Buffalo Sabres | CollegeHockeyPlayers

10Nov

Cody Hodgson(19) Rochester Americans

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3rd year Vancouver Canucks‘ 1st round pick in the 2009 draft (#10 overall) center Cody Hodgson(19) is back in the AHL after his first successful full season in the NHL that ended with Buffalo Sabres after a late season trade sent him eastward.

In 83 totals regular season games he picked up 19 goals and another 22 assists between the two squads.

The 6′ 185 lbs. gritty forward would have almost assuredly continued to pick up the pace in the big league this year had they not hit the roadblock called a lockout.

Everyone seems to agree though that some more playing time in the AHL (his first since being a Manitoba Moose rookie standout ) with the Sabres‘ affiliate Rochester Americans will continue to help his game reach that next level and becoming a consistent 20-goal scorer is where he looks to be headed.

Unfortunately he was recently derailed for at least a few weeks with a broken hand suffered in the third week of the season. In 9 games he’s been quick to notch a goal and 9 assists.

02Nov

Adam Mair(11) retired

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12 year veteran center Adam Mair(11) has hung up his skates.

He’s played a total of 685 NHL regular season games scoring 38 goals and 76 assists, while racking up 829 penalty minutes.

Last year he was limited to 32 games for Springfield Falcons of the AHL because of an ankle injury, which required midseason surgery to repair, and also lost playing time to a 4-game suspension for a hit to the head.

The 33-year old forward probably thought it was going to be to difficult to sign a contract in yet another NHL lockout year (he sat idle during the first one in 2004/2005), so this was a good time to call it a career.

He’ll easily be remembered as a player for his 7 seasons in a Buffalo Sabres‘ uniform making sure opponents were held accountable.

His grit and determination will be missed but his path in hockey continues as he signed on to be the Director Of Player Development for Canisius College Golden Griffins in where else, downtown Buffalo.

01Nov

Zemgus Girgensons(28) Rochester Americans

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Talk about a sprint to get your career started, Buffalo Sabres‘ 1st round pick in this year’s draft (#14 overall), Latvian center Zemgus Girgensons(28) goes from his second season of scoring a point per game in the USHL, American junior hockey to the pros.

He had committed to attend University of Vermont next year but he excelled so well in prospect camp that the higher ups were thinking he might be ready to step right into the game and signed him to a 3-year entry level deal.

With the NHL on lockdown, he lacks the chance to make the big club out of training camp and starts his rookie season in the AHL with their close-by affiliate Rochester Americans.

At only 18 years old this is somewhat unprecedented. There’s no doubt that he possesses the size, 6’1″ 198 lbs. to compete and he’s known for playing a battler style of hockey.

Some of that seemed to be on display during the Amerks recent visit to the Glens Falls Civic Center in their 6-2 pounding of Adirondack Phantoms but they might be pushing this one along a bit fast.

He has 2 assists in 8 games and is a -1 plus/minus.

He seems like a really bright kid so there’s no doubt he’s going to be playing pro hockey for a long time and is now, but will he continue to this season?

27Aug

Corey Fienhage(5) Rochester Americans

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | 1 Comment

2nd year defenseman Corey Fienhage(5) re-signs with Rochester Americans for 2012/2013, while still under the guidance of the parent club Buffalo Sabres.

He was a 3rd round pick in the 2008 draft (#88 overall) but has only been signed to standard AHL contracts. He also was reassigned to Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL for a good chunk of his first season, where he has managed a bit better success on the scoresheet so far.

In 32 games last season he had 5 goals and 8 assists while going a -4 plus/minus.

In the AHL he’s a +2 with 4 assists in 20 games.

At 6’2 215 lbs. he plays like a big defenseman out there but at only 22-years old it could be said he’s still growing into his pro game.

17Aug

Maxime Legualt(29) Rochester Americans

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Buffalo Sabres‘ 7th round pick in the 2009 draft (#194 overall) right wing Maxime Legault(29) is still without an NHL contract but has stuck around in their prospect system and re-signs his third AHL deal returning to Rochester Americans for 2012/2013.

The 6’2″ 195 lbs. forwards numbers went down from his rookie year to his second but he’s the type of player that never stops digging when he’s on the ice.

He started his pro career in the Sabres‘ 2010 training camp before getting reassigned to Portland Pirates without a contract but was eventually inked to an spc in December.

The 23-year old could pester his way into a 2-way NHL deal if he can become a necessary fourth line energy player and effective penalty kill specialist.

08Aug

Drew Schiestel (44)

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Buffalo Sabres said “I do” for a one-year, two-way contract with their 2nd round pick in the 2007 draft (#57 overall) defenseman Drew Schiestel(44) despite there being a can of worms still on the table throughout his first three seasons in the system.

In a low total of 156 AHL games with their Portland Pirates and Rochester Americans‘ affiliates, plus a weird 16 games with Texas Stars late last season in a shuffle him out of the conference Sabres‘ reassignment.

He was good for 8 goals and 39 assists in that stretch.

Not terrible, although there should be more upside.

And there is: he’s an effective +17 plus/minus over his first three years since turning pro playing in the minors. 2011/2012 was his first season in the minus column on the ice.

He did get hampered by a season ending knee injury a couple of years ago but he was also a healthy scratch from the Amerks at times last year.

Step up.

04Aug

Alex Biega(4) Buffalo Sabres

Posted in AHL, NHL | 1 Comment

Buffalo Sabres‘ 3rd year, 24-year old defenseman, Alex Biega(4) signed a one-year, two-way contract keeping him in their system for another season. He had restricted free agent status and was qualified an offer by the team but seemingly took a little bit to put his name above the line.

In his first two seasons, he put up admirable numbers with AHL career highs in goals, assists and points (5 – 18 -23) for 2011/2012. He’s also played on a pair of affiliates (Portland Pirates / Rochester Americans) that made it to the postseason; and is more than accountable in his zone with a combined +18 plus/minus.

He plays hard and definitely shows some skills but listed at 5’10” 191 lbs. it seems like they’re stretching it a bit. Maybe it’s just time for him to start living at the gym. He could be doing that as he heads into another season having set career highs in the previous one.

03Aug

Rick Schofield (9)

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Undrafted 2nd year center Rick Schofield(9) moves just up the road to Rochester Americans from his address in his rookie season with Syracuse signing a one-year AHL contract to join the team.

The 6’2″ 207 lbs. forward had a one-year entry level deal with Anaheim Ducks but it was mostly for their minor league affiliate. He did participate in their training camp and preseason.

The 24-year old was quietly decently effective up front scoring 8 goals and 9 assists in 73 games and kept his head above the water on the ice with a +9 plus/minus.

Kind of surprising that he wasn’t invited to attend Buffalo Sabres’ Rookie Camp on a tryout agreement.

17Jun

Philip Varone(22) Rochester Americans

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Rochester Americans‘ rookie center Phil Varone(22) is another 1st year player that has to have a smile on his face looking back at the results of his pro debut.

Originally a San Jose Sharks‘ 5th round pick in 2007 (#147 overall), the 21-year old signed an AHL deal to start 2011/2012 with the Amerks after attending Buffalo Sabres‘ training camp.

In 76 regular season games he posted 11 goals and 41 assists, which sat him at number 10 in the league for rookie scoring and his helpers total was good enough to tie him for first overall. His 52 points led all Rochester players in points as well and he had a team 2nd best +17 plus/minus.

Near the end of the season, the Sabres stepped back into the picture and signed him to a 3-year entry level deal that will keep the 5’10 186 lbs. forward with the organization through 2015.

Good work!

10Jun

Michael Kostka(21) Norfolk Admirals

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Unlikely hero award: undrafted, 4th year Norfolk Admirals‘ defenseman Michael Kostka(21) scored both the game 3 and game 4 Calder Cup Championship series’ winning goals, which certainly makes it an odd AHL playoff stat I’m sure.

He managed just 7 goals in 52 games during the regular season, yet in 18 postseason contests he had 6 goals and 6 assists, good enough for first in scoring among defenseman in the playoffs.

When Tampa Bay Lightning traded for him back in December, they definitely saw some point-scoring potential from the 26-year d-man.

He put up 16 goals and 39 assists in 80 games with Rochester Americans in 2010/2011, which led the team but were picking him up mostly for some added depth in their own zone.

Signed to a one-year, two-way deal by Florida Panthers, he was a bit surprisingly one of the last roster cuts before being reassigned to their AHL affiliate San Antonio Rampage.

Originally on a 2-year entry level deal out of college with Buffalo Sabres, the 6’1″ 210 lbs. blue liner will in all likelihood be rewarded with at least a two-year extension to stay in the system and a taste of some NHL playing time can’t be far behind.