Is Cody Hodgson Turning Into Another Tim Connolly?

When Tim Connolly left the Buffalo Sabres there were few people sad to see him go; He joined the Sabres in 2001, playing 8 seasons managing only 464 games with the blue and gold and only participating in 1 full season. His time in Buffalo was defined by injuries, if the guy sneezed he would throw his back out, he was almost snake bitten with injuries. Although talented and capable of providing a leadership role, fans were most concerned about him being "injury prone" and were willing to drive him out of town on his crutches. Finally fans got their wish when Connolly decided to leave Buffalo and sign with their divisional rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs. But have the Sabres stumbled upon another injury riddled possible superstar?

If you've followed me on twitter or have been reading my articles for awhile, you know I am a huge Cody Hodgson fan and have been following him ever since his Junior days. When Darcy Regier pulled the trigger and managed to steal him away from the Vancouver Canucks during the Trade Deadline I was ecstatic, but there was still a lingering question; Why would the Canucks be willing to let their "blue chip" prospect go so easily? At first I ignored the question and was thrilled at the fact the Sabres acquired a possible first line centre and future superstar, but after his latest injury I'm starting to wonder if the Canucks were on too something...

Hodgson's rough patch with the Canucks organization is well documented; He hurt his back training with their training coaches and then their medical team misdiagnosed the injury which in turn forced him to miss more time on the recovery. Things went south, Hodgson had a tough time battling back from injury and the he began to blame the team for his misfortune, the Canucks were then accused of attempting to "barry" the young star in the minors because he was "too much trouble". Sure he was talented but he carried a lot of baggage.

Taking a further look into Hodgson's injured past; He was originally diagnosed with a bulging disc in his back, it was later revealed that it was just a muscle strain and his rehabilitation for his back only made the muscle strain worse. It was then revealed that the doctors had missed severe nerve damage in his leg which was preventing him from showing his full speed and potential to the Canucks scouts. Once his back issues cleared up and he rejoined the OHL he suffered a broken toe, just 8 days after returning from his back injury forcing him to miss the remainder of the season. He then admitted publicly that he was not healthy very often during the 2009-2010 season and was looking to put his injuries behind him. Before jumping to the AHL for the 2010-2011 season, it was found his toe had not fully healed and was not cleared for assignment by the Canucks, in addition to his toe not healing there was speculation he had re-aggravated his back. Late in 2010 he suffered a broken orbital bone after a high stick while at practice in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose. He was finally able to crack the Canucks roster in 2011 and remarkable remained healthy the entire season, despite being traded to the Sabres. It was speculated that Hodgson was unhappy with his ice time and complained to Canucks managed, which lighted the final spark in his fire with the Canucks.

Due to the NHL lockout, Hodgson was assigned to the Sabres affiliate the Rochester Americans and to say his numbers haven't been overly impressive would be an understatement. In 9 games he has just 1 goal but has managed to rack up 9 assists, still not the kind of numbers expect from a number one centre. In case you missed the news, he is back on the injury list with a broken bone in his hand after being slashed in a game on October 27th. Hodgson is on the shelve
for the next 2-3 weeks depending on the severity of the injury.

Ponder this; If the NHL ended it's current lockout disputes and training camp opened next week, would Hodgson be ready to go for the Sabres?

While Hodgson has all the skill to be a top play making centre and help become one of the building blocks of the future for the Sabres, the question becomes can he stay healthy and keep out of trouble? Based on his injury riddled past it's going to be difficult to keep the potential star on the ice and playing in games. Back injuries are complicated injuries, once the back has been damaged, it is more susceptible to damage in the future. What if someone leans on him awkwardly or he gets crunched into the boards, can and will his back hold up?

Only time will tell if the young prospect can stay healthy, if he can the Sabres have got themselves a future star, if he can't the Sabres will need to move on and quickly.

5 NHL Players to Watch in the AHL

 

In anticipation of the NHL lockout NHL teams assigned eligible players to their AHL teams. While some of the players are prospects who are still a year or two away from breaking into the NHL, some of the players are full time NHL players. The good news for hockey fans is the AHL will only get stronger with the addition of players who have had experience in the NHL. For all you fans who are starved for hockey and upset with the lack of NHL hockey taking place over the next little while turn your attention to the AHL or other junior outlets to watch players who bust their butts each night. I present to you my 5 NHL Players to Watch in the AHL preview, look for these players to "light it up" in the AHL.

5. Cody Hodgson: Buffalo Sabres assigned to the Rochester Americans

Right from the day Hodgson was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks I fell in love with his game. Watching him play and develop into a leader in the World Junior Championships was amazing. I knew one day he would be a solid player in the NHL, unfortunately he never got that shot in Vancouver and because of the NHL isn't going to have that chance with Buffalo right now. With his development right now Hodgson has the ability to play on the 2nd or 3rd line on any NHL team but in the AHL he is easily a first line centre. His last season in the AHL (2010) was with the Manitoba Moose. He played in 52 games and racked up 30 points earning himself a call up to the Canucks. Add on some NHL experience and the confidence of not having to prove himself, Hodgson should flourish in Rochester.

4. Brayden Schenn: Philadelphia Flyers assigned to the Adirondack Phantoms

The younger Schenn brother has always been an interesting player to watch, especially since joining the Flyers last season. After being drafted 5th overall by the Los Angeles Kings everyone knew he was a talented forward with lots of upside and potential. Since joining the "Broad Street Bullies" his game has undergone a complete transformation. He along with teammate Wayne Simmonds have turned into the stereotypical Flyers players, and by that I mean they are much tougher physically. At 6 feet tall and just under 200 pounds look for Schenn to dominate the AHL, not only on the scoreboard but also intimidating some of the younger and smaller players. Another interesting aspect to watch will be his adjustment to the AHL, as he has not played a game at that level yet having played his junior hockey in the WHL for the Brandon Wheat Kings.

3. Jake Gardiner: Toronto Maple Leafs assigned to the Toronto Marlies

If there is anything positive to take away from the Leafs from last season it would have to be the play and development of Jake Gardiner. Early on in the season he was given the nickname "Gardiner Expressway" because of his offensive rushes up the ice, something rare for a young player to do so frequently. While he still made some defensive lapses he was a very solid defenceman and was in the Leafs top 4 defence. Like Schenn, Gardiner has not played a full season in the AHL as he virtually came right out of the University of Wisconsin. During the Marlies playoff run having the experience of Gardiner was beneficial. He should help to provide life to the Marlies blue line and be one of the top defenceman in the AHL. It will also be interested to see how he reacts to the coaching style of Dallas Eakins who has a much different style than Ron Wilson and Randy Carlyle.

2. Jordan Eberle: Edmonton Oilers assigned to Oklahoma City

Eberle is one of the new exciting players that have reached the NHL. Every time he scores a goal he looks just as excited as if it was his first goal, when he plays he looks like he's having fun. Fans love to watch players that are having fun, it's what makes him so relatable to the fans. It's hard not to stand up and cheer or sit on the edge of your seat when he's on the ice and in the offensive zone. Eberle truly won the hearts of Canadians with his late game heroics in the World Junior Championship in 2009 when he scored the game tying goal against Russia with 5.4 seconds left. Eberle has played just 20 games in the AHL yet has racked up 23 points. Watching Eberle play in the AHL will be awesome but may turn into a "man against boys" situation.

1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: Edmonton Oilers assigned to Oklahoma City

The first overall pick from 2011 has yet to step foot in the AHL as he made the transition to the NHL directly from the WHL. It the beginning of the season he looked a little lost and a little slow but thats to be expected with the jump he made. By the end of his first season in the NHL he had racked up 52 points and was a finalist for the Calder Trophy for best rookie. He fit in perfectly with his young Oiler teammates but his inexperience and lack of size played a part in a shoulder injury he suffered after being hit into the boards. With a year of some what easy playing, he'll gain some more experience and hopefully "bulk up" so he doesn't get shoved around so much when he's back in the NHL. Nugent-Hopkins should be able to challenge for the scoring championship and help Oklahoma City advance farther into the playoffs.

Other players to watch: Adam Henrique (last years Calder Trophy winner), Jeff Skinner (2011 Calder trophy winner), Braden Holtby and Zack Kassian.

To my surprise many of the players mentioned above have had little to none AHL experience. Many have come out of the WHL, and while it is a very solid respectable league the competition level doesn't match that of the AHL. In the AHL players are desperate to make a impression on their parent teams and earn a call up and eventually a spot in the big leagues. To quote the Toronto Marlies "Every game is a tryout". Despite not having NHL hockey I am extremely excited to watch the AHL and see the effect of adding young NHL superstars.

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!

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!

Miller Time

The Sabres played a hard, spirited game against the Ducks last night, you can sum up the game in 2 words;  Ryan Miller. The former Vezina winner and team USA goaltender stood on his head once again in a game some are calling his best as a Sabre, stopping 43 shots to earn his 4th shutout of the season (3 post all star break). Miller's play of late has Sabres fans excited and hoping that the playoffs are still attainable, and there's no question if the Sabres want to make the postseason they will need Ryan Miller to be on his game. It would appear it's Miller time in Buffalo again!

Ryan Miller wearing the "Golden Helmet"
as the top Sabres player of the game.

It's taken Miller about 40 games to start playing like the MVP, Vezina winning goaltender that he is. A lot of that was attributed to the Milan Lucic incident, when he missed some games came back played like crap, missed some more games and was never really able to get in his grove. But since hitting rock bottom around January 24th (2-7-0), Miller has been on fire going 9-2-3. He's played in 18 consecutive games allowing fewer than 3 goals in 10 of those. He's now won at least 20 games in 7 straight season, so much for that "one good season" argument.

Where did the turnaround happen?
During the all-star break, it's great to be selected to play in the all-star game and all that hoopalala but a lot of players need that break. This year Miller got the break, he had 5 days to relax, focus on what he needs to improve, his technique and to be out of the spotlight. He got the time to mentally restore himself and fully heal from that concussion, because like it or not that hit was the turning point, where it all went south for the Sabres. Since the NHL all-star break the Sabres have gone 9-3-3 and have a 4.1% chance of making the post season, and a large part of that is the play of Ryan Miller. But quite possibly the biggest change in his game is confidence, he's found his "swagger" and is much more confident now as opposed to earlier in the year. He's making amazing, jaw dropping saves we weren't seeing before the break.
What a lot of coaches and couch coaches fail to understand is that goalies need a heavy workload, notice that the goalies playing 12 straight games play a lot better than goalies that are being switched every other game. This is a major reason the Leafs aren't getting goaltending, Wilson is afraid to run with a goalie for a stretch of games, after a couple bad games their back on the bench. But look at Miller, he had a rough/bad first half of the season, but Ruff kept putting him in there and knowing that the Sabres don't stand a chance of making the playoffs if Miller isn't between the pipes, Ruff's letting him play long stretches. What goalies need is to play several games so they can get into a grove, once they get in that grove their unstoppable (if their a decent goalie).

Let's talk numbers

I've thrown a lot of numbers at you guys of Miller's play since the all-star game (9-2-3), some pretty phenomenal numbers, but let's dive deeper! In the last 5 games Miller is 4-0-1 with a 1.366 Goals Against Average, I dare you to find me a goalie with better numbers over that stretch! Not to mention he broke his second Sabres record last night; 43 saves is the most in a shutout win by any Sabres netminder. But looking beyond the numbers, it's not just his stats it's the things that don't show up on the score sheet; his highlight reel, jaw dropping saves, the fact he's playing with more emotion and that he's never giving up on a puck. Earlier in the year, you'd see him give up on a play but right now he's battling till the pucks in his glove! The way he's playing right now should have Sabres fans all excited and the rest of the league a little scared, if the Sabres do manage to squeak into the playoffs on the current run their on with Miller playing how he is, we may surprise a few teams. But getting into the playoffs is going to be a daunting task, despite being just 5 points out, the Sabres have to go 12-5-2 to finish off the season, to have a little more than 50% chance of making it. It's going to be tough as 7 of our next 9 games are on the road including matches with the Canucks and Sharks, plus we play the Leafs who are just ahead of us two more times.

What it all comes down too
Alright let's face it, as die hard Sabres fans we're not going to admit that the Sabres wont make the playoffs until their mathamatically eliminated. Now I still have faith the Miller and the boys can get it done, if they keep playing exceptional hockey. But let's be real here, what the deadline moves told us is the Sabres are building for the future. Now future is a scary word for fans to hear, just look at what's happening in Toronto, the fans are tired of waiting for that never coming future. But good news for Sabres fans, this future is as early as next season. If we were expecting to go deep in the playoffs we would have kept Gaustad for his grit and face off ability, kept Kassian and not acquire a rookie who's just breaking into the league. One of the major reasons the Sabres failed to live up to expectations this season was all the injuries but imagine this team next year healthy, with Miller playing like he is now, and players earning their money oh man we'll be untuchable. Like it or not if this team is going to win a Stanley Cup it's going to be with Ryan Miller Between the pipes!

Whether or not the Buffalo Sabres make the 2012 playoffs remains unknown and will likely stay that way for the next 19 games. But the one thing the Sabres can do is win, just win that's the best way to solidify your spot in the postseason!

Sabres Deadline Craze

Trade deadline 2012 has come and gone, and much to the joy of Sabres fans Darcy Regier ACTUALLY made a move. Shocking I know. Despite much talk leading up to the deadline, Roy, Stafford, Miller and Boyes all ended the day with the blue and gold and we weren't able to land Nash, Hemsky or Ryan. So what did Regier manage to do?

I ended up watching the trade deadline coverage from 8 right till 4, and I got a tell you, from 8-2 it was extremely boring, it was like watching a race between paint drying and grass growing! But at 2 stuff started getting interesting, twitter started blowing up as people wanted to catch the last hour of the deadline and with Darcy Regier having not done anything to that point, Sabres fans were panicking. The clock was ticking and it looked like no major trades would happen in Buffalo, and as the analysts pointed out, Regier's asking prices were way to high. We all Knew that no one liked Darcy's players as much as Darcy. Sabres fans were getting ready to burn down First Niagra Centre as nothing had been done, and as the 3 o'clock deadline hit there were still no definitive Sabres moves to report. But due to the crazyness of deadline day, things get backed up at the NHL offices so there was still hope that something (anything) had been done. Then TSN analyst Bob MaCkenzie tweeted saying that no deal had been made for Derek Roy before the deadline, which sent the fans into a further frenzy of anger towards Darcy. Six minutes after the deadline news broke that Paul Gaustad had been traded to Nashville, this deal although not shocking, brought some grief for fans as Gaustad was a huge crowd favorite Buffalo. What was shocking was that Darcy actually got a first round pick in this years draft for the big winger. Although the Sabres attached a forth rounder it was still  steal for the Sabres. I was okay with the Gaustad trade but I was hoping for something bigger, a blockbuster deal of sorts for the Sabres. I waited another half hour and was seconds from turning off the TV, when news broke that Zack Kassian had been traded to Vancouver. My heart skipped a beat as this deal really came out of no where. No one knew Kassian was on the market (truth be told he probably wasn't). But the best part of the Kassian deal, was TSN took forever to tell us who was coming back from Vancouver. They reported that Cody Hodgson had been traded, but everyone believed it was a separate deal. Then finally they put 2 and 2 together and announced that Zack Kassian and Marc-Andre Gragnani were traded for Cody Hodgson and Alexander Sulzer in two separate deals. Now this was the type of trade I was hoping would be made, as little or insignificant this deal seems it's actually a small blockbuster deal for the Sabres. It was also the biggest trade of the day.

What we got:
The Sabres got a 6-foot forward who was a first round draft pick (2008), and is tied for second in rookie scoring and 5th for rookie points. This fellow Sabres fans would be Cody Hodgson. A kid I am extremely excited to welcome to Buffalo. I have been following Hodgson since before he was drafted (I even played some shinny hockey and practiced with him). As soon as I heard how amazing he was I started following him, wanting to see where he would land. Hodgson is a natural talent, starting back from his days in minor AAA hockey were he racked up 99 points in just 59 games, he knows how to put the puck in the net and is a hard working kid. He played on both the World Junior and under 18 Canadian teams winning gold with both.  You may have heard of a couple of his teammates from those days, Tyler Myers and Tyler Ennis. A couple more feathers in his cap so to speak; CHL player of the year and OHL's most outstanding player. Hodgson is having a great first NHL season  in which he already has 33 points (16 goals and 17 assists) and was named rookie of the month in January. This acquisition was amazing and Regier deserves a pat on the back for this one. Hodgson will likely be the number one center of the future that we can build a team around, he has so much upside and potential it's crazy. Imagine if the at the end of the season the Sabres were to have the Calder winner on our team, that would be awesome! Without even playing a game for the blue and gold Hodgson is already 4th in team scoring! This isn't Brad Boyes or even Daniel Briere, this is a legitimate talent whose best days are in front of him.

Sulzer appears to be a big defenceman that can help our blueline. I see this move more as Regier not needing a player but more a complimentary deal in that Gragnani has much more upside than Sulzer. Since the Sabres were able to steal the Canucks prized Hodgson away, I think Regier evened it out with Sulzer. He was drafted back in 2003 in the third round by the Nashville Predators, he's played 74 games with 3 NHL teams (Predators, Panthers and Canucks). As much as I hate bagging on a player, there is really nothing about this guy that says anything more than career call-up, maybe change in scenery will give him a spark but there's no guarantee the Sabres will keep him in the bigs. An interesting note is that the Sabres now have easily the most German nationals in their organization.

In another amazing deal pulled off by Regier he managed to get a first round draft pick for Paul Gaustad!
We now have their first round pick in the upcoming 2012 draft, I'm not a huge fan of draft picks as they don't always work out, but a first-rounder for Gaustad I'll take it! This gives us 4 of the first 44 picks in the 2012 draft. Not too bad, not too bad at all.

What we lost:

Fan favorite Paul Gaustad. I never personally understood all the hype around Gaustad. When he first came up he was a tough gritty player but he has turned into a face off and penalty kill specialist that doesn't really contribute much on the scoreboard. In 7 seasons in Buffalo he's failed to score more than 12 goals or move up from the 3rd line. I'm okay seeing him go and was absolutely shocked we managed a first round pick for him.

Zach Kassian and Marc-Andre Gragnani, this deal hurts me a bit more as I really liked Kassian and I thought he would have a bright future in Buffalo. But he's an UNPROVEN winger where as Hodgson has been able to prove himself in the NHL. We may have lost grit with Kassian but frankly since his first couple of games he's really looked a bit lost on the ice. We also got smaller but more talented. However, with players like Luke Adam, Marcus Foligno and Brayden McNabb very close to being ready for the show, losing Kassian is worth the gamble. One thing that concerns me is this mostly proves that we're leaning toward a rebuild as we've almost eliminated ourselves from the playoffs this season.
I'm also ok with that because the goal is to win the Stanley Cup, not make the playoffs and as I've said before the current roster did not have what it takes to win it all.

What these trades mean:
These trades mean we're looking ahead to the future, let's face it although it's possible the chances of squeaking into the postseason are slim at best, which is why I believe they traded Gaustad. He would have been a great asset in the post season with his face-off skills and toughness. Right now this team is healthy (or healthier), Miller is playing like Miller again, lines are starting to gel (hands off Ruff!) and this team is playing the kind of hockey everyone expected them to play 62 games ago. We're 5-3-2 in our last 10 games and are battling hard each game, giving themselves a chance to skate away with the two points. I see the moves made at the deadline as a minor rebuild, getting rid of an unproven prospect and a gritty veteran in return for picks and a gem from Vancouver. With the addition of Cody Hodgson and a healthy team next season we are going to be better, and be right back in the playoff hunt and be closer to the cup. Not to overlook the fact we now have 2 first round picks and 2 second round picks for the 2012 draft, these picks can be used to draft prospects OR bundled to bring bigger fish to the Sabres. Imagine sending a couple of picks and a player to Anaheim for Bobby Ryan or Los Angeles for Dustin Brown! This summer could be another active one for Mr. Pegulia's wallet, hopefully Darcy will keep the contracts within reason. We have now filled the void at center and it's now looking like a pretty fantastic center lineup (Roy, Ennis, Hodgson). Darcy Regier pulled a rabbit out of somewhere on Monday with these deals, and likely saved his job until next season. We are building toward a cup, and to be honest I could see us winning one in the next few seasons!

NHL TradeDeadline 2012

Today was the NHL Trade deadline, a day hockey fans have been awaiting and anticipating for months. Finally all the rumors will have answers, some will stay just rumors while others will actually become real NHL deals. But at noon, I for one was hoping you guys did not take the day off work or school to sit in front of your TV's and watch TSN's trade deadline, it was extremely boring. Only 1 trade was made before 12: The Montreal Canadians traded Andrei Kostitsyn to the Nashville Predators in exchange for a couple of draft picks. But by 2:30 the trades really started to pick up and the 2012 trade deadline ended with 15 trades, that included 31 players and 11 draft picks.

So before I dive in and look at the trades made today and some of the trades made in the last week, let's just take a moment to think about a couple things. First of all these GM's are some of the smartest people both in and out of the hockey world, most of them know what they need to improve their team. Sure some are a little stubborn to pull the trigger on the deal, but they know what their doing. They don't need us jumping up and down and going crazy, telling them who to acquire and calling them dumb or stupid because they're not making a deal that appeases us. Like I said in previous blog, until you become a GM of an NHL hockey team or one of those dumb TSN analysts don't critize what you don't know! Second of all yes it's awesome seeing your team's GM making a big splash by trading players, but sometimes what we overlook is the fact that the players are people too. I understand hockey is a business, but the trade deadline is extremely difficult for the players. Having their names being thrown in rumors, knowing your "boss" is shopping you around, the possibility of being traded and leaving your wife and kids behind, you gotta admit that's rough. While it's cool to want players moved and want GM's to make moves, we have to take in to account that the GM's are playing with the lives of their players. They can't in all fairness to the players, just yank and turn your players lives upside down because the wind changed direction. I know this my all seem like nonsense to some of you, but it's something I truly believe the GM's take into account. A player isn't going to want to go play for a GM who doesn't care about their players.

Deals from the deadline;
Montreal Canadians trade Andrei Kostitsyn to the Nashville Predator in exchange for a 2nd and 5th round pick in 2013.
This was the very first trade that broke on the "official" deadline day. This deal reunites Andrei with younger brother Sergi and gives him a fresh start/a chance to battle for a playoff start. Kostitsyn had just 12 goals and 24 assists this season. I'd say the Predators won the trade.

Detroit Red Wings trade Mike Commodore to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a 7th round pick in 2013.
This trade surprised a lot of people and it seemed like Detroit was trying to clear cap space to acquire Paul Gaustad, but this proved to be the only deal the Red Wings made the entire day. To be honest I didn't even know Mike Commodore was still in the NHL, so this came out of left field for me. Commodore has only played 17 games this season. I don't really understand this deal, but I suppose if there is a winner here, the Lightning won this deal.

Edmonton Oilers trade Tom Gilbert to the Minossota Wild in exchange for Nick Schultz.
I don't follow the Western Conference that much so I'm not really aware of these players. From what the analysts say this was a wash, an offensive D-man for a defensive one. But I believe the Edmonton Oilers won the trade, as they added some stability to their team.

Toronto Maple Leafs trade Keith Aulie to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Carter Ashton.

This was a fantastic move by Brian Burke. There was no room on the Leafs blue line for Keith Aulie, so they had to get rid of a defenseman somewhere along the line. I really like this deal as this Carter kid looks like he could be a fantastic player (although I didn't know who he was). Right now the Lightning have won the deal, as Ashton will be in the Marlies until next season while Aulie will get more ice time up in the NHL.

The first multiplayer deal of the day; Colorado Avalanche trade Daniel Winnik, T.J Galiardi and 7th round pick in 2013 to the San Jose sharks in exchange for Jamie McGinn, Michael Sgarbossa and Mike Connolly.

San Jose won this deal in my mind, anytime you can get T.J Galiardi and Daniel Winnik and not give up a whole lot it's got to benefit your team. This was the first major deal, where things on the TSN set started to go crazy. This trade will help improve the Sharks penalty killing

Vancouver Canucks trade two 4th round draft picks in 2012 to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Samuel Pahlsson.
This trade is all about the Columbus Blue Jackets rebuild by gaining picks for the future. Pahlsson has 2 goals and 9 assists in 61 games. Vancouver definitely won this trade.

Ottawa Senators trade Brian Lee to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Matt Gilroy
The Senators have pretty much given up on Lee. He was drafted 9th overall in the 2005 NHL draft and has just 1 goal and 7 assists in 35 games this season. Lee wasn't able to live up to his draft hype and should benefit from a change in scenery. Gilroy played 53 games and has 2 goals and 15 assists. Nothing major here, just some 3rd or 4th liners changing places.

Winnipeg Jets trade Johnny Oduya to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a 2nd and 3rd round pick in 2013.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the Blackhawks won this deal hands down. The 30 year old Oduya is a veteran defenceman who is a solid addition to the Blackhawks struggling back end.

Boston Bruins trade Marc Cantin and Yannick Riendeau to the New York Islanders in exchange for Brian Rolston and Mike Mottau.
The Bruins won this trade as they added lots of depth and will hope push them back to the Stanley Cup Finals. Getting Brian Rolston back on the Bruins is really a hit and miss, he could regain his form playing with some exceptional players, but he could also totally flop.

Buffalo Sabres trade Paul Gaustad and a 4th round pick to the Nashville Predators in exchange for a first round draft pick.
I absolutely loved this move!!! Some how, Sabres GM Darcy Regier managed to pull a rabbit out of a hat to get a first round pick for Paul Gaustad! Everyone said the asking price was way too high for Gaustad (which it was), but somehow Regier got it done! Absolutely fantastic deal that the Sabres obviously won. Although all the fans are sad to see Gaustad go, this will help the Sabres in the future, especially with the deal that they made a few minutes later.

Boston Bruins trade Steve Kampfer to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Greg Zanon.
This was another minor deal nothing to major, Zanon will add some more grit to the Bruins (Like they need it!).
The Bruins seem to have the slight edge in this deal.

Chicago Blackhawks trade John Scott to the New York Rangers in exchange for a 5th round pick in 2012.
Although this seems like a minor minimal deal as Scott doesn't score a lot, but he is 6 foot 7, 270 pounds, he will help in the playoffs by forcing players away from his goaltender. All he has to do is lean on a player and that player won't be going anywhere. Great addition to the Rangers, who won this deal.

Buffalo Sabres trade Zack Kassian and Marc-Andre Gragnani to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Cody Hodgson and Alexandra Sulzer.
This was quite possibly the biggest trade of the day and by far the best (sorry I'm biased). This deal works perfectly for the Sabres, we got our future number 1 centre to build the team around. Although it comes at the expense of losing Kassian, this deal will help the Sabres in the future. A position of weakness now a positions of strength? Hodgson, Roy and Ennis are now the top 3 centers, add Adam and the future is suddenly different to the Blue and Gold up the middle. For those lamenting losing Kassian't toughness, remember Marcus Foligno and Brayden McNbb are more than capable of matching up with anyone. Unfortunately what this means for Sabres fans, is the Sabres aren't necessarily trying to make that push to the playoffs but rather building for a couple of years in the future. That's also known as trying to win the Stanley Cup, not just get a couple of more house receipts during the playoffs. I personally believe the Sabres have won this deal and have ultimately won the Trade deadline and Darcy Regier is the Trade deadline winning GM!

Toronto Maple Leafs trade Dale Mitchell to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Mark Frasier.
This was just a minor league deal and has no real implications to the major league teams at this moment.
Just moving depth in the minors.

The final deal was between the Anaheim Ducks and Vancouver Canucks. Who exchanged two minor players. The Canucks got Andrew Gordon while the Ducks acquired Sebastian Erixon.


The trade deadline started off really slowely as deals didn't start rolling till around 2pm. Most of the big names did not get moved; Rick Nash, Luke Schenn, and Derek Roy all ended up staying put. The Big trade of the day, was between the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks. Ultimately I think the Sabres won the trade deadline, as they got a first round pick for Gaustad and managed to snatch Cody Hodgson out of Vancouver. All in all a fairly decent trade deadline, especially if you're a Sabres, Canucks or Predators fan. Brian Burke surprised and angered Leaf fans by not making more moves and "sticking to the Blueprint" of his current team.
We'll have to wait a while longer to see how the deals that were made today turn out!