Piecing together the curiosity that is Ralph Krueger

Published by hockeybuzz.com, 5-15-2019

Word of a serious Buffalo Sabres coaching candidate came last weekend when Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman tweeted that "Ralph Krueger has a legit shot at Buffalo coaching job." It was a tweet that immediately raised eyebrows in Western New York. The Sabres have been in the market for a head coach ever since GM Jason Botterill fired Phil Housley on April 7. As the big names came and went--from Joel Quenneville to Todd McLellan to Alain Vigneault--and coaches from potential neophytes (Rickard Grönborg) to dinosaurs (Jacques Martin) were checked off for various reasons, the pickin's was getting mighty slim for Buffalo and their timeline getting ever shorter. Botterill, after supposedly going through seven or eight interviews, hired Krueger as the team's 19th head coach.

The whole situation, culminating with the reported hire of Krueger has been something that was pieced together using various sources in the hockey world. Krueger's name had been an outlier from the beginning as it was said that Botterill had interviewed him the last time they were looking for a head coach in 2017, but his name never gathered any steam until the Friedman tweet on Saturday. After that we got word from Pierre LeBrun, who had interviewed him in early April, that Krueger wanted back in the NHL but in more of a front office role. Friedman made an appearance on The Instigators (MSG and WGR550 Radio) on Monday saying the he had people telling him he was "underselling" it and that the talks were "much farther along" than he was reporting." And finally, TSN's Bob McKenzie tweeted out late last night, "As Friedman first suggested/speculated, Krueger will indeed be the next head coach in Buffalo."

So the coaching search is over, but what exactly did the Sabres get in deal?

First off, it was reported that Botterill was looking for someone with NHL head coaching experience, perhaps that's the reason a fan-favorite like Grönborg ended up signing a deal to coach Switzerland's ZSC Lions. The only head coach of interest with NHL experience right now is Dave Tippett, whom some have suggested might be a fit in Edmonton with the Oilers. The 59 yr. old Krueger does have that NHL experience, albeit rather minimal. He coached the Oilers during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season and compiled a 19-22-7 record before being fired by new GM Craig MacTavish and  many now believe he got a raw deal and the classlessness was exacerbated by a "blindsided" firing over Skype.

Defense. Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes. Plus, lookin' for another top-six LW

Published by hockeybuzz.com, 6-29-2017


From Edmonton to Buffalo moves altering the course of the Buffalo Sabres upcoming season, but the big move new GM Jason Botterill needs to make to really get things rolling probably won't happen this off season.

Defense, defense, defense.

The Sabres don't exactly have a top-five defense-corps in the league which leaves them looking to upgrade, especially filling a top-pairing need next to RHD, Rasmus Ristolainen. Botterill was able to fortify his lower pairings a bit with the signings of Victor Antipin, the trade for Nathan Beaulieu and the re-signing of Taylor Fedun. That trio adds plenty of depth from for new head coach Phil Housley to work with, but a top-four of Ristolainen, Beaulieu, Zach Bogosian and Jake McCabe isn't close to what he worked with in Nashville last season.

It will take time. And for those who are looking for a jolt this July 1, you can pretty much fuggedaboutit. The top two free agent d-men on the market are Kevin Shattenkirk and Karl Alzner both of whom will collect huge paychecks on long-term deals despite flaws in their games. Buffalo could be in the running if Botterill was willing to go above and beyond an expected overpayment for both, but despite plenty of room under the cap this year, it wouldn't seem as if it's in his blood to reach like that.

So the Sabres look to be headed into the off season, and possibly into training camp as well, with a defense corps as is. One possible addition, as mentioned here a couple of weeks ago, is that of soon to be free agent defenseman Will Butcher who's opting to go to free agency August 15 instead of signing with the team that drafted him. In a quick blurb I mentioned that having an opportunity in Buffalo to play under a coach like Housley who values puck-movers might pique his interest. Even if the Sabres were to land him, his impact, if any, wouldn't be felt for a few years as Butcher will probably need a couple years of seasoning for his development.


*****

Speaking of development, Botterill released player development coach Randy Cunneyworth two days ago.

After leaving the Rochester Americans in 2008 to pursue an NHL coaching career, Cunneyworth was brought back in 2015 as player development coach. He spent the 2015-16 season coaching in Rochester before going back to his previous position.

From 2015 to 2017 the Amerks were near the bottom of the league although the players that were brought up to Buffalo seemed to be well prepared for the NHL game. Unfortunately none were able to have an impact for the Sabres.

Botterill also released pro scout Jon Christiano. The Buffalo native had been with the Sabres since 1997 and spent three years as Director of Pro Scouting under GM Darcy Regier.

Also dismissed was amateur scout Kevin Prendergast who came on board in 2013.

Owner Terry Pegula and Botterill have slowly been purging the hockey department to start anew. Cunneyworth, Christiano and Prendergast join scouting director Rob Murphy, director of amateur scouting Greg Royce, pro scout Jim Kovachik and amateur scouts Keith Hendrickson and Brandon Jay as those on the outs since Pegula fired GM Tim Murray and head coach Dan Bylsma.


*****

The hockey world just got a major jolt yesterday when word got out that Edmonton Oilers phenom Connor McDavid is looking at a contract extension that will have a cap-hit over $13 million. McDavid is entering the final year of his entry-level deal and the Oilers aren't messing around.

And they shouldn't.

McDavid just finished his sophomore season as the only 100-point player in the league and captained his Oilers team to Game-7 of the Western Conference Finals. He also backed up the truck at the NHL Awards Show in Las Vegas last week. He took home the Art Ross Trophy (leading scorer,) Hart Trophy (league MVP,) and the Ted Lindsay Award as the leagues top player voted by his peers.

The shockwaves rattled rinks all the way to Buffalo as the Sabres and Jack Eichel are said to be talking about a contract extension. Eichel was taken second-overall behind McDavid in the 2015 NHL Draft and although he's had two real good seasons on a team that was in the 'build' stage of rebuild, his 113 points (48+65) in 142 games aren't on the same level as McDavid's 148 (46+102) in 127 games. However, there's still plenty of untapped upside for Eichel which is why his next contract could be in the $8-9 million/season range.

They're two different players with enormous talents who came into the leagued in two different situations. Both will forever be tied to the whole 2015 "McEichel" Draft and will be compared from a points, salary and impact perspective.

The Sabres are lucky to have Eichel and it might be in everyone's best interest to get him signed long-term. They could fool around with a three-year bridge contract that could possibly extend his stay in Buffalo to 11 years if they went max contract thereafter. Or they could just come together on an eight-year deal and save everyone the worry.


*****

Word on the street is that the Sabres are losing a goalie prospect but gaining a veteran backup in net.

To no one's surprise, Sabres prospect Cal Petersen (2013, 129th-overall) is not signing in Buffalo but instead will be headed to Los Angeles. Although nothing can be announced until Saturday, July 1, reports have Petersen and the Kings agreeing to a contract.

Petersen opted to forgo his senior season at Notre Dame to turn pro and the Sabres had nearly all of June to sign him but he elected to become a free agent.

The loss of Petersen effectively jumbled the goalie depth-chart as Buffalo was missing a piece. The two givens were that Robin Lehner is the Sabres starter and Jonas Johansson will be starting his first full North American pro season in Rochester. Linus Ullmark, whom Botterill effectively kept from Las Vegas in the expansion draft, could have been Lehner's backup had Petersen signed with Buffalo.

But our very own Buffalo 39 mentioned a couple days ago that the Sabres and former goalie Chad Johnson were in talks and word on the street is that Johnson will be back in Buffalo next season. Having him behind Lehner means that Ullmark goes back to Rochester as their starter for the second consecutive season.

Which is a good thing.

Goalies need reps and Ullmark will get a lot of them with the Amerks. The move also bodes well for Johansson who can get eased into the North American pro game.

Losing Petersen is a downer as he has legit No. 1 potential, but the Sabres will need to make lemonade.


*****

The Sabres, as mentioned above, could use a top-pairing defenseman but the could also use help on the wing in the top-six. And, as luck would have it, this isn't a particularly strong free agent class at LW.

The list at left wing is topped by veteran forward Patrick Marleau. However reports have him not wanting to leave San Jose and if he does, he wants to stay on the West Coast as to not disrupt his family.

After that the Sabres could, and should, have of some interest in Thomas Vanek.

Since being traded by Buffalo in October, 2013, Vanek has been wandering around the league. Vanek was traded by the NY Islanders to the Montreal Canadiens that same season then signed a two-year deal with the Minnesota Wild as a free agent. He signed a one-year, $2.6 million deal with the Detroit Red Wings last off season and was traded to Florida at the trade deadline March 1.

During this sojourn, word came out that Vanek's name appeared on a list in a Rochester, NY gambling sting and he apparently lost millions of dollars. With Pegula touting virtues like character and his Murray-firing presser, Vanek might not fit into what he wants moving forward. Yet you can't deny that Vanek still has the chops. Last season he scored 17 goals and added 31 assists in 68 games for Detroit and Florida. Those 48 points would have placed him third on the Sabres in scoring behind only Eichel and Ryan O'Reilly. He also lead the league in the shootout going a perfect 5 for 5.

Speaking of gambling, the Sabres could also look into signing former first-overall pick Nail Yakupov to a "show me" contract. Yakupov has been set adrift after four years with the Oilers and one season in St. Louis. It would be a low-risk/high-reward scenario for the Sabres but most feel that the upside just isn't there as there's a disconnect with him and the NHL game.

Finally, maybe we should keep an eye on winger Beau Bennett who was the 20th-overall pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2010 when Botterill was in the front office.

The 6'2" 207 lb. Bennett is listed as a right-winger but can play either side.

Of course if Buffalo's own Tyler Ennis could return to form, it would eliminate the need for a top-six left-winger. Ennis' last two seasons have been dismal as he's had injury problems and just could never get into the flow of things. The Edmonton, Alberta native has only eight goals and 16 assist while playing in only 84 games the last two seasons.

As of right now the Sabres have only one legit top-six left wing in Evander Kane. He'll be entering the final year of his contract with questions as to whether or not there will be an extension for him this off season. There's been speculation that the Sabres would be trading him, but Pierre LeBrun told the WGR afternoon guys yesterday that Botterill is listening but not actively shopping Kane.

On the expansion draft and losing talent. Plus other tidbits.

Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com


Even though it's at least a year away, NHL expansion has been on the minds of many, including yours truly. And with expansion comes an expansion draft where the new franchise will pluck one player from  every NHL team to get the ball rolling for them.

Last week we went through that scenario as if it were to happen this year and threw out players to be protected. We put together a core group, and then had at it as to who would be left unprotected under one of two scenarios. It made for great back and forth as to who outside of the obvious might be protected as well as which protection plan might be better suited for the Buffalo Sabres at this juncture:  Protecting seven forwards and three defensemen or eight skaters.

Regardless of what happens next off-season, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First off, the NHL set up a 32-team league when it realigned the divisions and conferences for the start of the 2013-14 season. In moving the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets from the west, rightfully so based upon simple geography, it created unbalanced conferences. There are two holes out west that need to be filled and one of them will be filled by Las Vegas. More than likely they will be the first expansion team to join the NHL since the Jackets and Nashville Predators did so in 2000 (for an $80M expansion fee.)

The other spot is up in the air right now as the other front-runner--Quebec City, Quebec--is barely being mentioned at this time. Although they want back in, and will be ready to hit the ground running, the $500M US price tag is steep especially with the Canadian dollar slumping. As of right now, investors in Quebec will need to fork out around $650M when factoring the exchange rate.

Darcy Regier and his seeds scattered in the wind

Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com


Former Sabres GM Darcy Regier signing on with the Arizona Coyotes, and like seeds flying in the wind, he and his former core landed all over the place the last few days.

Regier signed a multi year deal to become Senior Vice President and Assistant GM in Arizona. He'll have his hands in every aspect of the hockey operations department.

'Yotes GM Don Maloney has known Regier for a long time and considers him "his closest friend on the management side of the NHL" according to Sarah McClellan of azcentral.com.

Said Maloney of the hire, "He's done it all. If you think about the experience he's had over the last 17 years in Buffalo, everything from great success, Stanley Cup final, bankruptcy, coming out of that. There was a point at the end where there were limited resources. So there's nothing he hasn't seen or done or tried."

Loading up for the "McDavid Sweepstakes" with the Isles 2015 first rounder a possibility for Buffalo

Word on the street is that the 2015 NHL Draft is looking to be a good one and as luck would have it, the Buffalo Sabres now own three first round picks in that draft.

Yesterday the NY Islanders made two very big announcements. The first was that they re-signed goaltender Jaroslav Halak to a 4 yr./$18M contract.

Isles GM Garth Snow sent a 2014 fourth round pick to Washington for Halak on May 1 to stabilize his goaltending situation.

He followed the Halak extension with an announcement that the team would send their 2015 first round pick to Buffalo to complete the Thomas Vanek trade.

What Sabres fans can take away from the first round of the 2014 playoffs

The St. Louis Blues were like Sabres

The St. Louis Blues were ousted by the defending Stanley Cup Champs in six games. In addition to former Sabre Ryan Miller, who was a 2014 trade deadline acquisition by St. Louis, three other former Sabres were on that team:  Steve Ott, Jordan Leopold and Derek Roy.

There's a possibility that none will there next season. Miller, Ott and Roy are all UFA's while Leopold has one more year remaining on his contract that pays him $2.5M.

Although Leopold probably will be back, at least until the trade deadline, he really didn't do much of anything in his bottom-pairing role. He's an average player with average size and average skating ability that doesn't add a specific quality to the team. Vanilla, just like in Buffalo.

As for the others, Roy was a healthy scratch for two games and invisible for the four he played in. In typical fashion, when the heat was turned up, Roy folded. Which was exactly what he did for the Sabres.

Ott was the player that he is--a third line pest--which was fine until the final game when he got smoked by the highly skilled Hawks. Too many penalties and the injury to David Backes had him on the ice way too often throughout the series. It shows just how little talent Buffalo had when they were using Ott in a top-six role.

Although he could be back, Ott might better serve himself with a third-line role on a better team at a discount to his $3.2M salary or in a larger role on a lesser team for more money.

If this report is true, thank you Thomas Vanek

According to the Long Island Newsday, NY Islanders GM Garth Snow reportedly made a substantial offer to former Sabre/present Islander Thomas Vanek which is  "believed to be in the same range as Vanek's current seven-year, $50 million deal."

The report states that Vanek rejected it.

Which is great news for the Buffalo Sabres.

On Vanek, The Buffalo News and McDavid

Former Buffalo Sabres winger Thomas Vanek hit the ice last night for his new team, the NY Islanders. He did not hit the scoresheet, but was credited with one shot, two hits and 19 minutes of ice-time as the Isles dropped a 3-2 decision to the cross-town rival Rangers.

No reason to fret, Isles fans. Soon enough he'll show that he actually has some wheels, can back-check, won't be found cheating in the defensive zone and will be putting up points in bunches.

That's the way he rolls.

When all things come together, Vanek will marvel fans with his slapshot, tip-ins and deft passing and he will look as if he should be one of the highest paid players in the league. Then...

Usually around this time he'll slip into a slump, probably because a nagging injury that will keep him in and out of the line up short-term.

That's Thomas Vanek and that's why I'm glad that he reportedly rejected a Sabres offer to make him the highest paid player in the league.

Thank you, Thomas. You go follow that money trail somewhere else.


The Buffalo News still hating on Regier.

The above link on the offer to Thomas Vanek from the Sabres came from the Buffalo News' Jon Vogl, a good solid hockey writer.

But.

What seemed to do was subtly take a swipe at the Sabres organization. Not to defend what GM Darcy Regier has done at times, but this was a good move. Clearly Vanek didn't want to stay in Buffalo during a long rebuild. Here's what he wrote:

"Thomas Vanek could have been paid handsomely to stay in Buffalo. A source, in fact, says the Sabres were willing to make him the highest-paid player in the NHL.

He'd rather win than take part in a rebuild, which has been his message since last season."

Of course he would, Jon. What player worth his salt wouldn't? At the end of the season, Vanek will be able to make money and pick his team.

It could be that I took it all wrong with that Vogl line, but there's no mistaking what Bucky Gleason of the News' was getting at when he penned, Good Vanek deal won't cover Regier' mistakes.

The Ol' Buckster busted out the knitting needles once again. The wanna-be GM/Sports writer who has "all the answers" finally, begrudgingly gave Regier some credit. Only it was cloaked in a piece that continues to dredge up mostly some bad moments in Regier's 17-year history as GM of the Sabres.

He writes that he could "do this (rag on Regier) all day." Yes, Buckster, we know that, you've been doing it for years now. And there's a lot that's agreeable about your ragging, pre-2012.

But may I add, Bucky, the "good Vanek trade" was after the:

• Great Pominville trade and
• Pretty Damn Good Leopold and Regehr trades and
• the Solid Roy trade and
• the Very, Very Good, Possible Steal, Hodgson trade and
• the Unfathomably Lopsided, Freakin' Awesome Gaustad trade

Owner Terry Pegula doesn't care about anything before February 22, 2011. He and his charges are taking a mulligan on the foolishness that transpired between then and April, 2012.

Sorry Buckster. Get over yourself. This is the direction the team is going and Regier's in charge of the return on his core players. It's all Pegula cares about right now.

Fret not thou, thy champion of the Bucky Gleason Knitting Society, Regier will be gone soon enough. After he's finished dismantling his core while hording two more years of draft picks.


TSN's McKenzie:  The rest of the (Vanek/Moulson) story.

There was more to the Vanek/Matt Moulson trade that met the eye.

Accoding to TSN's Bob McKenzie, the Buffalo Sabres will retain a portion of Vanek's salary as part of the deal with the NY Islanders. The amount is somewhere around $1.4m.

In addition, McKenzie reported that the 2014 1st round pick the Sabres are to receive is conditional.

Isles GM Garth Snow protected himself:  if the Islanders finish in the bottom-10 in the league, they will have the option "to defer the first round pick to 2015."

There's not a Sabres' fan around that wouldn't mind defering. They want the opportunity to possibly gain another first round pick in the 2015 draft. The Connor McDavid Draft, so to speak.


Looking ahead to the 2015 Draft (yes, already.)

With the Sabres falling to the bottom of the heap this season, unless something weird happens, they will end up with at least a top-five and probably will end up in the top-three pick in the 2014 draft.

Even though it's said to be a thin draft, there is almost always high quality at the very top of the every draft.

But, 2015 has phenom Connor McDavid.

Yeah, yeah, you might say. There's always a lot of hype for a top pick in any sport.

When it comes to hockey, though, they're usually right. When the scouts say this guy will be next in line after Sidney Crosby and Mario Lemieux--a franchise altering center--they're usually on target or really not that far off if they miss.

The National Post covered McDavid as he skated with some of the NHL's best back in August. The overall feeling on McDavid was amazement with the question, "How old is this kid?"

He's 16 yrs. old and he has a good opportunity to make Canada's World Junior Team. If he does make it he will join the likes of joining Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby, Eric Lindros, Jason Spezza and Jay Bouwmeester.

Scouts have been marvelling at McDavid's skills and although his 5'11" 170 frame will need to fill out a bit, Kris Baker of sabresprospects.com thinks it will and projects McDavid at about 6', 190 lbs. "He'll be like MacKinnon," he said. MacKinnon is presently 6' 185 lbs.

Sounds good to me.

With the Sabres in rebuild mode, maybe it's time to start thinking about stockpiling up some 2015 1st-rounders to increase the odds of landing him.

Thomas Vanek traded to the Islanders for two draft picks and some Moulson

Last night Buffalo Sabres GM, Darcy Regier, announced that the team had traded forward Thomas Vanek to the NY Islanders for winger Matt Moulson, a 1st-round pick in 2014 and a 2nd-rounder in 2015.

The Sabres are once again stocking up on top-60 draft picks. This will be the third year in a row that they've had two first rounders and as of right now they're slated to have three second rounders from 2013-2015. Also, as of right now, they will have drafted or are slated to draft 17 players in the first two rounds over a four year period from 2012-2015.

As for Vanek, despite being named co-captain, he looked pretty much disinterested throughout this season, although he did manage four goals and nine points through 13 games.

His disenchantment easily dates back to the trade of his friend and neighbor, Jason Pominville, to Minnesota at the 2013 trade deadline and it's possible it goes back even further to when Pominville was named team captain in 2011.

Vanek was, and always has been very tight-lipped about his future. Very business-like. When he was up for his contract back in 2007, he and his agent said very little and he ended up signing that $50m offer-sheet from Edmonton.

The same situation was rearing it's ugly head now and the Sabres wisely decided to move the talented winger.

There were no guarantees he'd re-sign with the team and rather than let him walk at the end of the season, they moved him to Long Island. Which turns out to be a surprising trade. Albeit only somewhat of a surprise from the NY Islanders perspective.

With the Islanders defense and goaltending highly questionable, it was widely assumed that the Isles, if they  were interested in anything from Buffalo, would be looking at goalie Ryan Miller.

Those were two areas of concern that they need to address if they want to take the next step in the playoffs. The other, less well known area according to Jeff Capellini of CBS, NY, was "finding a true sniper to play with John Tavares."

Although Moulson is a proven 30-goal scorer playing mostly with Tavares, "Vanek is a world class player."

Capellini goes on to write that, yes, Moulson wass a fan favorite, but the trade "was the type of game-changing decision that this fan base had demanded for a very long time."

" I believe," he continued, "when the fans get over the fact that a player they had nothing but love and respect for is gone and a player who has flat-out stellar first-line sniper ability is accepted, they’ll be happier and see the bigger picture."

Although Moulson is not a top-line winger, he does have attributes that fit in with what the Sabres organization is trying to build. Said Regier at the presser, "Matt is a goal scorer and plays in the hard areas." And despite the fact that his scoring can mostly be attributed to playing with Tavares, the fact that he's had three 30-goal seasons shows he can finish, which is something that's been lacking in Buffalo for a while now.

Make no mistake, Moulson may not be the answer moving forward. In fact, most think the the impending UFA will make for a great trade deadline chip for another high pick and/or prospect, leaving the team with plenty of wiggle room.

According to Newsday, Long Island, Moulson was looking for a long-term contract and was miffed that nothing had transpired, especially in light of the long-term Josh Bailey and Travis Hamonic contracts.

And, Capellini writes, "Moulson was likely going to look for a hefty payday in the off season, one that would have challenged Tavares’ yearly income. The Islanders were never going to give a largely one-dimensional offensive player that kind of coin."

Snow thinks his team is better than they've been performing and that they "needed to take the next step. [Vanek] is an elite player in this league and he'll help us now and in the future."

That "in the future" part suggests that they're looking at Vanek as more than just a four month rental.

The Austrian-born sniper finally has a #1 center to work with and sparks should fly. If he can put some serious numbers, he just might like it on the island, and re-sign long term with the Islanders instead of heading west to Minnesota, his rumored destination this off season.

That's the gamble they took. But it's a good trade for them, even with giving up the picks. They've been rebuilding for a long time and they're tired of picks.

All-in-all it's a great trade for the Sabres for what they're doing and for the Islanders, it could turn out to be a great one as well.

And Darcy Regier continues to dismantle his core for a handsome sum.

Lower salary cap this season putting the cabosh on a possible Vanek trade

It's a given that Sabres forward Thomas Vanek is a goal-scorer and that any team looking to enhance their Stanley Cup aspirations wouldn't think twice about adding him to their roster.

Although he's off to a slow start this season, last year he was on a 40-goal pace.

Prior to the lockout-shortened 2013 season he averaged almost 33 goals/season and scored 40 goals twice. His lowest goal total over that seven year span was 25 in his rookie season.

Unfortunately this is not the ideal year for a goal-scorer like Vanek, who's on the last year of his contract at a $7M+ cap hit, to land on a team that's close to the Cup.

The salary cap dropping to $64M from last year's $70M totally screwed the rebuilding Sabres and their hopes for trading the veteran winger as a rental.

That $6M in extra buying power would have a number of teams able to afford his services.

Cup favorite San Jose and perennial Cup contender Detroit would have had the room at last year's cap ceiling, but are up against the cap right now.

The big splash, normally free spending NY Rangers, the powerhouse Chicago Blackhawks, the aging yet still Cup-contending Vancouver Canucks as well as Atlantic division foe Boston would give serious consideration to adding a bonafide top-line winger at $7m.

But the most cap space any of those teams have is around $1.2m.

With all the big suitors forced on the sidelines because of cap constraints, Sabres GM Darcy Regier finds himself in a real bind. He has more of a commodity in Vanek than he had in Jason Pominville last season, but possible destinations for Vanek are minimal at best right now.

As the year wears on, teams will undoubtedly have different cap numbers and at the trade deadline more possibilities should open up. But the waiting game is a somewhat dangerous proposition in that one never knows what the future holds for either Vanek or potential suitors as well.

Vanek is off to a slow start scoring only two goals in the first 10 games. Not that anyone who has watched him over the years would be concerned. Somehow he'll manage to get hot and put the puck in the net, even if it's on a woeful team that has managed to score a total of 12 goals in 10 games thus far.

Ultimately, injuries could be a big part of the equation from now until the trade deadline for both Vanek and any potential suitor.


Forward Martin Havlat
has scored 15 goals in 79 games
for the Sharks.



On the plus side for the Sabres is their ability and willingness to absorb a portion of his salary plus the cap-space to take back salary from a potential trade partner.



For instance.



The San Jose Sharks exit in last season's playoffs was largely due to lack of scoring as they lost a second round series to the Los Angeles Kings. They scored a total of 10 goals in the seven game series, seven over the last five games. With the series tied 2-2, they were shut out in game five, scored two goals in a game-six win and one goal in the deciding game loss.



Martin Havlat was the Sharks top-line LW heading into the playoffs last season, but was injured and only played in two playoff games registering zero points. He makes $5.1m and is recovering from off season surgery (he's presently skating with the team, although some might think that he really isn't needed)

A Vanek for Havlat trade certainly would be intriguing for the Sharks. They'd get themselves an upgrade on the top line with a proven playoff scorer. 

Only a willingness on the part of the Sabres to eat a portion of Vanek's salary plus the space for Havlat's salary would make for a good base to start trade talks.

As the season wears on, and we get to the trade deadline, more options will be available as teams will be able to absorb more of a cap hit.



Sabres forward Thomas Vanek's time
in Buffalo is coming to a close.

Both Chicago and Vancouver have just over $1m in cap space right now. At the deadline, according to capgeek they may be able to absorb an annual average salary of just over $5.6m.



Although it's doubtful Buffalo will get a haul like they did last season with Pominville, they should be able to add at least a first rounder plus another pick and/or prospect. Which is just fine for a rebuilding club like the Sabres who have no chance of re-signing Vanek.

The time certainly is right, and has been right for months now, to move Vanek, unfortunately for the Sabres, the timing is really off.

Thomas Vanek showing signs of unease already?

As a long time Sabres' beat reporter for WGR, Paul Hamilton is pretty astute.

Through hundreds of interviews over the years he's been able to cut through coach-speak and player-talk to get and the root of where an individual is at mentally.

Which makes his latest piece on Sabres winger Thomas Vanek a bit troubling.

Hamilton writes that Vanek is not thrilled to be on the right wing for the Sabres at Day-2 of training camp. 'I have to be open to it,' said Vanek. It was their first day on the ice and head coach Ron Rolston put him on the right wing with recently inked center Cody Hodgson and young left winger Marcus Foligno.

Said Rolston of the line:  "We like [Vanek and Hodgson] together for sure. They were good last year. I think Cody can make plays, [has] really good vision and obviously [Vanek's] a good finisher. Right now we've got Marcus there to provide some heavy hockey on the wing. Hopefully Marcus can come in and continue to play that way, be physical and make some space for those guys."

Vanek is entering his eighth NHL season and as a veteran he's earned the right to play at a position he's more comfortable with. 'If I had a choice I'd rather play left because it's always what I've played,' he said in the Hamilton piece.

But here's the rub.

Foligno's future is just beginning in Buffalo. Vanek's future is more than likely somewhere else playing for another team.

Just as Vanek has said he's keeping his options open during the last year of his contract in Buffalo, so are the Sabres keeping their options open for the development of their assets.

It's no longer how the Sabres with Thomas Vanek will approach the season. It's more how the Sabres will approach the season as they transition away from Vanek on the team.

Throughout the whole process of Vanek entering the final year of his contract in Buffalo the star winger has been detached and business-like. Which is fine because professional sports is a business.

But sometimes emotions seep through the words, and in this case Vanek seems to be showing signs of disenchantment bordering on whining, 'We'll see,' he said. 'I guess I'm playing the right as of right now, which is something new for me so I guess I'll have to worry about myself right now.'

Worry about himself.

Just like he did when he signed that 7yr./$50M offer sheet in 2007.

Or his mention recently about how he's approaching the possibility of re-signing in Buffalo, 'I just want to see where it goes. I have that right, and I’m taking it. I don’t feel like I’m doing a disservice to anyone. Some people might agree with me, some don’t. That’s the way it goes either way.'

Or like he said over the summer while in Minnesota, "you'd like to be on a team where you feel like going into camp you're contending. Right now in Buffalo we're rebuilding which is not the best case scenario for me."

Or like back in April when he said ,"yeah, I’ve thought about [being traded]. If it looks like it’s a long rebuild, then it probably makes sense for both parties to move on.”

Agreed.

It would seem as if Vanek checked out a while ago and is ready to move on. And for their part, the Sabres look to be moving on from him as well as indicated by placing young left winger Marcus Foligno at his natural left wing position.

If the situation dictates a short-term vet be placed somewhere other than his accustomed position, so be it.

It's just business.

Notes as the Sabres ready themselves to hit the ice. Cody Hodgson extended

It's time.

Let the hockey season begin.

A few notes as the Sabres hit the ice today for the first time as the second day of training camp gets under way.

But first, the Sabres and Cody Hodgson have agreed to a contract extension. The 23 yr. old center signed a reported 6yr./$25.5M contract yesterday for a cap-hit of $4.25M.

The pros and cons of the long-term deal are many and will undoubtedly be hashed out and beaten to death for years to come. That's simply the way things work in Sabretown.

With the six-year commitment from Buffalo, Sabres GM Darcy Regier and his staff look at Hodgson as a top-six, potential top-line, center for years to come. Hodgson showed great chemistry in the offensive zone with bonafide top-line winger Thomas Vanek.

In the 68 games since coming to the Sabres from Vancouver, Hodgson has 18 goals and 24 assists for .62 pts/game.

But, on the negative side his plus/minus for Buffalo is minus-11. Which brings us the cons.

Matthew Coller of WGR wrote an extensive piece about Hodgson's defensive lapses using a boatload of advanced stats and concludes, "by all statistical measures, he was one of the worst defensive players in the NHL." He also throws in a couple of videos to stress his point.

Nothing earth-shattering. Even Canucks GM Mike Gillis openly admitted that he hid Hodgson's defensive shortcomings and anyone who has watched the Sabres for any length of time will tell you that he needs some serious work in the defensive zone. Something that's not lost on Hodgson.

One should also not dismiss Hodgson's skill and vision on the ice, though. Nor should one dismiss his realtively young age. Nor should one dismiss his commitment to an off season conditioning  program which keeps him in top shape. Regier said that Hodgson has been working with Sabres skating coach Dawn Braid this summer in addition to his annual visit to Gary Roberts' camp.

The skill is there and the dedication seems to be there as well, which makes for a real solid contract, if not steal, down the road.

Hodgson is a very good player right now and seems like a pretty solid character-guy. After travelling from Vancouver to Buffalo to Rochester and back to Buffalo in a matter of 10 months, Hodgson must be pretty happy to establish some roots for the next six years.

For the Sabres, at the very least they have themselves a solid #2 center who should be good for around 60 points per season at a $4.25M cap-hit within an eventual $70-80M salary cap.

Which is a pretty good deal for all parties involved.

***

The Sabres have four players signed long-term, Hodgson, Ville Leino, Christian Ehrhoff and Tyler Myers.

Leino and Ehrhoff were signed at the start of free agency in 2011 while Myers signed an extension later in that off season.

Myers has seen his confidence and performance decline since he won the Calder Cup in 2010 when he was partnered with Henrik Tallinder (Ryan Miller won the Vezina that same year.)

Tallinder was allowed to walk in the 2010 off season (of which owner Terry Pegula was said to term the departure as "unbelievable,") which may or may not have affected Myers' play. But the team thought it would be advantageous to bring Tallinder back and made a trade with New Jersey to get him.

The tall, lanky former 2nd-round pick for Buffalo (1997) came to the defense of his former d-partner, "I think Tyler is an exceptional young man and player," Tallinder said. "When he came in his first year, I've never seen a guy that talented and that good at that age. Or very few of them, that I"ve played with at least. I think he's still young. I think you guys have been pretty hard on him too. He's going to be an exceptionally good player still. Just give him time. Let him play."

Oddly enough, Sabres head coach Ron Rolston has Myers paired with Ehrhoff to start camp while Tallinder will be with rookie defenseman Mark Pysyk.

Tallinder should prove to be a steadying force for a very young Buffalo Sabres squad and looks to be a very busy man.

In addition to helping Myers mature, he'll be mentoring Pysyk and bestowing fatherly advice on fellow Swede, goalie Jhonas Enroth.

Who knows, if he's healthy, maybe he'll even get some 2nd-pairing minutes.


***

This will be Rolston's first full season behind the bench for Buffalo and his first NHL training camp.

Among the things he mentioned:

• Forward Tyler Ennis, whom Rolston likes at center, will start the season on left wing. Mikhail Grigorenko will join Hodgson down the middle
• He and his staff will decide the captain, not the players, and they will take their time
• All players look to be healthy, including Leino who's coming off of hip surgery, save for Chad Rhuwedel. The defenseman suffered an upper-body injury at Traverse City and is day-to-day

On his coaching staff, Rolston said "It was an interesting process. It was the first time I've constructed a staff of this magnitude."

Two of his assistants, Joe Sacco and Jerry Forton were professional acquaintances.

On Sacco who was hired July 2, Rolston emphasized his experience and success as a head coach (Jack Adams candidate with Colorado.) He talked about Sacco's work ethic, knowledge of the game and his communication skills who has been with young teams and knows how to develop them.

Rolston had known recent hire Forton for years through college connections. Forton, he said, "has a lot of character, a lot of integrity and a tremendous passion for the game. He shows a lot of grit as a person overall.

The final thing, which is probably most important, is he's an outstanding communicator and relationship-builder."

Forton will be up in the pressbox replacing Teppo Numminen.

Numminen has been up in the press box for the Sabres for two years and will now be on the bench.

Rolston said that Numminen wasn't in as prominent a position before as he will be now. "He'll be running the defensive core and he'll be working with our powerplay," said Rolston. "He in the position now where he'll be able to make a big difference for our hockey team."

Defense and powerplay? With the performance of the team in those two areas over the years, I'd say Numminen has his work cut out for him.


***

Regier took to the podium and talked about impending free agents Thomas Vanek and Ryan Miller.

Not much needs to be said. Everyone's in a holding pattern, just like the league in general when it comes to player movement.

Late July, after second-tier free agent signings, and August are usually devoid of player movement and this summer was no exception. Especially with the salary cap diving to $64M from $70M.

Regier said the trade-window was "closed right now" and that he doesn't expect much to happen on that front until the deadline approaches.

Vanek addressed the issue in his cold, business-like fashion (which isn't necessarily a bad thing.) He basically said that he was here as a Buffalo Sabre and from his standpoint he'd like to see where this rebuild goes before talking extension. And he expects the Sabers to take the same approach.

Vanek has said before that he likes to keep his options open.

As for Miller, he was a bit warmer to Buffalo and the thought of an extension, "Darcy [Regier] has to build a team and maybe he feels he wants me here," said Miller. "I'm happy to be here, I have a great connection with the city."

He reiterated that he and his agent Mike Liut never asked for a trade yet also knew that it was a possibility and said of a possible trade, "I don't know if that was the best thing for me anyway."

Regier was on WGR this morning and made it clear that the organization would welcome the opportunity to talk to both players but emphasized that the club does not have a standing offer for Vanek or Miller.

Another player that will be a free agent at season's end is forward Steve Ott. Regier said that the two sides have had some preliminary conversations.


***

The Sabres training camp roster:

BUFFALO SABRES 2013 TRAINING CAMP ROSTER

# DEFENSE POS HT WT S BIRTHPLACE DATE 12-13 TEAM GP G A PTS PIM

67 Austin, Brady D 6-3 232 L Bobcaygeon, Ontario 6-16-93 Belleville (OHL) 64 8 15 23 22

24 Bagnall, Drew D 6-3 220 L Oakbank, Manitoba 10-26-83 Houston (AHL) 47 1 5 6 88

42 Boland, Connor D 6-2 200 L Whitby, Ontario 11-29-94 Peterborough (OHL) 49 1 2 3 34

62 Crawford, Nick D 6-1 192 L Brampton, Ontario 2-23-90 Rochester (AHL) 53 5 14 19 18

10 Ehrhoff, Christian D 6-2 203 L Moers, Germany 7-6-82 Buffalo Sabres 47 5 17 22 34

34 Gauthier-Leduc, Jerome D 6-1 190 R Quebec City, Quebec 7-30-92 Rochester (AHL) 48 3 4 7 8

51 Lepkowski, Alex D 6-4 202 L West Seneca, New York 4-8-93 Barrie (OHL) 60 0 9 9 78

47 MacKenzie, Matt D 6-5 212 R New Westminster, British Columbia 10-15-91 Rochester (AHL) 30 0 4 4 66

Gwinnett (ECHL) 2 1 0 1 2

4 McBain, Jamie D 6-2 200 R Edina, Minnesota 2-25-88 Carolina Hurricanes 40 1 7 8 12

44 McNabb, Brayden D 6-5 212 L Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 1-21-90 Rochester (AHL) 62 5 31 36 50

57 Myers, Tyler D 6-8 227 R Houston, Texas 2-1-90 Buffalo Sabres 39 3 5 8 32

3 Pysyk, Mark D 6-1 193 R Sherwood Park, Alberta 1-11-92 Rochester (AHL) 57 4 14 18 20

Buffalo Sabres 19 1 4 5 0

55 Ristolainen, Rasmus D 6-4 224 R Turku, Finland 10-27-94 TPS (SM-liiga) 56 3 12 15 32

5 Ruhwedel, Chad D 5-11 182 R San Diego, California 5-7-90 UMass-Lowell (H-East) 41 7 16 23 20

Buffalo Sabres 7 0 0 0 0

52 Sulzer, Alexander D 6-1 204 L Kaufbeuren, Germany 5-30-84 Buffalo Sabres 17 3 1 4 10

20 Tallinder, Henrik D 6-4 215 L Stockholm, Sweden 1-10-79 New Jersey Devils 25 1 3 4 10

6 Weber, Mike D 6-2 199 L Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 12-16-87 Buffalo Sabres 42 1 6 7 70

61 Zadorov, Nikita D 6-5 219 L Moscow, Russia 4-15-95 London (OHL) 63 6 19 25 54

# GOALTENDER POS. HT WT C BIRTHPLACE DATE 12-13 TEAM GP W-L-OT GAA

1 Enroth, Jhonas G 5-10 166 L Stockholm, Sweden 6-25-88 Buffalo Sabres 12 4-4-1 2.60

31 Hackett, Matt G 6-2 173 L London, Ontario 3-7-90 Houston (AHL) 43 19-20-3 2.66

Rochester (AHL) 3 3-0-0 1.62

Minnesota Wild 1 0-1-0 5.08

49 Knapp, Connor G 6-5 215 L York, New York 5-1-90 Rochester (AHL) 7 1-6-0 3.34

Greenville (ECHL) 12 5-7-0 3.05

50 Lieuwen, Nathan G 6-5 192 L Abbotsford, British Columbia 8-8-91 Rochester (AHL) 4 1-2-0 2.65

Greenville (ECHL) 27 14-10-2 2.93

35 Makarov, Andrey G 6-1 193 L Kazan, Russia 4-20-93 Saskatoon (WHL) 61 37-17-5 2.62

30 Miller, Ryan G 6-2 175 L East Lansing, Michigan 7-17-80 Buffalo Sabres 40 17-17-5 2.81

General Manager: Darcy Regier

Head Coach: Ron Rolston

Asst. Coach: Joe Sacco

Asst. Coach: Teppo Numminen

Asst. Coach: Jerry Forton

Goaltending Coach: Jim Corsi

Strength & Conditioning Coach: Doug McKenney

Admin. Asst. Coach: Corey Smith

Sabres news and notes as training camp draws near

With training camp set to begin next week, slowly but surely players are making their way to Buffalo.

Two veterans, Ryan Miller and Thomas Vanek, have arrived. The pair are in the last year of their respective contracts and will be facing questions about trades and contract extensions all season until either a trade or extension is consumated.

Which is reminiscent of former Sabre Brian Campbell's situation back in the 2007-08 season.

Jon Vogl of the Buffalo News tracked down Campbell to discuss Miller and Vanek's situation and what he went through.

'I felt fine [for most of the season,] then the last few games before [the trade deadline] that I think it weighed on my mind pretty heavily,' Campbell said. 'I didn’t play very good the last couple games because mentally I wasn’t in it.'

The difference between Campbell and Miller/Vanek is that Campbell wanted to stay.

Both Miller and Vanek are playing their cards close to the vest for now and are looking at it as an emotionless business decision on the parties involved.

Just how long that will last remains to be seen.


***

Vogl pens a piece on Vanek and the star winger delves into the past and present while admitting that he's not surprised to still be with the team.

Alluding to the 2005-07 teams, Vanek said, '[our] teams in the past we’ve had, we had off nights and we would still win. I don’t think that’s going to happen too much anymore.' As for where the Sabres are now, 'Whoever makes our team, we won’t be favored by anyone.'

Vanek, in his business-like approach to the season, will be using his status as an unrestricted free agent at year's end to assess the situation in Buffalo and decide what's best for him on his side of the equation. The Sabres, of course, will be deciding what's best for the team on their end.

Said Vanek on the upcoming season, 'I just want to see where it goes. I have that right, and I’m taking it. I don’t feel like I’m doing a disservice to anyone. Some people might agree with me, some don’t. That’s the way it goes either way.'

Back in 2007, Vanek also had the right to sign Edmonton's 7yr./$51M offer sheet, which he did.

It's a business. He knows it and has known it.

Was he surprised that he's presently slated for the Sabres camp next week?

'No, not at all,' he said. 'My end-of-the-year meeting was good. I just said my thoughts. I never asked for a trade, so from that point on I’m not surprised that I’m still here. But at the same time, if they would have moved me, I wouldn’t have been surprised either way.'

I'd be surprised if Vanek was a Buffalo Sabre after the deadline. Opportunity is knocking. He could very well be looking for one of those teams who can have an off night and still win and be paid a handsome sum on said team.


***

What do Toronto's Nazem Kadri, Ottawa's Jared Cowen, the Ranger's Derek Stephan and Buffalo's Cody Hodgson all have in common?

They're all talented players coming off of their entry level contracts looking for a big raise after playing at a high level last season. And they're all unsigned as of yet.

As for Hodgson, he believes that he and the Sabres "[will] get something done."

Vogl quotes Hodgson as saying 'I like it here [in Buffalo],' and the 23 yr. old center points to the way Drew Stafford and Tyler Ennis came off of their entry level deals.

'[Stafford] told me he was just about going on the ice when he signed his contract,” Hodgson said. “I know Ennis was right up to the last minute, too. I’m excited to be here, and I’m just focusing on what I’ve got to do to get ready for the training camp.”

Quite the proffesional approach.


***

Sabres forward Ville Leino and his contract will always be the butt of jokes. Something's not right if there's a Sabres season prediction and his $27M contract doesn't come up.

Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald writes that Leino will be ready for camp after having hip surgery this summer.

Leino says that he was having hip problems dating back to his days in Detroit four years ago. He had surgery on one side in 2010 and was playing through pain the last few years as the right side was acting up.

But, 'Now they’re both fixed up,' Leino said last week after skating with some teammates inside the Riverside Ice Rink. 'Obviously, the right one doesn’t feel exactly normal. It’s probably going to take a little bit. But it’s definitely better than it was.'

Another area that might have been "fixed up" for Leino is the coaching situation.

Leino couldn't get much going when Lindy Ruff was at the helm, but he seems to have taken to new bench-boss Ron Rolston and his approach. 'I like the way he coaches,' Leino said about Rolston. 'He demands a lot. He’s very detail-oriented. The stuff that he talks makes sense to me. I think he’s fair. If you play good and work really hard, you get to play. Yeah, I’m intrigued what this season brings.'

Throughout the last couple of seasons with Buffalo, Leino has had a littany of excuses for his below average play.

With healthy hips and a coach that "makes sense to him" it would seem as if there are no more excuses which leads to a make-or-break year for Leino.

For the sake of the Sabres, let's hope it's a "make."

Thomas Vanek will probably be having his cake and eating it somewhere other than Buffalo

Sabres forward Thomas Vanek has things falling into place for him once again.

The 2013-14 season will mark the last year of the seven-year/$50M contract he signed in 2007. And just like in 2007 when he delayed an extension with the Buffalo Sabres, the star winger looks to be heading towards the 2014 off-season ready to max out his value on the open market.

"I've never been a person to narrow my choices down," he said in an interview with KSTP (via WKBW.com) at the University of Minnesota where he's presently working out.

Back in 2006-07, Vanek was coming off his rookie contract just as league revenues, and henceforth the league salary cap, were really beginning to ramp up. Rather than sign an extension with the Sabres during the season, Vanek and his agent waited for the off season where he signed a $50M offer-sheet from Edmonton. It was immediately matched by the Sabres.

That was some pretty good timing as a number of stars aligned for him.

League revenues were soaring at the time. Edmonton wanted to--needed to--land a star player. The Sabres had screwed things up with Daniel Briere and Chris Drury and Vanek was coming off of a career year.

After signing that contract, the star winger never came close to the 43 goal, 84 point season he had in that contract year. He averaged 32 goals, 63 points in five full seasons before last year's lockout.

Last season he was a point per game player scoring 20 goals and adding 21 assists in 38 games. He missed 10 games in the NHL's lockout shortened season due to injury.

Which leads us to where the Sabres and Vanek are right now.

Vanek, who has been luke-warm (at best) to a long rebuild in Buffalo, commented on his status in the KTSP interview. "We're rebuilding," he said, "and I'm hoping we have the right pieces to accomplish something."

"I'm not saying I'm old," he continued, "but at the same time you'd like to be on a team where you feel like going into camp you're contending. Right now in Buffalo we're rebuilding which is not the best case scenario for me."

This is right in line with what his thought process has been since captain Jason Pominville was traded to the Minnesota Wild at the trade deadline.

“Let’s be honest,” Vanek told the Buffalo News back in late April. “I’m not stupid. I know I have a year left and they can probably deal me for prospects, young guys, whatever else is out there. Yeah, I’ve thought about it. If it looks like it’s a long rebuild, then it probably makes sense for both parties to move on.”

Pretty frank words coming from a player who's best friend and neighbor (Pominville) had just been traded to the Wild at the trade deadline.

There has been no movement for him since. He remains a Sabre and, in a business-like approach, he stated simply that he's ready to hit camp this September as a member of the Buffalo Sabres.

The big hindrance to his movement (read trade) is his $7.1M cap-hit. The salary cap for this season is set at $64.3M, which is down from $70M this past season. Not very many teams have the wiggle room to absorb that much money for a potential rental player.

Projections for the 2013-14 season, however, have the cap jumping up to around $70M. Which bodes well for Vanek as he seems to have some of the stars aligning once again.

There will be many teams with the cap-space to sign him to a very lucrative and presumably long-term contract. Especially a team like Minnesota, who looks to be one of those places where he can "feel like he's going into camp contending."

Vanek is a bonafide top-line winger in his prime who can score in a many different ways. There are many teams out there who will covet his skill level and he will be free to pick and choose the right situation for him.

It's highly doubtful that the Buffalo organization is the right situation for him at this time, even if the Sabres offer him a very lucrative deal.

As a businessman, he'll be looking to maximize his value, just like he and his agent did when they worked the 2007 off season. As a hockey player, his most recent statements with KTSP indicate that he's thinking about his NHL mortality and wants to be on a team contending for the Stanley Cup.

Add it up and Thomas Vanek will have his cake, and will be eating it too.

Just not in Buffalo.

LA taking down St. Louis is great on a couple of levels

I've always been a fan of Robyn Regehr.

It's not that I'd followed the Calgary Flames all that much when he was playing for them for a decade, but when I did catch their games I really liked what he brought to the team.

The Sabres for the past seven years have needed more professionalism, more grit, more leadership. Regehr is that type of player and it's players like him who get the respect of hockey world.

Regehr brought those attributes to the Sabres for the nearly two years, but as his rugged style of play began to wear on him a bit, he wasn't quite as effective with the Sabres as he was with the Flames. He's not washed up by any stretch of the imagination, but the load he had to carry in Buffalo, from a leadership and grit perspective, is too much to ask a 33 yr. old player who's never missed more than 14 games in a full season.

It's too bad Sabres GM Darcy Regier opted to pick Dmitri Kalinin one spot ahead of Regehr in the 1998 draft. We could have seen him on a nightly basis smack-dab in his prime. Who knows, maybe the Carolina series would've turned out differently and/or maybe a pro like Chris Drury would've opted to re-sign with Buffalo.

Methinks the past eight seasons would've turned out quite differently--for the better.

Regehr is out in LA now, headed to the second round of the playoffs with his Kings teammates.

Much respect to the Sabres organization for sending him there (for two 2nd-round picks.) It's probably the best possible situation for him to win the Stanley Cup.

The Kings are filled with leadership, skill, grit and tenacity. They're defending their Stanley Cup crown on a shortened season and seem to be hitting their stride right now.

What's asked of Regehr is simply to play his game. Clear the front of the net. Lay some hard hits on the opposition. Help anchor the PK.

For 21:00/game Regehr is simply asked to be the player he is--a tough defensive defenesman.

After spending an entire career being a true professional in both Calgary and Buffalo, the world would be right if he was on the last team standing.


*************

A very young and talented St. Louis Blues team was eliminated in the first round and it exposed a couple of holes in the line-up.

The Kings knocked out the Blues in six games, winning the last four straight. St. Louis scored six goals on 110 shots in those four losses.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post Dispatch called out management for " inexplicably ignoring the obvious need to add a proven finisher to the lineup."

Miklasz wants a "fearless, cold-blooded sniper that won't get the yips and repeatedly miss putting the puck in the net at crucial moments" in the lineup.

The Sabres Thomas Vanek is a sniper. He can score in a variety of ways from any area of the ice and he's proven he can score in the playoffs.

St. Louis bench-boss Ken Hitchcock had that type of player in Brett Hull when the Dallas Stars defeated the Buffalo Sabres in the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals.

Although Vanek is not Brett Hull, he may be the best winger available this off-season for the Blues to acquire.

In 26 playoff games for the Sabres, Vanek has 15 goals. His average shooting percentage over those four appearances is 18.3%.

As the only real offensive weapon for Buffalo in their last two playoffs in 2010 and 2011, he had seven goals in 10 games and shot at rates of 20% and 25% respectively.

Hmmmm...

Miklasz also points out another flaw in the Blues--goaltending. He says, "[LA Kings goalie] Jonathan Quick  outplayed the Blues' Brian Elliott when pressure seeped into this series."

In blog dating back to the trade deadline, it was noted that the Blues allowed the least number of shots per game in the NHL, but their goalies' save percentage was weak.

It's a trend that bit them again in the first round of the playoffs.

Miklasz points out that over the last three Blues losses to the Kings, Elliott had an .871 sv.%. For the series Elliott had a 1.90 gaa and a .919 sv%. Pretty solid numbers on the whole, but when it really counted those last three games--when Elliott needed to steal a game--an .871 sv.% doesn't get the job done.

Elliott is what he is--a real strong back-up who can play like a starter on a number of occasions, but isn't that bonafide #1 goalie.

The Blues have a potential #1 goalie in Jake Allen, but at a very young 22 yrs. old, he still has a lot of growing to do.

The Sabres' Ryan Miller is a bonafide #1 goalie who has proven that he can steal a game or two in the playoffs.

Just look back on the Philadelphia series two years ago when he had two shutouts vs. the Flyers. The Fly-boys had possibly the best group of forwards in the NHL that year. The Sabres countered with one of the worst defenses in the playoffs that year. Of the eight d-men who dressed for that series, only three remain.

Miller is highly regarded throughout the league (outside of Buffalo, of course) and has a way of getting in the opposition's heads. If he doesn't need to worry about his defensemen playing the game properly, he's out high in his crease challenging shooters.

And when he's on, he's real tough to beat.

It wouldn't be surprising to see the Blues and the Sabres hook-up in the off-season. St. Louis needs a sniper like Vanek and could justify bringing in a bonafide #1 goalie like Miller.

The Blues also have a bevy of young talent throughout the organization with, according to Hockey's Future, depth and talent at center and on defense in the pipeline. They have size, skill and grit on the big club. And they have so much youth that moving a 1st-round draft pick this season and/or next will not set the organization back that much.

They need to make a move for some vets to fill the two holes Miklasz points out.

And the Sabres would be the team to call.

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:

"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.”

2013 Trade deadline day

The trade deadline is upon us. Time for some thoughts and speculation as to what the Buffalo Sabres might do today.

Sabres GM Darcy Regier already has begun making moves. It's unusual for him. Normally he's the type of GM that waits until today, even late into the day, to make his moves.

But, this past Saturday he traded defenseman Jordan Leopold to St. Louis for a 2013 second-rounder and a conditional 5th (could be a 4th if the Blues advance one round in the playoffs.)

On Monday Regier traded defenseman Robyn Regehr to the LA Kings for second-rounders in 2014 and 2015.

I can't help but think that sub-consciously, Regier's on some kind of karmic mission to come full-circle. He traded away second-round picks three consecutive years: Dominic Moore, 2009; Raffi Torres, 2010; Brad Boyes, 2011.

Of note, Leopold and Regehr joined the previously traded TJ Brennan (FLA, 5th round pick) as three of the Sabres top-eight d-men have already been traded. And there's one more that has the potential as well.

Defenseman Adam Pardy, like Leopold and Regehr, will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end and he might be on the block as well.

Considering that veteran defensemen are a hot commodity at this time of year, it wouldn't be surprising if he's the fourth of Buffalo's original top-eight defenseman to be moved.

And it wouldn't be too surprising if the stay-at-home, mid-bottom pairing d-man fetches a second rounder as well.

The Sabres also have two more pending UFA's in forwards Jochen Hecht and John Scott.

Regier may convince a contender looking for depth that Hecht has value. If he could get anything higher than a 7th-rounder in 2022 it would be a semi-miracle.

As for Scott, he's an enforcer whom I happen to like and hope the Sabres re-sign. Not sure there's a market for him.

Then there's the Sabres "Big-3":  Ryan Miller, Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville.

All carry pretty hefty cap-hits, all are considered to be upper-level players and all will be UFA's at the end of next season. But two of them, Miller and Pominville, have limited no-trade clauses where they name eight teams they do not wish to be traded to.

Breaking it down, the most likely to be moved is Pominville.

A solid top-six winger who plays in all situations, Pominville is known for his consistency and smart play.

He's been in a slump lately and for this writer, it could be the beginning of his plateauing (maybe even decline.)

Any number of teams in the playoff hunt, in a playoff spot or with Cup-aspirations could use a player like him.

Andrew Peters mentioned the New Jersey Devils as a perfect fit. I concur.

The market for goalies is thin, but it's being said that there are at least three on the market:  Roberto Louongo (VAN,) Mikka Kiprusoff (CGY) and Miller.

In regards to Miller, two teams that would most definitely be in the market are Toronto and Winnipeg. Methinks, though, that both of those teams would be on Miller's no-trade list.

The best fit for Miller, as I've mentioned a couple of times already, would be St. Louis. Their goaltending tandem of Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott have come back to earth. They have a young up and coming goalie in Jake Allen who has mad potetntial.

Having Allen behind Miller for the next season and change would be a solid tandem that could carry a well-rounded, solid defensive team deep into the playoffs.

It might not happen today, but could happen at the draft.

As for Vanek.

He does not have a NTC and there would be a number of teams interested in his services. Because of that teams like Columbus, Winnipeg and Edmonton could all be destinations with a strong return coming back.

Of all the "Big-3," Regier has the most flexibility with Vanek and it would make him the most tradeable.

But Vanek is the only true top-line player on the team. They might wait until next year's deadline to see where the team is and find out what Vanek's thinking.

Another Sabres player that's getting a lot of attention is power forward Drew Stafford.

Stafford is having a very poor year, but is young, big and has scored 30+ goals in a year.

It's been reported that a number of teams are interested in Staff this morning and if the price is right, he'll be gone.

Columbus, who has three first-rounders at the draft this year, would make the most sense. They've already said that the LA first-rounder is in play. Is Stafford worth a first round pick?

Was Paul Gaustad last season?




So.

Because everyone's into predictions here's mine for the Sabres:

--Adam Pardy to any number of teams for a 2013 second round pick
--Jochen Hecht:  goin' nowhere
--John Scott:  goin' nowhere

--Jason Pominville and a mid-low level prospect (Luke Adam?) to New Jersey for a first-rounder, a future second and a fourth or fifth.
--Ryan Miller to St. Louis, either today or at the draft, for Jaroslav Halak, a prospect and a future first-rounder.
--Thomas Vanek:  goin' nowhere

--Drew Stafford and a lower pick (maybe even Hecht?) to Columbus for LA's 2013 first-rounder





Optimistic?

Why not?

2013 Individual Stats--February

Will the team be adding more
players to the 2012-12
"team photo?"

The above photo pretty much sums up the team for the month of February.

Ryan Miller and Thomas Vanek have carried the Sabres to what little success they've had this season, and continued to do so in February.

On the surface, Miller's 2.83 gaa and .917 sv. % isn't awe inspiring, but the fact that he's come out of this past month with a semblance of sanity is a testament to his commitment and focus.

Miller has been bombarded with shots from every angle, standing on his head game-in/game-out to keep this team in any given game. The Sabres have given up the most shots in the league thus-far (711) and the most shots/game (33.9). If there were a stat given for golden opportunities against, Buffalo would have given up the most there as well.

After a rough start to the month where he went 1-2 giving up 14 goals in those three games, Miller buckled down. In three of the next four games he earned a game-star, two firsts in wins and a second star in a loss to Boston.

Vanek has also been carrying the team, albeit not as much as in January.

He lead the team in points and goals and was second in assists, which isn't all that great considering the horrid month the offense had. But he's been playing well, garnering the second most game-star points on the team.

For a bit of perspective, Nathan Gerbe was third in that department. He was the 1st star in their last game at Florida, his only star of the month.

That's not to say that Miller and Vanek are completely on an island.

Cody Hodgson and Tyler Ennis have been holding their own down the middle in the top-six. They are both young and skilled and are in top-six roles for the first time in their respective careers. Both are also clamoring for help from the right wing.

Hodgson is a part of Buffalo's first line along with Vanek and Jason Pominville. Vanek, as we've seen has been doing his part, but Pominville has fallen off of a cliff.

The captain was second on the team with 12 points in January, but was mired in a funk throughout February amassing a mere three points for the entire month.

Ennis has been on an island throughout the 2013 season thus-far. His wingers from last year--Drew Stafford and Marcus Foligno--have both failed to deliver with Foligno being a healthy scratch last game at Florida. Stafford has one goal and seven assists for the year.

Gerbe was moved up to Ennis' line to provide some badly needed spark and it took a number of games for him to have an impact on the score sheet. He potted a pair of goals at Florida, his first two of the season.

The 5'5", 175 lb. forward was coming off of major surgery and it seems as if he's finally comfortable enough to start playing his agitated style.

Forward Steve Ott, acquired last off-season for Derek Roy, has had a good month. Maybe it goes along with his "half-full" outlook on the team. He continues to contribute modestly on the score sheet but is a constant worker whenever he's on the ice. He's solid on the faceoff dot, solid on the kill and lead the team in plus/minus for February with a plus-5.

To put that in perspective, only two other players were in the plus column:  rookie defenseman TJ Brennan (+3) who sees limited action and workhorse defenseman Christian Ehrhoff (+2.) Bottom-six forward Jochen Hecht was even as was bottom-pairing defenseman Alexander Sulzer.

Every other Sabre was in the minus column for the month as the team had a collective minus-28 for February.

Looking at stats like that, it's a wonder the team managed to go 5-9-0 for the month.

That being said, it would seem as if the team's fortunes are ready to trend upward.

Interim head coach Ron Rolston took the reigns and in his second game behind the bench was shut out by the NY Islanders 4-0. The team was booed off the ice. Rolston proceeded to win his first game after that at Tampa and came away with a 4-3 SO win two nights later at Florida.

The Sabres exited the month of February going 2-2 with signs of life. Goals against, as well as premium chances against are trending downward while the team received some secondary scoring in their last two wins--Tyler Myers with the game-winner at Tampa, Gerbe with two goals at Florida.

It should be noted that Rolston's first two games came without the opportunity for a full practice. They are 2-0 after that.

March begins this afternoon with a home game vs. the NJ Devils. They will be without goalie Martin Brodeur.

We'll see if we can add another player or two, or three to the "2013 team photo."

(special thanx to whomever came up with that)



Points:

• January--Thomas Vanek-15; Jason Pominville-12; Cody Hodgson-6
• February--Vanek-12; Hodgson, Tyler Ennis--11

Goals:

• January--Vanek-6; Pominville-5; Hodgson-4
• February--Vanek-6; Ennis-5, Hodgson-4

Powerplay Goals:

• January--Vanek-3; Pominville, Steve Ott, Tyler Myers-1
• February--Vanek-2; Ennis-1

Assists:

• January--Vanek, 9; Pominville-7; Christian Ehrhoff-5
• February--Hodgson-7; Vanek, Ennis-6

Powerplay Assists

• January--Vanek, Pominville-3; Hodgson, Tyler Ennis, Ehrhoff-2
• February--Ennis-2; Foligno, Ehrhoff-1

Primary Assists--

• January--Vanek, Pominville-3; Drew Stafford, Ehrhoff-2
• February--Stafford, Ennis-4; Vanek, Ott, Jochen Hecht-3

Plus/Minus:

• January--Vanek +4; Alexander Sulzer, Mike Weber +3
• February--Ott +5, TJ Brennan +3; Ehrhoff +2

Plus/Minus (bottom)

• January--Stafford, Jordan Leopold -4; Myers, Mikhail Grigorenko -3
• February--Hodgson, Andrej Sekera -5; Stafford, Foligno, Regehr, Weber -4

Three Stars (1st=5 points, 2nd=3 points, 3rd=1 point)

• January--Vanek (10); Ryan Miller (7); Pominville (6)
• February--Miller (18); Vanek (17); Gerbe (5)

Goalies (year to date):

Ryan Miller

• January--3-2-1; .920 sv % (20th); 2.64 gaa (28th); 0 shutouts
• February--5-10-1; .917 (26th); 2.83 (T-45); 0

Jhonas Enroth

• January--0-1-0; 856 sv % (49th); 5.00 gaa (T-56th), 0 shutouts
• February--0-2-0; .847 (73rd); 4.75; 0

From the purgatory of the last five seasons to "Hockey Hell"

"It's not about talent, it's about playing a certain way right now."

So said Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers after yesterday's 4-0 loss to the NY Islanders which dropped Buffalo right to the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

That loss was their second under interim coach Ron Rolston, fourth in a row and sixth in their last seven games. For the month of February they are 3-9.

The boo-birds were out in full force last night at the F'N Center and many started leaving with about 15 minutes left in the 3rd period after John Tavares put the Isles up 3-0.

Fans actually could have started exiting after Mark Streit and Michael Grabner scored goals 65 seconds apart late in the second period.

The Sabres are playing like crap right now, and what's truly amazing about this team is how they crumble at the first sign of adversity.

They nearly weathered another suspect second period last night--that 20-minute time frame which has been downfall of this team all season. Yes, one should question, or stare in disbelief, as to how Isles winger Matt Moulson could thread a cross-ice pass through four Buffalo defenders to a streaking Streit for a tap-in. But more than that, you need to question why veteran Sabres defenseman Christian Ehrhoff would attempt a cross-ice pass at the NY blueline a minute later.

Grabner, who is noted for anticipating that kind of stupidity, turned it into a breakaway. Not only did he put the puck past Ryan Miller, but Ehrhoff's stick also went, as the defenseman attempted a limp-wristed stick check.

Miller, who has been outstanding in the last six games, looked as if he just said "Screw it" on the play. He has turned aside countless shots on odd-man rushes and defensive giveaways with the opponents looking at a gaping wide net. Miller had, and has had for years, a birds eye view of a turnover heading back his way. Most of the time he comes up with the save.

The Sabres netminder has clearly been frustrated this year, and when it was mentioned by Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times that his teammates seem to be frustrated as well, Miller chirped, "Well, it's about God Damn time."


**************

K.I.S.S.

Keep it simple, stupid.

"I keep saying it, but it's a little thing, it's so big," said Myers postgame, "make simple plays throughout an entire game."

This team, especially in front of a home crowd, tends to get too fancy. They try to put on a show when their talent-level doesn't allow for that level of fanciness. The result is usually a turnover that often finds the back of the Sabres net.

Ehrhoff should have known better. He is a veteran on this team. He should know his opponent, know who's on the ice and know what they like to do. He should also know that it's Hockey 101:  don't make a cross ice pass like that with three defenders pressing, dumb-ass.

"We're a good team with a lot of stupid mistakes right now," said Sabres forward Steve Ott. "And it sucks."

Sure does, Steve. Is it correctable?

"We're on the bottom on the ground right now," he continued, "we're kicked in. But it's the guys that rise, the character that has to continue to show and that's when the team can start getting out of this hole."

Agreed. But who on this team is willing to say, "Me. I'll take it?"


*************

Where are the "character" guys? Is it within the leadership group?

Alternate captain Thomas Vanek was there post game. He missed another golden opportunity and was robbed by Evgeni Nabokov as well. "I'm a goal scorer that's not scoring goals right now," said Vanek.

Miller was there post game. "Not a very strong performance overall," he said matter of factly, "Nothin' else, man." His interview was short. "I had an opportunity to at least keep it to a one goal game, and [I] didn't step up and take it," he added.

Captain Jason Pominville....

was no where to be found. Perhaps he was off somewhere looking for Roysie's blankie. Pominville has 2 goals, 2 assists and is a minus-3 during the 12 games of February. His play is languishing.

The other alternate captain, Drew Stafford, was no where to be found as well. Just like his offense. He has one goal this season.

Those three with the letters on their sweater are the remnants of GM Darcy Regier's "vaunted" core of skaters. Those three were chosen as leaders last season along with other "core" members Derek "Roysie" Roy and Paul Gaustad who were traded last year. Last season the team missed he playoffs and it seems as if this team will miss the playoffs this year as well.

Is it a leadership void or issue in the locker room, Mr. Ott?

"No, I think this leadership group is solid," he said post game. "It's definitely not a leadership or accountability aspect."

Just go ask them. Oh, that's right. Where's Pominville? Where's Stafford?

God love him. Ott is there after every game talking to the media and for him the glass is always half-full. Had he been around Buffalo as long as Ryan Miller, though, methinks he'd be throwing around some unprintable words.

The proof is in the pudding with this leadership group. There is no leadership. No character. No passion. No intestinal fortitude.


*************

"It's almost like 'Here we go again,'" said Myers.

Only it's worse.

Buffalo having a glass jaw is nothing new. But there was a time when only a few teams could put them on the ropes via one mistake. Now, it's pretty much every team in the league.

This team is pretty bad right now, so bad that Jessica Pegula, daughter of Sabres owner Terry Pegula, was said to have tweeted (and quickly rescinded,) "Lets just call a spade a spade. The Sabres are really bad... #makesmemad".

Ouch.

A spade is a spade. The core is the core. The home crowd is still booing. And the Sabres record is a clear indicator of how good this team is right now.

Will Rolston be able to fix this team?

I like how WGR's Paul Hamilton put it, "When you watch this team, they are who they are, and I’m not sure what Ron Rolston or any other coach can do about it." he wrote. "It’s a soft, mentally weak group and always has been. If Rolston can get that trait out of them, he should win the Jack Adams Trophy."

Rolston has been in the pro ranks for all of a year and a half. He went from teaching teenagers to dealing with pros in Rochester to dealing with well-to-do pros in Buffalo. That may be more of a jump than rookie Mikhail Grigorenko going from junior to the pros.

It's to the point now where Rolston may just be an evaluator and if they continue their descent into "Hockey Hell," that's all he should be doing, eventually giving player evaluation to his superiors so that they can decide which players they want moving forward.

There's no reason to believe that this team can make it out of the basement, no matter how much they try to simplify and avoid mistakes.

Not with remnants of "the core" in leadership positions.

This may be one of the worst seasons since 2002/03 when Regier finished the dismantling of "the hardest working team in hockey" on his way to building "a team built for the new NHL."

That was a bad year. And this one may be even worse.

This team is unwatchable right now, the losses keep piling up and the Sabres are looking at a draft pick that might be higher than Vanek at #5-overall.

But, as my friend Cisco put it, "If you're going to shit the bed, at least do it in the shortest ever season."