Mar 2, 2013; Buffalo, NY, USA; New Jersey Devils right wing
Steve Bernier(18) and Buffalo Sabres center
Mikhail Grigorenko(25) face off during the second period at the First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Damn you, Buffalo.
Just when I think I’m about to get you – as in Fios get you, for those of you who have suffered through those beastly commercials – you go and do something that makes me feel like a total idiot.
Example: at the beginning of the season, you decided to give prospect Mikhail Grigorenko a 5-game tryout, if you will, at the NHL level.
If you liked what you saw, you would keep him on the roster, knowing you would be using up a full year of his contract.
If you didn’t like what you saw, you could ship him back to the Quebec Ramparts of the QMJHL and avoid using up one of three years on his entry-level contract.
When five games came and went and Grigorenko was still on your roster, I assumed you liked what you saw and planned on giving him a 48-game NHL season to work on developing his game.
Instead, you gave him 22 games and then shipped him back to Quebec. Way to waste a year of his contract!
Now that the Ramparts have finished their season, you have pulled Grigorenko back up to Buffalo in order to close out the final five games of the season . . . except you won’t start him tonight against the Boston Bruins, meaning he will only pay at best four of the remaining games.
What the hell is going on over there in Sabreland, huh?
March 5, 2013; Raleigh, NC, USA; Buffalo Sabres center Mikhail Grigorenko (25) carries the puck during the 3rd period against the Carolina Hurricanes at the PNC center. The Hurricanes defeated the Sabres 4-3. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
I get the feeling even you guys don’t know what you are doing, which only adds to my frustration. Look: it’s simple. If your goal is to give the kid one last flurry of games in order to give him some things to think about when the offseason rolls around, you need to play him. Now. Tonight. The Boston Bruins are playoffs-bound; they are a good team. Having Grigorenko play against them one more time will be a great learning opportunity for him, as it is certain to expose some of the flaws in his game.
Bringing him up, just to sit him? You might as well send him to the Rochester Americans and give him a chance to contribute to their playoff run.
It’s not like you just made the call today; he was skating with the team yesterday. If you truly think that he is going to be a member of the Buffalo Sabres in the near future, why not let him play out the rest of the season? It’s not like there’s many games left, and believe me, he can’t hurt your playoff chances, which are already slim to none following Winnipeg’s victory last night. The Sabres are already halfway to being a minor league team anyway right about now; what’s one more baby out there, fighting to earn a spot on the roster next season? You brought him up; get his butt off of the bench and put him on the ice.
Play. Grigorenko. Now.
Agree or disagree? Just like to type? Leave me a comment below, or fire me a Tweet @theamazingMrS.