The Sabres players are have been quiet these past couple of weeks. Doesn't mean that there is no activity inside the organization. The season review is now complete. Exit interviews with coaches and players are now filed in the "what a crappy season 2011/12 was" file in the GMs office.
The draft is right around the corner. The UFA market opens July 1. Have you checked out Brad Richards' act in the first three rounds of the playoffs? Richards is lighting up Broadway with his polish and swagger. Too bad there won't be a centre man of his ilk available to the Sabres in this Summer's UFA market. I believe that the Sabres will be taking the trade route in order to secure the scoring centre man they so desperately covet.
Darcy Regier has the organizational assets in the form of draft choices, blue chip prospects, and veteran players that he can/will parlay into a trade bundle in order to entice his fellow NHL GMs to do a deal. Perhaps Regier will want to trade up to the top three positions in this June's draft in order to make a play for one of the Russian centres. I still believe Regier is training his eye on a centre who is already a proven scorer in the NHL.
One such veteran player is former Owen Sound Attack D star, Reggie Sekera.
After a sub-par start to the 2011/12 season in Buffalo, Sekera played like a bat outta Hell in the final two and a half months of the regular season. He defended well while contributing on the score sheet. Sekera was arguably Buffalo's best D during their frantic dash to the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. Lindy Ruff rode the young Slovak hard and trusted him with heavy minutes in the late stages of the season when injuries and inconsistencies befell the Buffalo blue line. Reggie answered the bell and played extremely well given the additional responsibilities. As you know, the Sabres ran out of runway and were sent abruptly, and, unceremoniously to cottage country.
While his Buffalo bros are at the golf course and spending time with their families, Sekera is presently tearing it up for his native Slovakia squad at the IIHF World Championships in Helsinki.
Sekera has at times played like the best blue liner at the tourney. His defensive play has been par excellence, to say nothing of his sudden scoring prowess. Sekera is presently tied for fourth in the tourney with Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Sentors and Justin Faulk of the Carolina Hurricanes in defenseman scoring. Duncan Keith leads all D with 11 points after 7 games, however, Sekera is on the come.
In seven tournament games played at the Worlds, Sekera has two goals and five assists. He recorded three points in his team's win over France on Tuesday. He has a game winner.
By comparison, Sekera's D mate, Zdeno Chara, has just two assists in seven games played for Slovakia. Led by Sekera's heroics at the Worlds, Slovakia's 1-0 win over Switzerland helped the team get back to the top-9 nations for Sochi 2014. The following nine countries are pre-qualified for the Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament in Sochi 2014: Finland, Sweden, Russia, Czech Republic, Canada, United States, Norway, Slovakia, and Switzerland. (The final order and seeding of these teams will not be known until after the World Championship.) According to the IIHF, Slovakia will make the most significant jump in the World Ranking after reaching the quarter-finals in Helsinki. After last year’s disappointing home-ice showing the Slovaks were only 10th in the Pre-Championship Ranking and out of an Olympic slot, but after adding this year’s World Ranking points, the Slovaks will be at least 8th as will Norway, which was 9th in the Pre-Championship Ranking.
No surprise, really. Sekera played a similar impressive role for his mother country during the Vancouver Olympic hockey tourney. Most observers and media are calling Sekera Slovakia's best defenseman in recent international play. Can't say I argue with the assessment of Sekera. He has been stellar at times. What troubles me is that he can dominate games like Phil Housley for long stretches of time, then inexplicably, he can play like Dmitri Kalinin for other long bouts.
Sekera has been terrific. I wish the real Reggie Sekera would once and for all please stand up.
Last Summer, Sekera signed a four year $11 million contract. His $2.75 million cap hit makes him a very attractive commodity around the NHL. He's a 20+ minute D whocan play even strength, PP, and PK. He has playoff experioence. He makes a nice first pass to start the breakout. At six feet and 200 bills, he skates like an Amtrak train.
Sekera is the whole enchilada. He's exactluy the player that NHL GMs are looking to add to their blueline stables.
The Sabres blue line is a crowded house right now. There are too many men for the top six D jobs. Tyler Myers and Christian Ehrhoff are on long term deals and they will be lynch pins for years to come for Lindy Ruff. Robyn Regehr has one year at $4,020,000 left on his present deal. Jordan Leopold has one year and $3,000,000 left on his present deal. Sekera has three years left at $2,750,000, while Mike Weber has another year left at $950,000. The "x-factor" on the Buffalo blue line is trade deadline day acquisition, Alex Sulzer, who is set to become a UFA on July 1. Sulzer earned $700,00 last season while he impressed the Sabres brass with his heady-and-steady defensive posture. Sulzer, who played well with fellow German bomber Ehrhoff, added offense to add further creedance to Buffalo's desire to re-sign him. Another wrinkle to consider is that the Sabres are giving serious thought to playing Brayden McNabb full time in Buffalo next season. The kid has proven that he is NHL-ready, and will be looking to solidify his roster spot with a strong exhibition season. Don't forget about Sekera's stylistic clone, TJ Brennan.
Here are my starting six and my pick for seventh D moving forward:
#1: Myers
#2: Ehrhoff
#3: Regehr
#4: Leopold
#5: Sulzer
#6: McNabb
#7: Weber
In my head, Sulzer's combination of skating, scoring and effective D-zone play has rendered Sekera obsolete. Sulzer is older and has more battle scars. Sulzer vibes extremely well with Ehrhoff.
I'm calling Reggie the odd man out because his trade value is a helluva lot higher today than it was in January and February. I like Sekera's skill and what he brings to the team. I'm also a realist and I know that you have to trade value to get value in return. Sekera represents value to the Sabres and many other teams right now.
I say trade Sekera now and maximize the return you can get for him.
Buffalo have a surplus of NHL caliber D and can certainly sweeten a deal for a centre by adding in Sekera to a package that includes Derek Roy and a first round draft choice.
Pittsburgh, NY Islanders and San Jose are three teams said to be very interested in a bonafide puck-mover like Sekera. The Sabres may want to use Sekera to strengthen a trade offer for Jordan Staal, John Tavares or Joe Thornton.
Slovakiaplays Canada on Thursday. You better believe that there will be dozens of scouts and NL personnel folks in the building watching that Quarterfinals game in Helsinki.
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