mjd1001

I voted yes because they are so far behind now (even though it is early) but I think the odds of them making it are actually better than most outsiders think. Barring any major injuries, I expect this team to be a borderline top 10 team the rest of the year. With that said, being a 'top 10' team the rest of the year probably still keeps them a few points out of the playoffs, so if I had to bet, I'd say they don't make it (but I think it will be close)

Ok, this has nothing to do with the 'eye test' in a traditional sense. You just apparently do not want to admit when you are wrong. Cozens is turning into a very good player but to ignore, or not even notice a flaw in is game and stick by that point so rigorously is showing you are more worried about making your point than you are about seeing what is real. Let me spell this out for you, there are replays of goals there, and I have referenced them (go back and look at my posts, i'm not doning the work for you again).... Here is an example of what actually HAS happened that I have spelled out: Puck goes into the corner in the Sabres zone....Sabres D-man is there and gets to the puck first. Other Sabres D-man is on the other side. wingers are covering the boards up high. Coznes was in the center/slot and races down to chase the puck even though sabres have coverage there already....either a battle is lost by the D-man OR Cozens... OR the loose puck makes it way to the slot....Cozens is NOT there, an opposing player moves into that empty area and has a wide open shot that scores. That has happened. Many times this year. I have referenced it when it has happened (Usually in the gameday threads). All of those goals allowed replays are available on NHL.com that shows this. Look at the examples of this where goals were scored against the sabres (not once, not twice but at least a handful of times) where this has happened and then tell me in those cases specifically why I am seeing ghosts. For you to come out and say it is objectively false is you just ignoring reality because reality doesn't support your case. I can't argue/discuss this anymore with someone who's head is in the clouds about an issue just becasue it doesn't fit their narrative.

Obviously whatever you are smoking makes you not remember anything beyond the last game or two. I have chronicled over and over, referencing exact plays and actual replays of goals allowed this year, the mistakes they are making. SEVERAL goals have been scored against the Sabres because Cozens doesn't play his position in his own end, instead chasing the puck. Multiple goals and chance after chance occur he leaves the slot/anywere in the center of the ice to chase the puck into the corner (where other Sabres players already are) only to have the puck come back to the place he vacated where a great shot (and sometimes a goal) is scored. This is his main weakness now. As for Peterka and Quinn, they aren't out of position as much as Cozens, but they too have had chances and goals allowed vs the Sabres due to their losing battles on the board or turnovers. The line is playing better now, but over the course of this entire year, all 3 players have made mistakes/been out of position more than most other forwards on the team allowing prime chances and goals against. Just because something doesn't fit your narrative, its a bit childish to ask somoeon "what they are smoking" when the facts are there to support THEIR (not your) point of view.

I know old fashioned plus-minus is a statistic that people think is flawed, but it can be a tool if you look at it a certain way. For the season so far with the Sabres D-men: Dahlin, Samuelsson, Power, Jokiharju: All positive players a combined +28. Pilut, Clague, Fitzgerald, and Bryson: All negative players, combined -22. When the Sabres have injuries back there and the bottom guys have to step up into larger roles....that might be the biggest issue of all.

Player and organizations philosophy based. We all know the Sabres want to play the young guys. They SHOULD get better but will make mistakes along the way. Krebs, Peterka, Quinn, and even Cozens haven't bee the greatest in their own end. That should get better as times goes on. Just have those forwards get better in their own zone, keep the D-unit a bit healthier and get a little better goaltending, and that moves them up the rankings. Those 3 things are the low hanging fruit. These guys also need to get used to each other for D-zone coverage. The list of players currently playing on this team that haven't even played a full season (82 games) over the past 2 years is pretty long: Tuch, Hinestroza, Mitts, Krebs, Jokiharju, Quinn, Peterka, Power, Samuelsson, Fitz, Jost, Pilut, Lyubushkin......all of those guys, through injury or being new, haven't even played 82 games of the 100+ possible games between this year and last.

Not sure where i'm getting that? When I say 'scored' I mean goals. I do not consider getting an assist 'scoring'. He is without a goal in 30+ games. And as far as backchecking with urgency? MAYBE in the last 2-3 games, but for the rest of this season not at all. I have pointed out in previous threads when you look at the replay of goals allowed by the Sabres, at least a couple times the eventual goal scorer was right in front of Krebs with him either 'gliding' to them or just way too slow to get back and impact the play. Even in the last 3 games I haven't seen all of, one of them he had 7.5 minutes of ice time. That is vitually unheard of for a forward to have that little ice time unless they are injured. I have also pointed out SEVERAL plays where goals were scored against the Sabres that were a direct result of him losing a battle for the puck on the boards or a major giveaway by him. If you have watched the replays of the times I have cited the above it is obvious he is a boy agaisnt men out there in his own zone. Again, I am not saying I am giving up on Krebs, but he isn't even a young guy that is 'learning his way'. He is not contributing goals at all and is a major liability causing goals against. I have not seen all of the last 3 games by the Sabres so maybe it has changed in the last 3 games, but up until then he as been a major liability of this team while contributing very little. Something has to change. I understand the Sabres feel he is best served up here practicing with the team, but he isn't helping the team on the ice during games days, and they are barely using him (scratched a few times and getting very little ice time in others.) He is hurting the team on the ice, you have to wonder is a point approaching where he can practice here but you keep him off the ice to prevent him from hurting the team (which they ARE doing with his ice time)....would it be better to put him in Roch and have the coaches have more time to work with him on specific parts of his game (less games played, more productive practice time in the AHL) and during the games give him almost double the ice time he gets here?

I have picked on Krebs alot this year, but I am not going to label him a bust now. He's what, 21 years old? Some guys flounder around the league until their middle 20's before they 'get it'. 21 is really young, I'm going to give him probably another couple years. With that said, he is currently playing really bad. Well, I think in the last couple of games he has stopped 'hurting' the team with bad turnovers, so maybe he isn't playing 'bad', but he hasn't scored in over 30 straight games played now. At some point you have to think of sending him down and come up with SOMETHING for him to work on down there.

I haven't seen any signs of that at all. What have I noticed about Krebs this year? At times he coasts. He loses most battles on the boards. Either he is a very slow skater or he doesn't put the effort in because he is often late getting back into his zone. Basically, the OPPOSITE qualities I need in a 3rd/4th liner.

My question was rhetorical in a way...in that I understand people don't think they should. Personally, I think they should be there simply because they have 1 loss and the others in question have 2 losses. I understand some people like the thing in college sports about ranking, selection comittees, ranking teams based on 'when' the losses took place, etc. That isn't for me. If you come from a big conference and have one loss, to me you get in over a 2 loss team. If there are 'ties' in records, then you can go to all that other stuff.

Personally this would be the most interesting to me. Should TCU be in there? I don't know, but honestly I'd rather see them there (or someone new like Tennessee although with an inured QB that would be an issue) rather than Alabam or Clemson or even Notre Dame. The same old stuff doesn't do it for me, this will be fine. One or two more years in a row of Georgia and then they might be wearing on me, but i'm not there yet with them. The expanded playoffs can't come soon enough. I'll be OK with arguing about who the 13th team left out will be rather than about the 5th or 6th like we do now.

Just a follow up on Cozens. Again, he is playing well overall. I think 90% of his game is great, just his tendency to chace the puck is a problem. Last night is not as good of an example as other games, but look at both even strength goals (minus the one at the end of the game) that Colorado Scored. Both goals were scored from the center/Slot. Cozens was the center. Instead of skating hard to cover the slot/center in the D-zone....he drifts to the side where the puck is with the Sabres had other defenders there, allowing an opposing forward to come to the front of the net with no-one covering him. Again, last night wasn't as bad of an example as other games, but if he can just stop being pulled to the puck like a magnet and instead cover his guy/spot that a center should, both of those goals may not have been scored. With how he is playing every other aspect of his game, if he can lose that tendency in the D-zone you might be able to say he isn't turning into just a good player, but bordering on a possible great player. BUT he just can't seem to break his desire to chase the puck, or at least go to the side of the ice where the puck is, instead of covering the opposing guy trailing into the zone who is scoring a lot. He is the center, he really needs to allow the D-men and the wingers take the boards while he covers ANYONE who goes to the center of the ice in front of the net...those guys are open too much when he is out there.

Agreed. I know that isn't how it works, but I'd like 2 prime time games per year at most. One in the beginning of the year, 1 in the 2nd half. I know with west coast trips you would probably have to add a couple 4 or 4:30 games in there. But prime time games? I'll watch other teams play them, but I want 'my' team Sunday at 1 most of the time. Then again, I still watch MOST games but the past couple years I have been watching less football, even the Bills games...so if others want the prime time games then I'm happy for those who like them.

Nobody at work, or in society in general, tends to care about anything or anyone but themselves. Yeah, I know, some will say it was always like that, we just tend to remember the past more fondly, but there is no way people (in general) put forth less effort at work. Instead of taking pride in their jobs, its almost as if people take pride in GETTING AWAY with what they can at their job more than actually doing the work. A typical employee at my job (and my wife's job it seems) has 2 goals: 1.) make as much money as possible, by getting raise or promotions they don't deserve or skimming as much time as possible..then...2.) doing as little work as they can for what they make. Doesn't matter if they just got a raise....now they don't want to be that 'chump' who works harder than they need to. My current job, 3 days a week I'm on the computer. 2 parts of my work consist of a.) Generating my own reports and b.) Correcting mistakes made by others. For the first time every this summer, I had a week where I spent MORE time correcting others reports than doing my own. The last 2 months, that is now happening every other week.

I understand Cozens may get the puck out of the zone better because of his 'aggressiveness' and the Analytic heat map may show that. But the flip side of that is when he IS in the wrong postion, it tends to be very costly. Again, I'm not sure what the heat map you are referencing is showing...but what I do feel is that if he would stay in his position better (like Tage or Mitts), less great scoring chances (and goals against) would be the result.

Lots of competition. In addition to the older guys like Hedman, you have guys under 30 who will be around for a while like Makar, Fox, McAvoy, Ekblad, Quinn Hughes, Power, maybe Nemec...who all have the talent to contend for the Norris. Not to mention who might be coming into the league in the next couple years. The next 5-10 years, the 'top' of the Norris candidate list is going to be pretty croweded.

Hes pretty bad. His numbers have gotten worse every single year he has been in the league. Just looks awful now.

Watch the games....like it or not his defensive positioning in his own zone is an issue. +/- has a lot to do with who your linemates, are, what role you are playing on the team, usage...and of course the + influences the +/- as much at the minus. So I'm not sure what point you are trying to make when I say that Cozens is out of position in his own zone a lot. It is true. Look at the first goal last night...or better yet look at the posts I have made on game nights after watching the replays of the goals. Like it or not, he is all over the ice in the D-zone. When Cozens is on the ice, there have been many instances of goals being allowed where the goal scored comes from the center/slot area that he vacated when it wasn't needed. With Mitts (and Thompson) that isn't the case. Randomly bringing up a +/- stat does not change that. The highlights/replays are out there, check them out.

25 goals, 50-55 assists seems like a realistic possibility if he stays healthy.

I am happy of course with Cozens play so far. He is now putting up the goals/points, and his overall play is good, and Granato seems to love playing him. I still have one problem with his game that he just refuses to change, how he does not play his position in his own end. Again, I'm not saying he is bad at all, he is playing like one of the top forwards on this team, but he can be so much better if he focuses on his d-zone positioning. In breaking down some past goals the Sabres allowed, he frequently leaves his 'zone' and chases the puck, is caught out of position, and the goal against is scored by the zone he vacated. That kinda happened last night again on the first Det goal. He goes into the corner to chase the puck (2 sabres D-men already back there), leaves the wingers to cover up high, the slot is open, and the goal scorer eventually comes from there. I cannot think that is the Sabres strategy for Centers...Tage and Mitts stay in the slot in front of the net and very few goals are scored from there against the Sabres when they are out there because of it. I just wish, in his own zone, Cozens would not be so agressive to chase the puck and vacate his likely coverage area when the Sabres have D-men there already. When/If he stops doing that, he might be on his way to being one of the top 25 2-way/3 zone forwards in the league.

I guess we are going to disagree. Give me 2 teams that both miss the playoffs. One is slightly better but plays the trap and scores 2 goals per game...I'm not watching. A team with a few less points over a full season but plays up and down the ice and scores 4-5 every night...at least I'm entertained. If you aren't making the playoffs, entertain me. If you dont' do that, I have zero reason to watch.

Every year without fail his numbers have gotten worse. Its like the day he stepped on the ice for the kings was the best he ever was, and it was downhill from there. Both Save percentage and GAA.

I'm not sure where I stand on Detroit overall. They are getting better, but I think their upside is more limited than other teams (including the Sabres) -Their "D" is overall playing better than the Sabres D. But it is all their top 4. Their #5 guy in terms of overall ice time is Robert Hagg (all you need to know about their bottem 2-4). Seider is their great young hope and he is playing a lot, but making lots of mistakes. -Up front The Sabres have more talent for sure. Larkin is what he is, a very, very good (but not great) forward who is young, plays PP, PK, and OT. He is their 'do everything' guy, the star of the team, but not any better of a player than the top of the Sabres Roster. -Lucas Raymond is a good player and it is early, but I think some where hoping for more of a jump in play from him this year. He is very talened, very young, and he IS playing well, but so far this season is is not any more productive than he was last year. Detroit to me is more consistent than the Sabres, is getting better goaltending, and has less young guys making mistakes than the Sabres. But I think the Sabres are more talented overall (enough so they are pretty even teams right now) and the Sabres have more young talent in the system than Detroit. A 'moral victory' (if they exist for the Sabres) you get by outplaying and narrowly losing to a team like Boston, Tampa, Colorado.....but not Detroit. This Red Wing team is not good enough that anyone can justify a 'moral victory' against them.

Not at the expense of taking away the top scorers and seeing a more boring team in its place.

Again, Sarcasm is something on this board that is hard to detect becasue of just how serious some people can be with points that seem just, honestly absurd to me. I honestly think there are probably people on this board that WOULD take a team that still misses the playoffs but gets 9-10 points more playing a Defensive minded, low scoring game.

To be honest, it is hard to tell if something like this is a joke or not unless the sarcasm is laid on REALLY thick. There are times I read posts on here in the past and assumed they were jokes, only to engage and find out the person was really serious with their post.