IKnowPhysics

If you want to get crazy, go Vanek, Myers, and Miller for Kane, Keith, and Crawford. But if I'm Stan Bowman, I don't touch my roster at all right now.

Dwight has a well-documented, unfounded phobia of advanced statistics, which he manifests as anger and belittlement of their usage. Let's move on. Foligno surprised me too. I'm not sure how he's ending up being used more in offensive situations, but he seems to be playing well against decent competition. He does play a great game deep in the offensive zone, which paid multiple dividends tonight, both in great plays along the boards and tight in front of the net. Ennis gives me the impression, at least when I'm watching, that he's really good at the puck possession game; he doesn't seem to cause many turnovers in his own end. Maybe missed assignments, if that is his drawback (I'm not convinced it is yet), result in higher quality chances albeit a fewer number of chances overall.

These have gotten more popular to examine so they're being updated more frequently than once per season now. I haven't found a comprehensive outlet source (for all teams, consistently updated) for these yet, but I'm sure Rob Vollman is responsible for the data analysis. Key: Horiztonal axis is five-on-five non-neutral zone start percentage (left = more defensive usage, right = more offensive usage). Vertical axis is the Corsi Relative Quality of Competition (up = strong opponents, down = weak opponents). Bubbles are relative Corsi numbers (big red = bad, big blue = good) For reference, here's the old charts/thread. A better explanation of these methods is included there. March 9: Zoomed in on the middle cluster: Grains of salt: this is for only 20ish games, and it's some weird amalgamation of how Ruff used players and how Rolston uses players. Opinion corner: A couple things stand out, some of which are obvious, but it's nice to have data to support my/your/our/their paranoia. 1) The defense has been atrocious. Nobody's doing well, except for Ehrhoff and Sulzer. We knew this. But I'm still surprised at how difficult Regehr is struggling in the Corsi dept, likely because no Sabre ever takes a shot while he's on the ice, similar to last year's charts. 2) Our third/fourth lines have been even more atrocious. We lack any defensive shutdown forwards. Hecht, Ott, Kaleta, McCormick, Porter, and partly Gerbe, are playing defensive oriented minutes, and they are doing a really ###### job. 3) As a result of #2, it's no surprise that we're forced to use our top two lines in a two-way role. Vanek, Hodgson, Pominville, Ennis, and Stafford are all floating in the middle of the chart left-to-right AND they're playing among the hardest minutes of the forwards. The good news is that they're playing relatively well. Ennis is playing great, putting up better Corsi numbers than Hodgson (I'm not surprised by this, but some might be). 4) Nobody puts out their best players against our wrecking balls. Or we never put out our wrecking balls against the best players. That's obvious. Scott, Kaleta ,and McCormick played the easiest minutes on the team (and they still got outshot). 5) Grigorenko's usage is interesting to me: mostly offensive, not sheltered from the harder opponents that much. Kind of whispers to me that the coaching staff likes what they see on the offensive side, even against challenging opponents, but hasn't given him much defensive responsibility yet. 6) Stafford isn't playing that poorly, according to these stats. He's not a defensive ######up and he's playing on a line that contributes positively. BUT he's on (82 game) pace for 28 points, a career low. I know it's been said 1E9 times already, and as recently again by bloggers as this morning, but he could really use a change of scenery. These stats show he's still a decent player, but he's not finding the back of the net. 7) Otter, you're a credit to the team, but please convince yourself and your linemates to start shooting more instead of dumping.

Just ran across this old gem: A 2009 THN blog by Jay Feaster from before he was hired in Calgary that recounts the bad decisions to give (Tampa Bay LIghtning) players no-trade-clauses/no-movement-clauses. Then he's hired-and-promoted in Calgary in late 2010 to take over for Darryl Sutter, where he signs SIX contracts with NTC/NMCs, to add to the FIVE already existing that are all still valid this year (2013). Of Calgary's $64.3M cap payroll this year, $48.8M of it is attached to contracts with NTC/NMCs.

Bills have released Fitzpatrick.

Jesus, I'm glad I read this thread. You guys sound like everything you hate about how the FNC sounds. I think we'll get at least a point tonight.

I'm not defending Leo, but name all six guys playing better defense right now that force Rolston not to look at Leo.

######, speak for yourself. All of this: Some of the better times: Game 6, 2001: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX4R2DWVhs8 10/17/2006, Hitchcock is fired after this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uADqfe_U-rM

Distinct team, I think. Wheatfield Blades played in the Horseshoe for years, then spawned a sister team that played in the Empire JHL (also Junior B). The organization sold off the Empire team to the Buffalo Stars but kept and renamed the Horseshoe team as the Buffalo Blades. The real reason the Buffalo Regals team was difficult to find is because it doesn't exist yet-they're set to start in 2013-14. Buffalo Blades (Horsehoe), Buffalo Stars (Empire), and Buffalo Regals (Horseshoe) will all field junior B teams next year.

It's not like they don't have the cap room. Any budget issues with this team are internal, so if they really want to keep someone, they will (see also: Getzlaf, Selanne).

From my point of view, they were buried on the website because there's so many ###### teams for the Regals that the drop down menus went past the bottom of my browser.

...without sounding like a dick, I agree.

Need a bio photo. I, um, have a thing for redheads. Off the ice, I'm probably closest to Teppo Numminen. Not sure who the Sabres' current physicist is. Often the smartest guy in the room, but very laid back and easy to get along with. I play a thinking game with great perception, creatvity, and humility and this helps me be a great problem solver. Not a lot of flash or flair, but calm, confident, cheerful, and trustworthy. I value family and friends with great loyalty. I'm a dedicated team player, I'd much rather get 32 good assists before my first goal.

Ah, they did, that team was buried on their website. Buffalo Regals Junior B in the Golden Horseshoe JHL.

Youth/Junior hockey is divided up by age, and then by competitive level. Buffalo Regals are a youth hockey organization that fields teams at several levels in most age groups: Mite (rated AA, A, B for ages 8 and under) Squirt (rated AAA, AA, A, B for ages 9-10) Pee Wee (rated AAA, AA, A, B for ages 11-12) Bantam (rated AAA, AA, A, B for ages 13-14) Midget Minor (rated AAA, AA, and junior varsity high school-A for ages 15-16) Midget Major (rated AAA, AA, and varsity high school-AA and high school-AAA for ages 15-18) (they also play(ed) Junior B) Junior Sabres are a Junior A hockey team that plays in the Ontario Junior Hockey League, a league run by the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Junior hockey is for ages 16-20. Junior hockey ranks (from highest to lowest): Major Juniors (this is OHL, QMJHL, WHL), A (this is CJHL, where the Jr Sabres are), B, C, D.

Current or former?

They're all coaching Minor AAA Bantams, Squirt Minor AAA Minor Atom (whatever that is), and Mites Minor 2006, respectively, for the Regals.

My first thoughts would be: 1) Hooray! A well-run youth league! 2) Hooray! A well-run youth league in a great new facility! 3) Hooray! A well-run youth league in a great new facility that might help kids who love the game love it more! 4) Hooray! A well-run youth league in a great new facility that might help kids who love the game love it more and breed more opportunities as potential adult players! 5) Hooray! A well-run youth league in a great new facility that might help kids who love the game love it more and breed more opportunities as potential adult players so that they maybe go college or pro someday! 6) Hooray! A well-run youth league in a great new facility that might help kids who love the game love it more and breed more opportunities as potential adult players so that they maybe go college or pro someday for the Buffalo Sabres! 7) Hooray! A well-run youth league in a great new facility that might help kids who love the game love it more and breed more opportunities as potential adult players so that they maybe go college or pro someday for the Buffalo Sabres and give Sabres fans a hometown player to cheer! 8) Hooray! A well-run youth league in a great new facility that might help kids who love the game love it more and breed more opportunities as potential adult players so that they maybe go college or pro someday for the Buffalo Sabres and give Sabres fans a hometown player to cheer as we kick the ###### out of the Flyers! 9) Hooray! A well-run youth league in a great new facility that might help kids who love the game love it more and breed more opportunities as potential adult players so that they maybe go college or pro someday for the Buffalo Sabres and give Sabres fans a hometown player to cheer as we kick the ###### out of the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals! 10) Hooray! A well-run youth league in a great new facility that might help kids who love the game love it more and breed more opportunities as potential adult players so that they maybe go college or pro someday for the Buffalo Sabres and give Sabres fans a hometown player to cheer as we kick the ###### out of the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals on their way to the Stanley Cup finals! 11) Hooray! A well-run youth league in a great new facility that might help kids who love the game love it more and breed more opportunities as potential adult players so that they maybe go college or pro someday for the Buffalo Sabres and give Sabres fans a hometown player to cheer as we kick the ###### out of the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals on their way to the Stanley Cup finals victory! 12) Hooray! A well-run youth league in a great new facility that might help kids who love the game love it more and breed more opportunities as potential adult players so that they maybe go college or pro someday for the Buffalo Sabres and give Sabres fans a hometown player to cheer as we kick the ###### out of the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals on their way to the Stanley Cup finals victory for the third time in a row! 13) Hooray! A well-run youth league in a great new facility that might help kids who love the game love it more and breed more opportunities as potential adult players so that they maybe go college or pro someday for the Buffalo Sabres and give Sabres fans a hometown player to cheer as we kick the ###### out of the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals on their way to the Stanley Cup finals victory for the third time in a row with a team comprised of all WNY natives! 14) Hooray! A well-run youth league in a great new facility that might help kids who love the game love it more and breed more opportunities as potential adult players so that they maybe go college or pro someday for the Buffalo Sabres and give Sabres fans a hometown player to cheer as we kick the ###### out of the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals on their way to the Stanley Cup finals victory for the third time in a row with a team comprised of all WNY natives and one kid adopted from like Medicine Hat! 15) Hooray! A well-run youth league in a great new facility that might help kids who love the game love it more and breed more opportunities as potential adult players so that they maybe go college or pro someday for the Buffalo Sabres and give Sabres fans a hometown player to cheer as we kick the ###### out of the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals on their way to the Stanley Cup finals victory for the third time in a row with a team comprised of all WNY natives and one kid adopted from like Medicine Hat or something!

The first player turns his skates and initiates contact with the second player, but he has to do this to stop from running into the corner. He's not attempting an interference play, he's trying to stop out of necessity. He drops his shoulders in expectation of incidental contact. He does not come close to having posession of the puck, and therefore, is not a legal target for non-incidental contact. This is a hockey play. The second player sees this play all the way and has ultimate control over the outcome. The first player initiates contact out of necessity, and then the second player not only does not attempt to slow his momentum, he follows through with a right arm shove that results in directing the first players torso in an ice-parallel direction. Right at 0:16, you can see the first player braced for incidental contact, that would likely results in a play that has a low probability for injury. Then the shove, moreso that than the second player's momentum, throws the first player off balance and into an airborne position that is awkward, defenseless, and in the critical danger zone (3'-6' from the boards). This is not a hockey play. If the second player doesn't shove, this play is an awkward fall into the boards at most, not a catastrophic body missile sent head first into the boards. Minimum 10 game suspension for the second player and let the guilt do the rest.

:pirate: :pirate: :pirate: :pirate: :pirate: :pirate: :pirate: :pirate: :pirate: :pirate:

That was pre-concussion.

Is soft and bruises easily?

I've done it to myself, albeit not with concussion. Take a puck off an ankle or go hard into the boards awkward-like, take a shift or two off, then finish the game. Next day your shoulder's in a sling or you can't walk straight because of the swelling.

Because you didn't come here to make the choice, you've already made it. You're here to try to understand *why* you made it. I thought you'd have figured that out by now. Also, draft picks.