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.
Introduction: For a deadline player, Raffi Torres probably could not have made a larger thud in the lineup. While that seems like a harsh thing to say, Torres’ time in Buffalo was fairly unforgettable. Torres registered 5 assists in 14 games with the Sabres and more importantly, no goals. His play was lackluster enough in the playoffs that he was benched for the final two games. Whether Torres’ career takes off after Buffalo is yet to be seen, but he won’t register much in the hearts of Sabres fans.
Voting: On a scale of one to ten, one being the lowest and ten being the highest, grade Raffi Torres 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.
Thumbs Up: Raffi Torres came into the Sabres with a lot of promise. His 19 goals led the team when he joined back in early March. He was touted as a player that played with a lot of grit and had some offensive scoring touch behind it which was something that the Sabres desperately needed at the time. Many around the league thought that the Sabres were winners at the trade deadline with this deal.
Thumbs Down: Torres couldn’t live up to all of the hype. His play was lauded by fans at times and he never seemed to get find that scoring touch in the lineup. Worst of all, Torres suffered a wrist injury early in his time as a Sabre which affected his play and was another factor in what was a disappointing stretch with the Sabres. Sabres GM Darcy Regier had this say about Torres and the deal after the season ended:
“It didn’t benefit him, and it didn’t benefit us, and it didn’t work,” Regier told the Buffalo News. “When we looked at him, we looked at him from the standpoint of a bigger body and somebody who had played well in the playoffs for Columbus in the previous year. Quite honestly, me personally, I wasn’t looking at his 19 goals as much as I was hoping that he could give us some competitiveness and board work in corners.
“I felt badly for him. He’s an unrestricted free agent, and he’s a good player, and I hope things work out very well for him.”
What rating does Raffi Torres deserve for his time as a member of the Buffalo Sabres?
| 1 | 90 |
| 2 | 60 |
| 3 | 38 |
| 4 | 21 |
| 5 | 16 |
| 6 | 4 |
| 7 | 2 |
| 8 | 2 |
| 9 | 1 |
| 10 | 3 |