Contract: Signed through the 2020-21 season (so forever) making $4 million this year.
Report Card Grade in 2013: B
Introduction: Ehrhoff signed a monster deal in the summer of 2011 for 10 years with it being front loaded in terms of payment (a no-no since the latest lock-out) that has now leveled out at a cool $4 million a season. He’s one of the few veteran players on the team with 11 years of NHL experience. That was enough to earn him an A on his sweater. This season was rough for everyone but Ehrhoff managed to keep his stats similar to previous years.
Key Stat: Umm, years in the NHL? Can we use that? Much like last year’s key stat Ehrhoff lead the team with TOI this year at 23:54 a game. Myers was the next closest but over 2 minutes behind at 21:53. Ehrhoff’s veteran status is clearly something the Sabres relied on and his ice time showed that. His consistent production doesn’t hurt either, especially on a team where that’s hard to find elsewhere.
Thumbs Up: Ehrhoff’s power play skills stand out here. He has 12 power play points, only trailing Ennis and Hodgson. The team’s power play struggled this season finishing second from last at 14.1% but Ehrhoff provided as much support as he could from the blue line on a team that couldn’t score even when they had the man advantage.
Ehrhoff also managed to lead the team in assists with 27 and finished 4th overall in points with 33, and the best Corsi numbers of all defensemen while playing against the toughest competition. Not too shabby..
Thumbs Down: Plus/Minus for sure. On a team with only 1 player above 0 (McNabb who only played 12 games) you have to expect it to be bad but Ehrhoff was a -27 trailing only Mike Weber on the team and finishing 7th from last in the league overall. Having almost 24 minutes of ice time on a team with a -93 goal differential doesn’t help either but these are rock bottom numbers.
Memorable Moment: Nice save on a game tying goal chance? Open net to clinch a game? All against Toronto? I think that qualifies.
Voting: We’re grading on a curve this year, adjusting for the Sabres organizational ineptitude. So, using the good old grade school system of A, B, C, D, F, with A representing a great season (for the Sabres) C an average season, and F a very poor season (again, for the worst team in the league) grade Christian Ehrhoff on his performance this year.
Relative to the historic awfulness of the 2013-14 Buffalo Sabres, how would you rate Christian Ehrhoff’s season?
| A | 117 |
| B | 291 |
| C | 106 |
| D | 16 |
| F | 7 |