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If only he had bought and alarm clock that worked.
If only the Nor'Easter hadn't closed airports along the east code, forcing he and his them girlfriend to be stranded in the Dominican Republic!
Nikita Freakin Zadorov.
He's the one that got away.
THIS is the Zadorov whom the Buffalo Sabres drafted 16th overall from the London Knights at the 2013 NHL Draft.
Zadorov is a one man wrecking crew, as evidenced by his full frontal assault on Mark Scheifele and the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday afternoon in Denver.
At 6'5 and 225 lbs., Zadorov would be the perfect ft on the Buffalo blue line today.He's ginormous, stronger than two oxen, skates like a loaded 18-wheeler and has offensive ability.
When the Ryan O'Reilly trade between Buffalo and Colorado went down at the 2015 NHL Draft, Zadorov was an immature, precocious, 19-year old puppy. He and Mikhail Grigorenko were the featured players because of their tremendous upside. Tim Murray didn't draft Zadorov and Girorenko so he had no emotional attachment to the two Russians. Murray added more spice to the O'Reilly chili by adding in prospect forward J.T. Compher and a second round pick for O'Reilly and Jamie McGinn.
Man. Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy actually traded Ryan O'Reilly. That actually happened.
I'd love to see a 21 year old, more mature, more physically and mobility developed Zadorov back in Buffalo.
Imagine Rasmus Ristolainen with Jake McCabe and Brendan Guhle with Nikita Zadorov in the Buffalo top four group next season.
Who knows. Sakic and the Avs are about to fire sale their stars Matt Duchene and Gabe Landeskog in the next three weeks leading up to the NHL trade deadline.
Tim Murray may want to call Sakic and ask for Zadorov in exchange for Tyler Ennis.
If Sakic trades away two top six forwards, he's going to need to add said same.
Zadorov leads the Avs with 129 hits this season. He has 59 blocked shots and 10 assists while averaging 18:34 TOI.
Zadorov has seemingly mellowed with age. Since he left Buffalo, he has gotten married and has settled down in the Denver area.
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The Ottawa Senators have been sending their chief professional scout to watch the Sabres for the past two weeks.
Why?
Curtis Lazar.
The Sens have relegated the former first round draft choice from the Edmonton Oil Kings to their fourth line. Tim Murray drafted Lazar to play a top six role. Sens coach Guy Boucher is not a fan of Lazar's game. Murray said earlier this week that he wants to make a "soft deal" for a another center. Lazar is on Murray's radar.
Lazar can be had for a rental D like Dmitry Kulikov or Cody Franson.
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The NY Rangers will have a full house in their forward ranks when center Kevin Hayes returns to their lineup in the very near future.
Hayes has scored 13 goals and 35 points in 47 games. Hayes has been unable to play due to a left leg injury. Hayes may be in the starting lineup today when the Rangers host the Calgary Flames.
Alain Vigneault will then have 14 healthy forwards which will mean waivers, or a trade for either Brandon Pirri, Matt Puempel and Oscar Lindberg.
In 214 NHL games with four teams, Pirri has 57 goals and 96 points, with 18 goals and 32 of those points on the power play. Pirri, 25, who has eight goals and 16 points in 48 games this season.
Pirri would be plucked off waivers in a New York minute. Therefore, he will likely be trade at the NHL deadline.
Pirri has a soft $1.1M AAV and is set to become RFA on July 1.
The Rangers are looking for a defenseman in return for Pirri.
The Buffalo Sabres have D Dmitry Kulikov, Cody Franson and Josh Gorges. to offer as trade bait.
Pirri plays center and wing.
Dan Bylsma could use some scoring pop on his fourth line as his team grinds its way through the dog days of 34 games in 69 post-All Star Game.
The Rangers have had a scout at Buffalo home games for the past two months.
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Robin Lehner shut up his critics on Hockey Night In Buffalo.
The Big Swede made 37 saves and shut out his former team the Ottawa Senators 4-0.
It was Lehner's first shutout of the season and it ended a three game losing streak.
It was Lehner's fourth NHL career shutout.
In his last two games, Lehner has made 79 saves on 81 shots faced. That's great goal tending for a .975 save percentage. On Thursday night, Lehner made 42 saves in a 2-1 OT loss to Hank Lundqvist and the NY Rangers,
The Senators entered the game 6-2-2 in their last 10 games.
Robin Lehner is 3-0-2 in six career appearances against his former club with a save percentage north of .960 and a 1.35 GAA.
Lehner willed his team to a 4-0 victory with his calm, cool, composed performance.
Kyle Okposo, Ryan O'Reilly, Samson Reinhart, and Marcus Foligno lit the lamp for the Sabres.
Jack Eichel chipped in two assists.
I really liked the way that Josh Gorges and Jake McCabe stepped back into the lineup and made positive contributions to the 4-0 Buffalo win.
Gorges last played on January 5 due to a bruise on his hip. Gorges skated 16:04 TOI, had an assist on the Okposo goal and was +2.
McCabe missed the past five games with a shoulder injury. McCabe skated 18:48 TOi and was +1.
The Sabres kicked off their first of four of six games, and, eight of their next thirteen games on home ice, where they are now 12-8-4 this season.
In their 24 home games this season, the Sabres have scored 56 goals (2.23 GPG). In their 27 road games, the Sabres have scored 68 goals (2.5 GPG) for.
There are 12 games remaining between now and the March 1 NHL trade deadline.
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For the first time all season long, Rasmus Ristolainen did not lead all Sabres D-man in total time on ice.
Ristolainen skated 25:11, was +1 and had an assist on Ryan O'Reilly's goal.
Dmitry Kulikov skated 25:23 and was +1.