Mancari a man among boys
Big forward faces crucial camp
Mark Mancari wants to prove he’s ready for the NHL. Scratch that. Mancari needs to prove he’s ready.
Mancari looks like a man among boys at the Buffalo Sabres’ rookie camp this week. He should, quite frankly. The 23-year-old has got five years on some of the kids. The reason he’s there, though, is because he’s spent three seasons in the Sabres’ organization and has just three NHL games to show for his time.
It’s not unheard of for players to skate three years in the minors before making the jump. Jason Pominville and Paul Gaustad took that route before becoming Sabres mainstays. But four years is uncommon, so it’s clear Mancari has to prove his worth soon.
“There’s times when it looks like he’s going to push through,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said Wednesday. “You would think this would be the year when he’d have to make a statement.”
Mancari is fully aware of his situation. He’s embracing it.
“Definitely,” he said. “I’m really excited this year. I’m comfortable on the ice. I’m comfortable playing pretty much any role.”
Mancari has a lot going for him.
To start with, he’s a tank. During one of his first training camps a few years ago, Sabres veterans kept asking, “Who’s that big guy?” They should see him now. He’s 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, and he has learned how to use it better.
“I’m more aware of where I am [on the ice], and I think I’m a little bit stronger on my feet,” Mancari said. “Before, I finished hits and I had no problem doing it, but my balance wasn’t always there. I think I’ve got my legs a lot stronger.”
That was evident during Wednesday’s scrimmage in the Amherst Pepsi Center, when he checked one opponent to the ice and flattened another who came to defend the first one. He showed a scoring touch, too, ringing a hard wrist shot in off the post during shootout drills.
Mancari certainly can shoot. He set an American Hockey League record last season with a 102.8 mph slap shot during the All-Star Game skills challenge. It was part of a year in which he led Rochester with 57 points. He had 21 goals.
“I was happy with how things turned out for myself, but it was hard for me with our team,” Mancari said of his woeful Amerks squad, which went 24-46-10. “But as a personal goal, yeah, I’m pretty happy with how I played and being able to play in the All-Star Game.”
It never translated to an NHL call, however. He watched as forwards Patrick Kaleta, Clarke MacArthur and Marc-Andre Gragnani went up to the Sabres.
“I’ve just got to leave it up to the coaching staff,” Mancari said after a long pause about the situation. “Obviously, I want to be here, and I wanted a chance to play. I wanted a call-up.”
Showing he has improved as a skater would help his cause in this crucial camp. He’s looked fine against the rookies, but that has to continue when the veterans take the ice Saturday. Until then, he’ll continue his dual role of showing the new guys the right direction while trying to leave them behind.
“It’s a little different for me now, coming in and probably being the longest [tenured] guy here,” Mancari said. “It’s trying to make the young guys comfortable and at the same time knowing what I have to do, learning over the last three years what I have to do to make this club.”
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Sabres veterans will scrimmage at 10 a. m. Saturday in HSBC Arena to help start “Puck Drop 2008,” the daylong celebration of the opening day of training camp. The team’s new third jersey, which incorporates the original logo with the new colors, will be unveiled following the scrimmage.
Individual game tickets go on sale at 9 a. m., and other “Puck Drop” events include the debut of a 110-foot Winter Classic mural in the pavilion, live music from noon to 2 p. m., the Sabres’ Adult Street Hockey Fest outside the arena and an autograph session following the jersey unveiling. Admission and parking are free.
