Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Sabres All-Opponent team: First-fifth
6:10 AM | 
Posted by
Nick Mendola
Last Spring, during the playoffs, I found myself mentioning players that I've "loved all year," and feeling like a chump because I don't know if I mentioned them in a column. So, I decided that every 15 games or so, I'm going to make an All-Opponents team for the Sabres.
For the most part, these won't include your Dany Heatleys or Evgeni Malkins (although he has the "hardest to knock off the puck" distinction now that Jaromir Jagr is playing in Russia. These are guys I'll be hoping the Sabres trade for at some point.
Opponent talent pool (10/10/08 - 11/17/08): Montreal, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Vancouver, Atlanta, Boston, Minnesota, Colorado, Ottawa, Tampa Bay, Washington, New Jersey, St. Louis, Columbus, Pittsburgh
C- Travis Zajac, New Jersey- His hairline is the only thing that's wrong with him. Zajac, besides having a fantastic name, is having a return to solid-all-around form after a minus-11 campaign in 2007-08.
In 17 games, he has two goals and 11 assists for a plus-8. He actually made quite the gaffe against Buffalo for a minus-1, but the Devils are counting on him for 20-plus minutes of ice time a night. With Martin Brodeur out for a while, Zajac and Zach Parise will have to keep the Z's in New Jersey's system.
Clear-cut second place:
Patrik Berglund of St. Louis. I didn't select him because I couldn't tell if he made David Perron better or vice versa during their 4-3 loss to Buffalo at HSBC Arena.
LW- Milan Lucic, Boston- Though he only tallied an assist in the two games versus Buffalo, he was a human wrecking ball, and it's terrifying how smartly he uses his body at age 20. At 6'4", 220 pounds, I detailed my enjoyment of his play more, with video examples, on Monday:
"Being in Boston for last Saturday's Bruins/Sabres game helped me to realize two things. One, the Sabres need another big guy to be a top-tier, whether it be a more-offensively-productive Paul Gaustad or a new face. Two, the Bruins have an outstanding physical team, and I would trade most assets to get Milan Lucic. Boston's big man is a beast, and he scares me. Like Donte Whitner combined with a monster. Watch this fight (Every fight should look like this). Watch this hit (He leaves his feet and I don't much care). Watch him go to the net. And helpers, too."
RW- Blake Wheeler, Boston- Despite the fact that he turned down the option to wear No. 18 on his "sweater," which would have enabled a legion of "18 Wheeler" groups in Beantown, I like Wheeler as a future second-line American Olympian.
In 18 games, Wheeler has six goals and two assists to go with 10 PIM and a game-winner. He's been smart with his shots on goal, scoring 25 percent of the time.
He didn't do much against Buffalo box-score-wise, but the Minnesota-native did change his number to 26 because of admiration for Thomas Vanek during the Sabre's time as a Golden Gopher in Minneapolis.
D- Marc Methot, Columbus -- Methot looms so large on the ice that it's hard to take your eyes off of him. Some of his hits were so thunderous, and well-positioned, that I wondered if the Blue Jackets had acquired Eric Brewer. At age 23, the 6'3", 225-pound Methot has a lot of time to learn, but has posted three goals and two assists, with the confidence to put 21 shots on net in 13 games.
Against Buffalo, he registered a plus-1 rating to go with 16:57 in ice time.
D- Marc Staal, New York Rangers -- It pains me to say nice things about a Ranger, but Staal family intelligence is alive and well within Marc, sans any Minnesotan legal issues.
The Thunder Bay, Ont., native is very big, and uses his body very well, not like Methot, but like Henrik Tallinder when he was having his most productive defensive days in Buffalo. Staal uses his stick very well, and doesn't turn 21 until January of 2009.
No numbers against Buffalo short of 19:39 of ice time, but Marc is one Staal who won't show up on the stat sheet that often, and that's how you know he was good. He also fought Jamal Mayers of Toronto, which takes some gumption.
Honorable mention to:
Johnny Oduya of New Jersey, doing Sweden proud.
G- No goalie. Most nights you see the starter. Plus if there's no goalie, the Sabres would score more.
Email: nick@wgr550.com
For the most part, these won't include your Dany Heatleys or Evgeni Malkins (although he has the "hardest to knock off the puck" distinction now that Jaromir Jagr is playing in Russia. These are guys I'll be hoping the Sabres trade for at some point.
Opponent talent pool (10/10/08 - 11/17/08): Montreal, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Vancouver, Atlanta, Boston, Minnesota, Colorado, Ottawa, Tampa Bay, Washington, New Jersey, St. Louis, Columbus, Pittsburgh
C- Travis Zajac, New Jersey- His hairline is the only thing that's wrong with him. Zajac, besides having a fantastic name, is having a return to solid-all-around form after a minus-11 campaign in 2007-08.
In 17 games, he has two goals and 11 assists for a plus-8. He actually made quite the gaffe against Buffalo for a minus-1, but the Devils are counting on him for 20-plus minutes of ice time a night. With Martin Brodeur out for a while, Zajac and Zach Parise will have to keep the Z's in New Jersey's system.
Clear-cut second place:
Patrik Berglund of St. Louis. I didn't select him because I couldn't tell if he made David Perron better or vice versa during their 4-3 loss to Buffalo at HSBC Arena.
LW- Milan Lucic, Boston- Though he only tallied an assist in the two games versus Buffalo, he was a human wrecking ball, and it's terrifying how smartly he uses his body at age 20. At 6'4", 220 pounds, I detailed my enjoyment of his play more, with video examples, on Monday:
"Being in Boston for last Saturday's Bruins/Sabres game helped me to realize two things. One, the Sabres need another big guy to be a top-tier, whether it be a more-offensively-productive Paul Gaustad or a new face. Two, the Bruins have an outstanding physical team, and I would trade most assets to get Milan Lucic. Boston's big man is a beast, and he scares me. Like Donte Whitner combined with a monster. Watch this fight (Every fight should look like this). Watch this hit (He leaves his feet and I don't much care). Watch him go to the net. And helpers, too."
RW- Blake Wheeler, Boston- Despite the fact that he turned down the option to wear No. 18 on his "sweater," which would have enabled a legion of "18 Wheeler" groups in Beantown, I like Wheeler as a future second-line American Olympian.
In 18 games, Wheeler has six goals and two assists to go with 10 PIM and a game-winner. He's been smart with his shots on goal, scoring 25 percent of the time.
He didn't do much against Buffalo box-score-wise, but the Minnesota-native did change his number to 26 because of admiration for Thomas Vanek during the Sabre's time as a Golden Gopher in Minneapolis.
D- Marc Methot, Columbus -- Methot looms so large on the ice that it's hard to take your eyes off of him. Some of his hits were so thunderous, and well-positioned, that I wondered if the Blue Jackets had acquired Eric Brewer. At age 23, the 6'3", 225-pound Methot has a lot of time to learn, but has posted three goals and two assists, with the confidence to put 21 shots on net in 13 games.
Against Buffalo, he registered a plus-1 rating to go with 16:57 in ice time.
D- Marc Staal, New York Rangers -- It pains me to say nice things about a Ranger, but Staal family intelligence is alive and well within Marc, sans any Minnesotan legal issues.
The Thunder Bay, Ont., native is very big, and uses his body very well, not like Methot, but like Henrik Tallinder when he was having his most productive defensive days in Buffalo. Staal uses his stick very well, and doesn't turn 21 until January of 2009.
No numbers against Buffalo short of 19:39 of ice time, but Marc is one Staal who won't show up on the stat sheet that often, and that's how you know he was good. He also fought Jamal Mayers of Toronto, which takes some gumption.
Honorable mention to:
Johnny Oduya of New Jersey, doing Sweden proud.
G- No goalie. Most nights you see the starter. Plus if there's no goalie, the Sabres would score more.
Email: nick@wgr550.com
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