Shutdown Pair

Tag: Robyn Regehr

  • Toughness

    With the deadline tomorrow, and the deals already made, I’ve been talking to my friends about the Sabres more – who should go, who should stay to build around, that sort of thing.  One thing that keeps coming up for a few of them is how Buffalo is not hard enough to play against – they need to be the Flyers or the Bruins! – but it rings hollow to me.

    A year or two ago, the goal was ‘Team Toughness™’ and it involved moving out guys like Derek Roy and Chris Butler, and bringing in Steve Ott and Robyn Regehr.  It sounded great to use, and let’s face it, we love tough, physical hockey in these parts.  Does that actually mean tough to play against, though?  Looking at the Cup winners since the deadline, who is ‘tough’ to you?

    1. Kings
    2. Bruins
    3. Blackhawks
    4. Penguins
    5. Red Wings
    6. Ducks
    7. Hurricanes

    How many of those were physically brutal teams to play?  Two?  If you expand the list to the losing teams, you really only add Philly to the list.  The thing is, you can be tough to play against without being punishing.  I’d much rather model the Sabres on Detroit (before this year) or Chicago.  When the Red Wings were playing the Penguins for the Cup, they weren’t bashing everybody through the end boards, they were outscoring them (1st in Goals for in 08-09, 3rd in 07-08).  “Get me Eric Lindros in his prime!” he says, well I counter with Patrick Kane in his prime.  Or Teemu.  Get me someone who will make a difference, and might avoid the worst of the physical damage.  Get me someone who can possess the puck and put it on net.  Those guys come in all shapes and sizes.

    Doesn’t anyone remember how fun 05-07 was?

  • Prep Time

    The Sabres split the weekend, shutting out the Canes 1-0, while losing to the Coyotes 4-2.  Other than suffering the ignominy of allowing Biz Nasty to score, the worst news came in the third period on Saturday, when Tyler Myers didn’t return to the ice.  He’s got an ‘upper body injury’ that we should hear more about today.  He had just picked his game up after his benching (though he still had a few bad decisions) so losing him now (if indeed they do) would be tough.

    All of this becomes background noise as Wednesday approaches, and the rematch with the Boston Bruins looms.  I talked before about the likely scenarios we’ll see for that game, though we now have even more injuries that make brawls and fights even less likely.  Cody McCormick is still sitting, he’d be the most likely to go after Lucic on his own.  If Myers is out, I don’t think I’d want any defensemen to take themselves out of the play challenging Lucic (Weber or Regehr…obviously Leopold isn’t stepping in there).  So barring a Commander Cody recovery or callup cannon fodder, what we’re probably going to see is a bunch of hard hits, Kaleta-style charges, and a shit-ton of after the whistle tough-guy posturing without punches.  It’ll be annoying until the refs start tossing guys into the box to discourage it.  I’d much rather just see Buffalo win the game and keep their players upright and available for future games at this point.  Get Lucic later.  The anger will keep.

  • Winning Weekend Fans The Goalie ‘Controversy’ Flames

    Buffalo played Jhonas Enroth in both back to back games this weekend, and won both by one goal.  It certainly won’t mute the vocal minority who are now thinking that maybe Enroth should be the one to get 50-60 games this year.  I don’t think that’s what is happening here, Ruff is giving Ryan Miller some time to clear that horrible Flyers game out of his head, get the work in at practice, and come back with a vengeance.

    As for the games, the one on Friday against the Flames was about as perfect a game as Buffalo could play.  They peppered Calgary’s backup goalie with shots, with Stafford and Gerbe scoring in the 2-1 win.  It was night and day from the difficult to watch team that couldn’t seem to buy a good scoring chance, when they weren’t too busy giving the puck away.  Last night’s game against the Senators was more even and not quite as dominant, but still showed a lot of positive signs.  Robyn Regehr was wrecking dudes, Boyes and Leino both played very solidly, and Nathan Gerbe was a stud on the Leopold goal.  Derek Roy scored the other Buffalo goal, and also had the decider in the shootout.  Vanek and Boyes both contributed in the shootout as well to keep Buffalo alive.  These two games really seem like what we were expecting from the start of the season, the right guys contributing…save for the goalie.  REALLY interested to see how Enroth gets used in the up coming week, with a Tuesday home game against Winnipeg, another Friday/Saturday combo with a rematch against Ottawa and a trip to Boston, then a Monday game in Montreal.  Is he back to one game on the weekend?  Two?  I think if Miller plays well against Winnipeg, assuming he goes in for that one, we are back to the ‘schedule’ for Jhonas.  But if he plays against the Jets…

  • The Shan-Hammer, Sabres Edition

    [poll id=”4″]

    Whoever wields this hammer, if he be worthy, shall ban the hell out of head-targetting assclowns.

    I think we’ve all seen so far this pre-season that the ‘new sheriff’ Brendan Shanahan is wielding a big stick when it comes to player safety and suspensions.  This is good, as there are a LOT of dangerous hits that can be taken out of the game without a huge change to how it’s played.  With that being said, until the players fully integrate this level of enforcement into their game, it’s likely that there could continue to be suspensions at a prodigious rate.  I’m curious as to who you think might lead the way for Buffalo in the regular season?  I hope that it ends up being just one guy with a two-gamer, but I’m nervous that it won’t be.  Buffalo plays a phsyical game now, and adding a guy like Robyn Regehr is just going to enhance that.  Tyler Myers makes me nervous too, since he’s gotten more physical and his elbows are right at Scott Gomez head level.  Have a different candidate?  Let me know who you think.

  • The Importance of Tyler Myers

    Ryan Lambert went trolling again, and I’m biting.  Tyler Myers is reportedly close to signing a contract (now variously reported as 6 or 7 years) for $5.5 million a year.  Most people seem to think this number fits in with the new NHL landscape, but not Lambert!  He thinks we should be storming HSBC Ar-uh, FN Center because of the money committed to Myers (possibly), Leino and Ehrhoff.  Never mind that the core of the team also includes Ryan Miller and Thomas Vanek.  Is it risky to give a contract like that to a player so young?  Sure.  Buffalo is playing a different game now, and the risk is worth the reward.  Myers plays the toughest minutes of any Buffalo D, he plays PP and PK, he’s getting tougher with each passing year, and he’s got better teammates on the backend.  He’s important, and they are paying him like he’s important.

    I debated about whether to even post this, as it’s not like Lambert is going to be convinced of anything.  The only thing that will convince him that Regier is right to do this is to have Myers dominate the league this year (and hey, maybe for the next 6 or 7 too).  With Myers and Regehr (most likely to me) taking the toughest assignments, that will leave Ehrhoff to think offense.  Leino is a wild card, but he has some dynamic players to work with on the top two lines.  We don’t know what will happen, but it’s going to be an exhilarating ride.

  • Ehrhoff and Circumvention

    Look we all know that a 10 year contract for Christian Ehrhoff is kind of ridiculous, but it’s within the rules.  In face, the rules were ALREADY modified once to stop cap circumvention, and this is STILL fine, so for that part of it, I have no problem.  It’s a risk, but you have to take risks to win the Stanley Cup, and the cap number is not that onerous if Ehrhoff doesn’t match his goal total of the past two years.  I know what gets some people’s goat (*cough*Lambert*cough*) is the use of ridiculous ‘signing bonus’ numbers to work the system.

    But what is REALLY AWESOME is how it is now the Buffalo Sabres who are ticking off the other fanbases in the league.  Seriously, when was the last time ANYBODY was mad at the Sabres for working the system, or scoring a coveted free agent, or anything, really?  I don’t mean other fans hating an individual (Hi Kaleta) but actual irritation and anger towards the Buffalo organization.  It’s kind of refreshing, to be honest.

    So, as free agency begins in earnest today, Buffalo is a player.  They matter, and that bothers the other markets, makes them mad they have to contend with all the usual suspects AND the Sabres.  The team has another club in the bag for how to build, adding the big honking driver of free agent madness to the irons of trades and the wedges of drafting and developing players in the system.  No more laying up and relying on chipping it close and tapping in for par.  ‘Par’ is what the previous regime was all about.

  • THE Most Important Sabres Question You Will Ever Answer

    [poll id=2]

    It started when I heard Rhett Warrener (and possibly Jordan Leopold?) call Robyn Regehr ‘Reggie’ in interviews, and I haven’t been able to shake this VERY IMPORTANT question ever since.  Many of you know I have a problem with Andrej Sekera being called ‘Reggie’, because the J IS SILENT in his name.  But!  Robyn Regehr’s claim in that regard is no better – Reg-ear is the G sound, not the J sound.  This team, as far as I’m concerned, has NO Reggie.

    Actually, not that I think about it, Silent J would be an outstanding nickname for Sekera.  I think it shall be my goal this season to get that into common usage.  Help me out!

  • Sabres Draft Six and Land Regehr

    To be honest, I wasn’t able to be as into the draft this year as I wanted to, thanks to family obligations and time constraints.  The players the Sabres drafted are here.  Some things haven’t changed from the past few years.  Most of them are big, over 6 feet tall.  Most are North American, though they finally broke out of that by drafting Joel Armia from Finland with their first pick (at 16).  From the report by Kris Baker on Armia, sounds like a guy to watch a couple of years down the road.

    The Sabres also got their man in Robyn Regehr, acquired in a trade from the Calgary Flames.  We also got Ales Kotalik back, who might play (he DID have his best years here) or who might go to Portlan–er, Rochester, or who could always go play in Europe.  Buffalo also nets a 2nd round pick next year, while giving up Chris Butler, who showed promise at times but could never seem to get past Sekera on the depth chart, and Paul Byron.  Regehr is big and tough and migh just settle in as a partner for Tyler Myers.  It’s one of those spots people thought needed to be addressed this offseason (a veteran D, a top-flight C), and it didn’t cost the Sabres too much.  There are plenty of good prospects still stacked up, and there’s room for more deals to be done.

  • Schedule Day and Robyn Regehr

    The Sabres and the rest of the NHL have released the schedule for next year, but I bet most of you are already investigating just who Robyn Regehr is and who we might be giving up to get him.  Assuming he waives his NMC.  He’s a solid hitter, also defensively, and might just be the partner Myers needs.  I like him, and hope the deal happens.  Best part is, the Sabres are involved and active.