Sabres announce Traverse City roster

The Sabres today announced their roster for the Traverse City Prospects Tourney that will take place September 10-14 in Traverse City, Michigan. The Sabres will pit their group of hopefuls against sqauds representing the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues.

The 25-man roster, which includes 20 former draft picks, is comprised mainly of CHL and AHL hopefuls. Players competing in the NCAA ranks will not participate as NHL training camps occur during fall semester (and the fact that the players would have to pay their own way to avoid violation of NCAA rules).

The Sabres will be bringing a full boat of 15 forwards, eight defensemen, and two goalies. There aren't many surprises on the list (other than the omission of Colin Jacobs, who was suffered an undisclosed injury at d-camp).

The Sabres will continue their looks at three free agents who skated in Development Camp this past July (Beyers, Parker, Varone), while former Yale goaltender Ryan Rondeau rounds out the list of unattached properties skating in blue and gold. As of now, Jonathan Parker is the only known invite to Rochester's training camp. He along with Varone will be age eligible to skate in the AHL this season while Beyers is still a year away.

Catenacci off to Owen Sound

The Daniel Catenacci  trade saga came to an end Wednesday as the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds traded the talented center to the defending OHL champion Owen Sound Attack for Andrew Fritsch and a second round draft pick.

The prelude to the deal has been discussed plenty in this space, but do check 97.7 The Beach for audio of Attack GM Dale DeGray speaking about his acquisition. For those without speakers, the Sun Times coverage offers some nice quotes. It's clear that Catenacci will have every chance to make some noise in Owen Sound.

"I'm looking at Daniel Catenacci as potentially being one of the top players in the league," said DeGray.
"He's got speed, he's got skill, and he competes hard. I'm happier to have him playing for us than against us."

But Catenacci was disappointed after being taken in the third round of the National Hockey League entry draft by Buffalo in June and he asked the Soo for a trade.

"I think we're going to be the beneficiary of that," said DeGray. "I've been told Daniel has a bit of a bee in his bonnet. He's got things to prove to people and to the NHL."

It's remarkably similar to what Owen Sound went through with centre Steven Shipley who was also disappointed after being drafted by the Sabres.

"It's a lot like the Shipley deal that we had to go through last year," said DeGray.

"Is he a bad kid? No he's not a bad kid. Does he just want a change? Yes, for whatever reason."

Catenacci will report to Owen Sound for the start of training camp on Wednesday, August 31st.

Catenacci convo continues

If Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds GM Kyle Dubas isn't feeling the heat from the Dan Catenacci trade demand now, wait until next week when training camp begins. After all, what could have been a quiet late-summer stroll into the season has instead become a mini-pressure cooker with the Sault Star water cooler serving as the epicenter.

After reading Peter Ruicci's take last week, two more unique opinions appeared in the paper's pages. First, Bill Montague chimes in with a piece critical of the Hounds for not being ahead of the curve in keeping their leading scorer satisfied.

By losing Catenacci, the Hounds have taken a huge step backwards and Dubas should have done everything possible to make sure this situation did not unfold as it did.

He should have been aware there were problems. He should have been in constant communication with the Catenaccis. And, whether you believe it or not, he should have coddled them, told them what they wanted to hear, if that's what it would have taken to ensure Catenacci's happiness in the Sault.

Like a love relationship, a player has to feel wanted or he goes elsewhere.

Dubas himself said Catenacci could one day become the leading scorer in the league so why wouldn't you do everything possible to keep him here.

Montague continues to make his point, lauding the skilled Catenacci as a hard-working player (albeit with imperfections) who will be tough to replace.

And what did Catenacci mean to the Hounds?

How about a potential 100 point season this season and next. How about a guy who probably worked harder than any other player, game in and game out.

This kid, while undisciplined at times, was by far the team's hardest worker. He seldom took a shift off. He played with sustained intensity. He's as competitive as they come and he has the kind of nasty streak you want in a player.

There's no question that his perceived arrogance may have rubbed some the wrong way, including many of his teammates but nobody can question his work ethic on the ice.

Not everyone is looking to shift their angst from Catenacci towards the Hounds though, as clearly evidenced by Doug Millroy's article titled "Hounds fans don't need a player who doesn't want to be here". I think you have an idea how this one goes.

Actually, it would be nice if we knew what was behind Catenacci's apparently "serious beefs" with the Greyhounds, but as we don't, we are left to speculate.

It may be an ego thing, the Sault not being big enough for him.

It may be that he wasn't accorded the same adulation as some of his teammates such as Cousins and Sproul, possibly not realizing that such adulation is won, not just given.

It may be that he is upset because where he touted himself as being a possible first-rounder in the NHL draft, he didn't go until the third round and this was behind Sproul and Cousins.

It may be because he got short shrift at the Under-18 championship, mostly riding the bench while Cousins got regular ice-time.

It couldn't be for lack of ice time here because he got more than anyone on the team and probably more than he deserved, considering the number of dumb penalties he took. I doubt his new coach, whomever he may be, will be as generous and lenient.

Anyway, who gives a damn what the reason is?

Jeepers. Let's end this and move on.

Sutch on the move; Harsh words for the Cat

While one Sabres prospect, Daniel Catenacci, awaits a trade out of Sault Ste. Marie, another pipeline forward out of the OHL was actually moved Thursday as Gregg Sutch has been dealt by the Mississauga-St. Michael's Majors to the Barrie Colts for a package of draft picks. The deal is awaiting league approval based on a conditional pick relative to Sutch playing an overage year. (EDIT: the deal has been approved.)

Sutch, who last season posted career highs with a line of 8-20-28 +20 79 PIM, joins another Sabres fifth-rounder, Alex Lepkowski ('11), on the Colts roster. A broken wrist suffered during the Memorial Cup kept Sutch out of scrimmages at last month's development camp, but he's expected to be fully healed when Barrie opens camp at the end of the month.

More on Sutch's 2010-11 campaign from the Spring prospect rankings:

The 6'2 forward upped his production this past season as a member of the loaded Memorial Cup hosts, but he'll never be considered an "offensive" player. Sutch, who was instead drafted for his ability to work and hit, is a penetrating grinder who makes his mark with an intense forecheck and strong cycle work. He's solid on his skates and does a good job using his body to protect the puck.

After showing improvement in the first half of the year, Sutch experienced a slow reset from a January concussion that served as the first sign of a developmental flatline. As the Majors were getting greased for the deep playoff year, Sutch shuffled in and out of the lineup before eventually fading into a pressbox mainstay. Not a particularly good sign after the previous year saw him miss time due to an ankle sprain, staph infection, and separated shoulder.

Sutch, who naturally has his head up at all times due to his severe hearing impairment, will return to the OHL in 2011-12 where he'll look to a) stay healthy, and b) get back on plan with his pesky, power forward game that made him the 11^th overall pick in the 2008 bantam draft. He's persevered through every level of hockey, making him one to root for as his career plays out.

Sutch is expected to add size and experience to a Colts club that will see the return of its top three scorers from year ago. One of those weapons, Steven Beyers, attended the Sabres development camp after a 65-point effort in 2010-11 and will likely get the benefit of an extended audition now that the Sabres scouting staff will keeping tabs in Barrie for Sutch's decision year.

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While Catenacci plans his sit-out, Sault Star columnist Peter Ruicci stirred it up with his pen this week, claiming that he's looking forward to two days this season: the Hounds opener and the day Catenacci is traded. While it's still unclear what exactly is driving the demand of out Soo, the article does shed a little light on the issue.

It has nothing to do with ice time," he said when asked.

Peppered with more questions, Maurice added: "It's a great organization, we love the people of Sault Ste. Marie and Daniel loves his teammates. We're grateful for the two years we've had up there, but sometimes these things happen in sports."

Again asked about specific reasons for seeking a trade, Maurice politely said he'd "prefer not to comment further at this time" and, he added, "Daniel prefers not to comment."

Dubas won't say anything either. For now.

Ferris, reached Wednesday, also refused comment. He wouldn't even confirm it was the Catenacci camp that asked for a trade.

That's despite the fact Ferris said on Aug. 13 the concerns he and the Catenaccis had "were of a serious nature. They couldn't be resolved and I guess that's why we're where we are today."

So we have Catenacci's father speaking positively about the organization and the agent saying that the concerns are near dire.

According to sources close to the star player, Daniel Catenacci's been telling his Greyhounds teammates the trade request "wasn't his decision."

Whether he means someone (his agent or father) helped convince him seeking a deal was the right way to go, or whether he's trying to suggest it was the Hounds who made the decision to trade him, is unknown.

One thing not mentioned in the article is that former NHLPA player agent Kyle Dubas, 25, became the youngest GM in CHL history this offseason - a situation the Catenacci camp may not be excited to be a part of.

It can't be the distance thing, right? While the drive from Catenacci's Newmarket home to Sault Ste. Marie is over eight hours long, it's hard to imagine that'd be something of "serious nature" (barring personal family matters of course).

Luicci continues:

What I do know is this: With teammates Ryan Sproul and Nick Cousins selected before him, Catenacci slipped into the third round of the NHL draft, taken 77th overall by the Buffalo Sabres.

That's after telling me in a pre-draft interview he believed, based on what Ferris was telling him, he'd be a first-round choice.

It had to be a huge disappointment for a kid with a lot of pride.

Two NHL scouts I spoke to after the draft blamed Catenacci's fall on ego and poor attitude, traits they say he exhibited at the IIHF Under-18 championships in Germany.

I expect Cateancci to be dealt right before the season revs up. The Greyhounds will want to rid themselves of the distraction, and it's possible the Sabres could apply some heat on both sides to get their property on the ice. With little leverage and unquestionable aspirations to someday be in the NHL, neither Dubas or Catenacci should be looking to gain a rep with one of a possible thirty future employers.

Trio tunes up as national camps conclude

Edmonton Oil Kings captain Mark Pysyk recently skated among a pack of 17 defensemen looking to make a good first impression as Canada's National Junior Development Camp came and went last week in Alberta. The camp roster, which also included 2010 third-rounder Jerome Gauthier-Leduc, played a pair of competitive scrimmages to begin their World Junior Championship quest and ramp-up their games for the coming season.

The Edmonton Sun's Cult of Hockey recently caught up with Pysyk at camp's conclusion. The 6'1, 187 pounder answered a few questions with an Edmonton flavor, including a brief discussion about the Oilers' 2011 first-rounder, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

CoH: You and Keegan [Lowe] were hard-matched against Nugent-Hopkins quite a bit last year. What are the challenges of playing against him?

MP: If you try to be physical against him he slips around you. If you give him too much space he’ll make you look stupid. If you give him the shot he’ll take it and score. If you don’t give him the shot he’ll pass it around you. He’s just an all-around good player, and you need to play him tight but you still have to respect his speed and his ability to shoot the puck.

CoH: Does he draw you in or does he back you up with his range of possibilities?

MP: He tends to draw people in and then pass the puck around them to the open guy. He’s pretty tough to play against. Hopefully he makes the Oilers so that will make our life a little bit easier with the Oil Kings, and maybe we’ll come to some Oiler games and see what he can do.

Pysyk, who skated as member of Team Red alongside Memorial Cup standout Nathan Beaulieu, is clearly in the mix for a top-six position when the tourney comes to Alberta this winter. After being among the final cuts for the 2011 squad last winter, his skating ability, smarts, and experience should give him a leg up assuming a healthy first-half. We're going to read many articles in the next two months about the possibility of an extended stay in camp and even a nine-game look, but that's hard to envision given the depth in front of him.

The offensive-minded Gauther-Leduc manned a blueline post for Team White with Pysyk's close pal, Joe Morrow of the Portland Winterhawks. The reigning #2 scorer among QMJHL defenders did not register a point in the scrimmages, but could command a selection camp invite with strong fall in Rimouski.

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As Canada's camp came to a close, another opened nearly 2,000 miles away as Team USA hosted Sweden and Finland for the National Development Camp in Lake Placid, NY. The Sabres top pick this past June, RW Joel Armia, scored a goal and three assists in four games for the Finnish squad - all losses.

Armia was the subject of a NHL.com piece after playing for the first time in front of the entire Sabres front office. Finland was pummeled by Sweden, 8-1, and while Armia didn't seem too excited about his performance ("I think I played the worst game I've ever played"), the Sabres brass seemed to think otherwise.

"After the first game here (Monday) I think it was fairly evident the hands he's got and his shot," Sabres Director of Pro Scouting Jon Christiano told NHL.com. "You don't question some of his offensive instincts and offensive skills from the blue line in. He made a real nice play setting up their first goal. He had a great chance where he blew down the left wing and deked (U.S. defenseman Justin) Holl and pounded the puck wide. Kind of like that. He's filling into his body a little bit, that's expected; he's still a young kid. On the offensive end of things, you have to like the natural skill."

"I thought at times he was good," added Regier. "I like his skating ability, his skill. Obviously it was a tough night, but we like his total package and his ability to score."

Armia's excellent hands were on display Thursday when he he netted his lone goal of the tourney with a nice release off an odd-man rush. As far as video of those hands, check out the clip below where he makes two nice plays to get Finland on the board in their Friday contest versus Sweden.



There's work to be done, but for now his future looks bright as a developing trigger man. The 6'3, 192-pounder will remain in Finland this season and is all but guaranteed a spot on their World Junior entry. 

Catenacci wants out of Soo

Reports out of Sault Ste. Marie are stating that Greyhounds center Daniel Catenacci, the Sabres third-round pick this past June, requested a trade in July and is unlikely to report to the OHL club's camp.

Hounds general manager Kyle Dubas confirmed Thursday night the 18-year-old centre has made it clear through his agent that he won't return for another season.

Any parting of the ways won't exactly be Hounds driven, Dubas said.

"We have not initiated any trade scenarios or situations with this player," the rookie GM said. "There's always a possibility (we would trade Catenacci), and the truth of the matter is, in this regard, is that this player has requested to be traded."

Dubas said he has yet to receive any serious offers for Catenacci and reiterated he won't trade the player unless he gets fair equity in return. He would not elaborate on why Catenacci wants out of the Sault, choosing instead to say that's something the Catenacci camp will have to divulge.

Neither Catenacci nor his agent, Darren Ferris of the Orr Hockey Group, could be reached for comment Thursday night.

And so for the second straight summer, a Sabres mid-round pick out of the OHL is requesting a change of scenery. Last August, Steven Shipley staged a brief holdout from Owen Sound Attack camp before finally reporting, hurting his hand in a scrimmage scrap, and eventually getting dealt to Niagara before the start of the regular season. The move did very little developmentally for the 6'3, 212-pound center, as Shipley posted 20% fewer points with the IceDogs than he did the previous year with the Attack (50 in 2010-11, 63 in 2009-10).

It remains to be seen when and where Catenacci is dealt, but there's no question that his speed and skill make him a player that many teams would be interested in acquiring. By the sounds of it, the Hounds are ready to move on while the 5'10 pivot sits and waits.

Dubas said the Catenacci issue has not been a distraction to neither he nor his players, adding little time was wasted dealing with the matter once it arose.

"We put it out there to teams, confidentially, that we'd accept offers for him," Dubas said. "We've got a lot of draft picks, a lot of players coming back. Once a team gives us the best possible deal, then we'll make it."

So where will Catenacci land? Could he inch his way closer to Buffalo if IceDogs forward Ryan Strome sticks with the Islanders? We'll keep an eye on this in the coming weeks...

Tropp pots hatty in d-camp finale

The Sabres 2011 Development Camp closed Sunday with Grey defeating White in a shootout, 5-4. Players gassed. Lots of guys to process. Let's go.

Corey Tropp paced the Greys with a hat trick. Luke Adam added a single for the winning side, while Riley Boychuk, Phil Varone, Brad Navin, and Steven Beyers struck for Team White.

1st period: no scoring

2nd period:
White: Boychuk edge of crease, pushes puck under Houser (1-0)
White: Varone knocks in rebound of Lagace shot (2-0)
Grey: Tropp takes Bailen feed, goes five hole (2-1)
Grey: Crawford shoots puck, hits Tropp in front and gets in net (2-2)
Grey: Adam takes deflected pass down wing and drills wrister (3-2)
White: Navin in front, finishes Beyers rebound (3-3)

3rd period:
White: Beyers converts rush off a turnover (4-3)
Grey: Tropp topples over Lagace to left of Knapp, buries hat trick

In the shootout, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc (glove side), Adam (five hole), and Jokinen (glove-side wrister) scored for Grey while Boychuk (wrister through Eno's glove) and Marcus Foligno (low slapper) hit for White.

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For the second straight day, Tropp played 'Sabres hockey' with his mixture of skill and toughness. The six-footer, who started the day with a hard take-out of Drew MacKenzie, pressured the puck and consistently battled around the net. When the pesky guy produces, he becomes a target. After notching all three goals from the low-slot area, he and Fienhage had a brief jousting match before being separated by Foligno - who of course gave an extra shove to Tropp. Fatigued in the third, Tropp showed good speed getting back after a neutral zone turnover, but couldn't D-up as Beyers finished the play.

Tropp can attest that Foligno again played "big" for Team White as the Sudbury product came across and wiped out the former Spartan with a solid open ice hit near center ice. Foligno was also a major net presence for the second straight day. He's going to be a beast with a couple years of seasoning, but that doesn't mean he won't see the NHL before Zack Kassian because right now it's anyone's ballgame.

Kassian didn't get a whole lot going Sunday in the lighter camp environment. This isn't to say that he had a poor outing or was too casual (he wasn't), but rather a suggestion that he'll be more inspired and motivated (and have more opportunities to become angry) when the live bullets fly this fall. If I'm the Sabres, I keep him down for as long as possible. See if he's ready to work for it. If he's properly motivated, he should be foaming at the mouth when he makes his NHL debut.

Steven Beyers was perhaps the greatest weekend revelation with his speed and finishing ability. When a White goal was scored, you seemed to be looking for his number on the ice. Beyers has very light feet, making the camp invite an excellent wheel always looking to get it and go. He consistently gained separation to get shots off (though on his best 2x1 chance he missed badly) and showed that he has an intelligent defensive stick as well. Very likable player who I'd fully be on board with the Sabres investigating further.

Jacob Lagace continued the year-over-year improvement that began after his month-long ECHL stint. He's skating harder in all three zones with quicker starts and better routes, and was more aggressive in taking the puck to the post. He was instrumental in White's second goal when he made a sharp cut without the puck, swatting a rebound of a Beyers shot before Varone potted the the third attempt. Lagace's surge scrambled the D, allowing Varone the opportunity to cash. Later in the third, Lagace again turned on the jets in the neutral zone, barking for the puck before shooting in alone down the right side for a solid scoring chance. If his intensity carries into winter, Lagace could easily ascend the next rankings.

An improved Justin Jokinen provided good jump to the Grey offense. He was regularly getting into scoring position while showed excellent speed and stickhandling skills in open ice. He looks ready entering his senior WCHA season.

No comments required for Adam and Ennis. They're AHL rookies of the year. We know what they can do...

As far as vet blueliners go, Grey's Alex Biega and White's T.J. Brennan kept a good pace as expected. Just like the Saturday scrimmage, both made good outlet passes and came out on top of most of their one-on-one battles.

Nick Crawford stayed within his usual two-way range as well. Nothing heavy on the checking side. Just good use of his stick and strong support up ice. He may have been the only Grey defender to not skate the puck deep in the 4x4 portion of the third period. He stepped into a point-blank slapper that was gloved by Cullen early, and later flipped the puck towards Tropp that resulted in Grey's second goal.

Alex Lepkowski may have executed with higher levels of confidence and physical play than Brayden McNabb did in his first d-camp back in 2009. His willingness to get involved offensively continued with an early chip-and-charge before stepping up for a give-and-go. He and Corey Fienhage felt pressure from the Grey forwards over the course of the weekend, but they acquitted themselves using their size and athleticism. Broad shouldered and mobile in his 6'4, 210+ pound frame, Lepkowski has the makings of becoming a dominant OHL blueliner.

Fienhage played his simple stay-at-home role. He could afford to keep working on his puck skills, but overall showed his rugged style while not shying away from going down on one knee to block a shot.

Kevin Sundher started well, winning a draw and nearly finishing a 2x1 with Foligno in the opening minute. Some Roy-ish elements in play here. He didn't factor into the scoring, but his play away from the puck has improved since the beginning last season. Victoria coach Marc Habscheid needs to keep riding him to come back hard (and maybe even shoot the puck more) in his final year of junior to make him a more complete two-way player.

Just as described pre-camp, Phil Varone was a calm, patient player with solid edgework and a propensity to dish the puck. I like his head for the game at both ends and think that with additional strength he could be an effective pivot to fill the gap in Rochester left by Paul Byron's departure to Calgary.

Varone's teammate last season in Erie, Shawn Szydlowski, is already slated for Rochester next year. Szydlowski looks ready to go, using his body to protect the puck while generating good momentum in the offensive zone. The line of he, Varone, and Boychuk combined for the game's first goal.

Riley Boychuk did what he does best, and that's use his huge frame to produce board-rattling hits and traffic near the paint. Early on he corralled a feed in stride and quickly made a drop pass between the dots to give Geordie Wudrick a quality opportunity. Boychuk, who looks ready to bring his physical style to the AHL, scored the game's first goal in true power-forward fashion by planting himself firmly as a screen and pushing the loose puck into the net.

Camp invite Wudrick held up alright among White's forward grouping. He kept his forecheck going as the up-and-down pace picked up in the third but didn't collect anything down low all weekend like he was accustomed to in the WHL this past season.

There's nothing enlightening to report about Brayden McNabb or Mark Pysyk that already hasn't been written in this space. No glaring errors for either. Both stayed back in classic defenseman mode until McNabb joined the late Grey 4x4 surge when he skated through a seam in the middle and clanged one off the pipe behind Knapp.

I'll stick with the Kris Letang ceiling (specifically the confident, defensively-sound Letang from the first half of 2010-11) when it comes to Jerome Gauthier-Leduc. He can leg it out of trouble, makes a clean first pass, and loves to shoot. He doesn't have the flow hanging off the back of his helmet, but his instincts in both ends put him on par with the Pens PP ace.

Canadian spectators were briefly treated to a MacKenzie-MacKenzie defensive pairing. Thankfully their shifts were less adventurous than Bob and Doug's at the Elsinore Brewery. The American, Drew, showed his offensive skills by looking to advance the puck through the neutral zone. Canadian Matt played safe at both ends, providing a couple shots on net while making a physical statement with a hard thump on Jokinen just inside the blueline.

Aside from Beyers, Navin was the only player to score in both scrimmages (both of Navin's goals were rebounds of Beyers shots right in front of the net). Solid frame with a good handle and decent gallop. He should be an excellent WCHA player in the sense that he's hard to knock off the puck.

Christian Isackson was sharp while taking turns between the various wing combos thrown at him. Heady player, good balance, looks more developed physically. Made some nice passes in the neutral zone to set Tropp and Ennis off early.

Camp invite Jonathan Parker is a competitor. He wasn't afraid to enter the middle to make plays, but he was challenged by thicker bodies and longer sticks that made it tough to get shots off in tight spaces. On one shift, he atoned for a neutral zone turnover that nearly resulted in a Justin Jokinen goal by pressuring the puck and getting to Foligno in front. Pretty responsible player and good puckhandler who would be more effective with an extra step.

Mark Adams was one of the Grey defenders who found Boychuk tough to handle from the corners in. Like most of the Grey blueliners, Adams became more aggressive offensively in the third period in an effort to get the win. One such occasion saw him put on the recovery afterburners to successfully break up a Beyers rush. Adams ended the season strong and should only improve as a young, progressive-mind Nate Leaman is set to take over the Friars bench.

John McCarron brought a power game and good defensive skills. The 6'4 wing knocked Pysyk off the puck early on as the first-rounder attempted to skate it out of his zone. McCarron, who gets around ok for a big guy, will produce at collegiate level by combining his big body with hard work.

After a giveaway on Foligno's goal Saturday, Nick Bailen was quick to flash his offensive talent by creating Grey's first scoring chance of the game with a fast pass down low to Jokinen. The RPI junior packs leverage in his sub-six-foot frame as evidenced by his Mike Weber-like hit on White's Navin as the future Badger carried the puck into the zone.

Steven Shipley looked a little slower than the pack, often finding himself behind the action on the backcheck. He began the day between Ennis and Tropp, and later floated out to wing with Isackson and Kassian. Shipley needed to stand out more for me to get on board heading into next season. Less watching, more engagement.

Cedrick Henley disappeared late. Nothing stood out to me as his lines struggled to get sustain any pressure early. I was looking for him in the third period, but don't recall seeing him get any shifts.

Matt Zarbo was efficient as a camp invite centering draft picks Tropp/Ennis and Henley/Jokinen. Nothing flashy, looked to get the puck deep. He'll definitely benefit from the camp experience when he returns to Clarkson for his sophomore year.

Real quick goalie cruise: Connor Knapp held up well as Grey applied lots of late heat. Still needs to get quicker but looked good while playing deeper in his crease....John Cullen was solid as the White starter, challenging shooters and making sure he saw the pucks coming in....Grey starter Michael Houser looked less overwhelmed than he did on Saturday. He made some tough stops in the first while dealing with traffic....Nick Eno relieved Houser. A couple juicy rebounds but nothing out of the ordinary from the ECHL-bound 'keeper.

Have a fantastic July. We'll see you in August for Canada's U20 Development Camp.

White takes opening d-camp scrimmage

One would think that a team scrimmaging with a line of Luke Adam, Tyler Ennis, and Zack Kassian would have a distinct advantage over their opponent, but such wasn't the case Saturday as Team White cruised to a 5-2 win over Team Blue in the first of two weekend shinnies at the Sabres d-camp.

Team White, who iced 11 forwards to Blue's nine, matched the other side's NHL experience with the camp's top netminder, Connor Knapp. A veteran of his fifth d-camp, Nick Eno got the start for Blue. Each team had three defensive pairs.

After a scoreless first period, camp invite Steven Beyers of the Barrie Colts broke the seal at 7:40 of the middle frame by beating Blue keeper Nick Eno off an excellent cross-ice feed from Marcus Foligno.

The team's switched goalies at that point, with John Cullen relieving Knapp and Michael Houser of the London Knights taking over for Eno. 

Nearly two minutes later, a darting Ennis converted off a rush similar to the Beyers' tally to knot the game at a goal apiece. Alex Biega sent the puck up the left wing to Kassian, who entered the zone and calmly zipped a pass for Ennis to bury.

White would take a 2-1 lead when Brad Navin quickly tapped in a rebound of a Beyers slapper. The goal, which would stand up as the game winner, started with an excellent board-pass all the way down the right side that sprung Beyers for a clear shot on net.

Cullen was later stepped up with a glove save on a Corey Tropp penalty shot to keep it a 2-1 score into the second intermission.

The physical pace, which began a minute into the game when Beyers collided with RPI's Nick Bailen, started the pick up in the third. Alex Lepkowski and Adam came together for a nice bump just inside the blueline while Riley Boychuk put a good lick on Nick Crawford along the boards. Kassian showed some competitive juice and perhaps a touch of scoreboard frustration with an extra shove to White wing Jonathan Parker.

While the hits kept coming, White kept scoring as Foligno scored a "typical Marcus Foligno goal" by entering the crease to jam the puck under Houser to give White a 3-1 lead.

White kept going in a four-on-four as Brennan corralled a rebound and picked a corner to make it 4-1. The play began when Phil Varone made a nice backhand feed from the right wing back to Matt MacKenzie at the blueline. MacKenzie's wrister hit a defender in front of Houser, but an alert Brennan came down from the left point to finish the play.

White hung one last goal with :16 seconds to play when Drew MacKenzie's centering pass from the left corner made it's way into the Blue cage. Teammate Matt Zarbo was battling Brayden McNabb at the top of the crease as the puck trickled past Houser.

Blue's John McCarron was credited with a goal with one second left on the clock when he beat Cullen from a tough angle.

Dan Catenacci and Colin Jacobs did not play, while Drew Schiestel, Gregg Sutch, and Nathan Lieuwen also sat out to avoid contact while continuing to recover from recent surgeries.

***

The most exciting play of the game happened before there were any goals. Early in the second period, Alex Lepkowski made a soft dump into the Blue zone. A chasing Kevin Sundher was tripped by Mark Adams on the way in, causing the center to collide with Eno behind the net before the goalie got up and shot back to the net to make a diving stop to the delight of the packed bleachers.

Usual scrimmage line juggling was in place, and the permutations seemed endless for Sundher. The six footer, who showed hints of creativity with his various sets of wings, centered combinations of Beyers/Lagace, Foligno/Beyers, Foligno/Parker.....Other White lines of note were Varone between Foligno and Parker, Varone with Szydlowski and Boychuk, Navin between Beyers and Lagace, and Navin with Beyers and Geordie Wudrick. Wudrick and Matt Zarbo also saw time with to complete the d-camp speed dating seminar...

Corey Tropp played well skating on Blue's "second line" with Steven Shipley and Cedrick Henley. As a whole the unit would have liked to have produced more offensively, but Tropp made some nice, hard take-outs on the wall and looked good getting up and down the ice in a two-way manner....

The Blue attack was rounded out with Christian Isackson, who missed a first period penalty shot, with McCarron and Justin Jokinen. McCarron, who played well but is probably a cut below Varone and Beyers among the invites, looks like a big-bodied two-way guy who should do well in the ECAC.

Lepkowski showed his all-around tools and range throughout. We know he can pass the puck well and likes to hit, but he has aggressive offensive traits as well as evidenced by his first period bull-rush to the edge of Eno's crease. Lepkowski and partner Corey Fienhage were on the for the only goal let in by White.

T.J. Brennan, who made one of the simpler yet most effective defensive plays of the scrimmage by using his stick to break-up a 2x1, played like a veteran throughout while paired with 2009 third-rounder Matt MacKenzie....Mark Pysyk was comfortable and in command on the White blueline alongside Drew MacKenzie. Much has been said about his skating, but his first two-steps with the puck look even quicker than they did at the mid-way point of 2010-11.

Pysyk's teammate in the upcoming Canada U20 camp, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc looked stronger and more composed while manning Blue's #2 pair with McNabb. Defending a first-period 2x1 in textbook form, the 18-year old held firm before taking away the pass and leaving Eno one-on-one with the shooter....The pair of Alex Biega and Nick Crawford spent the majority of their time with the Ennis-Adam-Kassian trio for Team Blue....Bailen and Mark Adams comprised their #3 pair.

Riley Boychuk's physical game is AHL-ready. As per all previous reports, he was strong on the boards, able to get to the front of the net, and aware defensively.....Fellow 6'5 draft-mate Henley looked a little slower out of the gates. Perhaps his conditioning is still coming around after missing most of last season due to injury.

The game ended with a five-round shootout. Ennis razzled and dazzled with a nice goal against Cullen, while Foligno and Biega also scored...Kassian missed on his trademark wide forward to backhand deke.

More in-depth player analysis to come after scrimmage #2.

Local product Cullen to camp with Sabres

John Cullen, a veteran OHL goaltender and native of Hamburg, NY, has been invited to participate in the Sabres 2011 Summer Development Camp.

Cullen, 20, recently completed his third season of major-junior play as a member of the Windsor Spitfires. Arriving in a deadline deal from Sarnia to serve as back-up to Dallas prospect Jack Campbell, the 5'11, 175-pounder posted a 2.17 goals-against-average and a .924 save% through his 11 starts for the most dominating run of his junior career. In total, Cullen has collected 30 wins while managing a 3.35 GAA and .901 save% in a three-year Ontario League career that has included 90 starts and four different sweaters.

Lacking the larger frame of the modern butterfly goalie, Cullen relies less on the technical side of things by employing an unorthodox "stop the puck at all costs" approach. He's aggressive when challenging shooters and quite vocal when directing traffic in front of him.

Along with time spent playing for St. Francis High School, Cullen played with Maksymum Jr. B (Rochester) of the Empire League as a 16-year old in 2007-08 while earning a spot in the 2008 Bowman Cup at HSBC Arena. With his name surfacing through U.S selection camps, Cullen was named to the U.S. U18 squad that skated in the 2008 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka in Slovakia. The following season, Cullen gave up his NCAA eligibility by winning a job with the Niagara IceDogs where he played 30 games with Sabres 2008 draft pick Drew Schiestel before getting traded to Kingston.

Wudrick earns camp invite

Former Kelowna Rockets forward Geordie Wudrick has earned an invitation from the Buffalo Sabres to attend this week's Summer Development Camp.

Standing 6'4, 208 pounds, the soft-handed Wudrick is coming off an overage year that saw him finish ninth among WHL scorers with 43 goals, including 15 tallies on the power play and eight game winners. Wudrick added just 16 assists to his stat line to finish with 59 points before adding another 4+4 in the Rockets' 10-game postseason.

The 21-year old, who was originally a 2008 third-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Kings, was taken with the hopes that he could develop into a legit power forward talent. Despite cashing 35 goals in 2008-09, Wudrick's all-around game didn't stand out among similarly built yet more upwardly trending assets in the Kings' pipeline (Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds, Kyle Clifford), so the two parties parted ways last spring. Wudrick went through the draft unclaimed and later skated in Phoenix Coyotes training camp before returning to the WHL.

A native of Abbotsford, BC, Wudrick will want to use the camp invite to prove that he's an agile skater who can play physical and finish plays around the net. If scouts think they can get a consistent, two-way effort out of the big frame on a nightly basis, it's fair to think he could end up pushing fringe forwards for AHL playing time come fall.