Zhitnik Revisited

[pwner]

Zhitnik at the Olympic break:

 

51 GP 5 G 20 A 25 PTS +2 78 PIMs 3.5 million dollars

 

Teppo at the Olympic break:

 

55 GP 0 G 30 A 30 PTS -3 30 PIMs 2.0 million dollars

 

Darcy 1

doubters 0

 

:P

[PTS]

I gotta disagree with you man. What do the Sabres need to win the cup? What does Darcy Regier want to add to this team? A solid #1 defensemen. Zhitnik was the guy. This roster with Zhitnik would be unbelieveable. The fact that he's +2 on a horrible Islanders team speaks volumes.

 

I don't look at this as Zhitnik vs. Teppo. I look at what could have been if Zhitnik was with Teppo and the rest of this team. I think they would be unstoppable. Plus, everyone on the team and all the coaches loved the guy. He's the type of player Darcy is going to try to get at the deadline.

 

I give Darcy 1-1 record. 1 win for Satan. 1 loss for Zhitnik.

[Saber61]

hmm id say teppo was a good pick up... would be nice to see some goals but assits make a big difference too... if theres no one to setup the play then the play doesn't happen. id say he's contributed nicely to the team so far.

[Eleven]

Look at the differences in penalty minutes and salary as well--Teppo is cheaper and stays out of the box--both are important in the "new" league. The only thing I'm missing about Zhitnik right now is the opportunity to duck if I've got 300-level seats and he's taking a slapshot.

[deluca67]

Zhitnik at the Olympic break:

 

51 GP 5 G 20 A 25 PTS +2 78 PIMs 3.5 million dollars

 

Teppo at the Olympic break:

 

55 GP 0 G 30 A 30 PTS -3 30 PIMs 2.0 million dollars

 

Darcy 1

doubters 0

 

:P

 

I'm sure the numbers have nothing to do with the surrounding cast ;)

 

Let me bring back two quick facts that you could chose to ignore.

 

1) Zhitnik turned down the Sabres. The Sabres did not dump him. The Sabres made him the offer

and he chose the Islanders.

 

2) The Sabres signed Teppo for twice as much as the next team was offering. Dallas was only offering $1 million per year.

 

Anyway.

 

The Sabres will now go out and give up a goalie, prospects, or draft picks to replace Zhitnik when if they would have signed him earlier before he hit free agency then this team would be better. He is a player who goes to #1 of the Defensive depth charts and drops Fitzpatrick off the list.

 

And lets not forget that not having Zhitnik has hurt Kalinin's game. So in fact you ended up losing two defensemen by not signing the one.

 

Just imagine where this team would be if they had Zhitnik and Kalinin playing at there best. You would have Campbell and Lydman fighting for the #6 spot. That would be a pretty decent group. :o

[shrader]

And lets not forget that not having Zhitnik has hurt Kalinin's game. So in fact you ended up losing two defensemen by not signing the one.

 

Just imagine where this team would be if they had Zhitnik and Kalinin playing at there best. You would have Campbell and Lydman fighting for the #6 spot. That would be a pretty decent group. :o

 

Pointless observation:

They probably never would've traded for Lydman if they signed Zhitnik.

[apuszczalowski]

They would have also probably not been able to sign anyone else since they would have been over their self apointed budget they set at the start of the year.

 

I find Zhitnik highly overrated, and think Teppo at 1 million (now after this point in the season, not at the start) would have been a steal for any team, 2million is still a good deal for the guy.

 

Also remember, a goal is just as good as an assist. You can't get an assist unless someone puts the puck in the net.

[Guest Guest]

Zhitnik is old news. He never hit the net. How do you explain the power play then and now? He missed the net by 5 feet. Always took dumb penalties and really never did much for leadership. I am glad he is gone and now we can move on. Please it is a dead topic.

[shrader]

Also remember, a goal is just as good as an assist. You can't get an assist unless someone puts the puck in the net.

 

You'll find a lot of people out there who aren't a big fan of the 2nd assist (personally, I could care less). I wonder how many of Teppo's were 2nd assists.

[hopeleslyobvious]

You'll find a lot of people out there who aren't a big fan of the 2nd assist (personally, I could care less). I wonder how many of Teppo's were 2nd assists.

 

 

I think you just volunteered to research that for us! :lol:

[shrader]

I think you just volunteered to research that for us! :lol:

 

My guess is dave will have the answer by the end of the day. He's usually good for stuff like that.

[chileanseabass]

man, i'm bored... anyway, per my calculations, 18 of Teppo's 30 assists are secondary assists.

[deluca67]

Pointless observation:

They probably never would've traded for Lydman if they signed Zhitnik.

 

 

Are you sure?

 

Lets not forget that the Sabres tried to sign Zhitnik. He was a huge part of their plans. And this is the 100th time I posted this. Go back to Briere's (on WGR) comments on Z before the season. The locker room respected him. He was a huge loss to them.

 

As good as the Sabres have been? They would be better with Zhitnik. Who knows? He may be back sooner then you think ;)

[hopeleslyobvious]

Are you sure?

 

Lets not forget that the Sabres tried to sign Zhitnik. He was a huge part of their plans. And this is the 100th time I posted this. Go back to Briere's (on WGR) comments on Z before the season. The locker room respected him. He was a huge loss to them.

 

As good as the Sabres have been? They would be better with Zhitnik. Who knows? He may be back sooner then you think ;)

 

Isn't that how trade rumors start? :D

[Taro T]

You'll find a lot of people out there who aren't a big fan of the 2nd assist (personally, I could care less). I wonder how many of Teppo's were 2nd assists.

10 Assists were primaries. 20 were secondaries.

 

The Sabres are 11-1-1 at home when Teppo gets an assist and are 10-2-0 on the road when he gets one.

 

He has assists in 25 games and assisted on the GWG 8 times. 7 of the 8 GW's were 2ndaries.

 

16 assists have come on the PP and the rest are ES.

 

16 assists were registered in HSBC.

 

He only has 45 shots this year which may be part of the reason he has no goals to this point.

[Goodfella25]

Yea, but Z is doing that with a really bad Islanders team. If he was on a team like the Sabres, I am sure those numbers would be better (maybe not the goals but definitely the assists). I would love a guy like Z on the team now...someone that has some wheels that can pass the puck and play half the game..he is still a horse. Everyone always gave him sh*t when he was here, and granted he couldnt hit the net many times and took some dumb penalties, but you wouldnt see him try to pass the puck right in front of out own net a la Toni "Loodman," I'd take Z back in a heartbeat, now I'll sit back and watch everyone rip me for that comment :rolleyes:

[Larry Playfair]

10 Assists were primaries. 20 were secondaries.

 

The Sabres are 11-1-1 at home when Teppo gets an assist and are 10-2-0 on the road when he gets one.

 

He has assists in 25 games and assisted on the GWG 8 times. 7 of the 8 GW's were 2ndaries.

 

16 assists have come on the PP and the rest are ES.

 

16 assists were registered in HSBC.

 

He only has 45 shots this year which may be part of the reason he has no goals to this point.

 

a stats machine!! nice work. Those are pretty compelling numbers. Got any other key contributors statwise?

[deluca67]

What is the timeline.

 

1) They signed Teppo.

 

2) Zitnik signs with the Islanders.

 

Then

 

3) They trade for Lydman?

 

Just wondering.

[Taro T]

What is the timeline.

 

1) They signed Teppo.

 

2) Zitnik signs with the Islanders.

 

Then

 

3) They trade for Lydman?

 

Just wondering.

2, 1, 3.

[shrader]

What is the timeline.

 

1) They signed Teppo.

 

2) Zitnik signs with the Islanders.

 

Then

 

3) They trade for Lydman?

 

Just wondering.

 

I'm pretty sure Zhitnik signed before Buffalo signed Teppo. Lydman was much later. My guess is they still would've signed Teppo, but the Lydman deal would never have happened. Obviously this is pure speculation on my part.

[Taro T]

I'm pretty sure Zhitnik signed before Buffalo signed Teppo. Lydman was much later. My guess is they still would've signed Teppo, but the Lydman deal would never have happened. Obviously this is pure speculation on my part.

My guess is they wouldn't have been interested in Teppo (or at least not as interested) as they were had the team signed Zhitnik or Aucoin.

 

If the team still had money for players left in the budget, they probably still would have grabbed Lydman as he added depth that the team still lacked if they had only one of either Z or Tep.

 

So, my "pure speculation" is that the Sabres would have had Z and Toni.

[Rabbit151]

I'm cheering for Teppo not to get a goal this year. TSN or some such sports network in Canada reported that the NHL record for most assists without a goal in a season was 29 by some Joe Nobody in like 1959.

 

Teppo can add another NHL record for the Sabres year-book if he keeps piling on assists without a goal!!!