The Buffalo Junior Sabres today announced that former Buffalo Sabres captain Michael Peca is joining the organization as its new General Manager. In addition, the team today announced that former Sabres player Ric Seiling is also joining the team as its Play-By-Play Announcer.
Larry Playfair, President of the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Association and Buffalo Junior Sabres, explained that by hiring Peca the team utilizes his energy and experience while allowing Grant Ledyard to focus more specifically on his role as Head Coach.
“Grant Ledyard has shouldered the lion’s share of work for the Junior Sabres for the past two seasons,” said Playfair. “The Ontario Junior Hockey League has contracted down to 27 teams from 36 in those past two seasons. The competition has become better. It will be important that we allow Grant to spend more time coaching, and in order to do this we had to take some stuff off of his plate.
Continue reading ‘Junior Sabres Name Peca General Manager’
Safety Donte Whitner is now officially a former Buffalo Bill. As first reported by Sal Capaccio of Sal Sports, Whitner has signed a two-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Whitner has been in Buffalo since being the eighth overall pick in the 2006 draft. For his Buffalo career, Whitner appeared in 69 games and registered five interceptions, two sacks and three forced fumbles. He was also credited with 432 tackles, including a career-high 140 in 2010.
Whitner will join another former Buffalo player in the secondary. Cornerback Nate Clements signed with the Bengals last week after being waived by the San Francisco 49ers.
Anyone’s who follows Buffalo Sports Daily knows of the relationship between Whitner and myself, and I’ll certainly have plenty to say on him later regarding this signing and the conclusion of his Buffalo career. Of course, the only story that matters is that Whitner is now with Cincinnati.
Nick Barnett was a second-team All-Pro in 2007 and the leader of the Green Bay Packers defense for the better part of the past decade. Shawne Merriman was the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2005, a three time Pro Bowler (2005-2007), three-time All-Pro (2005-2007), and his elite pass-rushing skills earned the nickname “Lights Out.”
In other words Barnett and Merriman were two of the most physically imposing linebackers in the league during the first decade of the 21st century.
Fast forward to 201—where promising careers of two of the game’s elite turned into a collective nightmare of injuries and personal controversies. Barnett lost the majority of his 2010 season to a wrist injury and, a torn ligament in his knee cost him half of the 2008 season. Merriman’s fall from grace has been far more publicized. After his sensational rookie season in 2005, Merriman tested positive for steroids in October of 2006 and subsequently suspended for four games that year. Even with a shortened season, he finished the year with a career-high 17 sacks.
Continue reading ‘Bills Put Their Faith In Injury-Prone Stars’
