News Article: Gorges excited for future in Buffalo

[Sabretip]

It’s been a tumultuous past 13 months for Gorges, who was stunned on July 1, 2014 to be traded from the Canadiens to the Sabres.

Four days after he was traded to the Sabres, Gorges and his wife, Maggie, became parents of their first child, pulled up stakes in Montreal, summered in Kelowna then settled for the season in Buffalo.

Seething as he soldiered on through this season from hell, the fiercely competitive Gorges skated on a knee that deteriorated from bad to worse until he and the Sabres finally decided on surgery, which saw him miss the season’s final 26 games.

Already on the mend from knee surgery, the veteran spoke at season’s end about the Sabres performance having been unacceptable, about a need for the team to change its culture, about it being “time to take a step forward.”

“It’s been a long road, six months of doing rehab every day, trying to get things back,” Gorges said. “The last couple of weeks I’ve really taken another step in my recovery – from just getting back on the ice to now starting to feel normal in my skating again, able to do all the things I want to do in a game. I’ve been really happy with how things have gone lately.”

Gorges was attractive to the Sabres for his leadership skills, a huge part of his game in Montreal, and the steadying influence he can be on younger defencemen.

If anything, he says, he tried too hard to be that leader last season. It’s with a lighter touch he’ll apply those skills moving forward.

http://montrealgazette.com/sports/h...teran-gorges-is-excited-for-future-in-buffalo

For those who thought Gorges wouldn't be ready for camp or the season, it appears to be otherwise. Sounds like his injury is fully healed and he's skating regularly a month before camp opens.

That too may influence Murray's timing for any outside additions on defense IMO.

Click to read more...

 

[Myllz]

Would be nice if he's 100% healthy for this season. Him playing decent defense would go a long way for this team.

 

[DJN21]

Him starting the season near 100% would drastically change this team's strategy in terms of defensive additions going forward. Not that Im a huge gorges fan but he takes away the need to desperately add a defender. At this point I'd take Gorges and a sprinkle of McCabe over adding a useless body like longterm like Franson.

 

[gallagt01]

My yearning for Murray to add another defenseman had nothing to do with Gorges' injury status. I wanted Murray to add a defenseman because Gorges just isn't very good.

Hopefully he'll be on the bottom pair. I'd rather Weber play in the top four than Gorges.

 

[MackAttack26]

I know people like to trash on him after a horrible end to last year but he can still be a very effective defensive defenseman (preferably on the bottom pairing)

When he was healthy at the beginning of last year I recall he was constantly in the "G" section in the GBU threads, he played very solid. That's obviously partly due to having Myers as his partner but he performed like a good 3/4 defenseman nonetheless. Hopefully with the surgery he can return to that form.

 

[Sabretip]

Him starting the season near 100% would drastically change this team's strategy in terms of defensive additions going forward. Not that Im a huge gorges fan but he takes away the need to desperately add a defender. At this point I'd take Gorges and a sprinkle of McCabe over adding a useless body like longterm like Franson.

I couldn't agree more with this thinking - and I suspect Murray is looking at it in the same way. Yes, he wants to improve the team whenever he can but he's been forthright in saying he won't seek quick-fix, Band-Aid solutions. At this point, any of the unsigned players out there are just that.

I know people like to trash on him after a horrible end to last year but he can still be a very effective defensive defenseman (preferably on the bottom pairing)

When he was healthy at the beginning of last year I recall he was constantly in the "G" section in the GBU threads, he played very solid.

I agree - although I think anywhere from 3 - 6 is the right spot for Gorges, relative to ice time and the offensive matchups that go with those roles. Like Weber, if Gorges can be used in that 16-18 minute time frame and no more, I think he can be very effective and an important contributor. It's when he - or Weber - get pushed into playing 20+ minutes against the best players on the other team where the troubles start IMO.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I think it's been discussed on here that this surgery is usually career-ending in basketball and a few other sports. Stories of players never coming close to playing up to their pre-injury standards. Is it possible that the surgery isn't nearly as devastating for hockey players, since you're not running and jumping? The knee gets more direct contact in hockey, sure, but not nearly as much consistent wear and tear throughout each game. So maybe this surgery won't affect his game very much? I agree that he was a solid #3-#5 defenseman, but I think the main question is whether he'll truly be back at 100%. Fingers crossed.

 

[Chad Thundercock]

I'll believe Gorges is healthy and a capable NHL defenseman next year when I see it.

 

[paulmm3]

Come on guys I know Gorges didn't play well last season but Mike Weber is so freaking bad it hurts me to see the two of them compared.

 

[sabresfan129103]

The injury obviously played a huge part in the quality of his play. If he worked as hard as the article made it sound and he's healthy he'll be a big upgrade from what he was last year.

 

[Selanne00008]

Also consider that his knee was deteriorating while he was still playing. So when is the last time we actually saw a 90-100% healthy Georges? Who knows, maybe he'll be better than we think. Glass half full...

 

[PunchImlach is Alive]

Also consider that his knee was deteriorating while he was still playing. So when is the last time we actually saw a 90-100% healthy Georges? Who knows, maybe he'll be better than we think. Glass half full...

I'm of this theory. I wouldn't even say he was consistently that bad last year. I do think he was a little more noticeable playing for Montreal. I don't know if after that kind of surgery that he'll ever get back to 100% given where he is in his career but it wouldn't really surprise me to see decent improvements to his game if his knee has been jacked up pretty much all of last season.

 

[Orvald]

Gorges will fill out our top 4 unless McCabe has a massive breakout year or Donovan shows more than I expect, don't know much of him to be honest.

 

[Jacob582]

Sounds like he may have rubbed people the wrong way with his leadership style last season.

 

[Dex]

I really hope for the best for Jorges and the Sabres here, but I am highly skeptical about his ability to perform at an acceptable level to be a 3/4 guy. The day to day grind is a lot different than skating around at a rink in Kelowna. Many on the Montreal board here were commenting that he wash washed up at the time of the trade last year. This knee injury is severe and the surgery is no guarantee of a successful return. Maybe playing part time or protected minutes will help, but. I am doubtful.

Hope I am wrong.

 

[jBuds]

Sounds like he may have rubbed people the wrong way with his leadership style last season.

Not how I took it at all. I took it to mean he was almost trying too hard in that department. I'm not worried; natural leaders can lead without doing so consciously. He had done that up to last year, no reason to think he won't again if he tones down the rhetoric.

Having him to start the year is very important if we want to have a chance at some wins.

HOWEVER, we will go as far as Risto and Bogo take us. That's pretty safe to say.

 

[jBuds]

Every team that has made the finals since... 'Nam.... Has had a thoroughbred to lean on to eat minutes and matchups, especially in the postseason. No coincidence.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Optimism runs high in off-season. If Sabres are banking on Georges as top 4 D man, we are not close to a playoff time. He's iffy to have any impact this year -- you don't go into a season with a guy like that if you're serious.

I expect another pickup.

 

[Myllz]

Optimism runs high in off-season. If Sabres are banking on Georges as top 4 D man, we are not close to a playoff time. He's iffy to have any impact this year -- you don't go into a season with a guy like that if you're serious.

I expect another pickup.

Barring the young guys playing out of their minds, we're not close to playoff spot either way.

 

[wunderpanda]

“At this level, you constantly have to prove to yourself that you deserve this spot and this opportunity,” he said. “This isn’t a luxury. This is the best job in the world but it’s not something that should be handed to us and taken for granted.

“It comes down to this: young players are going to watch how older players conduct themselves. Are you a professional? Do you treat the game and your teammates with respect?

Those are my fav quotes from the article, maybe because they address a few bullet point concerns about ego, entitlement and public image. Good to read he is progressing in his recovery, not that he was a fast or agile skater, but that knee gets flexed when standing after blocking shots. (pretty much is signature on-ice skill)

 

[jvirk]

Glad to see he's doing well, I hope he has a good season. But knee surgeries are no joke, if he's 100% healthy and playing decent I'll have to see it to believe it.

I see him and Weber as being very serviceable but only on the third pairing. When they play 1st or 2nd minute pairings then they're playing a level above themselves and problems arise.

I wanna see the addition of a solid LHD for the sake of this team's development. I don't want a piss poor defensive season where some players don't develop as well as they should because our defense is horrible. The right side is perfectly set tbh with Bogo Risto Pysyk. The left side needs work. I'd rather have McCabe playing the 2nd pairing on the left side than gorges or weber. I'm assuming Colo is the first pair on the left side if there's no additions.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Optimism runs high in off-season. If Sabres are banking on Georges as top 4 D man, we are not close to a playoff time. He's iffy to have any impact this year -- you don't go into a season with a guy like that if you're serious.

I expect another pickup.

He was a top 4 LHD on a playoff team before coming to Buffalo.

 

[enthusiast]

He says all the right things but he's been done for a while

 

[Sabre Dance]

He says all the right things but he's been done for a while

No he hasn't. He is only 31.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

Really surprised by all of the Gorges hate. I thought he did pretty well before the injury really took it's toll. That and how can anyone hold any performance against him considering last year's roster?

I suspect, if he truly is healthy, we'll see a much better Gorges this year.