mjd1001

This is anecdotal, so take it for how you will... About a month or two ago I was home bored and we were discussing the Power play and how to make it better. On a Saturday night, I went to NHL's web site and watched the replay of every powerplay goal for that day and night. There had to be close to 15 that I saw. The point I was making was that most of a teams PP success is not by pure skill or coaching, its by doing the basics, because most goals were not people picking corners, rather scrums in front of the net and deflections. If I had to guess most were deflections. Which gets me to my point. A lot of goals, in that one night at least, a LOT more than I thought....were goals that were scored not by beating a goalie cleanly, but by a deflection, often times going off the defensive player. Its not the injuries I am worried about. I think I would most of the time rather have my players stay on their skates so they can recover quickly, but more importantly don't screen your own goalie and for sure, don't allow for deflections that will be the cause of goalies allowing goals.

At this point I don't care who is calling the shots so much as will they make the required changes. -If Adams doesn't make any moves at all, then he can be gone for all I care. -If Adams makes a somewhat meaning trade before the deadline, and is instrumental in getting Cozens moved to wing or traded, he can stay, and is willing to spend some more money to make the team better, he can stay. -If Lindy finds a way to get Quinn going and is fine with moving Cozens to wing, fine, he can stay. -If Pegula opens up the wallet and gets this team to spend close to the cap next year, fine. I am OK generally with 'inactivity' while young guys are developing. But we are past that time now. Make the moves. I will not indict a coach, owner, or a GM for making moves unless they are all utter disasters. I don't think that is the case with this group. Where my patience runs thin, or in this case is almost running out is when you gave things a lot of time and you aren't doing well, so make some moves. That means trades, moving people to other positions, signings. Since December, we have been at the point where changes have to be made. The failure of this owner, this coach, this GM will only be if they choose to continue to sit on the hands. I know I am repeating myself, but Pegula, open up the Wallet. Adams, make some moves. Ruff, If Cozens is still here keep him at Wing. There is a lot of low hanging fruit out there to make this team better, each of them has had an opportunity to do some of it, why hasn't it happened yet?

I'm not disagreeing with you, but just throwing this out there.... ARE those guys the top Defensive defensemen in terms of helping their teams prevent goals? Or is it just thought they are because they are at least decent-to-good defensively, and the fact that they block a lot of shots adds to the perception they are better than they are because many people DO beleive blocking shots is a good thing? The 2nd question is...if we do agree blocking shots is a good thing....then how are blocked shots credited? Is it good if a guy slides on the ice (Jay McKee style) to get the blocked shot? Or are some of the current blocked shots leaders more guys that are good at the subtle art of getting in the way of shots, taking them off of their legs or shins? To me....blocked shots....its far too generic. There is a BIG difference in real application between a guy who goes down off of his skates and one that just approaches a shooter at the point and stays upright to take it off the shinpads. In an ideal statistical record keeping world, it would be great to see blocked shots broken down by the type of blocked shot.

I didn't see it. I was just reacting to other people who said it was. Even on the radio yesterday morning on 590 out of Toronto they said Drake had a bad day because of the halftime performance even though he wasn't in it. Again, I try to avoid talk about stuff like this, but everywhere I turned yesterday, I couldn't get away from it even though I didn't even watch the Superbowl.

I lived in Boston in the last 1990's and early 2000s. I wasn't a Red Sox fan, but the angst they had was, like nothing I have ever seen. Funny thing, once they won the World Series, a lot of the people I worked with had a lot less interest in the team after that. I mean, sure they were fans, but my entire work career with them in the late 90's and early 2000's, it was Red Sox all the time, non stop, everyday talking about them. Once they won a world series...it was quite a step down. Its like their 'fandom' went from something of an obsession to just something normal. I would think after you won 1 or 2 titles behaving like you mentioned, it just wouldn't happen as much.

I have never seen anything quantify it in any way. I think its something that is sometimes good, sometimes bad. "old time' hockey guys liked it. Toughness, sacrificing your body...etc. But in reality, if you are leaving your skates, all that may do is cause you to put yourself out of the rest of the play and take longer to get back in. Also, if you are intentionally trying to block shots, you can tend to put yourself in front of your own goalie and screen him, or worse yet, cause a deflection. I forgot who it was but sometime in the last decade I could swear there was a commentator that was a former goalie (maybe Lundquist?) that said he didn't want his D-man blocking the shots..just get out of the way and let him see the shot and he'll make the save. From a very wide view, stats on blocked shots don't seem to point to players or teams that do it well being any better, or worse than players or teams that don't. The 3 teams with the most blocked shots this year? Philly, Anaheim, and San Jose. The teams with the least? Carolina, Florida, Edmonth. The players with the most blocked shots this year? Ian Cole, Chris Tanev, Jacob Trouba, and Nick Seeler. Ok, whatever. Not a who's who of guys I want on my team for sure.

Per my above post: https://www.naturalstattrick.com/game.php?season=20242025&game=20885 I know I did see Cozens play a bit on the wing. I'm just not sure if he was supposed to be at center and just went to the boards, or if Krebs was the actual center. Naturalstattrick shows him listed on their line tool as playing wing with Krebs and Quinn last game. Its only one game, but the advanced stats of that line were really, REALLY good, with Cozens showing at wing (and with it appearing Krebs and him did split center/wing duty)

Yeah, I know what you mean. I'll keep this short. I posted a longer version of this in another thread, but the short version: If they move and play Cozens at wing, I'll be happy. In fact, I'll be somewhat upset if they move him to wing and then trade him shortly after. If Lindy held a press conference today and said Cozens is moving to wing for the rest of the season, I might have the first post on this board saying they better not trade him now. I want to like him. I see some of what he is good at. I guess my arguing with you and others about him is with me simply accepting (right or wrong) they they are going to play him only at center, so I view him not as a hockey player, but as a center only. Last game at center there was a lot of line juggling, but Cozens did play some wing on a line with Krebs and Quinn. I'm not sure what percentage of the time he was on wing vs center with Krebs (they kinda switched off) but he did play SOME wing and their Corsi, Fenwich, and expected goals for/against were WAY in positive territory. I think he can still succeed here, but not with this organization trying to hammer the 'square peg' that he is through the 'round hole' that the center position is.

The one thing about Cozen is, his 'advanced numbers' in one way are usually pretty good. Expected goals for, as he DOES get to and goes to the slot and those high danger areas. If there is one part of his game I think is good that is it, he is not afraid to skate in front of the net or the slot. Now the issue is, first, his accuracy from there and 2nd, he seems to always shoot once he gets there and doesn't look to pass at all (makes his advanced stats look better but not his actual production). My issue with him has always been 2 things: 1.) expectations....30+ goal scorer every year he is not. If we accept him as a 20 goal scorer, with the upside/ceiling (but not expectations) of getting 30, then he's good there. and 2.) Him being at Center. His weakness may be a strength at wing. Him wanting to chase the puck, him wanting to go to the boards. Him wanting to engage opposing players instead of just playing his 'zone'. All of those things are weaknesses for someone who is 'patrolling' the center of the ice, but strengths for a winger. When he forchecks, he likes to go deep and take guys to the boards or go ALL the way into the corner and finish checks....again, a GOOD thing for a winger, but my center needs to be more aware of everyone around him. I'm not pretending to know more about hockey then Ruff, Granato, the scouting department, and all the assistants. There must be SOMETHING going on that we don't know or don't see. Its just that everytime I see him make a mistake, or be out of position, almost everytime, I think to myself, "If he was on wing, that wouldn't be so bad" or "that is exactly what I WANT my wingers to do and NOT want the center to do, and look how it hurt him." I don't get it. I say over and over Cozens is an awful player, who hurts this team. I think most of the time that is true. But he STILL can be an asset, IMO. They need to play him where his strengths are. They haven't done that with him for almost his entire time here.

I was replying to someone who replied to me...who I replied to...etc etc. Beating a dead horse is mostly what this message board is about, the team doesn't give us much new to talk about.

I know a lot of people were/are excited for the numbers Rosen is putting up in Rochester, but I don't see him as a guy that will have a role on the Sabres team putting up points. I think his role is a 3rd or 4th liner (hopefully 3rd) who can put up 15, MAYBE 20 goals for you, but will play a VERY responsible defensive game. His style may be different, but I think of his utility as a Johan Hecht type player eventually.

I can see that point of view. This year is lost already. I'm not saying don't shop them around you never know what might happen, but don't force a move. The offseason is when you are likely going to address the Defense. It may be finding a good veteran guy that other teams are offering 3 years at $6million, and you going 4 years a $7.5m or more..but that is the position they put themselves in. Power seems to have more bad games than good games and I can see the point of saying he isn't helping the team much right now. I see that. I get that. But I also know that many times D-men who are talented look like hot garbage their first few years, and then they turn into something special. I'm much quicker to give up on Forwards than I am on D-men. Despite how good, or how bad Power may be playing I think getting rid of him now might be a long term mistake.

I'm not a huge music fan. I can count the number or concerts I have gone to in the last decade on one hand. Listen to talk radio as much, or more than music in the car. Most of the time I a show on the TV for background noise over playing music in the house. I say all that to say I probably am one of the last people to comment on the quality of the music. But the rest of what you posted. Trolling. "Destroying Drake" wearing something as another troll job. Taking someone to task...calling an artist Garbage. That is all the stuff I really really dislike....the fact that it happens and the fact that it is mentioned and talked about. I'm not singling the comment made by you out directly, just the overall hype that the pregame shows, the halftime shows, the talk around them get in larger circles, by society in general. For those who like that drama, fine, its entertainment. I think it is a large part, a VERY large part of why I fell out of love the the NFL. It used to be my #1 league. Used to watch every bills game, knew the entire rosters...etc, etc. But the hype, the side shows, the commentators, it just pushed me away. As bad as the Sabres are, I enjoy them, and the NHL as a whole a LOT more than the NFL, and its not even close. It used to be the other way around. Again, that stuff draws more people in and publicity, its making the NFL money. Just for me, the reason I follow this Sabres team, and like the NHL more than I ever have before, is there is just a lot less of that on the broadcasts.

That still doesn't change the fact that he is one of the worst players on this team, especially when it comes to what he is getting paid and the role he has on the team. If you are going to move anyone off this team now, Cozens is the one ahead of the other 'young' players, especially forwards. Kulich (in a small sample size), Peterka, Dahlin...I would even say when you look at the entire body of work Power and Byram, are doing better than Cozens. My post was not to debate whether the way the organization is run is good or not. It isn't, there isn't an argument there. My point is of the bunch, Cozen is the most over-rated of the young guys, the one that has had the most chance to change his game (and he hasn't) and the one that if moved, stands to get a return back....with the fact he his subtracted from the team....that is most likely to move this team forward. As bad as this organization is, I have seen Dahlin get better over the last few years. Krebs is still not a very good player, but his play without the puck is light years better this season than it was in the past. Thompson has gotten better. Peterka has turned into an 'overall' good player with some growing pains. Kulich has a small sample size, but his play is greatly better now than it was his first 10-15 games. Benson has known no pro organization other than the Sabres and he has some very good games. Cozens? His play away from the puck has not grown, not evolved, not gotten one bit better from game one until game 330. He still makes the exact same mistakes game after game, month after month, season after season.

I'm not looking at the Cozens situation in isolation. I am looking at him compared to all the other players he has played with. If the organization is run so poorly, as you even said it impacts other players here like Eichel and Reinhart. The issue with Cozens, of all the players here, he is so much worse than most of the other forwards that are on this team under the same coaching and organization. If he is dealt he likely will do better on another team than he does here. That doesn't excuse the fact that for most of his career he has been one of the worst players on this team, in a way where he causes more harm than almost any of his other linemates/teammates. The team is simply better on the ice when players like Thompson, and Tuch, and McLeod, and Peterka, and others are on the ice and Cozens is on the bench.

4 powerplay goals by Cozens over the last 133 games despite being on pretty much every single powerplay. 1 goal every 33-34 games, whats not to like? Over his career he has 746 minutes of PP ice time and 12 power play goals since he broke into the league. 106 other forwards in the leage have had over 700 minutes of power play ice time since Cozens came into the league. Where does Cozens rank in Powerplay goals amont those 106 players? He's 105th out of 106 (only Dylan Strome has less, and he only has 1 less, but makes up for it with 15 more pp assists than Cozens). By most measures, he is the least productive forward in the league on the PowerPlay that still continues to get regular minutes. Not exactly a history of tearing it up.

I can't see Rodgers catching on with anyone else at this point. He seems to bring a 'distraction' of some level with him wherever he goes. Up to this point, he expects you to reshape the roster to bring in the guys he is comfortable with. And to be honest, he hasn't played all that well in the past few years, and he is now one year older. I read an opinion article a month or so ago saying he doesn't want to retire, will see what is out there, and if he can't find a good team willing to give him the starting role, he'll then say he will 'retire' and make it look like it was his decision all along (I'm sure he wouldn't be the first aging QB to do that).

Most of the flaws were there. In his 31 goal season: -Despite his goals scored, he was on the ice for a lot Of goals against. He was a -3. Other top players on the same team that got similar usage and were used in similar situations? Thompson +4, Skinner +15, Tuch +14, Dahlin +11. -If you are into advance stats, his Corsi% was negative. His Fenwick % was negative. Shots for vs allowed % was negative. Despite his 31 goals, his GF% was negative. Expected goals was right at 50% (neutral). High danger chance % was negative, and high danger goal % was negative. -When you compare Cozens in all of those areas compared to the rest of the team, its not just he was negative, he was negative compared to the rest of the team. The Teams Corsi was 2.2 points higher when he was off the ice compared to when he was on the ice. Fenwick% 2.3 higher with him off the ice compared to on. Shots for% .6 points higher without him. Goals for% .8 points higher with him on the bench. Scoring chance, high danger chances and high danger goals percentages all about a full point higher with him off the ice compared to on the ice. -That year the team allowed a goal every 20.27 minutes even strength when Cozens wasn't on the ice. When he was, it was a lot worse, allowing a goal every 17.6 minutes. For reference, that is a 'pace' like a team allowing 242 goals over a season when he's not on the ice, while allowing a pace of 280 goals when he is on the ice (projected for a full season, playing all minutes) -He was on just about every single powerplay, averaging almost 3 minutes of PP ice time per game, helping his raw stats. -He had one of the higher offensive zone start percentages on the team, which in theory should help both his offensive and defensive numbers, yet, he was still a negative player. He had 26% more offensive zone starts than defensive zone starts. -As a team, they were credited with 34 game winning goals across the roster. He had one. Tuch had 9, Tage had 7, Even Olofsson had 5. Cozens just with 1. He didn't exactly produce in close games when needed in a season where they missed the playoffs by a single point. Even with his 31 goals, the team was worse when he was on the ice then vs when he was on the bench by almost every stat, advanced and basic. Finally, when you look at that season, his 31 goal season, it wasn't a great season. He he one single great stretch of about 20 games. -From the middle of January that year until early March, he had a single 19 game stretch where he had 11 goals in 19 games and shot 21.5%. That 19 game stretch is what many are defining his career one. Yes, he did it, yes it counts, but it hasn't been repeated since. -When you 'back out' that single stretch, even the rest of his season that year was not great, much closer to his career averages. 62 games. 20 goals. 12.5% shooting. -9 on plus/minus. For whatever reasons, luck, playing a string of backup goalies, competition, random chance, He was a very good stretch of 19 games in one year...19 games out of a career of 335 games. And even then he was well below average defensively. To me personally, it seems that fans who are holding out hope that he will be a useful, 30 goal scorer are basing that by totally ignoring his defensive play over his entire career, and holding onto his production that happend over a period in one season, 19 games, 6.5 weeks of a single season.

Why with the extra skater is Tage playing at the blue line. I want him a lot closer to the net.

They don't have the confidence, or the ability, to pass or carry the puck forward. Drop pass, let the next guy take the 'hot potato'.

I think that should be a way to improve the rule. You can review goals for offside.....but if they determine the defensive team had control of the puck after the missed offside, than anything that happens after counts. You score a goal directly after the offisdes, it can be overturned, but not after the opposing team has control of it.

Ok, I don't want goals to count that are offside, but there has to be some way better to do this than to have fans see goals and have them taken away.

When Dahlin is healthy, he is elite. Not 'perfect', but he can excel at any part of the game.

Sabres have not scored a goal with a 5 on 3 advantage all season. 0 for 4.

He hurts the team way more than he helps it. "Just another guy" that you could plug in for him might bring very little positive to the team, but if that guy doesn't bring the negatives that Cozens does, this team would be better.