Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Vanek Praises Armia

September 19, 2013, 8:26 AM ET [44 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Rookie Joel Armia had a pinch me moment this morning when he lined up next to Thomas Vanek and Cody Hodgson for the morning skate. The Sabres 1st round pick from 2011 (16th overall) was all smiles after the skate when he spoke about the gravity of the moment of playing alongside such a gifted, accomplished winger as Thomas Vanek.

Its as today is Christmas Day, and Armia has wakened to see the gift of his dreams under his tree. “Surreal” may be a good word to describe the experience of playing withVanek.

“I didn’t expect this.

“I’ve watched him on the highlights”
, he said with a sheepish grin.

When asked about what expectations he placed on himself in his first NHL training camp, Armia said” “I didn’t really have any expectations… just show show everything I’ve got and play the best game I can.


“You can see, he (Armia) puts himself in good spots and those are the things you can’t teach. You either have it or you don‘t. Its obvious he has it. Again, hopefully the speed of the game is a little quicker and we‘ll see more from him.”

“The building will be buzzing and hopefully the young guys will pick up on the speed of the game, and we can tell more”.

Vanek likes what he has seen of the young Finn in training camp.

“He makes smart plays. He brings a lot of order out there: good on faceoffs, good support of the centerman, and he plays a sound game”.

I asked Professor Vanek to give me a lesson in adjusting from the 200 by 100 foot rinks in Europe to playing on the 200 by 85 of the NHL. Armia’s whole orientation until this summer has been to play on European ice surfaces.

“It’s a different game. For me now, when I go back to play in the World Championships (for Austria), it takes me at least a game or two to adjust because the game is different. Your angles are different. Its not just that the sheet of ice is smaller. It might sound funny but its different. The corners here are way deeper in Europe so you have a lot more room to make plays. Here, you’ve got to spin off and make a quick play or take it yourself. Armia’s a big frame, so I think he’ll use it once he gets used to the ice and I think he’ll do just fine (in Buffalo).

I asked Vanek what advise he’ll give his rookie liney before tonight’s game.

“You don’t have to give him any advice. The thing is, I just have to keep talking to him to make sure when he has the puck that he he’s not afraid to shoot it or if its “see the play, make the play”. But half the things of playing with a good center like Cody is to make sure you’re open and make sure you are always ready for it (the puck)”.

I suggested that Armia “quick catch, quick release” the puck so as not to draw defenders to him.

“Every situation calls for a different play. Those are the things you can’t teach, you know? I think he (Armia) knows what to do with it when he’s in a scoring position. He’s just got to make sure that he shoots it, or if there’s a play to be made, make the play”.

Like you and me, Thomas Vanek will be keeping an eye on Joel Armia tonight.

This much we know: Vanek-Hodgson are a pair. Foligno compliments them very well. What if Armia creates an undeniable, highly offensive chemistry with 29 and 19?

If Vanek likes what he sees on the ice, Armia and he may well become linemates on opening night. More over, Vanek may want to stick around a few years to have a birdseye view of how great Armia can become.




____________________________________________________________________

Updated 1032 am:


Ron Rolston is going to sit Zemgus Girgensons tonight. He's Buffalo's leading scorer with2 goals and an assist in the first two exhibition games.

Here are your lines for Buffalo:

Vanek-Hodgson-Armia
Ennis-Grigorenko-Flynn
Tropp-Larsson-Leino
Gillies-Porter-Adam


The D:

Myers-Zadorov
Tallinder-Ristolainen
McNabb-Pysyk

Ryan Miller and Matt Hackett will split the net 50/50.

* I'll be watching how Armia performs with Vanek and Hodgson. He's going to get a lot of pucks on his tape in scoring areas. I hope he cashes a couple of them tonight.



***







***


Ryan Miller will get the full game tonight with Matt Hackett as his backup.


***





Elliotte and his Hockey Night In Canada teammates will be in Buffalo Saturday night for Sabres-Leafs battle royale.

Elliotte was in Buffalo today to do an interview with Ryan Miller that will air Saturday night.





**

The Canes skated in Raleigh this morning. Word from their skate is that Gerbe and Sekera will be playing tonight in Buffalo.




More to come from the room....



_______________________________________________________________________




Reggie Sekera spent the first six years of his NHL career in Buffalo, NY. In all that time, I don't ever recall hearing or reading about Sekera not liking the Buffalo community.He always seemed complimentary of the fans.

In June, he Sekera was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for D Jamie McBain.

On the first day of canes training camp, Sekera took the time out to bag on the "everything" in Buffalo.


In case you missed it ...


The former Sabres D took a shot at the Buffalo Sabres organization when he said:

"Everything is better than Buffalo".




Last time I checked, the Buffalo organization made Sekera a millionaire. They treated him fairly in his time as a Sabre. Curious move to besmirch "everything" in a city where he spent the first 6 years of his NHL career.

Is Reggie referring to the city of Buffalo? Or, the Sabres organization?

When asked about Sekera's comments, GM Darcy Regier said that if they are true that he's disappointed by them.

"Henrik Tallinder is happy to be back", said Regier.


Regier also said:

"I know for young married couples with families, they love being a part of Buffalo."


Hey, Reggie. There's this thing called the internet. Ever hear of it? Yeah, its a powerful thing. You say something dumb into it and you get an immediate response from it. Even Buffalo gets the internet. Hard to believe, eh?

So, after Sekera's smack of Buffalo hit Buffalo in the kisser, the Hurricanes were quick to offer an explanation for his comments.

The team tweeted that Sekera was talking about Buffalo's weather... Cough, cough, cough.... yeah, thats it. Thats the ticket.




Sounds clear to me. Reggie is moonlighting as a Weather Channel meteorologist. Jim Cantore better watch his back with Sekera spitting weather forecasts these days. I wonder if Sekera will be rockin' the skin tight sausage casing-like t-shirts that Jimbo has made so famous. Reggie will be a hit during evacuations in the Outer Banks.


Oh, by the way, Sekera and his Hurricanes play in Buffalo September tonight.

Its going to be 79 degrees and sunny in Buffalo today.


Sabres fans should bring their "A" game tonight.

Here's the Carolina Hurricanes response:









____________________________________________________________________-


Young Adam Erne had himself quite the night on Wednesday night. Erne is doing everything in his power to earn a roster spot in Tampa. He's a big, skilled forward who likes to mix it up and light the lamp. Erne has been compared to John LeClair, the Philadelphia Flyers bomber/scorer. Erne, the Connecticut native, is making quite a name for himself. Several teams, including Buffalo, liked Erne, however, the Blues invested their second-round pick in (33rd overall) in the 2013 NHL Draft.

The 18 year old power forward was Mikhail Grigorenko's wing man with the Quebec Remparts, knocked St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Sobotka out of the game with a serious upper body injury, thought to be a concussion.

Erne also scored two goals and the shootout clincher.

Tampa 4
St. Louis 3

Erne raised the ire and the blood pressure of Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock.




Hitchcock, the fiery head coach, criticized him team for not coning to the defense of their fallen teammate Sobotka.






He also angered the Blues players.





Join the Discussion: » 44 Comments » Post New Comment
More from GARTH'S CORNER
» Hailing Taxis
» He With The Gold Makes The Rules
» Sedentary Seven
» The Sedentary Seven
» GadZuccs