I don't think there is any question that Patty Kaleta was playing the best hockey of his career before getting injured. Scoring goals, playing great defense, hitting, hustling, killing penalties...Shit, Ruff even put him on the powerplay a couple times.

Then, boom!, he goes down twice. First with a concussion/neck injury, and then again somewhere on his lower body right after he returns to the lineup. All the reports said Kaleta was ready to play again against Toronto, but Ruff decided to sit him out anyway suggesting he needed to get "more practice". Then he was held out of the Avs game as a healthy scratch, because Ruff didn't want to mess with the chemistry of a 6 game winning streak.

Now, after losing to the Avs and getting ready for a critical road trip, Lindy is still threatening to keep Kaleta on the bench until a roster spot opens. While there is no question our 4th liners have been playing some damn solid hockey in his absence, there is no question that Pat brings more game to the table than Ellis and Mair combined. He's a bigger hitter, draws more penalties, skates faster, scores more goals, and may be our best penalty killer.

Therefore, if he is in fact in the doghouse the question is why? Is it because Lindy is sick of the injuries and wants to teach him a lesson about staying in the lineup? Is it because he took a couple foolish penalties in his last game against St. Louis and Ruff wants him to understand that there's a difference between being an agitator and playing reckless?

All of the above?

Whatever it may be, I suspect Kaleta will be back sooner rather than later, and Lindy is probably making sure he understands that he needs to take his game to the next level, from "energy player" and "petty agitator" to serious contributor with maturity who knows when to turn it on and when to turn it off.

If Pat is smart, he will learn the lessons Lindy is trying to teach him right now. I don't think Kaleta himself yet fully realizes just how much upside his game has if he's smart enough to harness it.

http://blogs.buffalonews.com/sabres/201 ... es+Edge%29

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

I don't know, it may just be a case of Lindy not wanting to mess with the lineup after such a successful stretch. But I do miss seeing him out there on the ice.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

Who does Lindy take out?

If you're going to reward guys for good play, you send the wrong message by removing any of them from the lineup.

You could argue that Vanek could get pulled, but I think Ruff realizes that Van is the type of player that doesn't handle that negativity well. The best thing for him is ice time.

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Wheelhouse

Vanek? No, definitely not Vanek. Like I said above in the OP, as well as they've played the past few games, Kaleta is simply more valuable in the lineup than Ellis and Mair combined, and one of them would need to go. Probably Ellis, because he simply is not able to provide enough levels to his game despite the all out effort every shift.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

Mac has slid quickly. A night upstairs might be good for him.

One goal in 13 games...valid point.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

I'm very weary about taking Ellis out of the lineup, as I remember a spell last year that he was injured, and the team lost a good amount of its physical edge.

Right now though, Mair has been more impressive than Ellis in terms of puck control and speed.

One thing I love about Ellis's game is his ability to shield the puck away from almost anyone in this league. He has this great ability to shield coming out from behind the goal, then turn and throw the puck on net. Gaustad scored on that play late in the game against New Jersey earlier this season.

Finally, you have to consider that Ruff doesn't see Kaleta as the type of guy to replace Mair or Ellis. He's the type of player that will be on the 3rd line or higher.

And when the team is playing as well as they are, it's hard to justify pulling any one of them out so a rusty and still recovering Patrick Kaleta can crack the lineup.

I'm not saying your argument doesn't have merit. I'm just coming up with reasons why I don't believe he's in the dog house.

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Wheelhouse

If it ain't broke...

That, and Patty *was* broke, it's not going to hurt him to continue to heal, his play isn't going to change. I don't think Lindy's pissed, I think this just accentuates our "too much 3rd and 4th line talent" problem.

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PSP, I also like Ellis, and think he's a great asset everytime he's on the ice with his tireless forecheck/backcheck. However, he simply has no skill, and doesn't hit or scrap enough to warrant keeping a talent like PK in the pressbox.

Squanto may have a point with Clarke. A night off may be called for at this point with how he's been slumping.

Still, as I said in my original post, I do think Ruff is smart how he's using some tough love with Kaleta right now. He's at that tipping point in his career where he's ready to take the next step, and Lindy does not want him to fall back into being a one-dimensional 4th liner.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

But since our powerplay has been better and we are on such a streak, take a forward that hasn't been contributing much and give Pat the spot. A good hitter, get's out PP going. He also spurs us up.

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

It could be a case of not wanting to mess around with a head/neck injury.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

+1

I would like to see Kaleta back in the lineup as well. I would think Mair or Ellis, which one?

And CV brought up a good point as well, has he healed from his injuries?

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

Easy on Mac; you know I'm a big fan of his...........

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

Head injuries are funny things, and I still don't think science fully understands the complete impacts of blows to the head and repeated blows to the head.

Additionally with the concussion thing blowing up in the NHL, all sports are going to be careful with their athletes.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

i'd pull mair and replace him with kaleta. why because kaleta has a lot more upside and we've been missing that physical touch to the game, with guys like mair, goose, rivet, and montador in the line-up.

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

I'm sure the back to back penalties he took in his last game didn't help his cause.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

Especially since one of those penalties has kept Paul Kariya out of the lineup for the Blues.

I think he'll be back soon, and as Squanto said, Mac sounds like a good candidate to swap out.

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mechaphil

Kaleta has tried coming back too early from injury before, so I think Ruff wants him 100%. Also, Kaleta has started to take a few more penalties than necessary. Some are a little iffy, but get called now because of his rep and the new expectations to crack down on dangerous hits, some are deserved. He's thrown a little bit of chaos into the line-up lately bewteen injuries and penalties, but toward his own team.

He should come back 100% and with a caution sign flashing in the back of his head. Deserved or not, he's a marked man, and he can't force his game on the league at the team's expense, or get hurt halfway through the game in the process and leave the bench short.

Mair and Ellis are playing well, but Mac is blowing all the forwards away with a -10.