Looking back at that original post, this is what I had to say about Kaleta two years ago:
2011:In his first couple of seasons, Kaleta showed how he made it to the NHL, by his bone-crushing hits and ability to get under the skin of his opponents. He was the type of player that you'd hate to play against, but would love if he was on your team.
In the '09-'10 season, Kaleta lit the lamp 10 times, including twice short-handed and four of the goals being game winners.
Kaleta's contribution to the offense are nice to see, but I believe he needs to play the way that got him there. If he can make the other team known of his presence consistently, any offensive production would just be a bonus.
With his hard-hitting style of play, it's more than likely he will continue to miss time due to injuries. He can easily become the target of the opposition, and I don't see him playing a full season anytime soon.
2012:Kaleta has been even less of a factor than he used to be. He can't be relied on to play a full season, although some of it may not be his fault. His vicious style of play has had him suspended, even on questionable hits. His role has become more and more limited, causing him to go unnoticed in most games. With that and injuries, playing 70+ games in a season is out of the question.
As of right now, he's an RFA, but I'm not positive the Sabres have room for him. After the recent additions, do Sabres fans really want him, or need him on the team?
With Cody McCormick, Steve Ott, John Scott, and Corey Tropp all capable of playing physical, where does Kaleta fit in the Sabres lineup? To be honest, I don't know if he does at all.
Here is the poll that the readers answered from last season:
2013: Here we are in the summer of 2013, and who knew that the Sabres would be looking like this?
Kaleta played 34 games this past season, and put up a lone point, a goal. He was a -4 and had 67 penalty minutes.
As you know, I've been a fan of Kaleta since his NHL debut, which was during the infamous Ottawa brawl. Over the past couple of years, I believed that his time with the Sabres was coming to an end, simply because there wasn't room for him.
Well, with Scott and McCormick getting only a few minutes per game, and Corey Tropp being injured all season, Kaleta did get the opportunity to play in over half the games. While he's not a goal scorer, he barely reached the scoresheet in terms of points.
The Sabres were in desperation mode most of the season anyway, so the team probably wasn't looking for that big hit as much, which hurts Kaleta's performance.
This season, my thoughts on Kaleta have changed. Buffalo is rebuilding, and that fact alone may just help Kaleta keep a roster spot for the next few years. Kaleta isn't the toughest player in the NHL, but he can still deliver some nasty checks, and he's at least willing to drop the gloves. His game may have been slowed because of the suspensions, but he's a player that can make the opponent be more aware of him on the ice, becoming a distraction.
I believe Kaleta will be able to play a bigger role on the ice this upcoming season, especially with the team becoming younger. If Vanek and Miller do end up going, that opens up even more room.
There's still a lot of time before the season starts, but as of now, I see this rebuild benefiting Kaleta.
I'll be heading to the America's Got Talent live shows tonight in NYC. It's one of the few shows I actually watch every week and it should be interesting to see how everything goes. Look for me on TV tonight.
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