Has there been two rookie defensemen in recent memory to have such an immediate impact on their organizations like the Buffalo Sabres’ Tyler Myers and Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning?

No member of the Lightning has spent more time on the ice this season than Hedman, who is averaging near 24 minutes a game, while Myers has averaged just four seconds fewer per game than Sabres team leader Chris Butler.

But the impact of both goes well beyond just icetime.

Myers, a product of the Kelowna Rockets, leads all Buffalo Sabres defensemen in goals and points. The native of DeWinton, Ab. by way of Houston, Tx is an integral part of both the power play and penalty kill and has

While the Swedish Hedman hasn’t had the statistical impact on the Lighting as Myers has had in Buffalo, his contributions could be viewed as greater.

Originally drafted 2nd overall to be the savior of a blueline corps that boasted the likes of journeymen David Hale and Kurtis Foster, Hedman has literally been just that. Playing alongside men the previous two seasons with MoDo of the Swedish Elite League, Hedman’s adjustment to life in the NHL has been seemless.

Almost unfairly, Hedman was expected to step into the Tampa Bay lineup and contribute in a top-pairing role. He’s done just that. Myers, on the other hand, wasn’t expected by many to even make the Sabres out of camp. He surprised many by doing just that, but surprised no one when Buffalo kept him after the initial nine game period, kicking in the first year of his three year entry level deal.

Perhaps the most scary aspect about both defensemen is they continue to improve as the season progresses.

But who has been more valuable to their team?

Hedman’s contributions have been largely defensive.

Last season, Tampa Bay gave up 3.28 goals per game, fourth worst in the entire league. This season, they’re averaging just 2.75 goals against. Surely it would be irresponsible to attribute that .53 goals against per game to Hedman, but he’s certainly contributed to it, as has Antero Niitymaki, who has played very well between the pipes this season.

Myers, on the other hand, has been impressive at both ends of the ice. With both blueliners averaging approximately the same amount of time on both special teams, Myers has definitely been the more productive of the two.Defensively, he’s been no slouch either.

Is Myers a product of a better team? It’s hard to argue against the Sabres being a better squad than the Lightning, despite Tampa Bay’s marked improvement this season. Is Myers a product of the Sabres, or is he a key contributor? Most would pick the second option, as they would with Hedman.

So what does it come down to between these two towering defensemen? Both blueliners have garnered early Calder Trophy consideration for their strong play in this young 2009/10 season. Could either become the first defenseman since Barrett Jackman in 2003 to win the award?

Victor Hedman      TALE OF THE TAPE      Tyer Myers
6′6                           HEIGHT                           6′8
230                          WEIGHT                          222
18                                AGE                                19
0                              GOALS                              3
5                             ASSISTS                             6
5                             POINTS                              9
0                        PLUS/MINUS                        3
20                                PIM                                10
23:55                               ATOI                             21:45
15                                HITS                               20

Want the latest on prospects worldwide? Be sure to visit Future Considerations. On Twitter? Get the latest updates immediately with Future Considerations on Twitter!

Excited about the World Junior Championships? Future Considerations is in pre-sales mode for their WJC Guide, available in both print and digital formats! Visit Future Considerations for more details!

]]> http://jasonpoblete.com/2009/11/22/another-reminder-why-easing-u-s-sanctions-on-cuba-not-warranted/ Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:23:48 +0000 poblete http://jasonpoblete.com/2009/11/22/another-reminder-why-easing-u-s-sanctions-on-cuba-not-warranted/

A former State Department official and his wife pled guilty last week to three decades of providing classified U.S. national defense information to state sponsor of terrorism Cuba.  According to the Miami Herald, the husband and wife spy team “appeared in good spirits” during a court appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia a few miles away from Virginia in Washington, DC.  In return for the guilty plea, the couple will spend the balance of their golden years behind bars, rightly so, without possibility of parole.

The statement by Acting U.S. Attorney Channing Phillips succinctly summarized the matter:  the “guilty plea and impending sentence close the book on this couple’s contemptuous betrayal of our nation. Thanks to a well-planned and executed counterintelligence investigation that included unprecedented cooperation among multiple U.S. agencies, the Myers’s serious transgressions of compromising our nation’s classified secrets will now be appropriately addressed with significant prison sentences.  Others who would think to compromise and jeopardize our nation’s security should be forewarned.”

The day before this hearing, advocates of easing U.S. sanctions on Cuba were testifying before a Congressional Committee in the House of Representatives.  It is too bad the plea deal was not announced the day before that hearing for it was a yet another clear reminder why easing U.S. sanctions on Cuba is not warranted at this time.  Travel to Cuba by American citizens is like oil sales are to Iran – a money line to sustain a repressive regime.

No one should be allowed to visit, not even family, unless there is an extreme humanitarian need.  Easing of travel restrictions will not only afford the regime much-neeed hard currency, but will also allow it to find more ways to spawn characters like Ana Belen Montes or the Myers, to name a few, who will compromise U.S. national security interests.  Easing travel will not foster regime change.  Only a robust program of economic isolation by the United States, and one would hope allies, can force the regime to change its ways.  Such an approach has worked in places such as South Africa.  It can work in Cuba.

It is too bad that the Obama Administration rolled back the Bush Administration restraints on travel.  This diplomatic and economic carrot was quickly denounced by the regime as not enough.  But they will accept it because they need the cash and the distraction. Hopefully, that is all the easing of restrictions that there will be on our end.  U.S. law is clear.  The Cuban regime knows what it must do to secure concessions from the United States.  There is no need to help them or make it easier for the dictator and his supporters to hold on to power.  The Myers plea deal is case in point – the current regime has no interest in working with the United State, quite the opposite – it, like fellow state sponsor of terrorism Iran, still seeks to undermine U.S. interests.

Read the complete Justice Department statement and a background on the case, here.

We’re in November, where everyone’s thoughts turn to…the Calder Trophy? If the season ended today, NHL.com’s Senior Editorial Director Phil Coffey would be handing the award to New York Islanders rookie John Tavares, while Tyler Myers of the Buffalo Sabres and Ryan O’Reilly of the Colorado Avalanche are forced to smile and applaud. (NHL)

The Washington Capitals have called up former first round selection John Carlson, who is in his first season of professional hockey. With one goal and nine assists this season, Carlson leads all Hershey Bears defensemen in points, and sits third among AHL blueliners. One has to wonder, though, where’s the Karl Alzner callup? (Washington Capitals)

Just an aside, but if it’s the first time Carlson has been called up, have they really recalled him?

The Pipeline Show’s Guy Flaming continues his idea to revamp the Subway Super Series by pitting the various league’s against their imports. With the series shifting to Ontario after Team QMJHL swept the opener, meet Team Non-Canada OHL, led by Cam Fowler, Future Considerations’ top ranked defenseman for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. (Coming Down The Pipe)

Hockey’s Future has released the first of a new column highlighting hot prospects. Much love to the likes of Nicklas Bergfors, Ryan O’Reilly, Bobby Sanguinetti and Brandon Kozun, among others. (Hockey’s Future)

Wondering what’s going on with those wonderful prospects for the New York Rangers, like Ethan Werek or Scott Stacjer? Wonder no more! (Blueshirt Banter)

While it hasn’t been the biggest debate of the last half-decade in the hockey world, it certainly has been the one I’m most interested in.

And perhaps the toughest to answer.

Is a prospect better served in the NHL, playing minimal minutes a night and practicing daily in the best league in the world, or is he best developed playing upwards of 30 minutes a night in a developmental league?

Certainly the likes of Rick Nash in 2002-03, Sidney Crosby in 2004-05, Patrick Kane in 2007-08 and even John Tavares this season are strong arguments for players making the jump to the NHL following their draft year.

Even lesser established prospects like the Buffalo Sabres Tyler Myers and Evander Kane of the Atlanta Thrashers are finding success in limited, but important roles seeing different situations.

But more importantly, they’re seeing time.

That wasn’t the case for Columbus Blue Jackets rookie Nikita Filatov who at his own request was loaned to CSKA Moscow to – as Filatov put it – better develop.

There’s no doubting Filatov will see more than his eight minutes per game he was seeing under head coach Ken Hitchcock. There are few that will argue the Blue Jackets and Filatov made a misstep by sending him back overseas, on loan for the remainder of the season.

Filatov is an obvious example. How about someone like Matt Duchene?

Duchene, the third overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft had a strong start to his pro career, making the Colorado Avalanche out of camp and recording six points in his first 10 games. Since, the former Brampton Battalion standout has just one in his last 10 and none in the month of December.

Is it a case of struggling to keep up with the rigorous pace of the National Hockey League, or the case of a struggling rookie grasping his stick just a little too tight?

Duchene is certainly getting enough icetime with over 17 minutes per game. Only John Tavares, who has nine goals and 19 points in 21 games, has played more as a rookie forward this season.

Would Duchene be better served back in the OHL? He’d see more minutes, play a bigger role, but more importantly, produce. And production equates to confidence.

But, how much of a hit would his confidence take if he were returned to Brampton. He’s already got a place of residency in Denver, living with veteran Darcy Tucker. He’s settled in, and hockey players are a creature of habit.

Or take Dmitry Kulikov of the Florida Panthers.

He’s averaging 17 minutes per game, fifth among defensemen under head coach Peter DeBoer. He’s also minus-9. Should he be logging 30 minutes per outing with the Drummondville Voltigeurs? Would he accept such a demotion, or would he request a loan ala countryman Filatov? Is it NHL or bust for the young Russian?

The Ottawa Senators thought former first round pick Erik Karlsson was better served playing bigger minutes with the AHL’s Binghamton Senators.

Karlsson was playing similar minutes to that of Kulikov, but it was decided the Swede would be better served in the minors by general manager Bryan Murray and head coach Cory Clouston.

Karlsson seemed frustrated by the demotion at the time, but has six points in eight games.

Will his demotion ultimately make him a better NHL player? Will staying with the Avalanche make Duchene a better NHL talent? Will Filatov’s return to Russia better prepare him for a return to NHL?

Which course is better for the development of a prospect?

Only time will tell.

On Thursday, November 12, 2009 Zoe Myers held a video premiere party at Level 3 nightclub  in Hollywood, CA for the release of her new video Love Me Or Hate Me.  Some of the Celebrity attendees included: David Henrie, Chelsea Staub, Savvy & Mandy, Boo Boo Stewart, Fivel Stewart,  Samantha Droke, Daniel Samonas, Jazmin Whitley, Lauren Elaine, Raja Fanske, Madisen Beatty, Michelle DeFraites, Austin Anderson, Tyler Shamy, Sam Stone, Jazzlyn Liggins, School Boy Humor, Mark Hapka, Allen Evangelista, Brooke Scher, Francia Raisa, Tadhg Kelly, Chris Fedun, Amber Lily, Stephen Lunsford, Brando Eaton& more!

Check out Love Me Or Hate Me here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3575633/The-country-the-world-forgot—again.html

By Kevin Myers
Published: 12:01AM BST 21 Apr 2002

UNTIL the deaths last week of four Canadian soldiers accidentally killed by a US warplane in Afghanistan, probably almost no one outside their home country had been aware that Canadian troops were deployed in the region. And as always, Canada will now bury its dead, just as the rest of the world as always will forget its sacrifice, just as it always forgets nearly everything Canada ever does.

It seems that Canada’s historic mission is to come to the selfless aid both of its friends and of complete strangers, and then, once the crisis is over, to be well and truly ignored. Canada is the perpetual wallflower that stands on the edge of the hall, waiting for someone to come and ask her for a dance. A fire breaks out, she risks life and limb to rescue her fellow dance-goers, and suffers serious injuries. But when the hall is repaired and the dancing resumes, there is Canada, the wallflower still, while those she once helped glamorously cavort across the floor, blithely neglecting her yet again.

That is the price which Canada pays for sharing the North American Continent with the US, and for being a selfless friend of Britain in two global conflicts. For much of the 20th century, Canada was torn in two different directions: it seemed to be a part of the old world, yet had an address in the new one, and that divided identity ensured that it never fully got the gratitude it deserved.

Yet its purely voluntary contribution to the cause of freedom in two world wars was perhaps the greatest of any democracy. Almost 10 per cent of Canada’s entire population of seven million people served in the armed forces during the First World War, and nearly 60,000 died. The great Allied victories of 1918 were spearheaded by Canadian troops, perhaps the most capable soldiers in the entire British order of battle.

Canada was repaid for its enormous sacrifice by downright neglect, its unique contribution to victory being absorbed into the popular memory as somehow or other the work of the “British”. The Second World War provided a re-run. The Canadian navy began the war with a half dozen vessels, and ended up policing nearly half of the Atlantic against U-boat attack. More than 120 Canadian warships participated in the Normandy landings, during which 15,000 Canadian soldiers went ashore on D-Day alone. Canada finished the war with the third largest navy and the fourth largest air force in the world.

The world thanked Canada with the same sublime indifference as it had the previous time. Canadian participation in the war was acknowledged in film only if it was necessary to give an American actor a part in a campaign which the US had clearly not participated – a touching scrupulousness which, of course, Hollywood has since abandoned, as it has any notion of a separate Canadian identity.

So it is a general rule that actors and film-makers arriving in Hollywood keep their nationality – unless, that is, they are Canadian. Thus Mary Pickford, Walter Huston, Donald Sutherland, Michael J Fox, William Shatner, Norman Jewison, David Cronenberg and Dan Aykroyd have in the popular perception become American, and Christopher Plummer British. It is as if in the very act of becoming famous, a Canadian ceases to be Canadian, unless she is Margaret Atwood, who is as unshakeably Canadian as a moose, or Celine Dion, for whom Canada has proved quite unable to find any takers.

Moreover, Canada is every bit as querulously alert to the achievements of its sons and daughters as the rest of the world is completely unaware of them. The Canadians proudly say of themselves – and are unheard by anyone else – that 1 per cent of the world’s population has provided 10 per cent of the world’s peace-keeping forces. Canadian soldiers in the past half century have been the greatest peace-keepers on earth – in 39 missions on UN mandates, and six on non-UN peace-keeping duties, from Vietnam to East Timor, from Sinai to Bosnia.

Yet the only foreign engagement which has entered the popular non-Canadian imagination was the sorry affair in Somalia, in which out-of-control paratroopers murdered two Somali infiltrators. Their regiment was then disbanded in disgrace – a uniquely Canadian act of self-abasement for which, naturally, the Canadians received no international credit.

So who today in the US knows about the stoic and selfless friendship its northern neighbour has given it in Afghanistan? Rather like Cyrano de Bergerac, Canada repeatedly does honourable things for honourable motives, but instead of being thanked for it, it remains something of a figure of fun. It is the Canadian way, for which Canadians should be proud, yet such honour comes at a high cost.

This weekend four shrouds, red with blood and maple leaf, head homewards; and four more grieving Canadian families know that cost all too tragically well.

Fresh of the heels of his NHL debut (and subsequent demotion back to the AHL), the Edmonton Oilers’ Ryan O’Marra talked to our friends at The Pipeline Show about his progress in his development. More interesting, though, is the fact O’Marra’s plane landed at 6:30 and he arrived at the rink in Ottawa at 7:18, giving him a full 12 minutes of preparation for his first NHL game. (Coming Down The Pipe)

As the Buffalo Sabres get set to take on the Calary Flames tonight, towering defenseman and Calder contender Tyler Myers will have a certain smile on his face. Myers, who moved to the small community of DeWinton just outside of Calgary, grew up cheering for the Flames and even partnered with Calgary Flames prospect Keith Aulie at the World Junior Championships last year. (Calgary Sun)

The Super Subway Series, pitting Russian juniors against the QMJHL, OHL and WHL, gets underway Monday. The Russians will be led by Anaheim Ducks prospect Igor Bobkov and New York Islanders property Kirill Petrov. The Russian roster will be filled out by countrymen currently skating in the CHL, with the likes of Misha Fisenko of the Calgary Hitmen joining the club out West. No word yet on if 2010 NHL Entry Draft propsect Kirill Kabanov of the Moncton Wildcats will be available for the series against the QMJHL. (Slam! Sports)

Zoe Myers has recently announced that she will give away three (3) tickets to her “Love me or hate me” video premiere this upcoming Thursday! Make sure to enter the contest it’s an AMAZING prize give away! Make sure you follow @zoemyers and tell her @TweenHollywood sent you! Best of luck to all of you!

The postseason hasn't been too kind to Cole Hamels this time around

It looks like A-Rod isn’t the only guy in the World Series dealing with some personal drama. There seems to be a trouble in Phillyland as well, with reports that a pair of ineffective hurlers, Cole Hamels and Brett Myers, may be in the midst of a little personality clash. Here’s hoping Myers doesn’t do Hamels like he did his wife and punch him in the face.

Hamels, last year’s World Series MVP, caused a stir after getting shelled in Game 3 and telling reporters he “can’t wait for it to end” and “can’t wait for a fresh start”. The lefty, who followed last season’s act with a 10-11 regular season mark, is 1-2 with a 7.58 ERA in four playoff starts and is scheduled to go in Game 7, should we get that far. Anyway, after last night’s 8-6 Philly win, the ever-classy Myers passed his teammate on the way out of the locker room and said something along the lines of “I thought you quit?”. There are conflicting reports regarding whether or not the exchange was serious (yes and no), but I wouldn’t put it past a man like Myers to stir up some shit after his team just got a win to pull itself back into the series.

Anyway, it’s pretty remarkable the Phillies are back this far considering Hamels, their ace in 2008, is a shade of his former self. That, on top of the Brad Lidge collapse. Even Myers, who had a nice postseason run in 2008, missed much of the season due to injury and has been relegated to bullpen work in the World Series after not being on the roster the first two rounds. Is it possible Cliff Lee is just the greatest pitcher to have ever lived?

*Every week I send a goofy email out to an e-list for my Christian fellowship. Since some of the stuff in them is somewhat funny, I thought it would be worth posting them on here. Note that names have been changed to preserve privacy.

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

II. The Stuff of Villains

III. Senior Advice

I. Introduction

Hey guys I’m jPothen, I like to wear collared shirts and intellectually dissect pop culture. I’m also a Senior in Navs who has made it part of his mission to send a weekly humorous email to the entire E-list. Now, believe it or not I do have serious moments when I ask myself: Why are you wasting your senior year on goofy emails, giving purely vapid entertainment?

Well, believe it or not there I try to work in some hidden layers. And while writing I try to remember old Shakespeare and pack some useful content into a seemingly nonsensical missive to make it slightly avant-garde.

And though there are many failures along the path to laughs, I hope these emails are sort of like frosting on a cupcake: completely unnecessary yet incredibly delightful.

II. The Stuff of Villains

1.   If anyone gets that X-Men Evolution reference, you have just won $5 from me.

2.   How many villains in movies are evil masterminds?

3.   Is it possible for people to scheme and plot good things?

While I was on my gap year, preparing to do missionary work in Belgium, I had to take a personality test as part of preparation for joining a church planting team. I took the Myers-Briggs test and learned that I was an INTJ: Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging.

Years later I did more research and found out that the reason I like the villains in many stories (like Iago, Dr. Robotnik, or the Phantom of the Opera) was that they were all Masterminds, like me. An INTJ is known as the mastermind, always cooking up plots, working alone, and not always liking people.

And while it is nice to know that I share the same personality profile of Mr. Darcy, not liking people can be a huge problem when it comes to working with people. And how many good guys in movies and stories are schemers? It seems like so often the good guys are some happy-go-lucky extrovert, not a brooding/somewhat arrogant plotting type.

So how (to use Spider-Man’s terms) can an INTJ use their powers for good? How can someone who can often be callous, intelligent, and intellectually absorbed be good? Are there any examples? I found one in Tolkein’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy: Gandalf the Grey.

Gandalf, if you think about it, is always up to something. If he’s not helping Frodo with that ring, he’s hanging out with his eagle friends or hunting down Gollum with Aragorn. He can be very curt:

“Fool of a Took!”

“Fly you fools!”

“Be quiet! Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth.”

but he is also a natural leader, planner, and parent figure. (I know I shed a tear when he died in the first movie.)

It was the beginning of redemption. Of seeing how someone with villainous qualities (like me) could be one of the greatest heroes of Western Literature.

III. Senior Advice

Senior Advice #6: Listen More than You Speak:

• While it is always fun to hear someone who is eloquent with words talk for an hour (I’m thinking standup comics here), most of us want to be heard, not to hear what someone else is saying. So this week, try to limit your words and learn to ask questions. Make other people feel like they are cared about because you took the time to hear how they are feeling.

Tyler Myers, Future Considerations’ 7th ranked player in the Calder Chase, will continue his dash towards the rookie award after learning from head coach Lindy Ruff he will be staying with the Buffalo Sabres for the remainder of the 2009/10 season.

The former Kelowna Rockets blueliner was an easy choice to stay with the Sabres after averaging 20 minutes a game through the first nine contests this season. In fact, Myers has logged top-4 minutes and only Victor Hedman has played more minutes as a freshman.

The Dewinton, AB  native leads all Buffalo defensemen in points with five on the strength of two goals and three assists.

The news could come as a blow to Hockey Canada, as Myers is one of four eligible defensemen to return to represent Team Canada at the World Junior Championships in Saskatoon/Regina this Christmas.

Myers, who had 42 points in 58 games with the Rockets last season, was the Sabres first pick, 12th overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

From John Vogl of The Buffalo News:

Tyler Myers’ story is just beginning. He and the Buffalo Sabres hope it continues to be a compelling one.

The Sabres made an obvious answer official Thursday, announcing that their rookie defenseman will stay with the NHL club past his nine-game tryout limit. They could have sent the 19-year-old back to junior hockey before tonight’s game against Toronto and saved a year of his contract, but in the process they would have weakened their blue line.

“He made it pretty easy,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “He played real well for us.”

Myers leads the Sabres’ blue-liners in goals (two) and points (five), and he’s third on the team with 20:20 of ice time per game. Sending him back to Kelowna of the Western Hockey League would have left an obvious hole in the lineup, so he will remain with the Sabres for the “foreseeable future,” General Manager Darcy Regier said.

“He’s like the other guys in that he really just needs to continue his work, continue a process of continuous improvement,” Regier said. “That’s what we’re looking for. Lindy emphasized that the expectations are there’ll be ups and downs, there’ll be adversity, but we expect him to continue to improve not just this year but in the future.”

Myers, who’s been living in a local hotel, will seek more permanent residence. But aside from that and the excitement of becoming an NHL regular, Thursday was just another day of practice for Myers in the Amherst Pepsi Center.

“Obviously, it feels good,” he said. “It’s exciting, but I obviously don’t want to stop after 10 games. It’s early in the season, and I want to keep improving every game, show that I can build as the schedule gets tougher.

“I don’t want to get too comfortable. I still want to play at a high intensity. Sometimes if guys get a little comfortable, they slow down a bit, so I want to make sure I keep it going and try to limit those mistakes, just keep improving.”

The debate within the organization — “less debate as it got closer to the 10 games, mostly because of his play,” Regier conceded — revolved around Myers’ long-term status. By playing 10 games with the Sabres, Myers will become a restricted free agent at age 22. If he plays 40 games, he will become an unrestricted free agent at 26 instead of 27.

“It’s a pretty big decision,” Regier said.

Myers’ performance and attitude made it easy.

“He’s an even-keeled young man. That’s one of the things we like about him,” Regier said. “Whether he’s getting on the bus or the plane after a game, you’d be hard-pressed to know whether he had a great game or a poor game. He realizes that it’s a long road, and he looks at the opportunity to play and get better.”

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sabres defenceman Henrik Tallinder doesn’t understand what the big mystery is regarding rookie teammate Tyler Myers’ NHL future.

If Sabres management insists it will take one more game to evaluate whether to keep Myers on the roster for the rest of the season, Tallinder doesn’t need another minute of convincing.

“He should play here,” Tallinder said after practice Tuesday. “I’m really amazed with his poise with the puck. It’s unbelievable for his age, 19. You don’t see veteran guys have that.”

Tallinder then compared the six-foot-eight Myers to another tall and established defenceman, six-foot-nine Bruins captain Zdeno Chara.

“Not even close. I still don’t think Chara has the same movements as this kid has,” Tallinder said. “It’s scary how good he’s going to be.”

Tell that to the Sabres braintrust.

Though coach Lindy Ruff is quick to praise Myers for how well he’s played eight games into the season, he won’t commit to whether Myers will be on the team by the end of the week or returned to his Canadian junior team in Kelowna, British Columbia.

The hiccup is Myers’ age. Under NHL rules, the 2008 first-round pick’s three-year rookie contract kicks in after appearing in his 10th game, and Myers also would be eligible to test free agency a year earlier than most players in his draft class.

The deadline comes after Buffalo plays at New Jersey on Wednesday, when Myers is expected to play his ninth game.

And that’s the timetable the Sabres are sticking with.

“It isn’t anything more than that,” Ruff said. “We have this time span to evaluate him and work with him. When that time frame is up, the decision will be there.”

Ruff would allow that he’s happy with what he’s seen so far.

“I think he’s played very well for us,” Ruff said. “He’s handled a lot of different situations and he’s played some big minutes in some big situations.”

Myers has scored two goals and has three assists, not including a highlight-reel, stop-and-start wraparound in scoring the decisive goal in a 3-2 shootout win at Tampa Bay last weekend.

Myers ranks third on the team in averaging 20:08 in ice time per game. And he’s among the NHL’s most responsible defensive players, having been on the ice for eight-more even-strength goals scored than his team has allowed.

Myers is pleased with his performance and trying to not think about the immediate future.

“I haven’t been told anything,” he said. “Playing the first eight games here, I feel like I’m a part of the team. I don’t really look at it as a tryout. So I’m just going to take it day by day and whatever they decide, I’ll accept.”

And yet, Myers will agree that he hasn’t looked out of place in the NHL.

“I feel I belong,” he said. “But it’s obviously going to come down to what the coaches and scouts think.”

Tallinder, who stands six foot three, is most impressed with how fluid Myers is despite his frame.

“You really have to work for it when you’re that tall, and he has it already,” Tallinder said. “I don’t know. It’s pretty scary. You think you’re pretty good, but no.”

Myers has been living out of a Buffalo hotel room since he arrived in town for the start of training camp in early September.

As comfortable as the room has been, Myers realizes checkout time is approaching. He’s hoping to trade it for a place in town.

“If I get the word, yeah, I’ll look around and see what’s out there,” he said. “But until then, I’ll keep quiet.”

Sabres send Paille to Bruins for draft picksAncelotti delighted with Cole