very familiar to stout Buffalonians--white-outs, cars buried knee-deep in snow, tunnels being dug out just to get to the street, people having fun and those struggling.
It was the second biggest snowstorm on record in New York City dropping 26.8 inches of the white stuff on Central Park. It missed tying the record-breaking storm of February 10-11, 2006 by 0.1". Of course, it's The Big Apple where everything there needs a dramatic headline on a Broadway marquis and Jonas provided that. Gothamist.com called it, Snowpocalypse. How apropos.
As the NY Rangers prepare to take on the Buffalo Sabres tonight at Madison Square Garden, they're going through their own drama as they're in the midst of a middling season while getting buried by the press.
For a change, the Buffalo Sabres are headed into a city digging out of a massive snowstorm instead of the other way around. Images from the blizzard known as Jonas, are very familiar to stout Buffalonians--white-outs, cars buried knee-deep in snow, tunnels being dug out just to get to the street, people having fun and those struggling.
It was the second biggest snowstorm on record in New York City dropping 26.8 inches of the white stuff on Central Park. It missed tying the record-breaking storm of February 10-11, 2006 by 0.1". Of course, it's The Big Apple where everything there needs a dramatic headline on a Broadway marquis and Jonas provided that. Gothamist.com called it, Snowpocalypse. How apropos.
As the NY Rangers prepare to take on the Buffalo Sabres tonight at Madison Square Garden, they're going through their own drama as they're in the midst of a middling season while getting buried by the press.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Building the 2015-16 Buffalo Sabres roster--LW, Matt Moulson
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Nearly two years ago, on October 27, 2013 the Buffalo Sabres acquired LW Matt Moulson from the NY Islanders in the Thomas Vanek trade Also coming to Buffalo was what turned out to be a 2015 first round pick (No. 21 sent to Ottawa in the Robin Lehner trade on draft day) and a 2015 second round pick (Brendan Guhle, 51st-overall.) That was the last trade former GM Darcy Regier made before he was fired on November 13th.
Moulson was coming off a lockout-shortened season where he scored 15 goals in 47 games. In his three seasons prior he hit the 30-goal mark each season averaging nearly 32 goals while developing a strong chemistry with former first overall pick John Tavares (2009.) Ironically, Tavares was at Moulson's house when the unexpected trade went down.
It was a curious move by Isles GM Garth Snow as he traded a productive fan favorite in Moulson for the star-power of Vanek. Expectations were that Vanek would explode with a bona fide #1 center for years to come. Once it was clear that Vanek wouldn't sign long-term, Snow shipped him off to Montreal at the 2015 trade deadline after just 47 games with the club (17 goals.)
As expected, Moulson was also traded at the deadline. He and Cody McCormick went to the playoff-bound Minnesota Wild for Torrey Mitchell, a 2014 second-round pick (No. 39 from Winnipeg, traded to Washington for No. 44, Eric Cornel, and No. 74, Brycen Martin) and a 2016 second rounder which was sent to the Montreal Canadiens for D, Josh Gorges.
After a short stint with the Wild and an equally short playoff-run, Moulson signed a 5yr./$25M contract with the Sabres on July 1, 2014.
Nearly two years ago, on October 27, 2013 the Buffalo Sabres acquired LW Matt Moulson from the NY Islanders in the Thomas Vanek trade Also coming to Buffalo was what turned out to be a 2015 first round pick (No. 21 sent to Ottawa in the Robin Lehner trade on draft day) and a 2015 second round pick (Brendan Guhle, 51st-overall.) That was the last trade former GM Darcy Regier made before he was fired on November 13th.
Moulson was coming off a lockout-shortened season where he scored 15 goals in 47 games. In his three seasons prior he hit the 30-goal mark each season averaging nearly 32 goals while developing a strong chemistry with former first overall pick John Tavares (2009.) Ironically, Tavares was at Moulson's house when the unexpected trade went down.
It was a curious move by Isles GM Garth Snow as he traded a productive fan favorite in Moulson for the star-power of Vanek. Expectations were that Vanek would explode with a bona fide #1 center for years to come. Once it was clear that Vanek wouldn't sign long-term, Snow shipped him off to Montreal at the 2015 trade deadline after just 47 games with the club (17 goals.)
As expected, Moulson was also traded at the deadline. He and Cody McCormick went to the playoff-bound Minnesota Wild for Torrey Mitchell, a 2014 second-round pick (No. 39 from Winnipeg, traded to Washington for No. 44, Eric Cornel, and No. 74, Brycen Martin) and a 2016 second rounder which was sent to the Montreal Canadiens for D, Josh Gorges.
After a short stint with the Wild and an equally short playoff-run, Moulson signed a 5yr./$25M contract with the Sabres on July 1, 2014.
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
2014-15 Individual Stats--Final
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
The 2014-15 season is in the books and Sabreland is much better for it.
It was a season of flux, one that was filled with a wide range of emotions that captured what will be noted as the most divisive season in the history of the franchise. From the demotion of Mikhail Grigorenko to start the season, to the streak in late November/early December, to the franchise-long 14 game losing streak, to the 0-fer in January, to the quest for McEichel and the Arizona Coyotes, to Chris Stewart, Nikita Zadorov, Cody Hodgson, Tyler Myers, Anders Lindback and Mike Weber emotions ran the full gamut. In the end, the only thing left was a 30th place finish and the departure of head coach Ted Nolan and nearly all of his coaching staff with the emotions directed at him this season were more divisive and far-reaching than everything else combined.
A total of 34 skaters and five goalies laced 'em up for Buffalo this season. Nicholas Deslauriers was the only one to play in every game while the departed Joel Armia and goalie Andrey Makarov were the only players to play one game. And if you thought having 39 players play in at least one game was a lot, in 2013-14, there were 39 skaters and six goaltenders who laced 'em up for at least one game.
The 2014-15 season is in the books and Sabreland is much better for it.
It was a season of flux, one that was filled with a wide range of emotions that captured what will be noted as the most divisive season in the history of the franchise. From the demotion of Mikhail Grigorenko to start the season, to the streak in late November/early December, to the franchise-long 14 game losing streak, to the 0-fer in January, to the quest for McEichel and the Arizona Coyotes, to Chris Stewart, Nikita Zadorov, Cody Hodgson, Tyler Myers, Anders Lindback and Mike Weber emotions ran the full gamut. In the end, the only thing left was a 30th place finish and the departure of head coach Ted Nolan and nearly all of his coaching staff with the emotions directed at him this season were more divisive and far-reaching than everything else combined.
A total of 34 skaters and five goalies laced 'em up for Buffalo this season. Nicholas Deslauriers was the only one to play in every game while the departed Joel Armia and goalie Andrey Makarov were the only players to play one game. And if you thought having 39 players play in at least one game was a lot, in 2013-14, there were 39 skaters and six goaltenders who laced 'em up for at least one game.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Tim Murray defines a "changing" core for his team
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
The word "core" can be a four-letter word from the point of view of a Sabres fan in 2015. It's a word that conjures up visions of a talented group of individual players who's underachieving, passive play inevitably lead to years of mediocrity as a team. "Core" can be a good word, like in Los Angeles with the Kings or with the Blackhawks in Chicago. Or it can touch a nerve, like in Buffalo.
When Sabres' broadcaster Brian Duff asked Buffalo GM Tim Murray to "define the core," yesterday before the game at Washington, it caused a mild twitch, albeit much milder than in recent years past. And that's a good thing as the past is slowly giving way to the future.
So how many players represent Murray's core right now?
"It changes depending on the circumstances," Murray told Duff. "Certainly today when you have Brian Gionta, Matty Moulson and Josh Gorges (the Sabres' three captains) and [Zemgus] Girgensons and [Mike] Weber and the two kids on the blue line (Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov.)
"They're here. They're all NHL players."
The word "core" can be a four-letter word from the point of view of a Sabres fan in 2015. It's a word that conjures up visions of a talented group of individual players who's underachieving, passive play inevitably lead to years of mediocrity as a team. "Core" can be a good word, like in Los Angeles with the Kings or with the Blackhawks in Chicago. Or it can touch a nerve, like in Buffalo.
When Sabres' broadcaster Brian Duff asked Buffalo GM Tim Murray to "define the core," yesterday before the game at Washington, it caused a mild twitch, albeit much milder than in recent years past. And that's a good thing as the past is slowly giving way to the future.
So how many players represent Murray's core right now?
"It changes depending on the circumstances," Murray told Duff. "Certainly today when you have Brian Gionta, Matty Moulson and Josh Gorges (the Sabres' three captains) and [Zemgus] Girgensons and [Mike] Weber and the two kids on the blue line (Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov.)
"They're here. They're all NHL players."
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