Shutdown Pair

Tag: Marc-Andre Gragnani

  • Feeling Relevant

    These were my thoughts as the NHL Trade Deadline coverage got rolling this morning.  Gaustad and Roy had both been involved in the rumors, so no huge surprise when that broke.  The return was surprising, even with the 4th rounder going the other way, but still, we knew he was the sort of guy playoff teams love to add at the deadline.  You know, that intangible-laden 3rd-liner, to win face-offs and ‘battles’ and all that other stuff pundits like to say.  When the official deadline was passing, though, people were disappointed.  “That’s it?” you heard.  Then you started to hear “Vancouver has another deal yet to come”, and then “They’re getting Kassian”.  We all sat up and took notice, and then when we heard Cody Hodgson was the guy coming back…wow.  That’s a great return, giving up Kassian and Gragnani, and getting Hodgson and Alexander Sulzer.  I love these deals.

    As I was thinking about these since they went down, I decided this is basically a win-win-win for the teams involved.  Buffalo is a win both for now – Hodgson has more offensive upside than Goose, and is a lot younger – and in the future, getting Nashville’s first rounder next year in addition to the players from Vancouver.  Nashville gets the vet C that teams love for the playoffs, and Vancouver gets a couple of guys that might fit better on their team than ours.  Kassian needs to prove himself in the NHL, and Gragnani might work best for the Canucks where he can just be a power play QB and get the softest minutes otherwise.

    I’m genuinely interested in seeing what Hodgson can do for Buffalo.  I’m sorry to see Gaustad go, as I had hopes for him…but it was pretty obvious that what he is now, is all he’ll ever be.  And if you turn Goose and a 4th into a 1st, you do it.  Gragnani was expendable…McNabb, and soon, other D-men in Rochester were pushing him from below, but he couldn’t move up any higher than 7th on the depth chart when everyone is healthy.  And all of this happened without crippling the Sabres’ cap situation any more than it already is.  Good job, Darcy.  Is it Wednesday yet?

  • Perspective, Again

    This comment at the Buffalo News article about the rest of the team needing to be like Vanek stopped me dead in my tracks:

    Listen, exactly one year ago, would it have been plausible that the expectation for the 2011-2012 season would have been President’s trophy and Stanley Cup? Come on, really? Do you realistically think Terry and Ted had that expectation for this season? The long term outlook for this team is not just good, it’s friggin’ great! The owner is a bleed-Sabres-blue high integrity guy who wants success more than any of the knuckleheads who post here. Color me naive, but even with the inconsistent team performance, I absolutely believe that the players want it too – why, because they say so and I don’t think they’re BS’ing me – I actually like them. It’s just not something you can wave a magic wand over – it’s going to take time, and not months-time, but years-time. Sorry about that reality for you gotta-have-it now-wantski’s.

    Dude, what?  A positive comment, thought out, with decent spelling, punctuation and grammar?  What the hell?  Dan from Charlotte, you are in the wrong place my man.  Don’t let the rest of the trolls over there eat your soul.  In all seriousness, I can see the right of what Dan says here.  I sometimes felt I was the only person who wasn’t in full-on freakout mode after the Sabres’ recent struggles.  I WANT them to win every game and win the cup and poop in the Leafs players’ gloves.  But it won’t be happening, not right away.  Having the money to spend to the cap and eat a bad contract or two and upgrade the facilities doesn’t mean the wins just roll in.  Do their chances go up?  Yes.  It does not mean, however, that James Reimer will simply bow and step aside to allow Vanek to score a quadruple hat trick the next time Buffalo goes to Toronto.

    Me, I’m here for the ride.  I learned a few years ago to stop letting sports teams make me miserable.  I will still get on the players not pulling their weight, raise up the ones who are raising their game, and when I attend as a fan, I’ll cheer and clap and chant and boo.  Let’s just do that and have fun.  The wins will be there.

    As for tonight, Buffalo is in Washington tonight, to try and beat the only team nice enough to lose to them in the past five games.  Miller is in tonight, maybe Enroth tomorrow.  Gragnani in for the injured Sekera, out ‘weeks’.  So there went a whole couple of days where we could think the Sabres were getting healthier.  Let’s go.

  • Pain and Suffering

    I’ll admit it, I quit watching this game after the second period, listening to it in the background.  I picked it back up partway through the third, just in time to see Stafford tie it.  This game went from an easy win for Buffalo after the first, even if they give up that late goal, to a performance so bad that I don’t even think they deserve the loser point.  I mean, Leino, Kassian and Vanek scoring in one period is basically a fan’s dream.

    Ryan Miller.  He’s got all the eyes on him still, after all the hits he’s taken (a few more last night, including the puck when his helmet came off), and to see 5 goals given up might give you pause.  Shitty defense is to blame here, though, and not Miller.  Maybe he could’ve saved a goal here or there, but when your D is giving up odd man rushes and breakaways with wild abandon, not to mention passing the puck straight to the Flyers’ best players (Gragnani to Giroux), there’s only so much he could do.

    Were there positives?  Zack Kassian seems legit, both with the sick passing with Adam on the Leino goal to start things, and his own snipe.  Corey Tropp handled Rinaldo (I’m reading that they have a history, have to check that out).  The boys sticking up for Ennis and Gerbe was great, I don’t think we have to worry about that anymore.  That’s about it, though.

    I was impressed with Jaromir Jagr, that was the first time I had really seen him play since coming back.

    If there’s one person I’ll feel bad for today, it’s Brendan Shanahan.  He’ll be forced to watch swaths of this game to look at the hit on Gerbe and the elbow by Leino, and hopefully whoever hit Ennis in the head.  The Sabres host Florida tomorrow, let’s hope they play like the first period for oh, say, the whole game.

  • Gameday 2011-2012 – Devils at Sabres

    It feels like a really strange night tonight.  The Devils don’t exactly excite anyone, and there’s so much other stuff happening around the Sabres it really feels like this game is an afterthought.  They players are all answering questions about their injured goalie, the injured goalie is snarking at the media, and some of the media is snarking right back (looking at you, Sully).  Add in a few other injuries (Cody McCormick is out, Corey Tropp is back), a goalie ‘controversy’ now on simmer thanks to the concussion, the return of Tyler Myers (Grags sits) and you’re one ring short of a circus.

    The Devils might have Kovalchuk back tonight if he feels OK during the pregame activities.  New Jersey played in Boston last night, losing on a late goal, so for once Buffalo will be (slightly) more well rested.  Enroth is firmly entrenched in the net, though I’m curious about what happens this weekend.  It’s a 7:30pm Versus game, though Dave Strader is calling it and he’s solid.  We do get more Pierre though, so look for Rob Ray to ‘accidently’ elbow him in between the benches tonight if he starts close-talking.  Let’s go.

  • Gameday 2011-2012 – Flyers at Sabres

    Hmm, so not only do we have former Flyer Ville Leino centering the first line, but Roy is at the point on the power play, with Gragnani out of the equation.  Might we get a Mike Weber sighting?  Lindy wouldn’t say, but it wouldn’t be a huge surprise.  The Flyers come in without Danny Briere who is nursing sore ribs.  Sorry, boo-birds, your ownly chance to boo him will be when they announce the scratches.  Pronger is also out after nearly having his eye scooped out.

    I know that it’s the first meeting after the Flyers eliminated the Sabres from the playoffs, but I just don’t feel any great anger at them for it.  I mean, I always dislike the Flyers, and that didn’t increase it any.  Maybe it’s the hangover from the Pegula effect.  Leino will doubtless have some butterflies playing his old mates, perhaps moreso because it hasn’t gone that well here.

    It’s another 7:30pm start time tonight, and it’s on Versus, so plan accordingly.

  • While you were sleeping…

    I don’t check the standings religiously this early in the season, but I saw them today and did a bit of a double-take.  In case you haven’t seen them either, Buffalo is now behind both Toronto AND Ottawa in the Northeast division, with Montreal 2 points behind.  There’s still plenty of time, no question there, but it’s a bit disconcerting to say the least.  Ottawa is supposed to be terrible, but they’ve won 6 straight.  They haven’t exactly been taking on intimdators (Columbus, Florida, Carolina, the Rangers) but you beat the teams you play and they are doing that.  Buffalo can’t afford to lay eggs when playing all the middling to bad teams, especially at home.

    So what’s wrong?  I think you have to start with the defense.  Myers has looked unsure of what to do at times, which is unlike him when he’s playing well.  He’s waiting too long to decide on whether to go for a pass or just clear the puck, and opponents are reaching him and making the decision for him.  Ehrhoff isn’t great defensively, but Canucks fans could’ve told us that.  He’s gotta be scoring if he’s not going to be defending.  Gragnani has just been a train wreck out there recently, passes to nowhere, difficulty in breakouts, pretty much everything seems hard for him.  Will not be surprised to see Mike Weber get a shot Wednesday.

    It’s not time to panic and trade everybody, but Buffalo can’t afford to be standing still for too much longer.  They just might end up where they were last January,with no new ownership boost available to save them.

  • Panthers VS Sabres Game Notes

    First period thoughts:  Passing is squirrelly at best.  Miller made some solid saves.  McCormick/Ellis/Boyes did some good work out there but they can’t be the best line.  Sekera had some good plays, Gragnani needs to learn how to receive a pass.  Myers is still having a rough go, with the penalty and some tough plays around his own net.  I’m fine with the goal not counting, could’ve gone either way but when the foot moves forward, and the refs started discussing it right off.  Personal note:  I almost cheered in the pressbox.  Bad Tick.

    Second period thoughts:  Vanek went Atlas on his goal, but the D is still just slinging pucks all over the pace and hoping the right guys get them.  They are lucky this is the Panthers and not the Capitals.  The Sabres seemed to pick up their play and operate a bit more coherently after Vanek’s goal, so hopefully that can continue on into the third.  Theodore has looked beatable, but they’ve gotta get more shots – only 14 after 2 periods.  Not enough.  Personal note:  I like the hot dogs up here better than the ones they sell at the concession stands.  Which isn’t saying much.

    Third period thoughts:  Silent J fizzled on a breakaway.  Gragnani is still a wreck.  Just when you thought it was safe to plan for a win, the wheels fell off.  Perhaps the retaliation penalty by Stafford was a sign of things to come.  Gerbe getting the extra 2 was deadly.  There were still too many passes that were sent on their way with no thought to destination.  While they got a few more shots in, it was in no way enough.  Miller definitely could’ve been better but you can’t lay it at his door, not totally.  Seemed like no one was on the same page, except maybe McCormick/Ellis/Boyes.  A tough loss to swallow.  Personal note:  Not sure I want my first post-game press conference to be with Angry Lindy.

    Post-game presser thoughts:  Lindy was ticked with their effort, using words like pathetic, disjointed and the like.  Didn’t want to say too much about the calls.  On a personal note, Vogl works blue and I had a difficult time not throwing down a #feces reference.  It’s interesting to see the regulars operate there, there’s a hierarchy in place for questioning, though I don’t think too many wanted to gamble on getting an earful back for a dumb question tonight.

    Anyway, it was a great experience.  I want to thank Ian Ott, Kevin Snow and the Buffalo Sabres for the opportunity.  I think I will do this again, though it’ll be easier once my wife is off work again.  Philly comes to town on Wednesday, a 7:30pm start game on Versus, so plan accordingly.

  • Nathan Gerbe: Saving the Season

    It might be a bit of an exaggeration, but there’s no denying the impact the diminutive winger is having on the Sabres right now.  He had a goal against the Islanders yesterday, and had the only 2 scored against the Isles in the previous 5-2 smack down the Sabres endured.  In that game, it seemed only Ennis, Gerbe, Gragnani and Vanek even played.  Gerbe has 5 of his 6 goals in the past 6 games, is on a 3 game goal scoring streak, and has no problem mucking with guys who double his weight.  Nathan registered 18 shots in the past 3 games.  He’s playing like a kid that wants to stick, and they’ll need his scoring while Roy is out if the Sabres still think they can make the playoffs.

  • Gameday 2010-2011 – Sabres at Bruins

    It’s these guys again, and this time no Drew Stafford to save us, who’s nursing a groin injury and is out for the next game or two.  Marc-Andre Gragnani gets the call this time instead of Luke Adam, who was sent down to Portland after Kaleta returned.  Boston’s offense has come alive of late, since losing to the Sabres 7-6 they have mixed in 6-0 and 7-0 shutouts, and a 7-5 win over Philly.

    A win tonight puts Buffalo back in 10th, and Carolina would be the next target (before today’s action they are 5 points ahead, playing the Rangers).  The Canes lost two straight to Boston (one of which is that 7-0 shutout).

  • Sabres RFAs

    Thankfully, the Buffalo Sabres won’t have a lot of RFA drama this offseason.  As far as RFAs that made any sort of roster appearance with the big show this year, well, there ain’t that many:

    • Tim Kennedy
    • Patrick Kaleta

    You know those guys are coming back.  Neither one is worth enough for another team to make an offer sheet for, but they hold down important roles on the Sabres.  The next tier of RFAs are the ones leading the way for the Portland Pirates:

    • Mark Mancari
    • Marc-Andre Gragnani
    • Mike Weber
    • Phillip Gogulla

    Mike Weber (who got some PT with the Sabres a couple of years ago) is a guy that some are looking to step up to the show potentially, if Tallinder and Lydman both end up leaving.  No guarantees though, considering that Sekera and Butler had basically been sharing the 6th d-man spot down the stretch.

    The third tier of RFAs are guys I know very little about, to be honest.  You can get more info on them at Sabres Prospects, but if there are any RFA types that don’t get tendered an offer by the Sabres, it’s these guys

    • Matt Generous
    • Jean-Phillipe Lamoreaux
    • Michael Kostka
    • Derek Whitmore

    Not a bad year for Restricted Free Agency for Buffalo.  Only one guy is arbitration eligible, and he’s in the third tier (Generous).  Shouldn’t be too much stress there.