Like most of you have probably been doing, I've been trying to put my finger on just exactly what is going wrong with the Sabres. Now I was blown away by Tyler Ennis in the Boston series last spring, and was excited to see him play a full NHL season. At the start of the season, I liked what I saw from him. And of course there's no denying that his shootout goal in Toronto was both pretty and clutch.

However, over the course of 15 games, I've come to believe that it might be time to send him back down to Portland. Before you start hurling insults at me, hear me out.

To me, Ennis sort of typifies exactly what is wrong with Buffalo's game so far this season. And what I mean is that, like many of the players, he's trying to do too much himself. I love his effort, but I'm not sure how effective it's been. He goes out there and gives it his all, but he honestly looks like he's playing a 1 on 5 game most of the time. He's fast and shifty, but over-handles then puck. He's not using his teammates well and trying to create everything with his legs. Passes are often weak once he does decide to give up the puck.

In watching the Leafs game, I began to see the similarities between his game and that of a former Sabre loaded with talent but maybe lacking in team play: Maxim Afinogenov. That name carries a lot of negative energy with me and many other Sabre fans, so I don't take this comparison lightly. But once I started making that connection in my head, every time I saw Ennis get the puck, I started seeing more and more of Afinogenov.

Am I off the mark here? Or does anyone else think Ennis may need to work on his TEAM game to become the player he has the potential to be?

I think that young players can be excused for trying to do too much. That's something that they need to learn.

Ennis is testing his boundaries to see what he can and can't get away with. Veterans, on the other hand, should already know by now.

Also, he's just way too dirty to send back to the AHL. How do you replace his scoring?

Additionally, I think he's been Buffalo's best player the past two games.

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Wheelhouse

The difference between Ennis and Afinogenov is black and white. Ennis not only enters the zone, but KEEPS THE PUCK. Oh, did I mention he KNOWS HOW TO PASS?

Difference between Max and Tyler is that Tyler has the smarts to match his moves, I firmly believe the only thing missing is the right linemates; ones with confidence and smarts and a bit of speed.

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I don't think Ennis should be in that category. When the players around him are slow as snails, he appears the way you have explained above. I think he is a huge team player, and like Roy has been doing so far this season, he's been trying to carry a small part of the team on his back. I think as the season progresses, you'll see Ennis blend better with his line, and most likely put a lot more rubber in the mesh.

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^I agree

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Sophomore Bitches! Class of 2014!
R.I.P. Molly B. 5/28/96-5/23/11

I see your point, but I think you're slightly off the mark here. The Sabres are in desperate need of more players like Ennis (And Roy) right now. We need some players to put the team on their back and help us to get out of this funk.

Once the team gets its act together, we should see a more consistent game from Tyler. If the team is playing well together and everyone is scoring, and Tyler is STILL not fully utilizing his teammates, then we can have reason for concern.

Also, Buffalo's 1st goal wouldn't have happened without Ennis. The rebound off his wrap around chance is what created the opportunity for the puck to come back to the goal for Roy to finish.

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Wheelhouse

If you want to send a player who has 2 goals and 6 assists back to Portland be my guest, but who do you replace him with in Portland then?

Ennis is going to be great, he has the hands to finish and the smarts to do what it takes to keep the puck. His size is the only thing about him that sucks, but he will easily overcome that and be better than Roy someday.

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I'm not arguing that he isn't skilled enough. I can see he is. What I'm saying is that maybe it will end up hurting the Sabres this year if he has to go through his growing pains, and learn to put that skill into the context of a team strategy while in the NHL. I think there's plenty of reasons to think that keeping him up will do good things for him, but it might not be the best strategy for the team in this season. If you decide that Buffalo needs to play for the future now instead of this season, I think it makes total sense. And maybe it's time to start thinking that way.

Also, my way of thinking might be flawed in that maybe the AHL doesn't force him to change his game enough. What I mean is that maybe he's so much more skilled than the average AHLer that he can just rely on his talent and that will be enough for him to excel at that level without learning to play within a team system.

I'm not saying he is the problem with the Sabres and sending him down is the solution. But I do think his playing style is becoming the norm for the rest of the team. Maybe having him go down and work on his team skills will send a message to the rest of the team that they won't be rewarded for playing as individuals AND give him some important lessons in team play. Who knows?

Well, he does try to do too much, but as the season progresses, I'm pretty sure he'll stop that. Hell, he's not doing that as much as he did the first few games of the season. He has 8 points and a sick shootout goal that caught the attention of everybody. He doesn't even turn it over often, though. Having him with the puck is more reliable than Connolly losing it in the neutral zone or Myers losing it behind the net. Send him back to the AHL and he might just get used to dangling. He'll learn lessons in the NHL. Need I remind everyone, that he's on Grier and Niedermeyer's line? AND STILL putting up 8 points in 15 games?

Put him on a line with Roy, and I think he'll do great. Him and Roy have great chemistry from the time I've seen them play together.

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

I think him, Roy, and Vanek should consistently be on a line. At least give us a chance of a first line there.

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Great vid, I love watching Brian Burke cringe.

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I dont understand why Ennis isn't playing with more skilled players and why he isn't always in our top 3 shooters for the shootout.

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Driver of the Tyler Ennis Bandwagon, Ridin' shotgun on the Tyler Myers Bandwagon, chillin' on the Luke Adam Bandwagon


Eh

Well, he will be starting Weds - the top line is back to being Ennis-Roy-Vanek.

AS IT FUCKING SHOULD BE.

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mechaphil

That's good. Roy and Ennis are nasty together, and Vanek is going to rack up easy goals like Big Bertha, the arcade game, eats plastic balls.

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Wheelhouse

It's funny because this whole season I've felt that guys aren't doing enough of what Ennis is doing. I feel like all the talent has been leeched out of all the players to the point where they're do or die "by the system". That's fine and all, but what happened to being creative with the puck? Claude Giroux comes to mind. He's not being touted as an elite player because he just sticks with the system, he's being praised because he leads the way and uses his skills to get around the opposition. That leads to chances. We've had a lot of chances from Ennis that way from what I've seen. Our skill players aren't playing skilled. It's like they're all relying on someone else to step up and be clutch for them. To me Ennis has been the only one trying to be that guy.

I see things differently dsabres06. What I see from the team is many players trying to be creative with the puck instead of making safe and simple plays, and that attempt at creativity causing turnovers and breakaways. I see a lot of skating with the puck. I see a lot of passes through the middle of the ice in their own zone. I see players trying to make drop passes at the blueline. I see players blindly throwing the puck in front of the net to no one when they have it behind the opposition's goal. Granted I don't see all of that from Ennis, but he definitely is skating with the puck and trying to stick-handle around defenders a lot. Maybe he has the skill to get away with it, but most of the team doesn't.

Word.

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Wheelhouse

I'm not outraged by your opinion, but I think it's rather drastic. In fact, it might just behoove the Sabres to do the exact opposite of what you're suggesting...

I think the next move for Ennis is too play him at center, perhaps in place of Connolly.

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"I love that you know how to do that." Cheryl/Carol/Crystal

"And I love that I have an erection that doesn't involve homeless people." Kreiger

Esp since center is Tyler Ennis' natural position.

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mechaphil