The Buffalo Sabres used their position as last-place team in the National Hockey League to their advantage Friday, snatching Zenon Konopka off waivers from the Minnesota Wild with their top position on the wire.
BLOG: Zenon Konopka claimed off waivers by the Buffalo #Sabres http://t.co/2eall4okgi #mnwild
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) January 3, 2014
Konopka is an enforcer of the classic type, with 1,049 career penalty minutes in 323 games. So far in the 2013-14 season, he is among the NHL‘s leaders in fighting majors, with seven. In past seasons he’s gone hog-wild with fisticuffs, with 76 total fights in the last three full NHL seasons.
Now he joins a team that already features two enforcers in the form of Cody McCormick (seven fights so far this year) and John Scott (two). There isn’t room for them all—and it should be obvious which one is the odd man out.
Scott is the only one out of the three who has no other value on the team besides fighting. His recent goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs was his only point in 57 games with the Sabres and was his first goal in more than four calendar years, as the Buffalo Sabres Twitter feed was kind enough to point out:
The last time John Scott scored a goal on Nov 15/09, Trent Edwards passed for 185 yards in Buffalo’s 41-17 loss to Tennessee.
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) December 28, 2013
Neither McCormick (10 goals, 19 assists in 164 games with Buffalo) nor Konopka (12 goals, 17 assists in his 323 games) is going to light up the scoreboard either, but at least they have the potential to make something happen in the offensive zone.
Konopka also has one very important skill the Sabres desperately need: talent in the faceoff circle. He’s not only good in there—he’s the best.
Zenon Konopka’s career faceoff percentage of 59.6% leads all active NHL players. Next closest is Jonathan Toews (56.9%). (via @EliasSports)
— Sabres PR (@SabresPR) January 3, 2014
The Sabres currently rank 27th in the NHL, winning 46.4 percent of their faceoffs.
So McCormick is established as an enforcer who works hard in the offensive zone. The new guy is an enforcer who is a beast in the faceoff circle. What does enforcer No. 3, Scott, bring to the table as his secondary ability?
Taking dumb penalties? Scott managed to play two consecutive games this season (Dec. 12 against Ottawa and Dec. 14 against Calgary) in which, through minor penalties alone, he spent more time in the penalty box than on the ice.
Getting suspended for foolish hits? Just ask Loui Eriksson about that.
This guy is a predator. He was put out there to seek and destroy, and in this case, with his team down two goals [Boston led 4-2 at the time], he destroyed a pretty good player well after he’d released the puck. He was looking for trouble; he’s been looking for trouble every shift he’s been on the ice because he can’t do much of anything else.
Konopka, despite the tough game he plays, has never been suspended during his eight-year career. He’s considered pesky, not dirty.
Along with his pet rabbit Hoppy, Konopka should be embraced by Sabres fans. And he’s already shown he is excited to arrive.
Things to do 1.get to Buff 2.get Hoppy a Sabres Jersey 3.beat the Devils 4.give Rob Ray a high five 5.eat chicken wings and pizza #Sabres
— Zenon Konopka (@ZenonKonopka) January 3, 2014
As excited as he is to get to Buffalo, the Sabres should be as excited to show John Scott the door. Once the team’s injury situation (which currently includes McCormick, along with Drew Stafford and Cody Hodgson) clears up, it should happen swiftly.
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The Buffalo Sabres hit the midpoint of their 2013-14 season last night with an embarrassing loss to the Minnesota Wild and former captain Jason Pominville.
To say that the Sabres have struggled lately is potentially the understatement of the year. As it stands right now, the Sabres are on pace for 52 points, which would be the lowest total for a full season since the overtime loss point was added after the 2004-05 lockout.
The Sabres may have safely eclipsed the 1974-75 Washington Capitals‘ record for fewest points (21), but they certainly have a chance at futility in the goals scored department. The 1953-54 Chicago Blackhawks own that record right now, having scored only 133 goals. The Sabres are on pace to score 142 right now, so that record isn’t too far out of the question.
The funny thing about the 1953-54 Blackhawks? They only played 70 games.
So with quite possibly the worst season in franchise history half finished, what will the rest of the season bring for the Sabres?
Follow me on Twitter for NHL and Sabres news all season long: @SwordPlay18.
This week there have been multiple reports from sources like TSN’s Bob McKenzie saying that the Buffalo Sabres have narrowed their list of general managers down and will begin their second-round interviews soon.
Since the GM search began in early November, the Sabres have been a decidedly better team, going 7-9-3 during that stretch. While that’s not a great record in and of itself, it looks like a division-winning pace compared to the 4-15-1 start the team had.
Beyond even that, interim head coach Ted Nolan seems to be getting something out of a lineup for which Ron Rolston was laughed out of town, and that alone should be enough to get him a chance to remove that interim tag.
Pat LaFontaine has stated that the newly hired GM will have the ability to choose his first coach, hence the interim tag on Nolan. That choice is the smart one, as no GM wants to be saddled with a coach that cannot or will not use the team’s players in accordance with the GM’s vision.
Now, with the GM search likely coming to a close in the next couple of weeks at most, the question becomes simple: Will Ted Nolan be kept on as head coach?
The most obvious factor associated with that question is who the new GM is likely to be, and, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, it seems that Jim Benning, the assistant GM for the Boston Bruins, is the favorite and will likely score the job.
Benning‘s hire would be a very positive thing for Nolan’s job prospects moving forward. Nolan’s first tenure in Buffalo coincided with Benning‘s time with the team as a scout. Benning also has learned under Peter Chiarelli, who has gotten the job done with another defensive-minded, role-player-loving coach in Claude Julien.
But more important that that is how Nolan has turned this current team around.
In the weeks since his arrival, there is more of a buzz surrounding this team than the last year combined. While the buzz certainly isn’t based on the fact that there is a Stanley Cup contender playing in Buffalo, it is, at least in part, based on the notion that they may have found a way out of the hole they dug themselves into.
The prospects and draft picks have been discussed ad nauseum as of late, and despite the recent surge, the odds that the team finishes with a top-three pick in June’s draft hasn’t changed much. But the problem with having all of these picks and youth is you need someone on the bench that can translate their talents on the ice night after night.
If Nolan has done anything, it is to show that he can get more out of his players than he has any right to, and this Sabres team will need that for years to come. The team seems looser, and players are just playing hockey now instead of thinking their way through the game.
The poster child for Nolan’s return is likely to be Tyler Myers, who has easily been one of the Sabres’ best players the last 20 games and has shown he may be able to find that trajectory he set in his rookie year.
In his 19 games, Nolan has shown his ability to take a team of misfits and make them at least fun to watch.
But despite the fact that Nolan has earned a chance at the coaching job full time, he’ll need to show a few things to remain long-term.
While it is undeniable that Nolan has gotten a lot out of this team, he’s done it with a lot of “Nolan guys.” The biggest test is going to be how well he is able to coach a team that is not made up of “Nolan guys.”
No matter who the GM is, the Sabres need to grow from the bottom up, and the young guys will eventually need to show what they can do.
Zemgus Girgensons has shown he is the real deal and will pester opposing defenders as a top-six forward for years to come. Mark Pysyk, while seeing his minutes ride a roller coaster, has shown he is at least a top-four defenseman, if not better.
But beyond those two, not many of the Sabres’ young guys have had a sustained look since Nolan arrived. Nolan’s biggest question mark moving forward will be his ability to integrate the hoard of youth waiting to crack the NHL lineup.
Nolan has shown he can coach veterans, but in order for this team to take the next step toward Stanley Cup contention, he needs to show he can do it with prospects as well.
A team that can have John Scott playing 12 minutes in a game is not one that can compete for a Cup.
But regardless of the significant question mark, Nolan has earned the chance to show that he can develop youth, and that he can take this team to the next level.
What he does with that chance is up to him.
Follow me on Twitter for NHL and Sabres news all season long: @SwordPlay18.
Read more Buffalo Sabres news on BleacherReport.com
The Buffalo Sabres have given fans something to cheer about in recent weeks.
With points in seven out of 11 games in December including five wins, the team has distanced itself from the “laughingstock” moniker it had earned during the first two months of the season. It has almost been a tale of two seasons for the blue and gold—which makes it somewhat hard to believe 2013-14 is only reaching its halfway point.
As 2013 comes to a close, let’s take a moment to give out some midseason awards to a team that has provided not only suffering (as former general manager Darcy Regier promised) but also hope for the future.
Overtime between the Buffalo Sabres and the Phoenix Coyotes ended in a strange, butt-related fashion Monday night.
Tied 1-1 after three periods, the short-handed Sabres headed into sudden death hoping against hope to pull out a tight one at the First Niagara Center. Their hopes were answered by defenseman Mark Pysyk, who managed to tally what was one of the most remarkable goals in recent memory.
Following up on his own blocked shot, Pysyk clashed with Coyotes keeper Mike Smith and center Martin Hanzal. The puck deflected off a stick, flipped into the air and landed in a rather unexpected place—the back of Smith’s pants.
Oblivious to the puck resting in his Jockeys, the Coyotes keeper retreated backward into his own goal. His posterior crossed the plane of the goal, and after several confusing moments, referees blew a whistle.
It was a confusing moment, but after some investigation the puck was dug out of Smith’s pants, and officials awarded the Sabres the game-winning goal.
Questions immediately emerged concerning whether the goal should’ve been allowed.
The NHL’s “Puck out of Sight” rule states that the play should’ve been whistled dead after the puck vanished into Smith’s gear.
“Should a scramble take place or a player accidentally fall on the puck and the puck be out of sight of the Referee, he shall immediately blow his whistle and stop the play.”
According to Pat Iversen of SB Nation, the NHL has defended the ref’s decision to allow the goal.
“At 3:47 of overtime in the Coyotes/Sabres game, video review supported the referee’s call on the ice that Mark Pysyk’s shot deflected into the air and landed in goaltender Mike Smith’s equipment and, while attempting to make the save, Smith’s momentum propped him and the puck completely across the goal line. Good goal Buffalo.”
Feel free to read that last line as “Butt goal Buffalo.” I find it catchier.
Smith didn’t find anything amusing about the goal but did manage to cork off one of the best lines you’ll ever hear during Monday night’s postgame presser.
Mike Smith on OT goal: “I guess if they don’t see the puck, they’re supposed to blow the whistle. That’s not what happened.”
— Joe Yerdon (@JoeYerdonPHT) December 24, 2013
Smith on effort: “It’s an honest game and if you don’t play how you’re supposed to play… you get it jammed right up your butt.”
— Joe Yerdon (@JoeYerdonPHT) December 24, 2013
Wise words from a man who received the karmic equivalent of a size 16 Dr. Marten in his rear.
We all knew there would be another Butt Fumble one day, but no one ever expected the second iteration to help out a New York team.
Merry Christmas, and a happy Butt Goal to all!
Read more Buffalo Sabres news on BleacherReport.com
Mark Pysyk scored what might go down as the goal of his career Monday night.
A puck he chipped went over Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith’s head and stuck into the back of his pants as he slid back into the net, resulting in the game-winning overtime goal for the Buffalo Sabres.
It was one of a rare few memorable moments for the Sabres in calendar year 2013. Through Monday night’s game, the team has gone 31-45-9 during the year, and a lot of those losses have been downright ugly. Thirty-eight different skaters have suited up for the team, including a gaggle of teenagers, and few have been able to make an impact on a consistent basis.
All this being said, for diehard Sabres fans, 2013 will still go down as a year to remember for various reasons. Aside from the on-ice highlights, there have been new players to get to know, player departures to come to terms with and—of course—the return of familiar faces behind the bench and in the front office.
The following slides present five players who have been bright spots in Buffalo at one point or another during 2013. Some are gone; others have seemed to fade in and out. But they’ve all provided memories for us during the past 12 months.
The Buffalo Sabres‘ general manager search began a little over a month ago with the hiring of Vice President of Hockey Operations Pat LaFontaine and the relatively unceremonious firing of Darcy Regier.
LaFontaine said that he was not cut out to be the new GM and that a formal search for one would begin within days, which is exactly what happened.
There were murmurs around the internet of LaFontaine being granted permission to speak with a number of assistant GMs around the league, including Jason Botterill (Pittsburgh), Jim Benning (Boston), and Tim Murray (Ottawa).
Other names that have been thrown around include Neil Smith, the former New York Rangers and New York Islanders GM; Paul Fenton, an assistant GM with Nashville and Joe Nieuwendyk, the former Dallas Stars GM. There are certainly others that have not been talked about.
As it stands right now, one would have to believe that while the list is getting longer, the process has likely sped up significantly considering the Calgary Flames just parted ways with their GM Jay Feaster last week. Brian Burke is not one to wait in line for a candidate, and you can be sure LaFontaine is well aware of that.
So beyond there being competition for a potential candidate, why is there such a rush for the Sabres to find their GM?
Mark Pysyk‘s demotion to Rochester of the AHL is a perfect example.
Pysyk will be sent down to Rochester along with Brayden McNabb and Luke Adam, clearing the way for Mike Weber, Jamie McBain and Alex Sulzer all to receive more playing time.
While Pysyk sat the other night, interim coach Ted Nolan said it was more of a “numbers thing” than it having anything to do with Pysyk‘s play. In fact, Pysyk has been one of the steadiest players on the blue line for the Sabres all year, which includes Ron Rolston’s tenure.
While he was not in line for the Calder Trophy, Pysyk has shown that he is almost a slam-dunk top-four defenseman, and his time spent with Christian Ehrhoff showcased arguably the team’s best defensive pairing this season.
Pysyk moves the puck extremely well, especially in the shallow defensive and neutral zones, something the Sabres have struggled with mightily this season. While not an offensive threat, his steady positioning and puck-moving abilities make him an asset to any scoring line.
So why is he being sent down?
The answer is simply that right now, especially without a GM, the Sabres are not very interested in developing players at the NHL level. Instead, the team will hang its hat on low-end fourth-line options like John Scott, Matt Ellis and Cody McCormick before his upper body injury.
It’s not too hard to see the fact that either Ted Nolan has no interest in having young guys on the roster or that the team doesn’t want him developing them to begin with. Either way it means that the writing is on the wall for Nolan when the new GM comes in.
Circling back to the need for a GM sooner rather than later, the Sabres have found themselves in a troubling middle ground with no GM, and therefore no real plan for the future.
Not to say LaFontaine hasn’t handled this well, because there is no question an extensive search needed to be conducted, but it’s time that he allowed the organization to find a direction.
Each one of the GMs listed above will have a different philosophy and will need or want different players to carry it out. It’s not a stretch to say that someone with a Penguins background is going to have a different outlook than someone with a Bruins background.
Also, this is not to say that sending Pysyk down is a “bad” move.
His playing time has seen a significant downturn since Nolan arrived, mostly due to a combination of Nolan’s hesitance to play the younger guys on the roster and the marked improvement in Tyler Myers’ game in that time. He’ll play a ton in Rochester, likely next to McNabb, and will be better for it.
The issue with Pysyk‘s demotion is that it is clear that the team is putting the pieces in place for Nolan’s system in the short run, and that personnel is not going to win a lot of hockey games, be it this year or five years from now.
The future of this team belongs to the guys that have been cast away in the last few weeks, not the ones that have been brought up to make the Sabres “harder to play against.” That’s only something you say when you’re bad.
A GM will help shore up a substantial part of this foggy future because the coach will need to adjust to their style.
Yes, even Ted Nolan because if he ends up being a part of the long-term plan for the Sabres, which right now seems unlikely, he works for the GM and can be replaced in a blink of the eye.
Needless to say, expect a lot of talk from various outlets concerning the Sabres’ new GM in the coming days and weeks. While most of it may be due to the Flames’ search, more moves like today’s show that the team has absolutely no direction right now will ignite the fan base just as much.
Follow me on Twitter for NHL and Sabres news all season long: @SwordPlay18.
Read more Buffalo Sabres news on BleacherReport.com
We all knew from the start that the 2013-14 season would be about looking ahead for the Buffalo Sabres.
With 49 games still remaining in a year that is going down in history for its futility, it’s already time to start gazing toward June 27 in Philadelphia when the Sabres will start building for their future through the draft.
The team looks likely to finish the season with the worst record in the league, which would guarantee it a top-two pick after the draft lottery is completed. Buffalo also may have a second high first-round pick courtesy of the New York Islanders.
The pick dealt in the Thomas Vanek trade could stay with the Sabres, or it could be deferred to the 2015 draft if it’s a top-10 pick.
Some speculate the Islanders may allow the Sabres to have the pick wherever it is, however, to hold onto what may be a more valuable pick in the following year’s draft. What happens there remains to be seen.
But with one very high pick guaranteed, and another possible, let’s take a look at five prospects the Sabres should be considering once this season is over and rebuilding can officially begin.
The World Junior Championships provide hockey fans with an opportunity to see the future stars of the game all in one place.
At this year’s tournament, which kicks off in Sweden on Dec. 26, the biggest names of the National Hockey League’s future—including Canada’s Sam Reinhart and Connor McDavid, the projected No. 1 picks of the 2014 and 2015 drafts, respectively—will be participating. It’s a wonderful display of what we’ll all be watching five, 10, 15 years down the road.
Five current Buffalo Sabres prospects are expected to take part in the event, as well. Three are names that are familiar to fans, as they have already appeared in NHL games with the young club. The other two may not be seen on the ice at First Niagara Center for years to come.
For all five—from 43-game NHLer Mikhail Grigorenko to 2013 fifth-round draft pick Gustav Possler—the tournament will give a chance for much-needed experience and the building blocks for success down the road in the Sabres’ organization.
No one change is going to turn this Buffalo Sabres season around.
With just two regulation wins in 30 games—and a total of just 14 points—the Sabres are deep in the NHL‘s basement. The real changes are going to begin to come during the offseason, when their putrid record will almost guarantee the team a top-three pick in the 2014 draft. And, depending on what the New York Islanders choose to do with the pick from the Thomas Vanek trade, a second high first-round pick may be in the Sabres’ pocket, too.
(The Islanders, who currently have the NHL’s second-worst record, ahead of only Buffalo, have the option to defer the traded pick to the 2015 draft if it’s a top-10 selection. They may choose to hedge their bets, though, as the 2015 draft is generally considered to have more talent than the upcoming one—including Connor McDavid, “the LeBron James of hockey.”)
But in the short term, the Sabres need to find ways to simply make their games more entertaining for fans to watch, keeping the seats filled at First Niagara Center during this long, painful transition period.
Here is one goal each of the four Buffalo Sabres lines should have as the team looks to keep fans interested during the 52 (dear God, is it really that many?) games that still remain in the 2013-14 season.
Note: Sabres line combinations have been in constant flux this season as players have gone in and out of the roster and as interim coach Ted Nolan has attempted to find a new identity for the team. For the sake of this article, I’ll be thinking about the latest combination of lines, trotted out at the team’s practice Monday morning:
New combinations at practice: Moulson-Ennis-Girgensons. Foligno-Ott-Stafford. Adam-Hodgson-D’Agostini. Scott-Leino/McCormick-Flynn. #Sabres
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) December 9, 2013
