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NHL Photo of the Day

Feb 9

Posted by EB in NHL Photo of the Day | No Comments

Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images

Hockey players have long memories and definitely have a good enough memory to recall when Buffalo Sabres netminder Ryan Miller was plowed over by Boston Bruins Milan Lucic earlier in the year, sparking a media frenzy over the cowardliness of the Sabres. It seems the Sabres were doing good record wise before that point, but have fallen down to near bottom of the Eastern Conference. Perhaps all that media attention was too much.

Last night saw the Bruins at the Sabres. Sabres Head Coach Lindy Ruff was not behind the bench after breaking a rib earlier in the week to a freak accident in practice. Sabres fans were worried.

Have no fear for Ryan Miller and the Sabres stepped up their game, nearly unrecognizable to the Sabres of late, but more to the Sabres that were expected to play this year. The final score, 6-0 in favor of the Sabres. Miller was solid, Tyler Ennis, Ville Leino, Jason Pominville and Andrej Sekera all had two point nights, and Lucic of the Bruins had a target on him all night long.

The two teams went back to old-time hockey; three fights and four 10-minute game misconducts assessed. It’s good to know the Sabres still have some fight left in them and that playoff hockey is around the corner.

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Buffalo Sabres trade talks increase while team struggles

Jan 18

Posted by Chris in News | No Comments

The Buffalo Sabres appear to be in a state of disarray after an embarrassing loss to the Detroit Red Wings Monday night in which they let up five goals in the first two periods, prompting head coach Lindy Ruff to pull netminder Ryan Miller, and at times looked displaced and heartless.

Several players sounded off about the loss, including Miller, who is a native of Michigan and played in front of family and friends last night.

“It’s embarrassing,” said Miller, whose brother Drew plays for the Red Wings. “I got family and friends here. Everybody came to watch Drew and I play. At least they got to watch Drew perform.”

Buffalo captain Jason Pominville also commented on the loss stating, “The injury excuse isn’t what this team is about. We have enough guys in the lineup to win games and we’re not doing it right now. We have to find a way.”

The Sabres currently sit 11th overall in the Eastern Conference – seven points out of a playoff spot. Injuries have hampered the team, but key offseason additions have failed to live up to expectations as well. Ville Leino, who scored 54 points last season, including 19 goals, only has 10 points so far with three goals. These numbers are far from what the team expected when they signed Leino for a $4.5 million cap hit over the summer.

Miller himself has also struggled in net, posting a 3.12 goals against average along with a .898 save percentage – some of the worst numbers of his career.

“It’s not good hockey. It’s not good from top down,” Miller said of the team’s play along with his own. “I need to be better. I can’t seem to find a night where I can get in a groove.”

Going 2-6-2 over the last 10, the team’s recent struggles have prompted early discussion about their intentions come trade deadline time. Unless things dramatically improve over the next few weeks, the Sabres will likely be sellers. But who on the roster might be on their way out?

Brad Boyes, Paul Gaustad and Jochen Hecht are all potential unrestricted free agent that may have some value. Outside of those three, Tyler Myers is an interesting name to consider. Some rumor mongers have suggested that Buffalo may be willing to part with Myers as he has not developed like the team had hoped thus far. Myers is in the last year if his entry level contract before his new contract kicks in next season with a $5.5 million cap hit. Still, the likelihood that the team trades Myers remains slim for the time being.

Until then, Miller seems adamant that a roster overhaul won’t change what currently plagues the team.

“If you guys really think there’s going to be any kind of trade made anywhere that’s going to affect this team any more than we can affect it in this locker room, you guys are just … I don’t know,” said Miller. “I don’t know what to think because there’s no such trade.”

Coach Lindy Ruff also sounded off on the team’s recent woes and recent trade speculation surrounding the team.

“I’m under the premise that a one player trade deal can work at times,” Ruff said. “I’ve seen a lot of them where it doesn’t have any impact. The only way you’re going to succeed is by uniting as a team and getting through this.”

Ruff continued: “One player isn’t going to make a difference. A lot of times that one player leaving is a good player, and you’re getting a player from another team that had been having a tough time over there. It can work in situations. There are other times when it doesn’t make any difference at all.”

The immediate future looks rough for the Sabres as they face off against the Blackhawks, Jets, Blues and Devils before the All-Star break at the end of next week. All of those teams are playoff teams right now and the Sabres desperately need the points if they intend to make a push for a playoff spot themselves.

 

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Todd Bertuzzi’s 360 Spin Goal

Jan 17

Posted by Eddie in Media | No Comments

Last night in the Detroit-Buffalo game the Red Wings set a franchise record with 15 consecutive wins at home. In addition, Pavel Datsyuk passed the 700-point plateau with three assists in the game. All-Star goalie Jimmy Howard recorded his fifth shutout of the season as the Red Wings routed the Sabres 5-0.

Todd Bertuzzi has been on a tear after starting the season off slow. In the first 14 games of the season he had only three points. But he’s turned it on as of late with 20 points in his last 24 games. In tonight’s game he had a goal and two assists and one of the best goals you will see this season as he slid a backhand spin-o-rama past Ryan Miller for the fourth goal of the game. He was pulled seconds later when Darren Helm scored 13 seconds after Bertuzzi. Miller didn’t have a good stretch of hockey between the first and second periods as he allowed four goals in a goal of 6:21 between the first and second periods.

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Ryan Miller run over by Jordan Tootoo in first game back

Dec 4

Posted by Chris in Media | No Comments

Ryan Miller returned to the lineup last night after missing a month of action thanks to a concussion sustained during his run-in with Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic. However, it appears as if open season on the Buffalo Sabres goalie may have continued into last night as Miller had yet another run in, this time with Nashville Predators forward Jordan Tootoo, who seemingly drives the net hard and then leaps into Miller. Miller responds quickly to the incident and climbs on top of Tootoo and throws a few good lefts at his head. The rest of the Sabres players on the ice come to the aid of their goalie and get involved in the scrum as well.

This video can be viewed two ways. First is the obvious conclusion. Tootoo, known for being a gritty player who plays on the edge, saw the opportunity to run Miller and took full advantage of it. The other view is that Tootoo simply couldn’t stop after being shoved from behind by Sabres defender Christian Ehrhoff and tried to leap over Miller and avoid contact.

Personally, I think it’s a bit of both. Tootoo sees the opportunity to drive the net hard and obviously takes it. He receives the shove from Ehrhoff and loses the puck and has enough time to pick up his head and see that he is about to collide with Miller. Tootoo leaving his feet seems to be a result of the collision with Miller, not a conscious effort to avoid Miller. In fact, looking at the slow motion replays in the video, there appears to be no effort to avoid the collision at all.

Tootoo was assessed with a game misconduct on the play. Miller stayed in the game and the Sabres ended up beating the Predators 3-2.

What do you think? Did Tootoo run Miller on purpose or was the collision purely a result of Tootoo being unable to avoid contact?

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Milan Lucic Runs Ryan Miller

Nov 14

Posted by EB in News | 1 Comment

Over the weekend, Boston Bruin Milan Lucic ran over goaltender Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres. Lucic was assessed a 2 minute minor for charging while Miller eventually left the game with an upper body injury. What could seem an intentional or unavoidable based on your viewpoint, an argument seems to be developing; are goalies free game if outside the crease?

According to the NHL Rulebook, rule 42.1, Charging as it pertains to goalies:

…

A goalkeeper is not “fair game” just because he is outside the goal crease area. The appropriate penalty should be assessed in every case where an opposing player makes unnecessary contact with a goalkeeper. However, incidental contact, at the discretion of the Referee, will be permitted when the goalkeeper is in the act of playing the puck outside his goal crease provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such contact.

Lucic has a hearing with league disciplinarian Brenden Shanahan about the incident. There, Shanahan will decide if the collision was indeed unavoidable or if Lucic intended to hit Miller. If the hit is deemed an actual hit, expect Shanahan to come down hard on Lucic for his actions. Like it or not, a goaltender is a pivotal part of the game, one that needs to be protected against unneeded and unwarranted hits.

The teams will face each other 5 more times throughout the year.

HWB is participating in “Movember” to raise funds for Pancreatic Cancer Research. Make a difference, make a donation.

 

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2011-12 NHL Season Preview: Buffalo Sabres

Sep 7

Posted by Matt in Season Previews | No Comments

Tyler Myers of the Buffalo Sabres

Tyler Myers will have a career season for the Buffalo Sabres in 2011-12

Key Offseason Additions: Ville Leino, Christian Ehrhoff, Robyn Regehr

Key Offseason Losses: Tim Connolly

Last Season Ranking: 7th in East

Offense: Much like last season, the offense will be lead by the dynamic Thomas Vanek. He had a bit of a rebound season in 2009-10, and posted 32 goals and 41 assists. His 41 assists tied a career high, and his 73 points were the most since he tallied 84 points in 2006-07. Also expected to contribute big numbers will be Drew Stafford, who collected career highs in goals and points last season, with 31 and 52, respectively. Stafford’s impressive numbers came during an injury shortened season, where he only played in 62 games. His Sabres teammates know what he’s capable of, however, and when he posted hat-tricks on four separate nights, not a single one of them was surprised. In fact, Stafford contributed seven multi-goal games last season and will be counted on to do a lot of the same in 2011-12.

Joining the Sabres crew this year will be Ville Leino, former Philadelphia Flyer. Leino excelled during the 2009-10 playoff run, after being traded to Philadelphia from Detroit, then continued his solid play into last season. His 53 points would rank fifth on an offensively charged Flyers squad. Leino was brought in to the Sabres organization with the expectation that he could continue to improve his game, and point totals as well. If he continues to battle in high traffic areas and drive to the net, Leino should make a big impact in Buffalo this season.

Another player primed for continued success this season is Tyler Ennis. Last year, as a rookie, Ennis piled on 20 goals and 29 assists. Playing alongside guys like Jason Pominville, a perennial 50-60 point scorer and Paul Gaustad, he’ll be given a great opportunity to improve. Ennis could see time playing alongside guys like Leino, Brad Boyes, Derek Roy or Nathan Gerbe as well.

Defense: An upgraded defense will put the Sabres back on track to help Ryan Miller dominate games. Christian Ehrhoff and Robyn Regehr join a Sabres defense that will be much more poised with them in the line-up. These guys bring a lot more credibility to the blue line, especially on special teams. Ehrhoff will be a monumental addition to the power-play, while Regehr will help keep the puck out of the net on the penalty kill.

After struggling in his sophomore season, Tyler Myers will return to top shape this season. If paired with Ehrhoff, they will make a very respectable top defensive unit, and will be a great threat on the power-play. As Myers continues to put size on his 6’8″ frame, he will be more of a physical threat in addition to his defensive and offensive talents. Expect career highs in goals, assists and points from Myers this season, as he continues to grow into his role.

Goaltending: As long as Ryan Miller is in net, the Buffalo Sabres will not have much to worry about. Last season, Miller continued his strong play and posted a .916 save percentage, along with a 2.59 goals against average. While neither was a career high, they were still fantastic numbers. His five shutouts did match a career high, however, and it was actually Miller’s third consecutive season posting five shutouts.

HWB Playoff Prediction: Playoff bound. The signing of Ville Leino, growth of some young talent, and defensive signings will put the Buffalo Sabres back into the race for the Stanley Cup.

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Hockey World Blog Season Previews 2010: Buffalo Sabres

Sep 7

Posted by Matt in Season Previews | No Comments

Key Offseason Losses: Tim Kennedy, Toni Lydman, Henrik Tallinder, Raffi Torres

Key Offseason Additions: Jordan Leopold, Shaone Morrisonn, Rob Niedermayer

Last Season Ranking: 3rd in East

Offense:

The Buffalo Sabres carry a very skilled pair of centerman to anchor their top two lines in 2010-11. Leading the way is Derek Roy, the teams leading scorer from last season with 69 points. He will continue to be productive this season, and should post similar numbers to the past few seasons. Next in line is Tim Connolly, a highly skilled play maker. Unfortunately, Connolly hasn’t been healthy enough to play a full season in the NHL since 2002-03. Last season, however, Connolly made great strides and posted 65 points in 73 games, including a 16 game point streak (25 points) in December and January. Barring any serious injury, Connolly is capable of a 70-80 point campaign. He has great success on the power play and will see a lot of time there as well.

On either wing, the Sabres look good. Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek are potential point per game players, but have both failed to realize that potential in recent seasons. Their lack of production hasn’t hurt the team, however, as players such as Jochen Hecht and Drew Stafford add some secondary scoring. Look for the wingers to pick up their productivity this season as they come in stronger and more experienced to their role in Buffalo.

Further on down the line, you’ll see Buffalo continues with their depth players and secondary scoring. The addition of Rob Niedermayer will provide veteran leadership as well as a guy who can go out, skate hard, block shots and kill penalties. Mike Grier will see a similar role. He’s a big guy and should be able to throw his weight around a bit and create some energy when necessary.

Defense:

Leading the way on defense will be the reigning rookie of the year, Tyler Myers. He had an exceptional rookie campaign, shutting down the opponents top players, as well as leading the defense in scoring with 11 goals and 37 assists. New to the team this year will be Jordan Leopold and Shaone Morrisonn. Leopold joins his fifth team in three seasons, and looks to finally have a home. Expect him to get settled into his new role quickly, and become a solid defenseman as he has been in the past. Shaone Morrison should fit in well with the Sabres too, and will prove to be a nice addition.

Ryan Miller is approaching his prime and should put up great numbers again in Buffalo.

Ryan Miller is approaching his prime and should put up great numbers again in Buffalo.

Goaltending:

Ryan Miller was an absolute stud last year, in case anyone doesn’t remember. Besides leading Team USA to a silver medal in the 2010 Olympics, Miller set personal bests in both goals against average (2.22) and save percentage (.929) during the NHL campaign. His 41 wins was also a personal best. This season, he will be back between the pipes for the majority of Buffalo’s games, and seems to just now be approaching his prime as his numbers have continued to improve year after year. On the rare night when Miller is due for a rest, we’ll see Patrick Lalime take his place. Lalime will be a steady backup, but if Miller is out for any extended period of time, the Sabres could be in trouble.

Season Outlook:

While Buffalo is playing in a very competitive Northeast Division, they should still remain near the top of the pack if Miller is healthy. Low scoring wins will be the Sabres specialty again this season, unless the offense puts up the numbers that they are truly capable of. Expect the top forwards to put up roughly 70 points, with Tyler Myers only getting better on defense as well. Ultimately, Miller will be the star of the show, however, and as he goes, so do the Buffalo Sabres.

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Fantasy Hockey Draft Preparation 2010 – Goaltenders

Aug 30

Posted by Chris in Fantasy | No Comments

With NHL training camps set to begin about four weeks from now, it’s time for fantasy hockey managers to start reengaging their brains and begin planning for their upcoming Fantasy Hockey Draft. Most drafts will take place in the latter-half of September, but it’s never too early to start looking for that gem of a late-round pick, the underrated talent who is set for a breakout season or the veteran presence who is due for a rebound year.

Today’s Position: Goaltenders

Goalies can make or break a great fantasy season. Think of it this way – you have15 or so players on your roster to help you win in approximately 10 offensive categories and then you have two or three goalies to help you in approximately five goalie stat categories. Seems a little lopsided, don’t you think? That is why you need to secure a good goaltender if you intend to make a serious push at becoming league champion. Here are a couple names that could help you out.

If You Want Wins – Brodeur. Enough said. If he stays healthy he will start between 60 and 70 games and will win more than half of those. He will also give you a decent amount of shutouts as well.

Jimmy-HowardFor An All-Around Good Goalie – Take Ryan Miller. Not only did Miller post excellent numbers last season, but he solidified himself as an All-Star goaltender with an amazing outing at the Olympics as the starting goaltender for Team USA. Miller will give you solid numbers all around.

The Secret is Out On – Ilya Bryzgalov. Forty-two wins last season and a career-best 2.29 goals against average, this guy is the real deal and so is Phoenix.

Don’t Be Afraid to Take a Chance On – Jimmy Howard (pictured). As long as Howard can make the saves that he is supposed to make, he will get a lot of help from a newly rejuvenated Red Wings squad. Expect Howard to be solid in all goalie stat categories this season.

Look for a Rebound Season From – Marty Turco. Now in Chicago, Turco will have a better defensive core in front of him that will surely help him reclaim his game.

Look for a Breakout Season From – Antero Nittymaki. Nittymaki had a good season last year with a subpar Tampa Bay squad where he posted 21 wins and a 2.87 goals against average. Any shortcomings as a net minder this season may be erased by San Jose’s potent offense. Expect 30 or more wins this season.

Keep An Eye On – Everyone. It’s so difficult to predict which goalies will thrive and which goalies will fail on any given night or during any given season. Remember that some of the best goaltenders in recent years probably went undrafted in most fantasy hockey drafts. I certainly don’t know anyone who drafted Antti Niemi, Tuuku Rask or Jimmy Howard out of the gate last season and all three of those players managed to stay at the top of the league in goalie stats.

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NHL Award Finalists and Picks Part 3

May 11

Posted by Eddie in News | No Comments

Part one can be found here, while part two can be found here.

Vezina Trophy: Best Goaltender

Finalists:

  • Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
  • Ryan Miller, Buffalo Sabres
  • Ilya Bryzgalov, Phoenix Coyotes

Interesting how the three finalists for the most outstanding goaltender went one-and-done in the playoffs. All three goalies are outstanding in their own way. All three competed for their native countries in the Olympics, despite Brodeur getting benched after the first matchup against Miller and the United States. Brodeur was the workhorse of NHL goalies as he led all goaltenders in games played (77) , wins (45) , and shoutouts (9). Miller kept his hot streak going after the United States Olympic run as he posted a 9-2-1 record after the Vancouver games. He also posted a .929 save percentage while winning 41 games. Bryzgalov was the one of the trio who had more of a breakout season. He posted career-high’s in games played (69), wins (42), and shutouts (eight). His season also led to the Coyotes posting franchise best marks in wins and points in a season.

My Pick: Bryzgalov

GM of the Year

Finalists:

  • George McPhee, Washington Capitals
  • Don Maloney, Phoenix Coyotes
  • David Poile, Nashville Predators

The work of a general manager is like walking a fine line. If the team has a successful season, the GM is given credit for assembling a fantastic roster. If they start to lose games, the finger is pointed at them. The three finalists this season has either seen the fruits of their labor some to fruition or has kept their team competitive in the salary cap era of the NHL. McPhee and Poile didn’t have to tinker with their teams as much as Maloney had to, but they did enough to have their team keep improving over the course of the season. McPhee signed Mike Knuble to help Alex Ovechkin and Niklas Backstrom form one of the most powerful lines in the NHL. Poile was patient in Nashville, as the team was struggling early in the season. Instead of blowing it up right there, he let coach Barry Trotz work it out before making moves at the deadline to push Nashville into the seventh seed in the playoffs. Maloney had a tough situation last off season as he couldn’t make any moves due to the team being in bankruptcy court and not knowing his operating budget. He did what he could, and fielded a young, competitive team to  make the playoffs and bring fans back to the arena.

My Pick: Maloney

Washington defenseman Mike Green is a finalist for the Norris Trophy. Last season he finished second behind Boston's Zdeno Chara.

Washington defenseman Mike Green is a finalist for the Norris Trophy. Last season he finished second behind Boston's Zdeno Chara.

Norris Trophy: Most Outstanding Defenseman

Finalists:

  • Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
  • Mike Green, Washington Capitals
  • Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks

It’s weird to see a Norris Trophy finalist list without seeing Nicklas Lidstrom. Could it be the end of an era of one of the best defensemen in league history? The three finalists up for the award this season is part of the youth movement the league is going for. Mike Green has both the offensive and defensive capabilities that’s needed for a top notch blueliner. Green finished runner-up to Zdeno Chara last season, and lead all defensemen this season in goals, assists, points, and power play goals. Doughty would be the second-youngest winner, behind Bobby Orr. Keith posted career high’s in goals, assists and points while finishing second behind Green in assists and points.

My Pick: Green

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Most Valuable Players Thus Far

Jan 26

Posted by Matt in News | 2 Comments

With every team having played at least 50 games, I think we’re approaching a good time to start talking about the league’s most valuable players this season. I’ve separated my choices into three different categories to make things easier, the Most Valuable Goalie, the Most Valuable Defenseman, and the Most Valuable Player. Let’s jump right in and take a look.

Most Valuable Goaltender: Ryan Miller – Buffalo Sabres

Ryan Miller was the clear cut choice for me. Several other goalies could make a case, but Miller has been absolutely clutch this season and the Buffalo Sabres would not be where they are today (1st in the Northeast Division, 3rd in the Eastern Conference) without his stellar play.

While he hasn’t won a game in his past three starts, Miller has still put together some great numbers. His 2.09 goals against average is 2nd in the NHL, sitting only behind Chicago backup Antti Niemi. Miller is also currently posting a .933 save percentage, the highest in the league. Along with those impressive stats, Miller is tied for 4th in wins with 27 and tied for 3rd in shutouts with 5.

Honorable Mention: Martin Brodeur, Craig Anderson, Ilya Bryzgalov

Most Valuable Defenseman: Duncan Keith – Chicago Blackhawks

Duncan Keith has really turned into a solid and reliable defenseman for the Blackhawks. His offensive skills, as well as his ability to shut down the oppositions best players, has turned him into an irreplaceable piece of the team. On most nights, you can find Keith playing 25 minutes or more.

Keith is putting together a career year offensively, and you can expect him to get better as he enters his prime. So far this season, he has posted 11 goals and 35 assists for 46 points in only 52 games. His point total is 2nd to only Patrick Kane, and he also ranks 2nd on the team in +/- with a +18. Only 11 of his points thus far have come on the power-play, so Keith is not only a threat there, but especially even strength. Duncan Keith definitely has a bright future with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Honorable Mention: Mike Green, Drew Doughty, Tyler Myers

Henrik Sedin is currently the Most Valuable Player in the NHL

Henrik Sedin is currently the Most Valuable Player in the NHL

Most Valuable Player: Henrik Sedin – Vancouver Canucks

Where would the Canucks be this season without the outstanding play of Henrik Sedin? In case you haven’t been paying attention this season, he is playing out of his mind. Since the start of December, he has only failed to score a point in two games. This has resulted in point streaks of 9 games, 10 games, and his current 5 game point streak. His point total over that that is 48, through 10 goals and 38 assists.

The Sedin line is probably the hottest line in the NHL. Other lines may come close, but you can’t touch the production he has had this season. As we stand today, 52 games in for the Canucks, Henrik has already set a career high in goals with 24. He’s currently 19 assists shy of his career high of 71, which he will break in approximately 10 games at his current pace. Alongside those numbers, his 76 points are only 6 shy of tying a career high. Did I mention the Canucks have only played 52 games? At his current pace, Henrik Sedin will have no problem breaking the 100 point barrier and leading the Canucks to the playoffs. His strong play will be most crucial if the Canucks plan on making a run at the Stanley Cup this spring.

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