One To Watch: Buffalo Sabres

-

The bad news for the Buffalo Sabres is that they have a single win in the first ten games of the year and look far from a playoff caliber team. The good news is that this may be a temporary thing as the club has the means to kick off a serious rebuild and quality youth is already on the way. 

Already this year the Sabres have dressed 6 rookies including defenceman Nikita Zadorov who has played just once. Rounding out that group are Zemgus Girgensons, Mikhail Grigorenko, Johan Larsson, Rasmus Ristolainen and the guy who was featured in this write up a year ago. 

2012 Choice: Mark Pysyk - They don't get much more humble or likeable than defenceman Mark Pysyk who I've had the good fortune to get to know over the last 6 years in Edmonton. He made his professional debut last year and played 19 games with the Sabres last year at the end of the shortened season. Pysyk joined me in studio for an hour this past summer and told me that he didn't necessarily expect to make the team out of camp this year but a month in and he's played on the top pairing with veteran Christian Ehrhoff.

My selection as One To Watch for Buffalo this year comes after the jump.

One To Watch: Buffalo Sabres

-
If it's quality over quantity than Buffalo has to be considered one of the stronger organizations in the NHL when it comes to its prospects. The 28 players currently listed on the team's website aren't all of the club's prospects (for some reason) but it's a solid crop to look at. 

Recently drafted and signed forwards Mikhail Grigorenko and Zemgus Girgensons are going to be particularly interesting to follow this year. Both could play in the NHL, both could end up in the CHL but only the Latvian can play in the AHL (as rules stand right now). Is there room for both with the Sabres? If the answer is no, does the AHL option decide who stays?

The Sabres have two netminders in the system that I really like, both of them were 6th round picks and both of them are giants. Connor Knapp checks in at 6'5 and after 4 years with the Miami RedHawks is ready to make his professional debut. Nathan Lieuwen is also 6'5 and will be a rookie pro this year after 4 WHL seasons with the Kootenay Ice. Both goalies have been to the National Championship tournament for their respective league and both have a ton of potential. But who will play where this year?

Brayden McNabb, Matt MacKenzie, Jerome-Gautheir Leduc, Joel Armia and recently traded Colin Jacobs (too Prince George of the WHL) are all guys to keep an eye on as they take on bigger challenges this year.  

The player I have opted to go with for this series is a player I have known since he was 15 and have been able to watch closely for the last half decade. 

Buffalo Signs Girgensons

Just breaking on Twitter, the Buffalo Sabres have reportedly signed 2012 1st round selection Zemgus Girgensons to a 3-year entry level contract. 

One on One: Nathan Lieuwen

~
He was one of WHL's best goaltenders last year and is picking up this season right where he left off in May. Nathan Lieuwen has stopped 95.3% of the shots he's faced and is sporting a miniscule 1.30 GAA after his first six appearances. Not bad for a guy who didn't get drafted until he was 19-years-old.

I had a chance to chat with the Buffalo Sabres 6th round pick about finally getting selected, what his impressions of the NHL organization were and where he fits into their big picture plus just what he thinks about returning to the WHL again.

Sabres Sign Pysyk

~
It's a big day for the marquee member of the Edmonton Oil Kings as the Buffalo Sabres have announced the signing of 2010 draftee Mark Pysyk to a 3-year entry level contract. Pysyk was selected 23rd overall in last June's draft and responded with a career year in the WHL with Edmonton. (Detail from CapGeek.com)

Pysyk was named captain of the Oil Kings at the start of the 2010-11 campaign and grew well into that role. The Sherwood Park native finished the season with 40 points in 63 games. He was invited to take part in the Canada's December camp for the 2011 World Junior Championship and by all accounts, was one of the last players released from the team.

The 19-year-old defenceman is expected to be back with the Oil Kings in 2011-12 where he'll be relied upon for his leadership and experience.

Pysyk was a Guest Blogger for us during the 2009-10 season leading up to the 2010 NHL Entry Draft so we'd like to extend a personal congratulations to him.

Kassian Fight Stalls Contract Talks With Sabres

.
So a 19 year old gets into a bar fight and leaves his opponent with a chipped tooth and a bleeding mouth. Normally it wouldn't' be that big of news, but that 19 year old is 13th overall draft pick in 2008 and a Memorial Cup champion Zack Kassian.

Now it appears the incident at a Windsor night club may be giving the Buffalo Sabres second thoughts on signing him.

You can read the story here.

I highly doubt this will make the Sabres bail on Kassian all together, unless there is more to the story.

23rd - Buffalo Sabres Draft Preview

~
I've always liked the Buffalo Sabres uniforms, until they switched to the red/black/white versions about a decade ago. To me that was big step back. Thankfully the classic sweater came back as a third and even if you didn't like the "Buffa-slug" logo, the colours were back too. This simple shoulder patch is a reminder of the classic crest with the criss-crossed swords under the buffalo and looks pretty cool.

Tyler's Tale: From a Tiger to a Pirate to a Sabre.

Last night Sabres rookie Tyler Ennis - pictured celebrating his first NHL goal- joined us for most of the first segment in studio. The Edmonton product just returned last week after suiting up for the Sabres in their first round playoff loss.

Sabres Prospect Snap Shot

~
The Sabres reside in the city of hard luck, thanks to the Bills 4 straight Super Bowl losses and Brett Hull’s skate in 1999. The Sabres have developed a lot of great talent of the years, but because the team hasn’t shelled out big bucks, they’ve developed players for other teams.

The Sabres joined up with the Portland Pirates 2 years ago. The Pirates were born in 1993-94 when they were the baby club of the Washington Capitals. That’s also the year they won their one and only Calder Cup title.

Here now is a look at the top prospects of the Buffalo Sabres