I've had some confused, excited Sabres fans text and DM me as to the whereabouts of Mikhail Grigorenko. Like Zemgus Girgensons, Grigo was not eligible to play in the Traverse City Prospects Tournaments due to the body of work that he has created in the NHL. Grigorenko is now entering the final year of his entry level contract and he has a lot to prove to his new GM Tim Murray. Grigo wants to play in Buffalo in the worst way, however, he's going to have to prove to Murray and Ted Nolan that he has what it takes to not only make the roster in Buffalo, but to take a scoring leadership role on the Sabres. That's a lot to ask of a 20 year old kid. Its time to Grigorenko to put up or shut up in terms of his development as a 12th overall pick in the 2012 entry draft. He certainly could benefit from playing against players his own age at the highly competitive Traverse City tourney, however, he is relegated to a cheerleader for his future Rochester and Buffalo teammates at this point. There's no question that Chadd Cassidy's forward group and PP units could use an infusion of Grigo's skills and size to help rock the Buffalo bus out of the proverbial ditch that it presently finds itself bottomed-out in. Unfortunately, Cassidy will have to dance with who brung him.
ESPN.com's Corey Pronman was in Traverse City this weekend and endeavored to speak with Tim Murray about Grigorenko. Murray said that he feels that Grigorenko needs to play on a top scoring line and he also feels that the slick Russian could benefit from a regular shift on the power play.
Murray said Grigorenko may need to take one step back (scoring ice time in AHL) to take two steps forward.
— Corey Pronman (@coreypronman) September 13, 2014I can't argue with Murray. Grigorenko needs work. He needs to play a defined, structured role. He needs to play for a coach who trusts him and believes in him. He needs to start this season in Rochester where he can spread his wings and fly. He is not going to thrive by playing 6-8 minutes per night while centering the fourth line in Buffalo. The images of Grigo skating with John Scott and Drew Stafford on the fourth line last season will be forever etched upon my mind's eye. What a disaster that was. Thankfully, Nolan and Pat Lafontaine sent Grigo back to Quebec City after they assumed the leadership roles in Buffalo last November. They instantly recognized that Grigo was a thoroughbred, not a plow horse. They, like Murray, felt it was best for the kid to rebuild his busted confidence by having him play a starring role on his junior team rather that have him waste his time and talents being a reduced-role player in Buffalo.
In 18 games played in Buffalo last season, Grigorenko only lit the lamp two times. He added one assist. When Darcy Regier and Ron Rolston were fired on November 12, Ted Nolan sent Grigo and Nikita Zadorov back to juniors to allow the kids to shake off their cob webs and to do what they do best and that is to dominate games. In 23 games played in Quebec, Grigo scored 15 goals and added 24 assists. In five playoff games, he scored one goal and added 8 assists. After his Remparts were eliminated from the QMJHL playoffs, he reported to AHL Rochester where he was held scoreless in five playoff games with the Amerks.
Grigorenko has proven in his junior career and with Team Russia's WJC team that he has supreme talent. What has plagued him in his first two seasons in Buffalo was his skating and his physicality. To his credit, he has worked tirelessly with Sabres skating coach Dawn Braid to simplify his skating stride bt applying his weight to his edges. He's a more explosive and powerful skater today than when he was when he first arrived in Buffalo after the NHL lockout had ended in January 2013. Moreover, the kid has been hitting the weights and has been doing serious work in the gym this summer.
Since he departed Buffalo in early July following Sabres rookie development camp, Grigorenko has added 10-12 pounds of muscle to his 6'3" frame. He will report to Sabres training camp this Thursday in the best shape of his life. He will play at 220 pounds this season in Rochester. Gone is the scrawny, tall kid with the railroad skating style. Say hello to the man-sized Mikhail Grigorenko.
Grigo's game now has to grow commensurate with his biceps, delts, and quads.
Talked to Tim Murray about Grigorenko. Discussed how he hasn't gotten the ice time he needs last two seasons. Says has to be on a top 6 & PP
— Corey Pronman (@coreypronman) September 13, 2014Grigorenko will get a top line opportunity and first unit PP time in Rochester.
He will be given ample opportunity to prove to Murray and Nolan that he indeed does belong in Buffalo.
Grigorenko has entered the first contract season of his young career. Its time for him to put up or shut up.
I like his chances.
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The Buffalo Sabres will be leaving Traverse City empty handed. For the first time in the past three prospects tourneys, the baby Sabres will not be appearing in the championship game. They won the title in 2011. The tourney was cancelled due to the lockout in 2012 and the Sabres finished second overall in 2013 after losing the championship game to the host Detroit Red Wings.
Its disappointing because so much was expected of this special group of young players.
The Rangers defeated the Sabres 2-1 in overtime on Saturday night. Rangers goalie Mackenzie Skapski was the reason why the Rangers won the game. He turned aside 36 of 37 Buffalo shots en route to the victory.
The Sabres are losing at Traverse City because their go-to guys have failed to score. The Sabres brought a tournament high 10 first and second round draft choices with them to Traverse City. Only one of them, Vaclav Karabacek (49th overall 2014) has scored for the Sabres, on his only shot in two games played.
The slumping Sabres have scored a disappointing two goals in two games. They entered this tourney as one of the offensive teams to watch out for because of all of their first and second round future stars. The only other goal to be scored came off the stick of free agent forward Joseph Blandisi. The “ohfer club… includes: Samson Reinhart (3 shots), Joel Armia (9 shots), Brendan Lemieux (1 shot), William Carrier (6 shots), Justin Bailey (7 shots) Eric Cornel (4 shots), Rasmus Ristolainen (8 shots), Nikita Zadorov (7 shots) and Jake McCabe (4 shots). The Sabres have averaged 36 shots on goal through the first two games of the tourney. They have only scored two goals. Their failure to bury their chances has cost them their third straight trip to the championship game. They have left too much money on the table.
Not one Sabres player is in the top twenty of the tourney leading scorers.
On Saturday night, the Sabres needed a hero to emerge and nobody responded.
The Sabres out shot the Canes 35-20 on Friday afternoon, however, lost the game 6-1 due to terrible penalty killing, sloppy D-zone play, and leaky goaltending by young Andrey Makarov. On Saturday, the Sabres cleaned up their play in their own end by eliminating D-zone turnovers. Free agent camp invitee Francois Brassard held the baby Sabres in the game and gave them a chance to win. Once again, the Sabres could not bury their chances, especially on the power play where they currently rank eighth out of eight teams. They are 0-6 with the man advantage. Compounding their struggles is their poor penalty killing. The Sabres have allowed 3 PPGs on 8 shorthanded attempts (62.5% PK rate).Carolina was 3 for 4 on PPs against Buffalo on Friday. After two games played in this tourney, the Canes are 4 for 9 (44%) on the PP, the Blue Jax are 4 for 10 (40%), and the Wild are 3 for 8 (37.5%). Consequently, the Blue Jax are 2-0, the Wild are 2-1, and the Canes are 1-1. Special teams matter in tournament play. The Sabres have struggled on the PP, on the PK, and 5 on 5.
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The Sabres sorely miss forwards Zemgus Girgensons and Nick Baptiste who starred for Buffalo at this tourney last September. Girgensons was ruled ineligible for this year’s tourney because he played full time in NHL Buffalo last season. Baptiste made the Buffalo roster, however will not play at Traverse City due to an injury that he suffered last week during an exhibition with his Sudbury Wolves club. Baptiste has met with team doctors in Buffalo and is expected to remain in Buffalo for the next 2 - 3 weeks to continue to receive medical treatment. Baptiste suffered an upper body injury last Friday night against the Soo Greyhounds when he fell awkwardly into the boards midway through the second period of the game.
Baptiste scored 45 goals for the Wolves last season. Why was he playing in a meaningless exhibition game for a Sudbury team that he is guaranteed a roster spot on? I question the decision to of his junior coach to play Baptiste in a throw away game when he was fast-tracked to Traverse City and to an invite to Buffalo’s pro training camp next week. The Sabres have roster spots available and Baptiste has been a shining star at the past two rookie development camps and at last September’s Traverse City tourney.