Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Jochen Hecht didn’t mince words when reporters gathered around him in the locker room following the Buffalo Sabres shootout victory over the New York Islanders.

For the Buffalo Sabres – it was the end of the season.  There will be no more hockey played at First Niagara Center this year; and for Jochen Hecht – he has played in his final professional hockey game in North America.

In a surprising fashion – Hecht told reporters while wearing the fur coat – that he and his family have decided to move back to Germany and move on with the second phase of their life.

It is no surprise really that the career for Jochen Hecht is over – the aging forward has suffered from concussions – and would most likely not be signed by another team.

Jochen Hecht was originally drafted in the second round of the 1995 Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues – and played in his first ever professional game against the very team he would end his career with; in the same building he would play his final game.  You can’t take a career much more full circle than that.

After ten years with the Buffalo Sabres, which followed three seasons with the St. Louis Blues, and a season with the Edmonton Oilers – Jochen Hecht is calling it quits.

It was a dangerous move for the Buffalo Sabres to bring Hecht back this season – with his history of injuries – but a classy move by a classy organization gave a guy one last hoorah at the Stanley Cup.  Unfortunately, it ends with locker clean out day tomorrow.

Thank you Jochen Hecht for ten years in blue and gold.  Best of luck to you and your family in the future.

Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Jochen Hecht isn’t getting any younger.  His best days in the National Hockey League are behind.  For the first time this season, and possibly ever – he was a healthy scratch, watching the game from the press box, unable to do anything while his team drops a 2-0 lead and losing in overtime.

What could Jochen Hecht have done to say last nights game?  Nothing probably.  In twenty-four games this season, Hecht has only found the scoresheet six times, one goal and five assists.

He hasn’t been a liability on the ice, being one of the few Buffalo Sabres to have a positive +/- rating.  (His is a plus 2, only six players on the team including Hecht are seeing positive numbers).

Jochen Hecht was brought back by the Buffalo Sabres this year for what reason? To give them depth at the center position?  To give the guy one last shot at the National Hockey League – to end his career on a high note?

Jochen is obviously out of the Lindy Ruff good old boy network – his being brought back by this regime, and his ice time reduction since the start of the Ron Rolston era is proof of that.

Was it necessary to bench Jochen Hecht after he scored his only goal of the season?  Sure the tempo of the game against New Jersey last week made it a necessity to get a tougher lineup on the ice this time around – with Patrick Kaleta on the suspension sheet – Hecht wasn’t really bringing anything to the table.

The Buffalo Sarbes need an epic run to the end of the season, and a ton of help from their opponents schedules to even think about the playoffs.  So where does Jochen Hecht fall in the grand scheme of things for the Buffalo Sabres?

Trade Deadline Fodder

If a team that has a serious shot at contending for the Stanley Cup – the Buffalo Sabres could easily trade Jochen Hecht.  He could be a part of a package deal that brings in hope for the future; or they could get as much as they can for him (maybe a third or fourth round pick) out of a team that is just looking to add depth for the playoffs, in the hopes that Hecht can end his career by lifting the Stanley Cup and going home a champion.

Press Box Warmer

If there is no hope of trading Jochen prior to the April 3rd deadline – Hecht may be relinquished to fourth line minutes and rotations into the press box.  It almost seems that Ron Rolston is content filling the rank and file of the team with players out of Rochester.  That trend can continue and even get worse as the American Hockey League season comes to a close.  Currently the Amerks are on the outside looking in.

Any way you look at it, the end is near for Jochen Hecht.  His lack of production on the ice, coupled with his concussion history – will make it very difficult for a team to justify a million dollar salary for a player that won’t contribute or be injured.

I was happy to see Jochen Hecht back in a Buffalo Sabres sweater – but at what cost to him?  He is treated like a King in his home town – and has a great thing going with his home town hockey team Adler Mannheim.