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.
Andrej Sekera
#44 / Defenseman / Buffalo Sabres
6-0
197
Jun 08, 1986
2009-2010 Grade: C
Contract Situation: He is set to make $1.25 million next season
Introduction: Many hoped this would be a breakout season for Andrej Sekera and instead it was a mystery. Sekera could look great at times and other times he would look like he never stepped on the ice before. He did not seem comfortable when he wore a Sabres uniform this season, which could be due to the difficulty of playing Lindy Ruff's system. Sekera played his best when he was wearing the Slovakian colors, whether that be at the Olympics or at the World Championships.
Voting: On a scale of one to ten, one being the lowest and ten being the highest, grade Andrej Sekera on his season according to the expectations you had for him. If he met them, give him a five or a six. If he eclipsed them, aim for a seven or beyond. If he failed to meet them, give him a lower number relating to how poorly he missed the target.
Key Stat: Sekera played in only 49 games this season and spent much of his time watching as a healthy scratch.
Thumbs Up: Sekera seemed to provide offense from the blueline when he was inserted into the lineup. He scored four goals and had seven assists in his 49 games played. He quietly played a physical game on the blueline despite being known as a smallish defenseman that contributes offensively. Sekera had 43 hits on the season which was good for a player on a less than physical team.
Thumbs Down: Inconsistency. As mentioned above, it was difficult to figure out what Sekera would do on a nightly basis. Just when you think he might have turned the corner, he regresses and struggles once again. Most of his struggles came in the defensive zone where he was prone to giveaways and was often out of position. Sekera finished the season as a minus-1 rating but it could have been worse if not for the offense at the other end.
Discuss: Will Andrej Sekera ever be comfortable playing "the system"? Should the Sabres try to trade Sekera while he is young and might still have some value in the trade market?