In 2015-16, Matt Moulson was a wayward fourth line hockey player whose swift, sudden decline had many observers wondering if he was washed up in the NHL at 32 years of age.
The one time thirty goal scorer inexplicably decomposed to an 8 goal/21 point producer. Moulson wasn't physically injured.
Moulson has been with the Sabres since a trade in exchange for Thomas Vanek in late October 2013.
In 304 career games with the Islanders over five seasons, Moulson scored 118 goals and added 105 assists for 223 points.
The Sabres targeted Moulson as a veteran leader who would eventually lead their young players after their tear-down and rebuild program had concluded.
To be fair, two seasons of tanking took a toll on Moulson. As his offensive production declined so too did his confidence.
Further complicating the Moulson matter was that the former NY Islanders sniper signed a five year, $25 million contract with the Sabres in the summer of 2014. During his gawd awful and at times painful to watch 2015-16 season, many fans wondered aloud if GM Tim Murray would write buyout check for the remainiung three years of the contract and say goodbye once and for all. Had Murraynot already bought out in previous years failed forwards Ville Leino, Christian Ehrhoff and Cody Hodgson, he surely would have parted ways with Moulson.
As Moulson's slump slogged on during the 2015-16 season, many observers wondered if Moulson had played his final game in a Sabres sweater. If not a buyout, what about a trade? Could Murray bury the three remaining seasons by waiving Moulson to AHL Rochester?
In early March, Murray broke his silence on the Moulson malaise in of all places on live radio. The ever acerbic and snarky Murray toook a heavy run at his slumping veteran winger on WGR radio. Murray refused to sugar coat his bitter disappointment for Moulson's anemic offensive production.
“I won't say [he's] lost it at all. I see a player that's certainly slumping, I see a player that maybe has neglected some things in the last couple years as far as how workouts are changing...how we as an organization are changing with our young players and even our players on the team.
But he's sat up through some tough conversations. He's sat up and taken notice and I would say that in the last five to six weeks that he has been our hardest working guy after games in the gym.
And we have a plan (for Moulson). We don't expect to see results tomorrow. We've talked with his agent, we've talked with him, we've talked with our strength and conditioning staff, and he doesn't miss an optional skate anymore. He doesn't miss a post-game workout anymore. So he's taking this real seriously, he doesn't want to just go away.
So I'll say slumping for sure based on some circumstances that we've addressed, and he's been 100% in, and the long term goal is to have him better and able to produce starting next September in training camp. But the extra work has started now, and we know it won't pay off tomorrow"
In a city as intimate as Buffalo is, Murray's remarks got back to Moulson immediatedly. Buffalo is a big city, that reduces to a small town, then transforms into a little village, and shrinks into a family room , and the a phone booth. Word gets around fast. Real fast. Players listen to radio. They read this column. They read the newspaper. They like to vehemently deny it. But, it's true. The fact is, players like to know where they stand with their owners, GMs , coaches and teammates.
Conversely, Murray likes to vent his spleen.
He isn't afraid to air his grievances publicly. I'm told that in response to Murray's candid public comments that Moulson had a couple of face to face , behind closed door conversations in which he told Murray to shut his piehole and stop chirping him about his struggles and workout habits. I'm told that Moulson, an intense, proud competitor, raised his voice and demanded respect for the work that he was doing to improve his overall fitness levels. He also vowed to check in at traininbg camp in the best shape of his NHL career. In March, Murray laid down the gauntlet when he publicly called out Moulson. In April, Moulson cleaned out his locker , took the massive chip off his shoulder, pack it in his hockey bag with his skates, helmet, gloves and gear. Moulson returned home with a renewed sense of purpose and urgency.
Moulson did the work over the summer. He reported to training camp with chip firmly planted on not just one but both shoulders. His body mass index was more in line with what Murray and Bylsma wanted from Moulson. Don't get me wrong, Moulson is not a fat guy. Far from it. He played last season at 216 lbs. He appears to have lost between 10 lbs. of body weight.
After four games, Moulson has been one of if not the best Buffalo forward. Moulson has scored two power play goals in four games played. He'splayed faster. He's been more physical. He is competing harder for loose change on the walls, behind the net and in the slot.
At Sunday morning's practice, Bylsma threw Moulson a cookie. Moulson is now the first trio left winger alongside Ryan O'Reilly and Kyle Okposo.
To make room for Moulson on the top line, Bylsma moved Samson Reinhart back to center on a line with Tyler Ennis and Zemgus Girgensons.
Here are Bylsma's line trios from Sunday's practice:
Moulson - O'Reilly - Okposo
Ennis -
Reinhart - Girgensons
Foligno - Larsson - Gionta
Deslauriers - Grant - Fasching
“I think I put in a lot of work during the year,” Moulson said Sunday.
" I just have to keep working, day in, day out. I think it probably started somewhere last year to get back to where I wanted to play.”
Bylsma likes what he sees from Moulson.
“I think you’re seeing a result of the work that ‘Mouls’ put in in the offseason,” Bylsma said. “He’s come with a renewed vigor for playing, and I think he’s playing a better game as a result. You see him last game, he’s skating, he has four hits, he’s on the forecheck, he’s winning pucks on the offensive zone. That’s something he’s got to keep bringing for us.”
Perhaps the carrot that Murray dangled in front of Moulson's face last April was the fact that he was going to sign the top unrestricted free agent, Kyle Okposo for $42 million. Yes. Moulson and Okposo are the best of friends. They were line amtes when Moulson scored thirty goals three seasons in a row (2009-2012). Okposo is the godfather to Moulson's young children. Their wives are great friends, too.
Tim Murray moves in mysterious ways.
Perhaps Murray knew exactly what he was doing when he pushed Moulson's buttons last spring. Murray took a long run at Steven Stamkos, who opted to re-sign with Tampa rather than test the UFA market. Murray then closed his deal with Okposo moments after the UFA signing period opened on July 1. I contend that if Murray had bought out or traded Moulson, he would have never won the Okposo sweepstakes. Murray used Moulson to close Okposo. A motivated Moulson is now shotgunning funnels of water from the fountain of youth.
“He’s definitely looked a lot better,” Okposo said. “Obviously, scoring goals helps. But just more than that he’s making plays. He’s definitely playing like he’s got a chip on his shoulder.”
There isn't an NHL player who knows the book on Moulson moreso than Okposo.
“He’s got great touch,” Okposo said. “He just gets the puck in the net. It’s a really artful thing, goal scoring, not a lot of guys can do it. He’s one of them.”
Now, Okposo believes Moulson “looks better” than ever.
“I think his skating’s a lot better,” he said. “He’s beat some guys one-on-one and making some plays with his legs. Maybe he didn’t always do that before. He’s definitely added that to his game.”
Moulson told Buffalo Hockey Beat he knows that Bylsma isn't handed out freebies in terms of ice time. In other workds, if Moulson want sto remain on th etop trio he has to earn it through continued hard work.
“I wasn’t playing the way I knew I could play (and) I wanted to play,” Moulson said. “I think it was a commitment to get back to that and earn everything. I knew I’d have to earn everything. It’s a daily thing where you have to keep working, not just one or two games, that’s it.”
“We’re just looking for more balance on our top three lines, really,” Bylsma said. “Matt has had some chemistry with Kyle. Matt had three scoring chances in Vancouver and was around the net.”
Buffalo hockey are counting on Moulson, Okposo and the rebuilt Sabres to stack points now so that they qualify for the playoffs for the first time in five seasons next spring. A Moulson-Okposo tandem point explosion revival could be the magic wand that is needed to accomplish the postseason goals.
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The Sabres have called up forward Hudson Fasching and D Casey Nelson for their game in Philly on Tuesday night.
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