|
Weber's Knee Puts Kibosh On Zadorov Joining Team Russia |
|
|
|
|
|
Mike Weber's knee injury has put the kibosh on Nikita Zadorov's chances of playing for Team Russia at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships.
Sabres head coach Ted Nolan reported on Saturday morning that Weber underwent a minor knee scope on Friday to clean up an injury that occurred approximately three weeks ago.
Weber will return to the lineup after the Christmas holiday.
Weber's loss in ice time will be the gain of Zadorov, Ristolainen, Myers, Gorges and one of either Strachan, Benoit, or Meszaros.
Nolan sounds pretty convincing when he says that its not likely that Nikita will be playing ifor Russia when the WJC pool games begin in Montreal on Boxing Day.
Thanks, Buffalo Sabres
Zadorov, 19, is averaging 18 minutes TOI per game while riding dirty with Rasmus Ristolainen. The overall play of the young, ultra-aggressive Moscow kid has been outstandingly remarkable ever since Nolan paired him with Ristolainen in the third period of the Pittsburgh 6-1 trouncing of the Sabres a month and a half ago.
The London Knights alum has collected 34 hits and 19 blocked shots this season. He's +3.
Russia's los is Buffalo's gain.
***
I was asked by an esteemed colleague the other night why Tim Murray would be so bold as to trade Tyler Myers out of Buffalo.
My answer: Murray doesn’t have to trade Myers. However, he should trade him for two hockey mitts full of talent and a first round draft choice.
TMGM is content to keep the 24 year old skyscraper in Blue & Gold for years to come. Myers is under contract and is playing an inspired brand of hockey on a consistent basis.
However, Murray cannot ignore the many inquiries that his GM peers have made and will continue to make regarding the former Kelowna Rockets star. Murray’s iPhone started buzzing and blinking last winter. Murray was fielding calls on then Sabres D Christian Ehrhoff as well as on Myers. Ehrhoff’s long term contract was eventually bought out by Buffalo and then signed a one-off contract in Pittsburgh.
Myers remains an object of desire for several NHL GMs and directors of scouting. His size, skating, one-pass-exits, and his innate ability to eat 25+ minutes TOI per game makes him an attractive option to have in a top four D group. When he’s on his game, like he is this season, Myers is a one man breakout machine. His first pass has been on the tape and accurate. The Sabres are in the midst of an 8-3 run right now and Myers is a big reason for the success. He told me after the 4-3 win over Calgary that he’s feeling more confident than ever before in his own game. He’s seeing the ice well and he’s allowing his instincts to guide him. Gone is the self-loathing and self-doubt. He’s no longer over-analyzing his mistakes and beating himself up on the bench after making mistakes inside shifts. Myers told me that the Buffalo forwards are coming low to support the puck in the D-zone which allows him, Gorges, Ristolainen, Zadorov and the rest of the Buffalo D to make quick 5-7 foot passes to the forwards who are in full flight. Gone are the Hail Mary style 20 foot passes that were the fatal flaws in the Buffalo demise period in the first eight weeks of the season.
Were it not for the sheer brilliance of youngsters Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov, Myers would be getting a lot more of the credit for the Buffalo success during its most recent market correction. Ever since Ted Nolan merged the two first rounder together a month and a half ago and the Sabres have been winning in convincing fashion. Coincidence? I think not. Ristolainen and Zadorov have been playing together like a younger version of Shea Weber and Ryan Suter, or a more physical version of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook.
So, why would Murray trade Myers now that the Sabres are back on the beam and are winning games?
The answer is simple. Several NHL GMs see Myers as the missing link to their short and loing term prosperity.
Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland has been patiently waiting for the next Nik Lidstrom to present himself. It hasn’t happened yet. It will be a long time until another defenseman like Nik Lidstrom skates into the NHL. Lidstrom was a generational player who revolutionized the way that NHL rear guards play the game. Holland has also been patiently waiting to finalize a long term contract extension with his brilliant head coach Mike Babcock. Rumors and chatter will continue to swirl around Babcock and his future behind the Detroit bench until such time that the Illitch family and Holland are able tio get his signature on the bottom of a new contract. There were rumors of Babcock’s “imminent” re-signing in Detroit earlier this week. Those rumors have since been refuted and denied by Babcock and all parties involved. Babcock is still the head coach of the Wings, for the time being. If Holland wants to lock up his head coach to long term contract extension, he might want to up the ante and sweeten the pot by adding a “signing bonus” in the form of a 6’8” 230 lb. top four D who can skate like the Lake Erie Wind, dominate 5-v-5, run a PP, kill penalties and skate 26-30 minutes TOI per game. Babcock has said several times this season that he really feels that this year's Red Wings team can compete and make a serious statement in the postseason. right now the Eastern Conference is wide open in the Red Wings have an opportunity to make a very strong push to the top of the conference by adding a difference maker like Myers.
The Wings enter tonight's action tied for second place overall in the NHL with 41 points. They are tied with Tampa, Pittsburgh and Chicago. Babcock's team is 7-1-2 in its last 10 games. What better time than the present to make a blockbuster trade to create distance from its closest competitors. Why wait until the trade deadline to make a statement move to the rest of the NHL.
Murray and Holland have spoken about Myers and his availability.
Seemingly, Holland would love to hand a #57 Winged Wheel sweater to Myers at an introductory press conference, however, he’s not willing to part with the organizational assets that Murray has asked for in return. Holland is very high on Anthony Mantha, Dylan Larkin, Riley Sheahan, and Tomas Jurco. Holland isn’t willing to part with blue chip prospects in order to acquire Tyler Myers. Holland is more likely to trade his 2014 first-round pick and two other top prospects.
So, what will it take for Murray and Holland to finally collaborate and do a deal? At what price Myers?
Murray cannot pry Mantha and Larkin away from Holland. He’s tried it repeatedly. His access has been denied and will likely continue to be declined. It’s time for Murray to get up on his toes and walk the proverbial blue line to look for another shot lane.
The Sabres are lacking a power center to compliment Zemgus Girgensons. They would like to bolster their skill and size down the middle. Trading Myers would create a huge void on the Buffalo blue line. Murray will need to have a D-man included in any trade of Myers.
At 6’3” and 220 lbs. Mikhail Grigorenko will fill fit nicely into Nolan’s size/skill template when he finally arrives in Buffalo. 2014 first rounder Sam Reinhart was sent back to Kootenay to work on his strength and body mass. Cody Hodgson can’t play the puck possession role that Ted Nolan requires of him and may end up being traded away later this season or next.
The Red Wings have organizational depth at center and I’ve been told that Murray is really intrigued by former Barrie Colts center Andreas Athanasiou and former Soo Greyhound D Ryan Sproul. Murray has long said that he covets prospects from other organizations that are second or third year pros who are ready to play in the NHL. For example, Nic Deslauriers who completed his AHL apprenticeship in Manchester, however, was not a candidate to make the LA Kings roster due to a clog in their organizational depth chart.
Back to Athanasiou who is a big, strong, slickly skilled center that Murray has scouted live in person over the years. Athanasiou is 6’2, 200 lbs. He’s a first year pro and was the 110th overall pick 2012 NHL Draft. A Dale Hawerchuk protégé, he played alongside Sabres 2014 (second round) draftee Brendan Lemieux, who scored 27 goals and 26 assists in his NHL draft year of 2013-14.
Last season, Athanasiou was tied for fifth overall in OHL scoring with 95 points (49+46=95) in 66 games for Barrie. Those are Anthony Mantha numbers right there. Mantha is a one dimensional player in that he is a pure goal scorer who is learning to play the defensive side of the puck in Grand Rapids this season. Athanasiou is no stranger to the 200 foot game. He plays both sides of the puck with great dexterity and intensity. He ranked among OHL leaders with 49 goals (2nd), four shorthanded goals and eight game-winning goals. He paced the Barrie Colts in scoring and ranked first on the team in goals (49), second in assists (46) and second in plus/minus (+24).
This season in Grand Rapids, he has scored 7 goals and added 9 assists in 24 games.
If/when Murray trades Myers, he may want to have Ryan Sproul included in the deal.
Sproul is a big, strong, physical, mobile, right handed D. He’s 6’3” and 210 lbs. He’s a second year pro. He was the 55th pick overall in 2011 NHL Draft from the Soo Greyhounds. He was voted CHL Defenseman of the Year in 2013.
Tied for seventh on the Griffins in scoring with 32 points (11+21=32) in 72 regular season games, and picked up two goals and three assists in 10 AHL playoff appearances, tying for sixth on the team in scoring.
This season in Grand Rapids, Sproul has scored two goals and has added three assists in 21 games played.
Would I trade Tyler Myers for Detroit’s 2015 first round draft choice, Andreas Athanasiou and Ryan Sproul?
Yes. Yes, I would.
Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov have proven that they are ready for prime time. These kids are stars. They are playing 22 and 18 minutes TOI per game and they are not one bit fazed by the speed and physicality of the NHL. With Jake McCabe and Mark Pysyk in Rochester, I’d have two NHL-ready D to immediately replace Myers, who may have already shown us his ceiling in terms of his talent.
Murray should want to have four first round draft choices in arguably the deepest talent pool since the 2003 NHL Draft. Visions of McDavid, Eichel, Hannifan, Strome and Greenway are dancing through my head if I’m Tim Murray.
The NHL roster freeze will clicking on December 19th and what it lists after the holidays there will be more discussion and perhaps a mutually beneficial hockey trade.
Join the Discussion:
»