The Buffalo Sabres are sitting pretty atop the Northeast Division with what is a comfortable lead for the time being. And down on the Buffalo farm, the Portland Pirates are having a nice season themselves.
The Pirates are right in the thick of things in the AHL's Eastern Conference, sitting in fifth place in the conference and fourth place in the Atlantic division. But the Sabres shouldn't be, and probably aren't, too concerned with the wins and losses produced by their affiliate. Instead, watching the future of their franchise blossom at the AHL level is a reason for the organization to be smiling.
With just over half of the NHL season in the books, the Pirates are being led in scoring by a 20-year-old rookie, and their 2008 first-round pick.
In just his first year of professional hockey, left-handed scoring machine Tyler Ennis has 13 goals and 28 assists for 41 points in 43 games. And the hard work and determination of the 5-foot-9 forward has already paid off in his rookie season with his first call to The Show having come earlier this season.
Ennis made his NHL debut with the Sabres on Nov. 14 against the Philadelphia Flyers, and it didn't take long for the rookie to get on an NHL score sheet. The Edmonton native scored in his first and so far only NHL game, finding the back of the net at 14:50 of the second period against the Flyers.
"When I got the call, I was really excited and a little nervous," Ennis told NHL.com following his debut with the Sabres. "I was trying to focus and concentrate on working hard."
Ennis was only with the Sabres for the one game, and even with the goal that helped end the Flyers' five-game winning streak at the time, he was still shipped back to Portland to further develop his skills.
The talent displayed in his lone game in the league proved that Ennis can be a scoring threat in the NHL, and there is certainly a sense of excitement for fans of the improved Sabres. And knowing that he would eventually end up back in Portland before becoming a full-time NHL player, Ennis didn't go back to the AHL and hang his head at the demotion. The 26th pick in the 2008 draft, Ennis returned to Portland and went on a tear in the scoring department to earn a selection into this season's AHL All-Star Game.
The Pirates will host this season's AHL All-Star Game, and so far, Ennis is the only Pirate to be selected for the game, though the Planet USA roster won't be released until Jan. 18.
Ennis' scoring ability has already earned him a call to the NHL and an All-Star Game selection, and he turned 20 just three months ago. It's been a nice start to a career that will only get better once the former Medicine Hat standout becomes a fixture in the NHL.
Photo courtesy of Heather Harvey.
