Sabres Edge

Maxim Afinogenov with Ilya Kovalchuk? Could happen.The Atlanta Thrashers have brought in Afinogenov for a tryout so he can dipsy-doodle his way around Philips Arena and make nothing happen. Update: Just remembered Randy Cunneyworth is on the Atlanta staff. He was in the Buffalo organization as the coach at Rochester for nine years so he would know Afinogenov from training camps and such.

The Wild and Penguins are among those also believed to have kicked the can on Max.

---Mike Harrington

(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Other than Drew Stafford's appearance (without a contract), no major news of any consequence on the opening day of Sabres training camp but that's sure not the case elsewhere. Follow these links for some big happenings from Saturday:

---Dany Heatley finally got traded, getting his wish with a deal from the Senators to the Sharks for Jonathan Cheechoo, Milan Michalek and a second round draft pick. Said Sens GM Bryan Murray: "I did spend some time with him [Friday]. When I looked him in the eye I knew I had to trade him." How about Heatley on the wing with Joe Thornton in San Jose? That would make for one wild line.

---Alexander Ovechkin is calling a Stanley Cup for the Capitals. Asked where he thought the Caps would finish, Ovechkin said, "On top. On top of Pittsburgh, on top of everybody." Now the Caps certainly have to rate as a contender, but they're going to need better goaltending from Jose Theodore and Semyon Varlamov to get there.

---The Coyotes opened practice without Wayne Gretzky as coach. His contract status is uncertain because of the team's bankruptcy proceedings. Assistant Ulf Samuelsson ran practice in the absence of No. 99 (whose restaurant in Toronto, I may add, serves some pretty darn good cappeletti and garlic cheese baguette as I found out last week).

---Andrew Peters reported to Devils camp for a tryout. Said Peters: "I think [the Sabres] are going in a different direction. More skill, faster players with some grit. I guess they're not going to carry an enforcer. The writing was kind of on the wall last year when I only played 28 games."

---The Flames extended a tryout offer to 41-year-old former star Theo Fleury.

---Mike Harrington

(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

The Sabres Hall of Fame Committee has named six nominees for the team's highest honor and will cut that list to a final four before deciding on its inductees in the next couple of weeks.

The list of six includes former players Dominik Hasek, Jim Lorentz, Alexander Mogilny and Rob Ray, current broadcaster Rick Jeanneret and former coach Joe Crozier. Lorentz and Ray, of course, have also served the team as broadcasters.

Dave Andreychuk and former PA announcer Milt Ellis were inducted last year. (Memo to Sabres Alumni group: Update your Web site).

If you were on the Sabres Hall Committee, make your choices at our poll. I would guess no more than three of the final four will be inducted.

---Mike Harrington

(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Mike Grier is back with the Sabres, as the team just announced tonight a one-year deal with the veteran forward. Grier, a 13-year NHL veteran, played with the Sabres in the two years straddling the NHL lockout. He had seven goals and 16 assists in 2005-06, the year Buffalo made it to the Eastern Conference finals, and was viewed as one of the main locker room leaders.

Grier left that summer for San Jose on a three-year, $5.3 million deal and had some pretty uncomplimentary things to say about the organization on his way out the door about its commitment to winning. He had 10 goals and 13 assists for the Sharks last season.

Things have been pretty quiet in Sabreland for a month. You add yet another forward to the roster, especially with Drew Stafford still unsigned, and you wonder what deal must be next. For a team looking for leadership, taking a one-year chance on Grier seems like a good risk.

Thoughts?

---Mike Harrington

(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Photo: Mark Mulville / Buffalo News file (2005)

At 1:15 p.m. Sunday, here is the lead to Aaron Besecker's story in The Buffalo News:

Chicago Blackhawk right winger and South Buffalo native Patrick Kane and a relative face robbery and other charges after allegedly assaulting a cab driver and failing to pay their fare after getting a ride from Chippewa Street early this morning.

Kane, 20, and James M. Kane, 21, were arrested about 5 a.m. on Eastwood Place, according to Buffalo police reports.

The pair allegedly punched the cab driver and grabbed money they had handed him after he told them he didn't have twenty cents in coins to give them their change, the report said.

Their fare was $13.80 and they handed the driver $15, according to a report.

What's your reaction?

Marty Biron finally has an NHL job but he's taken quite a pay cut -- accepting a one-year, $1.4 million deal from the Islanders. This one is hard to figure, unless Rick DiPietro's knee is far worse than the Isles have let on. They just signed Dwayne Roloson to a two-year deal on July 1 and now they add Biron?

Biron made $3.5 million last year in Philly but seems to have the rep of a quality backup who's just not good enough to get you through the playoffs as a No. 1 guy. Shocked to find out he came that cheaply for somebody because I would have loved to have seen the Sabres get involved at that price. Biron still has his house in Clarence too!

Ryan Miller needs backup this year, especially if he has to actually play through the Olympics rather than taking those three weeks off. Will Patrick Lalime hold up physically in the wake of his hip procedure and will he hold up when he's in the net? Huge question marks. But no way the Sabres were going to pay off Lalime and go for Biron. Even if that's what they should have been thinking.

---Mike Harrington

(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Yep, another son of former Sabres captain Mike Foligno. This one is Marcus Foligno, a 6-foot-2 left winger who played for his dad in Sudbury. And he was born in Buffalo -- on Aug. 10, 1991.

John Vogl has talked to the Folignos in Montreal and you can read our updated story here.

The fifth-round pick was Boston area high school defenseman Mark Adams, who is nicknamed "Roo." Nice goal celebration here by Adams on a shootout goal.

The sixth-round choice was Miami University goalie Connor Knapp.

Here's a video with Knapp explaining his mask design.

Final pick: Right winger Maxime Legault of Shawinigan from the Quebec League

---Mike Harrington

(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Can't go wrong with this group of indctees announced Tuesday afternoon for the Hockey Hall of Fame: players Brett Hull, Steve Yzerman, Luc Robitaille and Brian Leetch and Devils GM/president Lou Lamoriello. 

Only four players can be inducted each season and those left out Tuesday included ex-Sabres Dave Andreychuk and Alexander Mogilny, both of whom posted 1,000-point careers. I think Andreychuk eventually squeezes in but I say Mogilny is a no. What do you say?

---Mike Harrington

(www.twitter.com/BNHarrington)

What were you doing 15 years ago today in the 1:50 a.m. range?

Seems like yesterday when The Dominator and an up-and-coming star named Martin Brodeur battled for nearly 126 minutes before Dave Hannan finally settled the issue and sent the first-round series, in the immortal words of Rick Jeanneret, "back to where Jimmy Hoffa is" for Game Seven.

Check out Budd Bailey's take on the Sports Ink blog.

---Mike Harrington

If you didn't make it until about 1:15 a.m. Sunday morning, you missed a terrific Game Five between the Ducks and Sharks. San Jose had a 2-0 lead through two, gave up two early goals in the third that forced overtime but managed to live another day on Patrick Marleau's goal at 6:02 of OT that gave the Sharks a 3-2 win. So the Ducks have a 3-2 lead in the series and can send the Presidents' Trophy winners home in Game Six Tuesday in Honda Center.

Go here for NHL.com's video highlights of the game.

Of all the things we miss about the Sabres not being in the playoffs, the tension of overtime has to be near the top of my list. I found this incredible YouTube yesterday and I give three thumbs up to the author. It's that good. 

It's every overtime winner -- regular season and playoffs -- the Sabres have scored since the NHL lockout. Lots of the great memories of course and some regular-season winners you've probably forgotten about.

---Mike Harrington 

In Sunday's Inside the NHL, Sabres legend Rene Robert tells Bucky Gleason he feels your pain.

Gleason writes:

"The only difference between you and him these days is, well, the former right winger played on one of the famed lines in NHL history and his No. 14 hangs from the rafters at HSBC Arena.

"Well, it's up there for now, anyway.

"To say he's frustrated is an understatement. Robert has grown increasingly angry and disgusted from watching his former team, your favorite team, miss the playoffs in two straight seasons after building a contender. He also wanted fans to know they weren't alone."

Daniel Briere has played only 16 games all season -- none against the Sabres. He hasn't played more than 17 minutes in a game since Nov. 8 but he might do it tonight for the Philadelphia Flyers in HSBC Arena.

After a season of battling groin and abdominal injuries, the former Sabres captain has played four straight games without incident for the Flyers. And with his team on a two-game losing streak, Flyers coach John Stevens has shuffled his lines to give Briere a more prominent role. In practice Thursday, Briere skated  with high-scoring Jeff Carter nd Scott Hartnall.

"It's feeling better every game and I'm ready to have more of a role and contribute more,"  Briere told The Buffalo News today after the Flyers' pregame skate. "I've missed a good portion of the season and I have to try to get my timing back. I need to feel comfortable handling the puck and making plays. When you play the whole year, your instincts just kick in and you don't have to worry about things. Now I'm trying to get back and find them right now."

Briere has just five goals and four assists in 16 games and hasn't scored since Nov. 11. The Flyers have dropped three of their last four games, scoring just eight goals in the process. They are fourth in the Eastern Conference, but still just four points inside eighth place.

Philly has won all three meetings with Buffalo this year. The lone game in HSBC was a 3-0 win on Nov. 21 that saw ex-Sabre Martin Biron make 40 saves in net.

"I haven't played the Sabres and I really haven't played too many teams all year," Briere said. "It's disappoiting and frustrating but you can't control that. I focus on now on ut, on the stretch drive and the playoffs. It's getting better and better and that's what I'm excited about.

"I honestly hope somehow the Sabres can find a way to win down the stretch and get into the playoffs -- after tonight. I know a lot of those guys and how good they can be. So I understand how frustrating it is when things are not clicking the way they want. Personally I don't like seeing them in that position and I hope they turn it around."

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said defenseman Teppo Numminen has been dealing with an ankle infection that's keeping him off the ice. Adam Mair (knee) took the morning skate and should be back within a week. Goaltender Ryan Miller (ankle) took shots in full pads during the practice.

---Mike Harrington

When I talked to Ales Kotalik on Monday, he made it clear his preference was to stay with the Sabres. But he knew he was heading into unrestricted free agency and that made it possible he could be dealt.

When it actually happened just before the deadline Wednesday, Kotalik said he was "shocked" to learn he was going to Edmonton. Strangely enough, he joined his new team Thursday in a very familiar venue -- Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, where the Oilers met the Senators

"I was in Buffalo for a long time," Kotalik said. "The first couple hours [after the trade], it was a pill that was tough to swallow. It continued until late night. Right now, you jump in with the guys and it feels better. I just have to get used to wearing a different sweater now."

Kotalik was a good guy and always interesting to talk to. He had a deep persepctive on himself and the game. He's been in the Sabres organization since he was drafted nearly 11 years ago and Lindy Ruff seemed a little emotional Thursday in talking about their good-bye conversation.

Kotalik, however, was also a frustrating player to watch. You always thought he could do more with that big body. And even one of his greatest talents -- his accuracy in shootouts -- came with a big asterisk. If he had done more in the first 65 minutes of the game, the thinking went, maybe the team wouldn't have even been in the shootout!

Kotalik was immediately inserted on Edmonton's first line with fellow Czech Ales Hemsky and Shawn Horcoff. Yes, I said the first line. Maybe the Oilers think they'll catch lightning in a bottle. Hey, didn't Steve Bernier look like a future all-star in his first couple games here last year? But the more likely scenario is Kotalik has a good game here or there, scores on the power play every so often and then disappears a lot too.

Post your thoughts on Kotalik's career and his departure in the comments section. And click below to see his chat with Edmonton reporters Thursday in Ottawa.

---Mike Harrington

A couple hours before faceoff of Sabres-Canes, here's a lot of links to what's going through my mind after watching the Rangers absolutely stink up my TV against the Flyers today:

---Regardless of what happens the rest of the season, nobody who was in the arena Friday night will ever forget the emotion of the Sabres' shootout win over the Sharks in the wake of the crash of Flight 3407.  To wit, there was the incredible moment of silence, the full-throated roar from the crowd after the tying goal, the raw emotion of Lindy Ruff and his players both after the morning skate and the game.

I happened to be talking to Derek Roy one-on-one after the game while most of the rest of the media was with Craig Rivet. Pretty amazing how all these guys really get it. I asked Roy about the tying goal and this is what he said: "I think I leaped the highest I've every leapt in a game. I was about 4 feet in the air. It was a huge goal for us, a huge goal for the city. Everybody rallied behind this team all night. Nobody was not going to let us come back and tie this game for these people." Wow.

----Was pretty struck by Chad in the comments section comparing the Pominville goal to the feeling he got being in Shea Stadium for Mike Piazza's dramatic home run in the Mets' first post-9/11 game. Powerful stuff.

---It's often bugged me that MSG doesn't show the national anthems before games but I've let it go. Not so this time. The network should have stayed with the anthems Friday and not brusquely cut off the moment of silence to go to commercials. For one night, couldn't Tim Horton, Geico, Paul William Beltz and the rest of them simply been told, "No" ?

---Things continue to move along quickly at the Aud site. The actual arena bowl was exposed for the first time Friday (click on picture at left) and you can see into the top of the balcony and many of those famous sound baffles that swung from the roof. Here's a picture of how it looks today. 

As Sharon Linstedt wrote last week, the Erie Canal Harbor Corporation has started a webcam of the site and it's fabulous because it allows you to look back at each day of the demolition and then go back to the current state of the old barn. When they first said the place would be gone by spring, I was pretty skeptical. After all, it's sat basically untouched for 12-plus years. Guess they were right. They're on a pretty rapid pace now. You see something different every day.

----Things went pretty well for the Sabres on Saturday night. The Penguins blew a 2-0 lead and gave up five goals in the third during  a 6-2 meltdown in Toronto. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes hit town tonight after getting outscored, 10-1, in two straight home games. They lost, 5-0, to Florida and were asleep over the final 40 minutes of Saturday's 5-1 loss to Columbus.

Danny Briere, who has played just nine games this season because of injuries, has been cleared by Flyers team doctors to return tonight when Philadelphia hosts Atlanta. But the front office says he has to wait.

The Flyers have dire salary cap restraints, and they can't afford to activate Briere without shedding payroll. So the former Sabres co-captain, whom they signed to an eight-year, $52 million contract two summers ago, likely won't play until after the All-Star break.

"He doesn't feel 100 percent just yet, so we'll hold him out," General Manager Paul Holmgren told Philly reporters. "He didn't feel that good, so (not activating him) is probably the likely scenario. Sooner or later we'll have to do something."

Briere on whether not playing is a business or medical decision: "It's a little bit of both, to be honest."

"It doesn't matter to me," he said. "At this point one game isn't going to change much. It would give me four extra days where I'm not skating, and that might be helpful as well."

Briere has been brought up in trade rumors lately because the Flyers have played well without him, but he has a no-trade clause, according to the Courier-Post story.

---John Vogl

CHICAGO -- There were a few Brian Campbell topics that didn't make it into today's story.

*He gave his thoughts on Buffalo: "I loved it there. It's a great place to play hockey, a great place to live. They were really good to me. We had some really good teams there, especially my last three years. We had a lot of success.

"I got to know the fans really well there, and I think they enjoyed the way I played and the way I worked. I thought I tried to help out the community, as well, to be a better person and help the Buffalo area."

*On coming to a new team with $56.8 million worth of expectations: "You try to fit in. You don't act any differently than normal."

*More on the money: "Obviously, there's more expectations that come with it. It's exciting, you know? It's something that I worked hard for, to get to where I'm at."

*A thought from James Patrick, Campbell's mentor, on what the defenseman will mean to Chicago: "He experienced what they're going through [in Chicago] in Buffalo, from young players coming together and developing and having some real successful seasons. He's been through that, and he's going to be a great influence on their young players."

---John Vogl

Here's some video from Tuesday's practice in Chicago as South Buffalo native Patrick Kane and ex-Sabre Brian Campbell talk about Wednesday night's game.

(We take no responsibility for the camera operater on the Campbell interview, by the way. Hey dude, hold the camera still!)

---Mike Harrington

CHICAGO -- Greetings from Chi-town, where the temperature is expected to match the number of playoff appearances by Buffalo pro sports teams last year. But things were definitely hot in the United Center today, where the Windy City media surrounded former Sabre Brian Campbell and South Buffalonian Patrick Kane to get their thoughts on facing the Sabres on Wednesday.

Campbell, one of the most stand-up guys I've covered in my seven seasons on the beat, isn't sure what emotions he'll have when he lines up against his old mates.

"It's going to be weird," Campbell said. "I'm looking forward to seeing a couple guys tonight. I spent a lot of time and grew up with a lot of guys there from early ages, so it's going to be fun. It's kind of a 'wait and see' to how it's going to feel on the ice."

For a look at Campbell's thoughts on being in Chicago and what he's purchased in the first year of his $56.8 million contract (the answer may surprise you), see Wednesday's Buffalo News.

Kane, meanwhile, was soliciting advice about creative faceoff moves from anyone and everyone. He was selected Tuesday to take part in the Breakaway Challenge at the All-Star Game in two weeks.

"I've got some tricks in the bag I can show off, and hopefully they're good enough to win," Kane said.

---John Vogl

Jay McKee, whose body has been through unimaginable situations as one of the finest and most active shot-blockers in the NHL, could lose a body part because of his craft.

The Belleville News-Democrat reports that the former Sabres defenseman is in a holding pattern while he waits to find out whether doctors will have to remove his left ring finger. He blocked a shot with it, and the skin and tip were torn off.

"All that was really protecting it was a millimeter of leather," McKee, who is expected to miss four to six weeks, told the paper. "The puck actually split my glove where it hit me in the finger. It certainly didn't look much like a finger when I took my glove off."

He is hoping blood begins flowing back to the finger, or else amputation may be needed.

---John Vogl

A friend emailed me a couple stories about Brian Campbell's return to San Jose with the Blackhawks Wednesday night and I was struck by his quote in this Chicago Sun-Times story from last week about meeting his former teams: ''Buffalo will be a little tougher. I'm glad we're not going there this year, and hopefully a year from now if we go there, they won't know who I am. That'd be fine by me.''

On the day he was traded to San Jose in February, you may remember Campbell's message to the fans here was "Please don't boo me." The Sabres meet the Hawks Jan. 14 in the United Center but Campbell and Patrick Kane don't come to town this year.

My guess is Campbell will get some boos here but nothing like Daniel Briere gets for signing with the hated Flyers. Campbell did get the Briere/Zdeno Chara treatment Wednesday in San Jose.

Stay with the blog for live updates to come on tonight's Sabres-Penguins game.

---Mike Harrington

Marty Biron has quickly turned his season around after a slow start and enters tonight's game with a 1.97 GAA for the Flyers in his last four starts. Here's an update on Biron from the Philly Inquirer.

---Mike Harrington

I'm heading to the Convention Center today to check out the Aud Farewell celebration. I'm not an autograph hound so it doesn't faze me at all but I'm betting a lot of you have the same question I do: Why in the world is the French Connection appearance/signing taking place tonight from 6:30-8:30 -- right during the Sabres game?

Shouldn't Gil, Rico and Rene be there this afternoon or tomorrow afternoon rather than making fans choose? Or was this the only time all weekend they could get there together? Weird.

---Mike Harrington

Sabres-Blue Jackets coming up at 7:35 but some bizarre breaking news first: The Lightning has fired Barry Melrose as coach after just 16 games! Yep, the ESPN mullet is gone less than two months into the season after returning to his old gig following a 15-year TV run.

Is there a more messed-up franchise in this league right now than the Bolts? Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2004, they ran themselves into salary cap jail and haven't been heard from since. It's bound to come out soon what went on with Melrose, as a run that short certainly points to severe internal strife. But Tampa's new owners and GM Brian Lawton clearly seem to be on the we-have-no-clue path. Rick Tocchet has been named to replace Melrose. Wanna bet on his credibility? (Sorry, couldn't resist).

St. Pete Times columnist Gary Shelton sensed in his column today that the organization seemed to have an oddly low supply of patience, almost foreshadowing something big was about to happen. Wonder if that impatience was caused in part by the Bay Area's market's sudden infatuation with the Rays, which pushed the Lightning further down the food chain.

Wonder what the folks at ESPN think too. Matthew Barnaby has Melrose's old job.

---Mike Harrington

PHILADELPHIA -- Made it to Citizens Bank Park for Game Three of the World Series as the crowd was arriving at the Wachovia Center for today's Flyers-Devils game. (Be sure to check out our Series reports at Inside Pitch). Even though the Series is in town tonight for the first time since 1993 and Penn State has a huge game at Ohio State, the Flyers were still big news here today.

For one thing, they won for the first time in seven games with Friday's 6-3 win at New Jersey. But that victory was tempered by the news that Daniel Briere could be out a month after surgery for a sports hernia.

Here's the Philadelphia Inquirer's report on Briere.

Here's what the Philly Daily News had to say.

---Mike Harrington

Couple major Chris Drury items coming from the Rangers: He's moving to right wing alongside Scott Gomez and the calls are growing for coach Tom Renney to name Drury the captain for the Rangers' season opener Saturday in Prague against the Lightning.

The Bergen Record says Renney should make the call. Brett Cyrgalis' New York Post blog says the same thing. He tells how Drury went down the bench barking at his teammates to wake up when the Rangers fell into a 3-0 hole Wednesday night against European champion Metallurg Magnitogorsk of Russia. Drury scored one of the goals as New York rallied to win, 4-3.

With Jaromir Jagr gone, it seems like this would be a pretty easy choice. And maybe Drury can light a fire under Dmitri Kalinin while he's at it.

---Mike Harrington

(Photo: Getty Images)