Sabers Lock Up Veteran Rob Niedermayer
The Buffalo Sabers have signed veteran centre Rob Niedermayer. Reports indicate that the deal is a one year $1.5 million contract. Niedermayer will be joining his fifth National Hockey League squad, after spending last season with the New Jersey Devils.
Rob Nidermayer
The 35-year-old Niedermayer came into the league in 1994 with the Florida Panthers. Known as a defensive specialist, he spent eight seasons with the Panthers before heading to Calgary for two season and then on to the Ducks for the 2002-2003 season.
Niedermayer honed his skill as a defensive forward while playing in Anaheim. His hard work finally paid off when the Ducks won the cup in the 2006-2007 season. Niedermayer was a huge part of their playoff run. Accompanied by shut-down men Sammy Pahlsson and Travis Moen, the Ducks third line not only stifled opposing team’s offensive powerhouses but also contributed a great deal on the score sheet.
Niedermayer spent the next two seasons with the Ducks before heading to New Jersey to play for the Devils. Last season saw Niedermayer score a record 22 points, including 10 goals and 12 assissts with a plus three rating in 71 games for New Jersey.
What this means for Buffalo
The signing of Niedermayer gives the Sabers some much needed stability at centre ice. The Sabers currently have a very young forward line and they are weakest up the middle.
Niedermayer should be able to drop right into that third line spot, going head to head with the rest of the NHL’s top offensive units. The addition also allows coach Lindy Ruff to move Paul Gaustad down to the fourth line and keep Tim Connolly and Derek Roy in the top two centre slots. Niedermayer is a seasoned NHL professional who should help the Sabers mold young talents Tyler Ennis and speedster Tim Kennedy. This move also ensures that the roles of Adam Mair and Matt Ellis are not inflated as they were last year.
Overall the deal is a good one for the Sabers as they continue to be very frugal in the free agent market. The term of the deal means that next year they can allow Ennis or Kennedy to fill the void left by Niedermayer.
What this means for Niedermayer
For Niedermayer this deal affords him another opportunity to show that he is still a valuable asset. His last few seasons spent in Anaheim and New Jersey respectively were not career highlights. Many believe that the aging centre is not able to shutdown the league’s top offensive talents any longer. The move to Buffalo gives Niedermayer a chance to prove the skeptics wrong.
For Niedermayer this is also a wonderful chance to get another taste of the NHL playoffs. The Buffalo Sabers were able to surprise most hockey analysts last season when they finished first in the Northeast Division and third in the Eastern conference. Although the Sabers were defeated by the Boston Bruins in the first round, another year or experience for their youngsters should mean an improved club heading into next season.
The acquisition of Niedermayer is another frugal and smart move for a franchise that has made a living off of such decisions. Picking up a seasoned veteran to help mold youngsters Ennis and Kennedy will only help the club grow. In addition, the signing takes pressure off Paul Gaustad, and allows for star centre man Derek Roy and Tim Connolly to focus on offense.
The Sabres also announced on June 7 that defenceman Mike Weber had agreed to a qualifying offer and signed a one-year deal with the team.
Weber, 22, played 80 games with Buffalo's American Hockey League team in Portland, Oregon last season, scoring five goals and 16 assists. Weber also has three assists in 23 career NHL games with the Sabres.
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