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Buffalo Sabres forward Jason Akeson has been scheduled for a phone meeting with the NHL Department Of Player Safety. The meeting will take place on Friday.
On Wednesday night, Akeson smashed Ottawa Senators forward Colin Greening with a thunderous open ice body check.
I saw the hit live in person and thought at the time that it was a clean body check. I saw shoulder on shoulder contact.
I see it the same way today now that I have reviewed the replay of the hit.
Buffalo's Jason Akeson will have a hearing tomorrow following this hit on Ottawa's Colin Greening. pic.twitter.com/1YPmbtYqDn
— Robert Söderlind (@HockeyWebCast) September 24, 2015
Sens goon Zach Stortini jumped the smaller Akeson after the body check on Greening. Stortini was assessed a two minute instigator minor, five for fighting and a game misconduct. Akeson received five for fighting.
The Sabres host the Senators in the season opener on October 8.
Where do you come out on the Akeson hit?
Suspendable? Clean?
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The Sabres have released six players from their training camp roster.
Forward Colin Jacobs has been loaned to the Rochester Americans (AHL) and forward Eric Cornel has been returned to the Peterborough Petes (OHL).
The Sabres also released four players from their tryouts: Defensemen Josh Chapman and Spiro Goulakos; goaltenders Keegan Asmundson and C.J. Motte.
The Sabres now have 50 players (30 forwards, 15 defensemen and five goaltenders) on their training camp roster.
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Thanks, Sabres.Com
Evander Kane put on a show on Wednesday night. Playing in his first game in front of the Buffalo fans, Kane didn't disappoint.
In 22:38 TOI, Kane took 15 shots with six landing on net while three shots went wide and another six were blocked. He had one giveaway and two takeaways. Kane tested his surgically repaired shoulder by landing six hits and absorbing several others.
"We made some mistakes. Think that's to be expected in preseason. We'll learn from them, be ready for the next game", Kane said.
Kane appropriately scored his first two goals as a Sabre in his home debut.
Thank, NHL
My prediction is that Kane will score 40-45 goals this season. He is happy, healthy, and highly motivated. Playing with O'Reilly and Ennis will provide Kane with multiple scoring chances per game. Kane is a finisher and will bury the majority of his chances.
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Ryan O'Reilly wasn't happy with his performance in Buffalo's 5-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night. O'Reilly told me afterwards that he felt like he was early arriving on plays in the O-zone. He also said that he felt like his passes were late to his teammates. Don't ask about the faceoffs. True, O'Reilly had a challenging night, however, he wasn't the only Sabres player to struggle for lapses against Ottawa.
"It's disappointing. I feel like I could have done more for the team. My timing wasn't on--- wasn't where I want it to be. It was 3-0 when he started playing better", he said.
O'Reilly's blunt self evaluation is refreshing. He may have laid it on a little too thick about his performance. He told me that he wants to take more of a leadership role in the Buffalo room and that he wants to be more vocal on the ice during practices and games.
O'Reilly and the Sabres will go back to the drawing board on Thursday. They will smooth out the rough spots on their game and will be ready to battle Toronto on Friday night.
O'Reilly will park this one and will go to work tomorrow.