No go for Breault

The Buffalo Sabres have informed 2006 7th round pick Benjamin Breault, 20, that he is not in their future plans. Without an offer from Buffalo, the Pembroke, Ontario native will likely return to the QMJHL next season where he has has scored 106 goals over the past three seasons with Baie-Comeau. Chosen 207th overall two years ago, the 5'11 center will re-enter the draft three weeks from now.

Sabres sign Enroth

Per the Sabres website, Jhonas Enroth has been signed to a three-year deal.

“We’re very happy to have Jhonas under contract,” said Regier. “He’s performed very well in Europe, and we look forward to his continued development as a member of our organization.” Enroth (6/25/1988, 5’10”, 175 lbs.) spent last season with Sodertalje SK of the Swedish Elite League, and led all goaltenders with a 2.13 GAA in 27 games. A finalist for the league’s Rookie of the Year award, Enroth finished the year with a record of 10-14-3, along with two shutouts and a .932 save percentage.

Per Enroth's wishes, the 2006 second-rounder should expect to start his North American playing days with the Sabres unannounced AHL affiliate (rumored to be Portland, ME).

USA Hockey rewards Gerbe

Congrats go out to Nathan Gerbe, whose 2007-08 season just got a little sweeter by being named National College Player of the Year by USA Hockey.

Gerbe recently signed a professional contract with the Buffalo Sabres.

He earned All-America first-team honors and was a runner-up for the Hobey Baker Award in 2007-08. He led all Division I scorers with 68 points -- 35 goals and 33 assists -- in 43 games.

Additionally, Gerbe captured NCAA Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player accolades after he registered eight points -- five goals and three assists - in victories over North Dakota (4/10) and Notre Dame (4/12) to lead Boston College to the national title.

Hockey world mourns loss of Bourdon

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Luc Bourdon, 21, was killed this morning in a motor vehicle accident.

“We are deeply saddened by today’s news and on behalf of the entire Vancouver Canucks organization, I would like to extend my sincere sympathies to Luc’s family,” said Canucks General Manager, Mike Gillis. “Luc was an extremely talented player with a bright future. He brought great passion to the game and was a valued team member on and off the ice. He will be greatly missed.”

SabresProspects is deeply saddened by the loss of this promising young man and prospect. We'd like to pass along our condolences to the Bourdon family and friends, as well as the entire Canucks organization and their fans.

Sabres hitting the Beach?

An "On The Fly" segment on the NHL Network this week had a mention of the Sabres trying to ship veteran winger Maxim Afinogenov to Vancouver as part of a deal that would land the Sabres the #10 pick in next month's draft. GM Darcy Regier spoke of Afinogenov's possible departure at his postseason press conference, and it seems that Canucks fans have always had an interest in the speedy Russian since the days of Pavel Bure. Already holding picks 13 and 26 (from San Jose), the Sabres could have three first round picks in one of the deeper drafts this decade. The Sabres rumored target with that #10 pick? Kyle Beach, the 6'3, 208-pound forward from Everett of the WHL. A player who goes hard to the net, Beach brings a powerful mix of skill and physical play that could allow him to immediately jump to the professional ranks. He'd likely be gone by the time the 13th selection rolls around. While piling up points and PIMs (27-33-60 222 PIM in 60 GP), his style also contributed to two concussions (from fists) and a fractured orbital bone (from a puck) in a span between December and March. Character issues have been raised in the past, but the impact forward could thrive given time to mature with the right organization. Is he really a gamble? There's no question that his tools would be a welcome addition to the Sabres pipeline.

'Cats coach expects MacKenzie to contribute

Today's Burlington Free Press served an update on the University of Vermont's incoming freshmen class. A 7th round pick in 2007, Drew MacKenzie gets to exchange his red and black of Waterloo this fall for the Catamounts' green and gold.

Joining Madore and Marshall as the freshmen expected to make immediate contributions is defenseman Drew MacKenzie, a 6-foot-2, 200-pounder who helped the Waterloo Blackhawks reach the USHL championship round. “He was quietly one of the best defensemen in the USHL,” Sneddon said of the seventh-round Buffalo Sabres draft pick. “He’s got offensive ability; he’s tough, very good defensively and very, very steady. We expect Drew to step into the lineup right away.” MacKenzie collected four goals and 18 points with a plus-7 rating. He added six assists in the playoffs.

Kennedy given "A"; Comley expects him gone

This week, Rick Comley named Tim Kennedy as an alternate captain for the 2008-09 edition of his Michigan State Spartans. However, the coach did throw a little barb out there regarding Kennedy's future.

Although he was named an alternate captain, Kennedy’s future with the Spartans is uncertain. Comley expects the forward to complete a deal with the Buffalo Sabres in the near future. “I can’t imagine they aren’t going to come to their senses and give him what he deserves,” Comley said. “But if he returned he might be the best player in the country.” If Kennedy leaves, Comley will name another alternate captain.

It appears that Kennedy wants to turn pro, but the haggling point is still the AHL level salary that he would earn. Stay tuned as this story develops. While not being subject to losing his rights until next offseason, the Sabres can exercise patience and time as assets, or they can use the intriguing commodity to sweeten a pending deal to address other needs if there's a hint of acrimony. Kennedy is in that left wing pool with names like Vanek, Hecht, Paille, MacArthur, and Hunter, while Gragnani, Gogulla, and Gerbe could also be tabbed to skate down that side.

Season done for Byron

Paul Byron's season came to an end Tuesday, as Gatineau was bounced out of the Memorial Cup with a 3-1 loss to Spokane. The game's #3 star, Byron became more impressive as the game wore on, using his outside speed to generate chances for les Olympiques. The club was gassed though, and Spokane played a simple game to seal the win as they head into the finals. Going 0-3 in Kitchener, injury riddled Gatineau became the first QMJHL team to go winless in a Memorial Cup since Acadie-Bathurst in 1999 in Ottawa. Even though Byron wasn't the scoring machine that he had been in previous weeks, his determined performance gained him a national mention in The Hockey News.

10. Paul Byron, C – Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL): The speedy Byron has shown off his gifts at the Cup so far after finishing second in the Quebec League’s playoff scoring with 32 points in 19 games. Drafted 179th overall by Buffalo in 2007.

Byron with a helper in Gatineau loss

At the Memorial Cup in Kitchener, Paul Byron picked up an assist in Gatineau's 6-3 loss to Belleville. The 5'10 Byron spotted an open Claude Giroux to tie the game at 3-3 midway through the second period, but that was all the exciting pair could muster as Gatineau fell to 0-2 at the gathering of the the CHL's best. Byron has registered an assist in each of the tourney losses.

Giroux, who played two games for the Philadelphia Flyers in February, scored his first of the tournament at 9:35 of the second period. Quick-handed Paul Byron sent a pass through the top of the crease and Giroux deflected the puck low on Murphy's glove hand.

The Bulls held their ground in the deciding frame, wearing down les Olympiques with three goals in the final 7:00 of play to pick up their first Memorial Cup victory. Gatineau will look to get their first win tomorrow when they square off against WHL representatives, Spokane.

Byron and Giroux to be reunited?

It looks like Gatineau Coach Benoit Groulx is ready to break his initial strategy, and again pair up his dual speedsters, Paul Byron and Claude Giroux, for the club's Mem Cup match-up with Belleville on Monday.

Olympiques coach Benoit Groulx, who split up Giroux and speedy centre Paul Byron during Friday's contest, says he will probably put them back together against Belleville. Whatever Groulx decides to do, he expects his front-line players to be better than they were against Kitchener. "It's not done yet, but chances are pretty high they will be playing together," Groulx said. "We addressed the situation with (Giroux and Byron). In a tournament like this, they brought us here, we're not going to start to point the finger at them. But we know it, they know it: they have to be our top guys on the ice if we hope to win this, and we're confident that they got their bad game out of their system."

It's hard to imagine why the coach would split up the deadly duo in their game one loss. Entering Kitchener, Byron and Giroux had combined for 83 points in their 19-game QMJHL title run, while three others averaged over a point-per-game. Byron would end the article with a quote that should please most Sabres fans.

Groulx said Sunday's practice was a good, intense session. Now it's time to face the Bulls. "They have a strong team and a very good goalie. They have their strengths, we have ours. The most important thing for us (tonight) is to start the game on the right foot." Byron, who scored one goal against the Rangers but had a plus/minus mark of minus-one, knows he must be one of those strengths. "If you can't handle the pressure, you shouldn't be here," Byron said.