SB Nation - Mark Mancari

Top 25 Prospects Recap: Adam Continues to Impress

David Oleksy — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:49:44 -0000

It's been a couple of weeks since we did a prospects recap which means we are about due. We spend so much time watching the Sabres play, we sometimes forget that there are kids playing elsewhere that are property of the Buffalo Sabres.

The Portland Pirates are struggling to start the season which isn't entirely unexpected from such a young team. The Sabes tried to add some veterans like Jeff Cowan and Joe Dipenta and of course Mark Mancari is still there but the results have not been favorable thus far.

While the Portland Pirates struggle some of the Sabres younger kids continue to impress the Sabres brass. Three Sabres players that stand out from the pack are Luke Adam, Corey Tropp and Jacob Lagace. Adam has consistently been talked about when we refer to prospects. He has been a force for Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in the QMJHL. Adam has 15 goals and 34 points in only 25 games played.

Lagace is kind of unknown as far as Sabres prospects. He is not very highly ranked in the prospect rankings and was only a 5th round pick in 2008. He is a skill player that has good hands. He has 68 goals in his junior career, including 13 this season in 19 games.

While juniors have been playing since September, the college prospects are just now getting into the swing of their season. Corey Tropp was just happy to get in the lineup after he missed the second half of last season being kicked off the Michigan State team for a dirty play against Steve Kampfer of the MIchigan Wolverines.

Tropp has taken advantage of his second chance by scoring goals ad making plays for the Spartans. Tropp has nine goals and 16 points in only 12 games this season. He scored just one goal this week in his return to Ann Arbor to face the Wolverines.

Follow the jump to see the rest of the Sabres prospects...

Buffalo Sabres Prospect Rankings				W	L	OTL/T	GAA	SV %	Weekly Notes
Rank	Player	Team	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM	Weekly Notes
1	Tyler Myers	Buffalo Sabres	17	3	6	9	5	10	Continues to lead the Sabres in TOI
2	Tim Kennedy	Buffalo Sabres	17	1	4	5	1	24	Assisted on Tyler Ennis first NHL goal
3	Nathan Gerbe	Portland Pirates	12	3	9	12	0	16
4	Jhonas Enroth	Portland Pirates	12	4	7	0	3.83	0.873
		Buffalo Sabres	1	0	1	0	4.14	0.892
5	Mike Weber	Portland Pirates	17	0	4	4	3	24	Plus-3 in last three games
6	Philip Gogulla	Portland Pirates	16	3	6	9	-3	8	goal and an assist
7	Luke Adam	Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)	24	15	19	34	12	32	3 goals in 3 games
8	Tyler Ennis	Portland Pirates	17	6	8	14	-5	4	3 Games Played - 3 assists
		Buffalo Sabres	1	1	0	1	1	0	Scored first NHL goal
9	Drew Schiestel	Portland Pirates	12	0	1	1	-4	4
10	Zack Kassian	Peterborough Petes (OHL)	14	6	6	12	-5	33	2 GP 1G-1A-2PTS
11	Paul Byron	Portland Pirates	13	3	5	8	-4	8	a goal and an assist
12	TJ Brennan	Portland Pirates	16	0	4	4	1	41
13	Marc-Andre Gragnani	Portland Pirates	8	2	2	4	0	6	Injured - Did not play
14	Felix Schutz	Portland Pirates	14	0	4	4	-4	17
15	Corey Tropp	Michigan State Spartans (NCAA)	12	9	7	16	2	8	1 goal scored vs. Michigan
16	Alex Biega	Harvard Crimson (NCAA)	5	1	1	2	3	4	scored first goal of season
17	Dennis Persson	Portland Pirates	12	0	1	1	-3	6
18	Bradley Eidsness	North Dakota Fighting Sioux (NCAA)	9	6	1	1	1.61	0.925	gave up only one goal in sixth victory
19	Marcus Foligno	Sudbury Wolves (OHL)	21	1	10	11	-5	72	1 assist and minus-2
20	Brayden McNabb	Kootenay Ice (WHL)	18	3	13	16	-4	42	Did not Play - Injury
21	Corey Fienhage	North Dakota Fighting Sioux (NCAA)	1	0	0	0	0	0	Played first game of season
22	Drew Mackenzie	Vermont Catamounts (NCAA)	9	0	4	4		10
23	Nick Crawford	Barrie Colts (OHL)	19	4	17	21	5	4
24	Jacob Lagace	Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL)	19	13	16	29	-1	18	1 goal and 3 assists in 2 games
25	Mark Adams	Chicago Steel (USHL)	14	3	2	5	-2	26
-	Nick Eno	Bowling Green Falcons (NCAA)	6	1	4	0	3.34	0.902	Earned first win of season
-	Connor Knapp	Miami-OH Redhawks (NCAA)	4	1	1	1	2.47	0.906	stopped 32-of-33 and 9-of-11 shootout att.
-	Jordon Southorn	PEI Rocket (QMJHL)	21	3	7	10	4	21
-	Justin Jokinen	Minnesota State Mavericks (NCAA)	8	1	0	1	-2	8
-	Mike Kostka	Portland Pirates	17	1	3	4	-1	7	1 assists and minus-1
-	Derek Whitmore	Portland Pirates	17	3	3	6	1	4	1 goal scored
-	Travis Turnbull	Portland Pirates	17	2	3	5	2	41	1 goal and 1 assist
-	Maxime Legault	Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)	9	5	4	9	4	15
		Portland Pirates	5	0	0	0	-4	4	No longer with team
-	J.P. Lamoureaux	Portland Pirates	7	2	3	0	3.3	0.886	1 loss this week
-	Matt Generous	Portland Pirates	11	0	1	1	-1	9

Are Some Pirates Ready to Make the Jump?

David Oleksy — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:00:20 -0000

This is a story that I have been sitting on for quite some time now. I had an opportunity to speak with some people that had an opportunity to watch the Portland Pirates all of last season. It was amazing that most everyone had the same thoughts about the players we often wonder about. I am talking about Nathan Gerbe, Tim Kennedy and Mark Mancari.

I was interested in a couple of key factors of each player. I wanted to know the general impression of their play, how much they improved as the season went on and what they thought of their NHL potential. I received some interesting answers once again, answers that were kind of surprising.

Mark Mancari

We'll start with Mancari since he is still a restricted free agent with no intentions of signing with the Sabres. It appears that Mancari is hoping to sign with a club that is willing to give him a shot at playing in the NHL. It doesn't look like that chance will come in Buffalo with the depth the Sabres have at forward.

Most of us have not had ample opportunities to see Mancari play live and we relied on statistics and highlights. We knew that he put up great offensive statistics and had a monster shot. We didn't know how he actually played the game.

I always wondered why the Sabres never gave him a real shot to play in the NHL. I stopped wondering after talking to people in the know. It appears that Mancari is primed to be a career AHL player or a fringe NHL player. Despite his large 6-3 220 lbs. frame he plays a soft game and is reluctant to battle in the corners. He is also a very slow skater and has trouble controlling the puck in traffic.

It looks like we know why the Sabres have been reluctant to give him a shot. He seems content to play the same style and go somewhere else instead of working hard and trying to earn a spot by playing physical. The Sabres would love to keep him around in case he ever realizes his potential but they will not give any gaurantees. Can you blame them?

Nathan Gerbe

Gerbe came to the Sabres with some high, possibly unrealistic, expectations. He led the Boston College Eagles to the National Championship and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award the year before he signed with the Sabres. He followed that up with rookie of the year honors in the AHL which raised his expectations to even higher levels this season.

Gerbe is an interesting case because he has the talent to be a superstar in the NHL but he could just as easily be a bust. One thing that won't stop Gerbe from being a superstar is his size. He is 5-5 and 172 lbs. but plays the game like he is 6-4 230lbs. Gerbe sometimes takes his pyhsical play too far and his teammates have to come to his defense. He was the reason for a couple of brawls last season, including one in HSBC Arena with the Pirates.

If Gerbe is going to become an elite player in the NHL he will need more time to develop. He has great skating ability, great hands and great vision but he is a one trick pony. He has a move that he goes to all the time and eventually NHL defensemen will catch on.

That move at the blue line is pretty much the go-to move for the young forward. If he is going to become an elite player he needs more. He needs to be able to create offense in tight spaces and he needs to be able to do more with the puck.

Tim Kennedy

Believe it or not he could be the best of the bunch. Kennedy is a good offensive player and his best asset is his vision. He creates plays all on his own not unlike what we see out of Tim Connolly when he is healthy. He can also play in both ends of the ice. He doesn't shy away from his defensive duties on the back check. He is probably the most ready player in Portland to make the jump to the NHL.

It took Kennedy some time to get used to the pro game but by seasons end he was obviously the best player on the Portland Pirates. He had trouble with position when battling for pucks along the boards and put himself in danger at times. After taking a couple of big hits he realized that he would get himself killed if he didn't have better position.

There is no reason that Kennedy shouldn't find himself on the Sabres at some point this season. When he makes the big club; I don't think he will ever go back to Portland again. He has a bright future in the NHL and is a can't miss prospect in mind.

Darcy sits down with the Buffalo News and Explains a Few Things

Zachary Zielonka — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:00:00 -0000

by Don Heupel - AP

8 months ago: Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller, center, is congratulated by Sabres defenseman Andrej Sekera, of Slovakia, left, and Sabres right winger Jason Pominville after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 in an NHL hockey game in Buffalo, N.Y. on Friday, March 27, 2009. (AP Photo/Don Heupel)

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John Vogl of the Buffalo News sat down with GM Darcy Regier to talk about a few things that have happened in the offseason and what to expect in training camp and the preseason.

On Drew Stafford

"I spoke with his agent yesterday, and we continue to work on it," Regier said. "It’s cordial, amicable. Everyone is trying to work toward getting an agreement done, and we’ll do everything we can to get him signed prior to training camp. That’s certainly the direction we’re working in."

Getting Stafford signed by the time camp starts has to be the main priority of Regier and company. Stafford is a good player and while he had some issues last year he is still young and has the potential for being a top six forward.

On Mark Mancari

Mark Mancari, a restricted free agent, is interested in finding a new home. The big winger has been in Buffalo's minor-league system the past four seasons, but he's aware there's a logjam at the forward position with the big club. Mancari has lobbied for a chance to play somewhere in the NHL.

"We’ve worked on that, but to no success, and so we’ll continue," Regier said. "We’d love to have him as part of the organization and have him in training camp, but right now we don’t have a contract."

Mancari has never impressed me in his time as a Sabre. He has had plenty of opportunities to make it with the Sabres but in ten games played he has only registered one goal and two assists. Considering that he is still a restricted free agent, there may be options to try and move him for some assets.

On Trading

"No, not right now," Regier said by phone. "The conversations over the summer, we’ve talked about players with other organizations, but I think now the teams have taken, to a large extent, [the philosophy of], 'We’ve got this group, and we’ll go into camp and assess things as we go through training camp.'

"I think it’ll remain fairly tight. I think you’ll see some movement between the start of training camp and the start of the season – either through waivers or the switching of players from one organization to another in an attempt to either give the organization or the player a fresh start – but generally I think that the available dollars or the ability to find a trade partner, the difficulty of it will continue."

Basically, in this case the glut at forward is only going to be resolved at camp and whoever must go down will. It also means that players like Gerbe and Kennedy will have to at least start the season in Portland. Honestly, the idea of those two waiting in Portland is a good thing because they were only rookies last year and I personally feel that they may need another season of seasoning in the minors.

On playoffs

"It can," Regier said. "We’ll get some help from the youth, whether it’s Portland players or draft picks that will contribute to it, but this is still a group that we feel strongly about and look to start with the playoffs."

I believe Regier when he says this instead of just believing that he is spewing the company line. This team is mainly the same when it won the Presidents Trophy minus a few veterans. Now that this team has grown on its own and started to create a voice, they should be able to be strong enough to make a charge at the playoffs.

Ruff Left With Tough Decisions

David Oleksy — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:47:29 -0000

More photos » by Henry DiRocco - AP

7 months ago: San Jose Sharks right wing Mike Grier (25) moves the puck past Anaheim Ducks right wing Mike Brown (13) in the second period of a first-round NHL hockey playoff game in Anaheim, Calif., Monday, April 27, 2009. (AP Photo/Henry DiRocco)

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On Monday night the Buffalo Sabres made headlines by signing free agent forward Mike Grier. The signing was another move that was aimed at changing the makeup of the team and making them tougher. While helping to solve one problem it created another. Signing Grier made the Sabres a tougher team but it also created a logjam at the forward position.

The Sabres now have 13 NHL forwards under contract and that number doesn't include restricted free agent Drew Stafford. When Stafford signs (and I think he will) the Sabres will have 14 NHL ready forwards to fill 12 open spots in the lineup. Only 12 players will dress on a nightly basis but they are likely to keep 13 and could possibly push that to 14 if they felt it was necessary.

The number of NHL-ready forwards is at 14 but that number jumps to 17 when you include restricted free agent Mark Mancari (if he signs), AHL rookie of the year Nathan Gerbe and Tim Kennedy who led all AHL rookies in points last season. All three players will be given every opportunity to make the team but it would be purely speculative to think that any of them is good enough to play in the NHL this season.

Having so many players could be easily be looked at as a problem but it could also be turned into a positive. Right from the outset there will be stiff competition among the players to make the roster. It will force every single player to give 100% at training camp and will hopefully make each of them better players.

There will be people on both sides of this topic. Take a look at the arguments for both sides and decide what you think about the Sabres forward situation.

Sabres Have Too Many Forwards

The argument can be made that the Sabres have too many players to fill too few positions. This means that good players are going to be left without a roster spot. This means that good players would be wasted in Portland or worse yet they could lose some players via waivers.

Cody McCormick was signed to a two-way contract and becomes a likely candidate to start the season in Portland. McCormick was brought to Buffalo to add toughness and he will have trouble doing that in Portland.

I'll lump Nathan Gerbe and Tim Kennedy together because they both have huge expectations but they can both be sent back to Portland without the worries of waivers. This makes it likely that both players will start the season in Portland no matter how well they perform in training camp. It would be a shame to see such talented players wasted in Portland because they can be sent down without waivers.

Mark Mancari is another player that was a standout in Portland but he hasn't played much in the NHL up till this point in his career. Mancari might be ready to make the jump to the NHL but he could be pushed out because of a numbers game. Mancari would have to clear waivers to be sent to Portland, meaning there would be a possibility of losing him to another team.

Matt Ellis spent some time in Portland last season and he could be a candidate to be sent down again this season. Like Mancari, Ellis would have to clear waivers to be sent down.

There is Never Too Much Depth

This is the flip side of the argument. If players like McCormick, Mancari, Gerbe and Kennedy are playing in Portland it will make the team better in the long run. Only a handful of players were able to play the entire season without missing time to injury last season. Having players like Gerbe and Kennedy ready to step in at a moments notice will be huge for the Sabres.

Remember that a couple of seasons ago the Sabres started the season with Jason Pominville and Derek Roy in Rochester. Both players were called up due to injury and they were key parts of the team that lost to Carolina in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Having capable players wasting away in Portland is a luxury that most teams would envy. It is not a problem to have too many forwards.

Which side of the argument are you on. Would you like to see the Sabres trade away a player or two in an effort to open up some room for Gerbe and Kennedy or are you content to use them as depth in case of injury?

Poll

Would you like to see the Sabres trade away players to make room for Gerbe and Kennedy on the opening day roster?

Yes...the young guys will make the team better

78 votes

Yes...we need to see what these guys can do

132 votes

No...they need more seasoning

68 votes

No...they will give the Sabres depth in the case of injury

133 votes

411 votes | Poll has closed

Looking Ahead to Sabres 2010 Free Agents

David Oleksy — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:00:11 -0000

The job of being a General Manager in the NHL is not an easy one despite how easy way make it look when he say "sign this guy" or "trade that guy". When trying to build a team a GM has to look at the big picture and not just this season. There is no doubt that Darcy Regier is looking at next season when he is negotiating with Drew Stafford and Mark Mancari. I'm sure he is looking beyond this season when he is dealing with the trade market as well.

This has been a relatively quiet off-season for the Sabres but next season may not be as quiet. The Sabres currently have six forwards, four defensemen and one goalie signed for the 2010-2011 season. That is a total of 11 players that are set to make aroun $39.5 million in 2010-2011.

Based on natural progression and the need to add some cheap players into the lineup, we can assume that Tyler Myers, Nathan Gerbe and possibly Jhonas Enroth will be regulars in the Sabres lineup by 2010. When adding those three players to the roster the Sabres would have 14 players signed for around $42 million. We could also be adding Drew Stafford and Mark Mancari to the list above depending if they sign and for how many years.

We have plenty of time to speculate on who will or won't be here next season but for arguments sake we'll just show you who will looking for a new contract next off-season. Follow the jump to see the list of players.

Unrestricted Free Agents

Adam Mair - 2009 Salary: $775,000

Mair is gritty player that has become a fan favorite because of his style of play. Before signing is last contract he professed his love for Buffalo and said "he wouldn't play anywhere else". His feelings may have changed because the team has not enjoyed the same success that they had before he signed his last contract. His role is that of a fourth liner and can probably be signed for a relatively cheap price.

Matt Ellis - 2009 salary: $500,000

Ellis is another gritty player that gives 100% on every shift. He is another role player that can be replaced easily by someone else but will likely be a candidate to be re-signed by the Sabres once again. The luxury of him signing a one year contract is that the Sabres have options with him.

Toni Lydman - 2009 Salary: $3,150,000

Lydman is a solid defensemen that is the but of criticism from many Sabres fans. Some of the criticism is warranted but he is possibly the Sabres best defenseman in his own zone. There is a possibility that the Sabres would try to bring him back next season but he would have to take a hefty pay cut from his current salary.

Henrik Tallinder - 2009 Salary: $3,250,000

I really don't need to say much about Hank. He is nowhere near the player that he was a couple of seasons ago and he is likely to leave the team unceremoniously, much like Dmitri Kalinin did.

Nathan Paetsch - 2009 salary: $1,050,000

Paetsch is a versatile player that has played both defense and forward for the Sabres. Every team loves to have a player that is as versatile as Paetsch but he will likely leave the team for an opportunity to play everyday with another team.

Joe Dipenta - 2009 Salary: $550,000

Dipenta was signed to add a veteran presence in Portland for this season. Nobody knows what the future will hold for Dipenta and would be unfair to speculate before he plays this season.

Patrick Lalime - 2009 Salary: $1,000,000

He makes too much money for a marginal backup goalie. He wasn't as good as needed to be when the Sabres needed him the most but his hip injury could have played a role in his play last season. With Jhonas Enroth pushing for a roster spot he will likely not be a member of this team beyond next season.

Restricted Free Agents

Clarke MacArthur - 2009 Salary: $1,400,000

MacArthur signed a one-year contract last week just one season after netting 17 goals last season. This will be a big season for MacArthur and will probably determine how hard the Sabres will try to re-sign him next year. There has been plenty of debate on this site about just how good C-Mac is and whether he was worth the money he signed for this season.

Daniel Paille - 2009 Salary: $1,350,000

Paille had a career high 19 goals two seasons ago but scored only 12 last season. He has been criticized for his lack of consistency but will be playing for a contract this season. He has shown at times that he can be a dominate player and a true power forward despite his size.

Patrick Kaleta - 2009 Salary: $522,500

Kaleta plays every shift like he is a bull in a china shop. He will be back after last season and will still come at a cheap price tag for the Sabres. He is possibly the most fearless player I have ever seen but he has suffered some head injuries that make him a concern for the team to sign.

Tim Kennedy - 2009 Salary: $635,000

Kennedy has some potential but has played in only one NHL game. He is likely to get an opportunity to prove what he can do at the NHL level this season. The Sabres like to keep the players they have developed and they will try to re-sign him after next season.

Other RFA's Next Season

In addition to the players listed above the Sabres have other minor league players that will be restricted free agents next season. The list includes Phillip Gogulla, Marc-Andre Gragnani, Mike Weber, Matt Generous, Derek Whitmore and Mike Kostka.

NHL Free Agency: Will the Sabres Stay on the Sidelines?

David Oleksy — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:05:00 -0000

More photos » by Don Heupel - AP

8 months ago: Buffalo Sabres right winger Patrick Kaleta answers a question from the media after cleaning out his locker in Buffalo, N.Y. on Monday, April 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Don Heupel)

Browse more photos »

On Saturday afternoon Darcy Regier indicated "The Sabres would not go for the home run" when July 1 comes around. He said "It could be a week or even two before the Sabres get involved in the free agent market". In his press conference today he changed his wording slightly. He basically said that the Sabres needed a change but needed to ship some players out in order to do that. I think the Sabres could be more active than any of us thought they would be.

Here is a quick look at the Sabres pending free agents as well as some potential targets in the free agent market. Just follow the jump and see what may be in store for the Sabres on July 1 and beyond.

Pending UFAs: Maxim Afinogenov, Jaroslav Spacek, Teppo Numminen, Dominic Moore and Andrew Peters

Pending RFAs: Drew Stafford, Clarke MacArthur (eligible for arbitration), Patrick Kaleta, Andrej Sekera and Mark Mancari

Salary Cap Space: Approximately $8.6 million

Projected Budget: $50-51 million...meaning they have only $3.5-4.5 million left to spend

Key Needs: The Sabres need to get tougher. They need to rid themselves of some under achieving players that are making good money as well as players like Andrew Peters to bring in some tough players that have some offensive talent. Players that will defend their goalie in the defensive zone and create space for the skill players in the offensive zone.

Potential Targets: Sami Pahlsson, Mike Knuble, Mikael Samuelsson, Ruslan Fedetenko, Ian Laparriere, MIke Grier (not likely) Hal Gill, Brett Hedican and Jay McKee

What the rest of the division wants: It's time to take a look at the rest of the Northeast Division, starting with the Division Champ Boston Bruins at Stanley Cup of Chowder. The Habs have a long needs list considering they have almost nobody under contract. Eyes on the Prize has a look at their free agent situation. I'll add the others as they become available.

The fine tech folks at SB Nation have once again made us a very fine widget for all your free agency needs. Make sure to check it out regularly before, during and after free agency begins.

Mancari Heads List of Pirate Free Agents

David Oleksy — Tue, 05 May 2009 02:35:15 -0000

Much of the off-season talk will be about the Sabres roster next season. The first part of that discussion will revolve around the impending free agents. We all know about the list of free agents on the Sabres roster but the list doesn't end there. There are players in Portland that will be free agenst as well.

Mark Mancari is the most recognizeable name among the free agents that played with the Pirates this season. Most of the unrestricted guys were veterans that were brought in for depth so we won't waste any time talking about them. The restricted guys will the focus of this post.

Michael Funk

#3 / Defenseman / Buffalo Sabres

Height: 6-4

Weight: 199

Born: Aug 15, 1986

Funk is a big strong defenseman that has had a cup of coffee in the NHL. He will probably never develop into a everyday NHL player but he still may add depth of the Sabres decide to re-sign him.

He has played his entire pro career as a member of the Buffalo Sabres organization. He was drafted in the second round of the 2004 draft but his development has been slower than the Sabres had hoped for.

Verdict: Funk will be re-signed and assigned to Portland.

Dylan Hunter

#32 / Left Wing / Buffalo Sabres

Height: 5-11

Weight: 198

Born: May 21, 1985

Hunter was a top-tier player with the London Knights in the OHL before he turned pro. He has never developed into a NHL type player but has been serviceable in the AHL.

I don't have enough knowledge of his game to have any idea what the Sabres will do with him.

Verdict: No Clue

Mike Card

#33 / Defenseman / Buffalo Sabres

Height: 6-1

Weight: 195

Born: Feb 18, 1986

Card also had a cup of coffee in the NHL. His cup of coffee came back in his rookie season and he has never come close again. It's obvious that Card has no future in the NHL with the Sabres organization.

If the Sabres decide to re-sign him, he will have to compete hard just to earn a roster spot. The Sabres have really bolstered their blue line in Portland for next season. Matt Generous, TJ Brennan and Drew Scheistel have all bees signed recently and Dennis Persson joined the team late this past season.

Verdict: Not re-signed

Adam Dennis

#53 / Goalie / Buffalo Sabres

Height: 5-11

Weight: 183

Born: Feb 08, 1985

Dennis was plagued with injuries this past season. He has played some good hockey in the AHL but he is relatively inconsistent.

Dennis is not considered to be a NHL prospect but he could be a good guy to have on an AHL team.

Verdict: Will be re-signed

Marek Zagrapan

#8 / Center / Buffalo Sabres

Height: 6-0

Weight: 195

Born: Dec 06, 1986

Zagrapan was once a highly touted prospect in the Sabres organization. He has seen his prospect status diminished because of inconsistent play. At the age of 22 years-old he is not a lost cause. Many young players have trouble adjusting to the professional game and take time to develop.

Zagrapan has never been given a chance to play i the NHL in the regular season. He was good in his pre-season action the past two seasons but got off to a slow start in the AHL both seasons.

Verdict: Will be re-signed

Mark Mancari

#25 / Right Wing / Buffalo Sabres

Height: 6-4

Weight: 225

Born: Jul 11, 1985

Mancari is by far the most NHL ready of the players listed here. Mancari had an opportunity to play a couple of games with the Sabres this season and he didn't look out of place in is short stint.

He has done just about everything he can in the AHL and needs to make the jump next season whether he plays for the Sabres or not. Mancari has been selected to the last two AHL all-star games and won the hardest shot competition two seasons ago. His shot registered at 102.8 MPH, just short of the NHL champion that season (Zdeno Chara 103.1 MPH).

Verdict : Will be re-signed

Sabres Future Looks Bright

David Oleksy — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:14:40 -0000

We all know that the NHL All-Star Game is a farce and the AHL game isn't far behind. It is however encouraging to see Thomas Vanek selected to play for the Eastern Conference in the NHL All-Star Game and Nathan Gerbe, Tim Kennedy and Mark Mancari selected to play in the AHL All-Star Game. Gerbe and Kennedy will both play for Planet USA and Mancari will suit up for team Canada.

The future of the younger guys is still uncertain but it gives you hope that they may someday become regular NHL Players and possibly even All-Stars. In the case of Mancari, it doesn't appear that he'll have that opportunity to be a star for Buffalo but you have to think that he could become a valuable asset at trade deadline time.

Let's face it...this Sabres team has a bunch of raw talent but they don't have what it takes to make a run in the playoffs. If they use guys like Mancari or other prospects to get some talent to bolster the lineup they may be able to make a run. They have already proven that they can beat the best in the Eastern Conference (see record against Bruins).

Am I saying that the Sabres are going to make a run? No I am not but the future does look very bright.

The AHL all-stars: Two Girouxes, Rory and a Brodeur

James Mirtle — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:15:07 -0000

The AHL also announced its all-star teams this week, and they give you a decent idea of who some of the top talent is in the NHL's minor league:

Team Canada

Forwards	Defensemen	Goaltenders
Steve Downie, Nor	x-Johnny Boychuk, Pro	Mike Brodeur, Roch
x-Alexandre Giroux, Her	Kyle Cumiskey, LE	Barry Brust, Hou
x-Claude Giroux, Phi	Cody Franson, Milw	x-Brian Elliott, Bing
Mike Iggulden, Bri	Bryan Helmer, Her ("C")
Jason Krog, Man	x-Derek Joslin, Wor
Corey Locke, Hou	Andrew MacDonald, Bri
Brett MacLean, SA	Brett Palin, QC
Mark Mancari, Por	Danny Syvret, Phi
x-Chris Minard, W-B/Scr
Cal O'Reilly, Milw
Teddy Purcell, Man
Martin St. Pierre, Pro
Mike Santorelli, Milw		x-starters

The tough thing about these all-star games is that, not only do you have to hope no one gets injured, but there's also the problem of call ups to consider. Claude Giroux just torched the AHL in his first pro season with 17 goals in 31 games and is now up with the Flyers, perhaps permanently given their injury woes.

At least they don't have to worry about Captain Helmer missing the game. (Great character guy. Was good to see him get some time in the NHL with the Caps as part of his swan song.)

Three Milwaukee players here, all Nashville picks in the midrounds. Franson's a great example of the depth the Predators have on defence now; he's only 21, big and skilled and would be in the NHL with most franchises. (Not bad for a third rounder.)

Purcell looks like a really good NHLer, someone we'll see play a role with the Kings when they're climbing the standings a year or two from now. He probably misses this game, too.

Boychuk leads AHL defencemen in scoring for the Baby Bruins, and I bet the Avs are kicking themselves for dumping him this summer.

And looking at the goalies, I wonder if the Sens will give Elliott a shot in goal if Gerber and Auld continue to struggle. (And in case you're wondering, Mike Brodeur is a distant cousin of Marty. He started the season in the ECHL and has been very good for Rochester in a dozen games so far.)

Team PlanetUSA

Forwards	Defensemen	Goaltenders
Keith Aucoin, Her	Rory Fitzpatrick, Roch ("C")	Jeff Frazee, Low
x-Chris Bourque, Her	Jonas Junland, Peo	Daniel Larsson, GR
x-Nikita Filatov, Syr	Mattias Karlsson, Bing	x-Cory Schneider, Man
x-Nathan Gerbe, Port	x-Jakub Kindl, Gr. Rapids
Martins Karsums, Pro	Ben Lovejoy, W-B/Scr
Tim Kennedy, Port	Bobby Sanguinetti, Hart
Petri Kontiola, Rock	Jaime Sifers, Tor
Drew Miller, Iowa	x-Yannick Weber, Ham
Joe Motzko, Chicago
Michael Ryan, Albany
Ryan Potulny, Spr
Jeff Taffe, W-B/Scr
Ryan Vesce, Wor		x-starters

Vote for Rory paid off! The plucky defenceman gets the captain's 'C' while playing for his hometown Americans despite having a pretty pedestrian season so far.

Aucoin's another veteran worth pointing out: a 5-foot-9 30-year-old playing for one of the best teams in the league, he leads the AHL in scoring by a mile with 48 points in 34 games despite missing some time while playing three games with the Capitals in the NHL.

Filatov's with Columbus at the moment, so his participation's in doubt.

Karsums is a talented young Latvian who I saw at the world juniors quite a bit when they rolled through B.C. two years ago. He's eighth in league scoring and should see time with the big-league Bruins in the near future.

Weber looks like another good one for the Habs, too, who also have P.K. Subban on the way on the blueline.

Kindl... don't tell me you're suprised the Red Wings have another European stud coming on the blueline.

Speaking of Detroit and potential gems, so much for Jimmy Howard as the goalie of the future: Sweden's Danny Larsson has outplayed him by a mile and makes the team here. He was a late third-round pick in 2006.

I know there are some readers who see a lot more AHL hockey than I do; let me know what you think of the teams and some of the players' play to date.

Sabres call up Gerbe

James Mirtle — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 19:42:53 -0000

Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regier announced today the Sabres have recalled C Nathan Gerbe from Portland (AHL). In addition, the Sabres have returned RW Mark Mancari to Portland.

In just his first professional season, Gerbe (7/24/1987, 5’'6”", 160 lbs.) is currently second on the Pirates in scoring with 24 points (14+10) in 21 games. Included in his goal totals are 7 PP tallies and a pair of game winners. Gerbe also has 25 PIMs and has taken a team-high 91 shots.

>> team release

Gerbe, likely a future fan favourite because of his size and style of play, finally gets into his first NHL game this season after lighting up the AHL. It'll be interesting to see if his scoring totals can translate from the NCAA, where he was a star with Boston College, to the NHL.