If beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder, then Buffalo's Tyler Myers was a irresistible tower of power in Saturday night's 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.
The loss was Buffalo's 10th in a row, a franchise record. The Sabres are now in 30th place in the MHL standings. The Edmonton Oilers defeated the Florida Panthers in the shootout on Saturday night.
The Sabres and Oilers each have 31 points.
In my opinion, Myers was Buffalo's best player against Philly. He executed Ted Nolan's game play to a tee by skating hard and fast from end to end.
Myers took the puck and transported it with poise, confidence and purpose. Ted Nolan has been preaching to his troops to drive the blue ice because that is where the majority of goals are scored in the NHL. He was one of only a handful of difference makers in the loss to the Flyers. The big man was active in all three zones from the opening face off to the sounding of the final horn. He skated 30 shifts for 27:33 TOI: 3:21 PP, 2:47 PK, and 21:25 5 on 5. Myers finished the game +1 with four shots on goal two takeaways and a blocked shot. What sets Myers apart from the rest of difference making D is his size and his outstanding skating ability. It doesn't take much more than 5 or 6 strides get the 6'8" 225 lb. Myers to his high end speed. When he took control of the puck he had a plan that he articulated with it. Myers didn't hesitate when he had chances to joining the rush and to support his teammates in the offensive zone. He and his D partner Josh Gorges were very active pinching down the walls to help manufacture some offense. His active stick broke up pass plays. He won more than his fair share of one on one battles. His compete level was outstanding.
Myers isn't on the trading block per se, however, he's been causing eyebrows to be raised since returning from a lower body injury a couple of weeks ago.
Myers played his most inspired and productive game of the season on Saturday night. He put on a great show for all of the NHL scouts who were there to watch him play,
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Ryan O'Reilly trade rumors?
Really??!!
There have been rumors and rumblings regarding a an ROR to Buffalo trade for the better part of the past two seasons.
Why?
The O'Reilly camp and the Avs front office have had some bitter, knock-down-drag-out negotiations ever since Calgary signed O'Reilly to an offer sheet in February 2013.
O'Reilly's in the first year of a two year deal that carries a $6 million AAV. He will earn $5.8 million this season and will earn $6.2 million next season. He will be UFA in July 2016.
The NHL GM who trades for O'reilly better get it written in stone that the 23 year old Jonathon Toews clone is going to re-sign with his club before he gets to the UFA market.
O'Reilly will command an eight year, $8 million contract on the open market. He's worth every penny of it. His asking price will be too rich for the blood of the Avs.
The Avs are expected to have 3 reps here to watch Sabres-Flyers tonight. Their assistant player personnel man and two scouts.
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) January 17, 2015
The Avs usually send a scout to every Buffalo home game. Tonight, there are three Colorado representatives scheduled to watch the Sabres play the Flyers. The assistant director of player personnel and two scouts will be here tonight presumably to watch Buffalo's Tyler Myers play. Trust me when I tell you that the Avs didn't send three men to Buffalo to watch the Flyers ' patchwork quilt of a beat up blue line.
The Avs are in dire straits these days and their blue line, or lack thereof, is a major reason why.
Patrick Roy's forwards and D have been having habitual problems breaking the puck out of their zone cleanly. Erik Johnson and Jan Hejda have been pulling down 24 and 21 minutes TOI per game respectively, however, Tyson Barrie and Brad Stuart are playing 20 minutes apiece.
Roy needs a true top pair D that would allow him to slide Hejda down to his second unit. The Avs are also looking for a right handed D. Tyler Myers fits that bill to a tee. Myers averages 25+ minutes TOI per game and he's the right that so many teams are desperately seeking.
So, could Tim Murray land O'Reilly for Myers, straight up? No. Its going to take some sweetening on Murray's part. I would not be surprised if Mikhail Grigorenko, and center, was included in a deal with Myers for ROR. Two reasons:
1). O'Reilly plays center and acquiring him would render Grigo an Amerk TFN. One assumes that the Sabres will be selecting Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel with the forst or second overall pick in the June NHL Draft. Ted Nolan would want to play McDavid or Eichel immediately. They are both centers. So, by this rationale, the trhee Buffalo centers next season would be O'Reilly, Girgensons and McDavid or Eichel. Tyler Ennis and Cody Hodgson woul dbe moved to the walls. Grigorenko would then be the odd man out.
2). Grigo played masterfully for Patrick Roy in juniors with the Quebec Remparts.
The Sabres would become a better puck possession team immediately with O'Reilly on their team. ROR averages 19:19 TOI per game. He has scored 7 goals and has added 17 assists. He's a 49% faceoff man and has 2 PPGs and a GWG this season.
More to come....