Bleacher Report - Articles by Andrew Farrell

What Went Wrong With the Buffalo Sabres?

Andrew Farrell — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 10:21:30 -0400

The Buffalo Sabres 2008-2009 NHL season came to a disappointing end as for the second straight year the Sabres closed out the NHL season without earning a berth in the NHL's Stanley Cup Finals, making them the first team in league history to win the Presidents Trophy, then miss the playoffs the next two seasons.

The word that could be said the most about the Buffalo Sabres season was inconsistency. The team was never able to identify themselves, playing multiple brands of hockey many different nights.

Buffalo faces an off-season with many players' contracts expiring.

Among that group is Maxin Afinogenov, who said at locker room clean out day, he thinks he needs a change after 10 years playing in Buffalo.

Leading scoring defenseman Jaroslav Spacek, who finished the season with a career-high 45 points, is set to become a free agent this off-season.

Dominic Moore, who was traded to Buffalo from Toronto at the deadline, had a disappointing end to his stay in Buffalo, amassing a whopping four points.

Drew Stafford, who had a career-high 45 points, is an RFA at the end of this season, and could attract other teams being only 23 years old with a ton of potential.

Andrej Sekera, Mikael Tellqvist, Patrick Kaleta, and Clarke MacArthur, along with 2007 AHL All-Star MVP Mark Mancari are among the others who have no contracts coming into the 2009-2010 NHL Season.

First thing I would do if I was in the Sabres Hockey Department is step back and look at the roster, games, and say "What went wrong? What did we lack?"

Easy. Team toughness. As I sit back and watch teams like Philadelphia and Vancouver in the playoffs, I see a roster made up of hockey players.

Not pretty goal scorers who look to make the cute pass, but players like Ryan Kesler, Scottie Hartnell, Mike Knuble and Kevin Bieksa, who are in your face, hitting anything that moves, and that is something this Buffalo team lacks severely.

Long ago was the days the Buffalo Sabres came flying out of the lockout, skating circles around the slower, bigger teams.

In this NHL, teams need to have speed, which Buffalo does have, but you also need strong defense, and puck-carriers on the back end who can make the outlet pass. Buffalo doesn't have any of that.

Another situation that could arise is the goaltending issue. Ryan Miller turned in another All-Star season despite the injury, all thanks to Scott Gomez. Behind him, it was a mess.

Lalime played well in Miller's absence, but when he had to come in every 11th game, he was brutal. At the deadline, Buffalo acquired Mikael Tellqvist, who, on the other hand, played phenomenally when he came in.

The problem is Lalime is signed on for next year, but had a mysterious hip injury at the end of the season. Some wonder if it could be career-ending. Buffalo would be smart to buy out his contract and sign Tellqvist.

Buffalo also got little play out of their big money players. Jochen Hecht, who is making $4 million a year, had a terrible year. Known for his two-way hockey, Hecht made minimal effort on back checks and in the corners. He failed to create any offense, and was very inconsistent.

Fan-favorite Jason Pominville, who is set to earn $5 million, had a monumental drop off year. Pominville finished this season with 66 points, 14 points less from the previous year.

Perhaps the most disturbing stat on Pominville's resume is his -4 rating. Pominville had a +25, and +16 in his previous two years before this season. A negative stat, for No. 29, was he led the team in shots. To the casual hockey fan, that does not sound like a bad stat. But to the people that watched it closely, many times Pominville would take his team out of a scoring situation with a simple slap-shot into the goaltender's body, without looking to create any scoring opportunity.

Buffalo's back-end was hardly a defense at all. They failed to give any protection to Ryan Miller whatsoever. Chris Butler stood out amongst the group putting up a stellar rookie season.

Look for Buffalo to make changes, possibly trading Henrik Tallinder, along with other moves, to get more of the young guys, Mike Weber, Chris Butler, and prospect T.J. Brennan some time in Buffalo next year.

They have a stud waiting in the wings, 6-foot-7 Tyler Myers, who displayed terrific athleticism in the World Juniors this past year in Ottawa.

This team has the talent to win games. They displayed they don't have the grit or determination, and that is what needs to be looked at the most.

Five Players the Buffalo Sabres Should Look for at the Trade Deadline

Andrew Farrell — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:03:25 -0500

March 4 is the day of the trade deadline across the NHL.

As of February 16, the Buffalo Sabres are sitting in the eighth spot of the Eastern Conference, with three points away from the fifth spot.

Buffalo's play this season has drawn similar comparisions to last year's team: inconsistency.

Thomas Vanek, Henrik Tallinder, Max Afinogenov, and Paul Gaustad are all on the shelf, for a substantial amount of time, and this team is not good enough to win without a few tweaks to the roster.

Call-ups from Portland are not going to save this team. There are five players that I think the Sabres should give a look at:

5) Keith Tkachuk

Team: St. Louis Blues

Position: LW

Age:36

Tkachuk adds veteran leadership to a team that has minimal veterans as it is (Rivet, Numminen) and would add an instant spark to a lineup that has minimal veterans up front. 34 points this season, is great numbers for a cheap rent-a-player. ($940,000)

4) Colby Armstrong

Team: Atlanta Thrashers

Position: RW

Age: 26

Armstrong would fit nicely on Buffalo's second or third line. He could size to a smaller Buffalo team (6'2", 195 lbs.). He is an excellent high-motor guy who can be a very clutch player and add solid secondary scoring to the Sabres. 15 goals, 25 points.

3) Michael Nylander

Team: Washington Capitals

Position: Center

Age: 36

Big contract, but if Buffalo is able to get rid of Hecht and Afinogenov, they will be able to dump off much needed dead salary, and Buffalo is in need of a scoring center. Nylander is having an off year, but has plenty of playoff experience. His added scoring up the middle would help Buffalo.

2) Bill Guerin

Team: New York Islanders

Position: Right Wing

Age: 38

Buffalo needs help up front, and adding leadership for a playoff run would benefit Buffalo. His scoring would would help too, because players like Jochen Hecht are not getting it done.

1) Brendan Witt

Team: New York Islanders

Position: Defense

Age: 33

Brendan Witt may be one of the most overlooked defenseman in the league. This a player that leaves everything he's got out on the ice. Fighter, great hitter, kills penalties, great leader for the younger guys to look up for. Pair him up with captain Craig Rivet and many teams will have a tough time getting past those two.

GM Darcy Regier has always had this guy on his target list since his days in Washington, and I think now is the perfect time to pick up the veteran 6'2", 223-lb. defenseman.

Dan Paille Re-signs with Buffalo Sabres

Andrew Farrell — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:26:49 -0400

Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Reiger announced today that the franchise has re-signed forward Dan Paille.

The Wellwand, Ontario native signed a two-year deal, keeping the 24-year-old on the roster until the after the 2009-2010 season. Paille's deal is reportedly worth $900,000 his first year, and $1.35 million the next.

Last season, Paille appeared in 77 games, scoring 19 goals. Paille was one of Buffalo's top penalty killers last season, and, is hoping to expand his role this season. "I am hoping to be more of a regular in the lineup. I am hoping to get more ice time in that five-on-five role," Paille told WGR 550's Schopp and the Bulldog program today.

"Danny is a talented young player that can make a difference at both ends of the ice," Sabres' general manager Darcy Regier said in a statement. "Danny has been a key component to our penalty killing unit, and we look forward to helping him continue to develop with our club for years to come."

Buffalo also re-signed forwards Clarke MacArthur and Mark Mancari to qualifying offers.

It was also reported the Buffalo Sabres will open up the season October 10, when Guy Carbonneau and his Montreal Canadiens come into town.

Stay tuned, as I will have all the info on the Sabres' schedule, which will be released tomorrow.

The Top Ten Ugliest NHL Jerseys

Andrew Farrell — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:38:31 -0400

Over the long history of the NHL, teams have unveiled some less then pretty jerseys.

We see the Vancouver Canucks take the ugliest jersey award time in and time out (probably deserved), so I thought it would be nice to change it up, and let the people know of some jerseys that are never talked about at all.

Face it, we love our jerseys as much as we love the playoff beard. So without wasting any more time, let's get to the list.

This list goes from Ugly (No. 10) to Abysmal (No. 1):

10) Dallas Stars

As a Sabres fan, it's tough just to type the word Dallas Stars because of '99, but I won't get into it. I must say, I really do think Dallas has some of the nicest jerseys in hockey, but what was the marketing team thinking when they released this? The connect-the-dots they're forming a thong!

No thanks.

9) Los Angeles Kings

The Kings' RBK jerseys, again, are really cool—but another "third" jersey attempt is just laughable. Really, I thought they had some of the brightest guys out there in the West? Who gave the okay for that one?

8) Vancouver Canuck

One of the earliest jerseys in their existence, this "V neck" was just hideous to look at. The colors, everything—horrible. Green and blue are much better-looking colors for Vancouver.

7) Phoenix Coyotes

Again, I am not sure what is up with the "third" jersey trend. This camouflage jersey worn in the dessert was horrendous. The home and away ones were fine IMO—but this was taken way to far, and hopefully whoever came up with it was fired.

6) St. Louis Blues

The Saints go marching in. This jersey sure enough got people's attention. The only reason this is not in the top five is because it looks like a leisure suit.

The head coach veoted this and the mascot "Cool Cat." if it was re-introduced today, a day of those and the hockey pants—well, that would be a lethal combo for any team to play against!

5) Anaheim Mighty Ducks

"Wild Wing." If anybody remembers the Mighty Ducks TV show, that was the name of the goalie, and that was the character on this...jersey. If this was MTV—which, thank god, it's not—we would hear "NEXT!"

4) Colorado Rockies

Sheesh, how about these, huh? It is tough to describe—a clash of very bright red's and blue's, along with a very unattractive logo on the crest. A jersey that is quite the turn-off. (P.S. How about that goalie mask?)

3) New York Islanders

WTF? Okay, sorry, that was a bit harsh, but the fisherman looked quite the same.

What was wrong with the '80s Dynasty jerseys? Those were classic hockey jerseys! Then they went to this. Hey, Islander fans, remember Tommy Salo and Ziggy Palffy? What a nightmare!

2) California Golden Seals

Yikes! Look out! Here come the 1970s!

What is with these jerseys? The colors are a total eyesore! This was a bad idea, almost as bad as thinking they would be able to be support NHL teams in California in the '70s (different story now, of course).

Well, here we are, last, but certainly not least—er, yes, least liked. Regardless, It always is fun to look back and remember these uniforms, and for what the team stood for at that point in time. So, with out further ado, I give you the number one worst jersey...

1) Tampa Bay Lightning

What in God's name is this? They actually have rain drops falling on the jersey, and waves on the bottom. It brings you back to the days of Rob Zamuner and Darren Puppa, when Chris Gratton was ready to become the NHL Point Leader. Yeah, well, hmm—didn't happen.

This jersey seems so dumb and useless, I still cant believe it was worn.

Extra Bonus: The Worst Jersey Ever! Holy Cow!

Is Ryan Miller Staying in Buffalo?

Andrew Farrell — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:02:36 -0400

Ryan Miller was coming off two consecutive Eastern Conference Finals series, losing to the eventual winners in 2005-2006 Carolina Hurricanes, and in 2006-2007 to the Ottawa Senators.

In his first full season for the Sabres, Miller entered the year after the lockout with a career year with the Sabres AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. Miller ranked 1st among goalies with a win loss record of 41-17, with a goals against average of 2.45.

Needless to say, Ryan Miller proved to the Sabres why they drafted the former Spartan and Hobey Baker Winner in the 5th round of the 1999 NHL draft.

Millers first year with the Sabres, went 30-14 and backstopped his team to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes, when many had picked the Sabres to finish in the bottom five of the Eastern Conference.

Although Miller was snubbed from the 2006 Team USA Olympic team, expect him to be between the pipes for the Americans in Vancouver in 2010

Miller's next year, he led the Sabres to the best record in the NHL, giving the team the Presidents Trophy. Again, Miller took his team to the Eastern Conference Finals, this time, losing to the Ottawa Senators. Miller was voted the starter of the All-Star game that year along with fellow Sabres Daniel Briere and Brian Campbell.

Miller's record that season was 40-16 record with a GAA of 2.73 This past season Miller was among many Sabres who played very streaky. he finished the year with a record of 36-27 with a GAA of 2.64. Now to Miller's defense, he didn't have any of that this season.

Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman, Buffalo's top defensive pairing, were often injured, and had a lack of chemistry this year, but if Buffalo wants to pay him, he will have to rise above some of the defensive laps of the Sabres and win games for the team.

This coming season, Buffalo will, baring any signing from GM Darcy Regier, will have two very young defensemen playing in front of Ryan Miller this season in Andrej Sekera, and Mike Weber. Buffalo added some much needed grit to the team with trading for Craig Rivet, but this year will really show if Ryan Miller is worth it.

A problem that Buffalo could face if not resigned before this season is the East Lansing, MI native could also be lured back home to play for the hometown Detroit Red Wings. With Chris Osgood not getting any younger, and back up Ty Conklin there, Detroit could make a run at Miller if he is left unsigned.

It is imperative that if a deal was to be made by the Sabres, it would have to be before July 1st, 2009. Rumors circulating out of Buffalo are that Ryan and his agent Mike Liut are in on going discussions with GM Darcy Regier. Money rumored that Regier is willing to give up is somewhere around the deal Marc-Andre Fleury signed this off-season with Pittsburgh ( 7 years, $35 Million) A deal like that is right in Miller's range.

Buffalo faces a rather difficult situation. They have two great goal tending prospects in Sweden's Jhnoas Enroth, who will be starting this year for Buffalo's new AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates. and Bowling Green Alum, Nick Eno.

Enroth is rated by many as Buffalo's top prospect, and it makes the decision all that harder for Regier and the Sabres. If they did not have any prospects NHL ready, then Buffalo would have no choice but to give into Miller's demands, but they do. Buffalo's track record certainly shows they will not go out next off-season and sign a goalie to a serviceable contract that is a legitimate.

Looking at the 2009 Free Agents, who would be worth it? Ray Emery? No, the city does not care for him. Andrew Raycroft? No. Do they let him walk, and start all over again? Or do they sign him?

In my opinion, Buffalo has to sign him. This management has shown over the years that they will not resign key players or pieces, be it Jay Mckee, JP Dumont, Mike Grier, Chris Drury, and Daniel Briere. Sooner or later, you will not have the luxury of prospects to help your team out.

I know there is only x amount of dollars the Sabre management can use because of Buffalo's small market, but Buffalo really needs to be aggressive about this. Ryan Miller is much too important to the Sabres to let him walk. I think it would be a huge mistake to the team to not sign him, and another slap in the face to the dedicated fans for not being committed to winning. And if that happens, the city of Buffalo will be in complete chaos.

UB Bulls Are a Team to Look Out for

Andrew Farrell — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:42:28 -0400

For the many years since 1999, when the Buffalo Bulls joined Division I-A football, the team was the joke of the town and the college football community. UB stadium, which seats 31,000, was averaging crowds of 1,000, and the team was finishing seasons at 1-11.

When former Cornell University coach Jim Hofher was hired to be the head coach in Buffalo, his team continued to struggle, not only on the field, but at the recruiting level as well.

Then came December of 2005, and the UB Bulls found the best man for the job—Turner Gill, the Green Bay Packers assistant coach and former Heisman Trophy winner with great Nebraska teams.

Gill has turned the program around since his hiring. The Bulls have competed with teams such as Auburn, Penn State, and Syracuse, and soon will be playing Boston College. As a reward for his efforts, Gill was named MAC's 2007 Coach of the Year.

Gill has nabbed some of the best recruits locally. Running back James Starks played high school ball in Niagara Falls, and Naaman Roosevelt played his at St. Joe's Collegiate Institute in Kenmore, NY.

Buffalo also has one of the best quarterbacks in the country—a very underrated player by the name of Drew Willy.

Willy, who is entering his senior season, and his fourth as UB's starting quarterback, is coming off his best season. Last season he set a career mark with the highest efficiency passing rating in school history (135.7) and also threw for 2,572 yards and 15 touchdowns. This year, he was nominated for the Johnny Unitas award, given to the best quarterback in the country.

Senior linebacker David Hubbard, along with defensive backs Davonte Shannon, who was voted first team ALL-MAC with 123 tackles and 3 interceptions and Mike Newton, come back to lead a physical and aggressive UB Bulls defense. The team took great jumps under Turner Gill and defensive coordinator Jimmy Williams and staff.

Buffalo also has solid special teams with placekicker A.J. Principe , but will be looking for another great season season from the Aussi Peter Fardon

The UB Bulls schedule will really show what this team is made of. Buffalo opens the season at home against Texas-El Paso on August 28, then faces Pittsburgh, Missouri, Central Michigan, Army, Miami (Ohio), which will be televised nationally on ESPN 2, and Bowling Green

Regardless of how this season plays out, Buffalo fans can finally rest at ease, knowing this program at UB is going places in a hurry.

For a complete look at the UB Bulls schedule and roster visit them at

http://www.ubathletics.buffalo.edu/football/

Buffalo Bills: Is This Team Ready?

Andrew Farrell — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:58:31 -0400

The Buffalo Bills entered the 2008 offseason with concerns at receiver, their running game, and in their secondary.

In free agency, Buffalo bolstered their linebacking group by signing Super Bowl winner Kawika Mitchell from the New York Football Giants, added a veteran corner in Will James, and added beef to the defensive line with the signing of Spencer Johnson and the trade for three-time pro bowl defensive tackle Marcus Stroud from the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In April's Draft, Buffalo grabbed what many thought was the best corner back prospect in Leodis McKelvin. In the second round, they went big and added 6'6" James Hardy from Indiana. They also improved the skill at TE by grabbing Kansas' Derek Fine, and who some call the steal of the draft, Kentucky's WR Steve Johnson. At 6'2", he also has considerable size.

Coming into the 2008-'09 season on September 7, when the Seahawks land at the Ralph, Buffalo will be a much better team. However, there are a few areas that need to be looked at for improvement. But, if they turn out well, Buffalo will soon be contending for the AFC East Division Crown with The New England Cheatri...er Patriots.

Here is a look at the team by position:

Quarterback

I am eager to see how Trent Edwards plays. Trent was able to get the job after JP was knocked out of a game in week two against the Patriots. Edwards first drive of that game gave Buffalo fans a glimpse of the future. Head coach Dick Jauron said the following of his quarterback:

"I think he has stepped in and handled himself well. He has taken command of the huddle and was poised in the huddle and that's all you can expect. He came into a hostile environment against a pretty good defense to say the least. I think he handled himself well and I think he is ready."

Trent really is the person that determines if Buffalo gets to the playoffs. I am expecting big things from him, and I really am eager to see if he is mature enough to lead this team to the promised land.

Wide Receiver

I'll keep it short and sweet with this one. JAMES HARDY. JAMES HARDY. JAMES HARDY. They drafted him. If he uses his size (6'6"), watch out. If he is slow, and does not take use of his freak athletic ability, prepare for struggles.

Tight End

This position is questionable. I like Robert Royal, just not as a number one guy. I hope Derek Schouman and Derek Fine are okay, Courtney Anderson is questionable, but 6'6" is not bad. I think if they do not stretch the field, or get the TE involved early in the season, their passing game will be rough. Although it automatically gets help with the addition of Hardy, he can only do so much, so the TE play is crucial.

Defensive Line

I think it is safe to say that last year was a forgettable year for the defensive line, especially against the run. Another year of growing for John McCargo and Kyle Williams helps, and the signing of Kawika Mitchell is great, but I think the trade in the offseason for Marcus Stroud is the factor.

If he does well, and stays healthy, this team can jump from the dead last against the run last year to a top 10 run defense. But again, it all depends on, IMO, Marcus Stroud. Just like Trent Edwards is the deciding factor on the offensive side of the ball, Marcus Stroud is the factor on defense for Buffalo. His season will determine wins and losses for this Buffalo team.

Corner Back

This unit, when focused, could be something else. Jabari Greer was great, Terrence was great, but the problem was the lack of size. Will James is a good signing, not only because he is a savvy veteran, but let's face it, this team stinks with size at CB, so a six-foot, 200 lbs. player is always welcomed. I think he will play a crucial role in the nickel.

Leodis McKelvin really needs to play smart. I was watching the draft coverage again the other day, and Mike Mayock, who I think is a lot better than Mel Kiper or Todd Mcshay, said time in and time out that he has poor ball skills. So, I think Leodis will be a successful CB if he plays the man instead of the ball this year.

I am not looking for him to get four to five interceptions, I see Terrence doing that, but not him, at least not in his rookie year.

I think if Leodis can play a physical style of defense, then this team is set. I think this unit, of all the ones I have mentioned, has the most potential. They seem oh-so-close to taking that next step. But, if Buffalo wants to contain Chris Chambers, Randy Moss, Braylon Edwards, or Larry Fitzgerald, they will have to not play so soft against these guys.

Overall, the Bills improved greatly. For once in the last 10 years, this team has a sense of direction and a great staff. Their head coach, Dick Jauron, is the right man for this team and all of his players respect him. This team, with some luck, more importantly execution, can make a lot of noise in the AFC and not just this year, but for many years to come.

Buffalo Sabres Players Who Need to Show More Consistency

Andrew Farrell — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:24:06 -0400

If one word were to be said about the Buffalo Sabres last season, that word would be "streaky." The Buffalo Sabres were one of the NHL's streakiest teams last year in all three categories: goaltending, scoring, and defense.

Buffalo made a nice addition in the offseason in trading, essentially, forward Steve Bernier for veteran defenseman Craig Rivet. Their only other offseason move to date was the signing of veteran goalie Patrick Lalime. Sabre fans are hoping he is much more consistent than last year’s backup goalie Jocelyn Thibault.

Darcy Regier and Lindy Ruff have said they think they have the pieces to win, but they need a lot more steady play out of the following players.

Here are four players that need to show some consistency:

LW—Thomas Vanek

Vanek has all the tools to be a top scorer in the NHL. He has the size (6'2", 210 pounds) and the athletic ability to score. Vanek's knock is that he can be a very lazy player. In his rookie year of '05-'06 he had 25 goals and 48 points. However, he was benched because of his youth and inexperience in the playoffs.

Vanek greatly improved in his sophomore year. He had 43 goals and 84 points. Keep in mind that was the year he had Daniel Briere and Chris Drury on his team, and he was not playing against the team's top checking line most nights.

In this past season, his first without Drury and Briere, Vanek became a very streaky player, and some nights, did just not show up. He ended the season with 36 goals and 64 points.

Most people would love to have a goal scorer who can score 36 goals a season, and consider it a "bad season" but that number was misleading. This is because toward the end of the season Vanek had three hat tricks that inflated his stats in blow out games.

In Vanek's fourth year it will be interesting to see if coach Lindy Ruff can push the forward. He is the best goal scorer in this hockey club, so Vanek has no time to half it back down the ice back-checking. If he does, Buffalo fans will be in an uproar about his 7-year, $50 million contract.

D—Henrik Tallinder/Toni Lydman

For me, these two players count as one person because in the '05-'06 season most nights they were the Sabres' top defensemen pairing.

Tallinder is a big defensemen at 6'3", and Lydman stands at 6'1". Buffalo lacks a strong pairing that can shut down teams' top players. In a division with the three-headed monster in Ottawa and Marc Savard, Saku Koivu, and Alex Kovalev, the Sabres need this pairing to return to its original shut down performing ability.

If the team is at the cellar of the East come deadline time, expect one of these players to be dealt.

C—Tim Connolly

When healthy, Connolly is one of the best playmaking centers in the NHL (take a look for yourself: http://youtube.com/watch?v=1P_N78TmTHM). But the problem is, more often than not, Connolly is injured. And he does not miss five games here or there, he is out for a long time.

Over the past three seasons, Connolly has played in a total of 113 regular season games. While I still wonder why Darcy gave him a contract extension over Jay McKee, I may never know. The fact of the matter is Buffalo is weak down the middle. Aside from Derek Roy, Tim Connolly is the only other scoring center on this roster.

He has decent size at 6'1", and when given the puck, he can amaze fans like no other. The issue is Tim Connolly's lack of durability. If Connolly cannot stay healthy for another season, Buffalo has prospects ready to come up, or expect another offseason deal by Darcy.