Buffalo Sabres: Victor Antipin moves on to pastures new
By Paul Taylor
The Buffalo Sabres decided against making a qualifying offer to Victor Antipin, bringing his tenure in Western New York to an end after just one season.
The weekend was all about the Buffalo Sabres bringing new blood into the organization, via the draft. Monday, on the other hand, was a case of clearing out some of the dead wood.
The Sabres had already announced they wouldn’t be bringing Robin Lehner back next season. However, another player of interest who won’t be returning to Western New York, is Victor Antipin.
As reported by John Vogl of The Athletic, the Swords will not make a qualifying offer to Antipin. The news was confirmed by general manager Jason Botterill, who added the defenseman is hoping to remain in the NHL.
The decision to not make an offer to Antipin brings to an end a tenure which only lasted one season. The debate will now go on, about whether the Sabres made the right move.
There is no denying Antipin didn’t quite live up to expectations. However, how much of this was down to him, compared to how awful the team was as a whole this past season?
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The Russian showed glimpses of what he was capable of during the season, finishing fourth among all blue-liners in points despite only playing in 47 games. He also recorded the second-best plus/minus rating on the team for players with 40 or more appearances.
In addition, Antipin is mobile, steady and makes few mistakes. So, why would the Sabres let him go?
Well, despite being a decent offensive-defenseman, Antipin isn’t much of a goal-scoring threat himself. Consider that he had zero goals this past season.
There are also concerns about the 25-year-old’s build. Critics say he lacks strength and is not the ideal size for a blue-liner.
So what does this all mean for Antipin moving forward, if he truly wishes to remain in the NHL? (A report last month by The Buffalo News indicated he was leaning towards returning to the KHL.)
The reality is the 2013 KHL All-Star is extremely unlikely to be offered a multi-year contract by anyone. However, if he is prepared to accept a one-year/two-way deal, this will increase his chances of returning to the NHL next season.
It will be interesting to see where Antipin’s career is headed next, especially if he does remain in the NHL. No doubt the Sabres will be looking on nervously in that scenario, to see if their decision to let him go comes back to haunt them.
Next: Sabres get the easy business out of the way
Do you agree with the Buffalo Sabres’ decision regarding Antipin? Or would you have made him a qualifying offer? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.