Updates from the IIHF World Championships in Sweden and Finland:
Thomas Vanek has team-highs of three goals and 20 shots on goal for Austria. The Aussies beat Slovakia in a shootout, with Vanek scoring the decisive goal. Christian Ehrhoff has been the workhorse for Germany, averaging 29:31 per game, while Andrej Sekera has done likewise for Slovakia at 24:55. Jhonas Enroth has a 1.76 goals-against average in the nets for Sweden.
In the standings -- go to the bottom of the page at this link -- Lindy Ruff-coached Team Canada has the tourney's best record at 4-0-1 for 13 points (losing only to Switzerland in a shootout). Finland leads the other group with 11 points. Team USA has nine points, tied with Russia and two behind the Finns.
Meanwhile, Rochester Amerks center Zemgus Girgensons, the Sabres' second first-round pick last June, has been suspended for one game for a butt-ending violation and will miss Latvia's game Saturday against Germany. The incident occurred during Thursday's 5-3 win over Slovakia.
The Sabres were back at First Niagara Center today to clean out their lockers, have exit physicals and meetings with staff that included General Manager Darcy Regier. As could be expected after another non-playoff season, the mood was a somber one. The Sabres have missed the playoffs two years in a row, four seasons out of six and seven years out of 11.
Said winger Drew Stafford of this year's miss: "There's just no excuse for that."
While reporters have heard a lot from Ryan Miller this week about his potential exit from Buffalo and his 500th game -- and Miller spoke again today for more than 11 minutes -- the star attraction today was winger Thomas Vanek. And like Miller, Vanek admitted he thought plenty that Friday's shootout win over the Islanders was his last game as a Sabre.
"Let's be honest," Vanek said. "I'm not stupid. I know I have a year left and they can probably deal me for prospects, young guys, whatever else is out there. Yeah, I've thought about it. If it looks like it's a long rebuild, then it probably makes sense for both parties to move on."
Vanek wants a quick, trade-based rebuild as opposed to a build through the draft. But the latter scenario appears more likely.
"I don't know what the plan is," Vanek said. "If they're turning it over to the younger guys, it's a turnover. Or are they going to build around us again? It's all speculation at this point because you guys don't know and I don't know what's going to happen."
Miller broke no new ground today over what he's said in the last couple of days.
"I’m convinced more and more as I play longer and longer it’s more about the attitude and the kind of team you build," Miller said. "It’s not always about a bunch of skill pieces. You have to define the way you play. And we can find a way to play here, if we can define it and do it every night, we’ll have just as good a chance as anybody."
That said, Miller knows he may not be part of any new plan about how the Sabres may play.
"Around this stage of a contract, you have to be realistic," Miller said. "In the last year of your deal, if you’re not part of the plan, you become an asset that’s tradable. So I’m just trying to stay open to coming back and trying to stay excited about playing hockey games in the NHL if it’s not going to work out."
One player that was not in the building today was winger Ville Leino, who suffered from a collapsed lung late in the season and has not spoken about that injury -- or about his status as a potential candidate for an amnesty buyout under the new CBA.
Regier will undoubtedly be asked about Leino Monday afternoon, when the GM and team president Ted Black will hold an end-of-season meeting with the media. The Sabres declined to have such a meeting last season and were openly laughed at for that decision when the Professional Hockey Writers Association met at the draft last June in Pittsburgh. Owner Terry Pegula is not expected to attend.
Click below to hear audio today from Vanek, Miller and Tyler Myers and stayed tuned to the Sabres Edge for video from today's proceedings.
OK, so if you saw Ron Rolston's postgame presser on MSG, you'll understand the headline above. Sorry, couldn't resist.
The Sabres' interim coach showed plenty of fire with me following Friday night's 8-4 loss to the Rangers that ended Buffalo's slim playoff hopes. Fair enough. Would have been nice if his team had a little more on many nights since he's taken over, but I digress.
It was certainly an interesting postgame session with Rolston's anger and Ryan Miller's emotional but calculated words. Miller and Sabres fans seem to be a relationship headed for divorce with just about no repair possible.
What an ugly night. Click the files below to hear some of the post-mortems.
OK, so if you saw Ron Rolston's postgame presser on MSG, you'll understand the headline above. Sorry, couldn't resist.
The Sabres' interim coach showed plenty of fire with me following Friday night's 8-4 loss to the Rangers that ended Buffalo's slim playoff hopes. Fair enough. Would have been nice if his team had a little more on many nights since he's taken over, but I digress.
It was certainly an interesting postgame session with Rolston's anger and Ryan Miller's emotional but calculated words. Miller and Sabres fans seem to be a relationship headed for divorce with just about no repair possible.
What an ugly night. Click the files below to hear some of the post-mortems.
The teams salute the TD Garden crowd after the shootout's conclusion. (Getty Images)
By Mike Harrington
The stirring national anthem sung by the entire TD Garden crowd and the postgame, two-team stick salute to the fans seem to be the most lasting images from last night's amazing game in Boston.
Home teams routinely salute their fans after a win and the Bruins were no doubt going to do that last night, win or lose. How did the Sabres get involved? Most Boston players last night were crediting Thomas Vanek.
Vanek, along with alternate captains Steve Ott and Drew Stafford, broached the idea at the morning skate with team trainers, who took it to the Boston side. Vanek and Boston captain Zdeno Chara then met on the ice at the start of pregame warmup to finalize the plans.
"Even though they play in that city, it doesn't matter where you're from," Vanek said after today's brief practice in Amherst. "Buffalo, my case Europe or whatever. Everyone gets affected by it.
"We didn't think about the publicity it's getting. For us, it was just to appreciate the people who came. The atmosphere was unbelievable. It's a few hours away from something you have to not think about. It was good for everyone, a good few hours."
The Buffalo Sabres’ path to the playoffs is filled with signs that read “Rough Road Ahead.”
It might soon read “Do Not Enter.”
The Sabres enter tonight’s home game against Montreal in 11th place in the Eastern Conference. More important than their standing is how far back of a playoff spot they have fallen.
The seventh-place New York Islanders and eighth-place Rangers both have 44 points. The Sabres are six back with 38. Each team has eight games remaining.
The Isles and Rangers are on pace for 53 points. For the Sabres to match that, they need to go 7-0-1 down the stretch.
“Anything can happen,” left wing Thomas Vanek said today First Niagara Center. “So many teams probably thought they were out of it, then they won three games in a row. Until the end, you have a chance.”
Another loss or two would all but end Buffalo’s chances.
“There’s a lot of points up for grabs here,” left wing Steve Ott said. “It’s going to be a tough task.”
Montreal is fourth in the Eastern Conference but has the third-most points with 55. The Habs are only one point behind Northeast Division-leading Boston. Buffalo is 4-0-1 in its last five home games against Montreal and 8-1-1 in the last 10 overall.
Ryan Miller will start in goal tonight. Interim coach Ron Rolston said Jhonas Enroth will start one of the Sabres’ next two games, either Saturday against Philadelphia or Sunday against Tampa Bay.
John Scott will be scratched for the Sabres.
“Everyone in that locker room still believes we’re a playoff team,” Rolston said.
The Sabres are aware most people are counting them out. They still have faith in each other.
Buffalo has won two straight heading into Sunday's home game against New Jersey, and the players are eager to finish this season strong.
"It’s a big game for this group just to keep the momentum going," forward Nathan Gerbe said today after practice in First Niagara Center. "In the past in the season, we would lose this game. Now we’ve got to win it.
Thomas Vanek knew big changes were coming once Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier said he was listening to offers on all his players.
"It hasn’t happened in the past. I'm sure there were talks but never publicly," Buffalo's leading scorer said today after taking Jason Pominville to the airport to join his new team, Minnesota. "Now with Jason gone, that obviously sends a message that change is happening."
Regier said the rebuilding process could take years. Vanek and Ryan Miller have one year left on their contracts, so they're eager to sit down with the GM and hear his plan.
Thomas Vanek knows the Sabres are in position for a rebuild. He also knows he might not be part of it.
General Manager Darcy Regier has talked during the past two days of looking toward the future, which might leave the team's leading scorer as a trade target before Wednesday's deadline.
"Every year you think about that, but obviously this year probably more than any other year because of the position we’re in and one year left on my contract," Vanek, who will miss tonight's game against Boston with an upper-body injury, said in First Niagara Center. "Obviously, you think about it, but at the same time it’s part of the business. If it happens, it happens, and we’ll move on.
Ryan Miller wondered aloud this month whether veterans such as himself, Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek were still the Buffalo Sabres’ core. Given the team’s struggles, the goaltender didn’t know whether management viewed a rebuild as its ideal course of action.
General Manager Darcy Regier gave his clearest indication to date he is contemplating franchise overhaul.
“Where our hockey club is right now we have to be open to listening to just about anything and everything, and I am listening,” Regier said tonight after trading Jordan Leopold to St. Louis. “We have to be open to everything, and I think the players recognize that as well.
Thomas Vanek thought his hip was broken. Christian Ehrhoff's slap shot plunked the Sabres forward directly on the hip bone Tuesday, and Vanek seized up immediately.
"I got hit on the bone, and it just kind of froze me for two days," Vanek said today in First Niagara Center. "I couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything. Late last night it felt a little better, and this morning I woke up and had most of my motion back. I felt pretty good skating."
He felt so good that he's ready to return to the lineup Saturday in Montreal after sitting out Thursday's 5-4 shootout win over Toronto.
Leading scorer Thomas Vanek will not play tonight when the Buffalo Sabres host the Toronto Maple Leafs in First Niagara Center, interim coach Ron Rolston said this morning.
Vanek was hit by a Christian Ehrhoff shot Tuesday night in the second period of the Sabres' game in Montreal.
"He's better today," Rolston said. "He feels, actually, good. We're starting the process, so we're hoping to get him on the ice tomorrow."
It looks like Vanek will be joined in the press box by forward Nathan Gerbe, who's expected to be a healthy scratch for the second straight game.
"I think he's working hard, but we have to make some tough decisions right now in our lineup," Rolston said of Gerbe. "I can only have 12 forwards in there and [he] was a player that I think
didn't give us a reason to keep him in right now. And that's what he has to work
for."
Burly forward John Scott is expected to be back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch for the past three games.
MONTREAL -- Thomas Vanek has two goals in the last 11 games, while Jason Pominville has two in his last 12 (and none in the last seven), so interim coach Ron Rolston is breaking up his top line for tonight's game in the Bell Centre.
Vanek will skate with Tyler Ennis and Ville Leino, while Steve Ott moves to the No. 1 unit with Pominville and Cody Hodgson. The line of Marcus Foligno-Kevin Porter-Brian Flynn stays intact while the fourth line will be Drew Stafford-Patrick Kaleta-Jochen Hecht.
"We're not winning as much as we want so obviously we're going to change things up but it doesn't matter," Vanek said. "Whoever you play with you try to make the best out of it. I've always said it doesn't matter who you play with, how much. You're a professional and you move on and deal with it.
MONTREAL -- Quick notes from the end of the Sabres' morning skate:
---Interim coach Ron Rolston said after Sunday's game he might break up the top line and he made good on the thought today. Thomas Vanek has been dropped to the second trio and replaced by Steve Ott. Patrick Kaleta is also back in after missing six games, five on his suspension and Sunday's as a healthy scratch.
The lines were Ott-Hodgson-Pominville, Vanek-Ennis-Leino, Foligno-Porter-Flynn, Hecht-Stafford-Kaleta. The scratches are Gerbe and Scott.
---Jhonas Enroth will be in goal in place of Ryan Miller. He's 2-0 in three games against the Habs in his career with a 2.42 goals-against average and .917 save percentage.
Turns out Thomas Vanek's "maintenance day" off at Friday's practice, his second of the week, was a sign of bigger issues. Vanek will miss today's game against New Jersey in First Niagara Center, interim coach Ron Rolston confirmed to reporters during his pre-game briefing during the 1 o'clock hour.
Rolston said Vanek is dealing with upper-body issues but the coach is expecting him to play tomorrow night against the Rangers in Madison Square Garden. Vanek leads the Sabres in goals (12), assists (15) and points (27), and enters today third in the NHL in points behind Steven Stamkos and Sidney Crosby (31 apiece).
Despite the numbers, Vanek clearly hasn't looked right in recent games: He has no goals in the last five and just one in the last nine.
Thomas Vanek leads the NHL in goals and points. The Penguins have noticed.
"Vanek has started off extremely hot, and it’s not something new," Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma said following practice this afternoon in First Niagara Center. "He’s a dangerous player. He’s a skilled player. He can make plays, score goals. He’s a guy who doesn’t have a reputation for doing it on the inside, but he’s good at the net. He’s good in tight spaces. He goes to the net, gets a shot off, does it on the power play.
"He’s a dangerous guy you’re going to have to watch."
The Sabres took Wednesday off and will return to the practice ice Thursday morning in First Niagara Center to prepare for Friday's game against Boston.
While we were in Ottawa on Tuesday, I had a chance to chat with Thomas Vanek and the conversation was a rare one for both of us because it had nothing to do with his explosive start to the season.
Vanek hooked up his laptop to his TV Sunday morning to watch a Web stream of Austria's overtime loss to Germany in an Olympic qualifying tournament. Despite the loss, the Austrians qualified for Sochi and knocked the Germans out. That means Vanek -- the most decorated professional hockey player from Austria -- will almost certainly represent his homeland at the Olympics next February.
Click the YouTube above for Vanek's first goal while playing for his hometown Graz team during the lockout. Amazing crowd reaction when his name is announced as the scorer. (Wild jerseys too).
If Vanek hits 20 minutes tonight on Long Island, it will mark three straight 20-minute games for just the second time in his career. The other time? October, 2005 in games 3-4-5 as a Sabre!!
The story also included a chart showing Vanek's standing compared to the league leaders. Graphic elements sometimes don't make the Web site, so I've reproduced the chart here:
-------------------------
Comparing Vanek’s ice time to NHL
leaders among forwards
Thomas Vanek is pumped after pulling the Sabres within 4-3. (Getty Images)
By Mike Harrington
It certainly helps to have the NHL's leading scorer but it's still hard to imagine the Sabres are third in the NHL in goals with 35. But that's the fact. Of course, being tied for last in goals-against with Washington (41) remains a huge issue.
Here's the latest numbers on Thomas Vanek's epic start to the season:
Sabres winger Thomas Vanek put together three more points Sunday against Florida and the league's white-hot leading scorer was named the NHL's First Star of the Week today (The other stars were Pittsburgh's Chris Kunitz and Vancouver's Roberto Luongo).
Vanek had five goals and five assists in just four games while compiling a plus-6 rating. For the season, he leads the league with 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in eight games. Steven Stamkos of Tampa Bay is next with 16.
Asked his thoughts on the honor today, Vanek said, "I don't have too many. Our line is going well but we're not producing wins so that's about it. I think I found two guys I feel real comfortable with. The passes we make and the shots that we take, a lot of them go in. But again, it doesn't matter. You do well and you lose games, it doesn't feel good."
Coach Lindy Ruff is obviously loving the way the line of Vanek, Cody Hodgson and Jason Pominville has combined for 41 points thus far. The problem? No other Sabre has more than two goals or five points.
"We have something special that we have a line that, as they say in Spanish, is 'en fuego,' " said Ruff. "Everybody else would be jealous of that line right now. But now we don't have the secondary so now we're jealous of the secondary around the league when the league is looking and going, 'Holy man, they got a line that's as hot as any line in the league.'
"You love having that. That line has so much confidence and makes so many plays and is playing so well together, now we've got to find the other side
again."
Click below to hear audio from Vanek on the award -- he's not impressed -- and the current sad state of the Sabres.
We should hear an injury update from Lindy Ruff in the 1 p.m. hour as we head toward the 3 p.m. faceoff downtown between the Sabres and Florida Panthers. Can this club play any worse than it did Saturday during what John Vogl aptly called its beatdown in Montreal? Doubt it. But there's still 40 games left.
As I went through the NHL stat pack this morning, I pondered some of these numbers:
---Thomas Vanek enters today tied for the NHL scoring lead with Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos. Both have seven goals and nine assists for 16 points, although Vanek has played one less game. Frankly, Vanek needs to get on the ice more. He enters today averaging 19 minutes, 13 seconds per contest -- and that's only 58th among NHL forwards. (Stamkos is at 21:13).
Thomas Vanek burns Tuukka Rask for his hat trick goal. (AP)
By Mike Harrington
BOSTON -- So much happened in the Sabres' 7-4 win over the Bruins that it's hard to process in the hour or two immediately after it. My sense, however, is this has the potential to be a huge turnaround game. Quick hits:
---The Sabres need to get some scoring out of more than one line but Thomas Vanek is so hot right now, it doesn't matter. He's got 15 points in just six games this season -- and 54 points (28-26) in just 46 career games against Boston. And his passing has never been better.
"He's been awesome," said coach Lindy Ruff. "That play to Tyler Ennis [to score Buffalo's third goal] was second to none. Outmuscled a guy in front of the net and really a diving type pass that helped us get back in the game."
"The puck is going in," Vanek said. "I've always been a good passer in my mind. People are focusing on it more right now because the puck is going in."
John Vogl has been covering the Sabres since 2002-03, an era that has included playoff runs, last-place finishes and three ownership changes. The award-winning writer is the Buffalo chapter chairman for the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
Mike Harrington, a Canisius College graduate who began his career as a News reporter in 1987, is in his sixth season covering the Buffalo Sabres. He is a member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association and can vouch that exposed flesh freezes instantly when walking in downtown Winnipeg in January.
