Player Profile: Patrick Kaleta

2010-2011 Regular season stats

 2011 Playoff Stats

Career stats 

A Look Back:  Patrick Kaleta remains a fan favorite with his balls-to-the-wall energy and effort on a nightly basis.  He played in just 51 games this season and missed a lot of the time down the stretch.  His goal total dropped from 10 last year to just 4 this year.  Kaleta’s main contribution to the lineup is how he’s a proverbial pest that seems to draw retaliation from almost all teams, resulting in penalties.  Kaleta’s antics continued through the playoffs with Danny Briere, but #48 seemed to manage the situation without retaliation.  It was Kaleta taking unnecessary runs at players and getting out of his element.  Kaleta contributed 3 points to the playoff cause, including the game winner in Game 1.

A Look ahead:  Kaleta’s style of play is what fans love about him, but he needs to find a way to walk the line better with playing with the an edge, while not missing 30 games in a season.  He’s still just 24 years old and as he continues to mature and learn the NHL game, he’ll continue to be a productive contributor to the organization.  His goal production drop in 2010-11, tempers my enthusiasm to think of him as anything more than a fourth-line player, but in Lindy Ruff’s system, the fourth line is usually what gives the Sabres the extra boost they usually need.  There is every reason to believe that Pegula & Co. will do their best to keep the Angola native part of the future.

Fake Darcy’s Take: Every team needs a Kaleta. And every unpopular and outspoken Fake GM needs a bodyguard. These factors guarantee Patty’s spot on next year’s team. With the NHL’s intensifying scrutiny on head shots, we only expect Patty to play about 6 games next season. But more importantly, we keep the Angola market.

Up Next: Mike Grier

Twitter: @brianbund