Buffalo Sabres Prospects: Future Calder Watch

The Buffalo Sabres don’t have an award to think about this season, but the future holds plenty of promise, and there are several guys in the lineup that could challenge in their rookie season for the Calder Memorial Trophy.

This year, the Calder Memorial will go to either Aaron Ekblad (Florida Panthers), Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary Flames), or Mark Stone (Ottawa Senators).

In my opinion, I think Johnny Hockey will be getting the award for the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition. Why Johnny Gaudreau? Just have a feeling. That and the Florida Panthers were a so-so franchise, Ekblad didn’t have the impact on the franchise he needed to win the Calder.

Mark Stone – again, did he play a super major role in the success of the late season Ottawa Senators? Not as much of an impact as Gaudreau in Calgary.

To be eligible for the award, a player cannot have played any more than 25 games previously in any single season, nor have played in more than six games in each of two separate preceding seasons in any major professional league.

Who on the Buffalo Sabres is going to have the chance to play for the Calder Memorial Trophy?

Buffalo Sabres Prospect – Sam Reinhart

Sam Reinhart was drafted number two overall last off season, and was kept with the team out of training camp for nine games before being returned to the juniors.

Why was he returned to the juniors? He wasn’t quite ready to make an impact in the National Hockey League, or the team might have wanted to protect him from the exposure of what was sure to be a very bad season. Either way, he remains eligible for the chance to play for the Calder Memorial Trophy.

If the team doesn’t think he is ready for the NHL next season – they have the luxury of keeping him in the juniors next season as well. He doesn’t turn 20 until early November, and so long as he doesn’t play at least six games in the National Hockey League next year – could still be on the books as a “rookie” for the 2016-2017 NHL season.

Buffalo Sabres Prospect – Jack Eichel

The Buffalo Sabres will most likely end up selecting Jack Eichel in the first round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft – providing that the Edmonton Oilers make Connor McDavid the first overall pick in the draft.

Eichel will be ready for the NHL out of his first NHL training camp, should he decide to make the jump from the NCAA to the NHL.

The Buffalo Sabres are already preparing their roster to be Eichel friendly with the signing of undrafted free agent and former Boston University teammate of Jack Eichel Evan Rodrigues.

Eichel’s game has been getting stronger – and he is testing himself against better than NCAA competition and teammates in the IIHF World Championships this off season.

Can Eichel make a big enough impact on the Buffalo Sabres next season to be considered for the Calder Memorial Trophy?

Buffalo Sabres Prospects – Further Down The Pipe

The Buffalo Sabres have two goaltenders in the system that could potentially make an impact on the organization. Goaltender Calvin Petersen. Don’t laugh too loud when I say that. Ryan Miller was a fifth round selection and was a gem for the Buffalo Sabres in the fifth round. Can the Buffalo Sabres be that lucky with fifth round goaltenders to strike oil for the second time?

Linus Ullmark was taken in the sixth round overall, and is coming over to North America this season to continue his career – and is likely the best chance at a future number one netminder for the Buffalo Sabres in the system right now.

Second round draft picks don’t have that much of a success rate in the National Hockey League, but the Buffalo Sabres have the likes of second rounders that could make an impact on the team as they progress towards the NHL. It might not be enough to win themselves the Calder Memorial – but they might elevate the play of the young guys listed above, increasing the odds for Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel to bring home another trophy to add to their careers.

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