Weber out after surgery; trade coming?

Portland defenseman Mike Weber is set to miss three weeks of action after getting his knee scoped earlier in the week. The leg was bothering the Pittsburgh native for quite some time, and could potentially force the Sabres into a trade with Andrej Sekera and Teppo Numminen injured, Craig Rivet still sore, and rookie Chris Butler already with Buffalo. The puck moving Marc-Andre Gragnani would be next on the call-up list, but Portland is already thin on the blueline with Mike Funk still shaking cobwebs from a concussion and Paul Baier out with a broken jaw. Nathan Gerbe could fill a roster spot as a forward, but that of course does little to alter the d-landscape. Currently seventh in the conference with a two-point lead over eighth-place Florida, the Sabres are about to embark on a six-game road trip with some holes on the blue. Per Lindy Ruff, Numminen will miss "some time" after taking a puck to the face in Saturday's win. It doesn't seem long term, but trade winds could be more of a reaction to Sekera's ankle injury. The Slovakian was logging monster minutes when healthy, and we're not too sure if Nathan Paetsch has enough in the tank to steady things in relief. Speaking of such a deal, The Toronto Sun states that league scuttlebut has Matthieu Schneider getting sent to Buffalo for the maligned Maxim Afinogenov.

The chatter is the Atlanta Thrashers are going to send veteran Mathieu Schneider to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for winger Maxim Afinogenov. Buffalo wants a blue-liner and hasn't been able to give away Afinogenov because no other team wants to pick up his $3.5-million salary ...

Leafs upend Sabres, 7-4

It was a back-and-forth third period, but in the end the Sabres didn't have enough as they opened the 2008 pre-season with a 7-4 loss to Toronto. (see previous posts for 1st and 2nd period scoring notes). Trailing in the third, Mark Mancari one-timed a Marek Zagrapan shovel past Justin Pogge to cut the Leafs lead to 5-3. Jaro Spacek also received an assist on the play. The Leafs would come right back short-handed, as a crashing Dominic Moore slid to the ice, in the process causing the puck to escape Jhonas Enroth and enter the net for a 6-3 Leafs lead. Jochen Hecht later buried a Drew Stafford pass to make it 6-4. A Toronto empty netter would end it. Zagrapan - 1 goal, 2 assists, -2 MacArthur - 2 assists, -3 Sekera - 23:00, 1 assist, -2 Weber - 20:41, EVEN Mancari - 1 goal, -3 Gogulla - 1 goal, -2 Card - 17:08, -3 Hunter -- Jhonas Enroth stopped 10 of 13 shots in relief of Ryan Miller, who stopped 8/11.

5/5 Recap: Gogulla helpers propel Germans

At the World Championship in Halifax, Philip Gogulla set-up the eventual game winner for Germany in their dominating 4-2 win over Slovakia.

The Germans continued to press and impress, and late in the period they were rewarded with a beautiful goal. Philip Gogulla took a stretch pass up the middle from Michael Bakos deep in his own end. As a Slovakian defenceman chased Gogulla down, he turned and delivered a backhand pass to Michael Hackert in the slot. Hackert beat Lasak between the pads to restore the Germans’ two-goal lead before the end of the period.

With an adjusted published weight of 198 lbs, the 6'2 German winger later earned the primary assist on the power-play as Germany closed out their scoring in the third period.

"We kept the puck deep and didn't take any stupid penalties," Gogulla added.

Gogulla's two assists tonight come on the heels of a breakout year for the 20-year old. The winger scored more points for league runner-up Cologne (11-33-44) than he did in his first two DEL seasons combined (43). He also added three assists in three games at the Skoda Cup against entries from Slovakia, France, and Switzerland. Gogulla's future teammate in Buffalo, Andrej Sekera, was named Slovakia's Best Player in the loss... In the USHL, Drew MacKenzie and the 'Hawks couldn't get a goal in Waterloo's 2-0 loss to Omaha. The teams have split the first two games of the Clark Cup Finals, and will head to Waterloo for Game Three on Wednesday.

The Butler, in the library, with the deal?

On Sunday, Mike Chambers of the Denver Post speculated on the future of Pioneers junior rearguard, Chris Butler:

Two big question marks, and a smaller third one, exist with the Pios. One, will junior defenseman Chris Butler be back? DU’s best two-way player had a nice summer camp with the Buffalo Sabres last year and will probably have a tough decision to make. If he stays, he’ll be the WCHA’s top D-man and possible team captain. I talked to him briefly about it after Saturday’s 6-2 loss to the Badgers, and he didn’t say much — other than the loss could inspire him to come back and give it another shot. But once he’s offered a contract and the Sabres present a plan for him next season, certainly the sting of the season-ending loss will be history. My take: 70-30 he signs.

Chambers says 70/30 he signs. I'll say 89/11. Other than winning a college championship, which is a dangerous motivator for a player reknowned as a "team guy", there isn't a whole lot left for Butler to prove in the WCHA. Of course, completing his education has to be a primary goal, but that can always be done over the offseason. Developmentally, the St. Louis native is good to go as a professional hockey player. Andrej Sekera is certain to be on Buffalo's blueline next season, and it looks like Mike Weber is on the verge of joining him. With a twice-concussed Mike Card engaged in rehabilitation, and still-defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani showing chops best served as a left wing, Mike Funk and Mike Kostka could be the only defensive prospects under contract for the Sabres AHL affiliate in 2008-09. (The recently signed Kostka will attend training camp after leaving his Amerks ATO to finish his UMass coursework.) Enter Butler, 21, and perhaps even 2006 first-rounder Dennis Persson. Butler would obviously be an early signing, while the Sabres are inside of 60 days away from a decision on Persson. 2007 picks T.J. Brennan and Drew Schiestel both would benefit from another junior season, and as 19-year olds, would have to make the Sabres roster outright (unlikely) since they won't meet AHL age requirements. Harvard sophomore Alex Biega and St. Lawrence junior Matt Generous are expected to return to college, while '07 Drew MacKenzie hasn't even glanced at his first campus co-ed. SabresProspects is still keeping tabs on unsigned Miami D Mitch Ganzak, who recently completed his senior season with the Redhawks after attending Buffalo's prospect camp over the summer - the same camp that put Kostka on the radar.

3/14 Recap: Bye week good for Gerbe, Biega, Kennedy

In the opening game of their Hockey East quarterfinal series, Nathan Gerbe scored the final two Eagle goals as Boston College cruised past Providence, 5-1. Gerbe scored his 25th when a Benn Ferriero shot went wide, bouncing off the end boards to the waiting winger at the right side of the Friars cage. He later cemented the win by scoring his 26th on a crisp wrister with under seven minutes to play in the third. Gerbe's fellow junior, Andrew Orpik, returned to action from a shoulder injury, abandoning his usual RW spot to center the Eagles fourth line. Tim Kennedy potted his 19th goal and added an assist as Michigan State opened their playoff season with a 5-1 win over Northern Michigan. Kennedy's helper came on a cross-ice feed into Justin Abdelkader's wheelhouse, with the Red Wings prospect uncorking a one-timer for the game winning goal. Spartan freshman Corey Tropp skated on the fourth line, registering a shot on goal. Alex Biega had three assists as Harvard embarrassed Quinnipiac, 11-0. A week after Quinnipiac hung 14 on Brown, the Crimson scored more goals than they did in the entire month of November for their most lopsided win since 1993. Entering the WCHA tournament as the #3 seed, Denver met success in their opener at Magness with a 6-3 win over Duluth. Defenseman Chris Butler was even with three shots on goal for the Pios. After winning the decisive game three last weekend, Flames prospect Jimmy Spratt got the start for Bowling Green in their 4-1 loss to Miami in the CCHA playoffs. It is possible that 2007 pick Nick Eno gets the nod tonight as the Falcons look to even the series. In game two of the DEL play-in round, Felix Schutz was held scoreless as Ingolstadt fell to Hamburg in overtime, 5-4. Schutz took a minor penalty in the extra session, and Hamburg capitalized on the ensuing PP to even the series at 1-1. In the opener, Schutz assisted on the first Ingolstadt goal in their 5-3 win. The deciding game three will be played on Sunday. In the QMJHL, Jean-Simon Allard scored his 16th goal of the season on the power play, and T.J. Brennan added an assist as St. John's lost to Acadie-Bathurst, 5-3. The goal was Allard's first in 15 games, while Brennan's assist extends his current point streak to six games. Paul Byron was +2 with five shots on goal as Gatineau lost to Rouyn-Noranda, 7-4. The active center also blocked three of his team's eight shots in the loss. Benjamin Breault was -1 with four shots on goal as Baie-Comeau was downed by Chicoutimi, 4-2. The 5'11 center saw his nine-game point streak (10-9-19) end in the road loss. Drew Schiestel was -1 with a roughing double minor in Niagara's 5-2 win over the Majors. The contest evolved into a rough-and-tumble affair, and as it turns out, the two clubs will face each other in the first round of the OHL playoffs beginning next week. Niagara will close out the regular season on home ice Sunday versus Peterborough. Waterloo rearguard Drew MacKenzie picked up an assist in their 5-2 win over Omaha. In his first USHL season, the Vermont recruit now has 14 points, 84 PIM, and is +5 in 41 games. In AHL play, Rochester was shutout by Syracuse 3-0. And then there were six, as in the number of Sabres prospects left playing with the Amerks as injuries riddle the co-parent. With Andrej Sekera, Mike Weber, Mike Funk, and Patrick Kaleta all skating in the Sabres 7-1 trouncing of the Canes, the Amerks dressed just 16 players, including a shift for Marc-Andre Gragnani back to D from LW, in the loss. The Rundown: MacArthur- 3 SOG Mancari - 4 SOG, 2 PIM Hunter - 2 SOG, 2 PIM Zagrapan - 2 SOG, 2 PIM Gragnani - 1 SOG, -2 Dennis - DNP

3/7 Recap: Eno gets win; CHLers heating up

Freshman Nick Eno made his first career playoff start, stopping 20 shots in a 4-3 win over Lake Superior. With his Falcons off to a 3-0 lead in the second period, Eno was beaten by a blueline blast as he was screened by both his defensemen. Superior would later catch Eno while on a 5-3 power play to make it 3-2. The Falcons would get one back, only to have a shot beat Eno high glove side to cut Bowling Green's lead to 4-3 with six minutes remaining. A 2007 7th round pick, Eno was able to hold off a late flurry to earn his first NCAA post-season victory. Nathan Gerbe was -2 as Boston College continued their slide with a 3-2 loss to Northeastern. After scoring 36 points in his first 20 games (1.80 ppg), Gerbe has scored just 10 in points in 14 games since then (.71 ppg). Usually a leader in shots on goal, the feisty Oxford, MI native had just two on the night. Teams are guarding Gerbe differently, limiting his opportunities to get behind the defense while trying to keep him on the perimeter. LW Andrew Orpik remained out of the lineup with an injured left shoulder as the Eagles fell to 1-5-1 in their last seven games. Defenseman Matt Generous played solid defensively and added four shots on goal as St. Lawrence defeated Colgate, 5-2. The Saints jumped out to 4-0 a lead en route to taking the 1-0 series lead. Generous' defensive partner and goal leader among ECAC defensemen, Zack Miskovic, had a pair for SLU. Chris Butler went pointless with a team-best five shots on goal as Denver fell to Colorado College, 5-2. Butler missed a scoring opportunity late in the second, finding a goal post instead of the back of the net for the second straight week in the loss. With the victory, CC earns the MacNaughton Cup as WCHA champions, and the Gold Pan, played for annually between the two Colorado rivals. In the CHL, Drew Schiestel was +2 with another assist in Niagara's 5-2 win over Brampton. As the Dogs flex some muscle with the playoffs around the corner, Schiestel has been upping his game as well. He set up Luca Caputi's 50th goal of the season on his first shift of the game to give Niagara a 1-0 lead. The 2007 second-rounder now has points in his last five games (1-4-5), and eight in his last nine, all while being a minus player in just five of his past 30 games. T.J. Brennan continued his recent hot streak with another goal, his fifth in his last seven games, as St. John's toppled Lewiston, 2-1. The first-period goal against Jonathan Bernier, his 15th of the season, came five-hole on a 35-foot slapper and eventually proved to be the game winner. J.S. Allard was +1 with a team-best three blocked shots for the Fog Devils, and has just one point in his last seven games. Paul Byron picked up a goal and an assist in Gatineau's 6-5 overtime loss to Rimouski. The points jack up the center's season totals to 36 goals and 27 assists in 49 games. Benjamin Breault pocketed an assist in Baie-Comeau's 8-4 loss at Shawinigan. The helper runs Breault's point-streak to eight games (10-8-18) as the Drakkar maintain their standing as the top QMJHL club despite the loss. In the USHL, Drew MacKenzie was -1 on the Black Hawk blueline as streaking Waterloo upended last-place Des Moines, 3-1. The Hawks are 6-1 in their last seven games, and now occupy second place in the East Division. MacKenzie's 13 points are third on the team for defensemen, while his +2 is tied for second overall on the club. The Rochester Americans jumped out to an early 2-0 lead but surrendered three unanswered goals in a 3-2 loss to the Rampage. Amerks captain Clarke MacArthur scored a goal in his first AHL game since January 4th, while Mike Funk and Marek Zagrapan had assists in the loss. Marc-Andre Gragnani skated without a point, ending his season-best ten-game point streak. The Amerks played without Andrej Sekera who has been +2 in two games with the Sabres since his recall early in the week. The Rundown: MacArthur - goal, +1 Zagrapan - assist Funk - assist Gragnani - 2 SOG Mancari - 6 SOG Hunter - 1 SOG Weber - 1 SOG Dennis- DNP