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Pegulaville26

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  1. Pegulaville26
    Now in the middle of August the Sabres continue their search for a top Center/Playmaker. Bobby Ryan's name continues to be connected with Sabres, as well as other players like Sam Gagner and Paul Stastny. Let's take a look what each player could bring to Buffalo along with what it may cost to acquire each player.
    Sam Gagner
    The 23 year old center really made a name for himself last season with his 8 point game. Gagner was one of the hottest players in the NHL for about a two week span last year. The former 6th overall pick in 2007 has struggled to live up to expectations so far in his NHL career. He has struggled with injury problems and production. Last year Gagner had a career high in points with 47 in 75 games. The two years prior Gagner put up 42 and 41 in 68 games. At only 23, Gagner still has a lot of potential. He has become expendable in Edmonton with Eberle, Nugent-Hopkins, Hall, and Yakupov expected to lead the young Oilers squad. Gagner just recently signed a 1 year extension with Edmonton and would be a RFA again next season. The Oil are in desperate need of help on their blue line and the Sabres have a crowded blue line. Buffalo has a glaring need up the middle still, so this seems like a perfect match. The Oilers are said to be very interested in Jordan Leopold and have had prior interest in Drew Stafford. A potential deal that has been mentioned is Leo and Adam for Gagner and a pick. Personally I am a huge fan of Gagner and would love to see the Sabres make that deal.
    Paul Stastny
    Stastny's name has been on the block for a while. He may have lost his role as a top 6 center in Colorado with Ryan O'Reilly and Matt Duchene now occupying those roles. Also Stastny's contract of two more seasons at 6.6 million makes him expendable to the Avs. They do no want to pay their third line center, first line center money. Stastny started his career on fire with 70+ points in three of his first four seasons (injury short season in third year). However the last two seasons he has been a disappointment with 53 points in 2011-12 and 57 in 2010-11. A change of scenery could do a lot of a good for Stastny. The issue with this match is the Avs do not need defense, it would likely cost the Sabres a top 6 winger, a pick, and a prospect. The Avs have set the price for Stastny high. Some players that would need to be involved in any deal could be Vanek, Stafford, or Foligno to name a few. To me Foligno is a conversation ender, trading Vanek defeats the point of getting him a true # 1 center, and Stafford may not be the type of player that the Avs want in return. I think Stastny is long shot of the group.
    Bobby Ryan
    Ryan is now the top dog that could be available with Doan likely headed back to the Desert. Ryan has been on and off the trade block since the beginning of last season. Buffalo has been racking up the long distance phone bill trying to work a deal with the Ducks for the young power forward. Ryan voiced his displeasure with the Ducks in the beginning of the offseason. He has grown annoyed with the constant trade chatter. However I think the Ducks still look at it as they don't have to trade Ryan. Which is the reason the price is so high. However on the other side of the coin the Ducks may have to unload Ryan and his favorable cap hit to resign Getzlaf and Perry who are UFA's after this season. It's hard to read the exact plan the Ducks may have for their three star forwards. Getzlaf's name has been floated out in the rumor mill as well as Perry's around the deadline last season. Right now Murray is in a position to be patient and as the summer comes closer to an end I think it is very likely Ryan starts the season with the Ducks. However Murray's power position starts to decrease as the season wears on because teams know he has to make a decision. So now may be the prime time to get the highest value for Ryan. The Sabres would likely have to include Ennis, Sekera, and a pick for Ryan.
    The rumored idea around Buffalo is that Regier is first trying to acquire a center to replace Ennis and then he will flip Ennis to Anaheim for Ryan. Also this could be the reason why Ennis has yet to sign a new deal with the Sabres. There's still a chance we could see some fireworks before August ends.
  2. Pegulaville26
    The Flyers awoke the boring NHL offseason with a loud boom last night. Flyers signed Weber to basically a max contract offer sheet of 14 years and 110 million dollars. Flyers set up this contract with about 26 million in the first year with bonuses paid to Weber and with about 68 million paid out within the first few years depending on which reports you read. Salary cap circumvention? If I was the NJ Devils and the NHL approves this deal I would want a real good reason why I have to give up a 1st round pick next year.
    I don't know where I come down on all this I am very torn. It was fair game for the Flyers to give Weber the offer sheet, but at the same time it is kicking someone when they are down. As a Sabres fan this brings back awful memories of the 2007 offseason in which the Sabres lost Briere and Drury. The Oilers then came in and offered Vanek an outrageous offer sheet trying to steal him out of Buffalo. Now if you look at the cap hit and market Weber isn't being way overpaid for the player he is. With the loss of Suter I think the Flyers saw blood in the water in Nashville and attacked. In a way Nashville did this to themselves by playing games last season with Weber and taking him to arbitration.
    I respect the Flyers for their desire to win and they are not afraid to go all in on anything. However this is where I find myself today; this is exhibit A,B, and C of why we will not have hockey until Christmas next season. Owners led heavily by Ed Snider himself are claiming they are losing money. Yet they go throw a max contract at a player and drive up the cap again. With the CBA talks Ed Snider just added another gun to Donald Fehr's holster on top of the insulting first CBA offer by the owners. Also what if in the new CBA their is a rollback of salaries like the last CBA, the Flyers are then stuck in big time cap jail with the Bryzgalov contract already on the books for the next 8 years.
    From the Nashville standpoint as a small market fan with a big market owner I feel bad for what is occuring right now. If Nashville does not match the offer it could only be a matter of time before they are in danger of being moved out of Nashville. If Weber and Suter are gone, how long until Rinnie wants out? How do you explain losing two of your teams superstars to your new fan base that has started to grow of the last few years? On the other side of the coin if the Preds match they are going to be handcuffed in the future with signing their promising young players. Those people saying that they can trade Weber after one year are not using their brains. Why would Nashville pay him 26 million dollars for one year and then ship him out? Doesn't make sense from a business standpoint.
    As your reading this you can probably tell my struggle to pick a side on this. In the end I think I am more on the side of the Flyers went into a grey area with this offer sheet. Sure it is not illegal, but at the same time it's a big market bullying a small market. This is not done around the league because GM's have almost an unwritten rule to not pouch on other team's young talent. The reason why perhaps the best player in the game Steven Stamkos was not given an offer sheet last season. It's frowned upon I guess be the best phrase I can use here. For example it isn't illegal to hit in the all star game, but you just don't do it. I also think this move will effect not only the Flyers and Predators, but the other 28 NHL teams as well.
  3. Pegulaville26
    Aside from the thrilling signings of Kevin Porter and Mark Mancari not much is going on in Hockey Heaven these days. So I thought today I would share my ideas for the new CBA. I hope the NHL and NHLPA to come to an agreement quickly so that we can have hockey in October. However deep down I think the season will start in November or December.
    First and foremost I think the NHL needs to revisit the rulebook. The NHL needs to get back to calling interference and holding. Nothing makes more mad than seeing Stamkos dump the puck in and Hal Gill hold him up so his D partner can get the puck first. In 05-06 and 06-07 that was a penalty, and still states it is in the rule book. Scoring was at an all time low this season and granting teams power plays will increase the scoring.
    Now to the different ideas, although this idea has been mentioned in other places, amnesty buyouts. This would allow teams to get out from under bad contracts and keep down the salary cap. This would be a one time buyout. Players like Leino, Gomez, and Thomas are all perfect examples of players teams could get out of the contract without penalty. This could also help bring down player salaries which are getting out of hand.
    Another idea the NHL should explore is the legal circumvention of the cap. The front loading and long term contracts are driving up the salary cap and player contracts. Hossa, Parise, Suter, Kovalchuk, and Brad Richards are all examples of players that are very unlikely to play out the full term of their current deal. This new way of doing contracts allows for teams to buyout players after about 6 or 7 years with very little penalty to the cap or the player retires. Perhaps a term limit could be put in place.
    The next idea I thought of that could help players like Suter and Parise from fleeing teams without any compensation is a franchise tag. The NFL has this and teams can "tag" one player on their roster set to become a UFA as their franchise player. With the franchise tag the player would get a one year deal at the average salary of the top 5 players at their position. Other rules can be put into place like for example the team can only franchise tag the same player two times. Something to keep the UFA market interesting still, but also help out the smaller markets.
    The last thought I want to touch on is setting up a penalty/suspension system for hits to the head. The OHL has a rule set up to penalize any player that delivers a hit to the head regardless of intent. This helps protect the players more and helps against the concussion issue. On the suspension side setting up some kind of system could take away from the inconsistentcy of suspensions. For example a first time offender gets a minmum of two games, second time minimum of 5 and third time is a minimum of 10.
    Thoughts or any other ideas?
  4. Pegulaville26
    Darcy Reiger pulled off the trade that Sabres fans have been waiting for since the end of the 2010-11 season. Derek Roy was traded to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Steve Ott and Adam Pardy. Roy has been on the trade block for almost a year and it was feared he was untradeable. Fans were fed with Roy's inconsistent play and lack of energy and hustle at times. He also never really seemed to be on the same page with Lindy Ruff in his entire time in Buffalo. The rift between the two was magnified at the end of this season when Roy voiced his displeasure with the way Ruff treated some of the players in the media.
    On the other side of the coin Steve Ott is just the type of player the Sabres needed. Not John Scott who will play 15 games this season with an average ice time of 2 minutes. The Sabres needed to become a team that was not an easy night for the opponet. With Ott, Myers, Foligno, Regher, Kaleta, Tropp, McCormick, and to a lesser Scott, the Sabres are no longer a easy night. You can also include the possible size that Zegmus Girgensons might bring if he makes the roster. Ott averages 15 goals a season in his career in Dallas. I would take that production in a second from a third line role with Ott. However my main role would be for him to make the opponets night as unpleasent as possible. Don't want to forgot Adam Pardy who was basically the throw in on this deal. He makes the 9th NHL defenseman Buffalo has on the roster (Myers, Sekera, Weber, Leopold, Ehrhoff, Sulzer, Regher, Pardy, McNabb). Pardy will likely be placed in Rochester as depth, however with the log jam on the blue I have to think another move is coming.
    Quickly on Roy, I think he will do well in Dallas. He is in a contract year and needed a change of scenery. He will be surrounded by talent with Erkisson, Ryder, Benn, and Whitney. No reason why he can't have another 70 point season if he plays the game right. He just was no longer a fit in Buffalo.
    So like the rest of the NHL world I will go back to banging my head off my desk waiting for Parise and Suter to pick a new home. Getting rather annoying these two are holding up the entire offseason, I know it is a hard choice, but come on already. It's an unlikely scenerio, but if both go back to Nashville/NJ at this point I might explode.
    Also off topic I finally joined the twitter world to deal with my addiction for NHL rumors/entertainment @CP1010 if you want to follow.
    D Roy's last memory in Buffalo...
  5. Pegulaville26
    At noon on Sunday the biding war will begin. Large amounts of money will be thrown around, a new Ville Leino will be crowned. Thanks to the poor excuse for a management team in Calgary the free agent market for defenseman just went way up. The Flames handed Dennis Wideman a 5 year 26.25 million dollar contract with a full "no movement" clause. Yes that is a 5.25 millon dollar cap hit for Wideman, people laughing at the Ehrhoff contract (I don't know why) he only has a cap hit of 4 million. Thanks to the Flames players like Matt Carle, Jason Garrison, and Ryan Suter will be rich men soon. Parise will get a boat load of money and the Justin Schultz drama will also finally come to end.
    Quickly on Schultz, who does this guy think he is? Never played a game in the league and he is channeling his inner Brad Richards and LeBron James. Inviting only a select list of teams to come down to make a pitch for him to sign with their team. He also demanding that teams guarentee him a roster spot and ice time. A lot of demanding going on for a 22 year old whose never played a NHL game and already turned his back on one NHL franchise, talk about instant pressure.
    Anyways onto who I think the Sabres should target in the UFA market.
    1. Zach Parise-LW-NJ
    Parise is the crown jewel of this year's free agent group. He is fresh off a trip to the stanley cup final as the Devils captain. Parise will proabably demand around 8 million dollars for between 5-7 years. Honestly I think the Sabres chance of landing Parise will be very slim. I think it is going to be a three horse race between Minnesota, Detroit, and NJ. At the end of the day if the skilled winger does not sign back with NJ by Sunday, I think he is just going to use the offers he receives from other teams to go back to NJ and work out a deal. My money is on Parise staying in Newark.
    2. Shane Doan-RW-Phoenix
    Doan is going to be another highly sought after player July 1. His combination of skill, grit, and leadership will attract many teams. At 35 Doan is looking to sign with a cup contending team. He has been in the Winnipeg/Phoenix organization for 17 years and it is hard to see him leaving the desert. Buffalo again may show they have the money, but will be out classed by the likes of Chicago, Detroit, or Pittsburgh. Buffalo just hasn't shown yet they are just one piece from contending.
    3. Guillamue Latendresse-LW-Minnesota
    This may a be a bit surprising to some, but I have always liked what Latendresse has done with the Wild and Habs. Latendresse has delt with injuries and concussion issues the last two seasons in Minnesota, but at 25 years old I think he is worth taking a shot at. He can provide some size, grit, and secondary scoring from a 3rd line winger role. Also Latendresse is capiable of playing the two hockey system that Ruff preaches. The French Canadian winger has expressed his desire to play near his family in Montreal and the Sabres can fulfill his desire. I think he is worth taking a flyer on and should come some what cheap for what his potential could be. One or two year deal at 2-2.5 million is doable.
    4. Peter Mueller-C-Colorado
    Again another young player at the age of 24 that has had injury issues the last two seasons. Mueller has shown the ability to put up points in this league. He can provide size and depth scoring from a third line center roll. Also fits the bill of a two way center. Mueller was offered a qualifying offer by the Avs making him a UFA on July 1. The crop at center is thin this year and Mueller could be a guy worth taking a stab at if the plan is to move Roy and Adam in offseason trades.
    5. Jason Arnott-C-St. Louis
    Arnott signed a one year deal last season with Blues and provided excellent secondary scoring, leadership, and grit for a young Blues team. At 37 Arnott like Doan, will be looking to sign with a contender for one more shot at a championship. Arnott at 6'5 can provide the size they lost with trading Gaustad and also provide excellent leadership along the way. This may be the kind of signing Buffalo makes next season when they are closer to a championship, however like I said with free agent center being thin it is possible.
    Other options for Buffalo could be Ryan Carter, Kyle Wellwood, and Jiri Hudler. With the Free Agent market being so slim Buffalo will take a swing at the top two or three free agents and then turn back to the trade market.
  6. Pegulaville26
    The 2012 NHL draft weekend didn't disappoint with big trades, rumors, draft winners, and draft losers. Jordan Staal, Sergei Bobrovsky, Lubomir Visnovsky, Mike Ribero and Brandon Sutter all have new homes after the draft weekend. Yakupov went first as expected and Scott Howson made people scratch their heads as expected.
    Sabres Draft
    With the their 12th selection Buffalo took the risk and selected highly talented Russian center Mikhail Grigorenko. Grigorenko started as a top 3 prospect in the draft and by the time the draft rolled around he started to slide. Teams feared his work ethic, his willingness to bolt for Russia, and if he was really 18. I am not even going to discuss the age issue this isn't baseball and he is not from Cuba. The young Russian sniper has guarenteed the Sabres if he does not make the team he will return to Quebec to play in juniors. Also Grigorenko arrived in Buffalo yesterday and already began working out. Grigorenko said he would stay in Buffalo to train until camp starts, showing excellent will and work ethic. Regier has stated he plans to begin contract negotiations very shortly with Grigorenko.
    The Sabres followed the Grigorenko pick up by trading up to the 14th spot with Calgary and giving up their 21st and 42nd pick. Once I saw the Sabres moved up I expected them to take talented Finnish center Teuvo Teravanien. However the new Sabres want size and skill, so instead they selected big Latvian center Zegmus Girgensons. The Latvian Locomotive has been playing in the USHL for the last three years and is commited to play at the University of Vermont. Girgensons can put up points and likes to throw around the body, likes of Callahan and Brown. In the 2nd round Buffalo selected defender Jake McCabe from the University of Wisconson and with the 3rd pick selected another big center Justin Kea from Saginaw.
    Three of the top four picks were a 6'3, 6'1 and 6'4 center. The Sabres succeeded in their goal of adding down the middle. I would give them an A in this weekend's draft.
    Staal Trade
    After the news broke of Jordan Staal turning down a 10 year deal with Pittsburgh it was only a matter of time. Also the only destination seemed to be Carolina and so it was. The Pens and Canes both made out in this hockey trade. The Staal's will the faces of Carolina hockey for the next decade with Jeff Skinner. Sutter will slot in nicely behind Crosby and Malkin as a third line center. Pouliot will also be a nice addition to the Pens blue line in a year or two.
    Howson
    Scott Howson never seems to disappoint. How this guy has a job still is beyond me as he continues to drive the Blue Jackets franchise into the ground. First with the Carter trade giving up Coutourier and Voracek. He would eventually get back Jack Johnson when he moved Carter to LA. He decided that the Flyers haven't ripped him off enough so went back and gave up 3 draft picks for Sergei Bobrovsky. In today's NHL goalie value is at an all time low. It is also being reported that the Islanders offered all of their picks this year for the 2nd overall pick. Sure it might be a roll of the dice if the later picks worked out, but is Ryan Murray going to be that more successful than Griffin Reinhart? I think Garth Snow is dumb to offer that, but I think Howson is ever more dumb to not take that deal and collect prospects. Cannot wait to see what Howson gets for Nash.
  7. Pegulaville26

    Buyer Beware

    By Pegulaville26,

    The headline of the 2012 offseason outside of the new CBA will be eventual trade of Rick Nash. Nash has been on the block since the trade deadline. This offseason teams will line up to give away prospects, draft picks, and good young players to acquire Nash. However is Nash worth the high return Columbus will receive in any deal?
    First let me say this, I believe that Nash is a great player in this league. However I don't consider him to be a top 10 player in the NHL talent barely top 25 (see top 100 list blog). The former first overall pick has a great mix of size, speed, and skill. At 6'4 216 lbs Nash has the ideal characteristics of a top flight NHL power forward. With that being said Nash's career high in points was in 08-09 with 79 points. Also Nash has only led his team to one playoff appearance in 9 seasons and 0 playoff wins. Sure great teams were not built around Nash, but as a top player he is supposed to carry the team. Out of the 9 seasons Nash was in Columbus they only came close to the playoffs two or three times.
    Another red flag teams have to watch out for is that Nash has 6 years at a 7.8 million dollar cap hit. Nash is the 5th highest paid player in the NHL (Staal, Crosby, Malkin, and Ovechkin). Perhaps with the new CBA the team who acquires Nash might have an out.
    The Flyers, Bruins, Hurricanes, Rangers, Sharks, and Leafs are the rumored front runners for Nash at this point. Lets look at it from the view of the Leafs, it would likely cost them Schenn, top prospect, and probably 5th overall pick. A potential Sharks deal could be Niemi, Pavelski, and a first round pick. That is a lot to give up for a player who averages 60 points a season for his career. At the deadline the Jackets wanted the Rangers to give up Dubinsky, Del Zotto, Stepan, and a 1st round pick. Columbus may come down on the demand for Nash, but not much with all the teams that will make an offer on Nash.
    I made this point before around the deadline, but I'll make it again. Here are Nash's career numbers:
    GP: 674
    G: 289
    A: 258
    PTS: 547
    +/-: -71
    Here are Thomas Vanek's career numbers:
    GP: 547
    G: 230
    A: 217
    PTS: 447
    +/-: +35
    Vanek has played 7 seasons to Nash's 9. If you project Vanek's numbers out over 9 seasons he would equal Nash or even surpass his current numbers. Now I am not saying Nash and Vanek are the same player. However if you look at the numbers they have had a similar career. Would anyone give up what they would for Nash for Vanek? Vanek has never had great teams around him as well except for one season. A few other players with similar numbers to Nash drafted in the same season and played less games are Zach Parise and Loui Eriksson.
    The point I am trying to make is that I believe the team that wins the Nash sweeps may regret it in the end. He is a great player however in the end I think Columbus will end up as big time winners in any deal and begin to turn things around.
  8. Pegulaville26
    This is part three of a four part outlook into the Sabres offseason. This section will focus on potential draft picks at 12th overall to keep it short. Also look into the possibilities of trading up or trading of picks in general. Buffalo is a powerful position with 4 picks in the top 44 this year (12, 21, 41, 44).
    Potential Picks
    1. Alex Galchenyuk-C-Sarnia Sting
    6'2 185 lbs
    Galchenyuk is number 1, 2 and 3 on the Sabres board. Any trade up in the draft Buffalo will be attempting to draft Galchenyuk. The Sabres believe that he can be the franchise center for the next 10 years they have been looking for. The Sting center missed most of 2011-12 with a serious knee injury, however he did return for the playoffs and does not show any sign of the injury lingering. In 2010-11 Galchenyuk had 83 points in 68 games. Galchenyuk has leadership potential and a great work ethic, he is projected to be a first line center and potential star in the NHL. Whatever team drafts him it is likely Galchenyuk would return to Sarnia in 2012-13.
    2. Mikhail Grigorenko-C-Quebec Remparts
    6'3 201 lbs
    Grigorenko would not be a bad # 2 option for Buffalo. If they miss out on Galchenyuk it is still possible the Sabres could move up to secure Grigorenko. If this was the old Sabres management they wouldn't touch the young Russian. However in the Pegula era the Sabres have showed they no longer fear European players. The 18 year old center has good size and excellent scoring touch, however he does have some red flags. First being the fear of Russian players going to the KHL, however I see this unlikely with Grigorenko seeing he has played his entire junior career in North America. Grigorenko also has a rap of taking shifts off and not being a good two way player. If you know the Sabres you know that in Lindy Ruff's two way system that will not go over well. See Max Afinogenov. Like Galchenyuk, Grigorenko will likely return to the Remparts next season.
    3. Griffin Reinhart-D-Edmonton Oil Kings
    6'4 200 lbs
    Reinhart would be a take the best player available scenerio at 12th. The big defender would just add to an already prospect rich blue line for the Sabres with McNabb, Pysyk, and Gauthier-Leduc. Buffalo could like the idea of pairing up Reinhart and Pysyk who played together in Edmonton. A future top four D-corp featuring the 6'8 Myers, 6'5 McNabb, 6'2 Pysyk, and 6'4 Reinhart could be scary future blue line. Add in the scoring touch of Gauthier-Leduc and the Sabres blue line could be one of the best in hockey for years to come. Reinhart is a big physical defender that can provide some scoring. The big defender had 36 points in 58 games for a surprising Oil Kings team last season.
    4. Brendan Gaunce-C-Belleville Bulls
    6'3 188 lbs
    Gaunce would be another player the Sabres could look at with the 12th pick. Gaunce would be the # 3 center on the Sabres board. He has great size, but has issues with consistent play. Gaunce put up 68 points in 68 games with the Bulls this season. Best case scenerio Gaunce could be a top 6 center, however to me he projects out to be more of a 3rd line center that can provide size and secondary scoring. The thing that doesn't fit with the 3rd line center mold is that Gaunce struggles in his own end. He can learn the defensive side of his game in the AHL, however personally I'm not very high on Gaunce and would rather the Sabres stack up the blue line than take a risk on Gaunce.
    5. Cody Ceci-D-Ottawa 67's
    6'2 207 lbs
    Ceci would be another luxery pick for Buffalo at 12, with hopes of picking up a center later or via trade. The Canadian defender has the size to play a physical game in the NHL, however he is more known for his offensive side. Ceci could be a great power play quarterback in the making with an excellent shot and skill. Ceci had 60 points in 64 games for Ottawa last season. He also has excellent hockey smarts in the defensive zone that enable him to make up for a mistake quickly. Ceci projects out to be a # 3 or 4 defender.
    Trades
    Outside of the possibility of Buffalo trading any of the their top 4 picks for a top 6 center, Buffalo is looking to move up in the draft. About a month ago Buffalo was rumored to be in talks with the Islanders for the # 4 pick eyeing either Galchenyuk or Grigorenko. Buffalo would in return send the Isles the 12th pick and Mark Pysyk. Buffalo may put a little more pressure on Columbus and Edmonton with offers as the draft nears. They have the assets to make the move the only issue is finding a dance partner. With the Oilers and Jackets likely locked into 1 and 2 outside of a crazy offer for the pick, Buffalo may wait to see how those two picks break down. If one or both of the players they want are still available they could become more agressive to jump up. I don't see a scenerio in which the Sabres keep all picks and make no moves. If that was to occur there's going to be a lot of unhappy fans.
  9. Pegulaville26
    Today's blog is part two of my part offseason preview for the Buffalo Sabres. Part two is going to look at the possible trade opportunities that the Sabres may be presented with. I'm going to break it into two categories: players Buffalo may target and current Sabres players on the Trade Block.
    Targets
    1. Jordan Staal-C-Pittsburgh Penguins
    The Penguins may be looking to deal their big center in an attempt to bring in a top flight defenseman. Pittsburgh is running into a situation where they have to pay their top 4 players all in the next two years. Letang, Crosby, Malkin, and Staal will all be UFA's by the end of the 13-14 season. Also complicating things is the large contract that was handed out to James Neal last season through the 2017-18 season. Another issue that can be coming to the front in Pittsburgh is Staal is looking for more playing time. He currently sits as the 3rd line center behind two of the best players in the world in Crosby and Malkin. Rumors have come out that Staal is becoming annoyed with being the third wheel in Pittsburgh. I personally think these rumors are a stretch and this is more of a cap issue that would cause a trade. The 6'4 center fits the needs of the Sabres perfectly. A two way center who can score, play the PP, PK, size, and leadership qualities. Staal has had injury problems in the past and last season in a injury short season Staal put up 50 points in 62 games and was a +11.
    Cost: Top 3 Defenseman, Roster Player, Prospect/Draft Pick
    2. Patrick Kane- C/RW-Chicago Blackhawks
    After a disappointing first round playoff exit the Blackhawks may be looking to make some changes. The former first overall pick may be used an example to the rest of the Blackhawks squad. Rumors out of Chicago are that the Hawks may have seen enough of the party attitude of Kane. They were hoping we would mature and they are running out of patience. Chicago is in need of some defensive help as well as goaltending. If this trade was to happen you wouldn't see the much discussed Miller for Kane trade. If Buffalo was to make this move it could be a risk with Kane being on the small side as well as his off ice issues. Ruff likes players that play two hockey and Kaner is 100% a offensive player.
    Cost: Top 3 Defenseman, Prospect/Draft Pick, Goaltender
    3. Jerome Iginla-RW-Calgary Flames
    Let me start by saying this is unlikely, but still worth mentioning as a possibility. This seems to be more along the line of a deadline deal. Iggy brings the leadership and scoring the Sabres need. With a new coach in Calgary the Flames will likely see what noise they can make with Iginla on the roster before considering to move him.
    Cost: Top Prospect, Draft Pick, Roster Player
    4. Ryane Clowe-LW-San Jose Sharks
    Clowe may be on the market as the Sharks look to change things up in San Jose. Clowe would be a good fit a 3rd line winger who can bring leadership, size, and experience. The 29 year old only has one year left on his deal, but is still young could be a vital piece for a cup run in the future for Buffalo. Clowe can provide some good secondary scoring, he had 45 points in 76 games last season with 17 goals.
    Cost: Prospect/Draft Pick, Roster Player
    5. Top 5 Draft Pick-2012 Draft
    Buffalo has 4 of the top 44 picks in this season's draft. The Sabres are trying to move up in the attempt to draft either Alex Galchenyuk or Mikhail Grigorenko. The main target being Galchenyuk, the Starnia Sting center is highly highly covetted by Sabres management. The organization believes he can be the star center the organization has been searching for since Briere and Drury bolted in Free Agency. Buffalo will try to use their prospect depth and bevy of picks to move up.
    Cost: Top Prospect, Top 6 forward, Top 4 Defenseman, Draft Picks
    Trade Block
    1. Derek Roy-C
    Roy may have sealed his fate with his interesting comments on locker clean out day. Roy stated his displeasure with the way the Ruff treats his player publicly sometimes. I tend to agree with Roy's comments, but my opinion doesn't matter. Roy had a disappointing season after coming over a severe hamstring injury that caused him to miss most of the 2010-11 season. Roy also suffered through injuries in training camp and the early part of the season. This setback caused Roy to start the season not in and shape and it showed in his performance. With Ennis and Hodgson in the fold, along with Buffalo in the market for another center Roy will find himself as the odd man out. However it would not shock me to see Roy benefit from a change of scenery, he has the ability to be a point per game player.
    2. Andrej Sekera-D
    Sekera had a solid 2011-12 season playing with Regehr against the opponets top line. For some reason he is under appreciated in Buffalo. He carried his strong season into a strong performance in World Championships with Slovakia earning the Silver medal. I am very very against trading Sekera unless it lands Buffalo the top center they are looking for, however with 8 NHL defenseman on the roster currently Sekera could be the odd man out.
    3. Mike Weber-D
    Weber is in a situation similar to Sekera as being the odd man out. However he does not come anywhere near the skill that Sekera possesses. Weber is a # 6 or 7 defenseman at best. If he was to be moved it would be as a throw in or for a late round pick to clear out the log jam on the blue line.
    4. Luke Adam- C
    Adam came on strong to start the season playing on the top line. However he faded as the season went on and never regained his scoring touch in Rochester. Adam appeared in the All-Star weekend and then we sent back to Rochester when he returned. I believe that Adam was given a raw deal by Ruff and killed his confidence. Adam is going to be a top 6 center in this league however I fear like many others Ruff killed his chances in Buffalo. It would be best for the kid to get a shot somewhere else instead of playing on the 4th line under Ruff. He could be a good chip to use in any big trade.
    5. Others-Prospects/Draft Picks
    Mark Pysyk, 12th overall pick, 21st overall pick, 41st overall pick, 44th overall pick, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc, and TJ Brennan
  10. Pegulaville26
    I am going to do a four part preview of the Sabres offseason looking at the Draft, Current Prospects in the system, Free Agency, and the Trade Market. Today I am going to start with the Prospects portion, so let's get to the fun.
    1. Joel Armia-Assat-SM Liga
    Armia was the 1st round pick of the Sabres in last year's draft. He was the first European player selected by the Sabres in five years. The 6'3 200 lb Finish winger has been playing in the Finish Elite League for two years now. Armia has held his own against other professionals in the Finland. This season in 54 games Armia had 38 points (18g 20a). Also Armia started to get attention at this years World Junior Championship when he headlined a surprise Finland team 7 points in 7 games (5 and 2). Armia showed his ability to use his size, speed, and skill to put the puck in the net. The 18 year old should attend his first training camp this season. Buffalo hopes for Armia to be a top 6 forward that can provide size and skill they need badly. The Sabres are hopeful he will play in the AHL and craft his game in North America. If not Armia will head back to Finland for one more season and start to push for a roster spot in the 2013 season.
    2. Mark Pysyk-Edmonton Oil Kings-WHL
    Pysyk was Buffalo's first round pick in 2010 and he is part of a prospect loaded blue line. Pysyk started to break out in his second season with the Oil Kings in his first season as captain. He led all Edmonton defenseman with 6 goals and 34 assists and was a +29. He put up similar numbers again this season with 6 goals and 32 assits, also adding 11 more points in the playoffs. Pysyk also had a good showing for Canada in the World Juniors this season in a disappointing tournament for team Canada. Pysyk was one of the reasons the surprise Oil Kings are still playing in the Memorial Cup after winning the WHL Championship. The Oil King defense also features future first round draft pick Griffin Reinhart, who could be on the Sabres radar come Draft day. Pysyk signed his entry level deal with Buffalo this season will begin his pro career in Rochester next season.
    3. Jermoe Gauthier-Leduc-Rimouski Oceanic-QMJHL
    Leduc was a 3rd round pick in the 2010 draft. The 6'0 185 lb defenseman from Quebec is a scoring machine from the blue line. This season in 62 games JGL had 28 goals and 46 assists while anchoring the Rimouski blue line. He also added 19 more points in 21 playoff games for the Oceanic. Leduc signed his entry level contract this year and will also joing Pysyk in Rochester next season. Leduc will work on crafting his defensive aspect of the game to be successful at the next level. His offensive skill has Sabres fans salivating. A very exciting prospect once his game in own zone is perfected.
    4. Kevin Sundher-Rochester Americans-AHL and Brandon Wheat Kings-WHL
    Sundher was another 3rd round pick in a very promising 2010 draft class for Buffalo. Sundher started with a break out season while playing the Victoria Royals of the WHL with 64 points in 40 games. He was then traded to Brandon and never seemed comfortable, only scoring 11 points in 18 games. Sundher was only one more Sabres injury from making his Sabres debut in the beginning of last season. Sundher eventually joined the Amerks at the end of their playoff series with the Marlies, but never dressed in a game. The 20 year old center will begin next season in Rochester with a lot of eyes on his progression. Buffalo is in desperate need of depth at center and Sundher could have a bright future as possible second line center.
    5. Daniel Catenacci-Owen Sound Attack-OHL
    Catenacci was a 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft that slipped from a projected first round selection. Catenacci is on the small side at 5'10, but he features blazing speed and a never give up attitude a la Nathan Gerbe or Tyler Ennis. Last season for the Attack the 19 year old center had 72 points in 67 games with 5 more points in the playoffs. Catenacci caught some attention last season at the Sabres prospects camp. His skill and speed made a lot people think of Catenacci as a Tyler Ennis type center. He may have to be moved to the wing with Ennis and Hodgson already occupying the small center positions for the foreseeable future. Catenacci will play next year in Rochester after signing his entry level contract and look to prove he can use his speed and skill at the pro level
    The Amerks have a new movement of promising young players joining the club next season in Pysyk, JGL, Sundher, Catenacci, and goalie Connor Knapp. As per usual the Sabres prospect class is loaded and these are only the top 5 players that will make an impact soon.
  11. Pegulaville26
    After some time away from the NHL and only enjoying playoff hockey on TV I am ready to get back into the blog/hockeyforums world. I was reading an article the other day about the top 100 NFL players of 2011-12. That inspired me to put together my own top 100 of current NHL players. I have worked on this for a few days and I'm 99% sure I will not put in someone important. So with your help maybe we can put a list together with all of your input. So without any more delay here is my top 100 NHL players.

    Steven Stamkos-Tampa Bay Lightning
    Claude Giroux-Philadelphia Flyers
    Sidney Crosby-Pittsburgh Penguins
    Pavel Datsyuk-Detroit Red Wings
    Jonathon Toews-Chicago Blackhawks
    Evgeni Malkin-Pittsburgh Penguins
    Daniel Sedin-Vancouver Canucks
    Henrik Sedin-Vancouver Canucks
    Henrik Lundqvist-New York Rangers
    Alexander Ovechkin-Washington Capitals
    Shea Weber-Nashville Predators
    Zdeno Chara-Boson Bruins
    Nick Lindstrom-Detroit Red Wings
    Corey Perry-Anaheim Ducks
    Zach Parise-NJ Devils
    Anze Kopitar-LA Kings
    Erik Karlsson-Ottawa Senators
    Jonathon Quick-LA Kings
    Ilya Kovalchuk-NJ Devils
    Pekka Rinnie-Nashville Predators
    Eric Staal-Carolina Hurricanes
    Ryan Getzlaf-Anaheim Ducks
    Rick Nash-Columbus Blue Jackets
    Jarome Iginla-Calgary Flames
    Jordan Staal-Pittsburgh Penguins
    John Tavares-NY Islanders
    Marian Hossa-Chicago Blackhawks
    Ryan Callahan-New York Rangers
    Henrik Zetterberg- Detroit Red Wings
    Ryan Suter-Nashville Predators
    David Backes- St. Louis Blues
    Kimmo Timmonen-Philadelphia Flyers
    Jason Spezza-Ottawa Senators
    Bobby Ryan- Anaheim Ducks
    Kris Letang-Pittsburgh Penguins
    Dan Girardi-NY Rangers
    Gabriel Landeskog-Colorado Avalanche
    Patrick Kane-Chicago Blackhawks
    Mikko Koivu-Minnesota Wild
    Marion Gaborik-NY Rangers
    Jordan Eberle-Edmonton Oilers
    Marty St. Louis-Tampa Bay Lightning
    Patrice Bergeron-Boston Bruins
    Alex Pietrangelo-St. Louis Blues
    Cam Ward-Carolina Hurricanes
    Duncan Keith-Chicago Blackhawks
    Oliver Ekman-Larsson-Phoenix Coyotes
    Brad Richards-NY Rangers
    Braydon Coburn-Philadelphia Flyers
    Dustin Brown-LA Kings
    Jeff Skinner-Carolina Hurricanes
    Tj Oshie-St. Louis Blues
    Erik Cole-Montreal Canadiens
    Phil Kessel-Toronto Maple Leafs
    Matt Duchene-Colorado Avalanche
    Tim Thomas-Boston Bruins
    Nicklas Backstrom-Washington Capitals
    Patrick Marleau-SJ Sharks
    Shane Doan-Phoenix Coyotes
    Mikka Kippersoff-Calgary Flames
    Daniel Alfredsson-Ottawa Senators
    Teemu Selanne-Anaheim Ducks
    James Neal-Pittsburgh Penguins
    Ryan Kessler-Vancouver Canucks
    Ryan Miller-Buffalo Sabres
    Evander Kane-Winnipeg Jets
    Brent Seabrook-Chicago Blackhawks
    Patrick Sharp-Chicago Blackhawks
    Dustin Byfuglien-Winnipeg Jets
    Scott Hartnell-Philadelphia Flyers
    Thomas Vanek-Buffalo Sabres
    Milan Michalek-Ottawa Senators
    Joe Thorton-SJ Sharks
    Vinny Lecavalier-Tampa Bay Lightning
    Marty Brodeur-NJ Devils
    Tyler Myers-Buffalo Sabres
    Dan Boyle-SJ Sharks
    Carey Price-Montreal Canadiens
    Kris Versteeg-Florida Panthers
    Martin Erat-Nashville Predators
    David Krejic-Boston Bruins
    Max Pacioretty-Montreal Canadiens
    Kevin Bieksa-Vancouver Canucks
    Ryan McDonagh-NY Rangers
    Christian Ehrhoff-Buffalo Sabres
    Michael Del Zotto-NY Rangers
    Tyler Seguin-Boston Bruins
    Mike Richards-LA Kings
    Mark Giordano-Calgary Flames
    Joe Pavelski-SJ Sharks
    Taylor Hall-Edmonton Oilers
    Jeff Carter-LA Kings
    PK Subban-Montreal Canadiens
    Tomas Fleischman-Florida Panthers
    Mark Streit-NY Islanders
    Mike Smith-Phoenix Coyotes
    Tyler Ennis-Buffalo Sabres
    Zach Bogosian-Winnipeg Jets
    Alex Burrows-Vancouver Canucks
    Dennis Seidenberg-Boston Bruins

    That's my list I even altered it some more as I was typing it up. Let me know what you think and let me know who I obviously missed.
  12. Pegulaville26
    This year is perhaps the most open the race to the cup has ever been. Not one team is a favorite, the Cup winner could come from a bottom or a top seed. Should make for a fun playoffs full of drama. Well let's get to the predictions.
    Eastern Conference:
    1. New York Rangers (51-24-7 109 pts) vs 8. Ottawa Senators (41-31-10 92 pts)
    I think that the Rangers should be happy with this matchup. The Rangers would have prefered the Capitals, but the Sens are not a bad matchup either. Ottawa stumbled down the stretch and raised questions marks. First and foremost starting with goaltending, Craig Anderson has had an up and down season. The chances of Anderson outplaying Lundqvist are slim to none, and that would need to be the case for the Sens to pull the upset. It will be interesting to see what kind of game Erik Karlsson brings in this series after a unbelievable regular season. Ottawa has surprised a lot of people this year with making the playoffs, and playing with nothing to lose is a definate benefit to the Sens. Of course the pressure is on New York and the Rangers never seem to thrive under pressure. However I think Ryan Callahan is built for this time of the season and he will not allow his team to falter in round 1.
    Key Players: Erik Karlsson, Craig Anderson, Brandon Dubinsky, Henrik Lundqvist
    Prediction: Rangers in 6
    2. Boston Bruins (49-29-4 102 pts) vs 7. Washington Capitals (42-32-8 92 pts)
    The Washington Capitals saved themselves from mass chaos for the time being. However I think they have only delayed the inevidable. Major changes will be needed in the offseason with coaching, management, and players. Alex Ovechkin decided to play hockey in the final month of the season getting the Caps into the post season. However a match up with the defending Champions is not ideal. Especially with Thomas Vokoun and Michael Neuvirth on the shelf. Young Brayden Holtby will be in charge of guarding the cage against the strong Bruins offense, a tough task for any goalie let a lone a youngster like Holtby. Boston is built for playoff hockey, but the question is will they get the goaltending they got in last years run. To start the season Thomas was on fire, however in the second half he looked bad. Tuuka Rask was primed to steal the starting job again until he was injured. Having Rask back for the playoffs will give the Bruins needed insurance. This Boston team has been here before, I expect them to run over Capitals. Over/under on two games until Semin runs and hides? That buzzing noise you hear in the backround when thinking of this series is the buzzsaw ready to roll through the Capitals.
    Key Players: Alex Ovechkin, Tim Thomas, Brayden Holtby, Mike Green, Alex Semin
    Prediction: Bruins in 5
    3. Florida Panthers (38-26-18 94 pts) vs New Jersey Devils (48-28-6 102 pts)
    Congrats to the Devils for winning the 1st round lottery. Congrats to the Florida Panthers for making the playoffs for the first time in 11 years. However sorry Florida there are no loser points or shootouts in the playoffs. New Jersey will make quick work of the Panthers in this series, one step closer to the Devils convincing Parise NJ is the place to be. The technically under .500 division winning Panthers will need a small miracle to compete in this series. They have no edge over NJ including defense and goaltending. I am kind of pushing for NJ this season to perhaps see Brodeur go out on top. It will also be interesting to see Ilya Kovalchuk play in his second playoff series, his first was in Atlanta in a 4-0 Rangers drubbing. Pete DeBoer will take joy in knocking out his former team, but you have to commend the job Kevin Dineen has done. Florida is heading in the right way for the future, but the nice story ends here. By the way how about three 100 + point teams in the Atlantic Division.
    Key Players: Jose Theodore, Illya Kovalchuk, Marty Brodeur
    Prediction: NJ in 4
    4. Pittsburgh Penguins (51-25-6 108 pts) vs. 5. Philadelphia Flyers (47-26-9 103 pts)
    Boy is this going to be a dandy. Two teams that straight up HATE eachother. The unfortunate part is that a top team is going to be sent home in round one and the winner may be too beat up to go past round two. This series boils down to one person and one person only, Ilya Bryzgalov. The Flyers need Bryz to be at top form to take this series. With Bryz not being 100% I'm not so sure I like the Flyers chances. Sure the Flyer D is solid and they can score with anyone, however how do you bet against Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Neal, Kunitz, and Orpik. The only saving grace for Philly could be if they catch MA Fleury off his game. I am not a huge fan off Fleury even though he already has a ring, to many times have I seem give up bad goals and play poorly. Tough call here, but game 7 will be played in Pittsburgh and that is what pushes me over the edge.
    Key Players: Ilya Bryzgalov, Marc Andre Fleury, Danny Briere, Evgeni Malkin, Scott Hartnell, Sidney Crosby
    Prediction: Pens in 7
    Western Conference:
    1. Vancouver Canucks (51-22-9 111 pts) vs Los Angeles Kings (40-27-15 95 pts)
    Hang onto your hats with this prediction. The Kings had problems scoring all season long even though they have excellent players like Brown, Kopitar, Richards, Doughty, and recently Carter. Jonathon Quick had an excellent season and in my opinion stole the Vezina from Lundqvist. Vancouver with only one Sedin and now being a two line scoring team instead of three after the Hodgson trade they don't scare me as much. They seemed to get back to form as the season came to end however with the enigma that is Roberto Luongo the Canucks could be in trouble. I have no doubts that Corey Schneider will seem time in this series, but I think the goaltending issue will ruin Vancouver. Quick is the better goalie in this match up and if they Kings can find the net they have a good chance in this matchup.
    Key Players: Jonathon Quick, Roberto Luongo, Sedin/s, Anze Kopitar, Mike Richards, Ryan Kessler
    Prediction: Kings in 6
    2. St. Louis Blues (49-22-11 109 pts) vs San Jose Sharks (43-29-10 96 pts)
    The Blues and Sharks were both surprises this season for two different reasons. The Blues were on top of the conference and the Sharks were on the bottom. I think SJ is in for a similar fate like the Caps. The Blues are carried by strong goaltending and defense. I think Neimi, but both Blues goaltenders are better. SJ has had troubles scoring and this match up will not make things easy. I am not 100% sold on the Blues, but I think they at least get to round two. Which Joe Thorton will show up? Which Sharks team will show up for that matter.
    Key Players: Antti Neimi, Joe Thorton, Brian Elliott, Jaro Halak, David Backes, Brett Burns, Alex Pietroangelo
    Prediction: Blues in 6
    3. Phoenix Coyotes (42-27-13 97 pts) vs 6. Chicago Blackhawks (45-26-11 101 pts)
    This matchup is similar to the 3 vs 6 in the East. The 6th seed is the better team, however in this match up not by a lot more. The question here is if Mike Smith can steal this series for the Yotes and can Corey Crawford hold up for the Hawks. Chicago can score like not many teams can, but who can match the scoring on the Coyotes? If Chicago can get back David Bolland and Jonathon Toews this series won't be that close. The Yotes just don't have the fire power to hang with the Blackhawks in this series. If I were Phoenix I would have rather lost the division and played Vancouver or St. Louis. The Hawks also feature a strong D core that can match the D play of the Coyotes.
    Key Players: Mike Smith, Corey Crawford, Jonathon Toews, Patrick Kane, Shane Doan
    Prediction: Hawks in 6
    4. Nashville Predators (48-26-8 104 pts) vs 5. Detroit Red Wings (48-28-6 102 pts)
    Another crazy good matchup and I love watching Pavel Datsyuk work during playoff time. To this very moment I am torn on who I want to pick here. I like Nashville with Pekka Rinne in goal and the strong defense. However it is so hard to go against the Datsyuk and Lindstrom. This year Nashville features an element they have rarely had in the playoffs, scoring. With Alex Radulov in the fold and the acquisition of Andrei Kostitsyn makes the Preds more dangerous. This is going to be a battle of two strong teams and a shame one will have to go home early. I don't feel good about my choice, but I'm going to go with Nashville.
    Key Players: Pekka Rinne, Jimmy Howard, Alexander Radulov, Pavel Datsyuk, Johan Franzen, Shea Weber
    Prediction: Preds in 7
    Cup Prediction: Penguins vs Blackhawks
    Blackhawks win it all in 7
  13. Pegulaville26
    For the second straight season, the Sabres were sent home after a game in the Wells Fargo Center. Offically making it 5 years without a playoff series victory and missing the playoffs 3 out of last 5 years. As I take a step back today and look at the big picture, I ask myself what this run really did for the Sabres as an organization. Sure you found out Miller can still play, Foligno is promising, and Ennis has a bright future. However Buffalo now sits with a mid first round pick and a late first round pick and nothing to show for it. You still have questions marks on your team in the likes of Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek being the headliners.
    Before I go any further let me say Darcy Regier and Lindy Ruff WILL be back next season. I'll get to Ruff in a little bit. The most important thing to me right now is someone telling me what the heck is wrong with Thomas Vanek. His shoulder better have been taped to his body to explain his second half performance. Sure he had 9 points in his last 9 games however he was nothing close to the player he was before the all star break. If he is not hurt, we have BIG problems there. Also I had to check the score of last nights game at least three times today, everything I read blamed Miller for the loss last night. Reality check to Sabres fans he is reason number 1, 2, and 3 that they got back into the race. Sure he got beat on a breakaway goal by a 20 goal scorer in Matt Read (who he already stopped on a SH breakaway earlier in the game). Had his forwards converted on one of the two, 2 on 1's they had minutes before that it wouldn't have mattered.
    I texted numerous folks after the first 10 minutes of this game, stating Lindy Ruff installed his panic game plan and the Sabres were doomed. The last three weeks the Sabres have put up huge offensive numbers, however last night with the season on the line they went away from it. Playing a conservative game to not lose instead of going for it all. Sure you were down Ehrhoff, Myers, and Sulzer, so what. I rather go out swinging instead of playing hope for a 1-0 win hockey. I remember maybe two times I thought nice save Bryzgalov, he has a bum foot and was barely tested. If Buffalo comes out hard and forechecks like they did against Toronto Tuesday, maybe they get 2 quick ones and Philly calls it a night. With the passive game plan Foligno was almost a non factor being unable to forecheck after he was a force against the Leafs. Buffalo had very little puck control in the offensive zone not taking advantage of a short handed Flyers D. That is the reason I think Buffalo needs a new coach, the loser mentality needs to stop. I don't want my team to be afraid of the Flyers, Bruins, or Penguins. I want them to go out and throw the punches. Under Terry Pegula I expected a new mentality or a new direction and it's the same old ideology.
    Well now I get to turn my focus in these blogs to some league issues I want to talk about. I also get to jump on the Chicago Blackhawk bandwaggon. They are my go to team when playoff time comes around.
  14. Pegulaville26
    Personally I would rather the Sabres play any of the other 28 NHL teams tonight besides the Flyers. This goes all the way back to game 7 of the playoffs last year, when Philly blew the doors off a injured and overmatched Sabres squad to send them home. Well tonight the Flyers may have that chance again. With a Caps victory against Florida tonight and a Sabres loss the playoff race is over. However flip that scenerio and the Sabres will have a playoff birth by the throat. All that will be needed is a point against a Boston team probably without Chara, Bergeron, Thomas, and other top players. Also both teams could win tonight and then Florida, Buffalo, and Washington will be playing for their playoff lives Saturday.
    The Flyers themselves are locked in a battle for home ice advantage with the Penguins in the 4-5 matchup. The Pens have a 3 point lead and can lock it up with a win tonight against the Rangers. Personally if I was a Flyer fan I hope for two Flyer L's and two NJ W's and a first round matchup with Florida or Washington. The Flyers come into tonight's game off of a 5-3 loss to the Rangers Tuesday night. Philly forgot the game started at 7 and before they knew what hit them the Rangers put up a 4-0 lead after the one. That would be all King Henrik needed to lock up the division title for New York.
    Philly comes in a little banged up. They will be without Danny Briere, Andrej Meszaros, and solid trade deadline pickup Nick Grossman. Also Illya Bryzgalov is only playing his second game coming back from a chipped bone/fracture in his foot. Many people do not think he is 100% yet and Buffalo would be smart to take advantage of that. Bryzgalov was red hot in March and the Sabres need to get to him early. Making Bryz uncomfortable should be top priority tonight.
    Buffalo also comes in with two big injuries. Both Tyler Myers and Christian Ehrhoff will miss the remaining two games and possibly longer. Without those two on the blue line Buffalo has given up 14 goals in two games with the Leafs and one game with the Penguins. That needs to change tonight or the offensively gifted Flyers will end the night quickly.
    Philly has won all 3 matchups this season. At times they appeared to just toy with the Sabres. In the first game they chased Miller within 5 minutes, the second game they pulled a vintage 2011 playoffs comeback to win 5-4 in OT, and the most recent game was a 7-2 laugher where the Flyers put up 7 unanswered. However something Sabres fans can grab onto is that these three matchups were before Ryan Miller got hot and the new bodies in the lineup in the form of Marcus Foligno, Tyler Ennis, Cody Hodgson, and Alex Sulzer. Also two of these games happened when Leino had under 5 goals and he scored in one of them. He has 7 now! Sorry, I thought Flyers fans would like that.
    This is technically Buffalo's 3rd "game 7" of the season the first a 5-1 win against the Caps in DC and the second a thrilling 6-5 OT win against the Leafs Tuesday in the FN Center. Two different ways to win, but both count for two points.
    One of these days these games are going to give me a heart attack.
    Projected Lineup:
    Stafford-Ennis-Foligno
    Vanek-Hodgson-Tropp
    Leino-Roy-Pominville
    Gerbe-McCormick-Kaleta
    Regehr-Sekera
    Sulzer-Leopold
    Weber-McNabb
    Miller
    (Enroth)
  15. Pegulaville26
    Last night was the entire Sabres season wrapped up into one game. At 3-0 you were angry and thought it was over, at 3-2 there was hope, 4-2 it was over again, 4-3 hope again, 5-3 this time it is really over, 5-4 it was well maybe, at 5-5 it was are you kidding, and at 6-5 it was pandemonium. This could be just a game that in the end is just another game of 82 in a disappointing non playoff season. It also could be the game that makes you believe Buffalo is destined for the post season. With this comeback win, Stamkos late goal on Monday, and the comeback win by the Jets last night in Florida.
    The Sabres defense looked lost for the 3rd straight game without Myers and Ehrhoff. Myers could possibly play Thursday in Philly. If something does not change quick in the D zone, the scoring power house that is the Flyers will run Buffalo out of the building.
    What I mainly want to focus on here is the first hand look the Toronto Maple Leafs go into the Sabres future. Marcus Foligno and Brayden McNabb were at top form last night in a huge game. Foligno came out to set the tone by sending Carl Gunnarsson into next week with a clean hit behind the Leafs net ten seconds in. McNabb followed up by hammering Lombardi with a solid check and then standing up to Jay Rosehill. Foligno was not done he steamrolled Bozak and made Matt Frattin regret dropping the gloves with him for his first NHL fight. Finally Foligno capped his night by punking Mike Komisarek that led to the tying goal in a mad scramble.
    The 6'5 220 lb Brayden McNabb again shows his promise as a future stud on the blue line. Sabres fans should be over joyed with the thought of the 6'8 Myers and 6'5 McNabb running the blue line for the next 10 years. Punishing top lines around the league. Once McNabb develops the offensive game he had in Juniors with the Kootney Ice at the pro level he could be dynamite.
    What more can be said about Marcus Foligno. The NHL Rookie of the Month for March has been the shot in the arm this club needed. His line has 21 goals and 46 points over the last 12 games since Foligno's recall (Stafford and Ennis other two line mates). The 6'3 230 lb 20 year old from Buffalo has the size, skill, and hockey smarts the Sabres need. He has made Zach Kassian an after thought to Sabres fans.
    The future for Buffalo with players like McNabb, Foligno, Adam, Hodgson, Ennis, Armia, Pysk and Catenacci in system is very bright. A lot of people can hate on Darcy Regier, but he can draft and produce prospects like not many other people in this league.
    EDIT: Just announced Myers out remainder of regular season at least.
    Gunnarsson is still looking for the # 82 train....
    First NHL fight a beauty...
    Game highlights watch Foligno punk Komi on the 5th goal....http://www.nhl.com/i...vid=DL|NHL|home
  16. Pegulaville26
    At this time last night Buffalo appeared to be in good position in the playoff race. After a tough 5-3 loss to the Penguins last night the Sabres no longer have the game in hand and sit in 9th with the Capitals owning the tie breaker.
    Sidney "Sabres Killer" Crosby was at top form last night with 1 goal and 3 assists. The Sabres didn't help themselves missing numerous chances to put the puck past Johnson. I am stunned that Buffalo did not put at least 8 into the cage on Johnson. He looked clumsy and uncomfortable the entire game last night.
    The news got worse today with Ottawa beating the Flyers in a shootout 4-3. The Sens now sit with 90 points and pretty much seal the 7 spot. Also the bad news came in when the Capitals announced that superstar center Niklas Backstrom will return tonight against the Habs. That should give the Caps a boost the Sabres don't need them to get.
    The last set of bad news came on the injury front. The injury bug has hit the Sabres hard again and could be enough to knock them out of the race. Tyler Myers was hurt last night blocking a shot and will not play tonight in Toronto. He is listed as day to day, Mike Weber will also not play tonight with shoulder injury he received after a hit from behind by NHL goodie goodie Matt Cooke.
    The good news you have the Leafs twice before finishing the season in Philly and Boston. More bad news going 4-0 doesn't mean your in the playoffs.
    Washington has four games left as well against the Habs, Bolts, Panthers, and Rangers. A far easier schedule than Buffalo. You can count on the Rangers not showing up on the final day of the season. Probably the same with Boston for Buffalo.
    Projected Lineup:
    Foligno-Ennis-Stafford
    Vanek-Hodgson-Tropp
    Pominville-Roy-Leino
    Gerbe-Boyes-Kaleta
    Regehr-Sekera
    Sulzer-Leopold
    McNabb-Brennan
    Miller
    (Enroth)
    Toronto will counter with AHL goalie Ben Scrivens tonight. The Sabres cannot take the Leafs for granted and need to turn the fans on the home team right away. An early goal will do just that. The more "Let's Go Blue Jays" chants you hear tonight the better for Buffalo.
  17. Pegulaville26
    Tonight at the FN Center the Buffalo Sabres will honor their fans. We deserve a lot of praise for putting up with the horrible start and constant stress that comes with a playoff push. Some of the things that will occur tonight include the "Shirt off our Back" Promotion, where at the end of the game, 20 lucky fans will be randomly selected to receive the game worn jerseys of all the Sabres dressed. Also a 50/50 raffle with a minimum prize of 25K (or you could $640 million with the mega millions). The Sabres will also give you the fanciest noise makers I have ever seen, they are blue and gold with the words "Lets Go Sabres", should be super annoying to anyone over 9 in attendance. However should make for one heck of a dual outside the arena after the game. Other prizes will be given away tonight and the much loved "Party in the Plaza" is back tonight. Two huge screens outside for fans without tickets to enjoy the game.
    Now onto the Sabres opponent tonight the Pittsburgh Penguins enter on a two game losing streak, after losing a home and home to the Islanders. Buffalo leads the season series 2-1 with crazy games. A 2-1 Jhonas Enroth win on the 4th night of the season, a 8-4 beating by the Pens in Pittsburgh, and a 6-2 beat down by Buffalo just last month. The Pens will be without Ben Lovejoy and Kris Letang tonight, they are also giving the fans a prize by putting Brent Johnson between the pipes. However you got to feel the Pens will come hard tonight they are fighting for home ice with the Flyers in that nasty 4-5 matchup. The Pens are pretty much out of the division title race with the current slide. Sidney Crosby took a puck to the face last night and after the NHL was deciding whether or not to cancel the season, Crosby did return and only has a busted up nose.
    On the injury front for Buffalo Christian Ehrhoff will miss tonights game and probably the remaining four after tonight. Mike Weber will step in and will need to play well. The Sabres D will get a full blast of offense tonight. Nathan Gerbe is still not 100% and will not play tonight. Crazy PK36 will play tonight after blocking a shot with his broken thumb Tuesday. Yes his thumb was broken before the game and he still went all out and blocked a puck on purpose with said hand and thumb. Dedication. Andrej Sekera also good to go after blocking a shot from Ovechkin.
    Miller in goal of course. Red hot, he will need to be on his game tonight.
    My hatred for the Bruins grew last night a little more with their 3-2 shootout loss to Washington. The game was boring and the Caps had a commanding 2-0 lead late in the 3rd. However Boston teased Buffalo fans by scoring two goals in the final three minutes to send it to extra time. Only to lose in a break away contest, in which they were only a Tim Thomas save on Alex Semin away from a W. Thanks Boston.
    Two big points on the line tonight and with two games with the train wreck Maple Leafs coming up soon, the Sabres can try to distance themselves from the Caps. Let the playoff hockey continue.
    Projected Lineup:
    Foligno-Ennis-Stafford
    Vanek-Hodgson-Tropp
    Leino-Roy-Pominville
    Kaleta-Boyes-McCormick
    Myers-Leopold
    Regehr-Sekera
    Weber-Sulzer
    Miller
    (Enroth)
  18. Pegulaville26

    Cold Blooded

    By Pegulaville26,

    As Gus Johnson would say, the Sabres were Coooold Blooooded last night. They walked into the Verizon Center and they dropped the hammer on the Capitals. Buffalo skated and hit their way to a 5-1 win and sole ownership of 8th place. After the first 10 minutes of the first period this game was never close.
    Alex Ovechkin had the chance to again carry his team and prove he is a true superstar. Instead he literally and figurativley fell on his face. Ovechkin was dangerous one maybe two times throughout the entire game. Tyler Myers and Andrej Sekera used their speed to take away the time and space AO had. He couldn't pick up any speed in the neutral zone and was noticeably frusterated numerous times. Eventually causing him to coast and disappear. If you want a blue print how to stop Ovechkin watch the game last night.
    I want to touch on a few guys that deserve a lot of props for their performance last night. First Ryan Miller, he has returned to Vezina Year form. He is reason number one, two, and three Buffalo has made the run they are on now. This run started on January 24th with a shootout win in NJ. In that time Miller is 19-3-5 with a 1.80 GAA and a .940 save %. He has allowed one goal or less in his last 5 games. He has rebounded from a poor/injury riddled start and now he is carrying his team.
    Two other guys I want to touch on from the blue line are Andrej Sekera and Alexander Sulzer. Sekera has been one of the top D-men over the last 20 games. Solid in his own end and producing offensively. His combination of speed and physical play make him a dominant force on the blue line. Where did Alex Sulzer come from? He has been nothing but a surprise, he has 3 points and is a +3 in 13 games. Sulzer has found chemistry with fellow countryman Ehrhoff and the two have locked it down. Buffalo was down to four defenders last night at one point and they never missed a beat. Stick tap to the 5 men on the blue line last night.
    Last two I want to touch on are Drew Stafford and Cody Hodgson. Stafford has come to life with Ennis and Foligno adding two more goals last night. He looks like the Stafford from last season playing with speed and using his body like he should. He has 19 goals and could get near 25 which would not be a bad season after such a poor start. CoHo struggled early in his Buffalo career, but he has found his stride. Last night he was flying, splitting the Caps slow defenders numerous times. One time resulting in Vanek burrying the 3rd goal on a rebound that sent Holtby to the showers. Playing big minutes on the PK and as a top six center. Exciting future for Sabres fans.
    The bad news that came out of the game last night was the injury to Ehrhoff. He left after a nasty knee on knee freak collision with Troy Brouwer. Ruff said today the news was better than expected, but he is still going to miss sometime. I am betting on a knee sprain. Weber must step in and play his role like the other five on the blue line.
    Next up the Pens on Friday. Magic # to clinch is 9.
    Want a summary of last nights game? Watch Sabres captain Jason Pominville put in the dagger...
    Love this clip and the Sabres were sure Cold Blooded last night...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuK5X8MRLdc
  19. Pegulaville26
    Tonight is the night when most of the hockey world will focus on the Sabres vs Capitals game tonight in the Verizon Center. Buffalo and Washington come into tonight's game tied for 8th place in the Eastern Conference with 84 points. Winner takes lone possession of 8th place. Let me say this before I go any further. THE LOSER OF THIS GAME WHETHER IT BE BUFFALO OR WASHINGTON IS NOT OUT OF IT. With that being said whatever team walks away with the two points will feel pretty good going into the final 5 games.
    The Sabres come in on a 4 game winning streak after wins over Tampa Bay, Montreal, Rangers, and Minnesota last week by a combined score of 17-5. The Sabres have found the scoring touch with the Ennis line rolling and Cody Hodgson finding is comfort zone. Hodgson has had at least two points in 3 of the last 4 games.
    The Caps come in continuing their roller coster season, last week they got smoked by the Hawks, rolled the Wings in Detroit, gave up a 3-0 lead for a OT loss to Winnipeg at home, lost to the Flyers in a shootout, and beat Minnesota 3-0 on Sunday. The consistentcy in the last week has come from Alex Ovechkin, he is red hot and has 9 goals in his last 7 games. Sabres will need to wrap him up tonight to have a chance for two points.
    On the injury front for Buffalo PK36 will return to the lineup tonight resulting in Travis Turnbull being returned to Rochester. Turnbull was impressive in his first NHL call up with a goal in NY and bringing the physical play. Nathan Gerbe was cleared to play, but with only one practice under his belt since his injury he will sit out until Friday against the buzzsaw known as the Pittsburgh Penguins.
    The Caps will be without Nik Backstrom tonight, but he has been cleared for contact and it is believed he will play again before the regular season ends. Vokoun is still out with an injury meaning young Brayden Holtby will get the cage tonight allowing one goal in his last two starts.
    Miller obviously in goal for Buffalo.
    Dale Hunter will roll with the same lineup he used against the Wild dressing 11 forwards and 7 D-men, allowing for Ovechkin to be double shifted and be on the ice for 50% of the game. Buffalo will try to counter with Robyn Regehr and Andrej Sekera to hold on AO. Although with Ovechkin being double shifted the other two pairs will need to be on their game and take away time and space.
    The first goal tonight will be huge if the Caps get up early the crowd will get into the game and if Buffalo gets on the board early they could quiet the rackus house of red. All in all should be a battle and tons of fun to watch. Gotta love the NHL playoff race/playoffs.
    Projected Lineup:
    Foligno-Ennis-Stafford
    Vanek-Hodgson-Tropp
    Leino-Roy-Pominville
    Kaleta-Boyes-McCormick
    Myers-Leopold
    Ehrhoff-Sulzer
    Regehr-Sekera
    Miller
    (Enroth)
    How about some playoff motivation...




  20. Pegulaville26
    Tonight Buffalo will have another shot to tie the idle 8th Washington Capitals. Another team they are creeping closer is the Ottawa Senators. A win tonight puts Buffalo 4 points behing Ottawa, within yelling distance. Ottawa plays Montreal, Pittsburgh, and Winnipeg in their next three (at Winnipeg). Right now though the focus remains on Washington.
    Tonight division rival the Montreal Canadiens come into the FN Center. Buffalo has won 4 of the 5 meetings this season. The last game was a 3-2 OT win. Tyler Myers returns tonight after being suspended from a hit on Scott Gomez in that Montreal game. Buffalo went 1-0-2 in the games Myers was out.
    Montreal comes in 4-3-4 in their last 11, and by no means are a push over. Buffalo got a small break last meeting with Peter Budaj being in goal. No such luck tonight Carey Price will be in goal tonight for the Habs.
    A little bit of surprising news came out today in the morning skate Patrick Kaleta will not play tonight because of another injury. Also Nathan Gerbe will again be out of the lineup tonight with a strained muscle. To replace PK36 Buffalo has called up Travis Turnbull from Rochester. Turnbull is having a career year with 27 points in 53 games (12 g 15 a). Turnbull is more of the grinder type that is being brought up to handle any possible ruckus the Habs try to throw out in response to the Myers hit on Gomez (wouldn't Habs fans be happy Gomez is out?).
    With Myers back Ruff has to make a decision on who to play as the 6th defenseman Sulzer or Weber. Some people thought Buffalo would roll with 7 D, however Ruff already said Turbull is playing so Weber or Sulzer has to come out. My money is on Weber sitting.
    Miller in goal obviously.
    The FN Center should be rocking tonight with 8th place on the line and half of the arena full of Habs fans. With it being 80 degrees in Buffalo on March 21st, you can smell the playoff hockey in the air.
    Projected Lineup:
    Foligno-Ennis-Stafford
    Vanek-Hodgson-Tropp
    Leino-Roy-Pominville
    Myers-Leopold
    Ehrhoff-Sulzer
    Regehr-Sekera
    Miller
    (Enroth)
  21. Pegulaville26
    Believe it or not the hottest line in hockey calls Hockey Heaven home. Tyler Ennis, Drew Stafford, and Marcus Foligno are on an absolute tear right now. This line alone could have put up 7 goals on Tampa Bay Monday. They dominated the game almost every shift. The combination of speed and size that this line presents is the type of offense Buffalo has looked for all season. In the last 5 games since Foligno's recall that line has 11 goals, 14 assists, 25 points, and is a combined +22.
    Let's first start with the man that makes this line go and that is Tyler Ennis. All season Buffalo has been in search of a #1 center, little did they know that #63 playing wing on their team was that #1 center. Ennis played center at Medicine Hat in juniors as well as Portland of the AHL where he earned AHL Rookie of the Year honors. If you don't like Lindy Ruff here is your chance to be critical of him. What took so long for them to put Ennis at center? It is a natural fit for the 22 year old speedster. Ennis may not be the idle size of a #1 center at 5'9 163 lbs, however his combination of speed, skill, and fearlessness makes up for the size issue. He has the speed to get back in his defensive zone and his quick hands make it easy for him to pick the pocket of forwards in the defensive zone. In his last five games Ennis has 4 goals, 5 assists, 9 points and is a +9. Andrei Markov knows how quick Tyler Ennis is...
    The surprise player of this trio is Marcus Foligno. Since being recalled from Rochester on his second recall Foligno has 5 goals, 2 assists, 7 points and is a +6. Foligno's play in Rochester allowed for Buffalo to move Zach Kassian and acquire Cody Hodgson. In 27 games in Buffalo Kassian had 7 points, Foligno has that in 6. Foligno is a big body at 6'3 215 lbs, the Buffalo native brings much needed size to the Sabres he is not afraid to throw his body around and head to the dirty areas to score. Foligno was selected in the 4th round in 09 Draft by Buffalo, he wasn't projected to be a top 6 forward in the NHL, more along the line of a 3rd or 4th line grinder. All of that changed when Foligno was a surprise at the Canadian World Juniors tryouts and made the team. Foligno played well in the 2010 World Juniors in Buffalo winning a Silver Medal. His first year of pro hockey in Rochester has also been a success with Foligno with 34 points in 55 games. I always said if a player is going to be a scorer they do it right away, not many players grow into a consistent point producer. Foligno Jump!...
    The last guy of the trio is the guy everyone has waited for to get going all season. Drew Stafford has had a very disappointing season after scoring 30 goals last season. In the offseason he signed a 4 year 16 million dollar extension with Buffalo. He has had a hard time living up to that contract and has struggled like many Buffalo scorers. Stafford has had some personal issues this season, but has said that is no excuse for the way his game was going. However Stafford has found life with Ennis as his new center instead of Roy (no coincidence). In his last 5 Stafford has 2 goals, 7 assists, 9 points, and is a +7. He is using his size and speed again to drive the net, that's when you can tell Stafford is at the top of his game. He is going to the net again and burying his chances now. Early in the year he was shooting it wide or hitting iron.
    Buffalo needs these three to keep it up for the next 9 games if Buffalo wants any shot at the playoffs. Pre-game blog coming later with 8th place tie again on the line tonight.
  22. Pegulaville26
    Another big game tonight for Buffalo. Tonight's meeting with the Lightning is for a 8th place tie with the Caps, as long as Detroit does their job in Hockeytown tonight. Tampa comes in tonight's game struggling losing 6 of 7. The loss of Matheiu Garon has been a killer for the Bolts, Tampa was making a push however they now seem out of it.
    Steven Stamkos has hit the 50 goal milestone for the second time in his career. He is red hot and will need to be contained for Buffalo to have a chance tonight. He killed them in the last meeting in Buffalo a 2-1 loss. Tampa has won 3 of the 4 meetings this season (2-0, 4-3, 2-1).
    Nathan Gerbe will again not play tonight with his lingering injury. Good news on the injury front was Jochen Hecht was on the ice today skating not wearing a "don't hit me" jersey. Hecht is still not likely to play again in the regular season. Good to see he is making progress from his third concussion in one year.
    Nothing much to report from Hockey Heaven. Sabres need this one pretty badly lets see if they bring a better effort then they have recently. Scoring would be nice.
    Be nice to see Hodgson get the monkey off his back and get on the board.
    Projected Lineup:
    Foligno-Ennis-Stafford
    Vanek-Hodgson-Leino
    Pominville-Roy-Tropp
    McCormick-Boyes-Kaleta
    Ehrhoff-Sulzer
    Regehr-Leopold
    Weber-Sekera
    Miller
    (Enroth)
    Prediction: Bolts have given the fits to Buffalo all year. They frustrate the Sabres out of their game and Buffalo cannot score goals. 2-1 Tampa
  23. Pegulaville26
    For the second straight game Buffalo gets the loser point after a shootout loss. In a week of three winable games, Buffalo wins one. Where to begin?
    I guess lets start with the standings, Buffalo gains a point and sits two behind Washington (three points actually with the tie breaker). Sure mathematically it's not over, but the eye test will tell you different. Let me jump back to March 5th in Winnipeg, a HUGE game Buffalo needed badly. They don't show up and lose 3-1, I let that one go because it was the final game of a long road trip. Now let's forward to tonight a HUGE game in Florida. No loud crowd to get Florida going like in Winnipeg, however the Sabres don't show up again and are lucky to get a point. The Sabres last 4 games have gone to overtime/shootout, both teams managed 5 shots combined in the 3rd. Playing for the OT point?
    Vanek had a chance to put the Sabres up late in the 3rd on a 2 on 1 rush with Hodgson, but fumbled the pass and got no shot off. By the way Buffalo has to be the best at getting no shot on odd man rushes. Then we go to the shootout. It goes 14 players deep. Let me preface this by saying the Sabres pay 5 offensive players over 4 milion dollars to score goals. Those 5 players Vanek, Pominville, Roy, Stafford, and Boyes all had a chance to win in the shootout. None of them scored or were even close. The Sabres players just cruised in shot it into Theodore's pads and skated off. No emotion or extra effort. Thank god for Tyler Ennis.
    Cody Hodgson still plays right? No more excuses bud 0 points in 7 games is becoming an issue.
    Tyler Myers is VERY VERY much missed.
    Well for all those hopeful fans root for the Hawks and Wings over the next two days and hope the Sabres can get two against Tampa on Monday. I however have checked out of this race, the players are disinterested so I guess I'll join them.
  24. Pegulaville26
    I finally dragged myself back to a hockey mindset today after three thrilling days in Buffalo known as the "Mario Party". The Bills signing of Mario Williams has given me new energy to root for a final push by the Sabres.
    I want to touch on Wednesday's game against the Avalanche. First off Marcus Foligno is showing more and more why Zach Kassian became available in a trade. Foligno has 4 points in 4 NHL games, all 4 coming in his last three games (3 goals 1 assist). To bad the Sabres defense can't close out a game. I know it is illegal, but my goodness there's 5 seconds left in the game you need to hook, trip, cross check, or hold. Do whatever you have to do to get the two points. However Mike Weber again was out of position and for the second straight game the away team tied the game with under 5 seconds left in the game. On Monday they got away with it with a overtime win, not the case Wednesday. Avs would go on to win 5-4 in a shootout. Also notice Myers doesn't play and the defense looks awful. Thanks Shanny.
    Cody Hodgson continues to stay off the score sheet. He rang a puck of the post 15 seconds into the Avs game and then was never really seen again. However he did get his first actual practice with his new team today. Alexander Sulzer on the other hand has player very well with Ehrhoff and even added his first goal as a Sabre against Colorado. He's played so well that when Andrej Sekera and Tyler Myers return, I think Mike Weber will be sent to the press box. Funny how the throw in's in that deal are out playing the big names currently.
    The Sabres take their talents to South Beach to meet the suddenly hot Florida Panthers on Saturday and then head to the Bay to play the Bolts. I said earlier in the week I expected all 3 games this week (Montreal, Colorado, and Florida). Well with that no longer possible they need to win tomorrow and get 5 of 6 points this week. With 11 games left, Buffalo needs to win 8 or 9.
    On the injury front Nathan Gerbe was a surprise late scratch Wednesday. He has an upper body injury and skated alone today. He is making the trip to Florida and is questionable for those two games. Andrej Sekera also practiced today wearing the "don't hit me" jersey and is also making the trip. He is also questionable for the two Florida games.
    In practice today lines were a bit different:
    Tropp-Roy-Pominville
    Vanek-Hodgson-Leino
    Foligno-Ennis-Stafford
    Kaleta-Boyes-McCormick
    Only real interesting thing I noticed is Tropp skating with Roy and Pominville. If Gerbe plays that could be his spot that Tropp is just sitting in for the time being.
    Crunch time for the Sabres 11 games left 3 points out of 8th. Washington and Winnipeg will make up their game in hand tonight when they face off in the MTS Centre. I'm pulling for a Winnipeg win. NO 3 POINT GAME!
  25. Pegulaville26
    The Sabres have 3 games this week 2 at home and 1 on the road. If the Sabres want to stay in the race they need to win all 3. Tonight it starts with a visit from the Montreal Canadiens coming off a 4-1 against the struggling Nucks in Vancouver Saturday. Wednesday the Avalanche visit the FN Center and Buffalo then takes a trip to Sunrise to play the Panthers in a BIG playoff type game. All three games MUST win in my opinion.
    Buffalo received no help on the scoreboard last night with 2-0 wins by both Florida and Washington. They sit 4 points out of 8th going into tonight's game. Buffalo had a big comeback win in Ottawa Saturday. The Sabres never lead until the end of shootout when Tyler Ennis sealed the bonus point. Marcus Foligno played in his second NHL game Saturday as well and was a way different player than I saw early in the season. He was physical and scored his first NHL which was huge to tie the game at 3 with less than 10 minutes remaining. Miller again held his team in until they were able to get the equalizer late in the 3rd. Miller will be the reason Buffalo does or does not make the playoffs, no doubt about it.
    Montreal comes in a winner of two in a row, but still sit in last place in the East with 64 points. The Habs got a big boost Saturday with the return of oft injured defenseman Andrei Markov. Markov brings some stability to the Habs blue line. The question is how long will he stay healthy? Max Pacioretty comes in still red hot, along with Erik Cole. Those two players have carried most of the Habs scoring all year, last time Buffalo played Montreal in the Bell Centre, Erik Cole was a force with multiple scoring chances on Miller.
    On the injury news for Buffalo some good and bad news. Good news Vanek and PK36 will be good to go tonight. On the bad side Andrej Sekera was diagnosed with pneumonia and is out indefinitely. The Sekera news made the acquisition of Alexander Sulzer that much more important. Matt Ellis is always at for the fore-seeable future with a knee injury. Foligno will stay in the lineup to take the spot of Ellis.
    No scoreboard watching needed tonight, that will resume tomorrow with the Caps, Leafs, and Panthers all in action.
    Lineup tonight should be interesting Leino played on the top line with Hodgson and Pominville, Boyes was on the second line. With Vanek returning tonight it will be interesting to see how Lindy shuffles everything up.
    Vanek-Hodgson-Pominville
    Foligno-Ennis-Stafford
    Leino-Roy-Gerbe
    Tropp-Boyes-Kaleta
    Myers-Leopold
    Sulzer-Ehrhoff
    Weber-Regehr
    Miller
    (Enroth)
    Prediction: Buffalo NEEDS to score goals. Montreal could be a tired team after a west coast trip and playing in Vancouver Saturday. 3-1 Buffalo, Sabres got to have it.
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