The Buffalo News - Sabres

Several teams could fit Miller like a glove

Sat, 18 May 2013 00:11:42 -0400

As I watch the Stanley Cup playoffs, it’s easy to appreciate the usual amount of dramatic hockey you see. It’s also hard to watch without thinking about it within the prism of the Sabres’ offseason.

What the Sabres do in preparation for the draft June 30 in Newark, N.J., through free agency and the rest of the summer, is utterly fascinating to ponder. If you were to forecast their still-no-name division for next season, you might pick them seventh out of the eight teams (wasn’t Detroit on a downward spiral?). That’s largely because of who might be going without knowing who’s coming. But at least things will be different in many ways other than, of course, in the general manager’s office.

It would seem the Sabres want to keep Thomas Vanek. From listening to him at the end of the season and at locker cleanout day, he wants out.

It would seem the Sabres are more set on dealing Ryan Miller. It would seem with the farewell-tour atmosphere around his 500th game that Miller is fine with that.

It stands to reason there’s a good package out there to be had for Vanek. Not so sure about Miller. Especially with the salary cap going down, teams are going to be very discerning about spending more than $6 million on a 33-year-old goalie, even if it’s only for one year.

So I really question whether a goalie-challenged team like, say, the Florida Panthers, gets involved in any Miller deal. Too bad, too, since the Sabres would love Florida’s No. 2 pick.

So how does it all fit with the playoffs? My theory is Miller’s likeliest landing point might be a team that thinks it’s close to a Cup but not getting the job done in net. Somebody in that scenario might take that one-year flyer on him.

What would clearly be Miller’s first choice? Anaheim. Jonas Hiller, who has one year left at $4.5 million, was OK against Detroit (2.46 goals-against average and .917 save percentage) but was beaten three times in overtime and a No. 2 seed that once had a 13-game home winning streak can’t go out in the first round. Viktor Fasth, who had a great rookie year, never got off the bench.

Who else might want to move on Miller? I’d peg St. Louis. While Brian Elliott had a 1.90 GAA, he lost four straight to Los Angeles and gave up a weak OT winner in Game Five. And Jaroslav Halak is clearly tiring of coach Ken Hitchcock.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported last weekend on a heated argument between Hitchcock and Halak prior to Game Four against the Kings in Los Angeles. Halak was reportedly late to a team meeting and then vented at his coach about ice time when Hitchcock confronted him.

Halak didn’t play in the Blues’ final 14 games of the season or any of the playoff games in the wake of ineffectiveness and a groin injury. Both Halak and Elliott are heading into the final years of their deals as well.

There certainly are teams General Manager Darcy Regier is unlikely to consider sending Miller to. Doubt he deals Miller within the East, so forget Washington, which could use an upgrade from Braden Holtby. Same with Pittsburgh, which might have to ponder its goaltending in the wake of Marc-Andre Fleury’s meltdown on Long Island even as Tomas Vokoun carries the Pens through this round.

Montreal is a no-chancer, albeit with growing issues in net. Carey Price came up small against Ottawa (3.26 and .894) and then admitted the Montreal fishbowl has him rattled.

“That’s one thing I miss, just being anonymous,” Price said on the Habs’ locker day. “It’s tough to do that here. I don’t even go to the grocery store anymore. I hardly do anything anymore. I’m like a hobbit in a hole.”

Miller seems tired of the fishbowl life here as well. But if he doesn’t land on a team that’s already close to Cup contention, how about a currently bad outfit that could improve quickly and not be in the middle of a fan/media circus? Think about Colorado.

The Avs are about to add defenseman Seth Jones as the No. 1 pick in the draft. They have two Stanley Cups and went to the Western Conference finals six of their first seven years in Denver, so they have some idea. Now Joe Sakic is back in the fold for real, taking over hockey operations. That will help.

Whoever the Avs name as coach can build around Jones and defense. And that could include an upgrade from Semyon Varlamov and the washed-up J.S. Giguere in goal. In a big winter sports market, Miller’s 2010 Olympic run will sell. The Avs have a center in Paul Stastny the Sabres could certainly use. Hmmmm. Point to ponder.

email: mharrington@buffnews.com

Enroth saves the day for Sweden in shootout

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:26:27 -0400

STOCKHOLM — Jhonas Enroth raised his hands in triumph after refusing to let Canada and Jordan Eberle beat him a second time. Lindy Ruff could only watch and prepare for the long flight home without a medal.

Enroth backstopped Sweden to a 3-2 shootout victory over Canada on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the world hockey championships. The Buffalo Sabres goaltender stopped 39 shots in regulation and overtime, then turned aside three of Canada’s four breakaway attempts.

“Jhonas is one of the most competitive players I’ve ever seen,” Sweden defenseman Erik Gustafsson said. “He showed that in the shootout. Nerves of steel.”

Loui Eriksson and Eberle scored in the three-round shootout to send it sudden death. Fredrik Pettersson ripped a point-blank slap shot past Canada goalie Mike Smith, and Enroth sealed the win by stopping Eberle on his second chance.

Sweden and co-host Finland will meet in the semifinals Saturday. The United States will face surprising Switzerland in the other semi.

Canada, meanwhile, will head home without a medal for the third straight year. Ruff, who coached Enroth in Buffalo for three-plus seasons, was the Canadian bench boss.

“Third period, we weren’t on top of them as much as we could be,” Ruff said. “Their defending was a lot better.”

Canada’s Steven Stamkos opened the scoring and had a chance to make it 2-0, but Enroth stopped him on a breakaway. Nicklas Danielsson followed with a pair of power-play goals, and Claude Giroux tied it with 9:10 to play.

“He kept us in the game and played amazing,” Gustafsson said of Enroth, who suffered a 3-0 loss to Canada in the preliminary round. “In the second period, if Stamkos scores on the breakaway it’s a different game.”

Canada sustained another loss when captain Eric Staal suffered a seemingly serious injury on a knee-to-knee hit by Alex Edler. Ruff had no update on the status of Carolina’s star.

The United States advanced by routing Alex Ovechkin and Russia, 8-3, in Helsinki. Paul Stastny had two goals and four points as the Russians allowed the most goals in their tournament history. John Gibson, 19, made 31 saves for the Americans.

Switzerland moved to 8-0 with a 2-1 win over Czech Republic, while Finland tripped up Slovakia, 4-3. Buffalo defenseman Andrej Sekera scored for the Slovaks.

Video: 'Bucky & Sully Show'

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:56:58 -0400

News Sports Columnists Bucky Gleason and Jerry Sullivan host a live weekly show at 10 a.m. on BuffaloNews.com. Here is a replay of this week's show featuring guest Christian Laettner:

On possible golf outing:

On Buddy Nix's legacy

On Doug Whaley's vision

On Bills' needs

On NHL playoffs:

Leafs choke?

On Roger Neilson & rally towels:

Guest Christian Laettner:

On Mets manager Terry Collins:

On Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia:

Quick Hits:

Good Reads:

Bozos of the Week:

Sabres’ Weber embraces leadership opportunity

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:33:10 -0400

Ron Rolston is a passionate believer that leaders emerge through actions, not words, roles or perceived pecking order.

“The first thing if you’re going to be a leader, you have to be capable and consistent every single night,” the Buffalo Sabres’ coach said. “Until you do that, you can’t be a leader. To me, you can’t play one game good, one game bad, one period good, one period bad.

“That’s like Level One. That’s like the basement of leadership. You’ve got to show up every day. You’ve got to be capable. You’ve got to be consistent. Then you build a base where guys are looking to you and you’re setting an example.

“We still have guys that have to get there to be leaders.”

The Sabres, who were defined by inconsistency, had a leadership void this season. However, a few players of influence emerged thanks to steady performances. Defenseman Mike Weber was one of them.

“Mike Weber is one of those players that made a real big jump this year in terms of what he meant to our hockey team, how he plays the game, just the potential that he has to continue to grow on this team,” Rolston said. “It put a player like Mike in more of a leadership role because of what he did and because of the minutes that he had. He was in the lineup every night blocking shots, sacrificing for his teammates.

“He’s put himself in a situation where he can be one of those guys that are in the room and holding guys accountable.”

The 25-year-old Weber wants Sabreland to become a place where accountability and determination are everyday occurrences.

“Everyone personally and as a team, we need to go in a different direction here and change the culture here,” Weber said. “Guys need to be held accountable. I think a lot of that’s been lost over the last couple of years.

“We’ve got to find a way as a team to boost each other up and power through some struggles. That’s been our biggest downfall. We get lost in these ruts. I’ve said it before, like quicksand. We get lost in this quicksand and it sucks us in. We don’t have enough fight to fight out of it. I think that’s the culture that I’m speaking of. We need to find that battle, that intensity to get ourselves out of it.”

Weber, who started the season as a healthy scratch, fought his way into the lineup. He played 42 of the 48 games and was voted “Unsung Hero” by his teammates.

“It’s a huge honor,” he said. “Obviously, something that’s voted by your peers is pretty special. I just try to show up and be consistent and battle for them every night. As an individual, I’m a terrible player. As a team, everyone on this team makes me better and makes me look a lot better than I am.”

While Weber likely will never shine offensively (he had a goal and six assists), he’s far from terrible. His 92 blocked shots, ranked 24th in the NHL. He was second on the Sabres in hits (122) and was one of only nine regulars to finish with a positive plus/minus rating at plus-3.

“Finally, my maturity is there,” said the sixth-year pro. “It might have a taken a little bit longer, but finally just learning to be consistently solid. I’ve always been confident in myself, but it’s finally just getting the trust from the coaching staff and obviously from my peers that I can go and do a job and do it on a consistent basis and just stick with it.

“The maturity thing is just letting stuff come to me, not getting too anxious and trying to go and make the big hit, just letting stuff come to me and just taking care of my own zone. That’s just what I could take from this year and moving forward try to use that maturity to help lead the way here in the future.”

Weber became a veteran on the back end after the Sabres traded Jordan Leopold and Robyn Regehr. He hopes to help train youngsters such as Mark Pysyk, Chad Ruhwedel and Brayden McNabb.

“I want to be a big part of this organization for years to come,” Weber said. “I know we’re a lot closer than it looks. There’s a lot of great, young players that are up here. We’ve got great veteran guys, and we’re going to be looking to improve in the offseason to make ourselves better. I just want to do my part in leading the ways that I can.”

email: jvogl@buffnews.com

Flynn hungry for second helping of NHL life

Wed, 15 May 2013 00:13:08 -0400

Brian Flynn either wouldn’t or couldn’t take off his equipment. He slumped in his stall near the corner of the dressing room long after most players had left. He stared ahead, slack-jawed, with a bitter truth to face.

His first professional season was over.

It’s easy to see why he was bummed. Flynn’s debut year with the Sabres’ organization was notable. He earned an important role in Rochester, then worked his way into an even better spot in Buffalo.

The ride from college graduate to NHL regular was quick and surprising.

“I have the belief that I can play here,” Flynn said. “This is where I belong. I know how hard you have to work to stay up here. It took a long time, a lot of hard work, a lot of hours to get here.

“This is where I really want to play. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to stay here.”

Flynn led Buffalo’s rookies in goals, scoring six times while totaling 11 points in 26 games after a midseason call-up. Ron Rolston got to know Flynn while coaching in Rochester during the lockout, and he liked the right winger enough to summon him to Buffalo after replacing Lindy Ruff as the Sabres’ coach.

“It was awesome for me,” Flynn said. “It was a big learning experience from the second I got to Rochester. Playing those 45 games and then coming up here was obviously another jump, too.”

Flynn and fellow Rolston favorite Kevin Porter started with third-line minutes in Buffalo. But after showing consistent effort on a team that lived and died with inconsistency, they earned power-play time and minutes that befit first-line players.

Flynn averaged 14:40 per game in Buffalo, but he topped 16 minutes in 11 of the last 13 games. The restricted free agent topped out at 19:35 in the season finale.

“Hopefully, my work ethic will help out a lot,” the 24-year-old said. “You need a lot of guys who can consistently show up every night and work hard. I think if you can do that you can separate yourself from some other guys.”

Flynn’s speed and defensive awareness also set him apart on the Sabres. He chipped in goals while not allowing many.

Of all the five-on-goals scored while Flynn was on the ice, Buffalo put in 63.6 percent of them, according to Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com. That was the best percentage for the Sabres.

“I got a little confidence out of it, too,” said Flynn, who hopes the Sabres learned they have a solid two-way player, “a guy they know they can depend upon defensively in our own zone and on the penalty kill, too.”

Flynn went back to Rochester for the playoffs when the Sabres wrapped up their season. He didn’t record a point, but he tied for the team lead with 10 shots in three games. He had 16 goals and 32 points in his opening 45 games with the Amerks.

The Massachusetts native and University of Maine product will spend much of the summer eating and working out, which he hopes will make his second NHL season even more memorable than the first.

“It’s tough to play at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds,” Flynn said. “I need to fill out my frame a little more, I think. Hopefully, I can just get stronger and more powerful this summer, which should help me a lot.”

email: jvogl@buffnews.com

Rangers following Kings’ blueprint

Wed, 15 May 2013 00:13:02 -0400

The blueprint was unfolded and spread across North America in full disclosure last season when the Kings marched to their first Stanley Cup. There were no hidden keys that unlocked the black box, no secret password for the caretaker with the white gloves who guards Lord Stanley’s trophy with his life.

Los Angeles showed how a great team can finish with a low seed and still win 16 playoff games and bring home a title. The key words: great team. They should not be glossed over when examining what they had last season despite finishing eighth in the Western Conference during the regular season.

The Kings had all the makings of a Cup winner going into last season. The question was whether they would come together at the right time or, in their case, ever. They knocked off Vancouver in the first round, lost only two games in the first three rounds and beat New Jersey in six games for the title.

Does that mean any team finishing eighth can win it all? No. You need, at the very least, a very good, well-balanced team with a great goaltender. It takes sound defense, scoring from unlikely places, blocked shots from finesse players and a full effort from everyone.

And that’s what the Rangers have now.

Last year’s Kings and this year’s Rangers are strikingly similar if only because they were confounding during the regular season. New York underachieved, much like Los Angeles did in 2011-12, and finished sixth. The Kings fired their coach during the season last year. At times, you wondered if the Rangers considered doing the same.

Both teams were strong down the middle, had pure scorers, three pairs of very good defensemen and, most importantly, top goaltending. Talent alone isn’t enough. There comes a point in which teams figure out how to win. The Kings did. We’ll learn more about the Rangers in the second round. And then the third.

It wasn’t as if the Rangers dominated in the first round. They faced elimination by the Capitals before buckling down on defense and leaving the rest to Henrik Lundqvist. He became the fourth goalie in history to post shutouts in the sixth and seventh games of a playoff series. The Rangers cruised to a 5-0 win in the finale.

New York will start the second round Thursday at Boston. The Bruins were headed for elimination before landing two left hooks in the final 1:22 and a knockout punch in overtime that left the Maple Leafs, and anyone watching, stunned. It was the last of a record 17 first-round playoff games to reach OT.

Chicago will host Detroit in the second-round opener. The Blackhawks had little trouble with Minnesota in the first round while the seventh-seeded Red Wings needed seven games to beat the Ducks.

Eleven players scored in the first round for the Rangers. Eight had 10 goals or fewer during the regular season. Five had fewer than five goals over the first 48 games. The Blueshirts need more from their stars, namely Brad Richards and Rick Nash, to reach the conference finals for the second straight season. Both were very quiet in the first round and must make a difference against Boston. If they don’t play better, the Rangers are done.

Here’s a closer look at the conference semifinals.Bruins update: Patrice Bergeron had the tying and winning goals to finish off the Leafs. Tyler Seguin did not record a point before getting the primary assist on the winner. Milan Lucic had nine points and was plus-9 in seven games after 27 points and plus-8 in 46 games of the regular season. David Krejci had five goals, including a hat trick, and 13 points in the series against the Leafs. Injuries along the blue line are troubling.

Rangers update: Lundqvist stopped 62 shots over his final two games en route to a 1.65 GAA and .947 save percentage in the series. Ryan McDonough and Dan Girardi are among the best shutdown defensemen in the league and were a big reason Alex Ovechkin had one assist to show for the final six games. Nash, scoreless against Washington, has one goal in 11 career playoff games. Richards had one goal and no assists in the seven games. Derick Brassard is a dangerous player when he’s playing with confidence. Mats Zuccarello emerged with Brassard. Defenseman Marc Staal is hoping to play in the series after taking a shot to the face late in the regular season.

Outcome: Boston took too many naps against Toronto to make anyone feel comfortable. I’m sticking with my preseason pick, the Rangers, in six games.Blackhawks update: Chicago beat Minnesota in five games even though Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, its two top forwards, did not score. Kane was terrific with five assists in five games. The Hawks’ team defense is grossly underrated when everyone is committed. Duncan Keith and Nicklas Hjalmarsson are in top form along the blue line. Cory Crawford had a 1.32 GAA and .950 SP, but he wasn’t tested often enough by the Wild. Let’s not forget Marian Hossa, who had three goals and six points in the five games. Patrick Sharp scored five times. Their depth is ridiculous.

Red Wings update: Leadership and experience, which have been handed down for years in Motown, led the Red Wings over the Ducks. The last thing they needed was a seven-game series to start the playoffs. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg had their legs against Anaheim after showing signs of wear. Dan Cleary has a knack for showing up at this time of year, and he did against the Ducks. Justin Abdelkader scored a huge short-handed goal in Game Seven. He’s an underrated player who sticks to his role. Goalie Jimmy Howard (2.74 GAA, .911 SP) needs to play better if they’re going to advance.

Outcome: The Red Wings played well enough to win the first round, but they’re overmatched in this one. Blackhawks in five.

email: bgleason@buffnews.com

Buddy Nix’s hits and misses

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:03:17 -0400

How will we remember Buddy Nix’s tenure as Buffalo Bills general manager? With the help of beat reporter Mark Gaughan, we look back on his three seasons and four drafts.

Buddy’s biggest hits:

1) Success with first-round draft picks. You can argue whether the Bills should have drafted a running back with the ninth overall pick in 2010, but you can’t dispute Nix selected a good one in C.J. Spiller. He also drafted opening-day starters Marcell Dareus and Stephon Gilmore.

2) Spending big money. Ralph Wilson trusted Nix to acquire big-ticket free agents, and Nix shocked the football community by nabbing star pass-rusher Mario Williams last year.

3) Trolling the waiver wire. Nix was adept at collecting other teams’ castoffs and turning them into starters. The list includes offensive linemen Kraig Urbik, Chad Rinehart and Erik Pears and TE Scott Chandler.

4) Dumping Aaron Maybin. It takes guts to jettison an 11th overall pick two years after he was drafted. And it was the right move.

5) Stability. Nix provided credibility for a front office that had been reeling since Wilson fired Tom Donahoe. The stunt to bring back Marv Levy as GM was a joke, and Russ Brandon’s stint as GM was just as silly.

Honorable mention: Success with undrafted rookies such as receivers David Nelson and Donald Jones; signing linebacker Nick Barnett; trading receiver Lee Evans for a fourth-round pick.

Buddy’s biggest misses:

1) Hiring Chan Gailey. When Chan Gailey was hired in January 2010, I wrote, “The Buffalo Bills went to Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, examined the menu and went with the grilled cheese.” That wasn’t Gailey’s fault, but after Nix spent weeks wooing the likes of Mike Shanahan, Bill Cowher and Jon Gruden, the Gailey choice was tough to swallow.

2) Failing to identify long-term QB needs. Prior to last month, Nix drafted only one quarterback: 2010 seventh-rounder Levi Brown. Nix drafted bad cornerback Aaron Williams ahead of playoff quarterback Colin Kaepernick and traded up for receiver T.J. Graham when Russell Wilson was on the board.

3) Ryan Fitzpatrick’s 2011 contract extension. The Bills were 4-2 and had legitimate playoff hopes when Fitzpatrick got his new deal. He was on the final year of his contract, and if the Bills had made the playoffs, then they would have risked losing a fan favorite while owning a late first-round pick to draft a quarterback. The deal kept Buffalo from addressing the position moving forward.

4) Letting Gailey hire defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt. Red flags should’ve been waved over the decision to go from a 4-3 scheme under previous head coach Dick Jauron to a 3-4 under Gailey’s first coordinator, George Edwards, and then back to a 4-3 under Wannstedt.

5) Drafting Torell Troup instead of Rob Gronkowski. This entry isn’t so much about Troup being a bust as it is about Nix’s inability to identify how the evolution of tight ends would impact the NFL.

Honorable mentions: Trading Marshawn Lynch for draft picks that turned out to be Chris Hairston and Tank Carder; re-signing pass-rusher Shawne Merriman when injured and cutting him when healthy; giving defensive end Chris Kelsay an extension; drafting kickoff specialist John Potter and then cutting him in-season; too many returned phone calls to Bucs executive Mark Dominik.

email: tgraham@buffnews.com

NHL Playoffs: Kings, Senators picked to win in six

Tue, 14 May 2013 07:04:57 -0400

By Bucky Gleason

News Sports Columnist

Brooks Orpik barely celebrated his series-clinching overtime goal for the Penguins on Sunday before making a point to compliment the New York Islanders. It was a classy display by the Penguins defenseman, who was raised in East Amherst, but Orpik also was speaking the truth.

History will show that the Penguins dispatched the Islanders in six games, but it will not reveal the difficulty for Pittsburgh in the first round. The Isles gave the Pens all they could handle through the first four games. New York was the better team in Game Six, too, before allowing a late goal and falling in overtime.

The Islanders deserve credit for their grittiness and effort, but now you wonder how the Penguins will respond to a similar team in the second round. The Ottawa Senators came together after all the injuries early in the season and made quick work of the rival Montreal Canadiens in the first round, dumping the Habs in five games.

Who wins Pens-Sens, which starts tonight with Game One in Pittsburgh? Based on talent, Pittsburgh should have no problem reaching the conference finals. But given the way Ottawa has come together, don’t be surprised if there’s an upset.

San Jose will travel to Los Angeles to start their second-round matchup tonight. The Sharks have been sitting around after sweeping Vancouver. The Kings dropped their first two games to St. Louis before winning four straight.

Either the Penguins were exposed in the first round by a weaker but more determined team or they will snap to attention and remind themselves about the importance of playing sound defense. The Pens’ goaltending, atrocious when Marc-Andre Fleury was in net for the first four games, appeared to be shored up with Tomas Vokoun.

Here’s a closer look at the two series:Penguins update: Evgeni Malkin had 11 points while Sidney Crosby and Jarome Iginla each had nine against the Islanders. The bad news is that they were a combined minus-2. Fleury (3.40 GAA, .891 save percentage) will remain on the bench until further notice. Vokoun (1.41 GAA, .957 SP) has taken over the net until he loses. Orpik’s series-ending tally was his first goal in 77 career playoff games and first in 106 games overall. The Pens’ power play was deadly, converting seven goals on 21 opportunities to lead the first round.

Senators update: Feel free to check their stats, but the numbers don’t reveal Ottawa’s biggest advantage. The Sens’ strength comes from their chemistry, which was strong in the regular season and was more evident in the first round against Montreal. See: line brawl. They have a great mix of good young players and experienced stars. Twelve players scored in the five games against the Habs. Kyle Turris was tied by two rookies, former Canisius star Cory Conacher and Jean-Gabriel Pageau, for the team lead with three.

Outcome: The Pens’ skill advantage is difficult to overlook, but there’s something about the Sens that makes you think everything is just right. Ottawa, on little more than a hunch, in six games.Kings update: Their turnaround came after goaltender Jonathan Quick made a terrible play to lose Game Two to the Blues. Quick responded with a shutout in Game Three and allowed only six goals in four straight victories.

It was a good thing, too, because Los Angeles scored only 12 goals in the six games. You know about Mike Richards, Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter. The player to watch is Dustin Penner, who had two goals in the first round to match his regular-season total in 33 games. If he gets involved, look out.

Sharks update: Nothing builds confidence like a sweep, but nothing dulls the edge more than long layoffs between series. The key for them after delivering a first-round knockout to the Canucks will be keeping level heads and staying sharp. Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture combined for six of the Sharks seven power-play goals in the four games.

Antti Niemi was solid, allowing only eight goals to the Canucks. Martin Havlat hasn’t practiced since getting injured in Game One. Adam Burish also is out. South Buffalo native Tim Kennedy could see more playing time.

Outcome: San Jose surprised many, including me, with its first-round demolition of Vancouver. The Kings are the Cup champs until proven otherwise. Kings in six.

email: bgleason@buffnews.com

Leafs reward fired up fans with big win

Mon, 13 May 2013 00:08:22 -0400

TORONTO — I had almost forgotten what playoff hockey looks and sounds and feels like. Then I made the trek Sunday to Air Canada Centre. Game Six. Leafs versus Bruins.

Blue and white flags flapping in the breeze atop cars on the Queen Elizabeth Way. Remember those?

Signs festooning the outside walls of the ACC facing Bay Street that read, “The Passion That Unites Us All.” And outside the rink, in an area exploding with high-rise condos and restaurants known as Maple Leaf Square, was a crowd that most folks expected to push 10,000. Yes, outside.

Remember the Party in the Plaza? All that blue and gold the night Chris Drury tied the Rangers in the final seconds? Maxim Afinogenov’s overtime goal? Same kind of feeling, just like it was in downtown Buffalo a little more than six years ago.

Giant HD screen. Crazy fans. Jerseys and funny costumes everywhere. Of course, beer. Lots of it.

(Memo to LeafsNation: Someone needed to tell the dude in the Leafs jersey wearing the bear suit that a “Bruin” is a bear. Might try a different costume next time).

And, oh, did they have something to scream about whether they were inside or out. Leafs 2, Bruins 1. Game Seven tonight in Boston. Not many signature moments in this building since it opened in 1999. This certainly ranks as one of them.

“It’s a special situation for sure, one of those memories you’ll look back on when this is all over,” said goaltender James Reimer, who had a shutout until the final 25 seconds and had the crowd chanting his name all night. “The fans have been unreal and the reception was unbelievable. The atmosphere was better than anything you could have imagined.”

Left for dead after a crushing overtime defeat here in Game Four when captain Dion Phaneuf foolishly pinched in and the Bruins broke down the ice for the winning goal, the Leafs have won two straight as Reimer has stopped 72 of 74 shots. Phaneuf atoned for that gaffe by breaking a scoreless tie at 1:48 of the third period, darting to the net and tipping home a Nazem Kadri shot.

“It felt good for me to be able to get that one,” Phaneuf said. “With our last game in here, I didn’t feel great about the outcome and obviously my decision. I felt I owed it to the guys and luckily I was able to tip that.”

If the Leafs win tonight, it will be the first time they wiped out a 3-1 deficit since winning four straight over Detroit in the 1942 Stanley Cup final. The noise in the building was deafening and word was the scene outside was crazy Sunday.

Imagine what the Square and what Yonge Street might look like with one more win.

“It gives me goosebumps every time I see video of people in Maple Leaf Square going crazy every time after we score,” Kadri said. “That’s the dedication, the passion that people have for this organization.”

“I love the fact the people that couldn’t get ahold of tickets or didn’t want to spend that kind of money still support our team and show up like that,” added winger Clarke MacArthur, the former Sabre. “It makes you want to go out and play extra hard and do what’s right for those people out there.”

The Leafs haven’t been to the playoffs since 2004 and haven’t won a Cup since 1967, but they used to be postseason regulars. They made it 10 times in 12 years from 1993-2004 and lost in the conference finals four times, including the epic seven-gamer against Wayne Gretzky-led Los Angeles in 1993 and the five-game defeat to the Sabres in 1999.

Say what you want about the Leafs and their fans, especially the ones that like to take over First Niagara Center. But the fact is the NHL is far better when this franchise is relevant.

And the Leafs are now. Thanks to Reimer, there’s no more talk about Roberto Luongo – who actually tweeted “Reims for Sochi” after the game. Phil Kessel, Joffrey Lupul and James van Riemsdyk are top-notch forwards. Phaneuf leads a defense full of young talent, with Jake Gardiner looking like a future stud. Randy Carlyle is an upgrade at coach over Ron Wilson. At GM, Dave Nonis has pushed forward with the plan Brian Burke started.

Thanks to cranky fans and a huge, relentless media corps, this is a tough place to play when times are tough. But it’s a great one on nights like Sunday.

“In the early stages of my tenure here, I found my team was nearly paralyzed at home,” admitted Carlyle. “We’ve changed that dramatically. We wanted a new identity, to be a different type of hockey club and make sure this rink was going to be a tough building to come in.”

“Our fans respect what we’ve done this year and we think that goes for not just our fans too,” Kadri said. “I think that goes for everyone else around the league as well.”

Sure does. No matter what happens tonight, it’s pretty obvious the Leafs aren’t waiting nine years for their next playoff party.

email: mharrington@buffnews.com

Turn at center stage shows Ennis, Hodgson still need work

Sun, 12 May 2013 00:10:38 -0400

The Sabres knew from the start they’d have trouble at center. They handed the top spots to Cody Hodgson and Tyler Ennis, a pair of talented, inexperienced guys who’d never carried a team. Buffalo readied for growing pains and hoped to overcome them.

When the season ended, the Sabres were out of the playoffs, Ennis was out of the middle and Hodgson was out of gas.

It takes time to grasp the center position, and Buffalo’s biggest preseason question was how well their young centers would perform under the spotlight. As expected, Hodgson and Ennis had statistical highs and head-shaking lows:

• Hodgson was second on the Sabres in goals (15) and points (34), but he was one of the easiest players to score against in the NHL.

• Ennis tied for the team lead in assists (21) and finished third in points (31), but he struggled mightily when the Sabres were trying to stay ahead.

“It’s been a productive year, but there’s always room for improvement,” Hodgson said.

The focus for Hodgson will be defense. The 23-year-old saw goal lights flashing at both ends of the rink all season. His advance stats feature offensive promise and defensive nightmares.

The Sabres averaged 2.91 goals per 60 minutes when Hodgson skated five-on-five, according to BehindTheNet.ca, a website dedicated to hockey statistics. That number put him ahead of star centers such as Philadelphia’s Claude Giroux (2.90), Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom (2.89) and the New York Rangers’ Brad Richards (2.88).

Hodgson connected immediately with wingers Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville when ex-coach Lindy Ruff formed the line during training camp.

“It was a great opportunity that Lindy gave me,” Hodgson said. “I was able to come in and play with some awesome players right away.”

While his offense was stellar, the other side of Hodgson’s game was a mess. Opponents averaged 3.64 goals against him per 60 minutes while skating five-on-five. Of the 689 skaters who appeared in at least 10 games, Hodgson ranked 665th.

In other words, only 24 players in the league were easier to score against.

Hodgson’s defensive lapses also exhibited themselves in the Sabres’ goaltending numbers. Buffalo’s netminders had an .895 save percentage when Hodgson skated five-on-five, the lowest number of any player on the team. Of the 689 skaters who played 10 games, Hodgson’s team save percentage ranked 589th, according to BehindTheNet.

Ennis struggled in the same categories. The goalies’ save percentage when he skated at even strength was .918, which ranked 19th on the Sabres. Buffalo gave up 2.71 goals per 60 minutes when Ennis skated five-on-five, which put him 20th on the team. He failed to keep up as the Sabres scored 1.87 with him on the ice, the same total per 60 minutes as defenseman Chad Ruhwedel.

Ennis was also a disaster in the faceoff circle, winning just 41.9 percent of his draws. Hodgson wasn’t much better at 46.8 percent.

“Sometimes when you’re in a little bit of a slump, you can start questioning yourself and question your ability,” Ennis said. “That’s not the way you’ve got to think. You’re here for a reason, and you’ve just got to battle out of it.”

Ron Rolston ended Ennis’ battle in the middle with seven games left. The coach moved him to left wing, and Ennis entered the offseason unsure of where he’ll skate next year.

“Being able to play both positions is a good thing,” he said. “I’m glad that I can play center and wing. I’m comfortable in both spots.”

Ennis, unfortunately, was not in his comfort zone when the Sabres had the lead. When he skated five-on-five with Buffalo in front, the opponents were twice more likely to score than the Sabres, according to Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com.

The site tracks the percentage of goals scored by a player’s team while he is on the ice. Opponents scored 66.7 percent of the goals when Ennis was trying to keep Buffalo in front or expand the lead. Ennis’ total of 33.3 percent ranked in a tie for 438th of the 500 players who skated at least 100 minutes with their team ahead.

He had identical woes at home. Of all the five-on-five goals scored in Buffalo while Ennis was on the ice, the visitors potted 66.7 percent of them, according to Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com.

Overall, the opponents scored 58.7 percent of the goals when Ennis skated five-on-five.

As expected, some of the centers’ worst games came against established middle men. Carolina’s Eric Staal tortured Ennis on March 5 in a minus-3 showing for the 23-year-old. Richards and the New York Islanders’ John Tavares sent Hodgson to minus-3 nights.

The Sabres hope Hodgson and Ennis learned from their first season as front-line players. There was a lot to learn.

“I don’t think I’ve been this tired,” Hodgson said. “This year was such a condensed time period where you’re trying to keep learning and the coaching change and all the systems. You just have to continue to keep rolling. At the same time, you’re playing and you don’t have a chance to sit back and analyze it.”

They can now. Most of the numbers aren’t pretty. Some are.

“You’ve got to be optimistic,” Ennis said. “There’s a lot of good pieces, a lot of good, young talent and hard-working guys that want to win. I’m excited about the future.”

email: jvogl@buffnews.com

Sabres assistants Patrick, Adams out

Thu, 9 May 2013 23:42:37 -0400

James Patrick blocked shots in front of Dominik Hasek. He mentored Brian Campbell. He coached alongside Lindy Ruff.

He created plenty of memories in Buffalo, but he won’t add any more as a member of the Sabres.

Coach Ron Rolston fired Patrick and fellow assistant Kevyn Adams on Thursday. The holdovers from Ruff’s staff eased the Sabres’ transition when Rolston replaced Ruff in February, but changes were expected after General Manager Darcy Regier removed the interim tag from Rolston’s title this week.

“I was lucky to be here for 14 years,” Patrick said by phone. “I love Buffalo and I love the Sabres. I was just so lucky to be able to work with great people, especially Lindy. To me, Lindy was the spirit and heart and soul of the Sabres, and to learn from him and work with him was such a great experience.”

Teppo Numminen, an assistant under Ruff for the past two years, will remain with the Sabres, sources said. There was no word on goaltending coach Jim Corsi, who has been with the team for 15 seasons.

Rolston was said to be interviewing assistant coach candidates and is not expected to comment until his staff is complete.

The leading candidate to join Rolston is Chadd Cassidy, his former assistant who took over as coach in Rochester when Rolston was promoted. Cassidy has worked with Rolston since 2006 when they were part of the U.S. National Team Development Program.

“We’ll try to move as quickly as possible, but we want to be thorough about how we do that,” Rolston said Tuesday while estimating the process at seven days.

Patrick and Adams had no previous relationship with Rolston, and sources said neither had a good relationship with Regier. The duo couldn’t help solve the Sabres’ woes on special teams as Buffalo finished 29th in power-play efficiency and 26th in penalty killing.

Patrick arrived in Buffalo in 1998 and played six seasons. The defenseman had a close bond with Campbell, and the four-time All-Star has credited Patrick for his growth as a player.

Patrick joined Ruff on the bench in 2006-07, and the Sabres won the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s top team. He wants to continue coaching and likely would join Ruff when he gets his next job.

Adams was raised in Clarence and returned to the area in 2008 after ending his playing career, which included beating the Sabres with Carolina in the 2006 Eastern Conference finals en route to the Stanley Cup. Ruff hired Adams in 2009 as a player development coach, and he became a full-time assistant in 2011.

Patrick and Adams, both of whom have been praised by former and current Sabres, combined for 1,820 games of NHL playing experience.

“It allows you to know all the situations that players are going through,” Patrick said, “from young, naive, inexperienced players to older players still trying to hang on and can sometimes lack confidence but can still be real good, effective players. I guess what Kevyn and I can always relate to is we know exactly what they’re going through in all those situations.”

Rolston never skated in the NHL, but he can call his brother, Brian, who appeared in 1,256 games.

“He’s somebody that certainly you always have as a sounding board to communicate with,” the coach said. “I don’t know if he’s ready to move into that phase of things yet from player to coach, but he has certainly throughout this process provided a lot of great, great feedback just in terms of players, coaches, systems.”

email: jvogl@buffnews.com and blgeason@buffnews.com

Patrick, Adams out as Sabres assistants

Thu, 9 May 2013 15:43:02 -0400

James Patrick has been in Buffalo since 1998. He played for the Sabres in the Stanley Cup finals. He was an assistant coach when they won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2007.

He’ll always cherish his time, but it’s over now as he and fellow assistant Kevyn Adams have been fired by Ron Rolston. Sources confirmed the decision Thursday afternoon.

Patrick and Adams were holdovers from the staff of Lindy Ruff, and their departures were expected when Rolston had the interim tag removed from his coaching title this week. Neither had a previous relationship with Rolston nor, sources said, a good relationship with General Manager Darcy Regier.

Teppo Numminen will continue working under Rolston. Numminen came aboard as a full-time assistant last summer. It was not clear whether goaltending coach Jim Corsi would be retained.

Rolston is interviewing assistant coach candidates and will not comment until he is finished.

Patrick spent six seasons under Ruff as a player and began working for him after his playing career ended in 2006. He coached defensemen and served as an extra coach with younger players toward the end of his career. Brian Campbell was among several former teammates who praised him for his leadership.

Adams was raised in Clarence and returned to the area after his playing career, which included beating the Sabres in the 2006 conference finals en route to the Stanley Cup, ended with the Blackhawks in 2008. He was hired during the 2011-12 season with no clear job description but ended up becoming an assistant coach.

“I was lucky to be here for 14 years,” Patrick said by phone. “I love Buffalo and I love the Sabres. I was just so lucky to be able to work with great people, especially Lindy. To me, Lindy was the spirit and heart and soul of the Sabres, and to learn from him and work with him was such a great experience.”

The 49-year-old said he plans to continue coaching.

The Sabres ranked 29th in power-play efficiency this season and 26th in penalty killing. They lose 1,820 games of NHL experience with the loss of Patrick and Adams.

“It allows you to know all the situations that players are going through,” Patrick said, “from young, naive, inexperienced players to older players still trying to hang on and can sometimes lack confidence but can still be real good, effective players. I guess what Kevyn and I can always relate to is we know exactly what they’re going through in all those situations.”

email: blgeason and jvogl@buffnews.com

Foligno, Stafford seek turnarounds after off years

Wed, 8 May 2013 23:43:58 -0400

Shortly after being named the Sabres’ Rookie of the Year, Buffalo forward Marcus Foligno summed up the honor.

“I won it by default,” he said.

Foligno was smiling but only half-joking. Despite the Sabres’ youth, there were only a couple of legitimate candidates. He was the lone rookie to spend the whole season in Buffalo, so Foligno’s teammates voted for him.

“I’m happy the guys chose me,” he said, “and I was able to have an OK year.”

No one, however, expected just “OK.” The 21-year-old was counted on to be a top-line player. He ended the previous season with a flourish alongside center Tyler Ennis and right wing Drew Stafford, but the trio fizzled from the outset this season.

Foligno and Stafford spent most of the second half on the Sabres’ bottom lines.

“I had an expectation for myself to carry over from the previous two years and continue to have production goal-scoring-wise,” Stafford said. “It just wasn’t there this year.”

The duo’s stats dropped significantly as the Sabres remained out of the postseason. They were point-per-game wingers during their 13-game run in 2011-12, with Foligno recording six goals and 13 points while Stafford put up seven and 17.

This season, Foligno had five goals and 18 points in 47 games, while Stafford recorded six and 18 in 46 games.

“It was tough,” Foligno said. “That’s the way it goes sometimes. You’re not always happy. It’s not like the effort was not there. It’s just some things aren’t working.

“I thought I had some good games, and just consistency is an area I’ve got to work on.”

Foligno took a significant step back under coach Ron Rolston, who helped turn Foligno into a top prospect in the first place.

Foligno recorded 16 goals and 39 points in 60 games with Rolston in Rochester in 2011-12. During the lockout, the forward added another 10 goals and 27 points in 33 games for the Amerks.

With Lindy Ruff on the Sabres’ bench for the first 17 games, Foligno had one goal and eight points in 16:52 of ice time per game. Foligno averaged 11:47 under Rolston, and the forward had four goals and 10 points in 30 games. He also was scratched once.

Rolston moved Foligno from left wing to center during the final weeks. Foligno won 60 percent of his faceoffs but took just two shots in the last eight games. He still led the team in Corsi rating, which compares the number of shots attempted at the opposing goaltender versus the shots taken at the player’s own netminder.

“The playing time went down at the end of the year,” Foligno said. “For myself, it’s just to really go home and become a better player and work hard this offseason, make sure I’m going back into next season positive with lots of confidence and ready to play.

“I want to be in key situations. It’s there for the taking.”

Stafford also said he’ll work hard, but he enters this offseason with uncertainty alongside his poor stats. He has two seasons left on a four-year, $16 million deal and may not fit into the rebuilding plans of the Sabres.

“As players, all that we can focus on and worry about is what we’re doing to prepare to change within ourselves to be better,” he said. “Whatever management ends up doing, we have to respect that.

“I signed a contract here, and I want to be here. I made that commitment, and that’s something I do want to fulfill. I want to be successful here. I want to help this team be successful.”

He missed his chance this season with scoring droughts of 14, 10 and seven games.

“Going into summer again, we have that bitter taste in our mouths,” Stafford said. “It’s just not a good feeling not playing in the playoffs.”

email: jvogl@buffnews.com

Regier’s plan had Rolston coming back all along

Thu, 9 May 2013 16:53:19 -0400

On the surface, it’s an easy sell when you add up simple facts and ignore history. That’s how the Sabres have operated for years, which is how Darcy Regier remains at his post no matter how many times his teams miss the playoffs, no matter how many gullible owners swallow his nonsense.

The Sabres are rebuilding. That’s actually true. They traded captain Jason Pominville. Franchise goalie Ryan Miller has his house up for sale. Leading scorer Thomas Vanek has his bags packed. Management is planning to find their replacements and structure a foundation through the draft.

Ron Rolston’s resume outlines a man dedicated to developing young players. He became the first coach in USA Hockey history to lead three under-18 teams to the gold medal in the world championships. He had a winning record after taking over for Lindy Ruff last season. All of that happens to be true, too.

Of course, there’s a difference between what’s true and what’s right when it comes to professional sports. Therein lies the problem of Rolston remaining the Sabres’ coach as part of Regier’s genius master plan. This isn’t Slap Shot Camp. The last time I checked, the Sabres played in the National Hockey League. Fans are spending good money, big money, with the idea their favorite teams are doing whatever they can to succeed in the best league in the world.

The objective isn’t developing players.

It’s winning.

Let’s not kid ourselves. There was nothing “interim” about his job title when he signed a multiyear deal in February. He was the guy all along. This is nothing against Rolston, really, but retaining him without completing an exhaustive search goes to the heart of what’s wrong with an organization that’s bent on taking the easy way out.

In two-plus years since Terry Pegula purchased the franchise, management took a team that was a few players away from becoming a Stanley Cup contender and turned it into a small-time operation. They keep selling, and people keep buying whether it’s ownership or an apologetic minority of the fan base or, in this case, both.

The Sabres already jacked up ticket prices after missing the playoffs last season for the second consecutive season and the fourth time in six years. They retained a general manager to clean up a mess he created. And they’re asking fans to pay major-league prices for minor-league hockey, as if they haven’t suffered enough.

Shame on them or shame on you?

Regier isn’t fooling anyone who has a shred of common sense and certainly not anyone inside the game based on hundreds – yes, hundreds – of conversations I’ve had with current and former players and employees. It’s sad they don’t publicly speak up for the sake of change because, really, at one point does it all become insufferable?

It’s a question for Pegula. Good luck getting any real answers out of him.

Pegula should know that Regier had options before keeping Rolston. He could have sent Rolston back to Rochester, thereby making best use of his teaching ability. He could have waited until the playoffs ended to see if any good candidates became available.

You never know what might happen between now and next season. The Rangers could fire John Tortorella, for example, if they get bounced from the first round. Or maybe Alain Vigneault will be kicked to the curb in Vancouver. Coaches are replaced often in other cities, a concept that has been foreign in Buffalo no matter how much the need for change.

There are good, young coaches out there who have good reputations and are ready for the NHL. Toronto Marlies coach Dallas Eakins is considered among the better up-and-comers. Mike Haviland, now in Norfolk, is widely respected. Patrick Roy was another possibility. Something tells me the Sabres didn’t bother calling them.

Looking for someone older with more experience? Former coaches like Marc Crawford and Ron Wilson are available, the way Ken Hitchcock was a few years ago. Or how about Craig Ramsay, who is known for helping players at the NHL level? It wasn’t as if Regier had to worry about teams lining up to steal Rolston away.

Regier instead chose the path of least resistance because that’s what he does. When his decisions fail to work out, he revises history, convinces his bosses that it wasn’t his fault and makes a plea for patience. He talks about making players accountable without being held to the same standard. He takes advantage of naive owners.

In turn, they allow the practice to continue. Shame on Regier or shame on them?

You would think that Pegula was aware that Rolston wasn’t even a finalist for the Penn State job. Rolston wanted the gig but was politely turned away and landed, of all places, in the Sabres’ organization. Two years after joining the professional ranks for the first time in his career, he’s now the Sabres’ head coach.

And now Regier has Rolston precisely where he needs him. Rolston will forever be indebted to Regier for giving him an opportunity when nobody else would. Little does Rolston know that he’s setting himself up to be fired after Regier fails to give him the proper personnel and starts looking for a fall guy.

The decision to keep Rolston was another layer of the same-old, same-old ways of thinking that have led this organization nowhere. Regier made sure he didn’t hire a coach with a strong personality who might actually challenge him. Instead, he wrapped a extra blanket of insulation around him.

Although predictable, Regier never ceases to amaze me.

It shouldn’t be long before he says Rolston was his man all along, you know, going back to the Paul Gaustad trade last year. For him to suggest the Sabres’ rebuilding plan started during the 2011-12 season was an insult to the intelligence of anyone who has watched his work for the past 16 years – and counting.

If the Sabres were rebuilding, Mikail Grigorenko would have been playing 16 minutes per game right away. He wouldn’t have been sent back to junior. He would have certainly played immediately upon his return. After all, given Rolston’s credentials, Grigorenko would have been in good hands in Buffalo, right?

Right.

And so we’re clear, Jochen Hecht was re-signed last summer as part of the master rebuilding plan, too, and not because Regier made a desperate and ill-fated attempt to find a center. Forget that Hecht’s best days were long gone or that the Sabres needed major upgrades. Are Vanek, Miller and Drew Stafford part of the rebuilding plan? I notice that all three, once part of an untouchable core, are still here.

Regier is trying to relieve pressure with the idea that fans and the bloodthirsty media, their term, will be slow to criticize young players because, well, they’re just kids. I don’t own kid gloves. It doesn’t matter if you’re a 19-year-old player or an inexperienced coach. This is the NHL, where only wins and losses matter.

The master plan, you see, is not rebuilding so much as lowering the standards, making them easier to attain and selling it off as achievement. After 16 years, a good decade after the Sabres should have fired him, Regier is adding up simple facts, ignoring history and trying to buy more time.

It’s true. But it’s not right.

email: bgleason@buffnews.com

Sabres' Jeanneret to return for another season

Tue, 7 May 2013 14:47:54 -0400

When the new-look, young Buffalo Sabres return to the ice next season, old pro Rick Jeanneret will be back in the TV and radio booth doing play-by-play.

The 70-year-old Jeanneret, who has been calling Sabres games almost from the team’s inception, ended any speculation about his future Tuesday and confirmed that he plans to be back next season.

“I don’t know how many games I am going to do,” said Jeanneret, who added he has a year left on his contract. “I’ll do most of them. It depends on the schedule. There are several variables. There could be three trips to Florida, which I could handle if I’m already there.”

Jeanneret worked 44 of the 48 games in the just-completed shortened season, missing the first four games because of an illness. He said he feels fine now.

“I’m doing pretty good for an old guy,” said Jeanneret. “I have 70-year-old aches and pains.”

He added the compressed schedule this past season worked out fine because most of the games were on the East Coast and there weren’t many back-to-back games.

While he acknowledged that the Sabres’ failure to make the playoffs was frustrating, Jeanneret put it in context.

“There have been worse years than this year,” said Jeanneret. “They were in it about to the end. As long as you’re competitive and in the mix, it’s not that bad.”

Jeanneret’s return would appear to put an end to speculation that the Sabres are considering having different announce teams work radio and TV.

Greg Ried, the vice president and general manager of WGR and other Entercom stations in town, said a few weeks ago that having separate announce teams would be a consideration only if Jeanneret left the booth and even then it would depend on who would replace him. That is no longer a concern.

“Since Rick said he is coming back, our plan is to have him back on the radio,” Ried said Tuesday.

email: apergament@buffnews.com

Ron Rolston introduced as Sabres’ permanent coach

Tue, 7 May 2013 12:00:44 -0400

Ron Rolston envisioned a day when he could run practice rather than run for a plane. He wanted to manage power plays instead of players’ energy levels. He dreamed of teaching rather than reacting.

His wishes have been granted.

Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier removed the interim tag from Rolston’s head coaching title Tuesday and announced the 46-year-old is staying in Buffalo.

Rolston is excited to experience a full offseason, normal training camp and routine schedule rather than the whirlwind, lockout-altered pace he faced after stepping behind the bench in February.

“That’s a big positive,” Rolston said in First Niagara Center. “You can start from a camp and that’s where it gets back to the one-on-one and getting to know the players better in a longer season and having more time to work with them.

“That provides us as an organization and the coaching staff the ability to be better prepared and to continue on the path where guys will understand even more so than they did this year.”

Rolston was going to stay in the Sabres’ organization one way or another. Regier gave him a multiyear contract extension when Rolston agreed to replace deposed coach Lindy Ruff 17 games into the season, so it was just a matter of determining whether Rolston would stay in Buffalo or return to Rochester.

As Regier watched Rolston coach the Sabres to a 15-11-5 record, the GM decided the interim tag was no longer necessary. A trip back to the Amerks was out of the question, too.

“I was very impressed with the work he did individually and with the players,” Regier said. “I look forward to him continuing that.”

Rolston would have been OK with heading back to the American Hockey League, where he spent a season and a half, but he’s much happier the Sabres’ interview process included him and only him.

“The transition was quick, but when you put yourself in situations, this doesn’t come overnight,” Rolston said. “It’s a process where it’s been 23 years coaching, and it’s a profession, it’s a passion.

“It’s starting from the college level and learning from the coaches that I had an opportunity to learn from and then moved to being a head coach. You keep putting yourself in situations, getting opportunities, and then it’s what you do with those opportunities.

“It was accelerated, yes, but if you keep putting yourself in those opportunities and doing the job and making the place that you are at better, then things seem to happen in a positive manner.”

Regier saw enough positives to scrap his original plan of an open search.

“When we first brought Ron in as the interim coach, that was the intention, to interview other candidates,” Regier said. “As it progressed and seeing Ron’s interaction with the team, both as a teacher and a motivator, as we moved through the season for me personally it became more and more evident that he was a very good fit, not only for the present but for the future.”

The goal for both is to create a studious atmosphere in Sabreland. Rolston came to the organization with a reputation for being a teacher after previous jobs with Harvard, Boston College and the U.S. National Team Development Program. The Sabres were the youngest team in the NHL at times this season, and they’re likely to retain the title next year.

“We’re a sport that I believe can do a lot more than we currently do, and culturally we need to do a lot more than we currently do with respect to us teaching and players learning,” said Regier, who found an ideological match in Rolston. “He didn’t have to be convinced that that work was necessary. He had already done it and been rewarded for it and had won gold medals and had grown young kids quickly and fully. It’s something we need to move to professional hockey. We’re going to continue to advance it.”

Rolston’s first step is determining his assistant coaches, a process he estimated may take a week. Ruff’s assistants – notably James Patrick, Teppo Numminen, Kevyn Adams and Jim Corsi – stayed after the longtime coach was fired. Rolston likely will want his own staff, which could include Amerks interim coach Chadd Cassidy.

“Whether it was James or Kevyn or Teppo or Jim Corsi, just the quality of person there was outstanding,” Rolston said. “Their professionalism in making the transition for me was exceptional. Certainly, that’s appreciated. We’re going to continue to evaluate that and where we want to move forward and what’s the best fit for the team and the personnel that we have.”

Regier said a benefit of having Rolston in place is it lets the organization get to work on next season immediately. The Sabres finished 22nd out of 30 teams, ranked 29th on the power play and 26th in penalty killing, so they need the time.

“There’s a lot of positive things in terms of the personnel in the organization, young players in the organization,” Rolston said, “but there’s going to have to be some patience to them maturing.”

“You’re looking at a team next year that’s a playoff-caliber team that we’ll have here. ... We want to be a playoff team, but at the end of the day we want to be a playoff team that can make long runs and do what we want to do here, and that’s to win a Stanley Cup.”

email: jvogl@buffnews.com

Sabres’ coaching search dragging on

Tue, 7 May 2013 08:55:47 -0400

The last time Darcy Regier and the Sabres searched for a permanent head coach, Buffalo was a hockey city in turmoil.

The team owner disagreed with the general manager. The wife of the late founder participated in an arena-front rally. Players picked sides and threatened to run each other on the opening day of training camp.

This time, calm and indifference seem to rule Sabreland.

Buffalo has been without a permanent head coach since Ron Rolston replaced Lindy Ruff on an interim basis Feb. 20.

Regier met with Rolston last week, and the GM said the fate of the former Rochester coach will be decided “fairly soon.”

If Regier has begun searching for a replacement, the hunt has yet to include Patrick Roy. The Hall of Fame goaltender is coach, GM and co-owner of the Quebec Remparts, who have made the playoffs in all of Roy’s eight seasons on the junior team’s bench. Though Roy is much-discussed in hockey circles, that talk apparently has not extended to NHL general managers.

“As of now nobody contacted him,” Nicole Bouchard, the Remparts’ director of team services and media relations, said via email Monday morning.

Roy has gained interest in Buffalo because he coached the Sabres’ top prospect, Mikhail Grigorenko, and his son, Frederick, plays for the Amerks.

Rolston is believed to be under contract with the organization until June 30. He went 15-11-5 during his 31-game audition, which may have been enough for the permanent post.

If not, the Sabres could ask him to return to Rochester or sever ties completely; the latter is highly unlikely.

“They have till June, basically,” Rolston said after the season finale. “We’ll see. Just like our team, my job was just to come in here and do the best job I could from day to day and control those things. That’s all I can do. The rest will take care of itself.”

Interest in the Sabres’ coaching staff was at an all-time high in 1997. Regier took over as GM on June 11. Ted Nolan won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s top coach June 19, and his contract with the Sabres was set to expire at the end of the month.

Franchise goaltender Dominik Hasek said he didn’t want to play for Nolan on June 23, and two days later – exactly two weeks after Regier took the job – the GM offered Nolan a one-year extension.

It was immediately rejected.

Jean Knox, wife of late co-founder Seymour H. Knox III, rallied for Nolan on June 27 with the backing of owner John Rigas.

Regier hired Ruff on July 21, about six weeks after assuming the GM position.

The Sabres’ season ended April 26, and Rochester wrapped up its year Wednesday, so Regier may need more time to evaluate the candidates based on his last search.

email: jvogl@buffnews.com

Junior team: Roy not included in Sabres' search

Mon, 6 May 2013 15:25:19 -0400

By John Vogl

The Sabres are still without a permanent coach, but it appears Patrick Roy is not in the sights of General Manager Darcy Regier at the moment.

Roy, the Hall of Fame goaltender who is coach, GM and co-owner of the Quebec Remparts, is a much-discussed choice to become a coach in the NHL. But apparently that discussion is only among fans and media.

"As of now nobody contacted him," Nicole Bouchard, the Remparts' director of team services and media relations, told The News this morning via email.

The Sabres have been without a permanent coach since Ron Rolston replaced Lindy Ruff on an interim basis Feb. 20. Rolston went 15-11-5.

Regier said Friday that a coaching decision would be made "fairly soon." Rolston, who was the coach in Rochester, said recently the organization had until June to decide his fate.

Roy coached the Remparts to a 41-22-5 record this season. The Sabres' top prospect, Mikhail Grigorenko, was the team's leading scorer in the playoffs. The Remparts have made the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League postseason every year since Roy stepped behind the bench in 2005-06.

Roy's son, Frederick, plays for the Amerks.

News analysis shows moving up in draft would be prudent for Sabres

Sat, 4 May 2013 23:59:03 -0400

The Sabres’ goals are clearly outlined. Buffalo wants to move up in the NHL entry draft, stockpile early picks and top players, and make the fans’ suffering end as soon as possible.

One is uncommon but wise, another may not be worth it and the other doesn’t necessarily have to happen in the first place.

The Sabres have determined that building through the draft is the ideal way to bring a Stanley Cup to Buffalo. The draft will be held eight weeks from today, giving Darcy Regier time to convince fellow general managers to part with picks or package his for prospects.

The Sabres are set to draft eighth overall, and Regier wants to get closer to No. 1. That’s a prudent move, research shows.

The Buffalo News analyzed the top 30 draft picks taken during a 20-year span, ranging from the 1992 entry draft to 2011. To measure the general value of players taken from No. 1 overall to No. 30, we found the median number of games played and career points produced for every draft spot.

The research shows that teams selecting as late as 27th overall can expect to find a player who will have a lengthy career. However, only the first five teams in the draft can be confident they’ll find a prospect who will play awhile and be a point-producer.

Players selected first and second are usually game-changers. The median players in the study appeared in at least 536 games and recorded up to 387 points.

The normal third overall selection puts up 250 points in 599 games. The fourth pick dips to 417 games and 139 points, but that’s primarily because teams missed on taking the fifth pick, who recorded 232 points in 504 games.

From there, it’s a substantial drop-off. The median sixth pick played 309 games and had 137 points. The player picked eighth, who would go to the Sabres, has a median total of 77 points in 225 games.

There are still serviceable players to be had during the round, but they typically don’t fit into the impact category. The 21st overall pick, for example, was good enough to appear in 359 games, but he put up just 58 points. The 27th pick recorded 63 points in 242 games. The median 30th selection had a mere 34 games and six points.

It’s wise, therefore, to get as close to the top as possible. It’s also why teams are wise enough to keep their picks.

In the 25 drafts since 1988, a top-seven pick has been dealt in 10 of them. There have been a total of 15 transactions as the 1999 draft turned into a swap meet and a pair of deals went down in both 2002 and 2008.

The teams holding the eighth pick have moved up only twice in 25 years. In both trades, the club had to give up a second-round pick to jump just a few spots.

It was definitely worth it:

• In 1992, the New York Islanders dealt the No. 8 pick and a second-round selection to Toronto for the No. 5 pick. The Isles selected Darius Kasparaitis after moving up. The Maple Leafs took Brandon Convery at No. 8 and wound up trading the second-round pick as part of a deal for the 23rd overall selection, Grant Marshall.

Kasparaitis had a 14-year career. Convery appeared in just 72 games.

• In 2004, Carolina sent the No. 8 pick and a second-round selection to Columbus for the No. 4 pick. The Hurricanes picked Andrew Ladd after moving up. Columbus took Alexandre Picard at No. 8 and used the second-round pick on Kyle Wharton.

Ladd is the captain in Winnipeg after winning Cups in Carolina and Chicago. Picard is in Switzerland after skating in 67 NHL games, while Wharton never appeared in the big leagues.

The Sabres feel they are in prime position to rebuild because of a burgeoning number of picks in the first and second rounds. Including the 2012 draft, they are set to have 14 selections in the top 60 in a four-year span, including six first-rounders.

Just as there are differing levels of results for players taken in the opening round, there are differing results for teams that bank on first-round players.

The Sabres had nine first-round selections on their roster this season. They missed the playoffs. Boston had four first-round selections on the team in 2011 and won the Cup. Los Angeles won last season with eight players picked in the first round. Columbus also had eight and finished last.

In fact, the number of first-round players on champions and last-place finishers is similar nearly every season dating to 1999. It ultimately comes down to picking the right players.

Selecting at the top helps. During that 13-year stretch, which starts with the Sabres’ loss to Dallas in the finals, the importance of impact players is evident. Ten of the 13 winners boasted a player selected first or second overall. Two other champions had a No. 3 pick. The only exception was Colorado, which didn’t have anyone drafted higher than sixth when it won in 2001.

The only ways to get a top-two pick are to trade for it or be a bad team. The Sabres have hinted at both, specifically the latter. They’ve prepared their fan base for suffering.

Not every Cup champion has suffered before winning, however. The 1999 Stars made the playoffs in eight of their previous 10 seasons before beating Buffalo. New Jersey won three Cups while making the playoffs in 13 of 14 years. Detroit has made the postseason 22 straight times. Boston had a stretch of three in, two out and four in before winning in 2011.

There also are, of course, long droughts before champagne flows.

The Kings missed the playoffs six times before assembling a squad that won the Cup in its third straight postseason. Chicago was left out for nine of 10 years, then won after the making the playoffs two years in a row. Tampa Bay missed the playoffs a half-dozen times before earning the Cup in its second straight postseason in 2004.

Pittsburgh suffered, but with an asterisk. The Penguins made the playoffs for 12 of 13 years and won two Cups. They then missed for four straight. With seven postseasons in a row, they’ve clearly rebounded.

The Sabres have a plan for rebounding. The outline is clear. The result it will produce is not.

email: jvogl@buffnews.com

Inside the NHL: Crosby still has Hart

Sat, 4 May 2013 23:48:25 -0400

The choice would have been easy if Sidney Crosby stayed in one piece, played the entire season and cruised to another scoring title. If he’s healthy, he’s the most valuable player with no questions asked.

Voting for him became tricky after he suffered a broken jaw March 30 that left him sidelined going into the playoffs. Sometimes, the true value of a player emerges when he’s not in the lineup. The Penguins were without Crosby for a quarter of the season, barely flinched and finished atop the conference by a mile.

And that leads voters to a few questions. Should a player be punished for not playing a full season when it comes to postseason awards? Or because he had a good team around him? Or because he doesn’t play the most valuable position, which is goaltender?

Alex Ovechkin scored 22 goals in his final 21 games and carried the Capitals to another division title with a 16-3-2 finish. They were lost while he struggled early in the season, and his streak was directly related to their turnaround. He finished with a league-high 32 goals, putting him on pace for 54 goals in a full season, and 56 points in 48 games.

What to do?

After much consideration, Crosby still ended up being my choice for the Hart Trophy. Ask me tomorrow, and it could change to Ovechkin. With a little shove, I could be convinced that Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was the MVP.

Bobrovsky would have received stronger consideration if the Jackets made the playoffs rather than falling short. He posted a 21-11-6 record with a 2.00 goals-against average, a .932 save percentage and four shutouts for a lousy team. Columbus is nowhere near the playoff race without him.

He’s my choice for the Vezina Trophy, given to the NHL’s top goaltender, just ahead of Henrik Lundqvist. The Rangers netminder had a 24-16-3 record with a 2.05 GAA and .926 save percentage while playing with a much better collection.

Here are my other award winners:

Norris Trophy (top defenseman): PK Subban, Canadiens. He had a late start after a contract dispute before showing he was worth every nickel. He had 11 goals and 32 points in 42 games. His point total would have been second among all Sabres’ skaters, and his goal total would have been second.

Selke Trophy (top defensive forward): Jonathan Toews, Blackhawks. He’s one of the best all-around players in the NHL but doesn’t get the credit he deserves for defense. Toews is rarely out of position, kills penalties and can keep up with anyone. He also was plus-28 and won 59.9 percent of his draws. The Blues’ David Backes deserved consideration, too.

Calder Trophy (top rookie): Cory Conacher, Senators. Nail Yakupov and Jonathan Huberdeau tied for the rookie scoring lead with 31 points, but Conacher (11 goals, 29 points) was better. The former Canisius College star made a smooth transition after being traded from Tampa Bay to Ottawa, which can be difficult for anyone.

Lady Byng (most gentlemanly): Matt Moulson, Islanders. The left winger had 44 points (15 goals) in 47 games while averaging 19 minutes. He had two minor penalties all season. Diehard Bills fan Logan Couture had only two minors while scoring 21 goals for the Sharks. Both are very good and very clean.

Jack Adams (top coach): Paul MacLean, Senators. Ottawa was ravaged by injuries, but you didn’t hear them leaning on that excuse. He lost his top two skaters, Jason Spezza and Erik Karlsson, for nearly the entire season. Goalie Craig Anderson also was sidelined for an extended period. The Senators still made the playoffs.Senators defenseman Eric Gryba’s hit on Canadiens unsuspecting forward Lars Eller was horrifying, but it didn’t warrant a suspension. What might have looked like a headhunting expedition was actually a defense exhibition.

Gryba stepped in the play and flattened Eller with a shoulder. He didn’t raise his elbow or leave his feet, which is what players are taught in their first day of checking.

The Habs were furious, even more when Senators coach MacLean came to Gryba’s defense and suggested Eller shouldn’t have had his head down. MacLean could have been more sensitive, but he was right.

“I don’t care what that bug-eyed, fat walrus has to say,” Canadiens forward Brandon Prust said.

If someone is looking to assess blame, they should start with Raphael Diaz for throwing Eller the suicide pass up the middle. It left him searching for the puck in his feet and left him vulnerable for the big hit Gryba delivered.Look for the Flyers to be among the busier teams in the offseason after GM Paul Holmgren managed to survive a miserable year in which they missed the playoffs. Even when they’re in good shape, Holmgren doesn’t mess around.

Former Sabres captain Danny Briere is a primary candidate for a buyout, which would free them of his $6.5 million cap hit even though he has only $5 million left in actual dollars left on his contract. Management anticipated this point six years ago, which is why his eight-year deal worth $52 million was front-loaded with big money.

Ilya Bryzgalov, thought to be the answer when they signed him to a nine-year, $51 million deal, also could be bought out. He has seven years and $34.5 million remaining on the contract, so it would mean paying him $23 million to hit the road. Several teammates want him out of town ASAP.

The Flyers are desperate for a top defenseman. It would likely mean trading away Matt Read or Sean Couturier and a draft pick. Brayden Schenn would give them even more in return, but it would mean picking up a star.We’ll see how it all shakes out, but I would be surprised if Thomas Vanek landed anywhere but Minnesota after his seven-year contract worth $50 million expires.

Vanek already made more money than he imagined before signing the deal. No matter where, or if, the Sabres trade him, his top priority after the 2013-14 season will be finding a team that can contend for a Stanley Cup title.

It would not be surprising if he accepted less money after next season for an opportunity to play for a good team. The Wild already have Zach Parise and Ryan Suter locked into long-term deals and appear committed to winning a Cup by any means possible.

Vanek spends his offseasons in Minnesota, his wife’s home state. The chances would improve greatly if Jason Pominville, his linemate in Buffalo, signed an extension for the same reason.

email: bgleason@buffnews.com

No word on Rolston’s fate

Fri, 3 May 2013 23:27:54 -0400

Darcy Regier will announce Ron Rolston’s fate in the near future, the Buffalo Sabres’ general manager said Friday.

Regier and Rolston met earlier this week about whether to remove Rolston’s tag of interim coach. Rolston went 15-11-5 after coming up from Rochester in February to replace Lindy Ruff.

“No decisions yet,” Regier told reporters in Rochester as part of the Amerks’ locker clean-out day. “Fairly soon in the case of the head coach in Buffalo, and then Rochester will follow. Those are conversations we’re going to have.”

Regier again said the team is interested in moving up from the eighth spot in June’s draft.

“I have talked to the teams that are in front of us, or most of them, and if we’re in a position to move up it’s something that we would entertain doing,” Regier said, “but we also feel this is a deep draft.”

--John Vogl

Video: Bucky and Sully analyze Sabres’ news conference

Fri, 3 May 2013 20:53:03 -0400

News Sports Columnists Bucky Gleason and Jerry Sullivan discuss the Sabres' heated, end-of-season news conference during the live show.