Hey, more awesome Sabres news! According to the venerable Bob McKenzie over at TSN, Tyler Myers (along with the Islanders’ John Tavares) is very close to signing a 6 yr contract extension, worth around $5.5mil per year. If true (and if there’s anyone out there I’d trust for this, It’s Bob McKenzie) that’s a great number for Myers and the Sabres, and it clears out one potential bit of drama for next offseason. I for one certainly don’t want to have any Stamkos-esque “hey what if we sign Myers to a huge offersheet? I’ll hang up and listen” garbage from other fanbases. Tyler has quickly become one of the faces of the team along with Ryan Miller, and is a key component in making and keeping this team a Cup contender. I may seem like a broken record saying this, but I can’t wait for the season to start!
Tag: Ryan Miller
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2011 Sabres Untouchables
With a little distance from the Sabres’ playoff elimination, it’s time to look at what players are must-keep for next year, and who can go. Things are changed, with the Pegula era entering it’s first offseason. We don’t know how trades are going to go, if he wants an RFA, whether he truly likes Derek Roy or not, and so on.
The Buffalo Sabres currently only have 12 players under contract for next year (not counting AHLers and draft picks). 8 forwards, 3 D, 1 goalie. Stafford, Gerbe, Sekera, Butler, Weber, Gragnani, and Enroth are all RFAs. Normally, I’d imagine all would at least be qualified but a move to clear out a D or two for a veteran wouldn’t be out of the question. Anyway, I’m including these guys in my list as far as potential untouchables go:
- Ryan Miller – You can win several different ways, as the playoffs are showing. You can have a franchise goalie (Vancouver), or a cast of thousands (Philly). You can lose both ways too. Miller gives stability, and the return of Enroth would finally give us a tandem to feel comfortable about going into next season.
- Tyler Myers – Big, scoring defensemen who can defend are rare, so keeping the Big Easy is a no-brainer. If the physical play he had for the playoffs continues to play out next year, watch out. Now lets get him a partner.
- Thomas Vanek – Still the best scorer the Sabres have, Vanek has shown more and more leadership potential each year. A far cry from the guy getting sat down in his first playoffs. His serious demeanor on and off the ice just seems to keep the team at an even keel. Needs a center.
There are a whole mess of guys on the next tier, guys I want to keep, but I’d let them go if there was a deal to be made. You’ve got to give talent to get talent. Is there anyone else who HAS to stay?
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Even Up
I will be attending tonight’s game (and possibly some of the Party in the Plaza) so if anyone wants to meet up, let me know.
A lot of noise is being made about the fact that Buffalo has never rallied from being down 2 games to 1 in a playoff series. I am not too concerned, as it only takes one win to make it 2-2, even steven. It’s a best of three from there if you can get it, a big test for a very young team, but has the possibility to be a big character builder for the future. Especially for the D, which is getting big minutes from a lot of really young guys.
We got better contributions in game 3 from the top liners, especially Vanek, and that needs to continue. The team needs to backcheck more effectively to help out Miller, and the only ‘undisciplined’ penalties I’d like to see is Weber and Goose levelling dudes in front of the net. The PK has been amazing, reducing the number of times short-handed could be the difference in the series. I’m still feeling positive, and I’m going to enjoy the ride. Let’s go Buffalo!
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Miller, Gerbe, Kaleta and Grier
…and throw in Connolly and Gaustad too. These guys came up huge for Buffalo tonight. The scoring forwards were quiet, but the tough guys and agitators did their work (though with a few too many penalties). However, they were also instrumental in killing those penalties, and when the shot got through, Miller was dynamite. A road win in a tough building against the 2 seed. Not pretty, but it still puts them up one game to none. James Van Riemsdyk was a beast for the Flyers, but the top line players on both sides couldn’t get much traction. Mike Grier may be glacier-slow, but he still hits like a ton of bricks, and he had some solid shots. Love that the boys stood in against the Flyers in that regard and gave some back.
Steve Montador, now there’s a problem. He took some bad penalties and at times was not in the right place. Sekera should be back soon, but that still leaves Morrisonn in there, who is pretty unnecessary with Weber playing decent. Still, it’s hard to fault the D too much when you win 1-0. The PK was superb, pressuring the guy with the puck and forcing the pass, but not getting too far out of position to do so. I can’t wait for game 2. SATURDAY WHERE ARE YOU? (yes, I know it’s after Friday before you say anything)
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Sabres vs. Flyers – Grudge Match
There’s a history in this matchup, no question, whether it’s the 75 Stanley Cup finals, the 06 playoffs (can still hear RJ’s call of the Umberger hit to this day), and Philly and Buffalo look to add another chapter this week when they meet in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Aside from fanhood reasons, who you think wins this series is probably based on whether or not there is a ‘switch’ that a team can flip to start playing well. In the Flyer’s case, the switch is probably present in the form of lurking horror Chris Pronger, who never met an elbow to the head or stomp to the leg he didn’t like. Having seen Philly a few times recently, you can see that without Pronger they get a little squirrelly in front of Bobrovsky at times. If Pronger can steady things there, I can see the series going differently.
Wild Card for the Sabres: Nathan Gerbe. We know what Thomas Vanek can do, but as Gerbe demonstrated against the Flyers he can be a difference-maker. He, along with Drew Stafford, has been a big part of the Sabres’ surge in the second half of the year, scoring 9 of his 15 goals in the months of March and April after scoring only 1 from October to December. He’s had good chemistry with Paul Gaustad, who provides the bulk in front of the net to screen the goalies.
So, am I going full homer and picking the Sabres to win this series? Yes. I think Ryan Miller, even the slightly more vulnerable one of this year, is still a + over Bobrovsky (or any of the other goalies if he gets the hook). Both Buffalo and Philly are top scoring teams in the East, with Philly having a slight edge, though Buffalo is better in that regard more recently. I’ll tell you what, it’s going to be a very tight series, and I can’t wait for it to happen.
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It’s NOT About Miller VS Enroth
Look. I personally have not heard any fan (either around the water cooler at work or from the people I choose to follow on Twitter) say Enroth should start over a completely healthy Ryan Miller. There are always people who like the backup goalie or QB when they play well, but what I’m seeing is more “yeah Enroth is awesome too!” than “He’s better than Miller!”. WGR has had an on air personality or two asking if Enroth should start until he loses, but beyond that, it’s Miller as the number one. I can’t speak for WECK, as I haven’t listened (sorry, I can’t stand political talk and I avoid stations that play it). There’s more furor over the furor about this imagined discussion than anything.
It’s not a perfect example, but this reminded me of the win streak that Biron and the Sabres went on back in 2005-06. Miller wins the job, does pretty well, gets hurt, Biron goes on a run, but Miller is the guy. Biron may have gotten a few extra games here and there because of his performance but everybody knew who the goalie of the future was. Miller is still the goalie of the future and the now. Having an actual backup that is trusted just strengthens the team and gives options for future acquisitions.
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Potential Opponents
Now that the Sabres are all but assured of making the playoffs, let’s take a look at their most likely combatants. There’s a few possibilities here, as the Sabres could be anywhere from 6th to 8th. 7th is the most likely spot to finish in.
First up is the Washington Capitals. The season series with the Caps was 1-2-1, with Miller going 1-2-0 with a 2.32 GAA and .924 SP. Jhonas Enroth played the game last week, losing in OT (sandwiched between those 2 outstanding games for what it is worth). The win, if you recall, was the game that Thomas Vanek dazzled John Carlson and Braden Holtby for the OT winner. I’d be curious to see what a seven game series against the Caps would look like, as Buffalo is playing much better lately, and Washington has some injuries of their own they are dealing with, including Mike Green, Dennis Wideman and Tom Poti on the blueline.
Next up in the likely opponents list is the Flyers. Unlike the Caps, the Sabres have one more game against the Flyers this Friday, going 1-2 in the first three. Ryan Miller has played all 3 games against Philly, and the numbers aren’t great – 4.03 GAA, .881 SP. Again, a couple of those were earlier in the year and the most recent game is a 5-3 win. The Flyers are 2-3-3 in their past 8 and who knows what’s going to happen with their goaltending tandem. Bobrovsky is the likely starter for the playoffs, though you have to think Philly wouldn’t hesitate long to put the more veteran Boucher in there if ‘Bob’ struggles. They’ve also been missing Pronger and Briere, though Briere might be in for the Sabres game Friday. Pronger hasn’t played since March 8th and had a ‘minor setback’ in rehab that puts his earliest return game 1 of a potential playoff matchup at the earliest.
The other likely foe would be the Boston Bruins. This probably happens if the Sabres can overtake Montreal for 6th in the conference. Buffalo has gone 4-1-1 in the season series, with Miller posting the 4-0-1 portion of that, with a 3.01 GAA and .911 SP. Those numbers are skewed a bit by the 7-6 SO win where Stafford scored with 30 seconds to go to tie the game. Tim Thomas took back the goaltending job from Tuukka Rask and had a Vezina-caliber season. I’m really hoping they end up playing Montreal, though. It would be great drama, not to mention they are likely to beat each other up.
As of today, it is still mathematically possible to see the Lightning (and an even smaller chance to see the Penguins) but it’s so unlikely that there’s no reason to worry about it. Looking at the potentials, there’s nobody there that this team, they way they are playing can’t stand toe to toe with. There’s a lot of variables right now with the health of key guys up and down the Eastern conference, including the Sabres with Miller, Pronger as I mentioned, and the Washington D. Boston has the best goaltending situation, but the Sabres still have a great record against them. I know the excitement builds with every passing day, and I expect tonight’s home game crowd to blow the roof off the place. Let’s send this team streaking into the playoffs.
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Lovable…Winners?
It was a great (FANTASTIC) weekend for the Sabres, with them winning both games, including another shutout for Miller, and the Canes losing to push them 5 points back. New York and Montreal are both within reach, 2 points ahead. I don’t even want to talk about 5th place, with Tampa Bay going 1-2-2 in their last 5. Pittsburgh is the team I’d want the least to do with in the first round, what with them about to get Crosby back and all.
What’s great to see is how much love the Sabres players are starting to get as a result of their performance. The Pegula effect kick-started it, building excitement with the fanbase, but the team held up their end, winning games. Not just winning games, but beating the teams they need to beat. The ones they ‘should’ beat, and the ones near them in the standings. They are getting shutouts (PLURAL) for Ryan Miller, who is making the saves he needs to make in close games. Nathan Gerbe has gone from a guy that people thought should be back in the AHL to a big-time producer. Of his 14 goals, 3 are game-winners. He has 6 goals in his last 7 games. Tyler Ennis has 19 goals is rolling along at a point per game pace over the past 9 games.
The player that’s probably gained the most appreciation is Thomas Vanek. He was a lightning rod for criticism after the huge offer sheet he signed in the wake of the Drury/Briere exits. Over the past few years he earned his nickname “Atlas” when he’s tried to carry a less-talented team into the playoffs. Now? He has a cast around him, guys playing roles and chipping in, so that if he goes four or five games without a goal, who cares? They’ve got his back, and he’s got theirs. He’s got a letter on his sweater, and his quiet, earnest determination each and every night is rubbing off on his younger teammates. Thomas cares deeply about the success of the Sabres, and it shows on the ice, whether it’s talking to himself after hitting the post or shooting wide, or the obvious relief and understated celebration after finally breaking through. The fans are behind Vanek as well, starting a Vanek for Captain hashtag on Twitter, and I can’t remember the last time someone brought up his contract immediately after mentioning his goal total.
It’s probably the best time to be a Sabres player since 05/06. The future is bright, with the playoffs looking more and more certain, a new owner with a commitment to winning, who is already trying to improve both the fan and player experiences here, and a talent pipeline that looks to be stacked. Everyone is having loads of fun right now, so let’s enjoy it and hope it lasts deep into the spring. Let’s go BUFFALO!
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Miller and Myers
You’re still smiling about last night’s game, admit it. Nerves to start, especially after Atlanta tied it, but Terry Pegula got his first win. The Thrashers are a team the Sabres should beat, one that was struggling as much if not moreso than Buffalo the past few games, and they took care of business.
It’s interesting to see the names popping up on the scoresheet now, such as Gaustad and Pominville. We’ve kind of been waiting for these guys to chip in regularly all year, and now would be a great time for them to do so. Most important, though, is the play of the two guys in the title, Ryan Miller and Tyler Myers. Miller, after having a couple of rough games, has been very good in the past several, despit some of them being losses. His save percentage in the last four is .947 and he’s been bailing the team out with some sick saves when needed. Tyler Myers scoring on a booming shot on a rush down the right wing is becoming a thing, basically daring goalies to stop it. So far, only the post has been successful. It was also a Myers shot that lead to Pominville’s goal as he cleaned up the rebound. A run that involves actual playoff wins is going to need these two guys on their game, along with the scoring Buffalo has been getting from Vanek and Stafford.
The Sabres play two games this weekend, which I will be tracking by phone as I’m headed to Virginia for the week. I’ll pop in on Twitter, especially to follow potential deadline deals that pop up, but won’t be blogging (or even able to see the games). Have fun, guys.
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Pegula Eve
I guess if the Sabres are going to lose 3 straight, the best time to lose them is when other teams are losing too and you can stay 4 points back of the playoffs. Buffalo wasted a dominant performance by Miller, who did his best to bail the team out but he can’t score goals. At least, not without a lead and an empty net at the other end.
With the Sabres not playing until Wednesday, the focus will shift to tomorrow’s press conference, where Terry Pegula offically ‘takes over’ the ownership from Tom Golisano and gives his first press conference. We are all waiting to see what he has to say, and more importantly what he and the team does going forward. The first mile-marker for Pegula is the trade deadline. Will his ownership change what Darcy Regier does? It seems like it should, but how much of the recent moves (and non-moves) are Darcy, and how much are Larry and Tom? We’ll see.