Considering how superstitious hockey players tend to be, it's a wonder that Joe Finley didn't asked to be packed in bubble-wrap for the Rochester Americans' 10 games this month.

November hasn't been good to him.

In his first pro season, 2009-10, a ruptured aneurysm in his ulnar artery during a November game ended his season. Last year, late in the month, he suffered damage to his medial collateral ligament.

Movember? More like, Nomorevember.

"I left the mustache out of the equation this year," he said, referring to past Novembers when he participated in the grow-a-mustache-for-charity campaign. That's where the superstition ends, though.

He refuses to change his style of play. He has been a beast on the blue line for the Amerks, thanks to his mobility, reach and big hitting.

Especially the hitting. At 6-feet-8 and 260-pounds, when Finley lines up a player for a check, there's really no way for the player to avoid that windshield vs. bug sensation.

In a span of 5 ½ minutes of the second period on Wednesday vs. Syracuse, he smeared Crunch winger Kyle Palmieri into the end boards, then bounced winger Troy Bodie to the ice with a solid shoulder check.

At one point during the 3-2 victory over the Crunch, he was engaged in a net-front battle with the 5-foot-11, 193-pound Palmieri.

"He said, 'Man, you gotta relax,'" Finley said.

Ah, no, he doesn't.

"I want to be finishing my checks; I want to be hard to play against in the corners and in front of the net," said Finley, a 24-year-old native of Edina, Minn.

Opponents will learn hard way.

"Joe did that a couple times (Wednesday), closing across laterally on guys, laying a couple big hits," coach Ron Rolston said. "The more teams see that, the more they'll be aware of his presence."

The snarl and abrasiveness are just two of the reasons why Rolston and his staff decided to pair Finley with the also-large Shaone Morrisonn (6-4, 210).

It's an imposing shut-down pairing, and they are being given the task of playing against the opponents' best.

"They have good size, mobility and reach and we just thought those big bodies would be able to match up against the other team's top lines," Rolston said.

"'Mo' has always been really good defensively but he's also working on his offensive game. Joe kind of provides that stability as a partner. Mo can work on some things offensively and he knows his partner is back there, he's got his back."

This is quite a climb up the depth chart for Finley. When he came to training camp, he didn't even have a contract. It was strictly a show-us-what-you've-got proposition.

As a first-round pick of the Washington Capitals in 2005 (27th overall), the parent Buffalo Sabres knew there was serious potential. And since injuries limited Finley to just 51 pro games in his two seasons in the Capitals' system, he hasn't had much development time.

"In this game, everything is written in pencil," Finley said. "My big thing's about continuous progress. Keep working, keep getting better."

The Sabres saw enough in training camp to offer Finley a one-year AHL contract. He signed. Now he looks deserving of an NHL deal. He has just one assist in 14 games, but he leads the team in penalty minutes (48) and has the best plus/minus rating (plus-6) among Amerk defensemen.

Any other team could offer him an NHL contract, but his AHL contract would take precedence for the rest of this season.

Finley played four years at North Dakota, and the college education allows him to also read a depth chart. He knows there really aren't any other physical, stay-at-home defensemen in Rochester.

"A guy like (Sabres defenseman) Robyn Regehr, he's obviously someone you want to pattern your game after," Finley said. "But there really isn't any other defenseman that really fits that mold."

Which is why Finley, with his play but not his mouth, is making a statement with the Amerks: Here I am.

As per his agent. Looks like we're getting meaner and nastier.

I think they would've called him up for the Caps game if they had a contract with him.

Look at the size of him

Why would we have needed him for the Caps game??? There was no need for physical play during that game. hell, they could have brought up the rest of the Amerks and the score would have been the same

I don't think it was a physicality thing as much as the fact that it's believe that Finley is playing as good as, if not better, than McNabb.

im glad they signed him. but as phil and i discussed recently, this guys overall development has probably passed, and hes an AHL lifer in all actuality. but, the talent must be there to a point, if he was drafted in the first round. low risk, low reward in all likelihood.

alot of people are saying this signing is to bring him up as a 7th dman when the sabres need someone to goon it up. like against boston. not really a long term solution. you dont see guys get the majority of their pro time in the ECHL if they arnt a marginally talented player.

edit: apparently, my assessment isnt alone.

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/joe_finley

"Profile last updated August 25th, 2011."

yeah, i dont think he developed from boarderline NHL player to top 4 defensemen over a two month period of the season.

Yeah, we'll see I guess. There's a lot that can happen throughout the duration of a 3 year contract.

We'll see when the official announcement happens. We may never see him with the big boys unless he becomes an offensive defenseman.

thats very true. people just tend to over value their own prospects. remember when the pirates had JP lamerieux as their backup? several posters swore up and down that he was the next dominik hasek. i think i had a stroke from being so shocked and appalled, as well as laughing.