This is Gonna Hurt: The Buffalo Sabres Experience

[HeroWorship]

EASN Season Preview: Buffalo Sabres


Expectations are high for Hodgson in 2013-14.

Last Season: 21-21-6 (48 Points)

Arrivals: D Drew Bagnall (Minnesota), D Jamie McBain (Carolina), D Rasmus Ristolainen (TPS), D Henrik Tallinder (New Jersey), F Jamie Tardiff (Boston), Assistant Coach Joe Sacco (Colorado)

Departures: LW Riley Boychuk (New Jersey), F Nathan Gerbe (Carolina), F Jochen Hecht (Mannheim), RW Mark Mancari (St. Louis), D Adam Pardy (Winnipeg), D Andrej Sekera (Carolina), Assistant Coaches Kevyn Adams and James Patrick.

Last Season

The term 'trainwreck' could perfectly describe the Sabres season. After winning their first two contests, the team went into a tailspin in the month of February, which led to the firing of long-time head coach Lindy Ruff. After making Ron Rolston their interm head coach for the remainder of the season, the team showed improvement, but finished outside the playoffs for the second straight season.

It was enough for general manager Darcy Regier to begin dealing some of his assets. Over a period of a few days, the team traded defensemen Jordan Leopold and Robyn Regehr, and finished off by dealing captain Jason Pominville to the Minnesota Wild. When the season ended, forward Jochen Hecht elected to retire from the NHL, Rolston would become the official head coach, and many questions began to linger heading into the off-season.

The Positives: Left Winger Thomas Vanek was a force throughout the entire season. He scored 20 goals for the eighth straight season, and also averaged over a point per game. Cody Hodgson showed offensive flair, finishing second in points with 34. Christian Ehrhoff played at an all-star level the entire season despite a sub-par blue line behind him, and newly acquired Steve Ott became a lightning rod for the club, and a fan favorite.

The Negatives: Besides Ehrhoff, the rest of the blueline were simply not up to par. Tyler Myers continues to regress from his Calder trophy season. Secondary scoring wasn't their for the club. The team mismanaged rookie Mikhail Grigorenko, Marcus Foligno fell back to earth, and injures piled up for the club. The center depth after Hodgson left a lot to be desired, and the team was in the bottom half in the league in goals allowed.

The Off-Season

Regier didn't continue his trade tirade from the deadline, instead making small moves to the roster. At the NHL Draft, the Sabres traded away steady defenseman Andrej Sekera to the Carolina Hurricanes for a second round pick and defenseman Jamie McBain. After free agency began, the Sabres brought back defenseman Henrik Tallinder from the New Jersey Devils for minor league forward Riley Boychuk.

The Sabres bought out diminutive forward Nathan Gerbe, who would go on to sign with the Hurricanes. Defenseman Adam Pardy was not brought back, and minor league forward Mark Mancari was let go as well.

The lone free agent signings were defenseman Drew Bagnall and forward Jamie Tardiff, whom are expected to play for the Sabres AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. Each have two games of NHL experience, but aren't likely to crack the roster after camp breaks.

To help bolster Rolston's coaching staff, former Avalanche Head Coach Joe Sacco was brought in as an assistant. The team let go assistants Kevyn Adams and James Patrick. Teppo Numminen remains with the club as an assistant.

The Forwards

Many expect this to be the final season for Thomas Vanek in the Blue & Gold. The 29-year old forward is on the last year of a seven year contract, and with the focus of this season being a "rebuilding year", Vanek is likely to be dealt by the deadline. Still, he heads into camp as the Sabres best offensive weapon, but the questions of his inevitable departure will cast a cloud of negativity when camp opens.

Hodgson is the team's number one center, and showed promise in his first full year with the Sabres. Despite his offensive talents, his defensive game was considered one the worst in the NHL. While Hodgson will never be confused for a penalty kill specialist, it could spell trouble for Hodgson if he can't round out his game this season.

After Vanek and Hodgson is a series of question marks. Tyler Ennis has potential, but at wing or center? Ville Leino showed some flashes with six points in eight games last season, but his contract demands for more. Can Leino show his worth the change the Sabres are paying him? Many were surprised when the team didn't use a compliance buyout on Leino, but even an "average" season for Leino would rank high on the cast of offense the Sabres have.

Drew Stafford was disappointing last season, and many worry his 34 goal outburst in 2010-11 was because of playing in a "contract year". Rumors ran rampant about a potential trade involving Stafford during the off-season, but he'll stick for now. Ott is a fearless player, but is average offensively, and can make a series of boneheaded mistakes.

Mikhail Grigorenko was the top prize for the Sabres in the 2012 draft. The forward looked out of place in his first NHL season, but it can be argued that the team mismanaged him; giving him little power play time and playing him in the bottom six did not help his cause. We'll see more of the nineteen year old this season, as Regier has declared that the Russian will remain with the team all season.

Rounding out the forward crops is wingers Marcus Foligno (who has the highest Corsi on the team last season), Corey Tropp (coming off a major knee injury which limited him to six games in the AHL last season), Brian Flynn (26 games with the team last season), John Scott (enforcer), and noted pest Patrick Kaleta. The centers include Kevin Porter and Luke Adam.

The Defense

The Sabres appear to look like winners so far with the ten year contract given to defenseman Christian Ehrhoff, who looked like a bonafide Norris candidate last season. Ehrhoff is now the leader of the blueline after the departures of Sekera, Regehr, and Leopold, and will likely see upwards to 25+ minutes a night.

Myers, on the other hand, has been a source of frustration for the team. After his solid rookie season, Myers game has not improved, and may be argued has decreased over the last three seasons. While he shows moments of brilliance, they are forgotten with his frequent mistakes. The team has to reacquire his old defensive partner in hopes of moving his game north again.

Tallinder has spent the last three seasons with the Devils, which, like his tenure with the Sabres, has been filled with injures and steady play. The team is praying the 34-year old can hold up throughout the season, and be the mentor he was with Myers in his last season with the club back in 2009-10.

Rounding out the D is Mike Weber, who showed improvement and can be considered a top six NHL defenseman. Alexander Sulzer returns for another season, as he's played solid with Ehrhoff. Jamie McBain has been an frustrating talent, but will likely be placed in preferable situations on the ice. There will be a battle in camp for the last spots. Competing for those spots are Mark Pysyk, Rasmus Ristolainen, Chad Ruhwedel, and Brayden McNabb.

Goaltending

This should be the last season of 'Miller Time' in Buffalo. Miller, the 32-year old goaltender, was not moved during the off-season and will likely begin the year in the crease for the Sabres. His post-game comments suggest his frustrations with the clubs inability to ice a competitive club are high, and he'll hope to be traded or let go in the off-season. A Miller trade could prove to be a struggle, since he can list eight teams that he will not accept a trade to. Miller is still one of the games best netminders, and should continue to be solid whether in the Blue & Gold or not.

Jhonas Enroth should see an increase in starts this season. The 25-year old Swede played well last season, and was signed to a two-year extension in the off-season. Enroth will be assessed heavily on his starts due to any impending Miller move. He was brilliant in the World Championships for Team Sweden, and should receive an invite to play with the club in the 2014 Olympics.

The Coaching Staff

Give Regier credit; it's a time of suffering, but he brought along coaches who can help.

Ron Rolston has a long history of coaching at the amateur and collegiate level. He wasn't afraid to make decisions that his predecessor Ruff would; he scratched players, he gave younger players more of a look, and even played his backup goaltender more often. He's used to coaching younger players who are raw. He isn't going to give you the soundbites that a John Torterlla will, but he'll consistently help the team along.

Sacco, fired from the Avalanche, saw his best success with the club when the reached the Stanley Cup playoffs in his first season after finishing in the bottom five of the league. Sacco is expected to help along players like Foligno and Grigorenko maximize their potential, as well as any call-ups from the AHL during the season.

Conclusion

In a division already becoming tougher with the additions of the Red Wings, Lightning, and Panthers, the Sabres aren't expected to be playoff contenders this season. This will be a year to continue "cleaning out the trash" and guiding the younger players in hopes of developing a new core to the club. The team won't be a team blown out of the building, but they'll struggle to be a team relevant enough on offense. The hopes are dim, but at least the management acknowledges this.

Predicition: Sixth in the Atlantic Division.

[HeroWorship]

Sabres announce Pre-Season Schedule; rosters

Below is the Sabres roster for the upcoming pre-season schedule, split in two teams. The seven game pre-season schedule is also listed. The team will have (4) home games and (3) games on the road. The September 16th contest against the Florida Panthers will be played at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, NY. The September 26th game against the Toronto Maple Leafs will be played at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, ON.

Buffalo Sabres Pre-Season Roster #1
#	CENTERS	AGE	HT	WT	SHOT	BIRTH PLACE
9	Steve Ott	31	6'0	192	L	Summerside, PEI
63	Tyler Ennis	23	5'9	157	L	Edmonton, AB
19	Cody Hodgson	23	6'0	194	R	Toronto, ON
12	Kevin Porter	27	6'0	190	L	Detroit, MI
25	Mikhail Grigorenko	19	6'3	200	L	Khabarovsk, Russia
22	Johan Larsson	21	5'11	203	L	Lau, Sweden
65	Brian Flynn	25	6'0	180	R	Lynnfield, MA
#	LEFT WINGS	AGE	HT	WT	SHOT	BIRTH PLACE
26	Thomas Vanek	29	6'2	205	R	Vienna, Austria
23	Ville Leino	29	6'1	190	L	Savonlinna, Finland
71	Marcus Foligno	22	6'3	227	L	Buffalo, NY
32	John Scott	30	6'8	270	L	St. Catharines, ON
#	RIGHT WINGS	AGE	HT	WT	SHOT	BIRTH PLACE
21	Drew Stafford	27	6'2	214	R	Milwaukee, WI
36	Patrick Kaleta	27	6'1	206	R	Buffalo, NY
#	DEFENSE	AGE	HT	WT	SHOT	BIRTH PLACE
57	Tyler Myers	23	6'8	227	R	Houston, TX
10	Christian Ehrhoff	31	6'2	203	L	Moers, Germany
27	Henrik Tallinder	34	6'4	210	L	Stockholm, Sweden
4	Jamie McBain	25	6'2	200	R	Edina, MN
6	Mike Weber	25	6'2	211	L	Pittsburgh, PA
52	Alexander Sulzer	29	6'1	204	L	Kaufbeuren, Germany
5	Chad Ruhwedel	23	5'11	180	R	San Diego, CA
#	GOALIES	AGE	HT	WT	SHOT	BIRTH PLACE
30	Ryan Miller	33	6'2	175	L	East Lansing, MI
1	Jhonas Enroth	25	5'10	166	L	Stockholm, Sweden
35	Matt Hackett	23	6'3	179	L	London, ON

Buffalo Sabres Pre-Season Roster #2
#	CENTERS	AGE	HT	WT	SHOT	BIRTH PLACE
72	Luke Adam	23	6'1	206	L	Saint John, NF
28	Zemgus Girgensons	19	6'1	190	L	Riga, Latvia
22	Phil Varone	22	5'9	187	L	Vaughan, ON
8	Cody McCormick	30	6'3	215	R	London, ON
35	Kevin Sundher	21	6'0	177	L	Surrey, BC
11	Daniel Catenacci	20	5'9	180	L	Newmarket, ON
10	Steven Shipley	21	6'1	204	L	Ilderton, ON
19	Colin Jacobs	20	6'2	215	R	Coppell, TX
#	LEFT WINGS	AGE	HT	WT	SHOT	BIRTH PLACE
33	Gustav Possler	18	5'11	172	L	Sodertalje, Sweden
17	Cedrick Henley	21	6'5	196	L	Val-d'Or, PQ
30	Gregg Sutch	21	6'1	201	R	Newmarket, ON
#	RIGHT WINGS	AGE	HT	WT	SHOT	BIRTH PLACE
14	Corey Tropp	24	6'0	185	R	Grosse Pointe Woods, MI
25	Jamie Tardif	28	6'0	200	R	Welland, ON
26	Joel Armia	20	6'3	203	R	Pori, Finland
23	Shawn Szydlowski	23	6'0	210	R	St. Claire Shores, MI
24	Jonathan Parker	21	5'10	202	R	Solana Beach, CA
#	DEFENSE	AGE	HT	WT	SHOT	BIRTH PLACE
7	Brayden McNabb	22	6'4	210	L	Davidson, SK
53	Mark Pysyk	21	6'2	188	R	Sherwood Park, AB
4	Drew Bagnall	29	6'3	220	L	Oakbank, MB
20	Nick Crawford	23	6'0	191	L	Caledon, ON
16	Jerome Gauthier-Leduc	21	6'1	192	R	Quebec City, PQ
47	Matt MacKenzie	21	6'2	182	R	New Westminster, BC
12	Dennis Persson	25	6'1	187	L	Nykoping, Sweden
55	Rasmus Ristolainen	18	6'2	203	R	Turku, Finland
21	Jake McCabe	19	6'1	205	L	Eau Claire, WI
#	GOALIES	AGE	HT	WT	SHOT	BIRTH PLACE
49	Connor Knapp	23	6'5	210	L	York, NY
1	Andrei Makarov	20	6'2	178	L	Kazan, Russia
31	Nathan Lieuwen	22	6'5	192	L	Abbotsford, BC

Buffalo Sabres Pre-Season Schedule 2013
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Sep 14	at Boston Bruins
Sep 16	vs Florida Panthers
Sep 19	at Ottawa Senators
Sep 20	vs Montreal Canadiens
Sep 22	vs Detroit Red Wings
Sep 24	at Tampa Bay Lightning
Sep 26	vs Toronto Maple Leafs

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

Off-Topic Rant:

One thing that frustrates me as a franchise guy is the roster update to boot the game up. Not only were certain players still on their old team (i.e. Dan Cleary on Detroit, Michael Sauer on the Rangers), but prospects went missing! I had to create Joel Armia, despite the fact he played last season with Assat of the SM-Liiga. I cut the players that were still on their 2012-13 team that went unsigned during the off-season.

I elected not to create the following Sabres prospects:

J.T. Compher
Connor Hurley
Christian Isackson

Since all three are college players, and thus, probably won't be on the Sabres radar for at least another 3-4 years (Isackson may never get signed), I am not excited to play as them yet.

I did create Jake McCabe (I made him a 60 with four star potential). Despite my best effort, his age (he'll be 20 in October) made him AHL-eligible.

Also, why the unsigned 2010 draft picks are STILL with the Sabres (and signed)....

[HeroWorship]

Tropp gets Hat Trick in High Scoring Affair
Kris Baker


Tropp celebrates

The Sabres first pre-season game proved to have some highlights.

Led by a hat trick from Right Winger Corey Tropp, the Sabres scored six first period goals en route to a 9-4 victory against the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden in Boston.

Nathan Lieuwen got the start in net, but managed only fifteen saves on 19 shots. The Sabres chased Bruins goaltender Malcom Subban out of the game in the first period, and added three more on their backup, Lars Volden.

"I can't complain about the effort of the kids" said head coach Ron Rolston. "I liked how the top line perform and our defense set a physical tone throughout the game. We'll have to give some of these guys more of a look during the pre-season."

The Bruins had several NHL players in their lineup, including newly acquired winger Loui Eriksson, as well as Milan Lucic, Chris Kelly, Dougie Hamilton, and ex-Sabre Daniel Paille.

Their were some concerns Rolston noted, namely allowing the Bruins to score three goals in the third period. He would later say that some of the defenseman got into the habit of puck watching, which led to two of their three third period goals.

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

This was the lineup the Sabres used for the first pre-season game:

Buffalo Sabres Depth Chart - 2013
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LW	#17 Daniel Catenacci	#22 Johan Larsson	#73 Gustav Possler	#91 Cedrick Henley
C	#25 Mikhail Grigorenko	#28 Zemgus Girgensons	#65 Brian Flynn	#58 Colin Jacobs
RW	#78 Corey Tropp	#76 Joel Armia	#75 Shawn Szydlowski	#71 Jonathan Parker
D #1	#8 Brayden McNabb	#70 Jake McCabe	#46 Jerome Gauthier-Leduc
D #2	#53 Mark Pysyk	#5 Chad Ruhwedel	#55 Rasmus Ristolainen
G	#49 Connor Knapp	#39 Nathan Lieuwen

Scouts Take:

- Corey Tropp looks like a man possessed. He didn't show any issues regarding his knee injury last season, even continuing his physical play in the game. He crashed the net consistently, and was utilized in his grinder role properly with linemates Mikhail Grigorenko and Daniel Catenacci.

- Speaking of Grigorenko, I thought he was sensation. Even got back into the defensive play when required. He had three assists, and wasn't afraid to look to the point for a pass instead of trying to do it all himself.

- The pairing of Mark Pysyk and Brayden McNabb could be one we see with the Sabres this season. Mark had a couple of beauties from the point; he was also calm and even defended Eriksson and Lucic properly.

- Finally, props to Johan Larsson. He's a Frans Nielsen-caliber forward, and even if he doesn't crack the roster this season, should next season.

(since this is pre-season, there is no box score).

[memphisonfire]

Very nice. Looks like you've got your team on the up and up. Miller definitely isn't as good as he used to be and I'm interested to see how Enroth does for you.

[HeroWorship]

Sabres make comeback, but Panthers win it in overtime
Kevin Snow


Girgensons got the Gordie Howe hat trick

In what can be described as a playoff-like game, the Sabres made the fans at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester feel like they're seeing game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Down 2-0, the Sabres made a comeback, with two goals by Marcus Foligno and a goal by Zemgus Girgensons, before the Panthers scored to tie in in regulation, and a Peter Mueller overtime goal put the Panthers on the winning side in front of a sold out crowd.

Three fights broke out, with the Sabres emerging victorious on all three. Girgensons, Foligno, and Jamie Tardiff got in on the fun, with Girgensons and Foligno scoring knockouts against veteran defenseman Ed Jovanovski.

Connor Knapp made 22 saves in the lost.

A hit on Kris Versteeg by Nick Crawford made Panthers Head Coach Kevin Dineen upset. While the hit was clean, and Versteeg is listed as 'day to day', Dineen felt it was unnecessary.

"It's a part of the game, and I understand a guy like [Nick] Crawford wanting to make a name for himself, he could have easily poked the puck from his stick. He was looking to hurt him, and this is the type of play the league has been trying to get rid of for years. There is a time and place for a hit, but not that." Dineen said.

Rolston felt otherwise.

"It's good he won't be out for any serious length of time. I'm sure Kevin will feel different the next day about it. He was mad that one of his better players got injured. It was a solid, clean check."

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

Sabres Lineup for the Panthers Game:

#82 Marcus Foligno - #28 Zemgus Girgensons - #78 Corey Tropp
#17 Daniel Catenacci - #62 Phil Varone - #76 Joel Armia
#95 Kevin Sundher - #22 Johan Larsson - #15 Jamie Tardiff
#73 Gustav Possler - #98 Steven Shipley - #94 Gregg Sutch

#27 Henrik Tallinder - #4 Jamie McBain
#13 Drew Bagnall - #47 Matt MacKenzie
#20 Nick Crawford - #55 Rasmus Ristolainen

#49 Connor Knapp
#39 Nathan Lieuwen

Scouts Take:

- Zemgus Girgensons is pushing for a spot on the team. He was wonderful, and could honestly play on the third line for this team this season. Whether that happens remains to be seen. He was good in the Bruins game, but better here.

- Connor Knapp calmed down after two quick goals; he's the favorite for the backup job in Rochester, but sure didn't play like it. He gets rattled too easily.

- Henrik Tallinder looked like his old 2009-10 self. Very steady with a guy like McBain.

- I haven't noticed Rasmus Ristolainen out there the first two games, with the exception of his penalty against the Bruins. He needs to make a play to even be considered for a spot with the Sabres. He appears more likely to start the season in Rochester.

- No sign of life of Daniel Catenacci after a four assist performance. Perhaps he benefited from playing on a line with Grigorenko?

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

The previous report said that Connor Knapp started the game according to the depth chart. Nathan Lieuwen did. Sabres.com apologizes for the mistake.

[HeroWorship]

Quote: Originally Posted by memphisonfire

Very nice. Looks like you've got your team on the up and up. Miller definitely isn't as good as he used to be and I'm interested to see how Enroth does for you.

Thanks for the comment. I put Miller, Vanek, and Stafford on the block. (IRL)As a armchair general manager, I would've tried to trade Miller to Edmonton and attempted to get Magnus Paajarvi before the Blues got him. I bet he would have accepted the trade, too, since Edmonton is on the rise with all the young talent they have offensively.

[jayenomics]

Are you playing on Xbox or PS3?

[HeroWorship]

Flynn gets hat trick as Sabres dominate Senators
Kris Baker


Flynn scoring on his first goal of the game

After playing the first pre-season game at center, a move back to the wing is just what the doctor ordered. Brian Flynn scored a hat trick and added an assist as the Sabres beat the Senators 6-2 as the pre-season nears the half-way point.

"Just my type of luck, huh" a surprised Flynn said on Sabres.com. "I credit my linemates for the help. Mikhail [Grigorenko] is such a slick passer, and [Ville] Leino helped out a lot. Hope I left a good impression with the club."

Grigorenko added two assists, and goaltender Andrei Makarov stopped 25 shots in the effort.

Tyler Myers had 2 assists and showed a mean streak throughout the game. The 23 year old is entering the second year of a six year contract extension, and his play throughout the last couple of seasons has been mixed.

Cody McCormick, Drew Bagnall, and Luke Adam added goals.

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

Sabres Lineup for the contest:

Ville Leino - Mikhail Grigorenko - Brian Flynn
Marcus Foligno - Luke Adam - Corey Tropp
Phil Varone - Kevin Sundher - Jamie Tardiff
Kevin Porter - Cody McCormick - Patrick Kaleta

Alexander Sulzer - Tyler Myers
Drew Bagnall - Mark Pysyk
Jake McCabe - Jerome Gauthier-Leduc

Andrei Makarov
Matt Hackett

Scouts Take:

- Brian Flynn is about to make the Sabres decision harder as cut time as arrived for most. Him and Corey Tropp have posted impressive outings, and his nose for the puck has gotten better from last year.

- Andrei Makarov will make the goaltender battle in Rochester interesting. He stood on his head for several saves, and both goals allowed weren't his fault. I still can't believe he was a undrafted free agent signing.

- Cody McCormick scored, fought Bobby Ryan, blooded him, and looked like the Cody McCormick from 2010-11 that made the Sabres give him a three-year extension from it. It's another contract year, should we be surprised?

- If Tyler Myers plays like that in the Regular Season, he'll get a Norris nomination.

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

Cut Down Day

The Sabres have trimmed their Training Camp roster. The following players have been assigned to the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League.

Centers (3)

Colin Jacobs
Steven Shipley
Kevin Sundher

Left Wingers (2)

Cedrick Henley
Gustav Possler

Right Wingers (4)

Joel Armia
Jonathan Parker
Gregg Sutch
Shawn Szydlowski

Defenseman (3)

Matt MacKenzie
Jake McCabe
Rasmus Ristolainen

Goaltenders (2)

Connor Knapp
Nathan Lieuwen

Remaining Players In Camp:

Centers

Luke Adam
Daniel Catenacci
Tyler Ennis
Brian Flynn
Zemgus Girgensons
Mikhail Grigorenko
Johan Larsson
Cody McCormick
Steve Ott
Kevin Porter
Phil Varone

Left Wingers

Marcus Foligno
Ville Leino
Marcus Foligno
Thomas Vanek

Right Wingers

Patrick Kaleta
Drew Stafford
Jamie Tardiff
Corey Tropp

Defenseman

Drew Bagnall
Nick Crawford
Christian Ehrhoff
Jerome Gauthier-Leduc
Jamie McBain
Brayden McNabb
Tyler Myers
Mark Pysyk
Chad Ruhwedel
Alexander Sulzer
Henrik Tallinder
Mike Weber

Goaltenders

Jhonas Enroth
Matt Hackett
Andrei Makarov
Ryan Miller