Well I heard it too, from a good friend of Jimmy and someone in the Sabres organisation. It has yet to be confirmed after he passes the medical. Sorry, that's all I have!
We're trying to find out too -- a few people on here have mentioned there are reports afoot of him getting a contract from Buffalo. Nothing formal yet though.
90 fights in the Q, playoff and regular season combined. The lad likes to scrap, that's for sure.
and he also has some flashes of goal scoring, when he played with the PEI Rocket, he had one game where he scored 3 goals got into 2 fights and was given 1st star
Jimmy Bonneau Profile
Prospect Grade: 3.0 B
(3 - Average minor league forward / defenseman / goaltender -- players who will in all likelihood will spend their entire careers in the minor leagues.) Talent Analysis
One of the better fighters in the QMJHL, has good size and is improving his overall hockey skills. Still needs to work on his skating and some basic fundamentals of the game. Could stand to be more physically aggressive.
Jimmy Bonneau, F
8th round – 241st overall (Montreal Rocket – QMJHL)
Status: NHL Prospect
NHL games: 0
At 6’2, 216 pounds, Bonneau has the size, but not the overall game to go with it. The key numbers with Bonneau are 261, 263, and 234 – those were his penalty minute totals in the QMJHL.
Bonneau was not drafted for goal scoring or offensive creativity. He was drafted for brute force and protection – skills that are still valued at the NHL level, but only when complemented by an ability to play all aspects of the game.
The 23-year-old has spent the better part of the past two seasons in the ECHL, although he did earn a nine-game sojourn in Hamilton last season. In those nine games, he accounted for 59 penalty minutes. Bonneau has the pugilistic skills to survive, the size to thrive, but he still needs more work on the all-around puck play to proceed to the next level.
Interpretation: if the Sabres are indeed looking at signing him it's strictly as an AHL enforcer and it's not a given that he'll even make the Pirates. They have a pressing need for a heavyweight, especially with Gerbe, Kennedy, Butler, and Schutz entering their first pro seasons.
Wouldn't be surprised if they were talking AHL deal only. I don't think this is a guy that really has much NHL potential, but he should be good in the AHL.
It has been interesting to see the guys Regier is signing this summer for that squad - Darcy has rarely dipped into tough over skill in his tenure.
It's honestly been the most encouraging thing for me since the season ended. They took some physical guys in the draft [Fienhage, notably] and their really stocking up the AHL squad with some grit. Hopefully a taste of things to come in Buffalo, but at the very least the skilled youngsters in Maine will have some hired muscle to back them up.
