Look, I dislike Drew Stafford as much as the next guy, but anybody who thinks Ellis should play and Stafford should sit needs to get their heads examined. Stafford is a decent skill player, capable of putting up some decent numbers when not playing against teams top checking lines. Put him at 3rd or 4th line RW. Sit Kennedy or Ellis.

Kennedy is a ghost 99% of the time, and in the box more often than not. Penalties will kill you in playoffs. Ellis is a decent player, but puts up as many points as Andrew Peters.

I agree I will take Stafford's Skill over Ellis any day of the week. I also agree that Kennedy is a ghost about 99% of the time. I just don't see why no one is jumping all over his ass.

With a few members, who are less active now, you'd get your throat jumped down if you even dared call out a local kid.

Talent wise, Stafford obviously beats Ellis.

But at the end of the day, I personally don't want a skill guy with zero effort on my 4th line that I rely on to give my team some energy.

Stafford's play as of late has been anti climatic. At least Ellis plays with a reckless abandon.

If we were just trying to load the lineup with as much talent as possible, Ennis would have been up playing for Mair or Ellis a long time ago. But that's not how you win hockey games.

I would like to see Kennedy up on LW with Connolly and Pommers. Kennedy digs in the corners and behind the net and he has a tight turn radius. If Connolly can stay in the slot and Pommers roam around the right face off circle ready to shoot I think Kennedy turns out be a playmaking LWer.

Put Hecht/Torres on a line with Goose and Stafford.
Put Mair centering Kaleta and Hecht/Torres if necessary.

The bigger picture on that line make up is the absence of Grier and/or the absence of a true 3 line center. I mean, Grier is a great 2 way, defensive RWer, but I wouldn't resign him if we keep Stafford. Thats an off season decision though. The current situation heading into the playoffs is a different story.
Thats why I'd like to see Ennis up centering Torres and Stafford. Torres can score, so can Stafford. Maybe Ennis gives them that edge, who knows.

I'd love to have Kennedy on the wing on one of the top 2 lines.

If it's up to TV, then Mancari will stay. I know no one is supposed to be excited, but Vanek seemed pretty hyped up when he pointed to Mark after that perfect dish from behind the net. As for Stafford or Ellis? I'll take the guy who plays pk, too. If young Butler can sit, then surely 'on his way to journeyman'(if he's lucky) Stafford can also. Kennedy on top 2, nah. He impresses me less offensively, and more defensively every day. This may be a good thing? If his offense comes around that is.

You have to give the kid an offensive shot to see his offense. Right now he is stuck playing with defensive 2 way forwards without alot, if any, offensive talents. This in my opinion, is hampering Kennedy's ability to produce offensively.
He was not a center with the farm club, nor with the minors, why stick at a position he clearly is not comfortable with?

Also, as I stated in another post, I think Kennedy with Connolly is a huge confidence boost for this kid.

Kennedy with Connolly would be unreal. It would give Tim a chance to just let loose on offense a little bit.

Timmah Squared. Sounds good to me.

While Kennedy deserves a little heat, it should be remembered that he is still a noob. He's not playing horribly for a guy with only 62 NHL games under his belt.

He does need to keep his PIMs down, he's high in that department for a non-enforcer/agitator,no doubt about that.

I don't give him a lot of heat simply because he's a rook still, not because he's from our hood.

T2?

I was just thinking If mancari shows any promise it increases his trade value I mean he wanted one last season if he wasn't going to get a roster spot. If the guy is going to come to play every night, with the odd off game here and there, I want him on my team but if this is an attempt to just get paid, and the laziness will set in the better he plays the more value he accumulates.

I agree with Squanto on this and that's the only reason why I'm not giving the kid heat because he's a rookie. But at the end of the day when you look at everything Mancari hasn't been given as many games as Kennedy has and you can't really justify Mancari play last season or the time before on just a handful of games. I see some potential with Mancari that Kennedy doesn't have and that's being very headups with the puck and has a booming shot. He just needs to hustle more and use the big body of his to create more chances. So far he's playing well and hopefully can keep it up it would be a boost to the sabres some extra offense. On the other hand Kennedy in my opinion has been less and less noticeable each game but he's a rookie and I expect players to be learning and suppose to be getting better each game. Yeah it might be who he's paired with but you also have to look at it a different way their was one spot open on the team for him or Gerbe and he beat Gerbe out in the preseason for the last spot. So you have to go where your needed.

I think the best reason to stick him at Center is because with Hecht playing like he has you don't move him. If Hecht was playing like he did last year I'd be all for Kennedy playing 2nd line LW, but with him having to play a more responsible defensive role I'm all up for that also, gives us a great two-way forward who will light the lamp when he is playing top 6 minutes.

Mancari nreaking out of his shell..


..and being shoved back in it

Yeah, this organization seems to hate this guy for some reason.

now, i heard this was actually not a send down, but a "loan." thus, recalling him wouldnt count against the 4 recall rule after the deadline.

I, too, have noticed the word "loan" being used in regards to this transaction...hmm...

We own him anyways.

But what if a freak accident happened to the NHL team and 5 players got hurt, and they had to recall 5 players up?

I've never heard this rule about NHL/AHL transfers and such and I always thought if the player can clear waivers he can be recalled from Portland anytime the team needs him, since they are property of the Buffalo Sabres.

its just the rules. i dont know why, but thats the rules.