The Sabres watched game video, then some of the players took an optional skate in St. Louis today.
Pat Kaleta, he of the jacked up foot, skated in the red pinney. Tyler Ennis wore red, too. Ennis isn't ready to return to the lineup due to his wonky ankle suffering a set back.
Christian Ehrhoff's upper body problem is progressing, however, he's not available this weekend either.
According to Kevin Snow at Sabres.com...
Lindy Ruff has said that Kaleta is "90%" to play against the Blues on Saturday.
Gaustad is definitely out of commish until Tuesday at the earliest. Why not shelf Goose and let him get healthy during the All Star break?
Ruff says that he doesn't expect the team to make a recall with #thelegendofjoefinley still with the team in St. Louis.
Could you imagine the thunder and destruction of skating Joe Finley at forward with McCormick and Kaleta on Saturday night?
Lindy has played Gragnani at wing this season. Why not throw Big Joe in to start a riot?
You know how much Ken Hitchcock loves Lindy Ruff. Such a move would cause Hitch's head to explode!
Who can ever forget this classic smootch fest between Hitch and Lindy?
Hitchcock's venom toward Ruff dates back to the 8-2 thumping the Sabres laid on the Flyers in the 2006 playoffs. The win gave Buffalo the decisive 2-0 series lead.
Hitchcock wasn't happy with Lindy's lads pouring it on and running up the score.
Turnabout being fair play, I wonder if old Hitch tells his team to jump the Sabres Saturday night. Wouldn't be the first time that Hitch kicked an opponent when they were down.
In October 2006, Flyers chairman Ed Snider had seen enough of Hitchcock's abrasive act and proceeded to fire Hitch after a humiliating 9-1 loss to Buffalo last week, one of the worst in the franchise's 40-year history.
Old hockey grudges die hard.
The Blues are an NHL best 20-3-3 at home this season. You don't think he'll take it easy on Lindy's limping lads this time around, do you?
If the chatter about Derek Roy and the Montreal Canadiens is true, then the Sabres better get Tomas Plekanec back in return. One team's struggling centre for the other team's struggling centre. Sounds fair, right? A change of scenery would probably do both players a world of good. Otherwise, see ya later.
To say that Roy is playing under an intense amount of pressure right now is the understatement of the century. You can see it in his body language, both on and off the ice Roy hasn't cracked a smile in weeks. Its understandable. His own production is down and his special teams play leaves a lot to be desired.
That's the nature of the beast when you make $4 million per year on a losing hockey team. Roy has to hear the rumours. How can they be avoided? If he doesn't hear them, then he lives in a vacuum.
I watched last night's 4-1 loss to The Peg on TSN. I couldn't help but notice that Lindy Ruff gave Roy a piece of his mind after Roy lost his head on the Enstrom PPG. Lindy had every reason to chew out Roy. The discussion was presumably about Roy's failure to block the shot and for screening Miller. According to today's Buffalo News, Roy threw his water bottle in disgust on the ground on the bench during Ruff's coaching moment. Nice response to adversity, Roy. If you listed to your coaches you'd be a helluva lot better off these days than you are! Your boss reserves the right to tear you a new one when you are not performing up to his expectations. Nice tantrum by an alleged "team leader". Guys who have "A" stitched to their sweater can close the coach's door and clear the air in the privacy of the office. Looks terrible on Roy that he mouthed off to Ruff on the bench and punctuated it all by throwing the water bottle. is that leadership?
Watch (below) as Roy leaves Enstrom all by his lonesome. Roy conceded a 30 foot gap to the Peg PP QB to wind and fire his point bomb. Roy does nothing to contest the shot lane. Check that. Roy made himself into a snow angel in a futile attempt to distract the shooter. Nice effort. In my opinion, Roy quit on the play. He has to use the knowledge that Ruff has imparted on him and he has to use his feet and stick to deny time and space on Enstrom so that point shot doesn't get through to Miller. rather than competing on the play, Roy stopped dead in his tracks, played scarecrow in the shot lane, and consequently screened Ryan Miller. No shot block. No guts, no glory.
Roy's postgame take on the Enstrom PPG:
"I didn't know Patty (Kaleta) was hurt and ended up where you don't want to be," Roy said. "I tried to make myself as big as possible but ended up screening him."
Lindy Ruff has another opinion:
"He's (Roy) got to block the shot," Ruff said.
To Roy's point, Kaleta was injured earlier in the shift while blocking a shot. Kaleta's injured foot would not permit him to shoot the point to defend Enstrom. Roy had to read and react to Kaleta's blown tire and had to adapt and overcome and let the two D protect Miller.
Ryan Miller saw it the same way that Coach Ruff did:
"Roysie has got to block it or I've got to save it, plain and simple. There was no one else around. It was one of those things that kind of lined up kind of perfect. That's just the kind of stuff that happens when things aren't going right."
Roy's indecision cost his team a GWG PPG.
The score was tied 1-1 at the 7:05 mark of the second period. His team, mired in a ten game road losing streak, needed a team leader to act like a team leader. Instead, Roy refused to sell-out and eat a puck like Kaleta did. Roy's refusal to dive on a live hand grenade for his boys is the type of selfish play that resonates in the room, on the bench, and on the bus after the team-record eleventh straight road loss. Roy showed more passion and fire chucking his water bottle down than be did attempting to block the game winning goal. I have a problem with that. What would Tim Connolly have done on that play? Drury? Briere? Goose? Gerbe? Eat the shot.
Whether you are right or wrong as a player, you shut your mouth and listen to your coach when he's trying to correct your glaring errors. You don't undermine the coach by throwing your water bottle. What message is Roy sending to his coaches and teammates by acting out in public?
What is this, pond hockey at Derek's palace on the lake?
******
Compare Roy with Plekanec and ask yourself the question:
Wouldya do it?
Plekanec is a $5 million cap hit for this season and the next four to come.
Roy is a $4 million cap hit this season and next.
Between you, me and the keyboard, I'd love to have Plekanec in Buffalo.
I'd park him between Vanek and Pominville and watch the magic happen!
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