Samson's Flow

Medium Pessimistic. I think part of the struggles recently has been attributed to a poor mix of players, specifically the lack of a defensive capable centerman. I am intrigued by the prospects of our young centermen (Hodgson, Ennis, Grigo) but at the moment they are probably the worst group in terms of face-off/defensive zone start ability/coverage. This is why the Sabres as a team seem to be pinned in their zone for eons every game. We can't takeaway the puck and when we get stoppages we can't win the faceoffs to gain possession. I think as a whole we have competitive amounts of talent, it is just not the right kind of talent and players are being put in situations that they have limited chance of success. A player like Ennis should be given a high percentage of offensive zone starts and skilled wingers and I believe he can be a 70 pt/season player. Same with Hodgson. Unfortunately there is no center/line to take the remaining defensive zone starts to allow this. Right now our best defensive type players are Pomminstein, Kaleta and Ott. That's about it. Ultimately this falls on Regier as he hasn't put together the right mix of players to make an effective team. Right now the Sabres are just a bunch of players with no coherent team building strategy. But there are young players with flashes of skill that could come together with a few key moves to get a dedicated checking/defensive line here. But it's a few seasons of moves/development away...

Certainly a lot of confidence in the former healthy scratch Grigorenko to put him centering Vanek and Pommers... that being said I don't hate that thought of giving Grigs a chance to show something with some skilled players. As long as he gets real minutes and not two shifts until he's benched i'll be pleased

Yeah... :oops: My rationale for those posts were you won't be able to change the positioning errors in one pre-game practice, so just let them play naturally for this game and see what you have. The time for fixing the defensive zone positioning errors is not the morning of the next game. Don't get me confused, I think there is definitely some major style and philosophy changes that need to be made to be a more effective team, such as increased aggressiveness on the forecheck, tightening the gap on the pointmen while in our zone, zone entries on the powerplay, etc. I just don't think you can fix all those things in one day.

Me too, it would further our transition to a younger team instead of the half rebuild/half contender limbo we usually do

It's what i've been saying for weeks. The defensive zone coverage was terrible from a fundamental positioning level.

That's better than the alternative... there will be many more Sabres games in your future. You mess up valentines day you may not make it to the next one...

Brad Boyes!?! Finally! :thumbsup: i kid, i kid...

and the masses rejoice!

Pretty sure they are in Toronto practicing at the ACC, so getting to the FNC won't do a damn thing... :nana:

He's drawing pictures for them! No wonder he only coaches teenagers... /sarcasm

Intrigue... here's to hoping :angel:

My point was the last few weeks I think Lindy has been drilling the positioning and what to do that it has put too much into each player's head and they are thinking instead of reacting. If you're thinking too much in sports your reactions are much slower and you play reactive instead of proactive. I'm saying Rolston allows the team to not play under the weight of being in perfect position all the time and lets them rely on whatever natural hockey skill and instincts they have that got them to the NHL in the first place.

Well if there is a silver lining its that we have 3 players in the top 6 who are under 23 (Coho, Ennis, Foligno) and a 18yr old high draft pick, so its not like we have a ton of 30+ grizzly vets that won't take kindly to a amatuer coach. Motivating young kids is all that Rolston has ever done, but we have a few of them

I do, since that would be the first steps toward a rebuild and actually giving game experience to young guys. besides how much different is that from now when the top 6 has 3 players (Coho, Ennis, Foligno) and Stafford. Would you rather suck and not get better or suck and give the young'ns a chance to learn on the job. The season is all but shot, give Grigo some real minutes and at least see what pieces you have for next year's build.

I'm guessing you didn't plan anything and then remembered it was today and are scrambling? I did the same thing since I was out of town last week so we planned an all-day saturday movie/dinner/drinks plan out at the galleria. Matinee movie went great but our plan for Cheesecake Factory at 2pm was squashed when the line was 2 hrs long. Really? at 2pm on a Saturday we thought we would be safe... :censored:

Won't be able to watch this game, but I think two very distinct outcomes are possible here, either we come out strong and play loose without thinking and we run over the Leafs <or> the team looks even more lost and confused and its a replay of the Jets game where they just get steamrolled. I'm hoping Rolston is telling the team to play naturally and to forget thinking about where you need to be and just react.

I don't think "Rolston-oids" is any better... then again this coming from a guy who still has a Brad Boyes team name. :bag:

I knew it was sarcasm. I was trying to be even more over the top. Sorry my sarcasm got lost.

Yeah, Rolston is going to turn down an NHL head coaching gig (one of only 30 out there) because he can't bring Kevin Porter with him?! In related news i'm going to pass up a night with the Victoria's Secret girls because of my college girlfriend. The Porter move has next to nothing to do with the Lindy Firing/Rolston hiring

Yeah, hiring from within certainly lessens the excitement of a wholesale attitude change coming from a new coach. My preference would have been for someone who has never had any association with the Sabres organization just so that you have a new set of eyes on every player.

I remember Ted Nolan's last year, but for me, there hasn't been a Sabres team I can think of that didn't have Lindy Ruff behind the bench. I'm excited and scared sh!tless all at the same time...

Little late to the party but as many have expressed, I am both excited and a little solemn today after hearing that Ruff is no longer the coach of the sabres. I am excited to see if a change in scheme and aggressiveness may result from the coaching change. The sadness comes from realizing that I am too young where the only coach I can recall in my lifetime is Lindy Ruff and Ted Nolan. That's a long time :cry:

I've never heard that one directed at Vanek. I used to hear that all the time during the 2000's at players like Afinigenov and Connolly

Might make me feel better if it appeared there was any plan at all... :bag:

Hey (insert name), you blow worse than your mother last night!