Training Camp Profile: Adam Mair

From now until the season starts on October 3rd, we will take a look at the players making the squad and try to answer the main question that is going to be asked about them this season.  For now, we look at center Adam Mair.

Adam Mair has always played the same role for the Sabres since he started in the 2002-03 season, a fourth line grinder.  Mair is the physical type center that a team likes to have to grind down and wear out an opposing team and along with Patrick Kaleta and Matt Ellis, they did a fairly adequate job in doing so.  The main question Mair faces this season is whether his hip injury is going to affect his performance during the season?

Mair missed most of training camp last season with a hip injury and went under the knife shortly before the season started to correct the problem.  This now means that he will miss at least the first couple of weeks of the season.  When Mair comes back, how will his repaired hip affect his play and will he practically be the same player he was before the injury?

The physical nature of Mair's game leads to injuries and will most likely affect the way he plays the game.  That being said, if Mair can top his eight goals and 19 points from last season, which would be a career high, the loss of physicality could be overlooked.  Mair has average 104 PIM over the past six seasons with the Sabres and another 80-90 penalty minute season would certainly not be out  of the question.  Injuries are unpredictable and ultimately we are not going to know how this will affect Mair, but as of now it seems as it shouldn't.  Besides injuries can't change things like this: