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Splitting The Adam

November 13, 2012, 8:10 PM ET [17 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT
We interrupt this Mikhail Grigorenko blog to remind you that former AHL Rookie Of The Year, Luke Adam, is still a centre on the depth chart in the Sabres organization. Not sure if you knew that at all. There have been some remarkable changes up the middle of the Sabres roster in 2012. Incumbents Derek Roy and Paul gautad were shipped out. Steve Ott, a hybrid middle man/winger/banger was brought in. Tyler Ennis blossomed after his two ankle injuries that deprived him of essential playing time.

Luke Adam, once thought to be the next big thing, was giving a one-way escalator ride from Buffalo to Rochester last February. His unimpressive play earned the youngster a front row seat to a winger's job.

Adam hadn't played centre for the Rocehster Americans this season until last Friday night's 2-1 loss to Adirondack. Injuries to #1 and #2 Amerks centres, Cody Hodgson (broken bone in right hand) and Phil Varone (possible concussion), forced head coach Ron Rolston to flip his script and to recapitulate. Desperate times call for desperate measures, so Rolston was forced to run Adam at his natural centre ice position.

Adam has struggled mightily while playing left wing in the Rolston regime.

For whatever reason, Rolston grew weary of Adam and his inconsistencies at the pivot when the kid was demoted from Buffalo to Rochester last February. Adam spent the final 20 games of last season, and the first eleven games of this current season trying to convince himself and his coach that he can play effectively while out of his usual comfort zone.

Luke's not a good salesman. His up and down play at left wing becoming a topic of discussion in Rochester and in Buffalo. Adam played the pivot for Vanek and Pominville last season, and he was highly effective. He scored 4 goals and added 7 assists in Buffalo's first 11 games last season. Then, after the NHL All Star Game weekend extravaganza in Ottawa, Adam was sent down to Rochester, and was never summoned to Buffalo again. When it was all said and done, Adam had started fast and finished slow in his first sortie in the NHL. Not bad numbers ofr a rookie. In 27 games with the big club, Adam scored 9 goals and added 10 assists. Nice production. Whatever happened to his confidence after Christmas 2011 still remains an unsolved mystery.

He went from decorated AHL rookie of the year to foot note in media guide in the matter of three months.

Where will Adam factor into the Sabres plans once the lockout is lifted in the near future?

With centres like Hodgson, Ennis, Grigorenko, Ott, McCormick and Ellis foaming at the mouths to play centre for the Sabres, Adam is suddenly the odd man out in Buffalo. You already know that CoHo and Enzo have set roster spots when the work stoppage ends, and it appears to be a fait a compli that Grigo (16 goals and 20 assists in 18 games) is going to be given a nine game tryout to win a centre job in Buffalo when the ice chips finally settle.

Right now, Adam has been granted a reprieve from hockey Siberia. He's been handed something that rarely occurs in professional sports:a gift-wrapped a second chance. Some guys wait for their whole career for such a chance to prove one's doubters and critics wrong. Adam gets his "I'll show you you're wrong moment" in his sophomore season in the pros. What he does with it is entirely on him. For now, he's off the wall and on the dot. His head coach, and presumably Regier and Ruff, are watching him closely to monitor his growth and progress. A solid showing in the next 2-3 weeks while Hodgson mends his busted paw and until Varone returns symptom free.

Adam told the D and C that he prefers to play centre.

“I’m just trying to show not only that I can fill that role but also that’s where I should be,” Adam said. “There’s no secret about it, I much prefer playing center.

Running with the fifth leading scorer in the AHL, Marcus Foligno (6 goals, 8 assists in 12 games), is an added bonus for Adam. Foligno and Adam know each other well and are comfortable playing with one another on the ice. Brian Flynn has a nose for the net and Adam will be smart to get the former college player the puck in soring areas. Foligno and Flynn are finishers. Its make or break time for Adam to feed the hot hands and to help his team in all three zones. The line was impressive in their first game together vs. Adirondack. No goals but a couple of high percentage chances.

Adam recently told the Rocehster D and C that he feels at home again at centre ice.

“I’m just trying to show not only that I can fill that role but also that’s where I should be,” Adam said. “There’s no secret about it, I much prefer playing center.”

Adam better make the most of this second chance to impress his coaches and the Sabres brass. Just like the Buffalo squad, Rochester is cock full o'centres right now with Kevin Porter, Cody Hodgson, Phil Varone, Rick Schofield and rookie Kevin Sundher all fighting for ice time. Adam is getting minutes that Hodgson and Varone would normally have otten. His time to shine is right now. He cannot struggle. He must impress right off the hop if he has any designs of sticking and staying in Buffalo for the long term. It wasn't that long ago that Adam's name was being mentioned in Bobby Ryan to Buffalo trade talks. He'd certainly make excellent trade bait once the lockout comes to its eventual conclusion.

Its now or never, in my opinion, for Luke Adam.

Through 27 games in Buffalo last season he had 9 goals and 10 assists for 19 points. He would leave Buffalo afer 52 games played with 10 goals and 10 assists. Not bad production for most rookies, however, Ruff and Regier were left wondering what happened to Adam between games 28 and 52 in Buffalo? Its as if the kid was abducted, tied up, taken away and held for ransom.

He would only score 4 goals and 9 assists in 27 games with Rochester after his demotion.


Its time for the real Luke Adam to please stand up.


A strong showing in the next couple of weeks in Rochester is critical to Adam's future in Buffalo.
If he performs well, he'll put pressure on his coach to keep him at centre. If he languishes and wastes this opportunity, he may well be punching his own ticket out of town.







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Why do I give a rat’s ass about what Jeremy Roenick has to say? Call it a morbid curiosity. It’s a guilty pleasure. Like watching an episode of “Honey Boo Boo”, Roenick’s analysis and commentary is like junk food for the brain. Zero caloric value. Just junk.

So my eyebrow furrowed this week when Roenick’s new book,

"J.R.: My Life as the Most Outspoken, Fearless and Hard-Hitting Man in Hockey," debuted.

USA Today’s Kevin Allen chronicles the ups and downs of Roenick’s impressive NHL career.
One chapter in particular caught my eye off the opening face.

Roenick’s candor and true feelings bubble right to the surface in his “Five Players I Hated During My Career” recollection.


Who knew that two Buffalo Sabres are in Roenick’s top five all-time players that he hated during his illustrious career?

#1: ROB RAY:


“I didn’t like Ray as a player because he took trash-talking too far. When I was going through a difficult time in my life, he went way over the line with what he said to me in a game. Based on what he said to me, I lost all f***ing respect for him as an NHL player and a person.”



#2: PATRICK MARLEAU:


What no one seems to understand is that I believe Marleau is a special talent . . . Marleau frustrated me when I played with him because I wanted more from him. He was earning $6.9 million per season and I just didn’t believe he brought the superstar effort that you would expect from that caliber of player.

“I tried to tell him that that night, but I could tell 10 minutes into our conversation that I was wasting my time. He considered my arrival at his house an intrusion. He listened to me, but he never did anything to change the way he was.”
On Tuesday, Marleau responded to Roenick’s criticism:
“To say that I don’t care about my play or winning or being gutless is absurd,” Marleau told the San Jose Mercury News via text message. “I wouldn’t have left home at 14 years old to play a game I didn’t care about. I want to win more than anyone.
“Just because I don’t jump up and down acting like a buffoon on the ice doesn’t mean I’m not into it.


#3: STEVE OTT:


“The funny aspect of Ott appearing on this list is that I like him as a person and hate him as a player. He is a prick on the ice. He is always chirping at you to try to get you off your game. He’s always in your face. He’s like a gnat that you can’t seem to swat away. No one likes to play against him, and yet his teammates always like him. It’s like he’s two different people, or that he has an “on-off” switch. He seems like a quality person until the game starts, and then he makes you want to punch him in the face”.

OtterN9NE tweeted this cool response to Roenick's praise of his game:

"I would have a beer with JR anytime".


No word on whether Rayzor would toss back some sodas with Roenick. Likely not.



#4 on JR’s list is former teammate, Flyers goalie, Roman Cechmanek .



#5 is ….. I have no clue. I’m not buying Roenick’s collection of rants and tantrums. I’ll wait and read it online.
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