Evan Rodrigues vs Toronto Marlies 10/21/2106 (Grade B+)

In tonights 5-2 victory against the Marlies I saw more good things than I have in any other game the Amerks have played this year. Ullmark played his best game this year saving 32 of 34 shots. The Amerks generated a lot of offense from the point, especially on the power play. Most importantly even though there were still stretches of sloppy play, they were able to eliminate turnovers in the neutral zone that led to so many goals against the Crunch. Tonight I spotlighted Evan Rodrigues and I think he played a great game overall. As a result I'm giving him my highest grade of the year so far, a B+.

Rodrigues was an immediate spark coming off the bench. He was able to enter the zone in a dangerous position, and his net drive gave him a chance at a goal. After retrieving the puck he made a great attempt to bank the puck of the Marlies net-minder as he returned to the goal. Unfortunately he was only able to muster one more shot tonight on a soft back-hander into the chest of the goalie. As the game wore on Rodrigues seemed very fatigued. He was knocked off the puck much easier, and wasn't able to do much more than dump the puck into the zone and hope for the best. However he was still able to make a huge impact on the game. 

Rodrigues was arguably the best two way hockey player on the ice tonight. He had an active stick in the passing lanes making zone entry difficult (even more so when shorthanded). He was a ferocious fore checking presence making multiple plays in the offensive zone. One play stood out in particular when he took on three separate Marlies harassing each player until he stole the puck. Then he beat a defender and drew a penalty. Just when it seemed he had completely run out of energy, he made a great poke check in the dying moments of the game that sprung Catenacci for an empty net goal to put the game away.

The last thing I noticed was the amount of gamesmanship that Evan showed tonight. He's the type of player I would love to watch mic'ed up because of his ability to agitate opponents. Weather it was a slight cross check to the back of a forward lingering around the net, or the occasional slash to the calf of a defenseman going for a line change, the old school hockey fan in me couldn't help but crack a smile. I don't doubt that the frustration he was able to create tonight could have been responsible for some tempers flaring up, along with the discrepancy in penalty minuets between the Amerks and the Marlies. 

Not only do I feel Rodrigues has asserted himself as a legitimate AHL player, but I think he has laid the groundwork for the establishment of his NHL identity. He can still use a bit of polish as far as his offensive skills are concerned, and I think based on his high energy style he would benefit from some work on his fitness. But I think he has the potential to become an Antoine Roussel type player. I think sometime in the near future he will be able to bring the type of energy to a teams 4th line and penalty kill that could set him up for a long successful NHL career. 

Brady Austin vs Syracuse Crunch 10/16/2016 (Grade B)

Tonight started off very promising for the Amerks. It didn't last. Everything that followed their opening goal was sloppy and extremely disappointing. They took bad penalties and committed countless turnovers. For stretches the Amerks looked like a good team, and even the better team. Those stretches did not last long. Tonight I would say defensively Brady was the best of a bad bunch (a very bad bunch).

Early on Austin's ice time was very limited. Because the Amerks spent so much time on the power-play or on the kill he remained on the bench for quite a bit of the first period. Later in the game he received some time while the Amerks were shorthanded, but I was very surprised that he seemed to have no role in the special teams plans of the new coach early on.

Austin was very conservative in the offensive game tonight. He did not skate the puck out of the zone at all and was usually a bit late arriving to the point. He very rarely pinched up to keep the puck in and when he did he was beaten twice. The second time he was beaten bad and took a penalty for interference. He didn't even think of taking a shot tonight, however I think he passed the puck better than any of the other defenseman tonight. His breakout passes were measured, safe, and always to sticks.  My favorite part of his game tonight was that he didn't attempt any no look back passes that seamed to be a plague that spread through the roster like wildfire.

In the defensive zone Austin played an amazing game. He did a good job of making entry to the zone difficult with his active stick, and made more than a few very nice poke checks to turn the puck over. He was constantly mindful of forwards lurking in front of the net and always had a body on them. It seemed like he was out of position on the second goal for Syracuse but it was only because of a bad turnover by his linesman. Kasdorf probably should have let the puck run all the way through to Austin in the first place. He was also quick to shepherd forwards away from his keeper after the whistle. When the puck came behind the net Austin did a great job of locating the puck, stapling his man to to the boards, and separating him from the puck. Most times he was also able to quickly find a forward and execute a good break out pass.

Because he took two minor penalties tonight and was ultimately a non factor on the offensive side of the ice I can only give him a B. Brady Austin is every bit the blue collar hardened defensemen that the Amerks need more of. His physical play in front of and behind the net were a big reason why the Amerks were not pinned into their own end when he was on the ice. His deliberate, simple, and accurate passes are exactly what is needed going forward. At the end of the night the only thing that left me disappointed about Austin's performance was that I didn't get to see more.

Justin Bailey vs Hershey Bears 10/14/2016 (Grade D+)

          There were a lot of Amerks that played very well tonight. Cole Schneider turned in a magnificent 4 point performance with 2 goals and 2 assists. Nick Baptiste scored a beautiful quick wrist shot on an unsettled puck. William Carrier played an amazing game, and might have been the best two way hockey player on the ice tonight. Unfortunately I am reviewing Justin Bailey and tonight was a night to forget for him. It started off very promising with goal on the power-play for Cole Schneider. Bailey did vacate the front of the net to help win the puck back and Schneider was able to ghost into his spot to finish with an easy tap in on a nice pass from the point. After that Bailey made a good hustle play on a mishandled puck to earn a breakaway and draw a penalty that got the Amerks off the kill. So if there was a highlight to his play tonight, it was his work on special teams.
          That said with the exception of one strong check to separate the puck in the start of the second, it was the end of the good we saw from Bailey tonight. He looked very lost on the right wing tonight without the puck. He spent most off the time on the breakout flat footed at the blue line, and as a result was not much of a factor chasing down loose pucks in the zone. For the most part when he received the puck entering the zone he turned it over on a weak dump in, or was dispossessed by a defender before he could get it deep. There was one exception where he was able to gain entry on the wing but he fired the shot wide of the net.
          The second period was a struggle. His line mates were able to create chances but he couldn't find his way to the puck in the attacking zone. On his 12th shift of the night things took a turn for the worse. In what was the defining moment of his night, he had a shot blocked in the offensive zone. This led to a 3 on 2 the other way and eventually a goal for the Bears. When Bailey caught up to the play he got caught in a scrum behind the net, and eventually ended up taking a 5 minute major penalty. The Bears evened up the game while he was in the box to make it 3-3.  
          From the second he came out of the box Bailey seemed to get even worse as the night progressed. He looked frantic on the puck and was pressing far too much to try to make a play forechecking; so much so that he got himself out of position and allowed easy entry on multiple occasions. His frustration came to his head at the end of his 16th shift when he slashed the boards with his stick in frustration as he returned to the bench (shortly after a failed dump that didn't make it past the defensemen). His night came to a merciless end after another turn over in the neutral zone when the bears had an empty net. Fortunately the Amerks were able to compose themselves and hang on for a 5-4 win.
          My grade for Bailey tonight is a D+. He looked lost off the puck and frantic when he actually found himself on the puck. He only took two shots ( one off target, the other blocked) and took a horribly timed major. His saving grace that he was able to make a couple plays on special teams. He wandered from the front of the net far to often in the attacking zone and as a result he was not able to establish a net front presence. He finished with a -1 plus/minus.
          I want to say that I still really like Justin Bailey and that I still feel he can make great plays in the forechecking game. Right now I see him as a player that could be a 3rd line NHL player, that brings a lot of energy on the defensive side. But he must do a better job off the puck and put himself in better situations. This will not be the last time I spotlight Justin Bailey, and I am sure that next time he will perform better.

Happy Opening Night

Happy opening night! Tonight against the Bears I will be following forward Justin Bailey. Like most people within the organization I have high hopes for the Buffalo native. This year I would specifically like to see him improve his net front game (especially on the power play) and his shooting accuracy. I feel Bailey generated a lot of really good chances last year that all too often ended with a shot right in the keepers chest. Converting those chances is the most important thing he must do if he wants to take the next step.

My Scouting Mission

My name is Dennis Allen and I am an aspiring professional scout wrapping up an associates degree program in sports management at Monroe Community College. This blog is dedicated to evaluating talented prospects within the Buffalo Sabers organization primarily at the AHL level. I will be completing a scouting report specific to one player at each Rochester Americans home game this year. My goal is project if current Rochester Americans can become consistent top performers at the AHL level, or even contribute at the NHL level, based on my evaluations.