John Vogl from the Buffalo News reports that Sabres assistant captain Drew Stafford will be a healthy scratch tonight in Montreal.
Thanks, sabres.com
Wow!
How the mighty have fallen.
In his first month on the job, Rolston has wasted little time tazering the veteran sabres to get their attention. Thus far, he has benched Patrick Kaleta, Jochen Hecht, and Nathan Gerbe. Now, his latest target is the enigmatic Drew Stafford
Stafford goes from shootout hero on Thursday night to healthy scratch for tonight.
Stafford has been a disappointment from an offensive standpoint this season after he, marcus Foligno, and Tyler Ennis were gangbusters last February and March in the Sabres late-season push for the playoffs which fell short.
He has 4 goals and 7 assists in 31 games this season. He's an unsightly -12.
This may be a precursor move to a potential Stafford trade. Perhaps he's a healthy scratch in order that he remain healthy for a contender that wants him in the next two weeks.
Scouts from San Jose, Dallas, St. Louis, Phoenix, Minnesota, Dallas, Chicago, Winnipeg, Philly, Edmonton and other teams were in Buffalo to watch the Sabres-Leafs game. St. Louis GM, Doug Armstrong and Phoenix GM Don Maloney were in the press box as well. taking notes on their IPads.
Stafford was elevated from the fourth line to the second line in the Toronto game. He played with Ennis and Leino and looked good. he skated hard, competed with passion and was a noticeable contributor.He played 16:32, took two shots, however, was a -2. He played 14;31 in Montreal on Tuesday and didn't register a shot, was even. In Washington, he skated 13;54 TOI, took 5 shots, however was -2.
Where is the urgency? Where is the offense?
Was moving Stafford up to the top nine forward group on Thursday night just window dressing to show him off to the scouts?
I smell a roster shake up in the wind.
Stafford has been a $4 million fourth liner for most of Ron Rolston's brief tenure as interim coach in Buffalo. The guy is a bonafide 30 goal scorer in the NHL, an accomplishment which not many 27 year olds can boast of. Even in a down season in 2011-12, Stafford pumped in 20 goal and 30 assists. Its baffling when one wonder where Stafford's swagger has gone to.
Thursday, I heard Darcy Regier say in a radio interview that he has no idea why Stafford's game is where it is at this season.
No exactly a ringing endorsement from the GM, eh?
On Friday, Stafford told my friend, Bill Hoppe:
“It’s just a maturity thing. I’ve been through it before,” Stafford said. “I know that it’s a waste of energy to focus on the negatives. It comes down to you just have to ignore the noise, stick with what you know.
“I don’t want to come down here and be moping around, trying to bring everyone down, especially when we need to have as much positivity and energy going right now to try to get some wins
.”
#Sabres Drew Stafford: "It’s definitely disappointing. It’s his decision, and something I have to respect." #Buffalo
When the Sabres hit the practice ice in Montreal at 11:30 this morning, Nathan Gerbe was participating with his teammates, according to sabres.com.
Gerbe for some unknown reason skipped yesterday's practice in Buffalo before the team chartered to Montreal.
When asked about Gerbe's absence from the skate in Buffalo on Friday, interim coach Ron Rolston would not explain the situations other to say that "he's fine".
The Sabres have won two in a row and are only four points out of the eighth playoff spot entering tonight's playoff game in Montreal.
I wouldn't mess wityh a winning lineup. Therefore, o would sit Gerbe and play John Scott.
Thomas Vanek will draw back into tonight's lineup after sitting out the Toronto shootout win after he was dotted by an Ehrhoff rifle bullet in Montreal on Tuesday night.
I'd sit Hecht and Gerbe.
I expect that Gerbe will have some 'splainin' to do to the media when the skate ends today.
From an under achieving Sabre forward, to an over achieving Sabres leader.
Steve Ott wants to play in the playoff game.
He says the Buffalo has to force the speedy Habs to ravel 200 feet to create offense. Ott says the Buffalo "box plus one" system has to be better tonight.
Thanks, sabres.com
***
The Sabres bring their two game winning streak into tonight's playoff game in Montreal. They are in 12th place with a bullet in the Eastern standings. With many teams in decline mode, the Sabres are poised to continue to make thie four wheel drive climb up the black-ice covered Eastern standings. They are gaining momentum and traction while their closest opponents are coming back to the pack. The Sabres are 6-3-3 in their last 12 games. During that stretch, they have gone from 15th in the Eastern Conference and six points out of a playoff spot to 11th in the conference and four points out of the tourney.
A mere four points separate the Sabers from their desired destination of the the eighth seed in the East.
Is it Mission Impossible?
Not at all. With 28 points in hand, the Sabres have to make a move on the Islanders (29 points), Capitals (29 points), Rangers (32 points), and canes (32 points).
Steve Ott told me emphatically on Thursday that nothing else matter to him and his teammates right now than delivering a playoff berth to the great fans of the Buffalo Sabres.
"These fans deserve a winner. They work as hard as we do. Every guy in this room wants to make the playoffs".
Ott loves Buffalo as much as Buffalo loves Ott. He didn't come to Buffalo in order to finish out of the playoffs. Ott is fully committed to the stated goal of "Playoffs or Bust."
He's a great salesman because he has all of his teammates drinking the same spiked blue Kool Aid right now.
His teammates, like Pat Kaleta and Drew Stafford are quoting Ott in their interviews. They believe in and are fully vested in the optimism and positivity that Otter is selling.
Ott's leading his troops inn the room, and on the ice. In 31 games in Buffalo, he has scored 5 goals and has added 12 assists.
Ott is signed through 2013-14. His $2.95 million cap hit is very friendly. Ott is out playing the value of his contract right now. He's one of the best values in the NHL.
Rubber neckers and arm chair NHL GMS alike have thrown Ott's name into the "to be traded at the deadline" rumor mill.
I'm here to tell you Sabres fans to ignore the noize and the trade rumors surrounding Ott. he ain't going anywhere.
Ott has quickly become the central nervous system for the Sabres in his short time in Buffalo.
He's a tough-as-weathered-leather, 200 foot player that GMs of contenders would love to add to their roster at the trade deadline to add truculence and passion for a deep playoff run.
They'll have t look elsewhere because Ott isn't available.
“ That’s character. Its what we’ve been telling one another. Its been a month since Ron has come in and we’ve tried to clean up details. We’ve worked hard at it in practice. We’ve put in a lot of video sessions and we’ve been in a lot of close games. If you notice, every single game is close, that means something is going right for us and we are continuing to do things. Now we’re starting to reap the rewards”.
Ott loves his Buffalo teammates. They love him. His family loves Buffalo. Buffalo loves his family.
Ott's best work is yet to come in Buffalo.
***
March 23, 1999: Traded Mike Wilson to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Rhett Warrener and a 1999 fifth-round draft choice (Ryan Miller).
***
PK Subban's play in his past two games has drawn the ire of his head coach, Michael Therrien.
On Tuesday night, the Montreal defenseman was called for a high sticking penalty on Buffalo D, Mark Pysyk, in overtime. Subban tried to destroy Pysyk with a high speed hip check, however, in whiffing, his stick clipped Pysyk's head. Ref's hand point to th eheavens. Subban felt shame.
The Subban penalty sent Buffalo to the 4-on-3 PP. Steve Ott seized the moment and beat Carey Price for the OT PP GWG.
Therrien, in his post game pressser characterized the Subban penalty as "stupid".
Afterwards, a visibly disappointed Subban faced the music.
On Thursday night on Long Island, Therrien benched Subban during the second period, a move that must not have sat well with Subban, who then erupted to score two goals in the 4-2 Candiens win. Subban tied the game with PPG midway through the second period and added an insurance goal in the third period. Earlier in the game, Subban was the culprit for a too many men on the ice penalty. After the game, Therrien didn't refer to Subban by name, but noted that that his team needed to be more disciplined in during all aspects of the game. Paging Mr. Subban.
Subban's is usually an upbeat, high energy personality. In his post game presser on Thursday night, Subban appeared to be in a ho-hum mood. Getting benched will do that to a proud, prime time performer.
Thanks, canadiens.nhl.com
“He’s a player that responded well to the message we sent him,” coach Michel Therrien said. “He played an excellent third period.”
Subban told reporters Friday that Therrien has been great for him as a player.
“I’ve enjoyed playing for him,” the defenceman said. “He brings out the best in his players.”
Pat Kaleta is one of the most polarizing athletes in Buffalo history. The mere mention of his name is a cluster of hockey fans will get you one of two things:
A fist-pump, or, a look that can kill.
Within the cozy confines of the eight counties that make up Western New York, Kaleta is viewed as a folk hero, He’s the local kid who dragged his bag through the slushy muni rink parking lots at 6am to attend practice, who would eventually earn an opportunity to play in a premier OHL town for a legendary squad like the Peterborough Petes. Kaleta is a Buffalo kid. He oozes Buffalo ethics and values. He loves when his team is winning and the fans are going ga-ga for an encore performance,. Like they were on Thursday night after the thrilling 5-4 shootout win over the hated Toronto Maple Leafs.
Travel outside of the 716 area code, and you'll get an earful from the bar stool prophets and "hockey purists" who say that players like Kaleta are "bad for the game".
Kaleta doesn't care what the fans from enemy teams and the talking heads from US and Candian broadcast outlets think about him. If he wanted to know their opinion of him, he'[d asked them He doesn't care about the chatter and the smack. All he cares about is being accountable to the team that he dreamt of playing for when he was seven years old.
Like it or not, Kaleta represents Buffalo well.
Styeve Ott knows a thing or two about being politically correct, and he's just fine with his buddy Kaleta.
“I guarantee every single team in this league would love to have a guy like that on his team. A guy that would go through the wall for you--block shots, play hard, hard minutes of hockey, fight, hit-- all those aspects.”
Incidentally, Ott was rung up for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for blowing a kiss to a Leafs player on Thursday night. Don't they know that Otter is a peace-loving young man?
Aggression is Kaleta’s core brand identifier. These days, business isn’t doing so good. The hit from behind on Brad Richards was weeks ago, however, its still an issue with many people in the NHL. Including his interim head coach, Ron Rolston. Kaleta paid his penance for the dirty hit on the Ranger centre man. He sat out the NHL-mandated five game suspension, and also endured the supplemental, supplemental discipline that Rolston slapped on him as Kaleta was made a healthy scratch in Washington last weekend. Getting called out by his former road roomate and fellow team leader, Ryan Miller really raised eyebrows. Kaleta says the matter was handled and its forgotten. Just brothers being brothers, he told me. Losing $76,000+ in salary and six games in a lockout-shortened 48 game NHL season is a stiff price to pay. Kaleta won’t talk anymore about the Richards incident other than to say that he’s on his way to correcting his game.
Kaleta told me on Thursday that he has been looking inside himself in recent weeks, looking for the solution to simplify his game and to do more of the things that will add value to his Sabres team. He told me that sitting and watching sucks. However, sitting 150 fet above the ice surface and bench, gave him a clearer perspective on how he’s going to be playing the game from now on.
Kaleta told me that he has found solace and inspiration in watching how his locker neighbor and fellow S’der, Steve Ott, handles his business on the bench and one the ice.
“I watched Otter a lot. The positive things that he can do for our team and how he controls certain things. I can learn from that. Obviously, he’s a warrior… and it’s a good thing he’s doing an interview right now because I don’t want to tell him that I look up to him (laughing). He’s a really good role model.”
Kaleta is contrite and honest. He wants to put the Richards incident behind him so that he can get back to doing the things that he loves doing the most:
Getting under the skin of opponents and killing penalties.
“You know me. I take great pride in killing penalties for the Buffalo Sabres. Power play is something of a long shot for me to be on, so I can always improve upon if called upon to do t, but right now, I take tremendous pride in penalty kill and blocking shots”.
Fans don’t get to see the busted up hands, fingers, arms and shins of Pat Kaleta. They don’t get to see the swollen ankles with ice bags ace bandaged to them, that look bigger than loaves of bread, as the player gimps across the room to the trainers table. Fans and critics don’t get to see the contusions and battles scars that PKers like PK36 have to endure in their high risk line of work.
Kaleta told me that he used to just sit watch and the way that Mike Grier would handle his chores at the practice rink and inside games. He says that Grier is one of his mentors and teachers who he looks up to the most in his career.
“Mike taught me the right way to do things. I know I don’t always do them perfectly, but I try. I really do.”
“That’s a family thing with me in my family. Its always “be fearless. Don’t be afraid to do anything”. If I can lead by example by blocking shots and doing certain thing slike that then by all means I’m going to do it because I know that the position that we as a team are in right now isn’t one that we want to be in but we’ve got a big hill to climb, but, why can’t we be the team that climbs that hill”?
Despite all of their failures in the first two months of the season, and all of the acrimony, the Sabres enter tonight play only four points out of eighth place. They only have two teams standing between them and the eight hole. Kaleta likes his team’s chances to close the gap and to grab a playoff berth.
“ You look back at the NHL, with the Giants two years ago, when they just squeaked into the playoffs, and then they end up winning the Super Bowl. They were together. They went through it for each other, with each other, and they came together to win a championship. LA (Kings last year. it’s a thing that I’ve heard Otter talking about it that we take pride in wanting to make the playoffs. We all want to make the playoffs. There’s nothing more important in this locker room than getting in. It takes game by game, shift by shift. It sound cliché, it sounds like we don’t really think like that, but we do. That’s what it is. Shifts build periods. Periods build games, and then we go from there”.
Kaleta acknowledged to me that there are no more mulligans. No more margin for error. All of the “get out of jail free” cards have been used. If the Sabres are going to prevail, the team is going to have to scarifice their bodies to win games. That’s fine with Kaleta. That’s what he does for a living.
“If we’re going to do something special like making the playoffs, it all comes back to hard work out there, and battling for one another. As long as you can look at yourself in the mirror, and everybody can say that we gave it everything we got, then you can live with efforts like that. Sometimes it doesn’t always work to your advantage, but you have to want to win“.
Kaleta wants to win. He wants it more for the team success than his own personal success.
“I will go to battle for every guy in this room. I know that they will do the same for me. We have each other’s backs. We are brothers, and we are going to do anything and everything in our power to get to the playoffs”
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