Quinny Speaks

[tom webster]

I do think that management finally has come to the realization that what the NHL was in 05-06 is nearly a complete 180 from what it is now. You have to adjust with the overall flow of the game and obviously we didn't have the right players in here to make the adjustment. We were still built as a finesse, run-and-gun team which doesn't fit in with the overall tight-checking game we've seen post 05-06. But with the loss of Dumont, "those of whom we do not speak", Campbell, and likely Afinogenov, we're seeing a shift (whether the Sabres could control it or not) I think we're seeing a changeover in players that points to a different direction for the team. I think Lindy will go back to a system similar to pre-lockout. Less risks, more defense. It might be ugly, but it also might be successful.

 

If you listened to the whole interview, Quinn implied that Detroit's success with a mobile defense and more skill then size gave Darcy and Lindy cause to rethink their thoughts that they have to rethink their positions of a major overhaul.

[BetweenThePipes00]

If you listened to the whole interview, Quinn implied that Detroit's success with a mobile defense and more skill then size gave Darcy and Lindy cause to rethink their thoughts that they have to rethink their positions of a major overhaul.

 

Yeah I heard that too ... and I might agree if they had a Lidstrom to play 28 minutes a night and 12 forwards who busted their tails at both ends every shift ... if Detroit's defense is going to be your model, your forwards better play the way theirs do also ... Lindy is always talking 5-man units, it's not just about the defensemen ...

[Taro T]

I'll bash Quinn as much as some on this board when he speaks some of his bull$hit. But Donner's an a$$.

 

Buffalo's fee was about 200k with the Amerks, about the same paid by the other club, so 400k. MOst teams pay somewhere between 700-900k for players. Quinn wanted 2 years ago to have sole affilation, he's sent letters, talked with Walter and eventually gave up.

 

Why stock your players on the cheap and pay for coaches that train other teams players. If the Amerks wanted more vets they could have paid for it themselves with the 3-400k discount they had to play with. Plus forgiving a 500k loan to them! As much as I love the Amerks, you can't as a business owner keep throwing money into the fire hoping it turns to water.

Well, had Donner not been horribly undercapitalized, then yes they could have paid for it themselves. Donner shot his wad bringing in players that 1st season he owned the team. The last few years, he had nothing in the bank but Kevin O's articles about how mean the Sabres were to the team with the hermaphroditic moose as a mascot.

 

Where is our friendly neighborhood Donner sycophant when you need him?

 

Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse. ;)

[Taro T]

If you listened to the whole interview, Quinn implied that Detroit's success with a mobile defense and more skill then size gave Darcy and Lindy cause to rethink their thoughts that they have to rethink their positions of a major overhaul.

Which is probably the source of the idea that they'll bring in A FA and make a trade or 2 (which could occur over the course of the season, not just the off-season). (My guess is, D-man through FA, 2nd line center via trade.) If they think they can win with a primarily non-hitting, mobile D; they will only try to bring in, at most, 1 Orpik-type player.

 

I think that it could work, staying primarily mobile, but the past 2 years hopefully have shown them that there is a reason teams typically have 2 scoring lines, a checking line, and an "energy" line and a mix of rushing and hitting D-men. They have to have a hitter back there, and I wouldn't mind seeing 2. I'd like the other 4 though to still be in the "mobile mode" as Spacek can fill both roles adequately and I include him in the mobile category. (Thus staying primarily mobile.)

[carpandean]

Is it me or did Detroit always have 5 strong two-way players on the ice who could contribute offensively, as well as defensively, and at least play physically even they weren't the biggest hitters. You could play any member of their entire team on the PK and the PP. It's hard to get guys like they have without sacrificing performance in one end or the other, but they managed to score plenty and could shut down the game as well as any team in the league. Pretty scary, actually.

[Kristian]

Yeah I heard that too ... and I might agree if they had a Lidstrom to play 28 minutes a night and 12 forwards who busted their tails at both ends every shift ... if Detroit's defense is going to be your model, your forwards better play the way theirs do also ... Lindy is always talking 5-man units, it's not just about the defensemen ...

 

Difference is -

 

Detroit doesn't have players who believe their own press the instant they win 3 in a row.

 

Detroit's D isn't scared out of their minds of getting hit.

 

Detroit has leaders on the ice.

 

Comments like these from Quinn, really bring me down, cause it's obvious nothing's going to get done in the off-season, and we'll start with our good old tin-foil defense once again.