An Axe to Grind – Nov. 5 edition

Chris Pudsey

2014-11-05

Sam Reinhart

Are your axes sharp? Good, because Chris Pudsey has some grinding to do…

So October is in the books and we are on to November hockey! This week I have Axes to Grind on Sam Reinhart, Taylor Hall's injury and Dougie Hamilton stepping up. Here are this week's Axe's to Grind!

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Sabres return Sam Reinhart to Kootenay of the WHL

Axeman's Grind

And then there were two. More on that statement in a second.

On Friday, Buffalo Sabres GM made the decision to send Sam Reinhart back to his Jr. club. I think it was the right call. Reinhart was given top six minutes early on, and coach Ted Nolan soon figured out he was getting outmatched physically so he moved him to the fourth line and eventually to the press box most nights. Reinhart's stats after playing nine games, 0 goals, one assist, three shots and averaged just over 10 minutes of ice time.

Even though he won't progress much playing another year in Jr, getting to play in the World Junior Championships for Canada will be a great experience for Reinhart, and it's sure better than toiling on the fourth line. He will be relied on heavily during that tournament and will be a leader on that team. Considering the whole Grigorenko fiasco the past couple seasons, it's actually nice to see the Sabres make the right choice here. And let's be honest, the Sabres are a bad hockey club. They really don't need to load Reinhart with that type of poison this early in his career.

And then there were two. Entering into this season, I had three (possibly four) players from this past year's draft pegged to play past the nine game mark. Sam Reinhart, Leon Draisaitl, Aaron Ekblad and possibly David Pastrnak. Pastrnak didn't make the final roster for the Bruins and didn't even get a nine game sniff, although he's playing very well in the AHL. His ten points in nine games in Providence is a strong start to his professional career in North America. I honestly think this kid will get a look at some point this year. With Reinhart headed back that leaves only two players from this past year's draft still playing in the NHL, Draisaitl and Ekblad. Draisaitl has actually played pretty good for Edmonton so far this year but the Oilers had few options but to keep him due to their lack of depth down the middle. Ekblad has played strong for the Panthers so far this year. Paired with Brian Campbell most nights, he just scored his first NHL goal this past week. I expect both Draisaitl and Ekblad to continue to progress as the NHL season rolls along.

I really thought Reinhart was the best player drafted this year, and long term, that may pan out. I expected him to last past the nine game mark and play a key role with the Sabres this year. He was touted as one of, if not the most NHL ready from the draft class. I am not saying he will pan out to be the highest scoring player taken but as far as overall skill level goes, and hockey smarts, he was as good as it got from this draft class. I hate the rule where teams are forced to send their high draft picks back to Jr if they are not 100% NHL ready but it is what it is. I'd rather see these kids go back and dominate at the Jr level than struggle with ice time at the NHL level. Sure, it's great for them to be around NHL players and learn the systems, but if they are simply watching then I don't think they are really learning, at least not near as much as they could be. I guess time will tell with Reinhart.

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Taylor Hall injured

Axeman's Grind

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So it appears that Taylor Hall will miss the next two to four weeks with a MCL sprain after a wild crash into the Vancouver Canucks net on Saturday night. Hall has easily been the Oilers best forward again this year so any time a player of his stature is out for any amount of time; it's never a good thing.

I know, I know, bring on the "band-aid boy" comments but I don't consider Hall to be a band-aid boy. Unlucky in his career at times, yes. Band-aid boy, no. A broken ankle in a fight he had no right being in, unlucky. Falling during warmups and getting stepped on by a team-mate, unlucky. This is a legit injury. To me, that doesn't constitute a band-aid boy.

UPCOMING GAMES

Dec 22 - 12:12	NYR	vs	CAR
Dec 22 - 17:12	T.B	vs	FLA
Dec 22 - 17:12	UTA	vs	ANA
Dec 22 - 17:12	WSH	vs	L.A
Dec 22 - 20:12	EDM	vs	OTT
Dec 22 - 20:12	COL	vs	SEA