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Bailey On Ice, Bogosian On IR |
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In desperate need of offense, the Buffalo Sabres have recalled forward Justin Bailey from the Rochester Amerks.
The Sabres play the Anaheim Ducks tonight after losing a 4-2 decision to the LA Kings on Hockey Night in La La Land.
Phil Housley needs an immediate infusion of offense and speed. He team cannot score goals and have appeared to be slow and sluggish while attempting to break the puck out of their zone. The Sabres are owners of an NHL worst -11 goal differential. They have scored only 11 goals in five games this season while giving up 22 goals against. This is not how Housley envisioned his return to Buffalo.
It is downright unacceptable that a team like the Sabres that is brimming with so much high end offensive talent has scored only 11 goals from four players during its 0-4-1 start. Evander Kane and Jason Pominville have 4 goals apiece. Jack Eichel has scored two goals and Zemgus Girgensons has scored once.
Bailey will inject immediate speed, skill and snark. At 6’4” and 215 pounds, he can fly. Now has 50 goals in his AHL career. He is ready for prime time. Bailey was Buffalo’s best prospect at July’s Development Camp and was their best forward at the Prospects Challenge tourney in Buffalo in July.
Bailey currently leads the Amerks with two goals in nine shots on goal (22.9%) and is tied for the team lead with a +2 rating through three games in 2017-18.
In 2016-17 the Williamsville, NY product ranked third among Amerks skaters with 23 goals and finished the season with 36 points (23G, 13A) in 52 AHL games.
Buffalo’s second-round pick (52nd overall) in the 2013 NHL Draft, Bailey has registered four points (2G, 2A) in 40 career NHL games for the Sabres during the last two seasons.
I’d go all in and play Bailey in the top six. Hell, I would give him first unit PP ice time.
The Sabres have also placed defenseman Zach Bogosian on injured reserve.m
Bogosian was injured during an exhibition game and hasn’t played in three weeks.
Wasn’t it two weeks ago that Phil Housley announced matter of factly that Bogosian’s injury was classified as “day to day”?
Bogosian played a large role in two of Buffalo’s five exhibition games. He was skating with authority and confidently roaming every square inch of the 200 by 85.
All indications pointed to Bogosian thriving in the new Housley five-man attack. Then, on September 29, he was injured in the second period of a loss to the NY Islanders. Bogosian skated 17:51 TOI and registered 2 shots on goal before he suffered the injury. On September 27, Bogosian dominated the Pittsburgh Penguins by landing 8 shots on goal, 2 hits and 1 blocked shot in 24:02 TOI.
If there is one Sabres D-man who showed great signs of promise in Housley’s aggressive attack it is Bogosian. Now, Sabres fans will sit and wait for Bogosian to return to good health which has become an annual habit in WNY.
Bogosian and injuries are synonymous with one another.
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