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Beware The Ides Of March

March 14, 2013, 7:24 PM ET [373 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Sabres fans have no fear, Ville Leino is here.

Curb your enthusiasm. Your emotion is overwhelming me right now.

It took 26 games to get to this point, however, the Ott-Grigorenko-Leino trio is about to make its regular season debut. If the preseason Blue and Gold scrimmage is an early indicator of things to come, the 9-25-23 line is a power line that will bring needed jam, passion, and skill to Buffalo's top six forward group. I tip ny bucket to Rolston for revisiting the power trio that Ruff first constructed during training camp in mid January.

Adding Leino to the mix requires Ron Rolston and Darcy Regier to have to make a roster move. Tyler Ennis skated in practice on Thursday and is a lock to play on Saturday afternoon vs. Ottawa. Ennis was shaken up and required stitched when Flyer goon Wayne Simmonds rammed him from behind, face first into the glass on Sunday night in Philly.

There are a few plausible ways for Buffalo to get to the 23 man roster limit with Leino and Ennis intact. The team will have to make one of the following roster moves on Friday:

1). Demote Marcus Foligno or Brian Flynn to AHL Rochester.
2). Make a trade.
3). Waive a roster player (Hecht? Porter?) to Rochester.


The first option doesn't seem to make much sense as Foligno played his best game of the season in the 3-1 win over the Rags on Tuesday night. He scored two goals, hit everything that moved, and made life miserable for Lundqvist and the Rags' D men. Like Foligno, Flynn is playing very well lately, having scored two goals and adding an assist in the past three games. Sending 82 or 65 to Rochester would be counter-productive at this point id the season when both youngsters are playing improved hockey. Neither Foligno nor Flynn would have to clear through waivers to make their way back to Rochester.


The second option is a stretch, however, it is not out of the realm of possibility. Trading a body off the active roster would alleviate having to demote Foligno or Flynn, and would preempt a waiver mover.


The third option entails exposing a roster player to waivers. Which player? Its anybody's guess. I nominate Jochen Hecht or Kevin porter. Hecht has scored only one goal this season and has been largely used on the third and fourth lines as a defensive specialist. The Sabres need more goal scoring and PP success. Thats why it makes sense to send Jochen down the I-90. Hecht was a healthy scratch last week, and it didn't sit well with the 35 year old veteran. i'm thinking Roslton is not as passionate a Hecht fan as Lindy Ruff was when he was the head coach. Rolston may well want to dance with his Amerks rather than a grey beard. Another waiver option is centre Kevin Porter played his tenth game of the season on Tuesday night vs. the NY Rangers, therefore, he would have to clear through waivers in order to get back to Rochester. Porter has played well of late with Foligno and Flynn, and Rolston seems to trust the kid implicitly to the point where Porter has earned PP time.





Leino spoke after practice


Thanks, Sabres.com


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Ennis characterized the Simmonds hit from behind as "dirty".

Damn right it was. Simmonds was looking at 63's numbers the whole time. He was intent on jamming Ennis into the glass.

Ennis is disappointed that Simmonds was not suspended for the careless hit.


Thanks, sabres.com



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Alex Sulzer had surgery to repair his ACL injury and his season is over.

Too bad, as Sulzer has been a valuable addition to the Buffalo top six. He was a nice add-on to the Hodgson-Kassian trad.

Sulzer has three goals and an assist (+3) this season.






This Sulzer season-ending injury will have a profound affect on Darcy Regier's decision making process heading into the April 3 NHL trade deadline.

Adam Pardy and TJ Brennan appear to be the direct beneficiaries of Sulzer's ice time and roster position. One wonders if Regier will try to trade Leopold at Sekera at or before the deadline, or, if he will try to make a deal at the draft instead.
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