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Lehner, Nilsson Co-MVPs

November 25, 2016, 12:09 PM ET [7 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT
As Evander Kane continues to to play well and the Sabres continue to stack points, the trade talk won't go away.

As I have told you many times over the past few months, Tim Murray is not in a hurry to trade Kane. Make no mistake, Murray will make a trade when he gets the return he is looking for.

If you are an NHL GM and you want Evander Kane, you better be prpared to transfer a top four defenseman to Buffalo. Otherwise, it's no dice.


Darren Dreger talked about the percolating Kane trade chatter on Friday on "The Instigators" radio extravaganza in Buffalo.


“I think we can all see that Evander Kane can be an offensive threat. If he’s able to remain healthy and all of the other baggage that seems to follow this guy is ancient history and behind him, then I can guarantee that there’s going to be teams out there that are willing to absorb whatever risk might be.

“But Tim Murray knows that and he knows that he’s an asset. He also knows that it’s too early in the season to just move pieces out unless you’re getting the right rate of return.”

The Sabres are in Washington to play Ovi and the Capitals this afternoon, The Sabres have ridden brilliant goaltending and have piled up 19 of a possible 40 points in their first 20 games played.

The Sabres have lost 104 man games to injury in the first six weeks of the season. Remarkably, they continue to stick with the wild card playoff pack. Buffalo hoped to get Jack Eichel back from injury next week. For now, they continue to keep calm and grind it out. Having Eichel back in the lineup will no doubt kick start the Buffalo offense which is dead last in the NHL. After 20 games played, the Sabres have scored only 37 goals total, 14 of which have been power play goals. One expects that having a healthy Eichel in the lineup will help the Sabres produce more than their current 1.85 goals per game.



Make no mistake. Murray's phone has been ringing. He spoke with NHL GM's at the recent general managers meetings in Toronto. His NHL GM peers are chucking him metal ship anchors rather than life preservers in this most frustrating and difficult time when Eichel, Zach Bogosian, Dmitry Kulikov, Tyler Ennis, Nic Deslauriers, and others come in and out of the M*A*S*H* unit.



Opposing personnel men and scouts are actively watching the Sabres play on the road and at home. Among the teams seemingly scouting Kane are Calgary, NY Islanders, Washington, and Aneheim.

Experenced, talented 30 goal scorers don't grow hydroponically. They are in short supply in today's NHL. Kane hasn't scored a goal yet in his nine games played. However, the Vancouver native has been dominant in his past five games played. Kane is averaging 20:30 TOI in his past five games and he has 20 hits and 19 shots on goal. The 25 year old appears to be getting his mojo back after returning to the lineup after only a four week layoff due to four cracked ribs suffered in teh season opener.


“They (Buffalo) are interested in trading him, I don’t think that there’s any question. Otherwise this type of trade speculation and dialogue with Vancouver and perhaps other teams wouldn’t be out there. It wouldn’t have been made public", Dreger said.

“But again, it comes down to maximizing an asset. And whether you like Evander Kane or whether you don’t like Evander Kane – as a player or as a person – that doesn’t matter to Tim Murray. It doesn’t matter to a lot of people. What matters is what he can do on the ice, and when he’s healthy and focused – he’s still a valuable piece.”


Kane can be had in a trade. IF the price is right.

The Vancouver Canucks took their net and went home early from the game when Murray asked for Ben Hutton in return for Evander Kane. Yesterday, the Canucks signed Huttn, 23, to a two year bridge deal with a $2.8M AAV.


Will the Calgary Flames offer Dougie Hamilton for Evander Kane?


Will the NY Islanders exchange Nick Leddy for Kane?


Will the Washington Capitals move Karl Alzner for Kane?


Will the Anaheim Ducks trade Cam Fowler for Kane?


Tim Murary is nearly maxed out of salary cap space. Any deal he completes for Kane will have to be a dollars in, dollars out business transaction. Murray has just an eye lash under $800,000 in available salary cap space. Kane is a $5.25 million cap hit this and next season.





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Congrats to former Sabres D-man Carlo Colaiocovo who has signed a contract to play for the Adler Mannheim of the German Elite League.










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The Buffalo Sabres have lost 104 man games to various injuries this season.


Cody McCormick (blood clots, October 13; injured reserve) – 20 games
Jack Eichel (high-ankle sprain, October 13; injured reserve) – 20 games
Nicolas Deslauriers (knee, October 30; injured reserve) – 13 games
Zach Bogosian (MCL sprain, November 3) – 11 games
Tyler Ennis (groin, November 9; injured reserve) – 8 games
Dmitry Kulikov (lower back, November 11) – 7 games

Evander Kane missed 11 games due to broken ribs.



Were it not for stellar goaltending, Buffalo would be out of the playoff race were in not for stellar goaltending.

If I had to acknowledge a team MVP in the first 20 games of the season, I would name co-MVPs in Robin Lehner and Anders Nilsson.

The sky scraping Swedes have defied all odds and silenced every critic and non-believer with consistent, continual brilliant goaltending performances.

I know it sounds hacky and cliche, but Lehner and Nilsson truly do give their teammates a legitmate chance to win each and every game they play.



Did you know that Buffalo’s goaltenders, Robin Lehner and Anders Nilsson, had the second-best combined save percentage* (.930 %) in the NHL entering play on Thanksgiving night?

It's true.

According to Corsica, the Lehner-Nilsson duo have the fifth-best save percentage during 5-on-5 play (.940 %).


The Sabres last finished a season with a combined save percentage* above .920 in the 2009-10 season (.922, Ryan Miller/Patrick Lalime/Jhonas Enroth) and have not hit the .930 mark in a season since 1998-99 (.930, Dominik Hasek/Dwayne Roloson/Martin Biron).


In his last three games, Nilsson is 2-0-1 with a .976 save percentage and a 0.97 GAA. During that stretch, Nilsson has stopped 93 of 95 shots faced at even strength (.979 %) and 25 of 26 shots while the team was shorthanded (.962 %).



Top Five NHL Goaltending Tandems by Save Percentage* (as of 11/24)



1. Minnesota Wild

19 Games Played

35 Goals Against

572 Shots Against

537 Saves

.939 Save Percentage



2. Buffalo Sabres

20 Games Played

45 Goals Allowed

645 Shots Against

600 Saves

.930 Save Percentage



3. Columbus Blue Jackets

18 Games Played

39 Goals Against

548 Shots Against

509 Saves

.929 Save Percentage




4. Montreal Canadiens


20 Games Played

45 Goals Allowed

628 Shots Against

583 Saves

.928 Save Percentage




5. Tampa Bay Lightning

21 Games Played

48 Goals Against

636 Shots Against

588 Saves

.925 Save Percentage


*Combined save percentage excludes empty net goals



I expect Dan Bylsma to give the Buffalo net to Nilsson tonight. Earlier this week, Bylsma said that Nilsson has earned another start and that it would occur this week.

Nilsson defeated the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Saurday night. He allowed only a Sidney Crosby power play goal in 65 minutes of work. He made 46 saves on 47 shots faced in the shootout win.

On Wednesday night, Lehner made 23 save on 24 shots faced in 65 minutes of work in a 2-1 shootout loss to Detroit.

Nilsson will get the well deserved start tonight against the Capitals.
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