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Nolan Apologizes, Asks For Commitment |
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Ted Nolan called a meeting to get his boys together in Anaheim on Monday night. Like a father calling his kids into the family room for a family meeting. He called it a "heart to heart". The coach felt like the air needed to be cleared, He asked all of his players to stand up to express aloud, his own commitment to the man seated next to him. Nolan preaches communication. In the first six games of the season, he hasn't liked
After his team was blasted by the Anaheim Ducks last Monday, Nolan compared his struggling Sabres club to a peewee team. He said on Tuesday afternoon on WGR that he apologized to his players for comparing them to a peewee hockey team. Nolan said that his emotions got the better of him.
At Tuesday's practice, Nolan noticed a higher level of enthusiasm and communication amongst the players his young team. Losing five out of the first six games of the season sucks. It can pull individuals down into a funk and make them feel bad about themselves and their own performances. Nolan said that there was a better vibe in the room and on the ice on Tuesday and that can be used as fuel to fight the Ducks, Kings, and Sharks this week in California.
Nolan also spoke on the subject of Nikita Zadorov. The young D is on the trip with the Sabres in California. Naturally, he's hoping to get playing time in his first game of the season after sitting out the first six games as a healthy scratch. On Sunday it was reported that Zadorov could not be sent back to juniors in London because of the lack of a release between London and Zadorov's Russian team, CSKA Moskva of the KHL. Meaning, Nikita can only play in Buffalo or be sent to play in the NHL.
On Tuesday, Kevin Oklobzija of the Rochester D and C reported that he spoke with Sabres AGM Mark Jakubowski who said that Zadorov would play in either Buffalo or London, not Russia. The AGM said that the Sabres would nit be loaning their 2013 first rounder to Sergei Fedorov's CSKA Moskva team.
Will Zadorov be playing in Cali, Ted?
The coach says that the kid's game has been "okay" in practice and that he needs to earn his ice time.
Paging, Mr. Murray. Mr. Tim Murray.
Thanks, WGR Buffalo
Thanks, Sabres.com
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Congrats are in order for two Sabres prospects who have been selected to represent Canada at the upcoming 2014 SUBWAY® Super Series.
Forwards Nick Baptists and Brendan Lemieux will be playing alongside the best of the best junior players in Canada and Russia.
The Canadian Hockey League in association with the Ontario Hockey League, the Peterborough Petes, and the Kingston Frontenacs hockey clubs today announced the Team OHL rosters for the 2014 SUBWAY® Super Series.
Team OHL will compete against the Russian National Junior Team in Game 3 of the series in Peterborough on Thursday November 13 with Game 4 to be played in Kingston on Monday November 17. The series also includes two games in the WHL prior to both OHL games, and ends with the two games hosted by the QMJHL.
32 players have been selected to represent the OHL in the 2014 SUBWAY® Super Series including 14 players who attended Canada’s National Junior Team Summer Development Camp led by forward Connor McDavid of the Erie Otters and defenceman Chris Bigras of the Owen Sound Attack who represented Canada at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Other Summer Development Camp attendees named to Team OHL include forwards Nick Baptiste of the Sudbury Wolves, the Guelph Storm trio of Tyler Bertuzzi, Robby Fabbri, and Jason Dickinson, Michael Dal Colle of the Oshawa Generals, Max Domi of the London Knights, the Attack’s Zach Nastasiuk, Nick Paul of the North Bay Battalion, and the Petes’ Nick Ritchie. Team OHL defencemen that attended camp include the Storm’s Ben Harpur, the Frontenacs’ Roland McKeown, and Darnell Nurse of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
Ritchie is one of three Petes who will compete before the home crowd in Game 3 of the series alongside forward Hunter Garlent and defenceman Matthew Spencer. McKeown is also one of three Frontenacs represented in Game 4 of the series joined by forwards Lawson Crouse and Spencer Watson.
Head coach for Team OHL will be Scott Walker of the Guelph Storm who is also an assistant coach with Canada’s National Junior Team for the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship. Walker has been the head coach of the Storm for four seasons leading the team to an OHL championship last season. This marks his third time behind the bench for the SUBWAY® Super Series following participation in 2011 and 2012. With Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, Walker won a gold medal at the 2012 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team where he served as an assistant coach. The native of Cambridge, ON, also won a bronze medal as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The Team OHL rosters were assembled by a Selection Committee that includes Attack General Manager Dale DeGray, and Storm General Manager Mike Kelly. Both DeGray and Kelly worked in consultation with Hockey Canada Head Scout Ryan Jankowski.
In 11 years of competition against the Russian National Junior Team, the OHL has a record of 19-2-1 in this series following a 5-2 loss in Oshawa and a 3-2 shootout loss in Sudbury last season.
Goaltenders (2):
Mackenzie Blackwood (Barrie Colts)*
Spencer Martin (Mississauga Steelheads)*
Defencemen (6):
Chris Bigras (Owen Sound Attack)*
Ben Harpur (Guelph Storm)
Roland McKeown (Kingston Frontenacs)*
Darnell Nurse (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)*
Alex Peters (Plymouth Whalers)
Matthew Spencer (Peterborough Petes)
Forwards (12):
Nick Baptiste (Sudbury Wolves)
Tyler Bertuzzi (Guelph Storm)
Michael Dal Colle (Oshawa Generals)*
Jason Dickinson (Guelph Storm)
Max Domi (London Knights)
Robby Fabbri (Guelph Storm
Hunter Garlent (Peterborough Petes)
Travis Konecny (Ottawa 67’s)
Connor McDavid (Erie Otters)
Zach Nastasiuk (Owen Sound Attack)*
Nick Paul (North Bay Battalion)
Nick Ritchie (Peterborough Petes)
Team OHL Roster – Kingston – November 17
*players competing in both games
Goaltenders (2):
Mackenzie Blackwood (Barrie Colts)*
Spencer Martin (Mississauga Steelheads)*
Defencemen (6):
Chris Bigras (Owen Sound Attack)*
Roland McKeown (Kingston Frontenacs)*
Darnell Nurse (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)*
Jordan Subban (Belleville Bulls)
Mitchell Vande Sompel (Oshawa Generals)
Kyle Wood (North Bay Battalion)
Forwards (13):
Lawson Crouse (Kingston Frontenacs)
Michael Dal Colle (Oshawa Generals)*
Remi Elie (Belleville Bulls)
Max Domi (London Knights)*
Josh Ho-Sang (Windsor Spitfires
Brendan Lemieux (Barrie Colts)
Mitchell Marner (London Knights
Jared McCann (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Zach Nastasiuk (Owen Sound Attack)*
Nick Ritchie (Peterborough Petes)*
Dylan Strome (Erie Otters)
Carter Verhaeghe (Niagara IceDogs
Spencer Watson (Kingston Frontenacs)
Game 1 – Monday, November 10 at Saskatoon, SK
Game 2 – Tuesday, November 11 at Brandon, MB
Game 3 – Thursday, November 13 at Peterborough, ON
Game 4 – Monday, November 17 at Kingston, ON
Game 5 – Tuesday, November 18 at Bathurst, NB
Game 6 – Thursday, November 20 at Rimouski, QC
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