IKnowPhysics

Is he the hockey equivalent of locusts?

If so, good. More options.

I'm not to the point yet where trading Myers and starting the next best option (Pysyk?) night after night carries no negative consequences. Secondary scoring is certainly an issue, but I believe it to be third on the list of important issues to fix, after defensive play by the defensemen and defensive ability of the third and fourth lines. Arguably power play impotence slides in at number three (but this could be aided by improved personnel, maybe at either end). Scoring goals is sexy, especially in tight games where clutch scoring ability seems to be the difference needed. But you know this team is a lot sexier if we're not a consistent turnover machine in the defensive and neutral zones, and the result is that we won't be in those tight situations quite as often to begin with.

Would critics of this move be so antsy if we sent him to Rochester? Because at his age, that's the equivalent. Also, it's important to realize that there's a distinction between what a young player needs to do to become a better player and what a young player needs to do to stay on an NHL roster. If we just go ahead as an organization and not let our current situation turn this kid into Tim Connolly of the New York Islanders, I'm superbly ok with that. Plus, I wonder if he'll be back this season. I like his chances, if that's the smart thing to do for his development.

Agreed. Fire Lamiorello immediately.

Ha!

Haven't found an article, but Rolston talked about him a few days ago on GR: http://audio.wgr550.com/a/71964693/3-12-ron-rolston-discusses-the-growth-of-mikhail-grigorenko-tyler-myers-and-emphasizing-power-play.htm Skip ahead to 9:52 using the link. Mentions his attempts to simplify his game and improving his positional play coupled with his improved confidence. "...playing a more efficient game..." Also, you think Tallinder had better wheels than Regehr? I seem to remember that being the case, but can't quite remember.

Before this season, I would have said the Flyers, who have had decades of piss poor goaltending, but their D isn't looking pretty this time around. Vancouver needs to do something with Luongo eventually. If Phoenix wanted to commit to winning (they're on the bubble), the could improve over Mike Smith. Toronto might be interested. I'm not sure any of these teams are precisely one goaltender away from winning it all.

Nope. My angst is only about the record relative to everyone else. If we're sitting in 2nd place in the NE division, I don't have any angst. Hockey Heaven's being built in the Weber block, over by the commercial slip, and exactly where cups should sit just above the urinals and all of that seems to be coming together just fine so far. No angst.

Excellent post. And that's not optimism, that's common ###### sense, and we need more of that around here. The hysteria and desperation surrounding the record has driven people crazy, and many want to paint DR all sorts of ways, including as some bumbling fool. But he's not, and we all know he's not. He's a competent, capable GM that just watched the team he assembled with rationality and expertise irrationally and swiftly fall apart into the bottom of the East. So as much as we may think he's sitting in his office banging his head on his desk, we're all better off if he continues to play with a cool, steady hand to work us out of this. According to Hoppe, that's what he's doing. I look forward to the coming trade deadline, I think we'll make some interesting moves. And that's still not optimism, that's common ###### sense.

Myers does play better with a solid stay at home defensemen, which is why we often see him with Regehr. But I don't think the Sabres are asking him to simplify his game and play defense-only. I get the impression he's being asked to do everything: play positionally well in his own end, step up in the offensive play, carry the puck on the rush, play more physically, play on the powerplay AND the penalty kill. Then complicate that by whatever systems changes came with the coaching change. Maybe that's not unfair because they're paying him like he should be able to do everything. But I know from playing defense- if you try to do too much, you end up playing poorly. I'm not sure what the cause of the change has been, if any, but Myers was -7 in Ruff's 15 games and is +1 in Rolston's 11 games. Maybe the healthy scratch?

IF we had to do this, and I don't think we have to do this, I'm confident that Regier could do what Colorado couldn't: pull a top six forward and a top prospect (or mid-high or high 1st round pick). And just for fun, because I'm feeling cheap, and I know somebody's going to do it anyways, I'll play the Chara card: Chara tallied 29 points and a -61 in his four years (231 games) with the Islanders. Myers tallied 112 points and a +11 in his four years (242 games so far) with the Sabres.

Well, nevermind what I all just said, because Sulzer's going to LTIR after having ACL surgery. Welcome back, Ville Leino.

Will anyone be able to read this entire thread back to front and stave off suicide long enough to post about it? The world may never know.

Found the stream: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVqu7drrHFM

Interesting, also brutal. Who was it? Rayzor? Anyone else? I would think Duffer knows when to shut the hell up, but this is a new experience for all involved.

Wasn't able to catch this: were they trying to do play by play and/or color commentary through practice? That's a terrible idea. Better idea: just mic up Ron Rolston and maybe an assistant coach or two, film the practice from a couple of the standard angles (including the corner and maybe the bench), and have Rolston use an electronic whiteboard (if possible, could be tricky) that you can view and listen to when he uses it. It'd be interesting to see how ideas are really conveyed at the pro level, maybe get some insight into the "system" that everyone tries to guess from gameplay. +1 for team transparency.

I hate Laviolette so much.

Garth blogged all over the place this evening, and it's chunky with things I don't agree with, but that doesn't necessarily make him wrong about a few. He sometimes deals in facts more than most of his r tard compatriots. He makes the point that with the roster at 23 players, Leino coming off IR, and scouts from more than six teams following the team in person, something's got to give and the likely first move is shipping some D. He drivels on somewhat foolishly about who and when and what for, but the underlying premise is sound: a deal is coming. I agree.

As of today, yes, Ron Rolston has coached ten games. Ugly: 15 goals in 17 games for the Vanek-Hodgson-Pominville line under Ruff. 4 goals in 10 games under Rolston.

Ugh, our top line is ranked 3rd on the season, but is tied for 17th in the last ten games with four goals.

Agreed. There were several games under Ruff where they were the only guys that looked like they hadn't given up. Except, it wasn't that the other players had given up, it's likely that they just weren't that good.

######. He was a Hobey Baker winner from my grad school. A treat to watch and a really upstanding person. A true gem in a crowned hockey family. The downside: "These last three months of recovery have been hell. For two months I would sit in the shower for an hour with no lights on. My head was throbbing. The plate in my head is still sensitive. I've tried to put a hockey helmet on four or five times and I can't even put that on yet." The upside: "I want to have a family, have kids, play with them and a strong quality of life for another 60 or 70 years." Geoffrion has a degree from the University of Wisconsin. His fiancee, Katelyn Deady, also graduated from Wisconsin and will graduate from Loyola University School of Law in May. The two plan to be married on Aug. 17. Hopefully he'll find the life he deserves.