Patrick Kaleta signs multi-year deal.

"PK36"

BUFFALO, N.Y. (July 31, 2012) --- Buffalo Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier today announced the team has signed forward Patrick Kaleta to a new, multi-year contract.

Kaleta (6’1”, 206 lbs., 6/8/86) led the team in 2011-12 with 116 PIM and led all forwards with 139 hits. Through 63 games played last season, Kaleta recorded 10 points (5+5).

A Buffalo native, Kaleta was drafted by the Sabres in the sixth round (176th overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He made his first appearance with the team in the 2006-07 season and has since played in 267 games, tallying 50 points (26+24) and 434 PIM.

The Buffalo Sabres have resigned forward Patrick Kaleta, I'll admit I'm a huge Patrick Kaleta fan and pretty happy they got him for a pretty cheap price. Kaleta who will be locked up for the next three seasons at a nice cap hit of $1,275,000M is a just another piece to the puzzle that Buffalo needs in order to be that "hard to play against" team they want to be. Kaleta does it all, kills penaltys, blocks shots, throws big hits, fights and can put up 5 or so goals. One down side is that he really can't fight "well" and usually turtles.

His offensive skills wont help us but he's not here for that, if you have ever seen a Sabres game you will know exactly how Kaleta plays. If the team isn't playing well and needs a wake up call you better believe Kaleta will be the one out there throwing a huge hit or drawing a penalty and most of the time getting hurt for the team. He leaves it all out on the line every game something other players on the roster should learn. He is the player you hate if he's not on your team but absolutely love if he is. 

Kaleta loves getting under the skin of opponents and it usually works, he can get players like Lucic running around not focusing on their game. I love Kaleta but with players like Corey Tropp coming up the ranks I'm afraid Kaleta's roll might diminish. He also has of recently been injury-prone. Nonetheless I will always enjoy watching Kaleta play and hope the Sabres keep him around.

Ville Leino breakout year?

Ville Leino #23

By the title I know most Sabres fans will think I'm crazy but let's look at Leino for a second. I'll admit when I heard that Buffalo had signed him I was excited and thinking he might do good in Buffalo, then I heard the price. A 6-year deal for $27,000,000 with 4.5M cap hit. That's the definition of overpaid, he had one good season putting up 19G 34A 54 PTS +14 but to me did not deserve that money but whats life without risks. 


When I first saw him play for Buffalo I was happy, the way he could hold onto puck was magic, he was great in the corners, and had great hands letting him deke his way through players with ease. Then as the season went on I would grow tired of him and his effortless game , every time he had a golden chance to shoot he would instead make a stupid pass that makes you watch highlights over and over again to understand why he decided to do that. Then if he had a great chance to pass he would shoot and most of the time directly at the goalie, just awful decision making. Also his defensive side wasn't good as he finished the season as a -2 but a lot of players finished as a minus player so I wont bash him for that.


Even though he had these problems I can understand them, to a degree, because he played with 3rd and 4th liners for most of the season.When he played with Pominville and Roy he was playing way better. If I was Lindy Ruff I would put him on a line with Grigorenko as center and either Ott or Pominville playing RW, I know Ott is more of a LW but everyone says he can play in different roles so why not try it. That line has the skill of Leino and Grigorenko, and the toughness of Steve Ott. Also Grigorenko is a big body and I'm sure he can throw some big hits and with his passing ability finding Leino wont be a problem, or even roofing one himself while Ott clears the way with his 110% give it all effort.


I think if Leino has good line mates I see him scoring 15-20 goals with 40-50 points total. I don't see Leino ever putting up 60+ points he just doesn't play with much energy or heart. 


My Line Predictions for next season:


Vanek Hodgson Pominville
Foligno Ennis Stafford 
Leino Grigorenko Ott 
*Gerbe Mccormick Kaleta 


I don't see John Scott playing much, maybe 30-40 games


Girgensons, Tropp, Adam fighting for a spot


Myers Regehr 
Ehrhoff Sulzer
Sekera Leopold 


Weber, McNabb, Pardy, TJ Brennan fighting for a spot.


Miller
Enroth


Maybe even seeing some 6'5 Connor Knapp play if there are any injuries, hopefully no injuries though. 


*But I'd like to see Gerbe play with more talented line mates I think he's being held back by playing on the checking/grinding line. 


What do you guys think?

Bobby Ryan and Buffalo Sabres?

Newest member of the
Buffalo Sabres? 

The past few days on Twitter have been crazy about the possible moves that teams are making for Anaheim forward Bobby Ryan. The one thing I hate about twitter is you never know what deals are actually true and which are fake. I've heard Philadelphia , Buffalo, and Boston have all made offers to Anaheim for Bobby Ryan, Lets go more in depth on these possible trades. 


Lets start with Buffalo as that's the trade I know the most about. I've read two possible trades both involving Andrej Sekera. The first trade I read was (LW) Thomas Vanek, (D-Man) Andrej Sekera, and a 2013 First Round Pick to Anaheim for Bobby Ryan. I've seen people everywhere saying this a good trade and Buffalo should pull the trigger, I disagree. Thomas Vanek can put up the same if not better at time numbers than Bobby Ryan and lets remember Vanek has done it without the help of Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. Also Vanek has leadership, I think he should have been captain before Pominville, and a lot of people say he's lazy but if you watch the games most of the time he works his ass off to back check and a lot of the time he's successful at stealing the puck. There's no way to tell if Bobby Ryan could produce at the same level in Buffalo. I think its stupid to trade 3 players for just 1 in return. I've always liked Sekera and think he's a good puck moving d-man but does make mistakes but is better than Gragnani, I think we can all agree on that. Also I've heard this years draft is suppose to be filled with most talent we've seen in a while, but that's just something I've heard. Also let's not forget WHO carried the Sabres offensively while everyone else was taking a vacation, Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville, I would not trade Vanek, Sekera, 1st Rnd Pick for Bobby Ryan.


Another possible trade I read for Buffalo was Stafford, Sekera, Adam, 1st Rnd pick for Bobby Ryan. That's crazy come on 3 good players and a pick for one player. I'm all set, Stafford Ennis Foligno lit it up at the end of the year last year. I know it could have been just a fluke but if they can do that for a whole season, than we don't need Ryan but you can never know with Stafford. Luke Adam I don't mind seeing him leave because I honestly don't see him making team in the near future if even ever, esp with the additions of Grigorenko, Girgensons. I know everyone has said injuries shouldn't be an excuse for our poor season but come on lets be real we had 9 rookies in the lineup at once, I see this as a giant disadvantage. Buffalo is one good center away from being a very solid team and I think Grigorenko is it and we don't need any drastic change. I see both Grigorenko and Girgensons challenging Hodgson for that number one spot in 1-3 years. 


I think Philadelphia has the best chance at getting Bobby Ryan as their offer was Matt Read, 2013 1st Rnd Pick, Laughton (I don't know much about him), and Andrej Meszaros. Matt Read is an very talented right winger who proved it in his rookie season with 47 pts, 3 pts less than same age Drew Stafford, but the biggest thing about Matt Read is his cap hit at a steal of $900,000 for this upcoming season and the next. The only thing that Sekera shares with Meszaros is his first name. Meszaros is a very good d-man and can add some offense similar, if not better than, Sekera. Also another plus about Meszaros is straight up experience, he's played in about 200 more NHL more than Sekera. I see Philadelphia desperate since they could not get Weber or Rick Nash so they will go hard for Bobby Ryan. 


Boston has reportedly made an offer to Anaheim that does not include Milan Lucic or David Krejci but I don't have anymore information than that. 


To summarize I don't think Buffalo should trade for Bobby Ryan, I rather see them work there rookies (Grigorenko, Girgensons) into the lineup and see how that works. I see Philly making the trade for Ryan, but to be honest I don't see Ryan having the same numbers without Getzlaf and Perry. 


Tell me about your opinions! 
These are just mine