March Madness hoops has swept the city of Buffalo with the University @ Buffalo Bulls battling the West Virginia Mountaineers in Columbus on this day.
The Buffalo Sabres added another tasty subplot to an otherwise busy day by recalling center Mikhail Grigorenko from the Rochester Amerks.
You'll recall that Sabres head coach Ted Nolan hammered the former first round draft choice two weeks ago after he performed lackadaisically in a call-up game in Ottawa.
The Sabres lost 3-2 in Ottawa and the 20-year-old slickly skilled center ws demoted to the fourth line after just three shifts on Buffalo's second line.
Grigo was immediately was sent back down the next morning. To be fair to the kid, he was a emergency call-up and was the first forward eligible to be sent back to The 585.
Nolan had a few choice words for Grigorenko after his sub par performance in Ottawa. “I didn’t like his play,… Sabres coach Ted Nolan said bluntly this afternoon following practice inside HarborCenter. “In order to play at this level, especially with that much skill, he has to bring a little bit more than what he had. You never want to sit back and hope for things will work. You got to make them work. …“I thought his play on certain pucks was really lackadaisical. He didn’t have any energy or urgency in his game whatsoever. Hopefully, he’ll catch that one day.…
Grigorenko still has a lot to prove to Nolan and Tim Murray. He was drafted 12th overall but Darcy Regier and has failed to snag a roster spot in Buffalo after multiple attempts.
Grigo will become a an RFA at season's end. Seemigly, he has 11 games to prove to Murray and Nolan that he belongs in Buffalo.
What irked Nolan about Grigo's recall for the Ottawa game was that the kid went meekly into that good night. He didn't do anything to distinguish himself, nor did he make a statement to his coach along the lines of :
"Hey, Teddy, I'm extending this emergency recall. I dare you to demote me".
Nolan wanted more from Grigo and was left empty handed.
“We could’ve argued and say, ‘Hey, let’s keep him here,’… Nolan said. “He didn’t give us enough of that to argue for.…Nolan called Grigorenko’s performance “very surprising.…“(There are) not too many chances this early in your career and this much opportunity,… he said. “Some of these guys are going to have 16 games to prove themselves, and you can’t come to the rink lackadaisical.…
Grigo had missed a month due to a knee injury. He had just been activated when he was last recalled to Buffalo. He has just one goal and two points in 13 NHL games this season. He had himself a noteworthy and impressive NHL exhibition season.
This is Grigo's last stand.
Interested to see where Nolan plays Grigo tonight. Not on L1 or L2. Its either L3 or L4, right?
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) March 20, 2015
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The Sabres also sent back forward Tim Schaller and D Chad Ruhwedel on Friday afternoon.
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Heartfelt congratulations are in order for Ryan Miller and his wife Noureen DeWulf on the birth of their son, Bodhi. The Miller's welcomed the seven pound bundle of joy into the world early Thursday morning.
Welcome Bodhi. You are loved! So proud of @noureendewulf. Seeing your wife become a mother is falling in love all over again!
— Ryan Miller (@RyanMiller3039) March 20, 2015
Congratulations @RyanMiller3039 and @noureendewulf on the birth of Bodhi Ryan Miller
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) March 20, 2015
I'm guessing that Bodhi will be carrying on the Miller Family's Michigan State Spartan Hockey. Ryan and his brother Drew starred at MSU, as did their cousing Kelly, Kip and Kevin Miller.
Congrats, Ryan!
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