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

Sabres Re-Sign Ennis For 5 Years, 23M

July 16, 2014, 8:03 PM ET [28 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Update:

The Buffalo News has confirmed the Ennis signing.

***

Kevin Weekes is reporting that Sabres RFA center Tyler Ennis has signed a 5 year, $23 million contract extension. The math works out to an economical $4.6 million AAV per season.








Assuming the report is correct, Buffalo will still have $11.3 million in available salary cap space to work with in 2014-15. The team currently has $15.9 million in available cap space according to capgeek.com.

Ennis, who will turn 25 in October, has become a mainstay with the Sabres. He thrived under the tutelage and guidance of Ted Nolan after Ron Rolston was fired last November.

The Medicine Hat Tiger alum signed a two-year bridge contract with the Sabres hours before the NHL lockout began in September of 2012.

In 267 career games with the Sabres, Ennis has scored 69 goals and added 97 assists for 166 points. He scored 21 goals and 43 points in 80 games in 2013-14.







More to come...




***



Buffalo Sabres head coach Ted Nolan is impressed with the effort and passion level that he's seeing from his top prospects this week during rookie development camp. Nolan and GM Tim Murray have been seated high above the ice at the top of Section 104 while Rochester Amerks bench boss Chadd Cassidy has been running the kids through the ringer on the ice.

Nolan guested with Kevin Sylvester and Andrew Peters on "Sabres Hockey Hotline" on Wednesday, and he sounded downright tickled when he was recollecting the rough rides that "vets" Zemgus Girgensons and Rasmus Ristolainen gave to Samson Reinhart during the Blue & White scrimmage on Tuesday night. Nolan loved seeing the big boys impose their will on the second overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. If for no other reason than to see how the kid would handle the adversity of getting knocked to the ice, elbowed in the gut and slashed as he cruised to the scoring areas. Nolan sounded equally as enthused when he propped Reinhart for taking the abuse and not getting rattled or intimidated by it. Nolan is bang on. Reinhart, and any top prospect for that matter, better learn how to deal with adversity early on his NHL career. Nolan loved the courage and the tenacity that Reinhart and the other kids showed during the sixty minute scrimmage. The final score didn't matter to Nolan. He and Murray were more interested in measuring the effort and the energy level of the kids. By that standard, Noan and Murray must be quite pleased with the sacrificing and the sheer determination that they are seeing with great frequency this week.

Nolan has been very impressed by the pace at which his top prospects have been competing this week. Nolan loves the speed and the physicality and said that the NHL has become a year round job for the youngsters. He likes how kids are in training camp shape and its only July. Nolan was critical of the Ron Rolston administration for the way that the team entered training camp last September. Nolan said that a major reason why the 2013-14 Buffalo Sabres struggled so mightily in the early stage of season was because the team as a whole was in poor physical condition. Nolan said that he didn't like the team's fitness level last season. "It wasn't up to par", he said. Nolan thinks that other teams wore the Sabres down as games grinded into the third period. He's 100% correct in his criticism.

Nolan's son Jordan has won two Stanley Cups in recent years. The reason for his son's success is that he's 6'4" and 230 pounds and is in peak physical condition. His cardio and VO2 numbers are off the charts. Jordan is one of the smaller players on the Kings' roster. Nolan says the secret to LA's success is that Darryl Sutter loves to attack opponents with speed, size and strength. They also wear down opponents with their tip-top conditioning.

Nolan is blown away by the way that Rasmus Ristolainen came to prospects camp looking leaner and being jacked. Nolan said that he talked to Ristolainen last year when he was demoted to AHL Rochester. The coach said that he told Ristolainen "if you're not fit, you're not going to last". Nolan's words have had a profound impact on Ristolainen. The Finn reported to rookie camp at 207 pounds, some 15 pounds lighter than he played at last season in Buffalo and in Rochester. Ristolainen loves how strong he feels at his new weight and how much more energy he now has inside of shifts. Nolan is very pleased that the kid took his words to heart and made the necessary commitment to improving his overall conditioning. To Nolan, being good enough just isn't good enough. Just like Lindy Ruff, Nolan has given his Sabres a mandate to be in better physical condition this summer. If that means working out more and playing around on the jet skis less, than so be it. Nolan is joined at the hip with Sabres' strength and conditioning coach Doug McKenney, who is phoning players every day to make sure that they are doing their workouts, are eating correctly, and are getting the proper amount of rest.


Nolan: "If some players come to camp out of shape, there are going to be consequences... we don't need those types of players on this team".


"
Thanks, Sabres Hockey Hotline





***



Nolan says that its not in his nature or DNA to tank a season to get a crack at Connor McDavid.
Nolan says that he and his players are in the entertainment business and they owe it to the Sabres fans to deliver an honest effort on each and every shift of every game.


Translation:

Nolan will not "Dishonor For Connor".





***


Nolan also said that he is very close to announcing his coaching staff.




***



The Sabres re-signed RFA D-man Chad Ruhwedel to a two year contract extension on Tuesday.






***



Congrats to former Sabres D-man Chris Butler who has signed to play with his hometown St. Louis Blues.


Join the Discussion: » 28 Comments » Post New Comment
More from GARTH'S CORNER
» Hailing Taxis
» He With The Gold Makes The Rules
» Sedentary Seven
» The Sedentary Seven
» GadZuccs