Zack Kassian can't spell his name; a Buffalo Sabres experience hitting Rock Bottom

[HeroWorship]

Re: Zack Kassian can't spell his name; a Buffalo Sabres experience hitting Rock Botto



Playoff Wrapup


The Minnesota Wild capture the Stanley Cup for the first time in Franchise History

Eastern Conference Finals

#2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. #3 New Jersey Devils
Toronto wins series 4-3
Game 1: Toronto Maple Leafs 4, New Jersey Devils 1
Game 2: Toronto Maple Leafs 4, New Jersey Devils 3 (Overtime)
Game 3: Toronto Maple Leafs 4, New Jersey Devils 3
Game 4: New Jersey Devils 3, Toronto Maple Leafs 1
Game 5: New Jersey Devils 5, Toronto Maple Leafs 2
Game 6: New Jersey Devils 7, Toronto Maple Leafs 2
Game 7: Toronto Maple Leafs 3, New Jersey Devils 2


Western Conference Finals

#1 Los Angeles Kings vs. #1 Minnesota Wild
Minnesota wins series 4-1
Game 1: Minnesota Wild 3, Los Angeles Kings 0
Game 2: Minnesota Wild 2, Los Angeles Kings 1
Game 3: Minnesota Wild 3, Los Angeles Kings 2 (Overtime)
Game 4: Los Angeles Kings 4, Minnesota Wild 1
Game 5: Minnesota Wild 2, Los Angeles Kings 1 (Overtime)


Stanley Cup Finals

#1 Minnesota Wild vs. #2 Toronto Maple Leafs
Minnesota wins series 4-2
Game 1: Toronto Maple Leafs 3, Minnesota Wild 2 (Overtime)
Game 2: Minnesota Wild 4, Toronto Maple Leafs 3 (Overtime)
Game 3: Minnesota Wild 5, Toronto Maple Leafs 2
Game 4: Minnesota Wild 3, Toronto Maple Leafs 2
Game 5: Toronto Maple Leafs 5, Minnesota Wild 2
Game 6: Minnesota Wild 3, Toronto Maple Leafs 1

2014-15 National Hockey League Awards
Award	Player	Pos	Team
Hart Memorial Trophy	Claude Giroux	C	Philadelphia Flyers
Art Ross Trophy	Corey Perry	RW	Anaheim Ducks
James Norris Memorial Trophy	Erik Karlsson	D	Ottawa Senators
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy	Claude Giroux	C	Philadelphia Flyers
Frank J. Selke Trophy	Pavel Datsyuk	C	Detroit Red Wings
Vezina Trophy	Henrik Lundqvist	G	New York Rangers
William M Jennings Trophy	Roberto Luongo & Al Montoya	G	Florida Panthers
Calder Memorial Trophy	Evgeny Kuznetsov	C	Washington Capitals/Buffalo Sabres
Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy	Tyson Barrie	D	Colorado Avalanche
Conn Smythe Trophy	Niklas Backstrom	G	Minnesota Wild
Ted Lindsay Award	Corey Perry	RW	Anaheim Ducks
Rocket Richard Trophy	Corey Perry	RW	Anaheim Ducks
Prince of Wales Trophy	Toronto Maple Leafs
Clarence S. Cambell Trophy	Minnesota Wild
Presidents Trophy	Pittsburgh Penguins

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[nuka]

Re: Zack Kassian can't spell his name; a Buffalo Sabres experience hitting Rock Botto

very impressed!
just went through it all, very nice read.

looking forward to more!


*go sens go!*

[HeroWorship]

Re: Zack Kassian can't spell his name; a Buffalo Sabres experience hitting Rock Botto



Sabres win the race for McDavid
Pick acquired by the Islanders gives them the opportunity to select the generational talent in this month's Entry Draft



The pitchforks are being lit in Brooklyn right now.

The final season in Long Island was supposed to be a dandy for both the New York Islanders and fans alike. Without a first round pick, General Manager Garth Snow made several attempts to strengthen the team during the previous off-season. The Islanders still finished outside the playoffs and, in a moment of panic, realized they served up a potential top-five selection on the Sabres plate.

October 27th, 2013, will be a day that will live in infamy among Islanders fans. That was the day they cut a deal with the Buffalo Sabres to acquire sniper Thomas Vanek in exchange for left winger Matt Moulson, a first round pick, and a 2015 second round pick.

The Islanders put a clause in the deal that would allow them to 'defer' the pick if the Islanders had a top-ten selection in the 2014 draft. When the Islanders were awarded the number five selection in that draft, the team elected to keep it and take a gamble to improve the club for the 2014-15 season. They selected left winger Michael Dal Colle from the Oshawa Generals.

Eighteen months later, Vanek won his first Stanley Cup with the Minnesota Wild, Matt Moulson scored forty goals with the Buffalo Sabres, and the Islanders would "win" the 2015 draft lottery. Only one problem; the pick belonged to the Sabres.

Yes, the same Sabres that won 49 games not only have their own pick and the number six overall pick (via St. Louis), but now have the golden ticket to select one of the most electrifying players in recent history. The Islanders are left in the cold, having to watch the Sabres stroll up to the podium and not because of a poor record.

When the pick was announced by Bill Daly, Sabres general manager Tim Murray offered high fives and hugs among everyone part of the Sabres entourage that night. They would wind up with Connor McDavid after all, and the Islanders had no one to blame but themselves.

McDavid is coming off a record-breaking season with the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League, scoring 47 goals to go along with 114 assists on the season. Murray has made no secret about it; McDavid will be wearing the blue & gold next season. The Sabres possess two top-ten selections in the upcoming draft, and the team could afford to take some chances after the first overall pick.

Somewhere, Garth Snow is worried he'll be uploading resumes to new employers.

[HeroWorship]

Re: Zack Kassian can't spell his name; a Buffalo Sabres experience hitting Rock Botto

Quick Hits: First-round NHL Draft Results; Backstrom acquired; Sabres Re-Signing Phase.

Hit #1: The Draft Logic is still broken

One of the biggest thrills I get while going through the off-season is the draft; the opportunity for the armchair NHL general manager to have his opportunity to call the shots. The NHL Entry Draft signals a fresh start for several NHL franchises, having the ability to draft and develop a prospect of their own. Typically, teams go for needs in the first couple of rounds before gearing towards best players available; obtaining players in hopes they may develop into a player that can contribute on their roster someday.

But, once again, the draft logic is similar to ESPN NFL 2K5; teams drafting at positions they have no business doing so.

Twelve goalies went in the FIRST ROUND of the draft. Three of the goaltenders were 20 years and older (including a Finnish goaltender who was 22 years old when drafted). Two additional players (including former Stars 2nd round pick Mike Winther) were overagers that were selected in the first round. This never happens in the NHL. Typically, these players wind up signing as undrafted free agents to AHL squads.

It's annoying; I managed to grab McDavid, Strome, Roy, and Zacha in the first two rounds; all four of these players are expected to be drafted within the top fifteen of the real NHL draft. It's a good haul, but pretty unrealistic if you ask me.

Here are the results of the first round of the NHL Draft:



Here are the Sabres draft selections of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft:



Hit #2: Sabres acquired Backstrom

I was going to type up an article, but screw it, a quick hit will suffice.

Basically, the free agency market for goaltenders suck. So, I decided to search trade blocks of other teams to find anyone giving up a solid goalie. I happened to stumble upon the Minnesota Wild's block and they had Niklas Backstrom on it.

Backstrom is 37 years old. He has one-year remaining on his contract. He was the Conn Smythe winner for the Wild last season. He went 29-20 with a 2.60 Goals Against Average and a .912 Save Percentage during the 2014-15 season. I traded a 2016 second round pick (acquired from Anaheim) and a 2017 third round pick to complete the deal.

He'll be my starter for this season.

Hit #3: Sabres re-signing phase

I had seventeen players that were restricted free agents. Here's who I qualified and didn't qualify:

QUALIFIED:

LW SVEN BAERTSCHI
C ZAC DALPE
C ZEMGUS GIRGENSONS
C MIKHAIL GRIGORENKO
G MATT HACKETT
G JONAS JOHANSSON
C EVGENY KUZNETSOV
C JOHAN LARSSON
D JEROME LEDUC
LW GUSTAV POSSLER
RW VICTOR OLOFSSON
D MARK PYSYK

NOT TENDERED (BECOME UFA'S)

G NATHAN LIEUWEN
C ERIC LOCKE
D CHAD RUHWEDEL
C KEVIN SUNDHER
C PHIL VARONE

Ruhwedel is the lone non-tendered player who appeared on the Buffalo Sabres in 2014-15 (4 games, 0 points). With Zadorov becoming a full-time Sabre/Amerk in 2015-16, coupled with the incredible depth on the blueline, there wouldn't be a spot for Ruhwedel on the roster come next season.

Now to the re-signing period!

Entry Level Contracts

RW JUSTIN BAILEY ($750,000 per season; 2-way contract)
C CONNOR MCDAVID ($900,000 per season; 2-way contract)

Re-Signed

LW SVEN BAERTSCHI (2 yrs/$2,065,000 per season)
C ZAC DALPE (1 yr/$795,000; 2-way contract)
C ZEMGUS GIRGENSONS (3 yrs/$1,840,000 per season)
C MIKHAIL GRIGORENKO (2 yrs/$1,155,000 per season)
G MATT HACKETT (1 yr/$900,000)
C EVGENY KUZNETSOV (2 yrs/$1,450,000 per season)
C JOHAN LARSSON (1 yr/$755,000; 2-way contract)
D ANDREJ MESZAROS (2 yrs/$4,090,000 per season)
D MARK PYSYK (1 yr/$1,100,000)

Free Agents

D ANDRE BENOIT
LW MATT ELLIS
G JHONAS ENROTH
RW BRIAN FLYNN
C TORREY MITCHELL
RW DREW STAFFORD
RW CHRIS STEWART
D TYSON STRACHAN

Bought Out

D MIKE WEBER ($555,000 over two seasons)

---------------------------------------------------------
Comments

nuka:very impressed!
just went through it all, very nice read.

looking forward to more!


*go sens go!*

Thank you for the kind words, but show your Senator fandom the door on this dynasty page

[HeroWorship]

Re: Zack Kassian can't spell his name; a Buffalo Sabres experience hitting Rock Botto

Free Agent Roundup: Sabres make splash, sign Petry, Nielsen



Despite a surprising 49-win season including the opportunity to select Connor McDavid with the number one overall selection, the Sabres weren’t expected to make any significant splashes in free agency. Hours before free agency was set to begin, the team acquired goaltender Niklas Backstrom from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a pair of draft selections. Many believed that would be the huge move the Sabres would be content with.

Wrong.

The Sabres would enter into a bidding war for the services of both defensemen Jeff Petry and center Frans Nielsen. Petry, a 27-year old defensemen who’s spent his entire NHL career with the Edmonton Oilers, is considered a solid “shut-down” defensemen and has the advanced numbers analytic pundits love. Nielsen is considered by many to be one of the most underrated players in the game. Nabbing both would bolster the Sabres presence in the East.

Petry would agree to be a Sabre, signing a two-year contract on July 4th. Petry will join a Sabres blueline that remained largely intact from last season. Only Andre Benoit (free agency) and Mike Weber (bought out) are the lone departures. In 68 games with the Oilers last season, Petry scored three goals and added fifteen assists while skating to a plus-3. That was second among all Oilers blueliners last season behind Justin Schultz. At 6’3 and 195 pounds, Petry has the size to become an effective top-four blueliner for the club.

Nielsen signed the next day. The 31-year old is coming off a solid campaign with the New York Islanders, scoring 26 goals and adding 31 assists on the season. His two-way play is what the Sabres really paid for; Nielsen adds a good defensive presence in the Sabres top-six, which is expected to contain left wingers Matt Moulson and Samson Reinhart, and right wingers Cody Hodgson and Mikhail Grigorenko. He’s also expected to take pressure off McDavid as he eases into the Sabres lineup.

The Sabres would add a backup goaltender, bringing back Jhonas Enroth on a one-year deal. Enroth took over the starter’s role for the Sabres after the team traded Michal Neuvirth during the trade deadline. Enroth’s struggles in the playoffs made the Sabres look to the trade market for a starter. Enroth will be expected to back up Backstrom throughout the 2015-16 season.

Adding depth in the bottom six, the Sabres signed two-time Stanley Cup winner Matt Cooke on a one-year contract. The veteran of 1,097 NHL games, Cooke’s reputation is mixed in NHL circles; his reckless hits have overshadowed his improved disciplined play over the last few seasons. Cooke is expected to play mostly on the fourth line, but his 172 career NHL goals would allow him to move up in the top nine should injures persist.

The Sabres added defensemen Kyle Cumiskey on a one-year deal, as he’ll be expected to compete with both Brayden McNabb and Nick Deslauriers for the final defensive spot on the Sabres roster. Cumiskey’s coming off a 38-point performance in 67 games with the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League. The team also signed defensemen Philip Samuelsson, son of Ulf, to bolster the Rochester Americans blueline.

The team also added veterans Paul Bissonnette, Patrice Cormier, and Scott Glennie for depth with the Americans. The team also signed three players to entry-level contracts, including Jordan Subban. The brother of PK and Malcom failed to sign with the Vancouver Canucks and quickly signed a deal with the Sabres. Subban should compete for minutes on the Americans blueline. The team added wingers Remi Elie (former 2nd round pick of the Dallas Stars) and Beau McCue (undrafted) to entry-level contracts.

FINANCIAL DETAILS OF SIGNINGS

LW PAUL BISSONNETTE (1 yr/$915,000; 2-way deal)
LW MATT COOKE (1 yr/$895,000)
C PATRICE CORMIER (1 yr/$915,000; 2-way deal)
D KYLE CUMISKEY (1 yr/$750,000; 2-way deal)
LW REMI ELIE (3 yrs/$550,000 per season; 2-way deal)
G JHONAS ENROTH (1 yr/$1,635,000)
C SCOTT GLENNIE (1 yr/$600,000; 2-way deal)
RW BEAU MCCUE (3 yrs/$550,000 per season; 2-way deal)
C FRANS NIELSEN (2 yrs/$4,850,000 per season)
D JEFF PETRY (2 yrs/$4,755,000 per season)
D PHILIP SAMUELSSON (1 yr/$640,000; 2-way deal)
D JORDAN SUBBAN (3 yrs/$740,000 per season; 2-way deal)

[Nickflyers]

Re: Zack Kassian can't spell his name; a Buffalo Sabres experience hitting Rock Botto

Ha you lost to the LOLEAFS

Lucky to get McDavid, just don't let him fight.

I noticed the same issue you had with the draft when i did a test to see how the new draft worked. Chalked it up as a stacked(random potential went the goalies way) goalie draft, but if the same happened to you that causes concern

[HeroWorship]

Re: Zack Kassian can't spell his name; a Buffalo Sabres experience hitting Rock Botto



SKY’S THE LIMIT IN BUFFALO
A surprising 2014-15 Season led to a playoff appearance, and surprisingly Connor McDavid


This is like 9/11 all over again, are you kidding me? How did the Sabres get McDavid?

BY JOHN VOGL

KEY ARRIVALS

G Niklas Backstrom (Minnesota Wild), D Kyle Cumiskey (Chicago Blackhawks), LW Matt Cooke (Minnesota Wild), C Connor McDavid (Erie Otters), C Frans Nielsen (New York Islanders), D Jeff Petry (Edmonton Oilers)

KEY DEPARTURES

D Andre Benoit (New Jersey Devils), C Tyler Ennis (Columbus Blue Jackets), Brian Flynn (Linkopings, SEL), RW Drew Stafford (New York Islanders), RW Chris Stewart (Arizona Coyotes), D Mike Weber (Carolina Hurricanes)

When the 2014-15 NHL Season kicked off, many didn’t expect the Buffalo Sabres to be in the contending position; after all, they finished the 2013-14 season with twenty-one victories in total. But Ted Nolan proved to be the ultimate motivator; the team managed to win a surprising forty-nine games en route to a second round appearance. It was the first time since the 2006-07 season that the club managed to make it past the first round

The kicker was the Sabres still owned the first round picks of the New York Islanders and St. Louis Blues. When the Islanders finished in the bottom five in the entire league, the Sabres were happy with a top-five pick. But the Islanders also managed to win the NHL Draft Lottery, which the Sabres were all smiles as they went up to the podium to select Connor McDavid with the first overall selection. Even though McDavid will not suit up for the Sabres this season, he’ll be a force in the league once the Sabres clear room for his arrival.

Losing fifty point scorers Drew Stafford and Chris Stewart in free agency and centerman Tyler Ennis via trade, the team reloaded, signing two-way center Frans Nielsen to a two-year contract, shut-down defensemen Jeff Petry to a multi-year deal, and acquired Conn Smythe winning goaltender Niklas Backstrom from the Minnesota Wild. The team looks to make a lasting impression as the rebuild has quickly accelerated to a full-on contention for the Stanley Cup.



OFFENSE Losing both Stewart and Stafford will hurt, but forty-goal scorer Matt Moulson returns after a career year in his first full season in Buffalo. The team hopes that youngsters like Mikhail Grigorenko, Sven Baertschi, and Evgeny Kuznetsov are ready to carry the load for scoring. The team has fully converted Kuznetsov to wing to ease the pressure off of center duties.

Frans Nielsen comes over from the Islanders as a reliable two-way center who will serve as a mentor to Zemgus Girgensons and Johan Larsson. The 31-year old had 26 goals and 31 assists playing for the Islanders last season, and provides solid leadership in the locker room. He’s also good insurance if second-year pro Samson Reinhart (26 Goals) falters and suffers a sophomore slump.

Cody Hodgson made the switch to the right wing, and thrived, scoring a career high 28 goals and provided some underrated defensive play along the way. Sven Baertschi added six goals after being acquired from the Calgary Flames in March, and was the team’s best forward in the Sabres first round series against the Ottawa Senators. Kuznetsov was injured after arriving from Washington, but managed a respectable 1-2-3 line in the Sabres second round loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Girgensons, with a new three-year contract, hopes to hit the twenty goal mark this season after scoring 19 the year before. Grigorenko was impressive down the stretch for the Sabres and will be given every opportunity to shine. Marcus Foligno was excellent after being dressed in the last two playoff games, and looks to move up the depth chart with his play.

Cody McCormick scored a surprising 16 goals, but will battle for playing time with newcomer Matt Cooke (bought out by the Wild), Zac Dalpe (50 points with Rochester last season), Larsson, and Brian Gionta (a disappointing seven goals last year).

DEFENSE The unit remains largely unchanged, aside from swapping out Andre Benoit for Jeff Petry and calling up Nick Deslauriers from Rochester to replace the bought-out Mike Weber. Josh Gorges and Tyler Myers proved to be a great pairing, finishing with a combined +59 despite playing the toughest competition on the ice.

Petry, signed as a free agent, brings toughness along with responsible defensive play to the Sabres. He’ll be paired with last year’s surprise Andrej Meszaros (re-signed to a two-year contract in the off-season) and should help to improve the Sabres dreadful penalty kill from a season ago. The kids, Mark Pysyk, and Rasmus Ristolainen, were solid last season and can play the tough minutes if the team runs into injury trouble.

Nick Deslauriers was a minute machine on a weak Rochester team last season. Nikita Zadorov will be waiting in the wings if a recall is needed. The team also has veterans Kyle Cumiskey and Brayden McNabb on call, and defensemen Jake McCabe should challenge for a spot on the roster next season.

GOALTENDING Despite making the post-season last year, the Sabres had the worst goaltending duo heading into the playoffs. While Jhonas Enroth was brought back on a one-year deal, the team decided to get a battle-tested goalie in Niklas Backstrom. Acquired from the Wild for a pair of draft picks, Backstrom was the catalyst for the Wild’s Stanley Cup championship last season, but at 37, the pressure to play either Josh Harding or Darcy Keumper proved to be too much. How much left in the tank Backstrom has is unsure, but anything like his .912 save percentage will be a welcome addition to the club.

With Enroth as the backup, the team did re-sign Matt Hackett, who will start the season in the AHL for now. Youngsters Linus Ullmark (who made one start for the Sabres last season) and Jonas Johansson will split the backup duties down on the farm.

SPECIAL TEAMS The Sabres kryptonite was their penalty kill; at 75%, it was the worst in the NHL by a wide margin. Adding Nielsen and Petry should help the PK improve, along with solid goaltending. Girgensons and Foligno are still expected to be used heavily, with Larsson and Cooke there when needed.

The Power-Play ranked in the middle of the pack last season and the lack of scoring from the point was a big concern. Losing Andre Benoit may hurt the unit, but the added offensive pieces should give the team a big boost overall.

INTANGIBLES Adding grit was a key for the Sabres in the off-season, which is why players like Cooke and Petry are in the blue and gold. The team is still fairly young, and Nielsen is expected to help elevate the maturity of Russians Kuznetsov and Grigorenko. The team gelled into a better possession squad in the second half of last season and should continue to be one of the best teams in terms of Corsi and Fenwick.

ROOKIES With McDavid being sent back to juniors, the Sabres won’t have any rookies on the roster. Nick Deslauriers is 24 and will be entering his first NHL season, but he’ll be utilized as a depth defensemen at best. He’s entering his fifth professional season. Zadorov and Joel Armia are expected to see some time in the show this season, with William Carrier being a darkhorse to get some NHL games in.

X-FACTOR Simple; Samson Reinhart. Reinhart is expected to once again be the team’s first line center but lost one of his linemates in Stafford to free agency. His 26 Goals were impressive, but his 17 assists left a little to be desired. If Matt Moulson or Evgeny Kuznetsov can hit the net, Reinhart should easily hit 30 assists.

THE BRASS Tim Murray has done a wonderful job of improve the Sabres almost overnight. Jack Adams award winning head coach Ted Nolan has helped develop the young kids properly, while keeping the style of play he prefers best. If the Sabres can manage to win a Stanley Cup within the next two years, both should have statues built in front of the First Niagara Center.

SABRES ROSTER



AMERICANS ROSTER



SABRES/AMERICANS SCHEDULE



New Rules for the Dynasty

(1) I will not be playing all 82 games like I did last season. Since I'll be returning to school for the spring semester, coupled with a full-time job, the time will be limited (which disapoints I, to be honest). Instead, I'll play all the home games (41) and a couple of Americans games on the season. This is good for several reasons.
- I'll finish the second season faster. One of the biggest things I notice is how many dynasties NEVER get past a first season. It's too *** **** long to do in the first place. It will also lead to faster updates, which, in turn, will lead to another season to happen earlier.
- I won't win 49 games again. One other thing that I get bored with is winning all the time. By simming 41 other games on the year, I'm basically guarenteeing that I'll be lucky to make the playoffs. Plus, stats will likely fall back to earth and allow for more realistic statistics; after all, there is no way in hell Rasmus Ristolainen would lead the entire NHL in plus/minus in 2014-15
- I will still play all the playoff games.

(2) This will take the mold of 'Monthly updates'. Similar to last season, I'll have the updates like before, with injury updates, records, etc.

(3) The Americans updates will have a little more information. Instead of just giving the records and leaders, I'll post game results and extended leaders of the club.

Thank you for reading!

Ha you lost to the LOLEAFS

Lucky to get McDavid, just don't let him fight.

I noticed the same issue you had with the draft when i did a test to see how the new draft worked. Chalked it up as a stacked(random potential went the goalies way) goalie draft, but if the same happened to you that causes concern

I still love how individuals in general have an uproar when something serious happens to someone considered "elite".

He's seventeen years old. I'm older than that, and I still do very inane actions despite having to be considered a "serious adult" (I'm not). McDavid got into a fight (which brain-dead "eye" scouts loved), but suffers an injury hitting the glass with his fist. Even though the OHL has done it's best to limit fighting in the league, McDavid's injury is now having lazy columnists to demand more sanctions against fighting.

The worst is how Hockey Canada is more concerned about McDavid participating in a WJC than his actual health. It's freakin' insane how obsessed people get about sports. Some people really need hobbies outside of watching hockey.

Shut up. I know, but I've attempted to make the game as hard as possible to play; somehow, I can't land a hit on Tyler Bozak to save my life. I managed to stop Kessel, but Joffrey Lupul turned into Justin Williams in Game 7 out of nowhere.

My assumption with the draft is EA's problem with goaltenders properly increasing in ratings. In NHL 11, it was damn near impossible to have a goaltender hit 85 overall, and through four versions, they managed to screw up royally (they won't fix it for "last-gen" users, but if I'm going to invest $400+ on a next-gen console, they better have it fixed for NHL 16). Instead of really putting some work into the draft, some lazy tech guy/girl (who likely got his/her job because his Uncle works for EA and didn't want his nephew or niece to be buried in Student Loan Debt) thought "WHY NOT JUST INCREASE THE RATINGS AND POTENTIAL OF THE GOALIES" and bang, we have twelve goalies going in the first round.

Since I'll be simming more games, I'll have a good look to see if the problem fixes itself the next draft. Sean Day should be the number one overall pick in 2016, but that will get flubbed somehow. I have a feeling that if I further simmed, I'd see a bunch of 85+ rated goalies in free agency or teams "burying" goalies with $5 million+ salaries in the AHL. If this is like in NHL 09 where top-rated players spent the entire season in free agency, it will be difficult to attempt to keep this going long-term.

[HeroWorship]

Re: Zack Kassian can't spell his name; a Buffalo Sabres experience hitting Rock Botto



October Wrap Up: Sabres must miss momma's home-cooking


Matt Cooke's hot start to the season has helped

If the Buffalo Sabres played every regular season game at the first Niagara Center, the team would make a run at eighty-two and zero; Niklas Backstrom would be an all-star, and the fourth line of Matt Cooke, Zac Dalpe, and Johan Larsson would receive some all-star consideration.

The Sabres finish the month of October at 7-4-1, which is still good for seventh in the NHL overall. Six of those wins have come at home, as well as the two shutouts Backstrom pitched on the season. But leaving the confines of the First Niagara Center, and things begin to unravel.

The team has managed only one win away from their home rink, to go along with four losses and an overtime loss to boot. The most embarrassing loss came at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings, who beat the Sabres 7-0. At first glance, you'd think it was a total blowout, but the numbers say differently. The Wings only outshot the Sabres by one (34-33), and even handed the Sabres eight power plays on the game. The Sabres capitalized on none of them. Backstrom was chased from the game after allowing five goals on twenty seven shots.

The Sabres acquired Backstrom in large part to make a run at the Stanley Cup Finals. So far, his numbers are ugly; 3.21 Goals Against Average with an .886 Save Percentage. Among the top twenty-five goaltenders in the league in wins, only one goaltender has a worst Sv% than Backstrom. Fans have begun to suggest that Jhonas Enroth (2.10 G.AA, .925 Sv% in three starts) should receive more playing time.

Backstrom only played fifty-nine games for the Wild last season, and has already started nine games in the first month of the season. At thirty-seven, Backstrom has started seventy-five percent of the Sabres games, and this is an issue. The Sabres would prefer to limit Backstrom's appearances as the season wears on. The Sabres only have one back-to-back in the month of November, but should still give Enroth games even against top-level squads.

Speaking of new additions, who had Matt Cooke on the board for 'best addition so far?' None? No surprise. Cooke has played largely on the fourth line, but has made every minute count; Cooke is sixth on the Sabres in points with seven and tied for third on the club with four goals. This is despite the fact he plays the lowest amount of minutes on the team (8:30). Cooke is pushing for additional playing time, and if he can manage to keep up the pace in November; watch out, because he'll be pushing for top-line minutes.

Injuries have hit the Sabres, abet not as bad as you'd think: Andrej Meszaros, Josh Gorges, and Rasmus Ristolainen have missed a combined seven games with different aliments. Twenty-four year old Nick Deslauriers has stepped in nicely in the spare time, adding two assists during his limited playing time. With no injures to the offense, it shouldn't surprise anyone the Sabres are second in the entire NHL in goals for.

What about underperformers? Zemgus Girgensons is a big one. The captain of the team has seen a drop in minutes and has just one assist (along with a -3) in twelve games. With the play of Zac Dalpe, Girgensons is likely to drop to the fourth line to start the month of November. This could even threaten his captaincy on the roster. Is the pressure getting to him? Both assistants are playing fine (Nielsen and Myers), but Girgensons's regression has been a concern.

Sven Baertschi watched from the press box during the Sabres 6-3 win over the Lightning on Halloween. His four points in eleven games aren't awful, but his play hasn't been awe-inspiring. He started the season on the second line with Nielsen and Grigorenko, but Kuznetsov's play has sent Baertschi into the bottom six; the same place he was with the Flames. He'll be on a line with Dalpe and Marcus Foligno for now.

What about Jeff Petry? The big name addition to the blueline has become more worrisome than pleasant; he's a -6 in twelve games and is playing nearly twenty minutes a night. The physical game is there (14 penalty minutes), but him and partner Andrej Meszaros (-6 in eight games) should make the Sabres consider playing the kids (Ristolainen and Pysyk) more often.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BUFFALO SABRES 2015-16 SEASON

Record: 7-4-1 (15 Points)
Atlantic Division: 3rd
Eastern Conference: 5th
NHL: 7th
Goals For: 39 (2nd)
Goals Against: 35 (22nd)
Power Play: 27.8% (2nd)
Penalty Kill: 80.6% (20th)
Home Record: 6-0-0
Away Record: 1-4-1
Last Ten Games: 6-3-1

BUFFALO SABRES LINES

Matt Moulson - Samson Reinhart - Cody Hodgson
Evgeny Kuznetsov - Frans Nielsen - Mikhail Grigorenko
Sven Baertschi - Zac Dalpe - Marcus Foligno
Matt Cooke - Zemgus Girgensons - Johan Larsson

Extras: Brian Gionta, Cody McCormick

Josh Gorges - Tyler Myers
Andrej Meszaros - Jeff Petry
Rasmus Ristolainen - Mark Pysyk

Extra: Nick Deslauriers

Niklas Backstrom
Jhonas Enroth





------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ROCHESTER AMERICANS 2015-16 SEASON

Record: 6-2-0 (12 Points)
North Division: 1st
Western Conference: 1st
AHL: 4th
Goals For: 27 (6th)
Goals Against: 14 (2nd)
Power Play: 13.5% (20th)
Penalty Kill: 83.8% (15th)
Home Record: 3-1-0
Away Record: 3-1-0
Last Ten Games: 6-2-0

ROCHESTER AMERICANS LINES

William Carrier - Patrice Cormier - Joel Armia
Gustav Possler - Dan Catenacci - Nicholas Baptiste
Remi Elie - Scott Glennie - Justin Bailey
Paul Bissonnette - Colin Jacobs - Victor Olofsson

Extras: Justin Kea, Beau McCue

Nikita Zadorov - Jake McCabe
Kyle Cumiskey - Brayden McNabb
Philip Samuelsson - Jerome Leduc

Extras: Brady Austin, Jordan Subban

Matt Hackett
Linus Ullmark

Extra: Jonas Johansson



------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NHL LEAGUE LEADERS





---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NHL Transactions

10.03.2015: The Vancouver Canucks have signed left winger Anthony Chapodos to a three-year, entry-level deal.
10.04.2015: The Boston Bruins have signed left winger Ryan Hamilton to a two-year contract.
10.19.2015: The Washington Capitals have claimed center Gregory Campbell off waivers from the Boston Bruins.
10.21.2015: The San Jose Sharks have placed center Jordan Weal on waivers; assigned to Worcester Sharks of the American Hockey League.
10.22.2015: The Winnipeg Jets have claimed defensemen/pylon Dan Girardi off waivers from the New York Rangers.

[TheKid40]

Re: Zack Kassian can't spell his name; a Buffalo Sabres experience hitting Rock Botto

Great tables, great organization, love reading this dynasty. Awesome job! Just a quick question, as I was getting caught up on this thread I noticed Noah Hanifin slipped to #16 for the San Jose Sharks in the draft? Isn't he a top 3 pick in real life? Thanks, keep up the excellent work and good luck on the remainder of the season!
EDIT: As well, isn't Oliver Kylington a projected top five prospect? EA sometimes...

[HeroWorship]

Re: Zack Kassian can't spell his name; a Buffalo Sabres experience hitting Rock Botto



November Report: Sabres keeping up furious pace


Sabres fans on Backstrom

As the end of November, or more precisely, Movember, ends, the Buffalo Sabres are still one of the top teams in the National Hockey League. Like last season, you'll fail to locate a Sabre among the top twenty-five point scorers despite being in the top five in goals as a team.

The concerns surrounding the Sabres as they enter the month of December is injures and goaltending. The team has played without the services of shut-down defender Josh Gorges due to a concussion, allowing twenty five year old Nick Deslauriers the opportunity to receive time in the lineup. As Sven Baertschi was starting to look better, he too would be a victim of a concussion. In the last game against the Arizona Coyotes, Jhonas Enroth fell victim to an ankle injury and his timetable to return is unknown.

Enroth's injury has come at a bad time for the Sabres. Niklas Backstrom's performances improved somewhat last month, but the veteran goaltender still sports a .899 save percentage in the first two months of the season. Enroth's injury forced the team to recall goaltender Linus Ullmark from the Rochester Americans, whom has been solid abet in limited time. Since starting goaltender Matt Hackett would have to clear waivers once Enroth recovered, the team will rely heavily on Backstrom as December begins.

Backstrom went 6-2 in the month of November and sported a .915 save percentage, yet Enroth finished the month with a .940 save percentage. While Sabres Head Coach Ted Nolan refused to acknowledge it, Enroth received more starts in the month of November, which could quietly be assumed to the fans that the staff has begun to lose confidence in Backstrom.

The Sabres injury woes saw three players from Rochester emerge as call-up's; Patrice Cormier, Jake McCabe, and Nikita Zadorov. Zadorov did not appear out of place in his five-game stint with the club, even playing tough minutes during the stretch. McCabe played over twenty-one minutes during his lone appearance for the Sabres in a one to nothing loss against the lowly Blue Jackets, and Cormier could easily battle for a spot on the club if the club elects to re-sign the forward in the off-season.

Zadorov's play in Rochester has been solid, which may lead to a few names on the move if the club elects to bring Zadorov up for good this season or next. As of right now, only Mark Pysyk, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Nick Deslauriers are set to become restricted free agents in 2016, and it's strongly likely all three will be retained. The Sabres may move one of the three veterans on the roster; Gorges, Andrej Meszaors, or Jeff Petry.

Petry would make the most sense, since the team is already carrying three defensemen who shoot right, but he was signed to a multi-year deal in free agency, and the team would likely not trade him right away, fearing perspective free agents may be scared to sign with the organization. Meszaros was re-signed in the off-season, and he logs heavy minutes (22:25 per game) for a depleted Sabres squad. Gorges would be a tempting option, but his play with Myers is stellar and gives the Sabres a true shutdown defensive pairing that every team craves.

The club went 8-4-0 during the month of November, with Cody Hodgson leading the way with eight goals and twelve points. Matt Moulson recored a hat trick during the club's seven to one win against the Washington Capitals, and Brian Gionta recorded four points (two goals and two assists) in five games before injuring his knee.

The Sabres begin the month of December on the West Coast, and only make six dates at the First Niagara Center. Their first home game of the month is December 10th against the Colorado Avalanche.



----------------------------------------------------------------------------

BUFFALO SABRES 2015-16 SEASON

Record: 15-8-1 (31 Points)
Atlantic Division: 3rd
Eastern Conference: 3rd
NHL: 4th
Goals For: 77 (3rd)
Goals Against: 59 (7th)
Power Play: 19.4% (11th)
Penalty Kill: 73.8% (29th)
Home Record: 13-1-0
Away Record: 2-7-1
Last Ten Games: 6-4-0

Injury Report

LW Sven Baertschi (Head) - Expected back by 12.13.2015
G Jhonas Enroth (Ankle) - Being evaulated; injured during game @ Arizona
RW Brian Gionta (Knee) - Expected back by 12.24.2015
D Josh Gorges (Head) - Expected back by 12.18.2015

BUFFALO SABRES LINES

Matt Moulson - Samson Reinhart - Cody Hodgson
Evgeny Kuznetsov - Frans Nielsen - Mikhail Grigorenko
Marcus Foligno - Zac Dalpe - Johan Larsson
Matt Cooke - Zemgus Girgensons - Cody McCormick

Andrej Meszaros - Tyler Myers
Rasmus Ristolainen - Jeff Petry
Nick Deslauriers - Mark Pysyk

Niklas Backstrom
Linus Ullmark

November Results

11.03.2015: Buffalo Sabres 3, Montreal Canadiens 1
11.05.2015: Buffalo Sabres 5, Los Angeles Kings 2
11.09.2015: Buffalo Sabres 5, New York Islanders 2
11.11.2015: Buffalo Sabres 2, Boston Bruins 1
11.12.2015: Ottawa Senators 4, Buffalo Sabres 1
11.14.2015: Columbus Blue Jackets 1, Buffalo Sabres 0
11.17.2015: Buffalo Sabres 6, Winnipeg Jets 3
11.20.2015: New Jersey Devils 1, Buffalo Sabres 0
11.21.2015: Buffalo Sabres 4, Ottawa Senators 0
11.23.2015: Buffalo Sabres 7, Washington Capitals 1
11.27.2015: Buffalo Sabres 5, Chicago Blackhawks 3
11.30.2015: Arizona Coyotes 5, Buffalo Sabres 0

December Schedule

12.01.2015: @ San Jose Sharks (12-10-1)
12.03.2015: @ Vancouver Canucks (12-8-4)
12.05.2015: @ Calgary Flames (11-10-4)
12.10.2015: vs. Colorado Avalanche (11-11-2)
12.12.2015: vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (14-8-1)
12.15.2015: @ St. Louis Blues (10-12-1)
12.16.2015: @ Nashville Predators (14-7-2)
12.18.2015: @ Chicago Blackhawks (12-11-2)
12.20.2015: vs. Detroit Red Wings (17-6-2)
12.22.2015: vs. St. Louis Blues (10-12-1)
12.26.2015: @ New Jersey Devils (10-10-4)
12.28.2015: vs. Florida Panthers (7-13-4)
12.30.2015: vs. Boston Bruins (10-10-2)


ROCHESTER AMERICANS 2015-16 SEASON

Record: 14-5-1 (29 Points)
North Division: 1st
Western Conference: 1st
AHL: 1st
Goals For: 63 (3rd)
Goals Against: 38 (3rd)
Power Play: 16.0% (15th)
Penalty Kill: 87.1% (23rd)
Home Record: 6-3-1
Away Record: 8-2-0
Last Ten Games: 6-3-1

Injury Report

C Daniel Catenacci (Knee) - Expected back by 12.05.2015
RW Victor Olofsson (Knee) - Expected back by 12.09.2015

ROCHESTER AMERICANS LINES

William Carrier - Patrice Cormier - Joel Armia
Gustav Possler - Scott Glennie - Nicholas Baptiste
Remi Elie - Colin Jacobs - Justin Bailey
Paul Bissonnette - Justin Kea - Beau McCue

Nikita Zadorov - Jake McCabe
Kyle Cumiskey - Brayden McNabb
Philip Samuelsson - Jerome Leduc

Extras: Brady Austin, Jordan Subban

Matt Hackett
Jonas Johansson

--------------------------------------------------------------------







NHL Transactions

11.02.2015: The Washington Capitals have claimed center Peter Regin off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings
11.23.2015: The New York Rangers have claimed defensemen Mike Weaver off waivers from the Montreal Canadiens

Great tables, great organization, love reading this dynasty. Awesome job! Just a quick question, as I was getting caught up on this thread I noticed Noah Hanifin slipped to #16 for the San Jose Sharks in the draft? Isn't he a top 3 pick in real life? Thanks, keep up the excellent work and good luck on the remainder of the season!
EDIT: As well, isn't Oliver Kylington a projected top five prospect? EA sometimes...

Hanifin is expected to be a top-five selection in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Some mock drafts at the beginning of the year pegged him at the number three selection, but I wouldn't be shocked in the least bit if he slipped a bit (committing to college and being a defensemen are slight knocks on him; both Adam Larsson and Seth Jones were considered sure-fire top selections and both slide down to the fourth overall slot).

I created both Hanifin and Eichel in NHL 15 since neither play in major juniors and were expected to be high selections. EA does a decent job of rating players properly to where they'll be drafted, but it isn't perfect. Twelve goalies were selected in the first round of the EA draft, including several overagers (which would never happen in real life). Hanifin was still the seventh positional player (second D) taken in the draft, and I gave him a 69 overall with a four-star yellow potential (I gave a 4 1/2 green to Eichel).

I recall doing several drafts in previous EA games where players who didn't come close to being drafted were selected in the first round (Tyson Baillie and Blake Clarke in NHL 14. Ironic enough, I took Clarke in my draft. They also have him as a year younger than he is in real life. He was considered a first round pick in 2014 until his production went to hell; Baillie is Sharks property IRL).

Thanks for the compliments on the tables. If I was a web-designer, I'd probably code them to integrate them into the page itself (but I'm pretty lazy and don't feel like researching the code necessary to accomplish that feat when I can use Microsoft Office and screenshot the page instead. Also, I didn't go for Computer Programming in College). I also wish my writing hadn't gone to hell in recent years but hey, if Steve Simmons gets away with writing hores--t, then I'm allowed a few grammatical errors.

[Braeden]

Re: Zack Kassian can't spell his name; a Buffalo Sabres experience hitting Rock Botto

Matt Cooke a +10!? Go Cooke!