To start, count me amongst what was probably the majority of Sabres fans who, prior to the official announcement, had endorsed Thomas Vanek for the title of team captain. I think the strongest reason for this is also the simplest. Vanek is one of three elite level talents on the Sabres. Myers is probably too young for the captaincy and Miller is of course a goaltender. Vanek is the most talented scorer on the team and by a pretty wide margin too. At this point in his career, Vanek affects every game he is in the line-up for and in a very noticeable, if not measurable, way; but Vanek’s potential impact as captain goes beyond his ability to set up and finish scoring chances.

The greatest difference between Vanek and many of the other elite, pure scorers in hockey is that Vanek seems to be very concerned with his role on the team. Many of Vanek’s character traits, at least the observable ones, suggest an acute awareness that his teammates are heavily depending on him to score. How many players externalize their frustration to the degree that Vanek does? How many players assume blame as regularly and to the degree that Vanek does? When Vanek is having trouble scoring, it’s very apparent in both his words and behavior. When he scores a goal, his body language often shows signs of relief.

For fans, this is what I think has always made Vanek somewhat of a divisive figure within leadership related discussions. It’s easy to argue the visibility of Vanek’s frustration sets something of a bad example. If he were captain, he could cast a negative shadow over the team when the road inevitably gets a little bumpy. Vanek is certainly not a very emotionally measured player. The counter is to argue that this sort of tension draws attention to Vanek’s effort and competitiveness. I align more with the latter group but I certainly understand the concerns of the skeptics.

Pominville was my second choice but I preferred Vanek to Pominville mostly because I consider Pominville to be a distinctly uninspiring player. Even in Pominville’s greatest moments, he’s not inspiring through his ability to score, his energy level, or his checking effectiveness. This wouldn’t matter so much if Pominville were able to galvanize the team in other ways, as the agents for the games major physical events sometimes do, but he doesn’t strike me as the type of leader who will elevate his game in response to crisis.

At this level, the captaincy is largely just a symbol to rally around and I consider Vanek to be a greater source of moments that inspire and unite the team than Pominville. But that’s about as far as I want to push this because aside from Vanek, Pominville is the best fit for the role, especially given what’s happened to this team the last few months.

I’ve actually changed my opinion on Pominville a lot in the last few months. I admit to being very frustrated with him in the past but now I think the depth the Sabres have in scorers lessens a lot of the responsibility Pominville has to produce, offensively. This has kind of raised the profile of some of his other strengths.

I think Pominville is a strong choice because he is good at being a professional. It’s really that simple. He’s dependable; he’s respected; he’s well-liked; and he’s very diplomatic.

Just imagine you’re a new player coming to the Sabres. This is weird of me to say having never met Pominville, but he seems like a comfortable, friendly presence, doesn’t he? If I’m right in my characterization, he’s a perfect player ambassador for Lindy Ruff. Pominville doesn’t have to be a force great enough to keep a runaway train on the tracks. He’s just got to keep one eye on the schedule and make sure the train is on time.

There has always been sort of this mystique about leaders in sports speaking up in the locker room and saying what needs to be said when the team is struggling. Who knows how much of that really goes on in hockey now but Pominville shouldn’t be judged on his perceived willingness to do things like that. Pominville, Miller, Roy, Vanek, Gaustad, Stafford, and Hecht have all played together for a substantial amount of time and that group makes up a significant portion of the talent on this team. They’re all veterans now and they all have the status needed to privately call a teammate out. Publicly, only Miller has the power to do something like that and even when he does he treads very lightly, as he should.

I think it’s perfectly clear what the Sabres are getting with Pominville as the captain. It’s a totally risk averse selection. It reads like a measure taken to ease the volatility this team is sure to experience in the coming months and years. Naming Pominville captain is not really a wager. It’s a decision made to ensure a place at the betting table for a long period of time. Naming Vanek captain would have been akin to laying a sizable bet.

Lindy Ruff and the rest of the coaching and executive branch of the team were presumably thinking it’s unwise to place any king of wager with the captaincy. I can’t really argue with that.

Maybe this is the final lesson of the co-captain era. A team that’s built around the inspiration of a captain, or co-captains as it were, will go only as far as those individuals are able to inspire. A captain may be capable of regularly producing inspirational moments but there’s no guarantee those moments translate into motivation for the other players.

Maybe it’s better to build a team that goes as far as the talent core takes it. Maybe it’s better for the primary role of the captain to be to stabilize rather than inspire. We’ll find out sooner or later.

Vanek started wearing an “A” on his chest about a month ago by my estimation. Publicly, it was very well received. I supported the decision too. I think it’s an appropriate progression for Vanek as a professional with the Sabres. His actions after last night’s game showed me he’s making a sincere effort to justify the recognition.

There is a concern however.

Something that’s always discussed when Vanek’s name comes up is how noticeably frustrated he becomes at times. I’ve never seen a scorer react to a missed opportunity as intensely and as expressively as Vanek does. He does not manage failure well. When he gets cold, it’s only natural to wonder just what’s going on in his head. Is this an appealing quality to have in a leader? It’s also important to ask: is this player stable enough to handle this added responsibility.

Vanek’s frustration is a part of who he is as a hockey player. Just this month when Vanek failed to finish an opportunity I saw him throw his head up in the air and glide right into the end boards while the puck was still live. He had momentarily disconnected from the play in a pronounced way. With that said, it’s tough to point to his frustration as a very troublesome sign when his effort and production is consistently on point.

Thomas Vanek has 27 goals, 39 assists, and 66 points so far in 76 games this season. Overall it has been a largely successful season for Vanek. Impressive even, considering Derek Roy and Drew Stafford have missed major time and important players like Jason Pominville and Tim Connolly have had relatively poor statistical seasons. Vanek is leading the team in points and is ahead of the next highest point scorer (Ennis) by 19.

He has always been the designated leader of this offense. Something is different about Vanek this year though. Suddenly he’s in the leadership discussion. That’s new. What explains his emergence as the favorite amongst fans to become the next captain? Maybe we thought we had Vanek pretty well figured out but we’ve actually been wrong for awhile.

We always just assume Vanek’s focus and frustration has been entirely on his attempt to help the team by scoring. What if, after he became established and signed his big boy contract, he has always wanted his role to be that of a more complete star as opposed to the one dimensional talent he has been most of his career? Maybe he always wanted to be an acknowledged leader and not being recognized as a one always felt a little empty to him.

Do you think he wants to be thought of exclusively as the offensively talented winger? I think perhaps adding the responsibility of a formal leadership position has taken some of the pressure off Vanek to score because he has other opportunities to help the team. Vanek will probably never agree that expanding his role so as to dilute the pressure was ever a real interest of his but I think the idea of being a more influential and complete player has been a priority for him since he signed the extension.

* * *

I want to change directions and talk for a moment about Jason Pominville to help make a point on Vanek’s perception.

Pominville has played in 454 regular season games. Vanek has played in 465. Pominville has scored 143 goals in his career. Vanek’s next goal will be his 200^th. When watching both of those players there’s no doubt in my mind that Vanek is a superior scorer. I don’t just mean goals. I mean scorer — someone that contributes to pucks going in the opponents net whether it be directly by means of a shot or indirectly through a pass. Vanek is just a much more dangerous offensive player than Pominville.

Think about how a player like Pominville is discussed in relation to Vanek right now. Pominville just sort of exists as a disappointment. His career has actually followed a near identical trajectory as Vanek’s, displaced by one year.

That’s kind of eerie to look at isn’t it?

Both Pominville and Vanek had their worst statistical seasons in their rookie years. Excluding those seasons, Pominville is having his worst season yet and Vanek had his worst season last year. But when the playoffs started last season, everyone was looking to Thomas Vanek. There are expectations on Vanek. He is always a part of the Sabres discussion. Pominville is often quickly dismissed.

Why is that?

I think salaries are a big part of it. Vanek makes close to two million dollars more than Pominville. Vanek is the highest paid player on the team. People associate a player of that status with high production. Pominville is in the shadow of Vanek in that respect and I think it takes a lot of the heat off him.

The other reason, something my friends and I talk about a lot, is that Pominville just doesn’t excite people. Pominville might be the slowest skater on the team. He has a very slow motor and shuts down whenever a defender is close by. When that happens, Pominville stops moving his feet and just going into balance mode. Think of how many times you’ve seen a defender called for hooking or tripping Pominville when he has the puck.

Vanek is very different. He’s a very exciting player. He’s become much better transitioning with the puck and of course he’s a very creative player down low in the offensive zone.

Vanek is someone that generates excitement through his involvement in so many scoring chances. A consequence of this is that by having so many quality scoring chances, his failures create a much greater sense of disappointment in comparison to a player like Pominville. Vanek’s misses collect. There are people who insist upon placing a lot of the blame for a loss on Vanek after games in which he fails to finish great scoring opportunities. I think that’s unfair to Vanek. In most instances, Vanek was a major part in creating these chances. Yet Vanek gets criticized, meanwhile lesser, floundering players are spared. Does that make sense? Vanek is at least doing something positive.

I don’t think making Vanek captain will cause fans and observers to reconsider preconceived notions. It will probably only result in Vanek being placed on a higher pedestal. Blah blah blah team captain, Thomas Vanek. I’m hoping that as a recognized leader, Vanek will find greater satisfaction as a hugely important member of the Sabres.

* * *

As I look around at this collection of forwards, I see a bunch of young guys with a lot of flash and some finish, I see a handful of unreliable and streaky veterans, and I see Vanek. Vanek is the glue. He is what makes it all work. I imagine him more than any other player as being the one to score big playoff goals. I can literally see it in my mind now.

Vanek is a guy I feel like the Sabres can win with. He’s going to cause problems for whoever he plays against. He’s going to create chances. Maybe he won’t finish but at the very least he’ll give the Sabres some momentum by creating scoring chances. As each game passes it becomes more and more clear I want him to be the player that’s leading the Sabres. Part of the reason for this is it’s effect on the other players but I’m at the point now where I think leadership will do good by Vanek most of all. And that is new.

Who is responsible for this?

I noticed that prior to the Ottawa game, Thomas Vanek had scored just two goals in his last 14 games. Obviously Vanek is the center piece of the Sabres offense. He has been all year. When he’s not scoring goals (25), he’s setting them up (35). I could talk about Vanek for a long time and maybe sometime soon I will. For now, I just want to say I wasn’t bothered or concerned that Vanek has been finishing less than usual recently. I’m one of those people that can put a slump in perspective. I’ve watched Vanek play about 500 hockey games. I know his flaws. I know his strengths. He’s a great player. He’s has played great this entire season except for maybe the first 30 days (4 goals, 3 assists, 15 games) if you want to get really particular.

Drew Stafford has made a huge difference when he’s been in the line-up. He’s shooting very well and has shown some pretty good finishing ability around the net. Stafford has always punched in rebounds from in close. I guess the only reason I mention it is because I’ve never really noticed how great his hands are. Stafford is an interesting player to talk about and that discussion will get even more interesting this summer.

Jordan Leopold has basically been as advertised — a bit of a liability in the back-end but a solid puck mover with an offensive mind. I didn’t know he could shoot as well as he has though. That goal he scored in Toronto on Saturday was an outstanding shot. The hard, low, corner shots in hockey are tougher to execute that it probably seems. He has 12 goals and 22 assists. His addition has definitely been a big boost especially on the powerplay.

Vanek, Stafford, and Leopold have all been great but the guy I really want to talk about is Tyler Ennis. Did you know he’s the Sabres second leading points scorer? 17 goals, 26 assists, 43 points in 69 games for Ennis. For a rookie, that’s very strong. It’s not as if Tim Connolly or Jason Pominville have been lighting the world on fire this season. Ennis has played quite a bit with those two and a lot with Jochen Hecht who, I think we all know, is a very limited scorer. Derek Roy only played 35 games and Stafford has been in and out of the line-up all year. Through it all, Ennis has played his game and he has produced.

It’s interesting with rookies and young players in general because they have games where they struggle and look awful. It’s different from when Vanek has a poor game. By now we know the poor Vanek games — the ones where he gets like six perfect scoring chances but misses on all of them. Those games don’t really change anyone’s opinion on him. You either dislike him because you’re hung up on the cap hit or you like him because he’s a talented scorer. What happens game to game doesn’t really affect his reputation. With young players, everyone is still trying to organize their thoughts on them. There’s a smaller body of work. Poor games get factored in but they probably shouldn’t, at least not as much as when the veterans have a game with a plus/minus of -3. They’re just kids (Ennis is 21 years old) and they don’t totally know how to prepare like the veterans do.

Ennis has definitely played poor games like Saturday night’s game in Toronto. He has also played some terrific games like Sunday’s game against the Senators. Overall, he’s played very well for the Sabres. There’s no doubt about it.

Think about all the forwards the Sabres have had emerge from the amateur level over the years. Here’s the scoring statistics of the more prominent ones in their rookie season with the Sabres.

Ennis will probably finish the year with the best rookie season of any forward on the Sabres in a very long time. Of course, only Vanek, Gaustad, and Kennedy were given the chance to play full seasons. Vanek was incredibly promising and Gaustad and Kennedy filled important checking roles. Give Ennis and the others credit for earning a roster spot in training camp and then playing well enough throughout the year to keep themselves in the line-up.

But what about the rate at which these players were scoring in their rookie years? I projected each player’s scoring numbers over 82 games. That way it’s easier to see how efficient they each were over a period of time we’re all familiar with.

It’s comforting to see that Ennis’ production is more aligned with that of Vanek, Pominville, and Stafford and not Gaustad, Paille, and Kennedy. I don’t really want to talk about Ennis’ potential right now. I just think it’s worth discussing how important Ennis has been to the Sabres this year. His production is not theoretical. He’s second on the team in points scored and the Sabres are tied for 7^th in the league in average goals for.

The comparison that’s most often made to Tyler Ennis is of course Max Afinogenov. In terms of style they’re very similar. I see Afinogenov when I watch Ennis just because they look similar but I don’t see the turnovers from Ennis. I also don’t really see the quick finish or the explosive rush that Afinogenov trademarked. They’re both super agile skaters and are excellent stick handlers. Max was shifty but it seems like Ennis has more of an escapable quality to his game, especially along the boards. Maybe that has to do with Ennis just being smaller. He just seems to find space. I imagine the more experience he gets operating in space at the professional level, the better playmaker he’ll become. You can see it just from watching him work on the powerplay. I don’t find myself feeling nervous at the thought of Ennis turning the puck over on the powerplay like I do with some other Sabres players. For some reason I just have faith in his ability to keep the puck away from defenders.

The thing about Ennis that’s also really impressed me is his durability this season. He’s taken some brutal body checks along the boards. Tyler Ennis weights 157 pounds. I’ve seen him get crunched about a dozen times this year and can remember thinking a couple of times dislocated shoulder for sure. I’m always shocked when he bounces right back up. It’s certainly worth mentioning.

Ennis still has a long way to go. He’s already important though. Other than maybe Andrej Sekera, Ennis has been my favorite Sabres player to watch this season. I really like him. And seriously, how about that water bottle shot from a poor angle he scored on Craig Anderson with Chris Phillips covering him in yesterdays game? That was impressive. Good job, Tyler Ennis. I’m glad I’ve not heard a single bad thing about you and I’m looking forward to seeing a lot more of those jaw dropping moments from you in the future.

At 9:42 I called a friend I knew would have seen that moment.

Ring once, answer: “GOOOOOO!!!”

Yes, goo. Goo indeed.

* * *

Less than 24 hours earlier I was making jokes at Vanek’s expense on Twitter. I tweeted the following to the world, “Vanek just made me Vanek my dinner.” Sorry for that, by the way. I’m funnier in person.

I hated the final decision Vanek made on the two-on-one opportunity he had with Roy during the overtime period of Friday’s game against the Rangers. The defensemen over-committed to the shooter so Vanek pulled the puck back, cut inside and settled into the slot. Then Vanek passed the puck to Roy.

A lot has been said whether that was the correct play or not. Should Vanek have shot the puck or was passing to Roy the smarter play? I don’t care about the percentages. It might have been the right hockey decision. But that moment should have flipped the swagger switch that’s buried in every great player. Vanek should have said screw it, the 25% chance that Roy doesn’t stuff this into the open net isn’t worth risking, I need to push this puck with my hockey stick over this back-up goaltender’s shoulder and win this hockey game for my team because that’s what’s expected of me. Vanek’s decision to pass instead of shoot is another sign that Vanek is without the swagger switch and that’s maddeningly frustrating.

* * *

What’s the story with Vanek? He’s the Sabres most important scoring weapon. He’s the centerpiece of the Sabres’ first powerplay unit. He gets plenty of scoring chances with the man-advantage and during even-strength play but fails to convert on far too many of them.

He’s sort of like a big, strong, fast wide-receiver with all the tools but drops the ball regularly. What good is that type of player? They only count the yards gained and the touchdowns scored when the ball is caught. Close doesn’t show up on the scoreboard.

Failing to score a goal is represented the same whether the puck misses the net by thirty feet or the puck hits a goal post. Close counts for nothing when you’re evaluating a designated scorer like Vanek.

I’ve argued here and amongst friends that Vanek needs to get better at carrying the puck to create more scoring opportunities for himself and for others. Part of the issue is skating; part of the issue is protecting the puck; part of the issue is playing smarter. The idea is to give him more chances to score so he can eventually improve his efficiency and hopefully build his confidence.

* * *

I, like everyone else, want Tom Vanek to do well. When I saw the Sabres new whites, I thought, okay, I’m buying a Vanek, he needs my support and I believe in the dude. I like the idea of being on the side that supports the embattled but talented scorer. But wow, watching him play at times this year I can’t help but wonder how low this guy can really get. Is it possible that Vanek might seriously be traded? Doubtful so long as Darcy Regier manages the team but his future is uncertain too. These are the thoughts going through my mind lately.

Even last night, Vanek was giving the puck away in the first period on the powerplay. Some of his passes were flat-out awful; a very easy but critical one was in the skates of Butler.

Then he scored that filthy goal in overtime. I don’t want to hear about the goaltender being a rookie or the defensemen making a mistake. Vanek made them both look foolish. This is the National Hockey League. It was overtime, I mean, what, they weren’t on the ice during regulation time? That was everything we need to see from Vanek — skating hard and aggressively with the puck. And scoring that goal at that moment, to win the Sabres first home game, was the ultimate fuck all you haters moment.

And I’m totally one of them lately. I have to include myself. I want Vanek to do well but my doubts consume me when his name is brought up in conversation. I don’t know if he has what it takes to pull it all together but who seriously does? There’s an identifiable insanity element to sports and this discussion clearly fits in that realm.

Here’s a guy with an incredible amount of talent. He’s strong, he has tremendous stick skills, and he’s creative with the puck. Something about Vanek seems to always be a little off though. It might be the coaching. It might be that Vanek has tomato soup for brains. It might be that Vanek is just a 2^nd tier scorer and we’re trying to measure him as a primary scorer. Whatever it is, when Vanek makes a play like the one he made at 9:39 last night, it’s cause for celebration. Vanek overcame, if just for a moment, whatever it is that holds him back. We got a quick glimpse at what Vanek is really capable of. And it was great. And it doesn’t have to make sense or mean anything. But if that type of play is gone tomorrow, I’ll miss it.

• Vanek looked good tonight. He was moving his feet when he had the puck which was nice to see. My issue with Vanek lately have mostly been directed at how easily he seems to be checked. He wasn’t easily checked tonight. I didn’t like the play he made early in the second period when he passed instead of shot when he was right in front of the net. There’s always too much chaos in front of the net to try and make an extra pass. Vanek does that a little too much. Just get the freakin’ shot off, man!

• One thing I’ve been meaning to address but have never had the chance to do so yet, are face-offs. I cannot stand when two centers get set in the circle and the linesmen just waits, waits, waits, and finally one center gets faked out, drops to a knee or swipes with his stick and then gets kicked out of the face-off. How many time did Kennedy get kicked out of the face-off circle this game? There needs to be a set pace. Line up, make sure people are set, and drop the thing.

• Toronto is a good checking team and got the Sabres running around in their own end for a good chunk of this game. The Sabres’ defensemen can’t hold up against that type of pressure but they shouldn’t have to, either. When the Leafs created pressure it was because the forwards were turning the puck over near their own blue line and along the boards.

• Matt Ellis is a solid role player when he’s on a line with Pat Kaleta and Paul Gaustad, two players with some NHL level offensive talent to speak of. When you line Ellis up with Mair and Paetsch, it’s a different story. That is barely an NHL line. With Gaustad out for as long as he is, I think it would be smart to bring in a guy like Mancari to play with Ellis and Kaleta. Paetsch gives you nothing and the Sabres are clearly not committed to Mair. At least with Mancari, you can give that line a regular shift in the game.

Before the game started, I posted the following comment on the Sabres-Senators pregame post on the prestigious WNY sports blog, The Goose’s Roost:

Ugh… I still hate Ottawa even though Bryan Murray is no longer coaching and Ray Emery is now getting himself out of position with a different team.

I hate the Sens now mostly because of their fans. Their passion is so genuinely hopeful not obnoxious or alcohol fueled like those of Montreal and Toronto. I realize how subjective that statement is but I really think they’re like us in more ways than we would like to admit.

When the Sens beat the Sabres, it gets me so angry because of the obvious history but also because the fans believe in them so completely. Why do they love them so much when the Sens are so obviously flawed!? The Sabres can never seem to overcome that during games in Ottawa.

And I HATE that inferno horn that goes off when they score at home. I feel like stabbing myself in the leg with a salad fork every time I hear it.

With that said, GO SABRES! I think they’ll win.

They lost. Honestly, I’m not a good enough writer to be able to adequately explain my hatred for the Senators. Another day, another time, perhaps. The Senators hater-ade that runs in my blood, I guess, has something to do with the fans. Mostly though, I was just being stupid and emotional. That’s what I was thinking about a few hours before the game, though.

Now, I know the Senators are a different team from when the rivalry was most fierce, but it honestly doesn’t matter. For some inexplicable reason, the Senators always seem to reveal and attack the Sabres greatest vulnerabilities in the same way that close contacts can force us to confront our own personal skeletons. The Senators know the Sabres. They know how to break the Sabres down.

The Senators, like the Sabres, have lost a lot of the prominent figures from those post-lockout teams. That’s not what this entry is supposed to be about though. Like always, the Senators exposed the Sabres for what they really are. I’ve been hinting at some of the Sabres weaknesses the past couple of weeks, but now they’re plainly out in the open like a scab that’s been peeled back.

The biggest problem with this Sabres team is obviously with the play of some of the more prominent forwards while playing even-strength. Derek Roy and Tim Connolly are the exceptions, in my opinion. They’ve both been positively contributing for quite a while.

To be a good scorer in the NHL you need to be able to either do one of two things: (1) get defenders out of position while you have possession of the puck or (2) be able to take advantage of scoring chances when defenders are out of position. It’s honestly that simple (OK, maybe not but work with me). Roy and Connolly are able to do both. Unfortunately, the other forwards that the Sabres are depending upon to score haven’t been doing enough of the former.

Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek need to start skating and creating open spaces for themselves and for others. They’re both good at scoring goals. It’s not enough though to just be good at finishing. When the puck goes to either of those two, at a nonthreatening scoring position, I expect that it will be taken away shortly, and they’re supposed to be two of our most dependable scorers. MacArthur is still trying to find his way as a featured scorer on this team and he’s been struggling lately, too. MacArthur, like Pominville and Vanek have been hard to notice. The Sabres need them to be difference makers.

These problems are especially prevalent when the Sabres are playing at even-strength. Ask yourself this: how often can you remember the Sabres scoring lines applying serious offensive zone pressure during even-strength situations? Roy and Connolly can’t do it all by themselves. Frankly, players like Vanek, Pominville, and MacArthur are just too easy to check. It’s not that they’re irresponsible with the puck, either. They’ve just not been creating enough chances. How often do those players ever set up a scoring opportunity, never mind a goal.

If Drew Stafford is given an opening to generate a scoring opportunity when he has the puck, he will take advantage and turn it into a genuine scoring chance. He’s able to take advantage of a weak defender. There’s something to be said of that. It’s better than what Vanek, Pominville and MacArthur have been able to do lately but the Sabres need all four of them to create scoring opportunities out of nothing but hard work and smart puck movement. I want to see them get defenders out of position whether by protecting the puck better or by using a clever deke or by making a smart pass. They all need to be better.

Let me just say this about the checking lines, too. They’ve generated a ton of opportunities, pinned opponents in their own zone, and scored more frequently than as to be expected. As far as the third and forth line forward lines go, the Sabres might have two of the best in the league. They fill their role and then some.

I don’t spend time looking at statistics often. It’s in my nature though for me to wonder when I notice something if it can be quantified. Saturday evening I couldn’t help but complain how inefficient the Sabres are at generating chances and scoring goals while playing on even strength. Sure enough, the Sabres have scored the second fewest even-strength goals in the entire league. The scoring lines are to blame for that low ranking, one-hundred-percent.

I once read him describe Evgeni Malkin in a way that really made an impression on me. I don’t care enough to look through all the archives and find the specific article. It would just take too long. I also don’t want to paraphrase what he wrote because I simply wouldn’t be able to give his insight proper justice. I just want to acknowledge his words as inspiration for what I’m about to say with regards to Thomas Vanek.

I should preface by mentioning that I think Vanek is a tremendous scoring talent. He has great instincts around the opponents net and that, mixed with his considerable balance and strength, often allows him to get in great scoring position. He is a deceptively effective inside scorer. Further, he has outstanding hand-eye coordination and what I would consider to be an above-average shot. Few players have Vanek’s combination of stick skills, strength, and offensive instincts. It is why he’s such a great finisher.

The concern with Vanek, in my eyes, has always been his even-strength play. At the start of his career, his effort wasn’t good enough to be a quality defender in his own zone. I’ve come to realize though, that his physical attributes do not translate well into what is necessary to be a great defender in this league. He’s not a very quick or agile skater and has always struggled to make smart defensive reads. Vanek is not built or programed to ever be a defensive-minded forward. All he and the Sabres can do is try and manage his weaknesses in the defensive zone.

You know what, that’s fine. He’s playing with four other skaters that can balance the line. Unlike, Jason Spezza, who plays center for the Senators and similarly struggles as a defender, Vanek isn’t as much of a liability defensively because he’s plays on the wing. The biggest problem that’s inhibiting Vanek from becoming the elite, superstar player and scorer that everyone in western New York believes he can be, in my opinion, is his inability to consistently create his own scoring opportunities.

Which brings me back to Buccigross and his thoughts on Malkin’s effectiveness as a power forward. He, Malkin, like Vanek, is not a very agile skater with modest defensive instincts. Still, he’s a dynamic scorer on both the powerplay and during even-strength play. Malkin is a difference maker and most would argue is one of the top five talents, with regards to his position, in the NHL. Malkin is built like Vanek and they both share many of the same strengths. They differ primarily in that Malkin is better at carrying the puck. This is what I find difficult to explain. Why can’t Vanek assert himself as a similarly dangerous playmaker and scorer while rushing with the puck as Malkin? Why is Vanek so ineffective with the puck when he’s trying to beat a defender one-on-one?

Vanek takes long strides, so it’s difficult to get a perspective on how fast he’s skating. People often misinterpret his staking style as a lack of effort, which is not the case. Given that he primarily takes long, powerful strides, he must be made to understand that he will be unable to stickhandle around NHL defenders like some of the other forwards that are quicker and more shifty on their skates. Vanek seems to try to beat defenders the same way that Max Afinogenov does. Which is why he fails so often.

On the flip side, if you watch Evgeni Malkin play, he first priority is to protect the puck while on a rush. Then, with a combination of speed and strength, he gets the defender is out of position. Currently, on the Sabres, Stafford is the most like Malkin in this way. Vanek does not use his strength and speed to protect the puck. Consequently, he is easily poke-checked and is rendered essentially to a one dimensional player. As it stands right now, Vanek is a finisher only. It’s a shame because early in his career when the NHL was a much more open game, he showed great promise as a playmaker. The game has changed, certainly. That doesn’t mean, however, that Vanek’s effectiveness is limited in the new NHL. He just needs to evolve into the type of player that Malkin has become.

Obviously, Vanek’s opportunities are greatest while on the powerplay. He takes advantage of a large percentage of those chances, too. It’s easy to carry on and on about Vanek’s talent as a finisher. The hope is that the Sabres can maximize the number of scoring opportunities Vanek gets each game, right? Playing him often while on the powerplay is one way to get him opportunities. As far as even-strength play, the Sabres would be foolish to rely soly on Stafford, Roy, Connolly, or whomever to create scoring chances for Vanek. His linemates may be decent players, but they’re not on the same talent level as Vanek. He has superstar potential. And his effectiveness should not be directly tied to that of his linemates.

Think of any superstar, in any league, at any level. As a superstar, they may need and use their teammates to achieve that status but they still, clearly, rely on their own talent to create opportunities for themselves and for others. In the defensive and neutral zones, where opportunities start in hockey, Vanek has never been a positive factor. Conversely, Malkin is a threat, always, when he carries the puck into the offensive zone.

This is my greatest concern with the Sabres’ coaching staff: that they will mismanage Drew Stafford and Thomas Vanek, both of whose style of play certainly does not fit nicely into the defensive system that Lindy Ruff has been trying to instill on his team the last two seasons. I wonder if any of the coaches know how to properly use and mentor either of those players.

The bottom line is that Vanek needs to stop using his stick skills when trying to beat defenders. He should use his size to protect the puck and his speed and strength to beat defenders like Malkin does. Vanek is a creative player; it’s in the best interest of the team for him to have the puck as often as possible. Right now, he is a very nonthreatening presence whenever he rushes with the puck. It’s up to the coaching staff and Vanek to change that. Isn’t it strange how infrequently Vanek is even noticed until he scores? And don’t you think he would be able to finish his opportunities more consistently if he were more involved in the game and in control of the puck more often?

There’s no doubt Vanek will work as hard as he needs to in order to maximize his potential. He strikes me as a highly motivated player. I’m just concerned with how well he fits into the coaching staff’s plans. The Sabres management is committed to the future of Vanek but I’m unsure as to whether the coaching staff can really take advantage of the scoring potential that the offensive-minded Vanek undeniably has boat-loads of.

I don’t care what most people think about Vanek; he is becoming one of the better goal scorers in the league. If he stays healthy he’s good for 50 goals. His attitude and effort problems are over. The more I hear his opinions regarding the team, the more I like about him. He has become a real professional.

Just like Miller, who without a doubt epitomizes the word professional better than any Buffalo athlete in the last ten years. I’m really interested to see how he plays this year. He’s in an intense competition with Thomas from the Bruins to start for team USA in the Olympics. Even the most casual Sabres fans can attest to Miller’s intense competitiveness. Team USA’s snub of Miller in 2006 has to at least make the Olympics more relevant for him this time around.

I also love the fact that Roy spent time in the Canadian Olympic camp. That must have been such an honor for him. Plus, playing with such hockey icons and leaders like Jarome Iginla, Scott Niedermayer, and Ryan Smyth, among others, must have taught him something, right? Right!?

Despite all the past struggles they’ve had, I do have a lot of confidence in the offensive leaders on this team (Vanek, Connolly, Stafford, Pominville and Roy). I think all five will have very productive years. I like that Kennedy is starting in Buffalo this year. He should be able to create a lot more opportunities for others. That’s important because the Sabres don’t seem to be loaded with players capable of consistently finishing their scoring opportunities. They will need all the chances they can get. If the Sabres want to be a more consistent team, they need to establish more scoring depth. Hecht was a disappointment on so many levels last year. I’m not expecting much from him this year. Grier has always had trouble finishing his scoring chances. It’s a big year for both Paille and MacArthur but I’m not hopeful that either will deliver.

The defense is in a bit different of a situation. It’s definitely a unit that’s in transition. Rivet and Lydman seem to be fairly secure in their position with the team this season. They just signed Montador and like his grit so he will get plenty of playing time. The key to this unit’s success will be whether or not Sekera and Butler can progress and take the next step forward. They already are established NHL level defensemen. But clearly, the Sabres are hoping these guys along with Myers and Weber will lead this unit for years to come. They didn’t bring in Rivet to be the best defensemen on this team for the length of his contract. For all the talk about Myers heading into the season, it’s Sekera and Butler who are most important to the defense this season.

It will be interesting to see how Tallinder plays. He could have a big year. If he wants another contract, he’ll have to prove his value. I’d like to think Tallinder is pretty motivated heading into this year considering how close his feet are to the fire. I always liked his game when it seemed his head was in the right place. I think he’ll play better than last year, a lot better.

Sometimes players and teams need to fail before they can succeed. Sometimes they just need a taste of failure to understand what it takes to win. Maybe this is the year the players on this team pull it together. They need to bring it every single game. Any team in the league is capable of beating them if they don’t give their best effort. The problem never seemed to be a lack of skill from their premier players. The problem was always execution and effort.

I don’t expect that to totally change either. I’m not ignorant to the signs. They are going to struggle at times this year. They’ll be a bit more consistent but some teams are going to be able to soundly beat them. Say what you want about the Capitals, Flyers or Penguins, but those teams simply have more talent than the Sabres. Some nights, the Sabres will be unable to match what opponents throw at them.

One thing you have to like about the Sabres going into this year is the level of competition amongst the forwards and defensemen. If anyone struggles, there are players that are very capable of filling in. It should be interesting. I think they finish the regular season 3rd in the division and 7th in the conference.