mjd1001

Anyone hear what the lines/pairings look like for tonight? Usually I can see that on twitter, but twitter has been down for me most of the day.

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad has been suspended 20 games for violating the NHL/NHLPA performance-enhancing substances program, the league announced Monday. The suspension is accompanied by a mandatory referral to the NHL/NHLPA program for substance abuse and behavioral health for evaluation and possible treatment, as per the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. With 18 contests remaining in Florida's regular season, Ekblad will be forced to miss the Panthers' first two playoff games. https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/3238904/ekblad-suspended-20-games-for-performance-enhancing-substance

What would be the most 'Sabres' thing to do? Fall down the standings (or stay where they are) and win the lottery. Draft a D-man #1 overall. Within a year or two, the Forwards drafted after them are making exciting plays, putting up points and goals, while the Sabres have a highly ranked defenseman that 'needs a few more years, defensemen usually take longer to develop, you know"

If you could do that, this is a playoff team. If you want to break it down: Fix the PP, Fix the PK (that takes care of your non-5-on-5 play). The PK has been in the middle of the league. Without some really weak goaltending on it, their PK is probably average. The PP? That is another story. Does making one change (getting rid of statistically the worst PP forward in the league (Cozens) for a pretty good one (Norris) help that long term?) As for making your 5-on-5 defense better. Quinn, Cozens (taken care of), Adding ONE very good D-man, and the 4th line (as I just brought up above).

Just to add to my post above but with some data on the 4th line for those who like analytics. I looked the combo of Malenstyn and Lafferty this year (The most used 4th line guys) vs Zemgus and Okposo's time on the ice together the previous 2 years: Over the last 2 previous seasons, Okposo and Zemgus on the ice together allowed 1 even strength goal every 33.8 minutes. Malenstyn and Lafferty this year are allowing an even strenth goal ever 22 minute. HUGE difference for a 4th line. Zemgus and Okposo playing together on the 4th line had 4 points better Corsi (Corsi for vs against as a percentage 50.4 to 46.4), 3 points better Fenwick%, 1 point better shots for vs against, almost 10 points better goals for (41.2 vs 33.3, probably the most important of all the analytics for comparing), more than 5 points better expected goals ratio, 6 points better scoring chances for vs against, 4 points better high danger, 14 points better high danger goals for vs against... So yeah, those are BIG time numbers. This 4th line has been bad, really really bad. A 4th line doesn't really help you win, you just want them to not help you lose. In the past 2-3 years, the Sabres had a 4th line that didn't really hurt them. This year, the 4th line IS hurting them.

I have been reading a lot of posts in a lot of threads the last 2 days and there is so much I agree with and so much i disagree with. Yeah, Mitch Marner would help this teams top 2 lines and make them better, but I don't think that is where this team needs the most help (Yeah, I still want him here though) For me, where has this team gone wrong this year? There are probably 20+ things that can be pointed out but can I narrow it down in my opinion to the top 5 or 6 things? 1.) Quinn and Cozens not only drastically underperforming, but actually hurting the team with their play while getting a good number of minutes 2.) Bryam only being effective when playing with Dahlin. I think a guy with his pedigree as a top pick, and a guy you traded your previous #2 center for, needs to be able to at least be decent when paired with anyone but Dahlin. He hasn't especially as the year has gone on. 3.) Substandard Goaltending. I know some posters say its not UPL's fault for the team he plays behind, but even with that, he has played a lot worse than last year and worse than even an average goaltender. 4.) The 4th line. It was retooled, Many of us thought it was going to be better. I thought, great, a new 4th line, but it doesn't matter much because that line doesn't really help or hurt you much. Well, nope, not true, they have been probably the worst 4th line I can remember this team having for years. Malenstyn and Laffterty are a combined -23, and Kubel is in the minors. I think we got 'spoiled' with a 4th line of Okposo and Zemgus the last few years. They didn't get scored on much..and while they could not score that well themselves (but they weren't awful), they were good at keeping the puck in the opponents zone. Not what we have now. 5.) Power not taking a noticable step foward, and Samuelsson playing but not even taking a half-step back to what he was 2 years ago. I like many of Adams moves in the past 12 months, but I think one thing that has hurt this team is he totally missed (with or without the help/suggestions of Lindy) on retooling the 4th line. Overall, I'm happy with the trade. I'm happy with the first line. Happy overall with the play of Tuch and Thompson and Dahlin. McLeod and Peterka don't carry the team but they have been 'good enough'. Whoever they roll out there as a 3rd pair (Clifton, Bryson, Gilbert), to me they have been 'equal' to most 3rd pair guys around the league. Some parts of this team 'kinda' work. I really think it is those 5 things listed above that are most of the issue. They took care of part of the 1st one by trading Cozens. I'm not sure if they recognize the other ones, if they think the other ones actually are a problem, or if they are willing or able to do anything about them.

I know we can go back and forth on this, but to me, Both coaches are about the same. I'd give a slight edge to Granato and his staff (not that he was a 'savior' of the franchise, but last spring I was vocal about not wanting him fired.) To me the main difference between this year and last year is substandard goaltending. Yes, there are other differences, but the level of goaltending is what counts for most of the difference between this year and last. That I think accounts for the DIFFERENCE between this year and last year. But there are other issues, the defense combos not working, the 4th line, the lack of a 2nd line..etc.

I'm glad they traded Cozens. I'm pretty happy with Norris and the trade 'on paper'. However for me to stay invested in the rest of the season they have to score some goals. I'm not going to last much longer this spring with them putting in 0, 1 or even 2 goals per game night after night. They have been doing better, not winning but scoring more recently. A couple guys out of the lineup last game, a bit of an illness going around the team, and playing Florida (who i think has allowed a total of 5 goals in their last 6) might do that to you. I'd like them to win. But I at least need them to put a few goals in the net tonight for entertainment purpose.

I don't know when I watch the replay it looked like he didn't try to pass it... But rather stick handled one too many times and then fanned on the shot.

Quinn being better would allow this team to take at least a half step forward.

Starting tonight, Quinn is the key among foward to me. As I have said over and over, 2 players have actaully hurt this team up front his year, Quinn and Cozens. Cozens is no longer a factor....seeing how Quinn plays tonight..and the rest of the year...is going to be interesting for me to watch.

Not to mention where is this 'skill' that Cozens has that is better than Norris? Norris faster. Norris has a much more accurate shot. And Cozens? Skill? I must be missing the skill of him tripping down and almost falling over no-one a couple times a game, of him passing to open teamates where it is behind them. If him losing passes to him in his skates, of him taking shots where there is only one guy between him and the goalie and him perfectly blasting the shot into the shin pads of the one defender in front of him. And yes, all these things happen on a routine basis, and yes, its not just me saying it, we point them out over and over as they happen in the game day threads.

I think a lot of the 'outside world' is either Canadian media, or American hockey media that has a lot of Canadian members. An American got traded to an American team, in exchange for a Canadian getting traded to a Canadian team. When it comes to hockey, the saying is true..."Canada loves Canada". No shot intended there, thats just the way it is. Also related to that, a lot of that media is Canada based, and they know what their audience wants to hear. Give them what they want. Finally, Cozenes 'highlights' are more positive than his actual play. Most people see, or at least hear some of his nicer goals, they hear "Top 10 pick", or "fomer 31 goal scorer". The outside world doesn't see the missed assignments, the lost pucks in his skates, the lack of awareness of anything related to the NHL hockey game in his decisions.

Now, play out the rest of the season and see how Norris fits in. Its no secret that once he gets a few games under his belt (in about a week or so), this trade will make the current team better. For the offseason: -Decide what you are doing with Bryam and how he fits in. If he is moved, an good Right shot, veteran D-man who is good enough to play in the top 4 would be great to trade for or sign (overplay if you must). Whether you keep or move Byram, it would be nice to get ONE good veteran D-man in here anyway. -Get some toughness. I don't like fighting in hockey anymore, but get somoeone who can legit do it. And I don't mean someone who can be put into the lineup for a game and is willing to go but will get pounded to the ice. Someone who can play AND do the job. -Goaltending. This is tough. I think UPL can have a bounce back year, and I think Levi isn't better than UPL yet. But next year, one way or the other, you need better play from your goaltending. I have no idea what to do but figure it out. I'm good with the above. If there are no major injuries and the above is completed, I think this is a playoff team next year.

If there are guys that are sick that might not even play, how many other guys on the team are playing but are also sick and 'good enough' to go but not 100%? This might not be a pretty game to watch.

I think for sure the Sabres got the better player. It isn't about scoring goals either. The numbers and history show that Norris is better in terms of pure production. The biggest thing is that the Sabres removed someone who might be among the worst defensive/neutral zone forward in the entire league, and hopefully replaced him with someone that is at least average. If Norris scores at his career rate, you are getting the better offensive player. If Norris is even average away from the puck, you are getting a huge upgrade there. We'll see how he 'fits' on this team, If he can stay healthy. But over an 82 game season, I think he helps you generate up to 10 more goals a year as a team than Cozens, and I think he might help you prevent, or at least 'not cause', 5-10 goals less per year than him. If you can get a net 10-15 goals per year differntial with this deal...and I DO think that is possible over a full 82 game season, that is a huge win for a single move.

Coming into the deadline I though the one single move that would make this team better more than anything else would be to get Cozens off the team in exchange for anything useful. Mission accomplished. It might not look the next 3 games with the level of competition coming up, but this trade is going to be better for the team. 1.) Greenway and Zucker I'm just slightly positive on. If they were back great, if not oh well. I guess I should say I'm happier about Zucker than Greenway. 2.) Cozens out, Norris in. The other parts no big deal. This move I like a lot Just getting Cozens out gets an A+ from me. 3.) Kubel for Brannstrong...no idea, don't think it matters much. 4.) Jokiharju out for a 4th, again, doesn't matter much. Finally moving on from Cozens make the day a bit win for me, not much else is a concern besides that.

Ok, makes sense. I would just think with how often this happens, the NHL would have some kind of system set up where delays wouldn't be an issue, especially when the guy is a Canadian.

This one I can't figure out....the guy has played games in the USA before and flown in with Ottawa, right?

If I were to say what are some ways that Cozens made me unhappy with him as a player, I might list: -He is awful defensively, for sure not a 2-way player. -his physical game has gone away, not standing up for Dahlin last night was really bad. Its also not the only time it has happened with him. -he's a pretty bad shooter, no accuracy, He has the lowerst shooting percentage this year of any forward on the team now not named Sam Lafferty. -in the offensive zone he does't see his linemates and doesn't set them up. I have said on this forum before, he's a 'black hole' in the slot. Once the puck goes into him, it never comes back out. Not a playmaker that sets up his linemates at all. Well, in his post-trade interview with Ottawa media he said the following: "I think I'm a player that can play a strong two-way game and bring a physical side, and then also a shooting and playmaking side," Cozens said following the trade. https://www.nhl.com/news/dylan-cozens-traded-to-ottawa-senators-by-buffalo-sabres-for-josh-norris

Josh Norris also was one of Ottawa's best/most used penalty killers. 2:15 minutes per game on the PK.

He's from Sweden, hes close to the same age as Dahlin...maybe they had a history of playing together/knowing each other.

By nhl edge metrics, Norris is one of the fastest skaters in the league. Elite speed. With McLeod and Norris being 2 of probably the fastest 20 skaters in the league, and Tage way out in front in terms of the hardest shots taken in a game....this Sabres team could probably do really well in a skills competition.

That is what I feel. When you are on the PP, there is a bit more 'pressure' to score than on a regular shift in a way. He is one of the least productive scorers on the power play. Game winning goals? He has a fraction through is career what guys like Tuch and Thompson have. With Cozens, the weakest part of his game was scoring when put in a situation where you are pressing for a goal, he almost disappeared. If he is responsible Defensively and that line is still scoring, then of course stick with it.

Can't totally rule out the chance Tage moves back to center and Kulich gets some time at wing. I don't think that looks likely now, but you never know.