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Broken Ankles

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Posts posted by Broken Ankles

  1. 1 hour ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

    We will see. You miss by 1 and you are looking at 9-7 with the Steelers holding the tie breaker. Quite frankly the Steelers have done better against good teams than we have against lousy ones and are a handful of plays from being 5-2 themselves...without Roethlisberger.

    Beating the dregs of the NFL isn't going to get it done. They need to beat a good team or two and Captain Happyclaps hasn't done that.

    I like Coach McClappy.  Can we agree on that?   I’ll take your bet.  Bills straight up against the Steelers.   eddie murphy GIF

     

    The usual?

  2. 5 hours ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

    For starters, I'll take the Steelers to get in over Buffalo.  I see 6 more wins on their schedule right now and that's before we even discuss the 12/15 game where they host the Bills. Anybody wanna bet money on the Bills going to Pittsburgh in December and coming up with a win?  Anyone?

    This season has been all cute and everything but it ends on Thanksgiving. 4 straight L's to Dallas, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and New England put them, at best, in a must win situation v. the Jets in week 17 while the Steelers and the Ravens play each other for the division and WC with both holding tiebreakers over Buffalo should Buffalo lose. Think about that scenario for more than 3 seconds and tell me you still feel comfortable.

    Steelers will have losses to Indy, Browns (away), Ravens, and either Bills or Rams.   That's 8-8. 

  3. 1 hour ago, PerreaultForever said:

    I think Johanson combined with Skinner was a good idea. Playmaker and scorer combo. Sam on that line is not a sniper. Oloffson added as well gives you that but the line would be less physical. Skinner seems more able to handle himself and adding Sobotka (for now) gives a little more room for Johanson (who is surprisingly fast in open ice) and maybe protects his potential fragility a little bit. Jack is a complete player so needs less of that and hence Reinhart, more skilled but less physical, fits the role with Olofsson as a speed sniper. I wouldn't change the lines, unless someone can come up better than Vlad.

    I agree.  I like what Johanson and Skinner have done.  Developing something.  Their give & go against Arizona was a thing of beauty.  But Vlad just looks lost in the offensive zone.  Any benefit he make to the defensive responsibility is lost (plus some) in the offensive side.  Maybe Tage can fill this void if he improves his defense on the farm. 

    • Like (+1) 1
  4. 2 hours ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

    playoffs GIF

    The Bills are a complete fraud of a football team.  9 games left, they need to win at least 5. @New England is a loss so that means 5 of 8. @Dallas on Thanksgiving is a loss so that means 5 of 7, Baltimore is going to run the ball all over them so that means 5 of 6.  Good luck.

    They don’t need to win at least 5 games.  They need to win four games for a wildcard birth.   The AFC is not competitive this season.  Assuming Houston/Indy are division and Wildcard #1, who else has an inside track to Buffalo?  Trick question.  Answer is no one.  Today was disappointing but it’s not doom and gloom for the probability of a post season.  

  5. 2 hours ago, dudacek said:

    I think the fact that Jeff, not Sam, has been tapped to drive L2 supports  @nfreeman’s contention that Jeff is the better player.

    But I think it has more to do with chemistry, whether that is driven by contract or less mercenary factors.

    Players have talked about being able to talk to Ralph and feeling like he listens. I wonder if Sam and Jack talked to him about their desire to play together. I remember Sam’s surprise in training camp when a reporter told him he and Jack were being broken up.

     

    30 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

    It was answered, several times actually.  It comes down to wanting scoring on each line and also carefully managing offensive responsibility with defensive responsibility on the lines as well. RK talked about it at length a few times actually.

       I would argue that a FL#1 of Skinner Eichel Vesey is more Defensively responsible, and would maintain chemistry.   Evidence is such that Olofsson has been replaced many times for Vesey  in close games.  This would move Sam and Victor to FL#2 which would be slightly less responsible defensively but probably improve chemistry (MoJo and his countryman Olofsson) and improve offensive production.   And Jimmy is a FA next year too.   Why not see if he is motivated?  Victor has done everything the Sabres has asked from a developmental perspective, which is why I think he gets the opportunity to play along side Jack over others.   His wicked one-timer not withstanding. 

  6.     What I can appreciate from RK, and it was never directly discussed in the article, was the decision behind breaking up the Skinner-Eichel-Reinhart line.   There is a quote from Skinner and how he is working well with MoJo, but the question is never asked WHY was the decision made.  I think it's significant.    I think Reinhart has the offensive skill set to drive a line (whether from the RW or C position).   But Sam is in a contract year, and its vital that he proves himself for this contract.   Having Jack center him is a way of RK saying I'm going to give you every opportunity for you to succeed and get a long term deal.  While at the same time saying to JB, let's see him validate his worthiness to the upcoming contract offer.    The same (to a lesser extent) can be said of Olafsson.   He's also an  RFA, and while his term and AAV will not be near what Sam's will be, the stats he can obtain to increase the overall value are attainable with Jack more so than anyone else on this team.   And the message to Skinner thus far has been, you earned the right to your extension, now deliver under more difficult conditions.  

  7. 1 hour ago, nfreeman said:

    Couple other game notes:

    - Mitts’ line looks like it has moved ahead of Larsson’s line in the rotation.

    - What a great play by Mitts in the OT to hustle back on D, intercept the SJ pass and then find Risto to set up the GWG.

    - I know some were criticizing VO upthread but I thought he had a nice bounce back game, with good strength on the puck and better decisions..

    - At one point in the 2nd (I think), Risto tried to hit Marleau and Marleau braced himself and sent Risto the other way.

    - Scandella is a large dude. 

    - The Sabres are on pace for 65 wins. 

    Maybe Casey has been reading Sabrespace and how we almost unanimously downgraded his line to FL#4 and that provided the proper motivation.

    • Like (+1) 1
  8. 4 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

    If the team keeps winning and these players play solid roles he will attempt to resign any and all of them. Maybe with the exception of Bogo who i think may be done as a Sabre.

    having said that though, no one on that list is unreplaceable and/or essential and if they want more than their UFA competition around the league they will be let go. Nobody on that list is going to get a substantial raise.

    ....or Scandella, or Sobotka, or Vesey, or Sheary and probably not Rodrigues.  But other than that, yeah, all of them.  

  9. 1 hour ago, That Aud Smell said:

    I noticed that a beat reporter reordered the lines so that LOG is the 3rd line. When did that become the thing that reporters are doing? Just curious. 

    The bottom 6 really is a curiosity with Head Coach Ralph Krueger. No middle 6 really a’tall?

    I saw Vogl or Reardon start around the 9th.  Sabres vs Habs.   I think this has been debated here quite robustly.  I’m on the record after the MTL game that it should be that way.  But the Daily Face Off has not changed...yet.

    • Like (+1) 1
  10. 31 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

    Tonight represents their best chance to get some points on this road trip as the Sharks have now won three in a row and have appeared to turn things around.

    This is why I think the decision was to play Ullmark last night.  Last night was a decision to play with “house money” and see if they could steal two on the road from an improved Anaheim team.  Tonight you should win.  

    • Like (+1) 2
  11. 2 minutes ago, ... said:

    Sabres should have won this game.

    image.thumb.png.8666f15be5c9876452f89fcbf6b2cc88.png

    image.thumb.png.9f00614edaac80c8314987b015186a3b.png

    image.thumb.png.1ae1dabdce72e51092b10a497234bc9c.png

    Agreed.  I think the Henrique goal at the of first, then again at the end of the second were weak and changed momentum.  The Rakell goal in opening seconds of the second was a poorly played poke check against a highly skilled player.  They solved the Sabres PP and killed extremely well.  Better Goaltending, solid  PK and some BS thuggery.   

    • Like (+1) 1
  12. Ducks PK> Sabres PP

    Gibson> Ullmark 

    Rackell is very good.  That’s about it for high end talent on that team.  There is zero chance that move him.   Especially not for Risto + parts.     Should have been 4-0 after the first period.   An excellent showing by the Sabres fans tonight at the Honda Center.  

  13. 1 hour ago, Randall Flagg said:

    I've never had a Sabre player inspire less emotion in me, positive or negative, than Jimmy Vesey

    This.  E- Rod did nothing tonight but Jimmy did less.   I hope Lazar and Sheary are in tomorrow.  Casey had a solid game and it was all for not.   

    • Like (+1) 1
  14. No change to the Sabres Line up. 

    LW C RW Forwards
    Victor Olofsson
    VICTOR OLOFSSON

    Rating: 74.5#37 LW

    Jack Eichel
    JACK EICHEL

    Rating: 80.2#8 C

    Sam Reinhart
    SAM REINHART

    Rating: 75.5#22 RW

    FL1 Rating
    Rating: 76.73#14 FL1
    Jeff Skinner
    JEFF SKINNER

    Rating: 77.3#16 LW

    Marcus Johansson
    MARCUS JOHANSSON

    Rating: 73.5#75 C

    Vladimir Sobotka
    VLADIMIR SOBOTKA

    Rating: 68.9#178 RW

    FL2 Rating
    Rating: 73.22#17 FL2
    Jimmy Vesey
    JIMMY VESEY

    Rating: 70.9#110 LW

    Casey Mittelstadt
    CASEY MITTELSTADT

    Rating: 71.3#132 C

    Evan Rodrigues
    EVAN RODRIGUES

    Rating: 72.3#68 RW

    FL3 Rating
    Rating: 71.49#22 FL3
    Zemgus Girgensons
    ZEMGUS GIRGENSONS

    Rating: 70.8#147 LW

    Johan Larsson
    JOHAN LARSSON

    Rating: 70.7#150 C

    Kyle Okposo
    KYLE OKPOSO

    Rating: 73.0#54 RW

    FL4 Rating
    Rating: 71.48#13 FL4
     
    DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS Defense
    Jake McCabe
    JAKE MCCABE

    Rating: 71.9#89 LD

    Rasmus Ristolainen
    RASMUS RISTOLAINEN

    Rating: 73.5#46 RD

    DL1 Rating
    Rating: 72.68#27 DL1
    Rasmus Dahlin
    RASMUS DAHLIN

    Rating: 75.8#13 LD

    Colin Miller
    COLIN MILLER

    Rating: 75.5#22 RD

    DL2 Rating
    Rating: 75.65#3 DL2
    Marco Scandella
    MARCO SCANDELLA

    Rating: 71.7#95 LD

    Henri Jokiharju
    HENRI JOKIHARJU

    Rating: 72.5#10 RD

    DL3 Rating
    Rating: 72.10#22 DL3
    1ST POWERPLAY UNIT
    Victor Olofsson
    VICTOR OLOFSSON

    Rating: 74.5#37 SK1

    Jack Eichel
    JACK EICHEL

    Rating: 80.2#8 SK2

    Jeff Skinner
    JEFF SKINNER

    Rating: 77.3#16 SK3

    Sam Reinhart
    SAM REINHART

    Rating: 75.5#22 SK4

    Rasmus Dahlin
    RASMUS DAHLIN

    Rating: 75.8#13 SK5

     

    LW C RW Forwards
    Rickard Rakell
    RICKARD RAKELL

    Rating: 75.2#37 LW

    Adam Henrique
    ADAM HENRIQUE

    Rating: 73.0#84 C

    Jakob Silfverberg
    JAKOB SILFVERBERG

    Rating: 75.7#26 RW

    FL1 Rating
    Rating: 74.67#26 FL1
    Maxime Comtois
    MAXIME COMTOIS
    Ryan Getzlaf
    RYAN GETZLAF

    Rating: 74.7#45 C

    Ondrej Kase
    ONDREJ KASE

    Rating: 77.2#12 RW

    FL2 Rating
    Rating: 75.98#5 FL2
    Nick Ritchie
    NICK RITCHIE

    Rating: 70.8#116 LW

    Sam Steel
    SAM STEEL

    Rating: 73.7#61 C

    Troy Terry
    TROY TERRY

    Rating: 72.4#66 RW

    FL3 Rating
    Rating: 72.28#11 FL3
    Max Jones
    MAX JONES

    Rating: 72.9#66 LW

    Derek Grant
    DEREK GRANT

    Rating: 70.0#164 C

    Carter Rowney
    CARTER ROWNEY

    Rating: 69.2#107 RW

    FL4 Rating
    Rating: 70.69#25 FL4
     
    DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS Defense
    Hampus Lindholm
    HAMPUS LINDHOLM

    Rating: 74.7#28 LD

    Josh Manson
    JOSH MANSON

    Rating: 72.3#71 RD

    DL1 Rating
    Rating: 73.51#21 DL1
    Michael Del Zotto
    MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO

    Rating: 72.1#85 LD

    Cam Fowler
    CAM FOWLER

    Rating: 75.5#17 RD

    DL2 Rating
    Rating: 73.77#19 DL2
    Jacob Larsson
    JACOB LARSSON

    Rating: 71.4#13 LD

    Korbinian Holzer
    KORBINIAN HOLZER

    Rating: 71.9#79 RD

    DL3 Rating
    Rating: 71.67#24 DL3

     

    Betting line:

    sabres.thumb.JPG.2cd13f1bfb35c076808d93c3101bc115.JPG

    I'll be there too. 

  15. 3 hours ago, That Aud Smell said:

    well, they're certainly not getting protected usage when they're out there. they have a defensive zone start % of about 65%.

    The "fourth line" is Sheary/Casey/Vesey.   Our third line (GLO) is utilized correctly (IMHO) with a 65% D-zone start.  

     

     

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