Vanek and Afinogenov Back in the Lineup?

by David Oleksy on Mar 2, 2009 9:22 PM EST

It looks like Thomas Vanek and possibly Maxim Afinogenov will be back in the lineup for the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night against the Habs. The Sabres offense has struggled badly in the past couple of games and has been wildly inconsistent since the injury to Vanek. The return of Vanek is welcome news with the team currently in ninth place and 19 games left in the season.

The return of Afinogenov...well that is a different story. It's unknown whether or not he will even be on the team when the Sabres and Canadiens Face-off on Wednesday night. Afinogenov has long been rumored to be traded out of Buffalo and that speculation increased this week with his comments about being unhappy.

With the return of Afinogenov and Vanek, the Sabres now have 15 healthy skaters. If my math is correct...and it is...that leaves the Sabres with enough forwards for five lines. The five lines look like this as per the Sabres Edge this afternoon.

Vanek	Roy	Stafford
Kotalik	Connolly	Afinogenov
Hecht	Gaustad	Pominville
Kaleta	Ellis	Paille
MacArthur	Mair	Peters

The lines listed above are certainly intriguing for a couple of reasons. First of all as listed above it would look like MacArthur-Mair-Peters would be scratched from the lineup, even more interesting is the trade possibilities. The second line is being termed the "trade line" because all three players are unrestricted free agents at the end of the season. If they are indeed traded away there better be someone coming back in return because the scoring woes would probably get worse with the second line of Hecht-Gaustad-Pominville.

The countdown is on to the trade deadline and things will probably start heating up tomorrow morning. The rumors are a plentiful and the possibilities endless. I'll have much more on the deadline tonight and tomorrow.

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Comments

With the return of Afinogenov would also mean that Butler would be sent down due to the fact that it would put the Sabres over the roster limit.

by Zachary Zielonka on Mar 3, 2009 7:39 AM EST reply actions

Rosters

I believe that the roster limit is lifted after the trade deadline…which could explain why they waited till now.

D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere

by David Oleksy on Mar 3, 2009 8:34 AM EST up reply actions

Yep

rosters are increased after the trade deadline.

16.4 Active Roster Size; Playing Roster.
(a) For the 2005/06 League Year and thereafter, there shall be a maximum of
twenty-three (23) Players on each Club’s Active Roster at any one time, provided,
however, that, on the date of each season’s Trade Deadline, a Club’s Active Roster may
be increased to any number of Players the Club, in its discretion, so determines, subject to
Article 50 hereof.

That was copied directly from the CBA…so if the Sabres make no trades they can stay at a 24 man roster if they want to.

D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere

by David Oleksy on Mar 3, 2009 8:44 AM EST up reply actions