http://sabres.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=539039

Just like the last round of cuts, nothing shocking about this set of demotions.

Marrk Pysyk was named captain of the Oil Kings upon his return to Edmonton, btw.

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mechaphil

Kassian hasn't been returned, and Luke Adam hasn't been sent to the AHL yet either.

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Looks like another Sabre prospect in McNabb headed back to the WHL. One more team for me to have an interest in going to see in Portland.

Ferret says we have a bad AHL team. Pfft.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

I'm having mixed feelings about Adam and Kassian this preseason.

Adam at times has looked like a great player, and at other times has looked lost.

Kassian took a huge step back in my book last night after just standing there while Niel crosschecked McCauly from behind while he was fighting Corkner. (or whatever his name was) To me, a guy that prides himself on physicality and toughness just standing there, it bothers me, it bothers me a lot...

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

i think its pretty obvious adam needs a year in the AHL, and i think that though kassian has looked pretty good so far, staffords torrid pace and hustle means kassian returns to the O for one last season.

maybe not though.

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I can't argue that at all.

Adam will be very good, like the guy I've compared him to all along, Patrick Sharp, but not until he hits 22-24 years old.

Kassian could have been shipped back last night on a bus, and I'd of been ok with it. I mean, the more I think about it, the more it really really really bothers me he didn't step in there. He was the largest man on the ice, and wants to prove he's a team first guy, and just allows Neil to take liberties with McCauly from behind.

Don't get me wrong, I think Chris Neil is a tough customer, and I wouldn't personally want to throw with him, but when you say your game is about physicality, and toughness with skill mixed in, and you dont display that toughness at that point...I dunno, it just doesn't feel right to me.

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

I think Kassian is trying more to impress with his skillset instead of just being that enforcer type guy.

It seems like he doesn't want to get into trouble really, and I think that's fine as he has been in plenty of trouble right now, or so far in his career. He's trying to show the coaches I can play this game and not be a one hit wonder type of guy or only hit people.

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hows he going to get in trouble playing hockey in a hockey game when hes a hockey player?

jay is right. thats probably a sign hes not ready for the long haul yet.

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Well he was suspended for 20 games for a hit to the head, that would make you think twice about going after someone sometimes if you're trying to make an NHL team. You don't want to just hit another guy in the head and boom not play in the NHL because of it.

Stafford is looking exceptional this preseason, if he keeps it up, he may be that RWer we desperately need.

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Am I the only one that noticed that Neil stopped immediately as Kassian showed up on his doorstep? While you all bitch that BZK didn't fight, I see a 19-year-old prospect scaring a veteran tough guy just by giving him the crazy eye and a warning. What's tougher - having to throw punches or being intimidating enough to not have to?

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mechaphil

But PHIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLL, I like my punchsicles.

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I met Kassian after the game. He seems like a pretty good guy. Fairly reserved.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

That's quite the something. Normally, a vet will be looking to punish a tough-guy rookie, not stand back and be scared of him.

This is highly intriguing.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

See, Neil knows what he did in that bar because of a crazy eye, so Neil was like " Hell no. "

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

It could also have been a case of Kassian telling Neil to fuck off, and Neil not even giving him the time of day. Why would a vet waste his energy on a tough punk prospect, a la the Phaneuf/Islanders incident last preseason.

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mechaphil

Agreed, and we have no idea what kind of talks he and Ruff have had, maybe it's been made clear to him what Ruff wants, and he's smart enough to make efforts towards that. Like, say, deciding to take the powerplay instead of a shot at neil. It is the coach who's going to decide his fate after all, not his fellow players.

Maybe its the Garth Snow 2 x 4 shoulder pads he rocks out there, but I cannot say Im a big fan of this guy just yet. He's seems very stiff and almost lacking coordination out there and his skating does not look anywhere near NHL quality yet. I hope he sees some time in the AHL to develop some better skating skills/habits. I was not impressed with him at all from the little I have seen.

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"I can't really hear what Jeremy says, because I got my two Stanley Cup Rings plugging my ears...." -Patrick Roy in reference to Jeremy Roenick's trash talking

If you go back and watch the replay, Neil pushes Kassian when he steps in, and then just sits there and talks shit, Kassian looks like a child being yelled at by the principal, lowers his head, raises it up occasionally, says a few things, and then skates away after the McCauly fight is over.

Like I said, I don't hate the guy for it, it just really bothers me. If he was told no fighting, then whatever, but it still irks me, he's gonna have to do something earth shaking to make me give him my vote of confidence again.

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

Also, I don't want Sabres to defend a teammate if he throws an elbow like that. McCauley wants to throw bitch moves, he deserves what's coming.

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mechaphil