Buffalo, NY (WGR 550) -- The Sabres wrapped up rookie camp today with a practice followed by a scrimmage. Systems were big not only today, but all week. Lindy Ruff said, "It's been good, we've tried to work on every aspect of the game, we had a good practice and we've been getting quite a bit out of the scrimmages." Ruff said there were no surprises at came, "It's the fact that we're getting a pretty good handle on what some of these guys can do. When you look at Luke Adam and some of his skating compared to a year ago, it's gotten a lot better so you try to picture what some of these players can be and where they fit in."
With the veterans reporting tomorrow morning, you will see more scrimmaging than before. Ruff reasoned, "I think if you truly want to evaluate you get 'em in game situations. We're going to put them in some 5-on-5, 5-on-4 and some 4-on-4 situations where we can evaluate what they can do."
Many of you have been wondering if jobs are open in this camp. Ruff said, "With Adam Mair going down to start the season, you're looking at a possibility and looking on the back end, we do have seven with Nathan Paetsch, but we've got some interesting looks on the back end that through camp we'll take a look at." What Ruff means is the size and ability Tyler Myers brings, the toughness that Mike Weber brings or the skating and skill that a forgotten guy like Marc Gragnani brings.
Henrik Tallinder hasn't been the same since breaking his arm in the Conference Finals against Carolina. The Sabres tried to move him in the off season, but nobody bit on the 3.25-million he'll make this year. His cap hit is just under 2.6-million dollars. Tallinder must get back to being that shut down guy in order to hold off the three kids. Ruff said, "We've missed the playoffs two years in a row and I think if somebody takes your spot, they take your spot and you have to be ready to make room for him. Getting back to Henrik, by the end of the year, his play had picked up. We just need him to pick up where he left off and be able to build on that."
Ruff is accepting nothing but work in this camp. He said, "I expect guys fighting hard. Practices have been pretty intense, the battles have been real good. You're not going to win a spot by dropping the gloves and beating somebody up, but we want to see guys competing on plays and we've seen that all week which I think has been great." Ruff made 5-on-5 in the zone a competition just by making the offensive team do 20 push ups if they didn't get any pucks to the net.
The team starts on ice testing tomorrow at 9:30. The public is now invited for camp at the arena.
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