35) Who am I keeping an eye out for? Ville Leino. I know some fans may think the Sabres paid too much for Leino, and I know there’s concern that he hasn’t played center since juniors. Those two things are reasons why I’m going to keep an eye on him. The Sabres are pretty thin at center, and I’m not exactly sure how I feel about Leino being our 2nd best center. I know Leino’s attributes are that he can control the puck and that he plays his best game while in the playoffs. That’s always good when you consider the Sabres have had issues with their big guns scoring in the postseason. Don’t get me wrong, he’s an upgrade over Connolly ( as is Kevin Sylvester), I just wonder if he’ll be able to play well in a new system and with new added responsibilities. Let’s be fair, in Philly, he was nothing more than a role player with guys like Richards, Carter and Briere. Now, he’s going to be counted on to be a key part of the offense.
34) Who will lead the team in goals? Thomas Vanek. Not exactly a hard one. Vanek has led the team in goals for five straight seasons. I’m not sure if Vanek is a franchise player or the all-world player some fans try to make him out to be, but he’s our best forward. Last season, Vanek became more of a set-up man, leading the team in assists with 41. You could make the case that he decided to relish the role of the set-up man because the team didn’t really have any centers after Roy went down. I still wish Ruff would play Vanek a lot more. There were just too many times last year that Vanek played like the same amount of time as Paul Gaustad. That shouldn’t be the case. On a side note, Vanek scored 25 goals in the Sabres 42 wins last year and only 7 goals in their 38 losses. So, yeah, Lindy should play him more.
33) Who will be the team MVP? Tyler Myers. I know the cool pick will be Vanek or Miller, but I think Myers really puts it together this season. Last year he was a little too inconsistent, but I think the pressure of being the Sabres only legit defensemen might have been too much for him to bear. This year he’s got a ton of help with Regehr and Ehrhoff. He won’t be counted on to be the anchor of the blueline because he’ll have help for a change. I think less pressure will help Myers put his game together. Plus, playing alongside a veteran like Regehr should help him evolve as a player and leader.
32) What is the strength of this team? Defense. Ah, Heather B. must be smiling somewhere. When you can say that Mike Weber is your 6th defensemen, you are in great shape! I mean, we’re talking about a guy that at certain points last year was a top guy for us on the blueline. What I like most about the blueline is how diverse they are. You have stay-at-home guys, you have offensive defensemen, you have veteran leadership, you have guys that can hit, you have youth, you have Euros, you have Americans, hair, baldness, names that are spelled weirdly…you pretty much have everything. They are the key unit for this team. You saw with Boston last year how much having a tough defense can propel you in the playoffs. It was a huge weakness last year, but on paper, Darcy has done an excellent job in remaking it. Frankly, this is probably the best blueline the team has had under Ruff. They are more offensive-minded than the unit he had in 99′ and are tougher than the 05/06 version.
31) What is the weakness of this team? Center. Sorry, bro, but I just don’t think Derek Roy is a #1 center. I like him, but when I think of a #1 center, I just don’t think Derek Roy. I know some will talk about his fast start last year, but what seems to get lost in translation is that Roy only scored one goal in his last 16 games before he got hurt. Plus, he’s coming back from a major injury. #2? Sure. #1? No. As for the rest, as I said earlier about Leino, it is a pretty tall order to have this guy play as your #2 center. We all know what we get with Goose. He’ll get 8-10 goals, win a bunch of faceoffs and make some hits. After him, things get uncertain. I know a number of people are high on Luke Adam and when you look at the success the Sabres have had with Gerbe and Ennis coming from the minors, you have to think Adam could be a role player for this team IF he makes it. If he doesn’t, look for the combination of Hecht or Boyes to be your 4th line center. Yeah, I’m not impressed either. Bottom line: The Sabres still lack a playmaking center.
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