As a matter of full disclosure, I have a lot of time for Sabres forward Cody McCormick. He's one of the most humble, polite, and down to earth professional athlets that I have ever encountered. I've met a lot of them that I would like to forget. Not Cody Mc. He has always made time for me. Whether its after a 5-1 los or a 5-0 win, Cody will always take time to share his thoughts and to answer questions. I'll never forget the NHL lockout of 2012. While nine of his Sabres teammates were playing hockey overseas in Europe, McCormick was holding court at the Northtowns Center, playing shinny everyday with Drew Stafford, Matt Ellis, Jordan Leopold, Robyn Regehr and other Sabres players. Cody always took time to speak. Hell, there were times when he was asking me questions about my life. He's that kind of thinking man. That's why I was happy for him when the Sabres re-signed him as a free agent in July. Like his teammate Matt Moulson, Cody McCormick is proud to be back in Buffalo for his second tour of duty with the Sabres. McCormick spent five seasons in Buffalo, then was traded to the Minnesota Wild at the 2014 NHL trade deadline. McCormick is like the glue that holds a structure together. Or, the caulk that seals leaks in your family room window.
McCormick bonds easily with his teammates and is a very respected player in the room, and in the coaches room. In some ways, the 31 year old is a hybrid player-coach. He is the epitome fo the Ted Nolan type of player because he maximizes what talent he has and more than makes up for it with a sick work ethic and an unquenchable thirst to win the battles all over the ice. He doesn't win every battle, however, he tries like Hell to do so.
He wasn’t brought back to Buffalo for his toe-drags and dangles. He was re-signed because he is a loyal soldier who is a master at playing the simple game. He’s a great role model for the kids like Zemgus Girgensons, Sam Reinhart, Joel Armia, Rasmus Ristolainen, Jake McCabe, and Nikita Zadorov. McCormick’s calling card Is his relentless pursuit of perfecting the simple elements of the game like winning faceoff, blocking shots, killing penalties, wiring a puck off the glass and out to get a line change, getting pucks out of hi send of the rink, cycling, entries, recoveries, getting pucks deep, hitting, fighting, and holding the opponent accountable.
Ted Nolan and Tim Murray appreciate and respect McCormick’s skill set so much so that they rewarded him with a two year contract. I can see McCormick playing with Pat Kaleta and Nic Deslauriers on Buffalo's fourth line this season. He’ll act as a role model to the kids during the re-building period. McCormick told me Friday night, after the fight filled Leafs game, that he’s so glad to be home.
“It feels right. You know what I mean? I appreciate you saying that?
“ I wouldn’t go that far. I think we have a lot of guys like that. But, I’m still getting to know these guys. Getting ready (before Leafs game), I took a look around the room and the faces that I played with last year… it just felt right, you know?…
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McCormick marvels at all of the young stars that he’s sharing the locker room with during training camp. He told me that the current Buffalo room reminds him of a time not too long ago when young guys named Miller, Vanek, Roy, Pominville, and Gaustad were earning their bones into the NHL fraternity.
“Its gonna be fun to watch these young kids come up they are way beyond their years, I’ll say that. It’ll be fun seeing how these guys grow in this game"
** What’s Cody’s key to NHL longevity?
Elbow grease.
“I have made an NHL career out of trying to do the little things right and that’s what’s help me to stick around. Doing all of the little things right and not giving up much against. All these young guys have good heads on their shoulders and if I can help them in any way, I hope that I can make myself available to them….
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McCormick loves the team toughness that Ted Nolan has injected into the Sabres this season. McCormick loves the way his teammates are sticking up for one another and playing with a bur under their saddles.
“I saw two, three other guys step up tonight, too. Tyler Myers was read right off the start and he was not slow at it and I think we’re gonna have that in this room. It will be everybody’s there for each other. Its not gonna be like this every game (with four fights), but we were playing the Leafs. We don’t like them, they don’t like us. Its obvious. We’re trying to build a “room….
“We don’t want any team to come in (to First Niagara Center) and think that thy have any easy night. It’s a division team and we don’t want to give them any breathing room….
** On Ted Nolan, McCormick loves his coach. Seriously.
“He’s everything that everybody says about him. He can get the most out of guys. I see that in the room. Guys want to play hard for him. He (Nolan) is an approachable person. He’s someone to talk hockey with who will help you out. He’s easy to talk to and at the same time he demands the most out of you and you want to do that"
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McCormick is a huge fan of his position coach Bryan Trottier, too.
“When Bryan talks, everybody’s listening. His awesome resume speaks for itself. Its really great to have him in here and to have this coaching staff and to know how knowledgeable they are about the game. Everything they say makes all the sense in the world.…
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McCormick lives by a simple code:
"Its not a science project out there. Its about doing the little things right and then playing within that. When you get the puck in and get the puck out, you are going to earn opportunities. When the time comes that you are not doing that, for me, I’d probably be on the outside looking in from the NHL. So, I prefer to do the simple things over and over again until I get them right…
Welcome home, big man.
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For his own wealth, health, and well being, Toronto Maple Leafs forward should never play another NHL exhibition game against the Buffalo Sabres.
On Friday night in Buffalo, tried to chuck the knucks with a heavyweight Clarkson in Cody McCormick. Clarkson paid dearly when he ate two left hooks from the bigger McCormick. One punch hit Clarkson flush in the cheekbone while the other landed on his temple.
Just another example of Clarkson trying to play at a higher level to justify his huge free agent contract from last summer.
Clarkson missed practice Saturday morning so that he could visit a specialist to have his right cheekbone evaluated. McCormick is a south paw fighter. Clarkson got tagged on the right side of his face.
The 6-4 Leafs win featured four spirited scraps between the QEW rivals. Clarkson had missed Toronto's first four exhibition games while he tended to a lower body injury.
Last September, Clarkson of course was suspended 10 games after leaving the bench to join a fracas against hated division rival Buffalo That suspension coupled with others and injuries allowed Clarkson to play in just 60 games last season where he scored a career-low five goals and 11 points.
Needless to say, year one of Clarkson's ginormous seven-year, $37 million contract was a bust, to say the least.
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In case you missed it, here's Drew Stafford throwing hands with Dion Phaneuf
Chris Stewart welcomed Sam Carrick to the NHL