Updated:
Its official.
Connor McDavid now has a new line mate.
Erie Otters owner/GM Sherry Bassin has pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade. He has landed the sniper that he has been targeting for some time.
Nick Baptiste is now an Erie Otter.
I told you in this space in October that Basin was looking to add a sniper to play with McDavid and that Baptiste was a man on his wish list.
Otters fans! Give the newest addition to the team a follow! Welcome to Erie @NickBaptiste! pic.twitter.com/wB1vxntO9c
— Erie Otters (@ErieOtters) November 24, 2014
Bassin on Baptiste - "We’d set our sights on him a long time ago." #eriie
— Victor Fernandes (@GoErieHockey) November 24, 2014
Sensing his real opportunity to win the Memorial Cup this season with a healthy Connor McDavid and a high flying Dylan Strome, Bassin decided to go all-in on Baptiste.
The Sudbury Wolves will receive six valuable pieces that will help them to re-shape their lineup for years to come.
Erie will send Sudbury two second round draft picks – Sault Ste. Marie’s in 2015 and Erie’s in 2018 – and two third round picks – Belleville’s in 2015 and Erie’s in 2020.
The Otters have traded Travis Wood, Cole Mayo and 4 draft picks to Sudbury for Baptiste, the 6’1…, 190-pound right wing who has spent his entire junior hockey career with Sudbury playing in 207 games since the 2011-12 season.
Baptiste is a power winger who is near impossible to knock off the puck. He's strong, skilled and plays with a mean streak.
The Nepean, Ontario native has tallied 175 points and 80 goals over his career, including a 45 goal campaign with the Wolves in 2013-14. Baptiste was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
McDavid and Baptiste will hit it off and will start filling OHL nets with rubber.
Another reason that Sabres fans should feel good about finishing 30th overall. Imagine McDavid and Baptiste playing together in Blue & Gold for 10 years.
Former Sabres D Jay McKee is the assistant coach of the Otters. He's too is excited about the Baptiste acquisition.
Very excited to add @BuffaloSabres high end prospect @NickBaptiste via trade, to the @ErieOtters family! #onegoal
— Jay McKee (@JayMcKee74) November 24, 2014
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The Sabres have won three games in a row.
Meanwhile in Erie, Pennsylvania....
Connor McDavid skated for the first time since breaking a bone in his hand against the Mississauga Ice Dogs on November 11.
Thanks, Victor Fernandes GoErie.com
This practice sesh is by no means a green light that the kid is read to resume playing in games. Far from it. He still 3-4 weeks remaining in his recovery period.
Or, maybe his coach Jay McKee took my advise and bought the kid a couple of kegs of Minute Maid OJ with extra calcium in it for strong bones and fast recovery.
This is a great sign for Erie Otters, Buffalo Sabres, and Team Canada fans alike.
**
Myers missed the majority of practice, however, joined the team for the end of practice.
Tyler Myers has joined his team on the ice. #Sabres
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) November 24, 2014
Several NHL scouts and GMs (Detroit, Anaheim, LA, Anaheim, San Jose) now can breathe a sigh of relief now that Myers is in fact okay.
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The Buffalo Sabres are on a three game winning streak. To what do they owe the credit for their sudden turnaround? I'd have to credit their improved D-zone coverage and their goaltending.
The play of Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov has been brilliant. Tyler Myers hasn't lagged in the absence of his injured D partner and NHL leading shot blocker Josh Gorges. Tyson Strachan has been a reliable contributor. Mike Weber and Andrej Meszaros have been playing better in their zone.
Unlike the first eight weeks of the season, the Buffalo D are now protecting fort. They are not puck watching, running around chasing the puck in their end of the rink. The Sabres D most certainly are keeping pucks to the outside and limiting scoring chances against by blocking shots
The Sabres hit the practice ice on Monday morning with their leading ice time eater, Tyler Myers.
Is it an injury or a maintenance day?
In the dying moments of the third period in Washington on Saturday night, Myers dropped down his 6'8" frame to one knee in order to block an Alex Ovechkin point bomb. Myers courageously blocked the shot with the outside of his left hand. For those of you who play hockey, you know that the outside of the pinky area on your hockey gloves has very little, if any protection. Myers didn't appear to be injured at the time and finished the game. Perhaps he experienced swelling and pain on Sunday.
We will know more when Ted Nolan addresses the media after practice today.