Rasmus Ristolainen has the proverbial hammer, and he's about to use it.
Risto is not interested in playing in Rochester next season. He said today that if the club doesn't feel that he's ready to play in Buffalo, then he's heading home to play the season in Finland with his hometown team, where he already has a deal in place for next season.
Talk about lasting first impressions. I'm confused.
Didn't he say at the NHL Entry Draft in Newark that he doesn't have a contract to play in Europe?
Today, the 8th overall pick had a new spin on whether he has a contract in Europe.
Ristolainen said matter of factly:
“I’ve got a contract with my hometown team.”
He's from Turku, Finland, and has played the past two seasons in the Finnish Elite League with his hometown TPS Turku club.
Its all on Ristolainen now. If he impresses in training camp and leaves Regier no other reason other than to play him in Buffal, then he stays and plays. if he has a so-so/sub-par camp, he's heading home to Turku.
One thing is certain:
Ristolainen will not be playing in Rochester.
Chadd Ruhwedel played a similar hand in his free agent negotaiations with Buffalo last season when his agent informed the Sabres that he would only sign with them if they agreed to play him in the NHL immediately, thus bypassing Richester. The Sabres agreed to the player demands and signed him to his entry level contract, thus burning year one of his Elc by only playing a two hands full of games in the NHL.
Thanks, WGRZ
(Ristolainen and Zadorov are the interviewees in the video)
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They call him "Z".
Zemgus Girgensons says that he learned valuable lessons during his rookie season in the AHL. He's now ready to take the next step to the NHL.
The NHLPA has announced that 21 of its finest members have opted to elect for salary arbitration. Its a common procedure at this time of year.
They are:
Detroit Red Wings
Brendan Smith
Edmonton Oilers
Sam Gagner
Los Angeles Kings
Trevor Lewis
Alec Martinez
Jake Muzzin
Jordan Nolan
Montreal Canadiens
Ryan White
Nashville Predators
Nick Spaling
New York Islanders
Josh Bailey
New York Rangers
Mats Zuccarello
Ottawa Senators
Erik Condra
Pittsburgh Penguins
Robert Bortuzzo
St. Louis Blues
Chris Stewart
Toronto Maple Leafs
Mark Fraser
Carl Gunnarsson
Vancouver Canucks
Dale Weise
Winnipeg Jets
Zach Bogosian
Bryan Little
Paul Postma
Eric Tangradi
Blake Wheeler
The deadline for Club-Elected Salary Arbitration notification is July 11, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. EDT. Hearings will be held in Toronto from July 22 to August 6, 2013.
Arbitration hearings are scheduled to be heard between July 22nd and August 2nd, and in most cases, teams and players would rather reach a deal on their own to avoid the potentially contentious process. Arbitration hearings pit the team against the player and bad feelings are usually the result.
I'm interested in Chris Stewart of the St. Louis Blues. He established himself an NHL power forward when he scored 28 goals for Colorado in 2009-10. Since then, he scored 28 goals in the 2010-11 season when he was traded from the Avs to the Blues at the trade deadline. He scored 15 goals in 2011-12 and 18 goals this past season.
The 6'2 230 lb. RW is just 25. He's scored 100 goals and added 102 assists in his six NHL seasons (319 games). he has 322 PIMs, too. He'll mix it up with the best of them. He has 5 goals in 19 career playoff games.
Stewart's one year $3 million contract has expired and he is opting for salary arbitration in August. His agent can continue to negotiate a deal with the Blues up until the day of his arb hearing. I'm wondering if the Blues are interested in seeing if the Blues are going to continue to negotiate with Stewart, or, if they are going to deal him in a trade to another team.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Blues cleared out $12+ million in cap space for the next 3 seasons when they dealt winger David Perron ($3.8 AAV per season x 3) to Edmonton for
RFA winger Magnaus Pajaarvi and a second rounder. This STL-EDM deal smacks of a slaary dump in its truest sense. Armstrong removes nearly $4 million off his cap for the next three seasons. Presumably he did so to clear out needed cap space so that he can re-sign his 3 RFAs i Alex Pietrangelo, Jake Allen and Chris Stewart. As of this moment, the Blues only have $9.1 million in cap space (22 players signed) for the 2013-14 season. Pietrangelo is going to take a huge bite out of that when he re-signs for north of $5 million per season. Allen is coming off his entry level deal and only needs a 10% pay raise. That leaves Stewart as candidate for odd man out in St. Louis. The Blues management and coaches like the players and what he adds in all phases of the game, however, if he gets to arbitration, the judge may rule in his favor to pay him $4+ million per season. The Blues aren't looking for that. They have to do everything in their power and commit every asset to re-signing Pietrangelo, or else they risk losing the player to a very aggressive market who would love to take the 23 year old future Norris trophy winner off the Blues' hands.
Here's another wrinkle to consider:
The Blues let Stewrt go to arbitration where they know he'll win a ruling to pay him $4 million per season. Have you seen the new salaries of David Clarkson and Cal Clutterbuck lately? IMO, Stewart undoubtedly wins in arbitration. Perhaps the Blues are working on a trade to send Stewart out of St. Louis. That would open up their available cap to $12+ million for next season. Therefore, they could lock up Pietrangelo and Allen to their extensions and then be able to afford a another player contract. A premiere player contract in the $6+million range per season.
Maybe this is how the Blues are maneuvering to pull off a trade with Buffalo for Ryan Miller.
Perhaps last week's chatter that "Buffalo's asking price too high" for Miller meant that the Blues aren't parting with TJ Oshie or Ty Rattie. Perhaps the Blues feel like Stewart is the suitable compensation (plus a first or second rounder) for Ryan Miller.
Sabres would get Stewart and a second round draft choice from the Blues, who would then have to ship Halak or Elliott elsewhere.
Not saying this is what's happening, however, I'm reiterating what I have heard for weeks that the Blues and Sabres continue to speak about Miller.
Freddie Roy won't be playing for his father's Colorado Avalanche this season.
The spunky LW will provide energy and panache for the Amerks again this season.
The Sabres have re-signed him to play in Rochester.
Another smart free agent signing is former Sabres prospect, Mike Zigomanis, who has killed the Amerks over the years while he played with the Toronto Marlies.
Lepkowski, a West Seneca native, is a Sabres 5th rounder from 2011 entry draft.
Press Release, courtesy Amerks
The Rochester Americans announced today that the team has signed forwards Mike Zigomanis and Frederick Roy and defenseman Alex Lepkowski to American Hockey League contracts.
Zigomanis, 32, recorded 35 points (7+28) in 64 AHL games last season with the Toronto Marlies before adding nine points (2+7) in nine Calder Cup Playoff games. A veteran of 721 professional games between the NHL and AHL, Zigomanis has spent the last four seasons with the Marlies, scoring an AHL career-high 61 points (19+42) in 68 games during the 2011-12 season. He also helped lead Toronto to the 2012 Calder Cup Finals. In 197 career NHL games with Carolina, St. Louis, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, and Toronto, the 6-foot, 200-pound Zigomanis has registered 40 points (21+19) and 89 penalty minutes. The native of Toronto, Ontario, has also played in 524 AHL games with Lowell, Peoria, San Antonio and Toronto, recording 413 points (143+270) and 379 penalty minutes.
Roy, 22, played in 64 games with the Amerks last season, recording 10 points (8+2) and 62 penalty minutes in his first season of professional hockey. In 2011-12, Roy registered 92 points (27+65) in 64 games with the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). His 92 points led the Remparts and ranked tied for fourth in the QMJHL. In 188 career games with Quebec, the 5-foot-10, 168-pound Roy registered 62 goals and 118 assists for 180 points. The native of Montreal, Quebec, also tallied 34 points (12+22) in 50 career QMJHL playoff games.
Lepkowski, 20, appeared in 60 games with the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) last season where he collected nine assists and 78 penalty minutes. The 6-foot-4, 214-pound native of West Seneca, New York, played in 203 career OHL games with Barrie and Saginaw, recording 27 points (8+19) and 238 penalty minutes. In 38 career OHL playoff games, he registered seven points (4+3) and 49 penalty minutes. Lepkowski was originally selected by the Sabres in the fifth round (137th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft.
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Sabres star of the future, Jake McCabe, has had a blessed hockey life since he left Buffalo's rookie camp last July.
McCabe, a junior at hockey factory U. Wisconsin, completed a strong soph season in Madison. However, his most proud achievement of his young hockey life was being captain of the Team USA squad that upset host Russia at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in Ufa in January. Against all odds, McCabe and the Americans overcame adversity and played better than any other team at the elite junior tournament. McCabe powered the USA squad by scoring two goals in the gold medal game. He ranked third in the tournament among defenseman with six points (three goals, three assists). He also ranked second among all players at the event with a +9, leading Team USA in the category. For those efforts, McCabe was one of four Americans named to the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship Media All-Star Team. He outplayed the fourth overall pick in the 2013 Seth Jones at the WJCs.
The guy is blessed.
I caught up with "Captain America" in the Sabres room after he participated for the Gold squad in the morning sessions at Day 1 of the 2013 Sabres Prospects Camp in Buffalo.
"That (the gold medal journey) was pretty awesome, but its great to get back here to Buffalo to play competitive hockey again instead of shinny hockey back there (madison, Wisconsin). I've been working out this summer and but its not competitive, high-end hockey like this. Its good to be back and see all of the familiar faces".
McCabe told me that he skates with a whack of U Wisconsin players, past and present.
"We have our whole team there, as well as a dozen or so pro guys like Joe Pavelski, Tom Gilbert, Adam Burish, Brian Elliott, Jack Skille, just to name a few. Thise NHL guys come back and its a great hockey atmosphere there. Its a great summer spot. I go to class (he's taking a class) and work hard at getting bigger, faster, and stronger".
I asked McCabe if the fellas let him have a better parking space out of respect. Gold medal and all.
"Yeah (laugh), they are happy for me and they were all watching it here (in America) even there was a twelve hour difference Russian time. They are all proud and it was awfully proud to bring that gold medal home".
I reminded McCabe that Sabres fans were cheering loudly for him and Team USA, too. Sabre fans went ga-ga on my blog and on Twitter during the WJCs. McCabe noticed the BuffaLove.
"I get goosebumps all the time, it just shows that even here in Buffalo that the hockey fans of the city of Buffalo are passionate. I was talking to someone here, and even though Buffalo (Sabres) wasn't in the playoffs this year, TV rating were top 5 in the NHL. So thats awesome to be part of a Sabres program that has such love for hockey, Buffalo and Rochester".
I liken McCabe's game to that of former team USA and Buffalo Sabres Hall Of famer, Mike Ramsey. Both men are big, strong, skate well, and are nasty to play against.
"Thats a big honor to be in the same category as a him (Ramsey). I'd have to go back and see exactly how Mike Ramsey played. Some of the credentials associated with his name makes it a compliment. Its been an awesome year and it keeps getting better from here".
Aside from winning the WJC, McCabe says he learned a lot about himself, including:
"The whole process of becoming a team, you get 20 something guys and you come together in such a short amount of time. Losing early in our exhibition to Finland and losing early on in the tournament then the next thing you know we came together and found what worked. We started pitting the puck in the back of the net and its finally cool to be so close to guys and in a couple of weeks, now we have something to share with each other the rest of our lives and that is pretty special".
McCabe says that he has learned a lot about himself through all of his newfound success.
"I'm a bigger leader than I think I am. I've always been a leader, in tournaments especially, but I realized that I can step up on big situations... I'm a team-first guy and I can step up in key situations".
His goals for the 2013-14 season?
"To win a National Championship. Thats the ultimate goal this year. We have a good team this year at Wisconsin and we made a good run last year. This year, I expect that we're going to win the Big 10 for the inaugural season and I want to win a national Championship. We have a legitimate shot at it and we are very confident going into it, biut we can't be too confident. We have to be prepared on October 12th and I'm looking forward to it by working hard this summer".
Don't be surprised in the least if McCabe earns the "C" in Buffalo during his career. He's a natural born, no nonsense leader. Very impressive.
I was at Prospects Camp. I'm an active participant in the process, not an observer from afar. I've been taught by NHL scouts and front office types how to watch a player practice. What habits to look for. McCabe is already a complete Dman. The scary thing is that he's only going to get bigger, stronger,and faster!
Take a look at McCabe's foot work and hip flip. He such a smooth, powerful skater and his gap control is so good. Watch his active stick and his body position on the attacking forward. McCabe is going to be a star in the NHL before too long. Mike Ramsey, Jr.
I spoke with Williamsville resident and sabres second rounder Justin Bailey in the Buffalo room after the morning session. Bailey is on the ice this afternoon.
Bailey told me that he's thrilled to be at his first pro prospect camp. He told me that he had seen the Buffalo locker room last September as a in injured member of the USA Prospects game in Buffalo.
"This time is much better because I'm participating", he told me with an eye-to-ear smile.
Bailey told me that Sabres strength and conditioning coach has designed a specific off season fitness and workout plan which he intends to follow to a tee. Bailey's goal is to get bigger and stronger without adding bulk.
Bailey told me that he currently weights 192 lbs. He wants to play this season at Kitchener at 200 lbs. He also told me that he wished to play in the NHL at 220-225lbs.
"The '91s and 92s are the old men now", Pysyk quipped to me when I asked him why he suddenly looked so old.
Grigorenko and a bunch of the new guys are 1994 birth years.
Pysyk flew around the ice like the Lake Erie winds in the morniung session.
"I feel great. I'm ready for training camp" he told me.
He'll have to take that approach as the Sabres blue line is now a over-crowded house with the recent additions of Tallinder and Sulzer to an already packed D corps of Myers, Ehrhoff, Weber, Pysyk, McNabb, McBain, and Ruhwedel.
Speaking of impressive, young D-difference makers...
Here's a sampler platter of Rasmus Ristolainen's fancy foot work and physicality.
I shot this video from ice level. Now I know why the Sabres LOVE this kid. He's a mammoth D with fast feet and a ton of snarl. I love this kid's attitude and his game.
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