More Myers reaction
r By Brian Mazurowski – Buffalo Sports Daily
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r A collective– and expected sigh of relief was felt through the Buffalo Sabres nation Thursday as it was announced that star rookie defensemen Tyler Myers would remain with the team and not be sent back to Juniors. The organization had until after the ninth game to make a decision.
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r Buffalo has for a long time been less than stellar in their defensive zone. Perhaps it began with young prospect Dmitri Kalinin, who never truly developed to be the player the organization hoped he be.
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r The blue line was lacking even more after the Sabres traded Brian Campbell to the San Jose Sharks for Steven Bernier and a first round draft pick. At the time Campbell was touted as one of the top defensive forces in the league and it signified a serious lack of commitment in the Buffalo organization to foster any real sort of dominant defensive presence on the team. That, plus they didn’t want to pay him.
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r Regardless of the reasons the Sabres have needed to find solidarity in their defense. Many believe they’ve found it in the gargantuan, rookie defensemen Myers.
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r Perhaps the Sabres most exciting prospect in recent years, Myers took the team and city by storm from opening night with a stellar performance and he‘s rarely let his foot off the gas since. He’s also contributed heavily offensively, scoring two goals and adding three assists through the club’s first nine games.
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r But more importantly than offensive stats, Myers brings much more to the table at the blue line. He’s brought a stabilizing force to the Sabres defense. The stoic Myers and his large frame create an obstacle in the defensive zone for Buffalo, giving goalie Ryan Miller the necessary help to make Buffalo the team with the best goals against average in the league.
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r Last season it almost seemed like the injury plagued Henrik Tallinder, the longest tenured player on the Sabres roster was on an unstoppable downward spiral. It appeared Tallinder had not been same since suffering a broken arm in the Eastern Conference finals in 2006. Perhaps because of the presence of Myers alongside him, Tallinder looks invigorated and often times impenetrable.
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r Myers could have been sent back the WHL team the Kelowna Rockets to prevent his three-year entry level contract from kicking in. That was about as likely to happen as Patrick Lalime becoming the number one net minder. Myers remaining with the Sabres will allow him to hit the free agency a year earlier than most players in his draft class but the upside is so undeniable that the Sabres would’ve been absolutely crazy to not keep Myers around.
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r While both the Bills and Sabres have struggled in recent years, guys like Myers and Bills’ fellow rookie Jairus Byrd are definitely giving the frustrated fans a new glimmer of hope for brighter days.
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