Bouchard in minors!

i cant see why Joel bouchard is being sent to Rochester. he scored a goal in a preseason game,showed some pretty good defensive skill in camp and in preseason games. I dont see why we just keep him up and use him as 7nth d-man and cut or trade Patrick.besides Bouchard is younger than Patrick and is still improving!

Patrick is a dependable, veteran presence on the blueline. This will probably be his last year so the Sabres might as well ride him out. Fitzpatrick will also compete for the 6/7 spot. Bouchard's time will come.

Bouchard was brought in strictly as a depth guy that they can rely on in case of injury.

He would had to absolutely blow the coaches away in camp to make the Sabres and that didn't happen.

Has anyone watched a whole Sabres game? James Patrick still has gas left in his tank. He is the oldest player on this team and is also a great leader which the Sabres lack. He played 69 games last year which I think was too many I'd like to see him play between 30-45 a year. Plus he was only a -3 which on this team last year was pretty good. He is Cheap and along with Alexei Zhitnik, the only Sabres Defenseman over 30. His Leadership is what we need more. Bouchard, will get his chance next year, Because that's the year I believe the Sabres will not re-sign Patrick. Plus I think Zhitnik will not want to re-sign with us.

I think Jeeps time has passed by and sort of wish he was gone. Bouchard will be a decent depth guy.

Jeeps is what he is. I great mentor for the young defensemen this team has and one of the only vets on this team that demands respect from everyone.

I wouldn't be outraged if they had let Patrick go, but I'm not at all upset that they kept him around over a guy like Bouchard.

Could of made him an assistant coach and freed up the roster spot.

For the number of games he played last year he was their most effective defenseman offensively last year.

I think he has enough gas left in the tank.

Besides, he had another year left on his contract. If he wanted to play there wasn't much they could do about it.

And I doubt they are going to pay him $500,000 to be an assistant coach.

Has anyone watched a whole Sabres game? James Patrick still has gas left in his tank. He is the oldest player on this team and is also a great leader which the Sabres lack. He played 69 games last year which I think was too many I'd like to see him play between 30-45 a year. Plus he was only a -3 which on this team last year was pretty good. He is Cheap and along with Alexei Zhitnik, the only Sabres Defenseman over 30. His Leadership is what we need more. Bouchard, will get his chance next year, Because that's the year I believe the Sabres will not re-sign Patrick. Plus I think Zhitnik will not want to re-sign with us.

Zhitnik is not over 30 yet.

Patrick can certainly play. However, you have to limit the minutes he plays and the amount of games he plays in.

Zhitnik is not over 30 yet.

Patrick can certainly play. However, you have to limit the minutes he plays and the amount of games he plays in.


Zhitnik B-Day: Oct 10 1972, so he's almost 31


It doesn't look like age is showing at all with Zhitnik, it just doesn't look like he's going to fix the insanely frustrating flaws in his game that keeps him from being truly elite (and it goes deeper than just what side of the ice he plays on).