It's time to put the finishing touches on the 2009-2010 season for the Buffalo Sabres. Here is a complete report card of every single player that played any amount of time with the Sabres this season. The journey will begin with Chris Butler and conclude in almost a month with Thomas Vanek. Thanks to Japers Rink and Mile High Hockey for the inspiration.
NHL Stats
AHL Stats
Key Stat: Enroth would have been the Pirates starting goaltender in the AHL Playoffs but suffered a left ankle sprain on March 13 that kept him out the rest of the season. The Pirates were swept in four games in the first round of the playoffs against the Manchester Monarchs.
Vote: It's time to vote on the play of Jhonas Enroth. Last season we used a letter grade but this season we are adapting the Japers' Rink method of rating. Every player has expectations before the season begins. This ranking should be based off of those expectations. Since most fans had no expectation on Enroth and given his limited time in Buffalo, please vote on your future expectations with 1 being not likely to be apart of the Sabres in the near future and 10 being apart of the Sabres in the near future.
2009-10 Season: Jhonas Enroth's season in Buffalo was a very short one. It consisted of one game coming on November 7th against the Boston Bruins. He allowed four goals on 37 shots and according to our very own Rafal, was really let down by the play of his teammates.
In Portland, Enroth was a much better player. In 48 games he went 28-18-1 with five shutouts before an ankle sprain derailed his season. The Pirates finished second in the Atlantic Division with a 45-24-11 record.
Salary: Enroth has one year left on his entry-level deal that will pay him $866,666 when he plays in the NHL.
Future Prospect With Sabres: With Patrick Lalime's contract ending this season, the Sabres will be in the market for a backup goaltender for Ryan Miller. GM Darcy Regier made it clear that the Sabres will be looking for a veteran backup for the 2010-11 season. Regier's thoughts from the Buffalo News:
"All I'll say is he's a good prospect," Regier said. "One of the things you struggle with in the analysis is, is he better here as a backup playing infrequently or is he better in the minors playing all the time?
"You want to get him at the highest possible level. When you bring a player here, you recognize that he's going to be in a more specific albeit more limited role in the National Hockey League than he is in the minor leagues. There are benefits of understanding that role and playing in it, and there's also the risk of plateauing as well."
Whether we see Enroth in Buffalo may depend on what Regier believes is best for the player. Hockey's Future ranks him as the second best prospect in the Sabres organization and could be used as trade bait if the Sabres feel that he will be stuck in the AHL for his stay in the organization.