In an effort to foster competition, Sabres shake up personnel at forward

Phil Housley has warned as of late that, as the Buffalo Sabres struggle, changes will continue to be made to the lineup. One such move was made Monday, when the team placed forward Matt Moulson on waivers with the intention of reassigning him to Rochester should he clear.
Moulson, 34, has played 297 games in his four-plus seasons with the Sabres. He had been held scoreless in 14 games so far this season while alternating in and out of the lineup.
"With the position we're in, we've got to make some difficult decisions about our team and our lineup," Housley said. "Sometimes they're tough decisions. I think we need to focus as a group on our own game as an individual but certainly these are the tough ones that you have to make in this business."

Housley said the decision to waive Moulson was made after multiple conversations with general manger Jason Botterill in an effort to foster more internal competition for roster spots. The Sabres recalled Hudson Fasching on Saturday and Evan Rodrigues on Monday, with Kyle Criscuolo assigned to Rochester in a corresponding move.
Following practice, the Sabres added additional forward depth with the acquisition of Scott Wilson from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2019.
The assignment of Moulson is significant due both to his veteran status and his close relationship to several players in the Buffalo dressing room. Kyle Okposo's history with Moulson dates back to their time together with the Islanders, and the two are godparents to each other's children.
"It's tough when you lose a guy like that," Okposo said. "He's been my best friend for a while. He means a lot to me so it's tough news. At the same time, it's a business. He knows that better than anybody and I know that. But in saying that, it's tough personally, for sure."
Jack Eichel lived with Moulson and his family during his rookie season of 2015-16, an arrangement made after Moulson offered to help ease Eichel into life as a pro hockey player.
"I owe a lot to him," Eichel said. "He's been there for me since the day I was drafted. Obviously, I've become very close with Matt, his family, his wife, his two kids. They've basically been like family to me. I feel for him, one of the best guys you can play with. I don't think there's a bad word to be said about him."
Housley said it's up to players to read into the decision whichever way they want, and admitted that he expected some players to react emotionally and perhaps use it as motivation. Okposo was blunt when asked what message he thought the move sent to the room.
"Get your s--- together? I don't know, we've got to win some games," he said. "That's what happens in this business. If you don't win games, if you don't get results, good people pay the price for it. Myself included, I've got to pick my game up. Everybody's got to pick their games up.
"We've got to find ways to win. It's a results business. We're in the business of winning and we're not doing that right now, so there's going to be some changes."
The acquisition of Wilson, 25, gives the Sabres a forward with whom Botterill has plenty of familiarity, having had him as member of the Penguins organization for parts of four seasons. The UMass-Lowell graduate scored 26 points (8+18) in 78 games for Pittsburgh last season and 77 points (41+36) in 90 career AHL games with Pittsburgh's affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Wilson began this season with the Penguins, but was acquired by Detroit in a trade on Oct. 21.
"We are very happy to add Scott to our roster," Botterill said in a press release. "Scott is a hard-working, young player that will be a great fit for our club. As a two-time Stanley Cup Champion, his experience will be an asset both on and off the ice."
Rodrigues, meanwhile, seemed well on his way to earning a spot in Buffalo out of training camp until a hand injury brought his preseason to a premature end. Rodrigues made his NHL debut last season and proved to be a serviceable center, scoring six points (4+2) in 30 NHL games.
He worked over the summer to improve his skating and, prior to sustaining his injury, believed he had put himself in position to make the NHL roster. Once he went down, however, he knew a return to Rochester was likely in his future.
Rodrigues did indeed return to Rochester upon returning to health, and has since scored five goals and five assists for 10 points in eight games. His average of 1.25 points per game leads the Amerks.
"It's hockey," Rodrigues said. "Those things happen and you have to show resiliency. You have to believe in yourself and know that if you do whatever you can while you're hurt then you'll get back here, and that's what I tried to do while I was injured and while I was in Rochester. I gave it all I had."
Rodrigues centered a line with Jordan Nolan and Kyle Okposo on Monday. Those two wingers previously found success with Jacob Josefson as their center, which they attributed to Josefson's on-ice smarts. Similarly, Rodrigues offers a combination of speed, IQ and positional awareness.
"He makes a difference," Housley said. "You can see right now with his pucks skills and his vision, hockey IQ. He can make plays."
What all of Monday's moves have in common is the potential to inject some life into a team that's lost 11 of its last 12 games, both on the ice and off of it. Fasching brought a boost with his net-front presence on Saturday, and Rodrigues aims to do the same simply through hard work.
"Add to the pace, add some work ethic, be hard on pucks and when the opportunity comes to showcase my offensive ability, I'll do that," he said. "But I'm going to go out, work as hard as I can to start and form there I'll just let my talent work itself out."

Monday's practice

Nathan Beaulieu did not practice after missing the entirety of the third period on Saturday due to an illness. Housley said that Beaulieu will not travel with the team to Colorado for the start of their road trip, but did not rule out the possibility of him joining the Sabres at some point this week.
Here's how the full lineup looked at practice, including a promotion for Fasching:
9 Evander Kane - 15 Jack Eichel - 29 Jason Pominville
67 Benoit Pouliot - 90 Ryan O'Reilly - 24 Hudson Fasching
17 Jordan Nolan - 71 Evan Rodrigues - 21 Kyle Okposo
28 Zemgus Girgensons - 22 Johan Larsson - 23 Sam Reinhart
6 Marco Scandella - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen
19 Jake McCabe - 47 Zach Bogosian
4 Josh Gorges - 93 Victor Antipin
41 Justin Falk
40 Robin Lehner
31 Chad Johnson