With the 2011-12 Buffalo Sabres ending in disappointment and after a few weeks for us to gather our thoughts, it's time for us to issue our report cards on the season. Over the next few weeks, we'll grade every player that wore a Buffalo Sabres uniform in 2011 and 2012, from Luke Adam to Mike Weber.

Introduction: The local boy had another season marked by injury, playing in only 63 games. However, would you believe that 63 games played was actually a new high mark for Kaleta during his NHL career? Kaleta had never played more than 55 games in a season. These durability issues, coupled with a decline in offensive production over the past two years would lead the average onlooker to think the Sabres wouldn't be too quick to bring the restricted free agent back next year. However, Kaleta's value to the team isn't in the scoring department, and the Sabres' front office has already expressed interest in bringing him back next season. Add in the fact that the market for his services shouldn't be all that hot, and it's easy to expect Kaleta to continue his career close to home. But should it be that much of a no brainer? Take the jump to read more and vote:

Continue reading this post »

With the apparent contract extension of Alexander Sulzer, it leaves the Buffalo Sabres with another logjam at defense with seven NHL ready defensemen on the current payroll and another seemingly ready defenseman waiting in the wings. As we have seen in the past, having eight or nine NHL ready defensemen is not a bad thing with the string of injuries that the team has suffered in the past few years. With that said, it gives the team a chance to move a defenseman to clear up some cap space or make some moves to bolster the roster. Here are the defensemen that are most likely to be moved.

Jordan Leopold ($3,000,000 cap hit, UFA after 2012-2013 season)

Leopold seems like the ideal candidate for a team that would want a solid defenseman that can contribute 20 points a season. A nine year veteran, Leopold had 10 goals and 14 assists in 79 games last season for the Sabres. His offensive zone start percentage of 52.5% was third among defensemen that played at least five games for the Sabres.

Leopold will probably not be moved in the offseason, but depending on how the team performs next season, could be a good rental player for a team looking to contend for a playoff spot.

Mike Weber ($950,000 cap hit, RFA after 2012-2013 season)

Mike Weber has often been the odd man out in the Sabres defensive rotation as there have always seemed to be more credible defensemen to play in his spot. Weber has played no more than 58 games in a season, that coming in the 2010-2011 season. Last year, Weber had one goal and four assists in 51 games and was a team worst -19 as well.

Weber could be a useful young defenseman with some limited upside for a team looking to rebuild and could be a throw in piece as part of a deal to essentially sweeten the pot much like Chris Butler was in the Robyn Regher deal.

Brayden McNabb ($900,000 cap hit on entry-level contract, RFA after 2013-14 season)

Brayden McNabb made a little headway with the Sabres at the end of last season as he was an adequate defensive replacement when the Sabres ran through their string of injuries. At this point though, it would appear that McNabb would have to start the season in Rochester with the logjam at defense that already exists. In 25 games last year, McNabb had one goal and eight assists with the big club and in Rochester he had five goals and 25 points in 45 games.

For McNabb to be traded, the Sabres would have to be pursuing something big as McNabb is currently listed as the second best prospect in the organization according to Hockeys Future.

19:18

That was the average time on ice Alexander Sulzer had during his 15 games with the Buffalo Sabres. That is the highest average TOI among any of the teams that he has played for. His three goals is a career high and he had a career best two goal game as well for the Sabres. That offensive production will disappear next season has he will regress back to his average mean of possibly getting one goal in the season.

The Sabres shouldn't expect the same kind of production out of Sulzer next season. He has never scored more than one goal in a season and his cap hit is relatively small compared to all of the other defensive contracts. Sabres fans should expect no more than a solid defenseman that is going to play approximately 12-15 minutes a game. If the Sabres rely on him more than that, then there are some serious issues at work.

According to Capgeek, the Buffalo Sabres have re-signed Alexander Sulzer to a one-year, one-way, $725,000 contract. Sulzer was acquired by the Buffalo Sabres as part of the Cody Hodgson/Zack Kassian deal at the trade deadline last year. In 15 games with the Sabres, Sulzer had 3 goals and 5 assists, which are the most points Sulzer has had with any of the four teams he was a part of in his four seasons.

This leaves the Buffalo Sabres with seven defensemen under one-way contracts with Brayden McNabb now waiting in the wings with two years left on his entry-level deal. The team has three more restricted free agents to re-sign in Tyler Ennis, Patrick Kaleta, and TJ Brennan and a projected $5.7 million left in cap space if the salary cap does not change in the offseason.

Here is your daily dose of Buffalo Sabres news and notes to start the week, though unfortunately this week we must begin with a heavy heart. The blue and gold lost a member of their family as former first round pick Paul Cyr passed away on Saturday.

- Former Buffalo Sabre forward Paul Cyr was found dead at age 48 from a heart attack. [Sabres.com]

- Rick Jeanneret is undecided about retirement, though he did earn an honorary doctorate over the weekend from Canisius College. [BSN]

- A season review of the Sabres rookie call-ups. [Sabre Noise]

- Mark Pysyk's Oil Kings opened the Memorial Cup with a win. [Sabres Prospects]

- NHL owners only have themselves to blame for a CBA that needs to be redone. [Buffalo News]

Continue reading this post »

With the 2011-12 Buffalo Sabres ending in disappointment and after a few weeks for us to gather our thoughts, it's time for us to issue our report cards on the season. Over the next few weeks, we'll grade every player that wore a Buffalo Sabres uniform in 2011 and 2012, from Luke Adam to Mike Weber.

Introduction: Much like Batman, Zack Kassian became an idea that transcended the man himself in the minds of many Sabres fans. A first round pick with big size, the toughness of a Russian bear, and scoring touch to boot? Sign me up!

Unlike Batman, however, Kassian never quite lived up to the idea of himself here in Buffalo. While he certainly laid out some impressive hits as a Sabre, he never really seemed to enjoy using his physicality, and didn't seem to be the aggressive pinball on the ice that the Sabres drafted. After being traded to Vancouver at the deadline, many Sabre fans moaned and groaned about how the team would never recover from losing Kassian's unique blend of size and scoring, or at least the idea of what his size and scoring might someday become. Whether Papa Kass will grow into the Milan Lucic 2.0 that Sabres and Canucks fans wanted still remains to be seen, but let's examine his first NHL season after the break.

Continue reading this post »

With the 2011-12 Buffalo Sabres ending in disappointment and after a few weeks for us to gather our thoughts, it's time for us to issue our report cards on the season. Over the next few weeks, we'll grade every player that wore a Buffalo Sabres uniform in 2011 and 2012, from Luke Adam to Mike Weber.

Introduction: Cody Hodgson was not, I think, solely acquired to help the Sabres make the playoffs this past season. I believe that Darcy Regier acquired him to fill the void of "#1 center" for future seasons. Much like he gave up the future potential of Zack Kassian to acquire Hodgson, this was a move made for the 2012 season and beyond.

That belief makes it tough to grade Hodgson for this season. Not only did he only play 20 games for the Sabres, his offensive production dropped off after the trade, whether to a new team, new city, or the rookie wall. However, the kid is part of the team (and hopefully a big part) so we'll take a look at his numbers after the break.

Continue reading this post »

Happy Friday, everyone - unless you live in the US, Canada, or specifically Phoenix. The Coyotes went down 3-0 last night to the unstoppable juggernaut that is Los Angeles.

- Do the Sabres struggles trace back to how Lindy Ruff handles his players? [Two In The Box]

- A season in review for Jhonas Enroth. [Sabre Noise]

- The memorial Cup tournament begins today. [Sabres.com]

- Andrej Sekera helped knock Canada out of the IIHF World Championship. [WGR]

- A season in review for Amerks stud Phil Varone. [Sabres.com]

Continue reading this post »