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Rock You Like A Gerbe Cane

July 26, 2013, 9:29 AM ET [44 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Bored? Looking to get out of the Friday afternoon sun for a little while?

Why not assemble the puzzle pieces that will reveal the Sabres' new third jersies?

Here's the first piece that was released at the Blue and Gold scrimmage:




Clue #2 was released 8 days ago...





Here's clue #3 that was released today









________________________________________________________________________



Congrats Nathan Gerbe.

The former Sabre has earned a one year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes

Gerbe's deal is for $550,000 with $250,000 guaranteed.

Its a two way contract.





Earlier this month, Gerbe was unceremoniously released and bought out by the Sabres. He wanted more ice time and a more pronounced role with the team. He didn't figure in the youth movement.

Gerbe, 26, scored five goals and added five assists (10 points) in 42 games for the Buffalo Sabres in 2012-13.

He underwent successful back surgery last summer.

The Michigan native and Boston College legend averaged 12:30 TOI per game in his fifth NHL season.


Selected by the Sabres in the fifth round, 142nd overall, in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Gerbe (5’5”, 178 lbs.) has totaled 29 goals and 43 assists (72 points) in 188 career NHL games, all with Buffalo. He has appeared in nine Stanley Cup playoff games for the Sabres, earning four points (3 goals).

I love Gerbe's heart and his philanthropic ways.

What I hate is that his size and stature make him a target for abuse and disrespect by opposing players, and even the officials. Gerbe has earned the reputation as being a "little ball of hate" because he's not afraid to spear a guy, or punch him in the face in a scrum after he's been handed a rough ride.

If I'm Gerbe, I'm walking across the locker room in the first day of training camp, and I'm getting in the face of Canes forward Drayson Bowman, who laid out Gerbe with this gutless hit last January. Bowman's a real tough guy. Smashing a guy from behind with a gutless hit to a surgically repaired back.



P.S.- Dan O'Halloran is a jackass and a hack of an NHL ref for man handling Gerbe like he did after this Bowman cowardly hit. I'd like to see O'Halloran try this crap with John Scott.
Here's the gutless hit that marked the turning point in Gerbe's career in Buffalo.Weeks after the Miller-Lucic incident, Philly's MA Bourdon hammered the diminutive winger from behind and caused him to suffer a concussion and a back injury.




I admire Gerbe's passion, drive, and skill. I wish him all the luck in the world.


The Sabres have been drafting bigger, stronger, faster forwards the past few years. Foligno (6'3), Armia (6'3), Grigorenko (6'3), and Girgensons (6'2), Tropp (6'1) represent the new Buffalo paradigm.

In order to succeed in today's NHL, Gerbe requires top six minutes. He wasn't able to nail down a top six gig in Buffalo. It appears unlikely that he'll do it in Carolina as they reliy on horses like the Staals, Semin, and Skinner to provide the offense. I applaud the Canes for giving Gerbe another shot. He'll add immediate value to their room and their bench.





*****


Hodgson_prax
Thanks Dan Hickling


Cody Hodgson is Buffalo's lone unsigned RFA. Corey Tropp may or may not be a Buffalo Sabre this season. Thats not up to the team, its up to the Sabres. Tropp's RFA as well.

In the past ten days, Darcy Regier has signed four of his six RFAs in Matt Hackett, Luke Adam, Brian Flynn, and Nick Crawford. The four contracts were one and done negotiations. The team tendered their offer and each player accepted. If only Hodgson's deal were that easy. He's a three year NHL veteran who's best playing days are ahead of him.

It would work to the Sabres' advantage for the team to submit a proposal with a modest 10-15% annual bump and then have Hodgson agree to it. Of that were the case, the deal would be done by now.


Earlier this week, I mentioned that I thought that the Sabres were awaiting the outcome of the Sam Gagner negotiation with the Edmonton Oilers. Gagner opted for player arbitration and the hearing was scheduled for 9am on Monday 7/22, however, the team and player reached a mutually agreeable deal before the case was heard by the arbitrator.


Gagner and the Oilers agreed to a 3 year deal worth $14.4 million.


Is CoHo worth $4.8 million AAV per season?

As I said in this space last week, I don't see the Sabres offering Hodgson a multi-year deal now. I see them offering a similar "bridge deal" like the one that Tyler Ennis signed last September. Two years and $5.6 million. I cannot see Regier going all-in for Hodgson at this point, especially since Ennis was more or less told to "prove it" to the Sabres that he's worthy of a long term, lucrative contract in Buffalo.

Hodgson's camp may be holding firm to a Gagner-style deal.

The two pivots are similar players.

Hodgson and Gagner are 23 years of age. Gagner has played five NHL seasons, while Hodgson has three seasons under his belt.

In 139 NHL games, Hodgson has scored 35 goals and helped out on 42 assists for 77 points.

In 12 playoff games, he has one assist and no goals.




Gagner made the jump from junior hockey directly to the NHL. His body of work is broader than Hodgson's only because of the amount of games played (414 to 139).

In 414 career games in the NHL, Gagner has scored 91 goals while adding 167 assists for 258 points. No playoff appearances in six seasons in Edmonton.



Both centers are creative offensive forces and they play well special on special teams.

The knock on Hodgson is that he struggles in his own end of the rink. Lindy Ruff was working on this area with Hodgson, then he was fired. Rolston coached Hodgson in Rochester during the lockout and then again when he was named Sabres head coach after Ruff was fired in February. Rolston didn't hesitate to take Hodgson off the ice in D-zone draw situations. This will likely continue to happen this season unless CoHo can demonstrate to Rolston that he is as committed to the D side of the puck as he is to the scoring side of it.

My guess is that the holdup with the Hodgson signing is that his agent is playing the #1 center card. Hodgson is Buffalo's best option at centre right now. Tyler Ennis is a second line center. Mikhail Grigorenko has only played 25 games in the NHL and will head to training camp looking to earn the #1 job. Ditto Zemgus Girgensons. Thomas Vanek loves playing with CoHo because he has the unique skill that allows him to pass the puck to the right and left. Jason Pominvile appreciated this trait, too.
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