Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
The Columbus Blue Jackets have one of the coolest goal celebrations in the NHL. When the home team lights the lamp, the horn sounds and AC/DC's cued up.
For those about to rock!!!
FIRE!!!
And off goes the cannon. POW!!!
For those who've never been there, it'll scare you. Even if you've been there on numerous occasions, like Sabres analyst Rob Ray, and you know it's coming, the firing of the cannon might still send shockwaves through you. "I'm gonna go up there an destroy that cannon," said Ray after Matt Calvert potted his 13th goal of the season to put the Jackets up 2-1. "It scares me every time it goes off, and you know it's happening."
If you're a Sabres fan this season, the firing of that cannon was a beautiful sound and when Boone Jenner scored into an empty Sabres net with 9.7 second remaining in the third period, it might just as well have been a 21-gun salute to lay the 2014-15 season to rest. Although Buffalo still has one more game tonight against a struggling Pittsburgh Penguins club embroiled in a playoff battle, the season is done, 30th place is secure and all that's left is for the fans at First Niagara Center to give this team a rousing ovation for making it through the most difficult and divisive season in Sabres history.
Showing posts with label the new core. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the new core. Show all posts
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Time to finish the job
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
There's not a Sabres fan that I know of that would want the team to go into Fan Appreciation Weekend with the possibility of Arizona finishing behind Buffalo in the standings. The Sabres would need to snare five of a possible six points and the Coyotes would need to lose out for the Sabres to finish 29th. The odds of that happening are slim to none but Buffalo fans know all to well that anything's possible.
As the 2014-15 is coming to a close, fans can't help but feel that there's been enough anguish especially over the course of the last three months or so. Regardless of all that, the job is not finished.
This is a very winnable game for Buffalo versus the Carolina Hurricanes and one that could give fans heartburn. The season series is split 1-1 right now and it should be noted that the Canes are sporting a 11-24-3 road record and are presently on a three-game losing streak. Yet, for their part, the Sabres haven't won consecutive home games vs. Carolina since a five-game streak from 10-20-2006 to 1-17-2009.
There's not a Sabres fan that I know of that would want the team to go into Fan Appreciation Weekend with the possibility of Arizona finishing behind Buffalo in the standings. The Sabres would need to snare five of a possible six points and the Coyotes would need to lose out for the Sabres to finish 29th. The odds of that happening are slim to none but Buffalo fans know all to well that anything's possible.
As the 2014-15 is coming to a close, fans can't help but feel that there's been enough anguish especially over the course of the last three months or so. Regardless of all that, the job is not finished.
This is a very winnable game for Buffalo versus the Carolina Hurricanes and one that could give fans heartburn. The season series is split 1-1 right now and it should be noted that the Canes are sporting a 11-24-3 road record and are presently on a three-game losing streak. Yet, for their part, the Sabres haven't won consecutive home games vs. Carolina since a five-game streak from 10-20-2006 to 1-17-2009.
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."
Sunday, August 24, 2014
The nucleus of the Sabres "new core"
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
When Connor McDavid came to the First Niagara Center on Thursday, fans and media had a sparkle in their eye.
McDavid and Jack Eichel sit atop a very strong 2015 NHL draft class and the Buffalo Sabres may have a shot at landing one of them (or in certain scenarios, both.)
The Sabres and the OHL's Erie Otters were holding a joint press conference to announce a game on October 22 featuring the Otters vs. the Niagara Ice Dogs at the FNC. Sabres President Ted Black and Sherry Bassin, general manager and managing partner of the Otters, made all the official proclamations, but McDavid was clearly the star of the show.
When Connor McDavid came to the First Niagara Center on Thursday, fans and media had a sparkle in their eye.
McDavid and Jack Eichel sit atop a very strong 2015 NHL draft class and the Buffalo Sabres may have a shot at landing one of them (or in certain scenarios, both.)
The Sabres and the OHL's Erie Otters were holding a joint press conference to announce a game on October 22 featuring the Otters vs. the Niagara Ice Dogs at the FNC. Sabres President Ted Black and Sherry Bassin, general manager and managing partner of the Otters, made all the official proclamations, but McDavid was clearly the star of the show.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Sabres development void being filled by self-confidence
Last season, with the team in disarray and in the tank, Sabres fans were venting their frustration at just about everyone in the organization save for Rip Simonick. And if fans knew that he was the long-standing (36 years) equipment manager for the team, they probably would've been blaming him for the dismal on-ice product as well.
From GM Darcy Regier to coach Ron Rolston to owner Terry Pegula, nobody was safe. And that included Head Amateur Scout/Assistant General Manager Kevin Devine.
From GM Darcy Regier to coach Ron Rolston to owner Terry Pegula, nobody was safe. And that included Head Amateur Scout/Assistant General Manager Kevin Devine.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
No player on the 2-10-1 Buffalo Sabres should be deemed untouchable. But...
there are a group of youngins that will constitute the future of the Sabres and are about as close as you can get.
21 yr. old defenseman Mark Pysyk is one. He has the look of a top-four, possible top-pairing d-man, is smart and steady in his zone and looks like a future leader on the team.
Another 21 yr.old rookie, Johan Larsson, has smarts, grit, and plays a solid, edgy two-way game. He may not have the top-end skills to be a top-six contributor, but he should be able to contribute in a number of ways in the top-nine.
Those are two good building blocks.
And there are a few teenagers that look to be a part of the "new core" going forward as well.
Zemgus Girgensons played in the AHL last season. His hard work and hockey sense allowed him to ramp up as the season went on and was deemed by his coach as the best player on the ice in the Amerks playoff loss to the Toronto Marlies last season. He had three goals in three games in that series (Larsson assisted on all three.)
Girgensons, "The Latvian Locomotive," is playing a strong game in his first taste of the NHL. He's doing what he did last year--keeping his legs moving and soaking up every aspect of the pro game. He has an aire about him, plays the game the way it was meant to be played and oozes leadership qualities. He's 19.
Two 18 yr. olds, Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov, were drafted this year and are getting a good taste of playing defense in the NHL.
Ristolainen had played the last two seasons overseas against men in the Finnish Elite League and was deemed the most NHL-ready defenseman not named Seth Jones at the 2013 Draft. His is a smooth, polished game with a bit of an edge and he needed all of that steadiness being paired early with Mike Weber earlier this sesaon. He's been given a good dose of responsibility and has responded well save for some typical rookie mistakes.
Zadorov is quickly becoming a fan favorite because he is one physical S.O.B. And he has some offensive acumen as well. Although he finds himself out of position going for the big hit right now, it's expected he'll refine that as he learns the pro game. In addition, and maybe more important than his on-ice play, he has an infectious, child-like demeanor that's a breath of fresh air for the Sabres.
Another teenager, Mikhail Grigorenko, got off to a slow start last season being caught in the morass that was the 2012-13 Sabres. And he got off to a slow start this season as he bounced from line to line. "Grigo" recently bottomed out on the fourth line and seems to be climbing up the ladder. In the last two games he's been shifted to wing in a top-nine role and it looks as if it he has some life in him.
All but Larsson were drafted by Buffalo in the first round. Larsson was a second round pick of the Minnesota Wild.
Joel Armia is with the Sabres as his broken hand heals. The 20 yr. old RW just came to North America this year from Finland and was a first-round pick in 2011. The book on him is that of a big, talented winger with sniper skills and a wicked wrister. It looks as if he'll get some time with the Sabres, but will probably end up in Rochester getting a good taste of the North American pro game.
Marcus Foligno is not a first-round pick, but he is the elder statesman of this "new core" group and looks to be an integral piece of the future.
Unlike the others, he was drafted in the fourth round, pretty much as a favor to an all-time Sabres-favorite, his father Mike Foligno.
A big, strong, gritty winger, Foligno is logging top-six minutes. He lost his way after an impressive 2012 spring for the Sabres when he scored 13 points in 14 games giving him a false sense of being the reincarnation of John LeClair. He's back down to earth playing a rugged game, scoring at a .60 pts./game clip and contributing on a nightly basis.
As his draft position would indicate, he is not a player that will succeed on talent alone. It's how he plays the game, his hard work and willingness to do whatever's necessary on the ice that makes him so important to the team. He sets a good example of how to play the game squeezing every ounce of talent he can from his game.
Over the next two drafts the Sabres are intent upon adding more to this group. They have two first-round and five second-round picks as of right now. And more will be on the way as they move the likes of Thomas Vanek and Ryan Miller.
The Sabres are intent upon rebuilding with as many first and second round picks as they can horde and this year should they finish near the bottom of the league, they'll be adding a top-three pick to the process. Hopefully adding top-notch quality to the mix of 10 present first-rounders.
Other than the group above, and maybe Cody Hodgson who was just signed long-term, anyone on the Sabres should be available for the right price.
Or if you're Hank Tallinder, any price.
21 yr. old defenseman Mark Pysyk is one. He has the look of a top-four, possible top-pairing d-man, is smart and steady in his zone and looks like a future leader on the team.
Another 21 yr.old rookie, Johan Larsson, has smarts, grit, and plays a solid, edgy two-way game. He may not have the top-end skills to be a top-six contributor, but he should be able to contribute in a number of ways in the top-nine.
Those are two good building blocks.
And there are a few teenagers that look to be a part of the "new core" going forward as well.
Zemgus Girgensons played in the AHL last season. His hard work and hockey sense allowed him to ramp up as the season went on and was deemed by his coach as the best player on the ice in the Amerks playoff loss to the Toronto Marlies last season. He had three goals in three games in that series (Larsson assisted on all three.)
Girgensons, "The Latvian Locomotive," is playing a strong game in his first taste of the NHL. He's doing what he did last year--keeping his legs moving and soaking up every aspect of the pro game. He has an aire about him, plays the game the way it was meant to be played and oozes leadership qualities. He's 19.
Two 18 yr. olds, Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov, were drafted this year and are getting a good taste of playing defense in the NHL.
Ristolainen had played the last two seasons overseas against men in the Finnish Elite League and was deemed the most NHL-ready defenseman not named Seth Jones at the 2013 Draft. His is a smooth, polished game with a bit of an edge and he needed all of that steadiness being paired early with Mike Weber earlier this sesaon. He's been given a good dose of responsibility and has responded well save for some typical rookie mistakes.
Zadorov is quickly becoming a fan favorite because he is one physical S.O.B. And he has some offensive acumen as well. Although he finds himself out of position going for the big hit right now, it's expected he'll refine that as he learns the pro game. In addition, and maybe more important than his on-ice play, he has an infectious, child-like demeanor that's a breath of fresh air for the Sabres.
Another teenager, Mikhail Grigorenko, got off to a slow start last season being caught in the morass that was the 2012-13 Sabres. And he got off to a slow start this season as he bounced from line to line. "Grigo" recently bottomed out on the fourth line and seems to be climbing up the ladder. In the last two games he's been shifted to wing in a top-nine role and it looks as if it he has some life in him.
All but Larsson were drafted by Buffalo in the first round. Larsson was a second round pick of the Minnesota Wild.
Joel Armia is with the Sabres as his broken hand heals. The 20 yr. old RW just came to North America this year from Finland and was a first-round pick in 2011. The book on him is that of a big, talented winger with sniper skills and a wicked wrister. It looks as if he'll get some time with the Sabres, but will probably end up in Rochester getting a good taste of the North American pro game.
Marcus Foligno is not a first-round pick, but he is the elder statesman of this "new core" group and looks to be an integral piece of the future.
Unlike the others, he was drafted in the fourth round, pretty much as a favor to an all-time Sabres-favorite, his father Mike Foligno.
A big, strong, gritty winger, Foligno is logging top-six minutes. He lost his way after an impressive 2012 spring for the Sabres when he scored 13 points in 14 games giving him a false sense of being the reincarnation of John LeClair. He's back down to earth playing a rugged game, scoring at a .60 pts./game clip and contributing on a nightly basis.
As his draft position would indicate, he is not a player that will succeed on talent alone. It's how he plays the game, his hard work and willingness to do whatever's necessary on the ice that makes him so important to the team. He sets a good example of how to play the game squeezing every ounce of talent he can from his game.
Over the next two drafts the Sabres are intent upon adding more to this group. They have two first-round and five second-round picks as of right now. And more will be on the way as they move the likes of Thomas Vanek and Ryan Miller.
The Sabres are intent upon rebuilding with as many first and second round picks as they can horde and this year should they finish near the bottom of the league, they'll be adding a top-three pick to the process. Hopefully adding top-notch quality to the mix of 10 present first-rounders.
Other than the group above, and maybe Cody Hodgson who was just signed long-term, anyone on the Sabres should be available for the right price.
Or if you're Hank Tallinder, any price.
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Save your sanity, Sabres fans
The 0-4-1 Buffalo Sabres head to Chicago tonight buried at the bottom of the standings as one of only two winless teams in the league (NJ.) The Blackhawks are the reigning Stanley Cup Champions. Not hard to figure out how this one will end up.
After Thursday's loss to Columbus, a winnable game, reaction from the fans and media ranged from dull numbness to incessant whining to "The Sky Is Falling!!!"
Anyone who thought the Sabres would be more than what they are at this point in the season had delusions of grandeur for this club. Buffalo is a very young team with one top-line forward and a myriad of players asked to fill roles that are just beyond their talent level.
GM Darcy Regier warned us.
The only thing keeping the Sabres within striking distance in the five losses is their goaltending. Ryan Miller and Jhonas Enroth have played well. Very well. Like they've done before.
Miller has been "suffering" for years as he watched the talent level on the team decline to where it is right now. Save for the 2009-10 Vezina season he has been hung out to dry mercilessly in the name of scoring--team scoring from as many different lines as possible. Whether it was the "Ferrari" team or Regier's "core" or former coach Lindy Ruff having is d-men continually jump into the play, it all came back to Miller and the back-ups to bail this team out.
The talent level on the Sabres has dramatically decreased over the years to the point where winger Thomas Vanek is the only viable top-line player and d-man Christian Ehrhoff is the only top-paring d-man. Which isn't too bad of a foundation for a rebuild, especially with Miller in net.
Unfortunately, it looks as if Miller and Vanek will be gone at some point during this season, which means Ehrhoff will be all that's left.
If y'all thought it was bad now, wait until Miller and Vanek are gone.
It's not to say that there isn't potential top-end talent in the pipeline. There's plenty of talent and a portion of it will develop over time. Just how much potential will be reached is yet to be determined.
Right now the Sabres have some pretty good young talent on the team that will be the foundation of the "new core" moving forward.
The elder statesmen of this group are Cody Hodgson, Tyler Myers and Tyler Ennis. All three are from the 2008 draft.
Hodgson just inked a six-year deal with the Sabres in September. Right now he's a top-line center, but his $4.25m cap-hit suggests the team sees him in a top-six role as a #2 center.
In 2011, Myers signed a seven year contract with at a cap-hit of $5.5m.
Owner Terry Pegula had mentioned that he didn't want to see his promising players walk out the door because of financial constraints. He allowed Regier to drop a $10m signing bonus on Myers and pay him $28m of the $38.5m over the first four years of the contract.
In a shrewd move, the Sabres are paying him like an elite, shutdown d-man over the course of the first four years of the contract, but overall, his cap-hit is that of a #2/3 d-man. In addition, they gave him a No Trade Clause, but it doesn't kick in until the 2016-17 season.
If things do not work out by then, Myers will be easily movable as there will only be $10.5m and three years left on his contract at a $5.5m cap-hit, a situation that would allow a low-budget team the ability to reach the cap-floor while laying out about $2m less in salary.
As for Ennis? He will be a restricted free agent at season's end and no one knows what will happen. In fact, as of right now, they're not even sure where to put him in the lineup and have used him at center and on the wing.
He has top-six talent, and has scored at a solid pace over the course of the last two seasons. He's better suited at the center position, but likely will end up on the wing with Buffalo. And he's better suited for a top-six/2nd unit powerplay role, but will probably end up as a top-line winger/1st unit powerplay guy for now.
Or, he may end up as trade-bait.
After those three, the charge of the youngins is on.
Save your sanity, Sabres fans. You can drive yourself insane waiting for Drew Stafford to get waived, or watching Mike Weber flail on the ice, or pray that Ville Leino is healthy by years end so the team can buy him out.
Don't scream your brains out when you see Kevin Porter centering the second line or Cody McCormick doing a poor-man's Adam Mair impersonation.
Instead, look to the future.
Watch defenseman Mark Pysyk use his pure hockey sense in a shutdown role.
Follow Zemgus Girgensons in perpetual motion scanning the scene and working his ass off to be in the right positon at the right time.
Get yourself pumped up as Marcus Foligno heads to the corner to battle, either coming out with the puck or coming out swinging.
Watch Johan Larsson and his two-way game and look for the ever-present, yet subtle, agitator in him.
Notice how unnoticeable 18 yr. old defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen can be on the ice.
And finally, follow the prospects in junior and college. (a good place to start is sabresprospects.com)
Wingers like Gustav Possler and Nicholas Baptiste are off to hot starts while hulking defensman Brady Austin, a former 7th round pick (2012) is starting to get some attention. He'll get even more when he's paired with 2013 first-round pick Nikita Zadorov on the London Knights once Zadorov gets sent back.
Defenseman Jake McCabe captained the USA Junior Squad to Gold at the IIHF tournament this year. He's a junior at Wisconsin and may be bringing his grit, leadership and two-way game to the pros next season.
You can also keep an eye on Matt Hackett in the crease for Rochester as well as goalie Linus Ullmark who's in the Swedish Elite League for what may be his final season overseas.
Yeah, it sux to be a Sabres fan right now.
Save your sanity. The Sabres haven't gone through a change like this since 2002-03, the last time they had a top-five pick. And that ended up working out pretty well (albeit, not perfect.)
A year or two down the road we'll be seeing the fruits of Pegula's commitment to the scouting and developmen side of his equation.
And, if they use the Pittsburgh/Chicago model for rebuilding, we'll not only see a strong foundation of current players and prospects, but we may even have one or two top-prospects anchoring the top-line as well.
After Thursday's loss to Columbus, a winnable game, reaction from the fans and media ranged from dull numbness to incessant whining to "The Sky Is Falling!!!"
Anyone who thought the Sabres would be more than what they are at this point in the season had delusions of grandeur for this club. Buffalo is a very young team with one top-line forward and a myriad of players asked to fill roles that are just beyond their talent level.
GM Darcy Regier warned us.
The only thing keeping the Sabres within striking distance in the five losses is their goaltending. Ryan Miller and Jhonas Enroth have played well. Very well. Like they've done before.
Miller has been "suffering" for years as he watched the talent level on the team decline to where it is right now. Save for the 2009-10 Vezina season he has been hung out to dry mercilessly in the name of scoring--team scoring from as many different lines as possible. Whether it was the "Ferrari" team or Regier's "core" or former coach Lindy Ruff having is d-men continually jump into the play, it all came back to Miller and the back-ups to bail this team out.
The talent level on the Sabres has dramatically decreased over the years to the point where winger Thomas Vanek is the only viable top-line player and d-man Christian Ehrhoff is the only top-paring d-man. Which isn't too bad of a foundation for a rebuild, especially with Miller in net.
Unfortunately, it looks as if Miller and Vanek will be gone at some point during this season, which means Ehrhoff will be all that's left.
If y'all thought it was bad now, wait until Miller and Vanek are gone.
It's not to say that there isn't potential top-end talent in the pipeline. There's plenty of talent and a portion of it will develop over time. Just how much potential will be reached is yet to be determined.
Right now the Sabres have some pretty good young talent on the team that will be the foundation of the "new core" moving forward.
The elder statesmen of this group are Cody Hodgson, Tyler Myers and Tyler Ennis. All three are from the 2008 draft.
Hodgson just inked a six-year deal with the Sabres in September. Right now he's a top-line center, but his $4.25m cap-hit suggests the team sees him in a top-six role as a #2 center.
In 2011, Myers signed a seven year contract with at a cap-hit of $5.5m.
Owner Terry Pegula had mentioned that he didn't want to see his promising players walk out the door because of financial constraints. He allowed Regier to drop a $10m signing bonus on Myers and pay him $28m of the $38.5m over the first four years of the contract.
In a shrewd move, the Sabres are paying him like an elite, shutdown d-man over the course of the first four years of the contract, but overall, his cap-hit is that of a #2/3 d-man. In addition, they gave him a No Trade Clause, but it doesn't kick in until the 2016-17 season.
If things do not work out by then, Myers will be easily movable as there will only be $10.5m and three years left on his contract at a $5.5m cap-hit, a situation that would allow a low-budget team the ability to reach the cap-floor while laying out about $2m less in salary.
As for Ennis? He will be a restricted free agent at season's end and no one knows what will happen. In fact, as of right now, they're not even sure where to put him in the lineup and have used him at center and on the wing.
He has top-six talent, and has scored at a solid pace over the course of the last two seasons. He's better suited at the center position, but likely will end up on the wing with Buffalo. And he's better suited for a top-six/2nd unit powerplay role, but will probably end up as a top-line winger/1st unit powerplay guy for now.
Or, he may end up as trade-bait.
After those three, the charge of the youngins is on.
Save your sanity, Sabres fans. You can drive yourself insane waiting for Drew Stafford to get waived, or watching Mike Weber flail on the ice, or pray that Ville Leino is healthy by years end so the team can buy him out.
Don't scream your brains out when you see Kevin Porter centering the second line or Cody McCormick doing a poor-man's Adam Mair impersonation.
Instead, look to the future.
Watch defenseman Mark Pysyk use his pure hockey sense in a shutdown role.
Follow Zemgus Girgensons in perpetual motion scanning the scene and working his ass off to be in the right positon at the right time.
Get yourself pumped up as Marcus Foligno heads to the corner to battle, either coming out with the puck or coming out swinging.
Watch Johan Larsson and his two-way game and look for the ever-present, yet subtle, agitator in him.
Notice how unnoticeable 18 yr. old defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen can be on the ice.
And finally, follow the prospects in junior and college. (a good place to start is sabresprospects.com)
Wingers like Gustav Possler and Nicholas Baptiste are off to hot starts while hulking defensman Brady Austin, a former 7th round pick (2012) is starting to get some attention. He'll get even more when he's paired with 2013 first-round pick Nikita Zadorov on the London Knights once Zadorov gets sent back.
Defenseman Jake McCabe captained the USA Junior Squad to Gold at the IIHF tournament this year. He's a junior at Wisconsin and may be bringing his grit, leadership and two-way game to the pros next season.
You can also keep an eye on Matt Hackett in the crease for Rochester as well as goalie Linus Ullmark who's in the Swedish Elite League for what may be his final season overseas.
Yeah, it sux to be a Sabres fan right now.
Save your sanity. The Sabres haven't gone through a change like this since 2002-03, the last time they had a top-five pick. And that ended up working out pretty well (albeit, not perfect.)
A year or two down the road we'll be seeing the fruits of Pegula's commitment to the scouting and developmen side of his equation.
And, if they use the Pittsburgh/Chicago model for rebuilding, we'll not only see a strong foundation of current players and prospects, but we may even have one or two top-prospects anchoring the top-line as well.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Why is The Hockey News' Adam Proteau so concerned with the Sabres' inactivity so far?
Noted hockey writer Adam Proteau has very little to write about this summer. Just like the hockey world in general.
It's the dog days of summer and we're just getting off a week where fans of the big-four North American sports were relegated to MLB's Home Run Derby and All-Star Game, The ESPY's and the International League All-Star Game.
"It’s nearly August, for hockey gods’ sake." cries out Proteau. "Does anyone want to tell Sabres GM Darcy Regier and his Capitals counterpart George McPhee?"
That was the opener to his piece Sabres, Caps must stop standing pat, and Proteau proceeds to bemoan the lack of activity from two teams he says are "doing their best statue impersonations at a time in each team’s history that cries out for at least a modicum of change."
Sabres fans know that goalie Ryan Miller and winger Thomas Vanek are on the block. We also know that Regier is slow, calculated and meticulous when it come to moving pieces. We know that it takes two to tango and that there are many GM's in the league who are just like Regier when it comes to valuing their players.
Therefore, nothing is happening right now with Miller and Vanek and there's the possibility that the Sabres could enter camp with both on the roster. Which, for Proteau, constitutes a "devotion to the core [which] is more than a little curious. It’s bordering on pathological and getting closer to crossing that border with every day of transactional inactivity."
Miller and Vanek are the last two pieces of Regier's "core." And they happen to be the best two players of that underachieving group that havd not gotten past the first round of the playoffs since 2007.
"Loyalty," writes Proteau, "is admirable to a degree, but eventually that attitude turns into organizational inertia and that’s what puts teams in a competitive death spiral."
Proteau is about two years behind his "loyalty" assessment with Regier and the Sabres.
When owner Terry Pegula took over, he allowed Regier to keep his "core" intact and allowed the GM to add whatever pieces that were necessary.
They failed. And Regier's "core" is in the process of being dismantled.
Since their last playoff appearance in 2011, (Pegula's first few months as owner,) only five players who played 60 or more games for the team that year remain with the big-club: Miller, Vanek, Drew Stafford, Tyler Ennis, and Tyler Myers.
Defenseman Mike Weber, forward Patrick Kaleta and back-up goalie Jhonas Enroth, although not playing in 60 games, also played significant roles on the team.
That's a roster turnover of nearly two-thirds in the last two seasons, and of those eight players that are presently on the roster, only three are over the age of 26: Miller (33,) Vanek (29,) and Stafford (27.)
Despite Proteau's claim that the Sabres shouldn't "make a deal just to make headlines," that seems to be what he's getting at.
Proteau wants, needs, "headlines."
That's his concern.
As for us Sabres fans? We know the drill.
Regier will pull something off that no one expected at a time when no one is watching. That's how he rolls.
No cause for concern at this point.
It's the dog days of summer and we're just getting off a week where fans of the big-four North American sports were relegated to MLB's Home Run Derby and All-Star Game, The ESPY's and the International League All-Star Game.
"It’s nearly August, for hockey gods’ sake." cries out Proteau. "Does anyone want to tell Sabres GM Darcy Regier and his Capitals counterpart George McPhee?"
That was the opener to his piece Sabres, Caps must stop standing pat, and Proteau proceeds to bemoan the lack of activity from two teams he says are "doing their best statue impersonations at a time in each team’s history that cries out for at least a modicum of change."
Sabres fans know that goalie Ryan Miller and winger Thomas Vanek are on the block. We also know that Regier is slow, calculated and meticulous when it come to moving pieces. We know that it takes two to tango and that there are many GM's in the league who are just like Regier when it comes to valuing their players.
Therefore, nothing is happening right now with Miller and Vanek and there's the possibility that the Sabres could enter camp with both on the roster. Which, for Proteau, constitutes a "devotion to the core [which] is more than a little curious. It’s bordering on pathological and getting closer to crossing that border with every day of transactional inactivity."
Miller and Vanek are the last two pieces of Regier's "core." And they happen to be the best two players of that underachieving group that havd not gotten past the first round of the playoffs since 2007.
"Loyalty," writes Proteau, "is admirable to a degree, but eventually that attitude turns into organizational inertia and that’s what puts teams in a competitive death spiral."
Proteau is about two years behind his "loyalty" assessment with Regier and the Sabres.
When owner Terry Pegula took over, he allowed Regier to keep his "core" intact and allowed the GM to add whatever pieces that were necessary.
They failed. And Regier's "core" is in the process of being dismantled.
Since their last playoff appearance in 2011, (Pegula's first few months as owner,) only five players who played 60 or more games for the team that year remain with the big-club: Miller, Vanek, Drew Stafford, Tyler Ennis, and Tyler Myers.
Defenseman Mike Weber, forward Patrick Kaleta and back-up goalie Jhonas Enroth, although not playing in 60 games, also played significant roles on the team.
That's a roster turnover of nearly two-thirds in the last two seasons, and of those eight players that are presently on the roster, only three are over the age of 26: Miller (33,) Vanek (29,) and Stafford (27.)
Despite Proteau's claim that the Sabres shouldn't "make a deal just to make headlines," that seems to be what he's getting at.
Proteau wants, needs, "headlines."
That's his concern.
As for us Sabres fans? We know the drill.
Regier will pull something off that no one expected at a time when no one is watching. That's how he rolls.
No cause for concern at this point.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
You can't teach old dogs new tricks, or... (Andrej Sekera, Cody Hodgson, Drew Stafford, Jochen Hecht)
which "core" veterans will be retained?
I like interim head coach Ron Rolston.
I like his attention to detail, I like what he's stressed defensively and I like he work he's done with the players he's been given.
In a very short time he's managed to stabilize a very ugly situation. The team is still blowing leads, still laying an egg from time to time and still playing inconsistent hockey, but there seems to be more of a concerted effort, especially in the defensive zone.
There are still some concerns, like the ability to bury a scoring chance. It's something that's been going on for years. Two nights ago at Winnipeg, forward Thomas Vanek admitted that he could've had at least three, maybe four goals instead of none.
Other areas of concern are poor passing, a tendency to play "too cute," and an anemic powerplay. All of which are intertwined and were at one point getting better. Unfortunately it's gone south.
Rolston walked into a huge headache and he's done admirably thus far. The Sabres have a 10-8-5 record since he took over. Whether or not he'll get another shot next year is up in the air, but one thing we know; the organization is continuing to part ways with the "old dogs" of the team; read GM Darcy Regier's "core" or, as President Ted Black calls them, the "Rochester Guys."
There are only three Sabres left who go back to the first post-lockout season--Vanek, Ryan Miller and Jochen Hecht. Two others, Drew Stafford and Andrej Sekera made their debuts in the 2006/07 season.
How are these "old dogs" doing in the 23 games with Rolston at the helm?
Vanek--14 games played: 4 goals, 4 assists, -2
Hecht--22 GP (one healthy scratch): 3g, 4a, +5
Stafford--21 GP (two healthy scratches): 4g, 2a, -11
Sekera--17 GP: 1g, 7a, +2
Miller--20 GP (one in relief late in the third): 8 wins, 8 losses, 4 OT/SO losses (including the relief appearance) On Feb 21, he had a 2.94 GAA and a .915 Sv%. As of today he has a 2.78 GAA and a .914 Sv.%.
Come June and beyond, it would seem as if more big changes are on the way with the above five players being the focus.
Two of them, Vanek and Miller, have hefty cap-hits for the 2013/14 season,Vanek-$7.1M and Miller $6.25M, and both will be on the last year of those contracts. Both are core players in the middle of their prime and both have said that they're really not looking forward to a long rebuilding process.
About the only difference between the two heading into next season is Miller having a limited no-trade contract. Vanek has not.
One or both may be gone in the off-season, be it an organizational decision or the individual players decision.
Stafford is signed for $4M over the next two seasons. Sekera has a $2.75M cap-hit for two more seasons, but is only due $3.5M in salary over those two seasons.
Hecht will be an unrestricted free agent at seasons' end.
Stafford has had a horrendous season and his name was linked to trade rumors for a month leading up to the April 3 trade deadline. He could find his way to another team for "fresh start."
Sekera is somewhat of a wizard. Some of his plays are so atrocious--like a direct responsibility for both Boston goals in a 2-0 loss, that you want him shipped to the KHL. Yet, he manages to play a good "puckmover" type of game, and the next thing you know he has goals, assists and is in the plus-column.
As for Hecht. As long as Rolston or any other coach uses him in a 4th-line/bottom-six role, his game has worth. Plus he doesn't carry a hefty price-tag anymore.
In addition to the future of interim coach Rolston, question marks abound with the Sabres organization going forward. And that includes the GM position where one could speculate as to whether or not Regier will be in charge of the rebuild. In the past month he has amassed a bevy of picks by trading Jordan Leopold (2013 2nd-rounder) and Robyn Regehr (2014 2nd and 2015 2nd).
He also received a 2013 1st and 2014 2nd from Minnesota for Jason Pominville at the trade deadline. In addition to those two picks he received two mid-upper level prospects: forward Johan Larsson and goalie Matt Hackett.
Senior Advisor Ken Sawyer, owner Terry Pegula's right-hand man, has called Regier a "hockey genius." Based upon the work Regier has done between the 2012 and 2013 trade deadlines, it would be a very accurate statement...at least when it comes to acquiring draft picks and prospects.
But Regier has not made any moves for roster players since Steve Ott came over from Dallas for Derek Roy, which may lead one to believe that Pegula's unsure as to Regier's choice of roster players.
Circling back to the "old dogs" learning Rolston's new tricks, the stat-line for the recently traded Pominville--the captain of "the core"--under Rolston: 20 GP, 3g, 7a, +3.
By comparison, Vanek and Pominville's center through most of the season has been Cody Hodgson. Under Rolston: 22 GP, 6g, 9a, +4.
Hodgson, it should be noted, played 19 games in Rochester with Rolston as head coach. He had 5g, 14a, and was a minus-3.
Which of the veterans will be around at the beginning of next season?
Maybe the first question should be, what kind of player does Pegula want?
Methinks this quote from Pegula's initial presser is the one that should come to the forefront:
It's almost time for a look at who will be a part of the Pegula Rewards Program, 2013.
Addendum
Regier receives a vote of confidence from Black this morning:
“My opinion of Darcy is based on my work history with him, which is two years,” Black said. “That’s how I judge him. I think the opportunities that he’s had, whether it be through free agency to the trade deadlines and the draft, I think he has done well in each of those instances.
“That doesn’t mean that I think Darcy has built a championship team right now since we’ve bought the team. I think he has used those opportunities to improve us.”
I like interim head coach Ron Rolston.
I like his attention to detail, I like what he's stressed defensively and I like he work he's done with the players he's been given.
In a very short time he's managed to stabilize a very ugly situation. The team is still blowing leads, still laying an egg from time to time and still playing inconsistent hockey, but there seems to be more of a concerted effort, especially in the defensive zone.
There are still some concerns, like the ability to bury a scoring chance. It's something that's been going on for years. Two nights ago at Winnipeg, forward Thomas Vanek admitted that he could've had at least three, maybe four goals instead of none.
Other areas of concern are poor passing, a tendency to play "too cute," and an anemic powerplay. All of which are intertwined and were at one point getting better. Unfortunately it's gone south.
Rolston walked into a huge headache and he's done admirably thus far. The Sabres have a 10-8-5 record since he took over. Whether or not he'll get another shot next year is up in the air, but one thing we know; the organization is continuing to part ways with the "old dogs" of the team; read GM Darcy Regier's "core" or, as President Ted Black calls them, the "Rochester Guys."
There are only three Sabres left who go back to the first post-lockout season--Vanek, Ryan Miller and Jochen Hecht. Two others, Drew Stafford and Andrej Sekera made their debuts in the 2006/07 season.
How are these "old dogs" doing in the 23 games with Rolston at the helm?
Vanek--14 games played: 4 goals, 4 assists, -2
Hecht--22 GP (one healthy scratch): 3g, 4a, +5
Stafford--21 GP (two healthy scratches): 4g, 2a, -11
Sekera--17 GP: 1g, 7a, +2
Miller--20 GP (one in relief late in the third): 8 wins, 8 losses, 4 OT/SO losses (including the relief appearance) On Feb 21, he had a 2.94 GAA and a .915 Sv%. As of today he has a 2.78 GAA and a .914 Sv.%.
Come June and beyond, it would seem as if more big changes are on the way with the above five players being the focus.
Two of them, Vanek and Miller, have hefty cap-hits for the 2013/14 season,Vanek-$7.1M and Miller $6.25M, and both will be on the last year of those contracts. Both are core players in the middle of their prime and both have said that they're really not looking forward to a long rebuilding process.
About the only difference between the two heading into next season is Miller having a limited no-trade contract. Vanek has not.
One or both may be gone in the off-season, be it an organizational decision or the individual players decision.
Stafford is signed for $4M over the next two seasons. Sekera has a $2.75M cap-hit for two more seasons, but is only due $3.5M in salary over those two seasons.
Hecht will be an unrestricted free agent at seasons' end.
Stafford has had a horrendous season and his name was linked to trade rumors for a month leading up to the April 3 trade deadline. He could find his way to another team for "fresh start."
Sekera is somewhat of a wizard. Some of his plays are so atrocious--like a direct responsibility for both Boston goals in a 2-0 loss, that you want him shipped to the KHL. Yet, he manages to play a good "puckmover" type of game, and the next thing you know he has goals, assists and is in the plus-column.
As for Hecht. As long as Rolston or any other coach uses him in a 4th-line/bottom-six role, his game has worth. Plus he doesn't carry a hefty price-tag anymore.
In addition to the future of interim coach Rolston, question marks abound with the Sabres organization going forward. And that includes the GM position where one could speculate as to whether or not Regier will be in charge of the rebuild. In the past month he has amassed a bevy of picks by trading Jordan Leopold (2013 2nd-rounder) and Robyn Regehr (2014 2nd and 2015 2nd).
He also received a 2013 1st and 2014 2nd from Minnesota for Jason Pominville at the trade deadline. In addition to those two picks he received two mid-upper level prospects: forward Johan Larsson and goalie Matt Hackett.
Senior Advisor Ken Sawyer, owner Terry Pegula's right-hand man, has called Regier a "hockey genius." Based upon the work Regier has done between the 2012 and 2013 trade deadlines, it would be a very accurate statement...at least when it comes to acquiring draft picks and prospects.
But Regier has not made any moves for roster players since Steve Ott came over from Dallas for Derek Roy, which may lead one to believe that Pegula's unsure as to Regier's choice of roster players.
Circling back to the "old dogs" learning Rolston's new tricks, the stat-line for the recently traded Pominville--the captain of "the core"--under Rolston: 20 GP, 3g, 7a, +3.
By comparison, Vanek and Pominville's center through most of the season has been Cody Hodgson. Under Rolston: 22 GP, 6g, 9a, +4.
Hodgson, it should be noted, played 19 games in Rochester with Rolston as head coach. He had 5g, 14a, and was a minus-3.
Which of the veterans will be around at the beginning of next season?
Maybe the first question should be, what kind of player does Pegula want?
Methinks this quote from Pegula's initial presser is the one that should come to the forefront:
"I want not only statistically good players, but winners, gritty players."Legendary Hall of Fame coach Al Arbour, revered the same qualities in his players as well. When asked by Mark Malinkowski of the Hockey News the people/personality qualities he most admired, Arbour said, "Honesty. The grit. The people who never quit."
It's almost time for a look at who will be a part of the Pegula Rewards Program, 2013.
Addendum
Regier receives a vote of confidence from Black this morning:
“My opinion of Darcy is based on my work history with him, which is two years,” Black said. “That’s how I judge him. I think the opportunities that he’s had, whether it be through free agency to the trade deadlines and the draft, I think he has done well in each of those instances.
“That doesn’t mean that I think Darcy has built a championship team right now since we’ve bought the team. I think he has used those opportunities to improve us.”
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
The charge of the youngins
Darcy Regier made it official today, center Mikhail Grigorenko will be in the lineup tonight vs. Toronto. With the move, the #12 overall draft pick in the 2012 draft will be playing in his sixth game for the Sabres making him ineligible to return to junior.
Barring any changes, the 18 yr. old Grigorenko will be joining 22 yr. old center Cody Hodgson and C Tyler Ennis, 23, to form one of the, if not the, youngest trios of top-three centers in the league.
It's a changing of the guard down the middle for Buffalo.
Regier's old core, or "the Rochester Guys" as President Ted Black called them, is slowly being dismantled. Only one center, Jochen Hecht (who was not a "Rochester Guy" but considered part of the core none the less,) is in the post-Chris Drury/Daniel Briere line up this season. Tim Connolly was not re-signed in 2011, Paul Gaustad was moved at the trade deadline in 2012 and Derek Roy was traded during the 2012 off season.
TJ Brennan will also be on the ice tonight. The 23 yr. old rookie will be making his first appearance this season. He has 11 NHL games to his credit--all from last year--and the Sabres carried him as an eighth defensman rather than risk loosing him to waivers.
He'll be joined on the ice by defenseman Mike Weber. Weber is far from a youngin, but the 25 yr. old only has a total of 132 games in his four seasons with the big club.
Both will be playing different roles for the team.
Buffalo is in need of scoring and they'll be looking to Brennan to help fill that role, especially on the PP where his wicked shot found the back of the net seven times while with Rochester this season. He'll be taking the place of journeyman Alexander Sulzer (healthy scratch) who has performed admirably, but is not considered an offensive threat.
The big, physical Weber will be replacing the big, physical veteran Robin Regehr who has a "lower body injury." He'll looking to bounce back from a very poor 2011/12 campaign which saw his minutes decline along with his plus/minus rating. He was a team worst -19 last season.
Although the team still has some vets in their prime like Thomas Vanek, Jason Pominville, Ryan Miller, Andrej Sekera, they are getting younger.
The 23-and-under brigade features the aforementioned centers--Ennis, Hodgson and Grigorenko--as well as LW Marcus Foligno (21) while Brennan will be joining fellow defenseman Tyler Myers (22) on the back end.
The changing of the guard is in full swing and the new core rising.
Barring any changes, the 18 yr. old Grigorenko will be joining 22 yr. old center Cody Hodgson and C Tyler Ennis, 23, to form one of the, if not the, youngest trios of top-three centers in the league.
It's a changing of the guard down the middle for Buffalo.
Regier's old core, or "the Rochester Guys" as President Ted Black called them, is slowly being dismantled. Only one center, Jochen Hecht (who was not a "Rochester Guy" but considered part of the core none the less,) is in the post-Chris Drury/Daniel Briere line up this season. Tim Connolly was not re-signed in 2011, Paul Gaustad was moved at the trade deadline in 2012 and Derek Roy was traded during the 2012 off season.
TJ Brennan will also be on the ice tonight. The 23 yr. old rookie will be making his first appearance this season. He has 11 NHL games to his credit--all from last year--and the Sabres carried him as an eighth defensman rather than risk loosing him to waivers.
He'll be joined on the ice by defenseman Mike Weber. Weber is far from a youngin, but the 25 yr. old only has a total of 132 games in his four seasons with the big club.
Both will be playing different roles for the team.
Buffalo is in need of scoring and they'll be looking to Brennan to help fill that role, especially on the PP where his wicked shot found the back of the net seven times while with Rochester this season. He'll be taking the place of journeyman Alexander Sulzer (healthy scratch) who has performed admirably, but is not considered an offensive threat.
The big, physical Weber will be replacing the big, physical veteran Robin Regehr who has a "lower body injury." He'll looking to bounce back from a very poor 2011/12 campaign which saw his minutes decline along with his plus/minus rating. He was a team worst -19 last season.
Although the team still has some vets in their prime like Thomas Vanek, Jason Pominville, Ryan Miller, Andrej Sekera, they are getting younger.
The 23-and-under brigade features the aforementioned centers--Ennis, Hodgson and Grigorenko--as well as LW Marcus Foligno (21) while Brennan will be joining fellow defenseman Tyler Myers (22) on the back end.
The changing of the guard is in full swing and the new core rising.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
"It was the Flyers style of play that got me into it."
 |
| Bobby Clarke and Bill Barber are just two Flyers from the 1970's that helped Sabres owner Terry Pegula get into hockey. |
That little nugget from Terry Pegula was culled from a November 30, 2010 piece by the Buffalo News' Bucky Gleason.
It's something that may have been overlooked when first printed, but it's something that may have a long-standing impact upon the team.
Make no mistake, Pegula is the owner. He may have kept GM Darcy Regier on and may have allowed him to stay the course during the transitionary period, but when all's said and done, it's Pegula's vision.
Regier had his chance to prove that his (or was it former owner Tom Golisano and Managing partner Larry Quinn's?) vision was a viable template for building a Cup contender, but it was a failure. As constructed, the team did not have what it took to even make the playoffs with "the core" at the helm. (It should be noted that Lindy Ruff handed over the keys to the team naming all "Rochester Guys" as captains.)
Just as the 2011 off-season was a landmark financial/philosophical departure from the previous regime, the Derek Roy for Steve Ott/Adam Pardy trade should be construed as a harbinger of things to come when it comes to rebuilding the forward group.
Ott is known for his rugged, north-south, work your ass off style of play and would have fit right in with the Flyers of the early/mid 70's. Roy...not so much. And as the team retools, it's Ott's "tough to play against" style that will supplant a group of forwards that was widely regarded as "easy to play against."
Regier was on the right track and the 2009 draft exemplified that. Their three top picks that year, Zack Kassian (#13,) Brayden McNabb (#66,) and Marcus Foligno (#104,) are all big players with various skill levels. And all were brought in because the Sabres were widely regarded as an easy team to play against.
The first one of that group that will probably stick with the team for a full NHL season is Foligno. He's an Ott-type player--rugged, unafraid of the "dirty areas," will get a bloody nose for a goal, nasty on the forecheck. He had a stellar introduction to the NHL--14 games, 6 goals, 7 assists--and was on a line with Tyler Ennis and Drew Stafford that bordered on unstoppable at the end of the season.
And should he settle into a top-nine/top-six role on the team, Foligno would be considered one of the faces of "the new core."
That type of player, one that's tough to play against, would fit into Pegula's vison of a "Flyers style of play" type team that he seems to want.
The Philadelphia Flyers have always been a rugged team--win at all costs, battle every minute, take one on the chin for the team. From the Broadstreet Bullies to today, they've always had an intense forecheck from their forward ranks and they always seemed to draft and/or sign players who used work ethic to enhance their skill level--from Bobby Clarke to John Leclair to Mike Richards to Claude Giroux.
In Sabreland, look no further than the drafting of Zemgus Girgensons as a player in that mold. The team traded up to get him and wasted little time in signing him to his entry level contract.
"The Latvian Locomotive" could easily fit right in with the Flyers organization. As a 2012 draftee (#14,) there's nothing but speculation as to where he'll ultimately end up in the grand scheme of things. But his profile oozes grit and character and is very "uncore-like."
The typical Regierian draftpick in the first round is a "skill player." And they did that with the drafting of center Mikhail Grigorenko (#12, 2012) two spots ahead of Girgensons. Not that Grigorenko is a bad pick. He's a player with top-five talents who dropped to them at #12. They did well by picking him. And Regier did an outstanding job trading up to land a player that was probably number one on their list to begin with in Girgensons.
But if you look at the Regierian "skill" philosophy going back to their first post-lockout draft, "skill" seemed to trump "will" when picking in the first round--Marek Zagrapan (#13, 2005,) Dennis Persson (#24, 2006,) Joel Armia (#16, 2011,) and the aforementioned Grigorenko pick.
The lone departure from the norm was with the pick of "rugged, power forward tough-guy" Kassian in 2009. The fact that he's no longer with the team shows just how ill-prepared the team was when looking towards that type of player.
 |
| The 1975 Stanley Cup Finals Captains: Bobby Clarke (l) and Gilbert Perreault (r) |
This is not to dismiss the "skill" side of the equation either. You realistically can't win the Cup these days with a bunch of muckers and grinders, even with one of the greatest goalies of all time. Skill is a necessary ingredient.
In Gleason's article he also mentioned that Pegula in the mid-70's was torn between the Broadstreet Bullies and the French Connection. "It was the Philadelphia Flyers' style of play that got me into it," Pegula said after presenting Penn State with the largest private gift in the university's history. "Then I moved to Western New York, and I became more or less a Buffalo Sabres fan. ... The Flyers and Sabres played for the Stanley Cup, and it was difficult. I liked both teams."
 |
| The Flyers' Bill Barber (l) and Sabres Gil Perreault at the 1990 Hall of Fame Ceremony. |
It wouldn't be too inconceivable to think that Pegula has a 1975 Stanley Cup Final hybrid in mind when it comes to team-building.
And it goes back to what he said at the press conference February 22, 2011 when he was introduced as the owner of the Sabres, "I want to keep not only statistically good players, but winners, gritty players."
From Foligno's first NHL goal on March 10, to the drafting of Girgensons on June 22, to the July 2 trade for Steve Ott, it would seem as if Pegula's vision is just beginning to take shape. Will he be able to mold a hybrid of his two favorite teams in the 70's?
Only time will tell, but it would seem as if he's directed his charges to begin molding a team that has some tough, old-school, Flyer-like characteristics that he was introduced to in the 70's.
How far they head in that direction is yet to be determined, but we do know one thing, "the core" is being torn down as they add grittier, anti-core players.
And, that's a good thing.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Let's Roll, Big Guy
He's 6'8" tall, comes in at nearly 230 lbs. and can skate like a breeze. Oh, and the Sabres just extended the 21 yr. old to the tune of seven years, $38.5m.
At $5.5m per season for the extension, Tyler Myers is being looked upon as a franchise d-man and with the seven year extension, it makes him a cornerstone of the team well into his prime.
All Sabres fans should welcome this as the beginning of "the new core."
We know what "the core" has done over the last four seasons. With the departures of the co-captains in 2007, the team went two seasons without a playoff appearance and followed it with two seasons of one series and out. No bueno.
Gotta remember, though, those players, Derek Roy, Jason Pomminville, and Thomas Vanek along with guys like Jochen Hecht plus d-men like Brian Campbell and Hank Tallinder were all "new-NHL" babies.
GM Darcy Regier has a penchant for drafting soft-but-skilled players, especially during that time period--the Jim Benning scouting-era. They were also reared in Rochester for the "new-NHL" mostly by Randy Cunneyworth and a little bit by Brian McCutcheon.
With "the new-NHL" history and as the Sabres go full-force into the Terry Pegula-era of new ownership, they'll start with none of the above mentioned, save for Regier. Kevin Devine took over the Amateur Scouting Dept. in 2007, Ron Rolston takes over for Kevin Dineen who took over for Cunneyworth, and Kevyn Adams takes over for the departed McCutcheon. Both Rolston and Adams were brought on board this past off-season.
Tyler Myers, for his part, represents the first long-term commitment by the team to a player drafted by Devine.
We all know the story (I hope.)
Devine and his scouts loved Myers and convinced Regier to go after him. Regier and his counterpart in LA, Dean Lombardi, ended up with a swap of picks for Buffalo to move up one spot and prevent any other team from jumping in to select Myers. Regier made the pick and the rest of history goes like this so far:
When Craig Rivet found himself on the bench more often than not, you had a defense-corp that was full of very young d-men still trying to find their way in the league.
All of that contributed to the dreaded "sophomore slump" he was mired in, but Myers rebounded rather quickly and tallied 10 goals, 14 assists and was a plus-10 in the final 54 games of the season.
With only one year left on his entry-level deal, the clock was ticking for Regier to get him re-signed.
Nothing was mentioned about any negotiations this summer and when word finally leaked, the rumors was that he would be receiving a six or seven year contract for somewhere around $5m. That Regier and the Sabres kept a lid on negotiations is not too surprising, that the deal was amicable and easily reached caught some by surprise.
"We had two sides that wanted to stay together," Myers' agent, J.P. Barry, said [of the deal] by phone [to the Buffalo News', John Vogl]. "Tyler wanted to remain a Sabre, and having this done at an early stage was something that he wanted. He's happy that the club approached him about wanting to do this early."
Done deal. "Tyler ain't goin' nowhere," said Pegula.
It's just another in the long line of things that Pegula and Co. have gotten done in a very short span. "We're investing our hearts," said Pegula at the Myers press conference. "We want to build a team and not only the team, the whole organization, the Sabres are a first class organization and they are going to continue to be. We're walking around here like we're winners, and that's our goal."
The Myers extension represents the team's commitment to keeping their own players, is another example of Pegula reaching deep into his pockets to fill the roster with the best players they can get (and/or keep,) and it continues a definitive departure from the previous regime as the team continues to lock up players long term.
As camp practice begins today and as the team readies for the opening of the season, Tyler Myers will look to continue his development, which has already progressed at a staggering pace.
The only question mark going forward is who he'll be along side him on the top defensive pairing. And if the 2011 portion of last season is any indication, it won't really matter. Myers is primed and ready to roll.
So is Pegulaville.
Other links:
http://sabres.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=588564&navid=DL
BUF
home
http://audio.wgr550.com/a/45191308/tyler-myers-press-conference.htm
http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/columns/bucky-gleason/article558289.ece
http://blogs.buffalonews.com/sabres/2011/09/sabres-myers-finalize-seven-year-extension.html
http://www.wgrz.com/sports/article/134948/4/Pegula-Were-Investing-our-Hearts
At $5.5m per season for the extension, Tyler Myers is being looked upon as a franchise d-man and with the seven year extension, it makes him a cornerstone of the team well into his prime.
 |
| The re-signing of Tyler Myers represents the beginning of "the new core." |
All Sabres fans should welcome this as the beginning of "the new core."
We know what "the core" has done over the last four seasons. With the departures of the co-captains in 2007, the team went two seasons without a playoff appearance and followed it with two seasons of one series and out. No bueno.
Gotta remember, though, those players, Derek Roy, Jason Pomminville, and Thomas Vanek along with guys like Jochen Hecht plus d-men like Brian Campbell and Hank Tallinder were all "new-NHL" babies.
GM Darcy Regier has a penchant for drafting soft-but-skilled players, especially during that time period--the Jim Benning scouting-era. They were also reared in Rochester for the "new-NHL" mostly by Randy Cunneyworth and a little bit by Brian McCutcheon.
With "the new-NHL" history and as the Sabres go full-force into the Terry Pegula-era of new ownership, they'll start with none of the above mentioned, save for Regier. Kevin Devine took over the Amateur Scouting Dept. in 2007, Ron Rolston takes over for Kevin Dineen who took over for Cunneyworth, and Kevyn Adams takes over for the departed McCutcheon. Both Rolston and Adams were brought on board this past off-season.
Tyler Myers, for his part, represents the first long-term commitment by the team to a player drafted by Devine.
We all know the story (I hope.)
Devine and his scouts loved Myers and convinced Regier to go after him. Regier and his counterpart in LA, Dean Lombardi, ended up with a swap of picks for Buffalo to move up one spot and prevent any other team from jumping in to select Myers. Regier made the pick and the rest of history goes like this so far:
- Myers heads back to Kelowna for the 2008/09 season and leads the team to the Western Hockey League Championship while being selected as WHL MVP.
- In 2009, he helped Canada win a Gold Medal at the World Junior Championship. It was his second international gold medal, he won his first in April, 2008 as part of the Canadian IIHF U-18 Championship team
- The Sabres signed him to a two-year entry-level contract in 2009 and after a stellar camp and preseason, the Sabres decided for an extended look into the beginning of the 2009/10 season.
- In an unusual move by the Sabres, they decide to keep him with the big club instead of returning him to junior.
- Myers wins the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year as he helps the team make the playoffs for the first time since 2007.
- After an inauspicious start to the 2010/11 season, Myers rebounds in the second half, along with the team, and the Sabres make a strong push to get into the playoffs again.
When Craig Rivet found himself on the bench more often than not, you had a defense-corp that was full of very young d-men still trying to find their way in the league.
All of that contributed to the dreaded "sophomore slump" he was mired in, but Myers rebounded rather quickly and tallied 10 goals, 14 assists and was a plus-10 in the final 54 games of the season.
With only one year left on his entry-level deal, the clock was ticking for Regier to get him re-signed.
Nothing was mentioned about any negotiations this summer and when word finally leaked, the rumors was that he would be receiving a six or seven year contract for somewhere around $5m. That Regier and the Sabres kept a lid on negotiations is not too surprising, that the deal was amicable and easily reached caught some by surprise.
"We had two sides that wanted to stay together," Myers' agent, J.P. Barry, said [of the deal] by phone [to the Buffalo News', John Vogl]. "Tyler wanted to remain a Sabre, and having this done at an early stage was something that he wanted. He's happy that the club approached him about wanting to do this early."
Done deal. "Tyler ain't goin' nowhere," said Pegula.
It's just another in the long line of things that Pegula and Co. have gotten done in a very short span. "We're investing our hearts," said Pegula at the Myers press conference. "We want to build a team and not only the team, the whole organization, the Sabres are a first class organization and they are going to continue to be. We're walking around here like we're winners, and that's our goal."
The Myers extension represents the team's commitment to keeping their own players, is another example of Pegula reaching deep into his pockets to fill the roster with the best players they can get (and/or keep,) and it continues a definitive departure from the previous regime as the team continues to lock up players long term.
As camp practice begins today and as the team readies for the opening of the season, Tyler Myers will look to continue his development, which has already progressed at a staggering pace.
The only question mark going forward is who he'll be along side him on the top defensive pairing. And if the 2011 portion of last season is any indication, it won't really matter. Myers is primed and ready to roll.
So is Pegulaville.
Other links:
http://sabres.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=588564&navid=DL
BUF
home
http://audio.wgr550.com/a/45191308/tyler-myers-press-conference.htm
http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/columns/bucky-gleason/article558289.ece
http://blogs.buffalonews.com/sabres/2011/09/sabres-myers-finalize-seven-year-extension.html
http://www.wgrz.com/sports/article/134948/4/Pegula-Were-Investing-our-Hearts
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)