#5 in the East: Buffalo Sabres

The last prediction was bold. This one is even bolder.

The Sabres are fortunate enough to have a new owner – and one that cares to boot. Pegula has bottomless pockets and will spend whatever is needed to make this team a contender. Good job Terry, you have done just that! And with the sturdy Ruff behind the bench, Buffalo is set for another successful season.

On offense, the Sabres look almost identical to the previous season – just replace Connolly with Leino. Leino is a tremendous hockey player, but the length and amount of his contract are questionable. Regardless of the price tag, he will provide useful skills to this line-up. His determination, especially around the net, will help the Sabres cash in on scoring chances. He also creates a lot of open ice for his teammates by drawing opponents away from their position. I’m hoping this season ends the ebb and flow of Vanek. With so much talent, he should be one of the best scorers in the game but at times, he seems plain lazy. Vanek needs to put his heart into the game every night and we should see a point-per-game player. Pominville has an exaggerated salary but his two-way play definitely has a positive value. His point production is also important to this team and with the absence of Connolly, Pominville should receive important penalty kill minutes. Roy is an interesting player. His point production is up there with some of the best in the league and he seems to carry much of the defensive weight for his line. He is a crucial component to the top six, I just hope the diving and whining stop. I’m looking forward to an even better year from Stafford. Since the beginning of his career, Stafford has shown his determination. This drive will continue into the 2011-2012 season. I’d really like to see him paired with Leino on a line. Boyes comes in at $4 million and has to be considered expendable at this point. He was brought in to maintain some sort of point production, but has failed thus far. With Buffalo currently $3 million over the cap, Boyes may be on the chopping block. Well, after Kotalik ($3 million). Another option is burying either player in the minors. Hecht and Gaustad are extremely valuable veterans on this otherwise young offense. Hecht will continue to shoot pucks from ten degrees off the goal line. Make your jokes, but at least he is getting the puck to the net. Gaustad is a faceoff machine and will play vital defensive minutes. Ennis and Gerbe are two small, yet highly talented, young forwards. Both players are incredibly fast as well and this speed generates more space for their linemates. I expect both of these players to be near the 50-point mark which makes them extreme bargains! McCormick was resigned for just over one million a year for three seasons. When he first came over, I didn’t see him cracking the lineup. Now I can’t imagine it without him. He bruises, shoots, protects and skates – exactly what you need out of a bottom-six forward. Rounding out the forwards is Kaleta. He is a fairly one-dimensional player, but shows flashes of offensive ability. He will continue crushing opponents and being a pest.

Offensive Score: B+

Buffalo’s defense has completely changed. On the backend, the Sabres now have Regehr, Ehrhoff, Leopold, Sekera, Myers, Morrisonn, Weber and Gragnani. Regehr, as stated by Crosby, is easily one of the toughest defenseman to play against. His big body prevents teams from moving the puck, like cycling, and his defensive intelligence ensures minimal turnovers. Ehrhoff is going to be most important to Buffalo on the power play. He may not have the biggest shot, but he does what’s most important: putting the puck on net. Ehrhoff will get ample time, ten years in fact, to show off his value. Leopold, a solid top-four defenseman, was absent for a large portion of last season with an injury. He and Regehr played together in Calgary. Their chemistry and leadership will reverberate throughout the Buffalo locker room with positive results. Sekera has shown both flashes of brilliance and stupidity. In fact, my close group of friends and I defined a term in his honor. When someone states that a player “pulled a Sekera,” he has made a nice play followed by a poor decision. I’m going to trust the organization’s opinion of this player and assume he brings it together this season.  Morrisonn has struggled with the Sabres and should be worried about his roster spot with up-and-comers like Weber and Gragnani. Weber has become a very reliable defenseman despite his short playing record. He is another big body on the backend who’s getting smarter with every game. Gragnani showed off his potential in the playoffs with his tremendous offensive skills. Buffalo has a very solid defensive team.

Defensive Score: A-

Miller is one of the best goalies currently in the game. His superstitions seem to be working. What I like most about Miller is that he takes his job very seriously. He truly wants to be an all-star goaltender and this drive is exemplified in his game. Enroth doesn’t get a ton of playing time, but he made the most of what was provided to him. Honestly, he played very well. I could see him earning a number one spot…on another team.

Goaltending Score: A


I'm looking forward to Buffalo's progress!