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Buffalo Sabres Daily: Mikhail Grigorenko, Dylan Strome

By Melissa Kania

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Good morning, Buffalo Sabres fans!

The past weekend was a busy one in the world of the Buffalo Sabres organization. The Sabres, of course, played both Friday and Saturday, falling to the Devils 3-1 before dropping a 3-0 decision to the Predators.

The Rochester Americans faced a tough 3-in-3 stretch that included a pair of losses to the Utica Comets (Friday, Sunday) and a loss to the Toronto Marlies. The depleted Amerks lineup (can we call them a mix between the Amerks and Jackals?) is now on a four-game losing streak. The team’s next game is Friday, the start of another 3-in-3.

Meanwhile, the Elmira Jackals split a pair of games this weekend with the Wheeling Nailers. The Nailers took a 2-1 shootout win on Friday before the Jackals won 2-1 Saturday.

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One somewhat surprising move from the Buffalo Sabres organization over the past few days was the move that sent Tim Schaller back down to the AHL, bringing up Mikhail Grigorenko to the NHL club for what should be the remainder of the season.

We already know that Sabres head coach Ted Nolan wasn’t impressed by Grigorenko before; hence, his being sent back to the AHL. So why send Schaller down and bring up Grigs? Schaller was performing well, and the Amerks are out of the playoff race, so it’s not as though sending him back really does them any good.

Maybe it’s about trying to showcase Grigorenko more than anything, but there’s only so much that can happen in the last few games of the season. It’s not enough. [The Buffalo News] Keep in mind that he’s set to become an RFA this summer. That being said, I don’t think we’ll be seeing Grigorenko in a Sabres jersey for much longer.

Now, looking at the future of the NHL: the impending NHL draft, said to have one of the deepest classes in recent history.

First up this morning is a piece from the Toronto Sun sizing up this year’s class.

One of the probable top-5 picks in the upcoming draft already made sizable headlines this weekend, as Erie Otters forward Dylan Strome broke several franchise records.

Strome recorded six points in Erie’s win over the Niagara IceDogs on Sunday. He reached 84 assists, which is a league-best AND franchise record. He also broke the franchise points record, which was previously set at 128 by current Toronto Marlies forward Connor Brown.

Strome recorded 129 points in just 68 games.

This year marks the first time that the top three scorers in the OHL are 17-year-old draft-eligible players.

Other news and notes from around the hockey world:

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