With all of the upcoming talent and players in the pipeline, I can't help but wonder what will happen to Patrick Kaleta. The 25-year-old winger has played in parts of five seasons with the Sabres, and has compiled 318 penalty minutes in 204 games.
Kaleta has been one of my favorite players since he played his first NHL game with Buffalo, which was the infamous brawl against Ottawa. Since then, he has agitated many opponents and drawn numerous penalties.
Kaleta has one year remaining on his contract, which earns him just under $1M.
Is it worth keeping him on the team? Based on what he has done so far, you can expect him to put up approximately 10 points a season, but the hometown boy hasn't played more than 55 games in a year.
If the Sabres do keep him on the team, they can't rely on him to be healthy at all times. There were plenty of games this past season where the Sabres really could have gained with Kaleta in the lineup. On the other hand, there were games Kaleta did play where you wouldn't hear his name at all.
In his first couple of seasons, Kaleta showed how he made it to the NHL, by his bone-crushing hits and ability to get under the skin of his opponents. He was the type of player that you'd hate to play against, but would love if he was on your team.
In the '09-'10 season, Kaleta lit the lamp 10 times, including twice short-handed and four of the goals being game winners.
Kaleta's contribution to the offense are nice to see, but I believe he needs to play the way that got him there. If he can make the other team known of his presence consistently, any offensive production would just be a bonus.
With his hard-hitting style of play, it's more than likely he will continue to miss time due to injuries. He can easily become the target of the opposition, and I don't see him playing a full season anytime soon.
I hope the Sabres realize what Kaleta brings to the ice.
What do you think? Do you see Kaleta staying on the team, or losing his spot?
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