Updated:
The Sabres have said that Kasdorf will report directly to Buffalo.
Is it for off ice testing only? Or, did Tim Murray have to promise him Buffalo playing time to get the RPI guy's name on the dotted line?
You will recall that in 2012-13, former Sabres GM Darcy Regier promised then college free agent D Chad Ruhwedel NHL ice time in order to get him to sign his entry level deal. Ruhwedel played seven games with the Sabres at the end of the 2012-13 regular season. Regier got a look see at Ruhwedel against NHL talent while the youngster got a preview of the coming attractions of his pro hockey career.
WI Murray provide a similar win/win to Kasdorf?
***
Tim Murray loves him some BIG goalies.
It's a Murray trademark.
He loves large, in charge puck stoppers.
At 6'5" and 250 lbs., Robin Lehner is the largest human being tending goal in the NHL.
On Monday, Murray signed the "other" player in the Kane-Bogosian trade to his ELC.
Jason Kasdorf , welcome aboard!
Kasdorf is 23 years old which allows him to sign a one year entry level deal. You'll recall that the Ottawa Senators signed Boston University goalie Matt O'Connor to a similar one year ELC last spring.
Kasdorf (6’3”, 172 lbs.) recently completed his senior season at R.P.I., where he posted a 12-12-5 record with a .931 save percentage and a 2.30 goals-against average.
The Winnipeg, Manitoba native ranked fourth in the ECAC in save percentage for the season and earned the conference’s Goaltender of the Week award on January 19, 2016.
My first exposure to Kasdorf's game was last July at Buffalo's rookie development camp. I was thoroughly impressed with his fast hands, fast feet, and aggressive style where that allowed him to venture out of his crease to take away angles from enemy shooters. I also liked his ability to make himself big in his net to take away the top shelf and the wine at his sides.
Originally drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in the sixth round (157th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft, Kasdorf was acquired by the Sabres on February 11, 2015 with Zach Bogosian and Evander Kane as part of a seven-player trade with the Jets.
In 88 career games for R.P.I., Kasdorf posted a 38-37-9 record with a .920 save % and a 2.39 GAA.
Kasdorf now joins a crowded Buffalo goaltending depth chart.
Super Swedes Linus Ullmark and Jonas Johansson are 6'4" apiece.
Cal Petersen is 6'2".
Former GM Darcy Regier brought the 6'5" Nathan Lieuwen and 6'2" Andrey Makarov to Buffalo.
Do not be surprised when Murray trades a goalie and some of his 12, 2016 draft choices this summer as part of bigger trades to procure scoring wingers and a top four D to Buffalo.
I can see Markov and Lieuwen leaving Rochester in order to give the net over to Ullmark as the starter and Kasdorf as the back up in 2016-17.
**
Congratulations to Buffalo Sabres power forward prospect Hudson Fasching for being names to the B1G 10 Hockey Second Team.
See you soon in Rochester, Hudson!l
*****
I swear. Ryan O'Reilly is a modern day Chuck Norris.
Bumps and bruises are badges of honor and trophies.
If the bone ain't poking through the flesh, ROR isn't concerned.
To ROR, pain is just weakness leaving the body.
The every man who has captured the imaginations of Buffalo Sabres fans near and far, and who will one day succeed Brian Gionta as the captain of the Sabres, is no longer injured.
O'Reilly suffered a serious injury on Friday February 19 in Columbus which caused him to have to wear a walking boot on his foot. The injury also forced the former Erie Otter to miss the past 11 games.
While most NHLers would be forced to sit out for 4-6 weeks with a similar injury, it took ROR only three weeks to recover from his foot ailment.
On Friday, ROR skated for 90 minutes, in a red non-contact sweater. Afterwards, he said that he felt good and that he felt like he was encouraged by his solid progress both on and off the ice.
The Factor skated (and skated well) in an orange practice sweater on Monday. The orange sweater is a full contact sweater. ROR has ben cleared for take off and will play against Montreal on Wednesday night in Buffalo.
The leading scorer on the team with 19 goals and 49 points, O'Reilly's return raised my eyebrows for more than one reason on Monday. ROR is a fast healer to say the least.
It's hard to say which is the more surprising decision:
1. O'Reilly's accelerated healing time
2. O'Reilly's line mates
Dan Bylsma shocked me by skating ROR on a line with Evander Kane and Nic Deslauriers.
In O'Reilly's absence, super rookies Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart skated and created with Evander Kane. The trio worked a special brand of magic and consistency by producing 20 points together in the seven games that they were featured as Buffalo's top trio.
Were it my choice, I would have left well enough alone and continued to skate Kane-Eichel-Reinhart together until such time that they cooled right off.
That's why Bylsma makes the big bucks to make the unpopular personnel decisions. That's why I'm not an NHL head coach.
Personally, I would have given ROR two big, skilled flankers in Marcus Foligno and Zemgus Girgensons.
It matters not to O'Reilly who he plays with. He'll make due with whomever he is grouped with.
So, now that the 9-15-23 line has been jacked up, so to speak, who then will Eichel and Reinhart be playing with on Wednesday night?
None other than Zemgus Girgensons.
Here are the lines that Bylsma employed at Monday's practice:
9-90-44
28-15-23
82-22-12
19-17-26
*43 extra
Bylsma doesn't write his lines in Sharpie. Therefore, they are subject to change.
The team will practice again on Tuesday morning.
Much more to come.....
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