A Look Ahead: Behind the Sabres Blue Line

By Chris

The new hockey year is fast approaching. Free agency opens up on Tuesday and soon we'll be looking forward to October when the Sabres season begins anew. As WGR has been calling it, "The Road to Redemption." Sounds kind of lame (it is) but after all success the team has had the last two seasons, it's somewhat fitting. Somewhat. The 2007-08 season pretty much was The Road to Perdition, after all.

Let's see how the team stacks up on defense and in goal.

On D, three of the top four spots are locked up. Henrik Tallinder, Toni Lydman and Jaroslav Spacek will be around. If the Sabres don't bring anyone in via free agency or trade, the fourth spot is Andrej "Balls" Sekera's to lose.

Given a full offseason to train and get healthy, the prospects are there for Tallinder to have his most productive season since 2005-06. And if Tallinder is going strong, Lydman plays better as a result. If that pairing is going strong, confidence can trickle down and make the entire unit better. It was that consistency that's been missing the last year and a half or so, mainly due to injuries to Tallinder.

Spacek really stepped up into a leadership role last season and was the team's steadiest defenseman, even when paired with a contract-weary Brian Campbell whose play crumbled under that added pressure. Spacek will sure up the powerplay and will hopefully continue to be a leader on a team that is still very much looking for its identity.

It may seem like a pretty big jump for Sekera to go from the seventh defenseman to a top four guy, but in the salary cap era, it seems players are expected to take up larger roles at younger ages. Especially now that players reach free agency at younger ages, they have less time to prove themselves. Sekera is going to be a restricted free agent at the end of next season. If he impresses enough this year, he could be looking at a big payday this time next year. Things can happen that quickly.

The development of Sekera and how much the Sabres want to rely on him should factor largely into how active they're going to be in the free agent market. If they feel that he can step in this year, will they look to signing a top four guy?

I think they have to. Figure the Sabres sign a guy like Brooks Orpik to, predicting inflation due to the Shea Weber deal (three years, $17.5 million), something around a five-year $28 million deal. If everything goes according to plan, a player like Orpik would certainly reduce Sekera's ice time and his price tag at the end of the season. Either way, this might be Spacek's last season in Buffalo as he enters a contract year. While Sekera would be a five this year, he would certainly be in the top four in 2009-10.

In that season you're looking at Tallinder and Lydman both going into the final year of their respective deals, a player of Orpik's caliber, Sekera, Mike Weber and Nathan Paetsch (mainly because he will still be under contract). That's a very strong starting six (on paper) that would probably cost the Sabres somewhere in the $16 million range (assuming the free agent will make $5 million and Sekera's salary skyrockets to $3 million). Keep in mind that the team spent about $17 million last season when you factor in the contracts of Lydman, Tallinder, Paetsch, Dmitri Kalinin, Teppo Numminen, Nolan Pratt and Brian Campbell. As salaries keep rising, the Sabres could be looking at a very cost efficient defense in two years, especially if they strike out at a free agent this year.

In addition to Orpik, on the free agent end, Darcy Regier and company could be looking at John-Michael Liles, Mark Streit or way under the radar, a player like Ron Hainsey (a 27-year old, 6'3'' 211 pound defenseman, who made only $900,000 last year while averaging over 20 minutes a game and scoring all eight of his goals on the powerplay for Columbus). I don't even want to hear those Brian Campbell-might-want-to-come-back rumors.

I'm assuming a lot here, mainly because it's difficult to predict exactly what the Sabres will do. They could very well move Sekera into the top four, re-sign Teppo as the fifth man, and rotate him with Paetsch and Weber to round out the corps. Bringing back Pratt is always an option as well, but it would make the most sense to choose between Numminen and Pratt as the resident "old guy."

2008-09 Salaries:
Jaroslav Spacek $3.300 million
Toni Lydman $3.150 million
Henrik Tallinder $2.9 million
Nathan Paetsch $800,000
Andrej Sekera $$659,000
Mike Weber $551,000
----------------------------
Dmitri Kalinin UFA (Darcy already said Kalinin's days in Buffalo are over)
Teppo Numminen UFA
Nolan Pratt UFA


In goal, the Sabres are looking to give Ryan Miller a long term deal. Whether or not Miller would be interested is another story. He's a top eight goalie without question, but with the market, he'll be making top four money. Look at Henrik Lundqvist's six-year $41.25 million deal as a benchmark for what Miller will be looking for. However, if I were the Sabres, I would front load the contract as much as possible so it's easier to move him in three or four years (especially if that Enroth kid really pans out).

I'm a huge Miller fan; we wouldn't have gotten anywhere in the playoffs in 2006-07 if it weren't for his heroics, but you need to keep all of your options open. In three years, if Enroth is the better choice, then at least the opportunity to trade a long term contract is there. That's a worry for another day, though.

Who is going to back Miller up in 2008-09 is the bigger question. The free agent pickings are slim to say the least. The Jocelyn Thibault Experiment backfired terribly but it makes sense to bring in someone with experience instead of letting a young unknown take up the role. Perhaps the Sabres could snatch up a Johan Holmqvist, Patrick Lalime, J.S. Aubin or even an Alex Auld.

Buffalo just needs someone reliable that can play around 20 games and hopefully win half of them. As long as the backup gives the team a chance, it's definitely an upgrade over the black hole that was on the end of the bench last year.

2008-09 Salaries:
Miller $3.5 million
--------------------
Dead to us (Thibault) UFA

Balls!

by Ryan

Guess who's back?



I'm not so sure about the logic here, but I guess shaking things up is good. We'll have to see if replacing one crappy D for another, less experienced crappy D will change anything.

I'm not even going to address Andrew Peters.

Also, the numbers we all need to know according to Mirtle M.D...

10-5-1

Let's hope that first number starts going down some.

A Trip to the Farm

By Chris

I took a road trip down the 490 last night to take in my annual holiday Rochester Americans game. Had to take in some Dinosaur Bar-B-Que first, of course.

They didn't really look all that impressive early on, depsite a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission but played a strong second and coasted in the third to pull out a 4-1 victory.

Marek Zagrapan registered two goals and an assist and might just be the real deal when he gets his chance in the NHL. Zags does so many things well. He's a great skater, has arguably the best set of hands on the team and even finishes his checks. His assist came when he hit Peter Aston for a breakaway as he skated out of the penalty box. He's got great vision and has the potential to be a star when he's ready.

Speaking of finishing checks, Pat Kaleta is a missile. He just takes runs at everyone and everything. If he's going to want a job in the NHL, he's going to have to learn to be very responsible in his own end, and he's getting the opportunity to improve in that area by playing on the penalty kill. He took a cheap shot late in the third, and although he didn't play another shift, he didn't go to the locker room either. Got treatment on the ice, skated on his own to the bench and just sat down. Kaleta's a warrior. If he ever makes the Sabres, he's going to be one of those guys that you either love or have to pretend to love if you don't want your fanhood questioned.

Andrej Sekera and Mike Weber showed why they are Rochester's top defensive pairing. Sekera looks great, but not quite ready to handle the NHL full-time. Weber is big and mean. I personally liked what I saw from him in his brief stint with the Sabres and he can only get better. Both players should make strong cases as to why they should be in the NHL out of training camp next fall.

In net was Panthers product Tyler Plante. He's got the skills and fundamentals to make it to the NHL but I'm not sure how far he's going to go as long as his mask has Ricky Bobby and Chazz Michael Michaels on it.

It's a shame that when I head out there next year, there won't be any Sabres on the roster. Maybe a second road trip to wherever that may be.

Andrej Sekera is Straight Up Gangster

by Ryan

iTunes playlist doesn't lie. I mean, look at the kid.



If that face doesn't say "AYO TECHNOLOGY!!" I just don't know what does.

A View From the Roost: Blues 11/28

by Ryan



A stinging, 4-3 final from HSBC Arena tonight.

Lots to talk about...

- Sekera=balls. It's been said before, but Sekera just isn't cutting it on defense. I know he was a star and got his first goal and that's just fine and dandy, but he looks flat out over matched when he's out there. Being paired with Lydman isn't helping because he is forced onto the ice more often. I know to some that means the coaches trust him more, but to me that means more chances to make terrible, mind numbing mistakes.

- Sekera and Sparky teamed up for the worst defensive pinch in the history of the world tonight. That second goal was gift wrapped because MacArthur made a lazy play, Andrej pinched, and no one felt the need to back check. It didn't take long for me to understand Lindy's comments about stubborn, youthful play tonight.

"Something has spooked the Andrejes"

- Jason Pomminville listens to nancyboy music. I know he had a nice goal tonight, but the boy needs to borrow someone else's iTunes playlist. Hidden behind that borderline garbage hip hop are some sorry pop songs. Jason, I know the ladies love you, but you need to step it up. Let Stafford pick your music for you and score some goals.

- The overall lack of scoring is a topic we will address later, but tonight was a good example of why we don't score many goals. Two of the three Sabres goals were off excellent passing plays, but when those don't work we simply shut down. Sticks between the legs and a power play conversion are nice and pretty, but I want to see goals off of good effort in the corners and forced turnovers.

- Max="Boobs" tonight. No way we sit him in favor of Petey (that would be a trainwreck), but something has to give with him. A lot of people think Vanek should be criticised as well, but I thought overall Vanek had a decent game on both ends.

- Timmy needs to shoot the puck. He had two assists tonight and was the only Sabre to finish with a plus, but that man will pass in every scoring attempt he's involved in. He went in on a 2 on 1 tonight and I swear Mike Ryan didn't pass to Timmy because he knew he would just give it right back to him. Assists are nice, but when you have the puck point blank you have to pull the trigger.

- I have been extremely impressed with Dan Paille over the past few games. He is slowly creeping up into positive +/- numbers, and has been all over the place on both ends of the ice.

The perfect representation of his play came tonight after a turnover in the offensive end. A 4 on 2 comes back the other way, and Paille skates full throttle all the way back to crush the puck carrier as he hesitated at the blue line. A year ago he would never make that play, nor the great forecheck play in the Caps game that set up Hecht's second goal. He was a -2 tonight (heck, almost everyone was a minus something) but he looks to be one of the few players putting that kind of effort in on both ends.

Speaking of that kind of effort...

- The Caruba Collision was an awful choice tonight. Fat Crosby-Paille's aforementioned hit was waaay better than the shot Goose had, but somehow the crowd felt otherwise. If anything, this shows how much respect the fans have for Goose. You hear that, Lindy? Give the people what they want.

Captain Goose for December

One final note...

- The funniest moment of the night stemmed from the Mike Ryan/Barret Jackman scuffle. After the penalties were assessed I yelled out the obligatory "You suck Jackman!" A little boy in the row below echoed me by saying "You suck Jackass!" I, of course, felt horrible and am surely going to hell. It's not my fault a seven year old has a dirtier mind than I do...


This layoff will feel like forever after the shoddy defense that led to tonight's final. However, a rest after a stretch of games like this may be just what the Sabres need to keep the climb out of the basement moving in the right direction.

Tweaking the roster (and Kotalik's knee)

By Chris

The Buffalo Sabres sent three more players down to Rochester in preparation of Friday's Opener against the New York Islanders.

Forwards Mark Mancari, Marek Zagrapan and defenseman Michael Funk will be all suiting up for the Amerks to start the season.

Adrej Sekera seems to have that seventh defenseman spot locked up with Teppo Numminen out of the line up for the foreseeable future. Practicing with the Sabres will be beneficial to his development, even if it only for a few months.

Also staying up with the big club is winger Clarke MacArthur. "The General" will be filling in for Ales Kotalik, who may miss the opener with a knee injury. The sniper led the Americans in scoring last season with 63 points. Hopefully he'll be able to take full advantage of the limited ice time he'll see.

So we'll probably see this on opening night, judging from Monday's practice:
Vanek-Roy-Afinogenov
Hecht-Connolly-Pominville
Paille-Gaustad-Stafford
MacArthur-Mair-Ryan
Peters

Tallinder-Campbell
Spacek-Lydman
Kalinin-Paetsch
Sekera

Miller
Thibault

Is it Friday yet?