Andrej Meszaros, he of the minus 6 rating in four games, has posted bail from the Erie County Holding Center. Meszaros is better than that. Or, is he?
He was brought into Buffalo to be a teacher and a role model for the kids. That he was turfed just four games into the new season is a demerit against him.
The veteran D will skate again tonight for the Sabres after he was sent to the hoose kow for the Carolina game due to below average play.
Ted Nolan is an old school coach. If his players are not playing up to their capabilities, they will be benched. No player is immune from a benching. That's how Nolan rolls.
The Sabres signed the UFA to add stability and depth to its D corps. He showed signs of life in the preseason, however, he's been a mess in the regular season.
Nolan is giving Meszaros a second chance to prove himself tonight vs. Florida.
"He's got to be one of our top-four defensemen," Nolan said this morning. "You don't judge the whole season on one game so we want to see him playing the way he's capable of playing. So that was the choice. A lot of coaches believe in doing the same thing and getting the same result, but he can play a lot better for us and we're looking forward to that."
Meszaros will be paired with Andre Benoit.
This 61-41 pairing is currently a combined -10. Nolan is giving both individuals the opportunity to clean his own game up. If they succeed great. Nolan will continue to play them together. However, if the suck, they will be sent to the bench.
Florida's Roberto Luongo and Buffalo's Jhonas Enroth were the first goalies off the ice for their respective teams during the morning skates, which likely means they will start.
Here are the projected lineups:
FORWARDS:
Jokinen - Barkov - Hayes Huberdeau - Bjugstad - Upshall Bergenheim - Bolland - Fleischmann Kopecky - MacKenzie - Boyes
DEFENSE:
Mitchell - Kulikov Ekblad - Campbell Olsen - Gudbranson
Luongo
Thanks, Panthers.com
***