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Ehrhoff meets the press in Buffalo

Boston Bruins v Vancouver Canucks - Game Five

VANCOUVER, BC - JUNE 10: Christian Ehrhoff #5 of the Vancouver Canucks looks on during Game Five of the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Arena on June 10, 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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A month and a half after becoming the Sabres’ $40 million man, Christian Ehrhoff finally met face-to-face with the Buffalo media. It might not be as pressure packed as the media circus in Vancouver, but with that shiny new contract in hand, Ehrhoff can expect more pressure than he’s ever experienced in his career. Such is life when he’s the new guy in town and just signed a contract that pays $10 million next season and will keep him in Buffalo for the next decade.

Forget “good.” “Good” is an adjective reserved for guys who come-and-go and make millions less. Ehrhoff better be spectacular. If he is, it’ll go a long way towards making the Sabres legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference and possibly the Stanley Cup.

At least Ehrhoff knows what he’s getting into. For his part, he knows the weight that will be on his shoulders:

“Pressure is part of the business and you have to deal with those expectations and that pressure. I played in Vancouver before. It’s a very pressure-filled city and I think I’ve dealt with that pretty good.”

Part of the pressure is the vital role he’s expected to play on the team. The Sabres are expected to be an up-tempo team and Ehrhoff’s transition game should play right into their team philosophy. His booming slap shot has the potential help the Sabres improve upon their 19.4% power play that was good for 9th in the league last year. His 14 goals were good for 6th among defenseman; his 50 points was 7th among blueliners and a career high. This just in: he’s an offensive defenseman.

His up-tempo game should be a perfect complement to another defensive newcomer: defensive stalwart Robyn Regehr. Head coach Lindy Ruff is excited to see Ehrhoff excel with his new team:

“Christian fits the way we play,” said coach Lindy Ruff. “We’re a team that has our defense involved and gets up ice. If you look at the way Vancouver’s defense played and were involved in the offensive side of the game, it’s an automatic fit.”

For his part, Ehrhoff thinks it should be a good fit as well. Once he dealt with the disappointment of getting traded from the Canucks (he thought they were making progress), he turned his attention to his future. Yes, he was looking for a raise from the $3.4 million contract that he earned last season. But at the same time, he wanted to play for a championship. Many will remember that he turned down a deal worth more per year from the New York Islanders a day before the Sabres acquired his negotiating rights.

Ehrhoff says he signed in Buffalo for the opportunity to win with the Sabres.

It also sounds like he did his due diligence before signing on the dotted line with Sabres GM Darcy Regier and Co. After weighing his options and asking former teammates, he was comfortable with the situation.

“Everybody had good things to say about the city of Buffalo being a great place to live with your kids and a good place for them to grow up – which was another criteria I was looking for. And since Terry (Pegula) took over the team he has showed that he is very committed to putting a team together that can win the Stanley Cup. For me it made a lot of sense and that’s why I joined the team.”

All of this is the easy part. For the time being, Ehrhoff has a honeymoon period with the media and fans alike. He’s the new guy who brings hope and the promise of success. If he fits in as Ruff expects and produces like he has for the Canucks over the last two seasons, then $4 million will be a relative bargain for a top-flight point producing defenseman. But if he struggles, the stories won’t be as positive as they are today. $4 million can sound like a good deal for a guy playing well—but the flip side to Ehrhoff’s contract is that his $10 million could look like a huge mistake if he is anything less than magnificent.

But like he said, he’s dealt with the demands of Vancouver. Playing with daily pressure should be nothing new for the German newcomer. We’ll see.