Free Agency Update July 3rd

It's officially been 2 days since Free Agency began on July 1, we've seen a dozens of players sign new deals with new teams and even some return to their old teams. While we are still waiting on the big fish Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. Once these two decide where they want to spend the rest of their career Free Agency will really kick into a frenzy as teams who lost the bid on the big two will be looking for second best.

 P-A Parenteau signs 4 year deal with Colorado
One of the top free agents this offseason Parenteau went off the market on the first day. Signing a 4 year $16 million contract with the Colorado Avalanche.

Jonas Gustavsson signs 2 year deal with Detroit
It's been a crazy week for Gustavsson. The Toronto Maple Leafs traded his rights to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a 7th round draft pick. Gustavsson then decided he didn't want to stay in Winnipeg and was signed to a 2 year $3 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings. A fantastic opportunity for the young goaltender. He gets out of dodge with the media, gets the backup role on a solid team and will get to face against his former team in the Winter Classic.

Paul Gaustad signs 4 year extension with Nashville
This one pains me to right a little bit. Sabres fans were hoping that their beloved Gaustad would return to Buffalo after the season, unfortunately he's staying in Nashville. Gaustad signed a 4 year $13 million contract extension to stay with the Predators. Smart signing by the Preds who will be losing many players through free agency.

Justin Schultz signs 2 year deal with Edmonton
Finally the drama surrounding a kid who has never played an NHL game is over. Schultz made his decision and decided to head to the Oiler to "grow old" with their star young players. The Oilers have young skilled players, that are going to be extremely talented when they hit their prime. Look out for the Oilers in the future.

Colby Armstrong signs 1 year deal with Montreal
Much like Gustavsson the Leafs were hard on Armstrong this week. The Leafs decided Armstrong just wasn't going to work out in Toronto after two injury plagued seasons, that limited him to just 78 games.
The Leafs bought out the rest of Armstrong's contract and placed him on waivers to become a free agent. Armstrong didn't wait long signing a deal with the Canadiens for $1 million.

Ray Whitney signs 2 year deal with Dallas
The ageless wonder is at it again. At 40 years of age many teams were hesitant to give Whitney the extra year he wanted. So when the Stars agreed to give him 2 years worth $9 million he signed on the dotted line.

Brad Boyes signs 1 year deal with the New York Islanders
As a Sabres fan I am perfectly fine with Boyes leaving town. He had one good year and has not been productive or helpful for the Sabres in the last couple of years. It was time for him to go. Boyes signed a 1 year deal worth $1 million.

Zenon Konopka signs 2 year deal with Minnesota
Was interesting to see Konopka leave Ottawa. Konopka signs a 2 year $1.85 Million contract with the Wild.

Dustin Penner resigns with the Los Angeles Kings
After winning his 2nd Stanley Cup ring, Penner has decided he will stay a King for the next year.
Penner and the Kings agreed to terms on a 1 year $3.25 million contract. Smart move for both parties.

Matt Carkner signs 3 year deal with the New York Islanders
The Islanders made quite a few moves on July 1st, one of whihc was landing tough guy Matt Carkner. The Islanders and Carkner agreed to a 3 year $4.5 million contract.

Brandon Prust signs 4 year deal with Montreal
The Canadiens felt they were too weak and needed to add some character players. In addition to the signing of Armstrong, they signed tough guy Brandon Prust to a 4 year deal worth $10 million. Prust is a solid addition to the Canadiens, although he'll be missed in New York.

Filip Kuba signs 2 year deal with Florida
Ottawa had a rough time during the start of free agency as they lost a lot of their "role" players. Kuba is another player they lost. Kuba signed a contract with the Panthers and cashed in on a deal worth $8 million.

Olli Jokinen signs 2 year deal with Winnipeg
It had to be tough for the Flames to lose Jokinen. The Jets needed a centre so they found their man in Jokinen. The two sides agreed to a 2 year $9 million contract.

Joey Crabb signs 1 year deal with Washington
Crabb has left Toronto and as a result is getting a nice pay day. The Capitals signed the defenceman to a 1 year $950 thousand contract.

Jack Hillen signs a 1 year deal with Washington
Considering the fact I have never heard of Jack Hillen I wouldn't normally post his name here. But big news from me, I will be on a conference call with him later this afternoon!

Martin Brodeur signs 2 year extension with New Jersey 
Raise your hand if you thought Brodeur would leave the only team he's ever known. Now kindly lower  your hand and get your head examined. The reason he hired an agent and said he wanted to "Test free agency" is because he wasn't getting enough attention. There is another Devils player by the name of Parise who is tying up all the contract talks, Brodeur wanted to make sure he got a fair shake. He agreed to a 2 year $9 million contract, so he may finish his career as a Devil.

John Scott signs 1 year deal with Buffalo
The Buffalo Sabres wanted to get tougher this offseason, so in order to that they needed to sign a 6 foot 8 defenceman. Scott joins Tyler Myers and Joe Finley as the trio of 6 foot 8 players on the Sabres roster. Scott and the Sabres agreed to a 1 year deal worth $600 thousand.

Jiri Hudler signs 4 year deal with Calgary
The long time Red Wing is on his way north of the boarder. The Flames wanted to shake the team up this offseason to try and make the playoffs. The signing of Hudler helps that for sure. The Flames agreed to a 4 year $16 million contract.

Jason Garrison signs 6 year deal with Vancouver
The last signing I'll talk about in this post, which just so happens to be the biggest (in terms of length). The Canucks and Garrison agreed to a 6 year deal worth $27.6 million.

Who knows maybe by day 4 we will have a decision on where Parise and Suter have decided to play out there careers and then Free Agency can really get kicked into a frenzy!

Top Free Agents

Free agency is just days away and rumours are starting to swirl around who's going where. So it's time to break down the free agency market and see who's available and where they may possibly land.

Forwards:


Zach Parise

Likely the biggest name on the market this season. Chances are Parise will not resign with the New Jersey Devils. While Parise wants to remain loyal to his team it's looking like the financial trouble the Devils may be facing could scare him away. Parise is a complete package any team that is able to afford his price tag will instantly be made better. He never takes a shift off and was a born leader, leading the Devils to within 2 wins of a Stanley Cup. He's a brilliant forward who can put the puck in the net, forecheck hard and never disappoints on defence either.

The three teams in the front running are: Pittsburgh, Detroit and Minnesota. With Sidney Crosby rumoured to have agreed to a 12 year contract with the Penguins there is rumour Parise will be joining him in Pittsburgh as the two are good friends.


Alexander Semin
Semin is a hit and miss player, sometimes he's on fire and other times it's like he's not even on the ice. The Capitals and Semin have virtually parted ways so he will not be returning to his old team. There was some talk he might head over to the KHL but if he can get a team to throw him a large contract he will likely stay. Semin plays a very good offensive game but not a good defensive game. When the Capitals were firing on all cylinders Semin fit in and became one of the top scorers in the league. When the Capitals turned to a more defensive style he struggled and found himself on the bench more often than not.

He would benefit most by going to a team that needs scoring, perhaps the Montreal Canadiens.


Dustin Penner

When the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup they had to give up certain players because they could no longer afford them. Just the same the Kings may have to start unloading some players one of them may be Penner. He's a curious case as he has the size, speed, skill and strength to be a successful NHL player but he scored just 7 goals all regular season. But despite his lack of success during the regular season Penner was a major contributor during the Kings Stanley Cup run much like he was for Anaheim in 2007.

After winning the cup in 2007 he signed by the Oilers but did not succeed in Edmonton. This time around he won't get signed for big money but might find a spot with the Calgary Flames. But if Penner doesn't mind taking a pay cut he could stay with the Kings.


Shane Doan
It would be shocking and painful for Coyotes fans not to see their captain back in the desert next season. He is the heart and soul of the team, the coyotes go as Doan goes and he was a major reason they made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals. But at 36 Doan is going to want to make a run at a Stanley Cup and may want to play in a market that is more hockey friendly.

He's a solid goal scorer (reaching the 30 goal mark twice) and a natural leader. If the Devils are unable to retain Parise look for them to take a hard run at Doan.


Brad Boyes
It wouldn't be a good post if it didn't have some sort of tie to the Sabres. Boyes is a player who puzzles me. He's got all the skill and scoring ability yet he is a 4th line player who rarely contributes to the success of the Sabres. Boyes would likely benefit from a change in scenery (and a new coach).

Right now he is dead weight for the Sabres and hopefully will not be resigned. He can still score some goals and would be a solid 20 goal scorer for a team that needs a little scoring boost for their back end. Look for him to meet with the Wild.

Defence


Ryan Suter
Like Parise, Suter is the biggest free agent defenceman available right now.
Suter showed great poise and was huge for the Predators all season including during their playoff run. Right now all eyes are on him so the ball is in his court he will likely head to a team that will utilize him as a number one defenceman.

Look for the Dallas Stars to pursue Suter and offer him a contract.


Bryan Allen
Allen is ranked or regarded as high as Suter but he is a solid defenceman that many teams could benefit from. He doesn't produce a lot of goals but he plays a steady defensive game.

If the Stars are unable to land Suter, look for them to pursue Allen.


Justin Shultz

If you have not heard of Justin Shultz stop reading this article and kindly stop calling yourself a hockey fan. Right now this kid is the hottest name around. Just about 29 teams are looking at. Shultz is playing the Brad Richards card having teams come to him instead of him going to them. The thing about him is he hasn't even played a game in the NHL as he is just coming out of the University of Wisconsin.

Whatever team does end up with the "highly ranked" prospect who skipped the draft will likely end up over paying due to how much interest there reportedly is. He will be a hit or miss prospect that will hopefully perform well for whatever team courts him.

The short list is down to 5 teams including: Toronto, Vancouver, New York Rangers, Edmonton and Ottawa.


Hal Gill
Hal Gill is a player I have always loved to watch play, right from his days in Toronto. Although he suffered an injury that cut his season short he still saw an improvement in his goals and point production this year with Nashville. He is expected to make a full recovery over the off season and be ready for training camp.

Look for the Predators to retain Gill, especially if they lose Suter. Note Hal Gill resigned a 2 year deal with the Predators worth $4 million.

Matt Carle
While Carle will test the free agency markets he will still keep a foot in the door with the Flyers. A very solid defenceman who will be sought after during free agency. But I wouldn't expect him to leave the Flyers.

Goalies:


Cory Schneider
Technically Cory Schneider is not a real free agent and the Canucks have to intention of letting him walk and he will be their starter next season. Schneider single out played world class goaltender Roberto Luongo for the starting job and as a result chased the veteran out of town.


With Scneider between the pipes the Canucks have a bright future and a clean slate, they can put all this Luongo drama behind them and run with the young goalie who has a bright future.

Note- Cory Schneider agreed to a 3 year deal worth $12 million with the Canucks. 


Martin Biron
Biron is one of the most valuable back up goalies in the league. If a teams starter goes down to injury Biron is more than able to step right in and carry the work load of the starter. He spent last season in New York backing up the king Henrik Lundqvist and while his stats are no where close to the starter he was still a very solid back up goalie.

The Rangers would like to maintain Biron's services next for next season, but if they don't offer him some decent money 29 other teams would be more than willing to give the 34 year old a shot.


Martin Brodeur
If Brodeur decides that he is able to come back and play another season in the NHL the New Jersey Devils would gladly welcome him back. His performance last season taking the Devils to within 2 games of a Stanley Cup didn't hurt his cause either. Although Brodeur is 40 now he has not slowed down much and can still outplay young goalies, just when you think he's getting old he makes an amazing save out of no where.

It is unlikely Brodeur will part ways with the Devils as he has played with them his hole career, so it's just a matter of time before he resigns with them to end off his career.


Scott Clemmensen
With such a dry goaltending market this off season Clemmensen may be able to find a team that wouldn't ordinarily need his services. He played in just 25 games last season and as a result his Goals Against Average was a little high, but it will likely come down with some more consistent playing time.

Clemmensen would be a solid cheap back up for any team especially a team who has a starter who is shaky or goes down to injury.

More interesting free agents to keep an eye out for: Ryan Smyth, Teemu Selanne, Jaromir Jagr, Ray Whitney and Paul Gaustad.

Also be on the lookout for deals the involve Rick Nash and Bobby Ryan.

Tune in July 1st to see where some of the big name free agents are heading.

Eastern Conference Draft Preview

The NHL Entry Draft is just days away and as a follow up to my post from Monday: North East Division Draft Preview, it's time to preview the Eastern Conference for the upcoming draft. Some of the players from teams I wrote about on Monday will change teams, while others will stay the same.

So without further a due my Eastern Conference Draft Preview:

*Please note, I am not mixing trades into this preview. Several teams are considering trading up or down in the draft. So each pick is based on the team drafting a player their team needs at their current draft spot*

Montreal Canadiens- 3rd overall pick will select Alex Galchenyuk

If not for a season plagued by injuries Galchenyuk could have seriously challenged Sarnia Sting teammate Nail Yakupov for the first overall pick. Despite his injuries many are pegging Galchenyuk to be the best long term solution for a team in the draft. He possess all the skill to be a first overall draft choice and could turn out big for the Canadiens who need a much more positive season to save their franchises' image.

New York Islanders- 4th overall pick will select Ryan Murray
Ryan Murray is the best defenseman available in this years draft, yet he may fall out of the top 3 and if that happens the Islanders will be more than happy to give him a jersey and cap on stage in Pittsburgh. Murray has the potential to be a franchise player much like John Tavares and could be ready to step into the NHL as early as next season. He possess leadership and has experience playing against NHLers and which will help his transition to the NHL be as simple as possible. The Islanders need help on the back end which is why, if Murray is available they will draft him.

Toronto Maple Leafs- 5th overall pick will select Filip Forsberg
Brian Burke wants to get his hands on the first overall pick and has been in talks with Edmonton to acquire the pick. Edmonton wants a top notch defenseman, is Burke willing to give up what Edmonton is asking? The answer, probably not. So the Leafs will end up keeping and drafting with the 5th pick. The Leafs biggest need (outside of goaltending) is a number one centre (what team doesn't need one of those?) Forsberg is ranked as arguably the 2nd best forward in the draft behind Yakupov, so he may not be available at 5 but if he is the Leafs should snag him up.  He's a big tall forward who has the ability to play centre and could set up the Leafs for the long term.

Carolina Hurricans- 8th overall pick will select Teuvo Teravainen
Teravainen is a hit or miss player but right now the chance of him teaming up with Eric Staal and or Jeff Skinner is making the risk seem worthwhile to the Hurricanes. He's ranked 2nd out of all European players in the draft and excels on the bigger ice playing surfaces, so it will be interesting to see him adapt to the smaller ice.

Winnipeg Jets- 9th overall pick will select Jacob Trouba
The return of the Jets was a highlight for many hockey fans this season, and right now it doesn't matter what the Jets do they will still have the support of their fans. But if they want to have a better chance of making the playoffs they should select shutdown defenseman Jacob Trouba. But the Jets will have to wait at least 2 years before seeing Trouba in the NHL as he has committed to the University of Michigan. But if Trouba is given time to properly develop he could turn into a very solid player for the Jets.

Tampa Bay Lightning- 10th overall pick will select Griffen Reinhart
Reinhart was a part of the Edmonton Oil Kings who won the WHL Championship and next season he will be an even bigger part of the Oil Kings. He's a big (6'3" 207)tough defenseman who has hockey in his blood. Following in the footsteps of his older brother and father, many are saying Griffen could be the best Reinhart yet and he will likely be drafted highest.

Washington Capitals- 11th overall pick will select Radek Faksa
The Capitals don't need a defenseman, they need a big tall forward and Faksa fits the build. At 6'3" he fits the build of Jaromir Jagr, while he doesn't possess the same skill assets of Jagr, Faksa is still a solid pick. Faksa would fit in perfectly to fill the void as a 2nd line centre for the Caps.

Buffalo Sabres- 12th overall pick will select Cody Ceci

The Sabres are in a tricky place in the draft. On one hand they have 2 picks in the first round and 4 in the first 44, but on the other they sit just outside the top 10 and players they're looking at (Faksa, Reinhart) may be gone by the time Buffalo gets to the mic. Although the Sabres don't necessarily need a defenseman, if Ceci is available at 12 overall he should not be passed up.
Ceci of all players has flown up the draft charts, at the beginning of the season he wasn't even pegged to go in the first round, now he's pegged to go somewhere just outside of the top 10. Ceci would be a perfect fit on the back end matched with Tyler Myers and quarter backing the power play. Best part about Ceci is he could step into the NHL at the start of next season, which is what the Sabres are looking for.

Ottawa Senators- 15th overall pick will select Sebastian Collberg
The Senators have had great success drafting Swedish players, and will likely take another swedish player in Collberg. Many are expecting Collberg to turn into a solid 2nd line scoring threat in the NHL.

Washington Capitals- 16th overall pick will select Derrick Pouliot
Pouliot is one of the most uncertain picks in the draft, some reports have him going inside the top 10 while others have him dropping to 20th-25th. So what better place to pick Pouliot then in the middle. The Capitals don't need a defenseman right now, but they will certainly need one in the future which is why they should select Pouliot who is likely 3 years away from a full time stint in the NHL. With the benefit of 2 picks in the first round the Capitals can use one of the picks to draft for the future or take a risk.

Tampa Bay Lightning- 19th overall pick will select Tom Wilson
Once teams start getting near the top 20 in drafting there is less planing behind the picks and more of a mindset of taking "the best player available". At the 19th pick (the Lightning's 2nd) the best player available may just be the beast Tom Wilson. Wilson comes in at 6'4" 200 pounds and has the size and skill to step right into the NHL, he's not afraid to steamroll over players and drop the mitts when he has too. He excels when he plays alongside top players (like Stamkos). He is being compared to Boston Bruins power forward and heavy hitter Milan Lucic. With his skill, size and grit it wouldn't be a shock to see him go just before the top 20.

Philadelphia Flyers- 20th overall pick will select Hampus Lindholm
Much like Cody Ceci, Lindholm has improved his draft ranking over the past season, he's made quite the push and is now expected to go in the top 20. He's a solid defenseman who has an offensive instinct but will need to "bulk up" before stepping in the NHL. He's a solid pick who should be ready to go in a couple of years.

Buffalo Sabres- 21st overall pick will select Zemgus Girgensons
With their first pick in round 1 the Sabres selected a defenseman so look for them to select a forward with their second pick. Girgensons is the type of player you want on your team, he's got a rock solid work ethic and is a two-way forward with a shot that leaves goalies guessing. Only draw back is his prior commitment to the University of Vermont which will keep him out of the Sabres line up for at least 2 years.

Pittsburgh Penguins- 22nd overall pick will select Colton Sissons

When looking at a first glance picking 22nd out of 30 teams kind of seems like getting the short straw, but when looking back in draft history several solid players (that have turned into household names) were taken with the 22nd pick. Edmonton Oilers Jordan Eberle and Flyers Claude Giroux are two of the more noteworthy 22nd picks. While the Penguins don't need anymore star players (Crosby, Malkin, Neal) and they don't need any defenseman (drafted 2 last year) they are in need of a solid role player. One of the players who is a boarder line superstar but falls back to a role player on the Penguins is Jordan Staal. But the Penguins are trying to trade Staal, so Sissons could come in and fill his spot.

Florida Panthers- 23rd overall pick will select Brady Skjei
One of the best parts about the draft is the opportunity to stifle an opposing teams draft pick. Teams that are drafting after the Panther really want to get their hands on Skjei, so it would be perfect for the Panther to pick him up and find out why other organisations want him. Skjei is ranked as the best skater in this years draft, put him with another smooth skating player and watch the two of them make some magic.

Boston Bruins- 24th overall pick will select Nicholas Kerdiles
Kerdiles is the wild card pick in the draft, some rankings have him in the top 20 while others don't even have him in the first round. But Kerdiles is a solid face-off man and has the potential to turn into a solid 2nd line player.

New York Rangers- 28th overall pick will select Dalton Thrower
Chances are we're not going to see Thrower in the NHL as a high scoring defenseman, thats just not the way he plays. He's more of a rugged tough player who plays bigger than his size indicates, at only 6 feet tall Thrower is small for a tough defenseman by NHL's standards today so he'll have to rely on his smooth skating and heavy hitting to land him a spot in the NHL.

New Jersey Devils- 29th overall pick will select Malcolm Subban 
Contrary to popular belief the Devils are deciding to keep their 29th pick in this years draft instead of forfeiting it. Subban is the younger brother of Canadiens P.K Subban.
While it is rare for a goalie to be taken in the first round Subban may be worth the pick as he is the best goalie in this years draft. The Devils may be in need of a goaltender in a couple years when the legendary Martin Brodeur retires. Subban will have some big shoes to fill but if he's anything like his brother he'll be up for the challenge.

So there you have it folks my Easter Conference Draft Preview. I don't have any magic potion nor do I profess to know exactly who will be drafted by each team, this is just a guess based on each teams needs and the players that are available. Don't agree with my picks leave a comment below.

North East Division Draft Preview

The Montreal Canadiens have the third overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft so with the third overall pick the Montreal Canadiens are likely to take Alex Galchenyuk from the Sarnia Sting.
If it had not been for the injuries that plagued his season many think Galchenyuk could have legitimately challenged Nail Yakupov for the first overall pick. There will be a major risk factor for the Habs who would be drafting Gahchenyuk based on his play from 2 seasons ago, but he could pan out.

The Toronto Maple Leafs went from playoff contenders early in the season to a team that debated "Failing for Nail", while the Leafs didn't exactly end up with the first overall pick they did end up with the 5th overall pick. While there are talks they will trade that pick and Luke Schenn to Edmonton to get their hands on Yakupov, let's just assume for this article that they will keep the 5th overall pick. So with the fifth overall pick the most likely of targets for the Leafs is Mikhail Grigorenko from the Quebec City Remparts in QMJHL. Whether people agree or not Grigorenko's work ethic has come into question and has severely hurt his drat stock. He has all the ability and skill to potentially go first overall but has almost no chance of going first overall. He has fallen victim to another player bit by the Russian Stereotype.  If the Canadiens or another team end up taking Galchenyuk than expect Leafs GM Brian Burke to select Mikhail Grigorenko.

The Buffalo Sabres had a ruff season, entering the year with high expectations and ending the year by narrowly missing the 8th and final playoff spot. But the Sabres are in a great spot having 4 of the first 44 picks in the draft including 2 in the first round. But the Sabres need to draft for today not the future, which is why the Sabres should draft Cody Ceci of the Ottawa 67's. Ceci's stock has risen over the past OHL season and is now just outside the top 10 instead of possibly going in the 2nd round. Ceci already has the size and skill to play in the NHL and could see ice time for the Sabres next season. He would be perfect for quarterbacking the Sabres power play who could use a kick in the butt after their performance last season. Ceci and Tyler Myers moving the puck together could be quite something to watch next season. It would also give the Sabres the tallest blue line in the NHL with an average of 6'3".

The Ottawa Senators had an amazing season pretty much the polar opposite of the Season the Sabres had. At the beginning of the year no one expected the Senators to go anywhere, in fact they were pegged to finish 15th in the Eastern Conference. But the Senators were able to make the playoffs and  took the first place New York Rangers to 7 games. As a result of their season the Senators have the 15th pick in the Draft. With the 15th pick the Senators should draft Sebastian Collberg from the Swedish elite league. The Senators have a knack for drafting swedish super stars (Alfredsson, Karlsson) so Collberg could turn into yet another swedish success story in the nations Capital. He has a flare of excitement in his game and could help bring out fans with his flashy style. Only hesitation with Collberg is he will likely need 3-4 years to develop into a solid scoring threat.

The Boston Bruins were expected by many to repeat as the Stanley Cup champions, but with what happened in the locker room (Tim Thomas) and some key injuries the Bruins were eliminated in the first round of playoffs. A tough place for a team to be in: on one hand you're happy you made the playoffs but due to the early exit you get a late draft pick. As a result the Bruins have the 24th pick in the draft and should select, Nicholas Kerdiles from the USHL. The Bruins were able to snag away Dougie Hamilton from last years draft, so they don't need another defenceman. When a team doesn't need a defenceman and doesn't really need a goaltender they are likely to choose a forward. While Kerdiles is the wild card in this draft expected to either go just outside the top 20 or wait for the second round. He's a very good face-off man and has the potential to be a solid 2nd line centre for the Bruins, if it had not been for his performance at the U-18 championship he would likely not be on the first round radar. 

This was just a fun little post about the draft, the North Eastern division is the division I know the most about so it was easier to throw a piece together about them. I will have more draft pieces coming out this week. But for those that know me they know I am not a huge fan of the draft, considering these kids haven't played an NHL game yet and may not pan out they're given far too much attention. This is the first year I am really paying much attention to the draft, so bear with me guys. 

Interview With Mike Robitaille

Due to injure Mike Robitaille's career was cut short, after a blindside hit left him with severe nerve damage in his neck, the man who was known for his punishing hip checks was forced to hang up his skates. Robitaille was in the NHL for 8 seasons in which he downed the sweaters of the: New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Vancouver Canucks and Buffalo Sabres.
After hanging up the skates (and winning a lawsuit against the Canucks) Robitaille joined the forces of hockey analysts by starting his own show "Hockey Hotline" the Sabres post game show in 1991. He has also claimed the role of colour analysts and is frequently used when the regular Sabres "voices" can't make it.

We had the wonderful opportunity to interview Mr. Robitaille with our friends over at Mike and Josh's.
The interview:

1. What do you miss most about living in Canada? 
- Nothing much, I became a US citizen 10 years ago

2. Who did you have the most fun playing with and who was your favourite Defence partner?
- Ab Demarco Jr. was the most fun to play with and my favourite defence partner was Tim Horton.

3. During your career which goalie did you have a particularly hard time scoring on?
- Seemed like all of them, but probably Tony Esposito of the Chicago Blackhawks

4. What is your number 1 regret, perhaps something you didn't accomplish?
- Took playing too seriously and never had enough fun.

5. What was the high point in your career?
- Being chosen to play in the NHL All-Star game. I broke my wrist a week before and couldn't play in the game. Also being chosen for the unsung hero award in the NHL.

6. What is your greatest memory as a hockey player?
- Being chosen as the best defenceman in Jr. A hockey (Kitchener Rangers)

7. Now being an intermission reporter what do you miss most about the game? What has been the biggest change since your years in the NHL compared to todays NHL?
- Really nothing, as the game did not come easy to me.
The biggest change is how scientific the game has become, the condition of the players and the amount of money to be made in such a short amount of time.

8. When you were little which NHL star did you look up to?
- They were all heroes to me as I was growing up.

9. If you could meet any hockey player past or present who would it be?
- Eddie Shore

10. What former teammate/player are you closest with today?
- Larry Carriere my former defence partner with the Sabres.

11. What do you like most about being an analyst for the Sabres?
- Speaking and explaining the game in simple terms. Also working for terrific owners who make decisions with morals over money.

12. Growing up what was your favorite team?
- Detroit

13. Do you miss playing hockey?
- Not at all toughest job I've ever had by far.

14. Do you like being apart of the Sabres alumni?
- Proud of the alumni and so many players that have made a difference in our community.

End of the Regular Season

It's official the 2011-2012 NHL regular season has come to an end, and for teams like the Leafs, Sabres, Oilers, and Flames it's going to be a long offseason. But for 16 teams it's a chance to compete for hockey's holy grail the Stanley Cup!

Saturday marked game 82 for many teams, despite being the last day of the regular season some records were made, playoff battles were confirmed and fans had a chance to see some of their teams for the last time till October. Time to wrap the events from this weekend, and preview the playoff match ups.

Steven Stamkos reaches 60

For the Lightning's Steven Stamkos, it's a bitter-sweet ending to the season. He reached the 60 goal plateau for the first time in his career, becoming the first player to reach 60 since Alexander Ovechkin back in 2007-2008 and just the 20th player in NHL history to accomplish the feat. Stamkos will also be bringing home his second Maurice Richard trophy, awarded to the player who scored the most goals. He also set a career high with 60 goals and 97 points. But his Tampa Bay Lightning will not be making the journey back to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Stamkos said in his interview "He'd trade all those goals for an opportunity at the postseason" as the postseason is still what makes the players work as hard as they do.
But to reach 60 goals in the NHL is a special milestone, especially doing it in the new "era" where fewer goals are being scored; it takes a special hockey player to crack 60! Stamkos is a phenomenal, classy hockey player who plays the game the right way and is a great ambassador for the sport.

Evgeni Malkin reaches 50
Malkin made his dream a reality on Saturday night notching his 50th goal of the season. He also became the only player to score 50 goals while adding 50 assists and reaching over 100 points in a single season. For Malkin it's a triple victory; reaching 50, Art Ross trophy, and a trip to the postseason with one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the league. He will likely also bring home the MVP trophy for everything he did for the Penguins without their star Crosby.

Canucks win 2nd straight President's Trophy
The league's most despised team has captured their 2nd straight President's Trophy capturing the honor by beating out the Rangers and Blues for most points on the year! The Vancouver Canucks went 51-22-9 to finish on top of the league with 111 points. As a result the Canucks finish 1st in the West and will play the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the playoffs!

Why I hate the 3 point system in the NHL

The Buffalo Sabres finished the regular season in 9th place in the East, with 39 wins and 89 points. The Florida Panthers finished 3rd in the east with 38 wins and 94 points. Yes you read that correctly the Sabres won more games than the Panther yet missed the playoffs all because of the points earned for losing in overtime games. In any other sport, the losing team gets 0 points, doesn't matter how many innings or quarters the game goes the losing team doesn't get a point. But in the NHL the losing team gets 1 point, those extra points for (losing games) end up putting you in the playoffs instead of a team that actually won more games. Only in the NHL can a team play to a tie.

Phoenix Coyotes clinch the Pacific division
The division title is the Coyotes first ever division title dating back to when they were the Winnipeg Jets way back in 1979.

Playoff matches:

East
New York Rangers (1) vs. Ottawa Senators (8) Rangers in 5
Boston Bruins (2) vs. Washington Capitals (7) Bruins in 6
Florida Panthers (3) vs. New Jersey Devils (6) Devils in 6
Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs Philadelphia Flyers (5) Flyers in 7
My pic is for Boston to come out of the East again!

Round 2:
Rangers vs Penguins Rangers in 6
Bruins vs Devils Bruins in 5

Conference finals
Rangers vs Bruins Bruins in 7


West
Vancouver Canucks (1) vs. Las Angeles Kings (8) Canucks (barely, 4-3)
St. Louis Blues (2) vs. San Jose Sharks (7) St Louis Blues
Phoenix Coyotes (3) vs. Chicago Blackhawkes (6) Blackhawkes
Nashville Predators (4) vs Detroit Red Wings (5) Red Wings

Round 2:
Vancouver vs Detroit Detroit in 7
St. Louis vs Chicago St. Louis in 5

Conference finals:
St. Louis vs Detroit St. Louis in 6

Stanley Cup Final:

Boston Bruins vs. St. Louis Blues --- Well now, that's a blog by itself.. stay tuned and enjoy the playoffs!

Leave your picks below!

We Control our own Destiny

Waking up on this fine Wednesday morning, the birds are chirping and the sun is shinning, and oh yeah the Buffalo Sabres are in 8th place. I'm sorry but it feels great to say that, considering a little over a month ago (Feb 17th) we were tied for 15th in the East, everyone was ready to ship Miller out of town, and the majority of our players were Amerks call ups! We've won 11 of our last 15 games and have gone 14-2-4 during the last 20 games, and Ryan Miller has 1 regulation loss in 18 starts since (Feb 17)! Not a bad turnaround if you ask me! Not to mention we won virtually the biggest game of the season last night against the Capitals who are now 2 points behind us, not only did we win, we smoked the Capitals.

The great against the Capitals was fantastic! There was a playoff atmosphere it felt like a game 7, whoever made the first mistake was going to pay. Lucky for the Sabres it was Washington's rookie goalie Holtby who cracked first! Ennis received the puck from Holtby, he then preceded to pass it to Drew Stafford who barried it, and just like that we're up 1 nothing. Funny fact just seconds before the goal Ovechkin went in on a breakaway on Miller. It was the fast start that spelled the end for the Capitals, as Buffalo jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, and that's all the support Miller really needed. 3 things I took away from this game;

1. The Ennis line is incredible

It's odd when you think about; Ennis, Foligno, and Stafford are 3 completely different players, who you likely wouldn't find hanging out at the hotel together, but on the ice they are becoming a dynamic trio an unstoppable force for the opponents. Since the Foligno call up this line has scored 15 goals, 18 assists and combined for 33 points in just 8 games (not including last night). But this line has been absolutely golden for the Sabres, they've come through in the clutch and last night was no different. Stafford scored 2 crucial goals and Tyler Ennis assisted/set him up on both! But here's the fantastic thing, for whatever reason opposing teams are not ready to treat the Ennis line as the Sabres number 1 line. I know technically they're the 3rd line, but they're playing like the first line! Washington was so busy worring about the Pominville line that they forgot to give some attention to Ennis and Stafford!
Another thing we're seeing is Stafford's confidence going up again, Tyler Ennis makes everyone on the ice better. He is a playmaker, a scorer, a solid face-off winner and he stand up for his teammates! All Stafford has to do is get open and you can almost bet on Ennis getting the puck to him for an easy tap in goal. Watching the three of these guys out on the ice is great, they're having fun out there and playing for the logo on the front of their jerseys!
I hope Lindy Ruff leaves these three together for the rest of the season (and hopefully playoffs), these guys are game changers, when other team are shutting down Pominville and Vanek's lines, the Ennis line steps up and barries a back breaker to the opposition.

2. Ryan Miller is hands down our MVP
First of all without Miller between the pipes there is no way on earth we make the remarkable comeback!
44 saves and no goals from Ovechkin? Miller is a battler no question he held us in the game last night, generally when the Capitals outshoot a team it's tough to grind out a victory. Despite being outshot 44-31, we managed to get the 2 points thanks in large part to Ryan Miller.
Also with the victory last night, Ryan Miller joins Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist as the only 2 goalies to have 7 consecutive 30 win seasons! That 1 good season argument is lost again!
In the last 17 games Miller has played his stats have phenominal, out of this world so to speak; 14-1-3 with a 1.78 GAA and .941 save percentage! Teams die for this kind of goaltending during the end of the season playoff stretch.
If the Sabres were going to turn around their season, it was going to have to start with Ryan Miller, the outcome of the Sabres relies hevialy on Ryan Miller. If he has a great game chances are they're skating away with 2 points, but if he is off his game then the game is lost. Basically if Miller is playing up to his all star capability than the Sabres are winning. He has once again put the team on his back, let's just hope he doesn't crack anytime soon! Miller thrives when he noted or pegged as the under-dog (look back to the 2010 Olympics). Back in Februarary everyone said the Sabres were done, Miller was washed up and needed to be shipped out of town! Miller is a major phscalogical type of goalie, he likes to have low expectations and then over pass them with his play, so when the Sabres were pegged to have a great year and Miller was one of the favorites to have a bounce back year and win his second Vezina trophy Miller had a hard time living up to those expectations. When Miller is focused on just winning 1 game at a time, is when he's playing his best hockey!

3. We control our own fate!
It's simple we win and we're in the playoffs, heck we keep winning we could even take 7th, who knows maybe 6th? I'm getting a little ahead here, as long as we keep winning we can book our ticket to the post season. But here's where it gets tricky, we need to finish with more points than the Capitals, if we end up tied for 8th than we will be eliminated as the Caps hold the tie breaker. With the win last night the chances of us making the playoffs went up 28.2 % to 67.6%. Just win, that's the new Sabres motto.

This is really and incrediable historic run the Sabres are on, sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. From 15th to 8th in a month and half, you can't write this stuff! Has any other team accomplished a feat like this? I believe if we don hang on to make the playoff we will be the first team to ever climb back into the playoffs.
As long as Miller holds up and the Sabres keep scoring there shouldn't be a problem holding on to the 8th and final playoff seed heck maybe even 7th! If I were one of the top couple teams I'd be getting a little nervous, having to play the red hot Buffalo Sabres in the first round, with Miller on his game, I smell an upset!
But the best part of being in 8th right now, is finally being able to say; if the playoffs started today we'd actually be in them!

6 Reasons Buffalo turned it's game around

Sabres fans today we sit tied for 8th with the Washington Capitals with 6 games remaining, a feat that seemed near impossible about a month ago. Whether we actually make the playoffs remains unknown, but the way we're playing right now, I wouldn't want to bet against our chances. The Sabres are on an amazing run but it seems all too familiar.

Once again we have scratched and clawed our way out of the basement of the East and the league to compete for a playoff spot. (Heck on Saturday for a brief moment we were in 7th!) Everyone remembers last season's turnaround after Terry "Big Pockets" Pegula came in and bought the team, there was a remarkable turnaround and we even made the playoffs. This season, as late as February 17th the Sabres found themselves in 15th in the East and looking for answers, but since Feb 17th the Sabres have gone 13-2-3 and find themselves back in the playoff hunt.

The Situation this season is similar but very different from last season's turnaround. Last season we could  credit the turnaround to Terry Pegula, this year's turnaround can be credited to a number of different factors.

1. Ryan Miller
Ryan Miller has been phenomenal post all star game (late Feb) and is a major part in the Sabres turnaround. Great teams start from the goaltender and build out. "Show me a good goalie and I'll show you a winning hockey team," that can't be more true for the Sabres right now. There is no question without Miller between the pipes the Sabres would not be in the playoff battle they are right now. Two years ago Miller carried the US Olympic hockey team to within a goal of the gold medal, and today almost in an anniversary of sorts he is carrying the Buffalo Sabres on a late season playoff push! In the last 9 games Miller is 7-0-2 making sure the Sabres get at least a point in every game and has allowed just 18 goals. There is a reason Ryan Miller is my favorite goalie; it's because he is a clutch goalie he wins games when he has too, when everything is on the line is when Ryan Miller is at his best. The world's biggest stages when all odds are stacked against is when you're going to see Ryan Miller at his best between the pipes! Now I wouldn't have minded if he played this way all season and save us a bit of heartache, but as long as he's getting us 2 points now who cares! Even during games when our defense has been atrocious Miller has been on his game making big time game saving saves. The best part of having a Ryan Miller esq goalie is the chance to win any game you play. Ryan is back on his game, meaning the Sabres have a chance every game.
Despite his struggles this season, Miller has managed to write his name in the Sabres record books, pass all time great Dominic Hasek and record his career high 7th shutout of the season. In fact Miller needs just 1 more win to join Henrik Lundqvist to become the only 2 goalies to record at least 30 wins in a season 7 straight times!
Miller has proven all critics wrong and showed just how pivotal he is to this Sabres team, our last 6 games and a chance at the playoffs all relay on how well Miller plays. If he plays well we win we control our own destiny and we make the playoffs. One thing's for sure "It's Miller Time in Buffalo again!"

2. Tyler Ennis
When thinking of the success of the Sabres as of late, you can't help look at the play of Ennis. The 20 year old has really elevated his game to the next level and proved he can and will be a special player in the future. He's playing the way people thought he would when he was pegged to be the rookie of the year prior to last season. But it was an up and down year, and a rough start for the sophomore Ennis who missed 35 games due to injury (including all of November and the majority of January). Since the Sabres dismantled the Bruins back on Feb 8th Ennis as 8 goals and 11 assists in 21 games, and on the west coast road trip which was undoubtedly the turning point of the season, he recorded a point in all 4 games. But Ennis' play didn't stay out West, upon returning to Buffalo and playing center between Marcus Foligno and Drew Stafford, Ennis has been enjoying scoring, assisting and winning hockey games. This season it looks like Ennis is a better fit at center and watching him play you can see why he was so highly rated in the 2008 draft.
His skill at faceoffs is lessening the loss of Gaustad at that position, going into the game against Montreal Ennis had won 51.6% of his faceoff's since March 10th which is right up there with some of the best centers in the league. Rich Peverely who leads the league has won 61.7%. Not bad numbers for Ennis considering he's been a winger most of the year!
Ennis has been power driving the Sabres offence and is nearly on a point per game pace, he's a major contribute to the turn around. If Miller stops all the pucks someone still has to score for the Sabres and that someone has been Tyler Ennis. He's made his line mates unstoppable.
Ennis has give line mate Drew Stafford his confidence back and made Marcus Foligno so comfortable out there in the first few games. Ennis is the type of player that just makes everyone better!
The way Ennis has turned on the "jets" so to speak is incredible, his play just shows how much he and all the young players want to make it to the playoffs. After all the playoffs is a whole new ball game!

3. Chemistry
Everyone laughs and jokes at how cute the "bromance" is between Ryan Miller and Tyler Ennis (funny they are the major reasons for the turnaround) but there is more to it that it just being cute, it's legitimate. The Buffalo Sabres are finally coming together and playing for their teammates and the logo on the front not the name on the back of the jerseys. It takes time for teammates to get chemistry, and it isn't easy when there are so many injuries and new faces, but all the good, no great teams have chemistry. Take the defending champs the Bruins, you mess with one of their players and Lucic, Chara or even Marchand is beating the crap out of you, Thomas makes a big save he gives a big smile to Chara or the D man. The Sabres are banding together and becoming brothers!
It's really great to see from a fan perspective, when someone on the Ennis line scores the huddle or celebrations between the three of them is amazing, it's intense, it's happy, it's awesome! When Foligno did his famous "Foligno leap" after scoring his first goal in Buffalo everyone gave him the famous face wash; these guys are finally starting to relax and have some fun out there. If hockey isn't fun when you're playing, then stop playing. The Sabres are having fun winning hockey games, scoring goals, and turning heads around the league.

Another part of the chemistry is that everyone is starting to understand their roles. Earlier on in the season they were killing each other for the puck everyone wanted it, there were turnovers, soft passes and it was just plain ugly. Now we're making great passes, not fighting over who should have the puck and letting Miller stop the puck and control it, confusion for a hockey team is bad news, the Sabres are on the same page right now!
One more thing is the golden helmet, just something fun that keeps the mood light, but yet gets everyone out there competing hard to win it. It's a sense of pride, knowing you were the best player out there so you get to wear the goofy helmet. It keeps them having fun and lose, also as I think the players choose who gets it, it builds trust and recognition that your teammates are noticing what you are contributing.
A fun hockey team is a winning hockey team.

4. Derek Roy and Drew Stafford (and other veterans who got off to slow starts)
Well considering a month ago everyone including me was calling for their heads, it's time to pay some respect to them. These two have been arguably the biggest disappointments all season. Unlike the majority of their teammates they have remained fairly healthy but failed to step up when the team needed them most. However, since Feb 1 the two have woken up; they have 19 and 16 points respectively.
A major part for Stafford's turnaround has been being on the Ennis line. He recently came off a 4 game point streak in which he recorded 9 points to give him 42 on the season just 10 shy of his career high set last season. Since being placed with Ennis and Foligno he's been more productive and ultimately more confident. He's more willing to shoot and make solid tape to tape passes.
Roy has been a hot and cold player all year long for the Sabres, but since being paired with Pominville and Leino he's been more consistent and is showing flashes of his passion for the game which he used last season to be a point per game player prior to his injury. I'm not 100% sold on Roy but he's starting to pick up his game and becoming less of a liability out on the ice. Heck it even seems like his teammates are more tolerant of his antics.
There is no question these two can score, it's just finding them the right line mates and getting them motivated.

5. Depth
Let's disect the lines here for a minute shall we;
first line; Ville Leino - Derek Roy- Jason Pominville
second; Corey Tropp - Cody Hodgson - Thomas Vanek
third;    Marcus Foligno - Tyler Ennis - Drew Stafford
fourth;  Cody McCormick - Brad Boyes - Travis Turnbull

As an opposing coach I see these lines I start to sweat a little; you got the leading scorer and a scoring threat in Pominville and Leino on the first line. The second leading scorer, calder trophy contender in Vanek and Hodgson on the second. The third line that has been absolutely on fire as of late, in which all 3 can score and are having fun playing. The Fourth line full of tough guys who can still score the odd goal and run you down in your own end! When will the pressure end! It is crucial the Sabres have scoring depth on all 4 lines! This will wear down the opposing players as the offensive threats are never ending. Not to mention Miller in net, if the opposition fails to score on their chances they're screwed as Miller is giving up less and less goals right now and the forwards, especially the Ennis line are scoring more and more goals. After all in order to win a hockey game you need to outscore your opponent. As long as Ruff doesn't try to fiddle I see no reason why the Sabres don't make the postseason and perhaps even win a round or two! For opposing coaches, you can't just pick one line to stop, you have to pick your poison, so to speak. What may be even better about the lines is their defensive depth as well. None of the lines is slacking in the D zone right now and it's showing.

6. Health
This is crucial I know I ranked it 6th, but the fact that the Sabres are almost fully healthy again is a huge boost to this team. (Gerbe is coming back). I believe at one point there were 9 starters out of the lineup including Miller who took forever to rebound from his concussion. You're just not going to win hockey games when missing 9 regulars, might as well call up the Amerks and ask them to play for you!
But now everyone including Miller and Myers is healthy and producing when the Sabres need them too!
The reason this is last on the list is, I hate when people blame injuries for poor play, maybe injuries really are taking a toll but good teams and players still give it their all and don't blame injuries. However, seeing the Wild over the weekend should have reminded us what we've been through this season. For the Sabres though, it's looking more and more likely injuries were the major reason for the mid-season struggles, I mean we were practically in 15th, now we're tied for 8th 2 points back of 7th with the majority healthy.
Now with the majority of players are healthy we're looking like the team that began the season over in Europe, came home on a roll and got everyone excited. If everyone can remain healthy for the remaining 6 games than we should be able to finish off the season in a playoff spot, either 7th or 8th!

So the turning point in the season was the West coast trip, I'm not going to lie I had my doubts about those games, I was pretty nervous about how the Sabres would play. Then we flippen went out there and won all of them (minus the overtime loss) and Miller gets 2 shutouts!  Like what the flip happened? Whatever happened I'm glad it did, because the Sabres are the Sabres everyone expected them to be at the start of the year.
I know deserving things in hockey means as little as what the player ate for a pregame meal, but the Sabres deserve to make the postseason, so hopefully the hockey gods will do a little something for the Sabres!

The Sabres new top line

What a game against the Lightning, last night a big 7-3 win, was such a fun game to watch and I'm sure the boys loved playing it. I took 3 things away from the game last night; 1. We won a game in regulation! flip I'm still in shock we didn't need more than 60 minutes to get to the final score, it seemed like the Sabres had forgotten how to win in regulation. 2. Where the heck did all this offence come from? when was the last time we scored 7 goals in 1 game? I was shocked by the number of goals we put on the board, I was nervous when it became 4-2, thinking the Sabres were about to let another game slip. How about that Marcus Foligno kid? and 3. The Sabres have a new top line, although they don't have the official title of being the number 1 line; Foligno, Tyler Ennis and Drew Stafford are the Sabres best line right now, forget Vanek, Pominville and Roy teams now have to deal with the new best line. Let's break down the Sabres "new" number one line.

Tyler Ennis

Ennis is a great hockey player, I'm getting tired of people always talking about his size first, him and Nathan Gerbe play with a lot of heart but when it's all said and done they are both HOCKEY PLAYERS!! It is just so fun to see Ennis skating down the ice and making plays, he's having fun and taking advantage of his chances on the 2nd line. In last night's game, he tallied up 2 assists helping to pad his 5 game point streak in which he has 5 assists and 9 points. The best part of Sabres victories is the developing "bromance" between Ryan Miller and Ennis, the big hug they give each other with grins stretching from ear to ear, it just shows how this team is banding together! In 39 games this season Ennis has tallied 24 points, not bad for the 22 year old playing in his second NHL season. No sophomore jinx for Ennis. He is proving to be a great 2nd line centre, a healthy Ennis is a scary thought for the opposition.

Marcus Foligno
I honestly can't say enough about this kid! He is quickly becoming one of my favorite Sabres players. I'd like to thank @Jennilynj one of my followers on twitter, for convincing me to give Foligno a chance. I wasn't too impressed when he got called up after the Kassian trade, I was hoping Luke Adam would get the call. I didn't think Foligno was nearly good enough or ready to be a solid player in the NHL. But now that I've given him a second chance I'm happy I did.  Last night Foligno was a crucial part in the 7-3 win, now I know it sounds stupid to say someone was crucial in a 7-3 trouncing like last night but Foligno's 2 goals really helped set the tone. His first goal was near the beginning stages of the 2nd period and his 2nd goal came near the end of the 2nd period. His second goal in particular was important; it was the Sabres 5th goal of the night but it came minutes after Tampa had scored to make it 4-2. The dreaded two goal lead! Once it was 4-2 a few hearts started pounding, but Foligno came to the rescue and scored his second goal to extend the lead to 5-2 and that was all the Sabres needed.
Last night was Foligno's second two-goal game, the rookie now has 5 goals and 2 assists in 5 games since joining the Sabres on March 10. Foligno is really starting to turn heads and get people's attention; a major reason for his success in the NHL is his time playing juniors and in the minors, the Sabres took their time in letting him develop. The development of young rookies is something fans and sometimes management overlook, but it's crucial for young players to be given time to dominate in the minors, have proper coaching and be fully ready to play in the NHL.
Based on Foligno's play from the last few weeks, I can now understand and see why the Sabres were willing to get rid of Kassian. Foligno is going to be the real deal, I believe he's already better than his brother Nick (currently playing for the Senators) and may even be better than his father one day, big shoes to fill for the youngest Foligno, but something I think he may be capable of. As a Sabres fan I get excited every time Marcus gets the puck, and the opposition gets a little nervous. But right now he is having fun living out the Foligno legacy; "the jump" excites the crowd and reminds them of the days his father was the Sabres captain.

Drew Stafford
Stafford is having a rough season, after an amazing return from injury last season when he amassed 52 points in 62 games, and received a new contract, expectations were high for Stafford in Buffalo. But last night Stafford had likely his best game all season, scoring 1 goal and adding 2 assists. Since he's been paired with Foligno and Ennis, Stafford has been playing his best hockey all season; He's currently on a 4 game point streak (2 goals and 9 points). Whether people in Buffalo want to admit it or not Stafford is one of the best 100 hockey players in the NHL, but it's all about being paired with the right line mates, if you're not with the right guys you're not going to be nearly as efficient or effective.

This trio of guys have been on fire as of late, perhaps one reason, 2 of them are fighting to earn their place in the lineup so they want to put their best in. But the chemistry and the effectiveness of this line is quite amazing! If Ruff brakes up this line, then he deserves a plane ticket out of town, these guys are gelling well together and feeding off each other success. These three are major contributors in Buffalo's late season playoff surge, they're playing hard and other players are feeding off their energy, excitement and confidence. It's great to have a team full of veterans in their late 20's and early 30's but those veterans don't always play with the same passion and excitement as young kids trying to earn a roster spot, which is why you need the young guys who are playing for contracts, spots on the team and a chance at the postseason. If a team doesn't have a core of young players (Ennis, Gerbe, Foligno, Hodgson, Tropp) that are excited to play night in and night out and giving it their all, then they won't succeed.

Other thoughts from Last Night
Another happy moment from last night was Cody Hodgson got his first point as a Buffalo Sabre, he finished off the night with 2 assists and was looking good out there, he looks like he's starting to find his game again and get comfortable with his teammates. Just in time for the postseason push, now that he's paired with Vanek it shouldn't be a problem getting him rolling. And he looked really comfortable with Jason Pomminville on the power play.

Pominville is finding his game again (2 goals last night), his line with Leino and Roy is starting to gel and produce points, the Second line with Foligno, Ennis and Stafford is on fire Hodgson and Vanek should be able to ignite each other and the 4th line contributing all over the ice; All 4 lines in Buffalo are a go, Miller is back on his game, and providing the Sabres an opportunity to win night in and night out. The team is gelling and starting to play for each other and most importantly they're having fun out there on the ice! Not to mention we get Tyler Myers back next game after serving his 3 game suspension, and in his absence the Sabres got 4 out of 6 points not too shabby.

This Sabres team is really starting to click, and are just 2 points out. They're hungry for the playoffs, and anxious to dismiss the overrated talk that unmet expectations from the start of the season. The Sabres are a dangerous hockey team right now, and after dismantling the Lightning, they're proving they can and will steamroll over any team in their way of getting to the postseason. We got 9 games to make up 2 points, it's going to be an intense couple weeks as the season rides out. Looking at the schedule I see both the Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals getting about 8-10 more points and the Sabres should be able to squeeze out between 12-14. With that said, hopefully we'll be seeing some more playoff hockey in Buffalo, who knows maybe even a visit to the second round. If I'm a top seeded Eastern Conference team and I see the Sabres coming in the rear view mirror I'm starting to sweat!

Foligno legacy

It was a moment Sabres fans and hockey fans had been waiting for, Marcus Foligno to do his fathers legendary "Foligno leap". Last night Sabres fans got their wish, Marcus scored his first goal at home in Buffalo and proceeded to do "the Jump" It was a great moment, and something the fans and Marcus will never forget. That was just the start for what would be an amazing night for Marcus.

The great leap came just 99 seconds into the game, when Marcus was able to bury a pass from Tyler Ennis, Marcus then proceeded to jump in the air like his father did so many times during his career. The goal was under review and once confirmed Marcus enjoyed a nice face wash from his Sabres teammates. But with his father in attendance, Marcus decided he wasn't done after 1; He scored his second goal 11 minutes into the second period to tie the game at 3's, a crucial goal for the Sabres who were in need of a goal. Then late in the third, Marcus sent the First Niagra centre into a frenzy when it looked like he tipped in a point shot to put the Sabres up 4-3, fans immediately started littering the ice with hats to celebrate Marcus' first career NHL hat trick. Sadly upon review it was evident that the youngest Foligno had not touched the puck (did a good job of selling the fact that he did), the goal was credited to new Sabres Alexander Sulzer.
Sadly the Sabres ended up losing to the Avalanche in a SO after allowing the tieing goal with .07 seconds left, reminds you of the Montreal game no?

Marcus is making quite the case for himself to stay with Buffalo until the end of season, he made his way into the Sabres lineup through others injuries and trades, but most importantly he's earning his ice time!
The Zack Kassian trade came as a shock to most, but the reason Buffalo felt comfortable dealing Kassian was Marcus Foligno. The young rookie has showed energy and determination and willingness to bang some bodies around (something Kassian wouldn't do in Buffalo) and the ability to score goals; 3 goals and 1 assist in 4 games with the Sabres.

The Sabres felt that Marcus was near ready to take a full time role in the NHL and had a better upside than Kassian which made him expendable. I for one was never a huge fan of Foligno, I thought he was over hyped and over rated just because his father was the Sabres captain. But he's proved my prejudice wrong, and I'm really starting to like the young rookie and I think he's going to have a big future in Buffalo.

The Sabres drafted Marcus in 2009, 104th overall oddly enough the same year they drafted Zach Kassian and Brayden MacNabb. 2009 seemed to be the best draft year the Sabres have had in recent memory.
Foligno was drafted for his size (6'3 and 222 pounds) and his ability to be physical, his leadership on and off the ice and his ability to play a 2 way game. He was selected to play on the team Canada world junior team in 2011 (won silver).

I don't see Marcus Foligno being returned to the AHL anytime soon, if he keeps playing and putting up points like he currently is he may play himself onto a perminate spot on the Sabres roster. In all Likely hood he'll finish off the season with the Sabres. It's good to see the Foligno Leap back in Buffalo!

Unleash your inner Beast

The Sabres have been on a surreal run in the second half of the season; 9-9-2 in the last 13 games the Sabres have gone from 15th in the east to 9th just 2 points back of 8th place. If the Sabres are to make the playoffs it will be historic, no team has ever come back from 15th at the all star break to make the playoffs. There's still work left for the Sabres to make a full comeback and sneak into the playoffs; but with the play of Miller, Ennis, the third line and the new "beastness" Tyler Myers has found I wouldn't bet against the Sabres quite yet. There have been three "beasts" for the Sabres as of late: Ryan Miller, Tyler Ennis and Tyler Myers, today we'll be talking about the later.

Myers has been on fire of late and last night against the Canadians he scored the OT winner, and likely saved the season/playoff push. The tying goal being scored with .4 seconds left was a potential back breaker for the Sabres, if they hadn't rallied together and scored the OT winner, then our playoff push, everything that's been happening for the last couple months would be for nothing, it would have broken this team mentally and they likely would not have been able to rebound from it. But 2:02 into OT the Sabres had a 3 on 2 rush into the Habs zone, Derek Roy sent a beautiful pass over to Myers who made no mistake and buried the game winner! I'm going out on a limb and saying Tyler Myers is the dark horse MVP of the Sabres this season; he had a rough start to the season, he got benched, got hurt, then came back and recently has been on fire! With his overtime goal last night, Myers solidified his name in the Sabres records; his OT goal was his 8th game winning goal of his career which ties him for the lead for Sabres defense with Brian Campbell and Alexei Zhitnik. It was also Myers 3rd career overtime goal which puts him in first among all Sabres defenseman! Not bad for a guy who was being thrown under the bus at the beginning of the season.

Myers "coming out party" for the season was the game against Anaheim, when he got in his first fight and recorded 7 penalty minutes. At the end of the game in which the Sabres beat the Ducks, a scrum ensued and Myers dropped the mitts with Sheldon Brookbank. The passion in his eyes during that fight spoke volumes, he literally looked like he wanted to rip Brookbank to shreds! But that moment was so extremely important for Myers, he's starting to come out of his shell and take a leadership role on the team, and that's what the Sabres are looking for from their gentle giant. The Sabres drafted Myers and signed him long-term so he could be their next "franchise players," perhaps a future captain, Norris trophy and hopefully bringing the Cup home to Buffalo! The Sabres have big plans for the kid, and he's starting to understand his role more and more, and the fact that he can and should take a leadership role. Since his fight against Brookbank, I've noticed a more relaxed and pumped up defenseman. He's hitting harder, playing smarter defense, taking more chances/shots, jumping up in the play and really laying down the foundation for an excellent defense game in the future. I'm really excited to see Myers develop further in the future; he's going to be a great defenseman.

I love watching Myers on the ice right now, he's so full of confidence, he commits fully to a hit or poke check and doesn't chicken out, he's not afraid to rush the puck and shoot. Although his numbers are down this season (8 goals 13 assists), he's starting to really find his game. But what I really like from this "new" Sabres season in the second half, is how they're banding together and starting to play for their line mates, defensive partners and teammates-- they know how important these games are to the team, the fans and each other and they're finally playing that way. The embrace between Miller and Tyler Ennis after the shootout against Ottawa on Saturday shows it all, these guys are finally playing like a team. It's not just an individual effort each night anymore, they have faith in each other. When Miller was asked what was different about his game in the second half he said "I've learned to TRUST my teammates more!" A good hockey team, and a team that wins a Stanley Cup is team that plays for each other!

The only blunder in Myers game as of late, was the hit from behind on Scott Gomez last night. It was a bit of retaliation for a hit Gomez put on Myers, but Myers is the one meeting with Brendan Shanahan today. I'm guessing he'll receive a 3 game suspension or a $2,500 fine; nothing to serious but serious enough to get the point across, good news is Myers isn't a repeat offender. The hit looked viscous but Gomez did leave himself open for the hit, but Myers did hit him with a little extra aggression. So look for a wrist slap attention grabber.

This Sabres team is dangerous; they're coming together, players are playing amazing, Miller is back, Myers is out of his shell and the shorties (Ennis and Gerbe) are playing like they're 6 feet tall!
I wouldn't underestimate this team, in fact if I were the Rangers I'd be rooting for someone else to take 8th!

The Week That Was

It's been a crazy week in the NHL; Crosby got cleared for contact, the Leafs lost a key component, a legend was honoured in Pittsburgh, the Bruins sign an insurance goalie and much more. Crazy week so I'll wrap it up for you!

The big news Sidney Crosby was cleared for contact!!!
This is big news for the Penguins and the NHL, especially with the fact that Crosby could play as soon as Sunday! Not only was he cleared for contact, he participated in a full practice on Tuesday and another one Wednesday. Crosby has been out since his concussion symptoms resurfaced back in December but will hopefully be back in the Pens lineup before the playoffs in start. One thing for sure with Crosby, he takes his time; he doesn't rush things, he makes sure he is healthy and more than ready to return. This time it's especially crucial for Crosby and the Pens to take this slowly, Crosby can ill afford to take another hit to the head. Oddly enough it will be tough to find a fit for Crosby in the lineup, with Malkin and his linemates playing extremely well you don't want to break up chemistry. Crosby will likely find himself on the 2nd line when he returns! (What an awesome problem to have, huh!)

Joffrey Lupul out 3-4 weeks with separated shoulder!
This is major blow to the Leafs playoff hopes, as their "2nd" best player goes down with an injury! This injury will likely be the end to Lupul's and the Leafs season. Lupul was 2nd in scoring with the Leafs with 25 goals and 42 assists and was a big part in elevating Phil Kessel's game.
Carter Ashton (remember him, he was picked up on trade deadline day) was called up to fill the void.

Sean Avery is done in New York

Sean Avery the guy everyone loves to hate, you sure as heck hated to play against him but at one point or another you've wanted him on your squad. He's a pesky little player know for getting under peoples skin, and it would appear he pushed it a little far in New York with coach John Tortorella. It's never a good thing when your head coach is asking management to send you to the minors, but that was the case with Avery. Avery received the message on Tuesday and was told that he was no longer expected or needed to show up to games and practices with the Rangers AHL team as he was cut from their postseason roster.

It had been a rough season for Sean Avery with New York; he was waived twice by the Rangers then sent down permanently to the Whalers, he's been a healthy scratch since January 27th.

One thing is still for sure though, wherever Sean Avery goes controversy will not be far behind!

The Bruins have signed veteran goaltender Marty Turco

Bruins fans held their breath when Tuuka Rask went down and did not get back up in a game earlier this week. Unfortunatetly for Rask he will be out 4 to 6 weeks with a grown strain, good news for Bruins fans is Rask will be back for the playoffs. So to fill the void until then the Bruins went and got Marty Turco as some insurance. However, because Turco was acquired post trade deadline he will not be eligible for the playoffs with the Bruins. The Bruins ultimately had no choice to make this move as they are coming up to a stretch of 18 games in 33 days and were expecting Rask to bear a lot of that workload so they could rest Thomas. Turco is a solid veteran who has played 11 seasons between the Dallas Stars and Chicago Blackhawks. This was a smart necessary move by the Bruins.

Grabovski gets his new contract

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Mikhail Grabovski have come to terms with a 5 year $27.5 million dollar contract, which breaks down to a cap hit of $5.5 million a year! The deal also includes a modified no trade clause, Grabovski can choose 10 teams every year that he would except a trade to. Despite not playing on the first line, he is easily the Leafs best centre, due to the lack of cheap first line centres that will be on the market this summer Brian Burke had to over pay to keep Grabovski in Toronto. Oddly enough the Leafs have no cap space left to resign UFA's and RFA's at the end of the season nor to go out and get a veteran netminder, look for Burke to be busy this offseason.

Mario Lemieux is honored with a bronze statue of ..... Mario Lemieux

The Pittsburgh legend and Pens owner had the great honor of watching his former team unveil a statue in remembrance of his outstanding career. Lemieux was famous for always finding a way to squeeze by defenders, and now that skill is showcased forever standing outside the Penguins arena.
Lemieux was and is a huge part of the Pittsburgh organization; he spent 17 years as a player, scoring 650 goals and winning consecutive Stanley Cups (1971-1972) as well as being a 3 time MVP. Now he is the owner, and really savior of hockey in the "Burg", of his beloved Pittsburgh Penguins, it is evident Mario has a special place for Pittsburgh in his heart and Pittsburgh has a special place for Lemieux.

Grabovski gets his new contract
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Mikhail Grabovski have come to terms with a 5 year $27.5 million dollar contract, which breaks down to a cap hit of $5.5 million a year! The deal also includes a modified no trade clause, Grabovski can choose 10 teams every year that he would except a trade to. Despite not playing on the first line, he is easily the Leafs best centre, due to the lack of cheap first line centres that will be on the market this summer Brian Burke had to over pay to keep Grabovski in Toronto. Oddly enough the Leafs have no cap space left to resign UFA's and RFA's at the end of the season nor to go out and get a veteran netminder, look for Burke to be busy this offseason.

Brian Burkes other son starts: If you can play, you can play.
It's been 2 years since Brian Burke's son Brendan Burke was killed in a car accident. A couple of years before the accident the elder Burke found out Brendan was gay. Now in memory of Brendan, younger brother Patrick came up with an equality project for hockey: If you can play, you can play. Getting people to relize it doesn't matter what or who the person is, if you can lace up the skates, skate around the ice and score goals you can play hockey. The YOU CAN PLAY project was announced Sunday during the first intermission of Bruins vs. Rangers and has several hockey players promoting it; Rick Nash, Joffrey Lupul, Dion Phaneuf, Duncan Keith, Claude Giroux, Daniel Alfredsson, Scott Hartnell, Corey Perry and Henrik Lundqvist.
Patrick Burke, a scout for the Flyers, said "If he can win a Stanley Cup with 22 gay guys than so be it" Right now 20 players have joined up with the You Can Play project but not all have been unveiled yet.
This is a big step for the NHL, and professional sports in general, Ultimately the right one, the NHL needs equality, if you can play you can play.

Steve Yzerman to head up the 2014 team Canada Olympic project


Ryan Miller was the first star this week, after recording back to back shutouts and single handily getting the Sabres back in the playoff hunt!


That's the kind of week it was around the NHL folks, this will be an exciting next 30 days as the playoff races heat up and teams start to get eliminated from the race. We'll see which teams are contenders and which are pretenders, see players rise to the occasion and teams put it all on the line for the holy grail of sports---- the Stanley Cup!

The Derek Roy Effect

Despite the title this blog is not entirely about the pathetic play of our first line centre, it's mainly about how after having Roy centering Vanek and Pominville, has suddenly turned those two cold! This blog isn't an over reaction blog after the Sabres laid an egg last night against the Jets, Vanek and Pominville have been quite this whole road trip! The turning point for me personally was the Vancouver game, the first place team, a game where we needed our first line to step up and lead us to victory. The first line of Vanek-Roy-Pominville had just 3 shots! We need more from our top line.

Derek Roy
Before the trade deadline Roy was reportedly put on the first line to be showcased for a trade out of town. He started jelling with his line mates, scoring goals and getting everyone excited that Roy's got his game back. On deadline day, Darcy Regier was unable or unwilling to deal Roy. (truth be told I don't think he tried very hard) Now that all the trade rumours are gone and the team is settling back in, Roy has returned to his crappy play from earlier in the season. But on Saturday in Vancouver, after focusing on Roy, I could tell that he was confused and ultimately looked lost out there. He'd receive the puck and immediately and blindly give it away like he was scared to have it. He was caught out of position, it just looked sad! I have two reasoning's behind his slumping play: maybe he really did want out of Buffalo, he was playing amazing with the possibility of him being traded or maybe he's tired of being the Sabres scapegoat, he'll be 29 by the end of the season and would likely want a chance to win and compete for a Stanley cup. In interviews Roy talks about the 2005 and 2006 Stanley Cup playoff runs (2005 was the season I became a Sabres fan!) and how much fun that was, but after the Sabres failed to keep Chris Drury, and Daniel Brier that Sabres have failed to come even remotely close to those runs.
The second reason behind his slumping play, could possibly the acquisition of future first line centre Cody Hodgson. This is a bit of a long shot, but maybe Roy feels threatened by the young star. Hodgson has many years left and can possibly lead the Sabres to a Stanley cup, while Roy is running out of time and likely won't lead the Sabres to a cup.
But ultimately there is no excuse for Derek Roy's poor play this season, if he's hurt then he should get the heck off the ice and let someone (Luke Adam, who played exceptionally well with Vanek and Pommer) who can actually play take his spot, he's not helping. Whatever the case, every line Roy has played on has been brutal! So whats the common denominator? Derek Roy!

Jason Pominville

Despite leading the team with 23 goals, Pominville has gone cold and hasn't scored a goal in 6 games! Not a major drought but unacceptable from our team captain especially during this crucial west coast road trip. It's hard to blame/get mad at Pominville as he's pretty much carried the team all season, but he's picked the wrong time to get cold! Right now the Sabres are making a big push to make the playoffs and we need are captain to step up and deliver and be the leader of this team! In the game against the Ducks he was playing so poorly I was convinced he was sick. Last night, he was letting pucks dribble off his stick. He's been non-existent, invisible whatever you want to call it, he was a non factor during this road trip and the last 6 games. If the Sabres want to make the playoffs they need their captain to start scoring again!
Whether its injury or tiredness or illness, Pominville needs to step up his game again and prove that he's earned his captaincy. Ultimately he needs to lead this team!

Thomas Vanek
Much like Pominville it's tough to blame and get mad at Vanek, as he was the first half MVP for the Sabres. Vanek has just one less goal that Pominville with 22, and earlier in the season this duo was unstoppable and were leading their team like they should be doing now! He has 1 goal in the last 9 games and has just 3 goals since January 6th, odd since that's around the time Miller and the rest of the team started to play. Vanek has also been absent during the Sabres road trip, and although we've been getting through with secondary scoring, eventually we're going to need the first line to step up and help the younger players through the rough patches. Other than being paired with Derek Roy, I really don't see any reason why Vanek and Pominville are playing such uncharacteristically poor hockey. Maybe they're tired, but that's no excuse during this stretch of hockey when teams are pushing toward the playoffs, everyone is tired, and hurt. But the true good players in the league excel and step up to the plate. Which is what the Sabres need Pominville and Vanek to do!


What needs to be done

Lindy Ruff needs to take Roy off of the first line as it's effecting Vanek and Pominville. I know I said earlier that they should stay together but thats when they were playing. When lines stop producing real coaches start to fiddle with their lines, something Ruff hasn't been doing. I vote that Cody Hodgson be paired with Vanek and Pommer, Hodgson will be a future number one centre and has yet to score his first goal with the Sabres. Maybe putting the hot rookie with Vanek and Pominville will spark the first line and help them start scoring again. I mean it's worth a shot no?
I believe the first line with Hodgson would have amazing chemistry, and help get the confidence of the first line back up. Also, it looks like Ennis and Stafford are playing off each other and not necessarily getting a boost from Hodgson. Their boost may actually be coming from Roy NOT being their center!

One thing is for sure, if the Sabres are to make the playoffs they need Vanek and Pominville to start producing again! We've finally got secondary scoring which we didn't have earlier, but now our first line scoring is gone. Derek Roy is not a first line centre, replace him with Hodgson and watch the scoring begin!