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As we finish off our look at the Sabre free agents, this one's for Trueblue #37 Matt Ellis F (33-year-old UFA) Rochester 38/7/6/13/-6/2 Buffalo 39/1/1/2/-12/4 Believe it or not, Matt Ellis once scored 38 goals and 89 points in just 66 games. But that was 13 years ago in his last year of major junior hockey. Since then his resume is a testament to the perseverance of role players. Ellis waited until his fifth year of pro hockey before he played his first NHL game. He has played just one full NHL season in his career, compiling 49 points over parts of nine years. But he keeps getting call-ups — despite lead feet and stone hands — because he keeps delivering exactly what his coaches ask from him. Last year was no different. Pencilled in at the start of the year as a veteran mentor for Rochester, Ellis once again answered the bell when others failed and spent most of the latter half of the season toiling on the Sabres’ fourth line. Without a contract at 33, Ellis definitely has to see the writing on the wall, but he continues to work out with the Sabres hoping for another deal. It’s not clear if he is in the team’s plans, or how, but his track record indicates he will be ready if he’s called. Links to the rest of the series: Anders Lindback: http://forums.sabres...nders-lindback/ Pat Kaleta: http://forums.sabres...patrick-kaleta/ Johan Larsson: http://forums.sabres...-johan-larsson/ Matt Hackett: http://forums.sabres...1-matt-hackett/ Andrej Meszaros: http://forums.sabres...ndrej-meszaros/ Phil Varone, Zac Dalpe, Jerry D'Amigo: http://forums.sabres...e-dalpe-damigo/ Mikhail Grigorenko: http://forums.sabres...ail-grigorenko/ Tyson Strachan, Andre Benoit: http://forums.sabres...han-and-benoit/ Mark Pysyk: http://forums.sabres...w-3-mark-pysyk/ Tim Schaller: http://forums.sabrespace.com/topic/23423-roster-review-59-tim-schaller/