Gerbe Nets a Trick Against Worcester

[slapshot1619]

Via Portlandpirates.com

[wildcat48]

Pirates keep winning on the road

Worcester, Mass. ? Mark Mancari, Tim Kennedy and Nathan Gerbe all had multiple points as the Portland Pirates held off the Worcester Sharks, 5-3, before a Wednesday night crowd of 2,202 at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass.

 

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[X. Benedict]

Pirates keep winning on the road

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Man, you work fast. Nice job.

[nfreeman]

Am I the only one who's ready to send Stafford down and bring up Gerbe?

[inkman]

no

[Knightrider]

Am I the only one who's ready to send Stafford down and bring up Gerbe?

 

Apparently. Dineen says there's been no talk of Stafford being sent down... Though I'd have no problem with it... wait, did I just contradict myself? *sigh* time for bed.

[BetweenThePipes00]

If they decide to send Stafford down, that's fine, but how would they fit Gerbe in? They'd need to make another roster move. Just let the kid play and don't rush him. The best thing about the Sabres this season has been their improvement in their own end and the forwards away from the puck. I don't care how many goals he scores in the AHL, Gerbe would certainly still be a big liablility in this area. The Sabres are in good shape right now, no need to rush him, let him learn.

[WayneGibbous]

staff is too late in his development to be send down. it would be counterproductive. he just has to learn to play through this.

[LabattBlue]

staff is too late in his development to be send down. it would be counterproductive. he just has to learn to play through this.

I agree. It would be tough to see Stafford struggle through another year like last season, but I think that he is here for this season and probably next season with the potential loss of Connolly, Max & Kotalik in the forward ranks.

[BetweenThePipes00]

I like Stafford and I worry about how he would react, but he is younger than MacArthur. Just because he has played more NHL games and is perceived as a better, more skilled prospect it doesn't mean he is futher along in his development, necessarily. maybe he needs a wakeup call to play with the urgency MacArthur has this season. Either way, they don't have the luxury of babying him unless they want to expose someone to waivers. It's not out of the question.

[nfreeman]

I think a 1- to 2-week stint in the A, which is probably all it would be until another forward gets hurt, could be a good wake-up call for Stafford. I also think it would be better than having him be a healthy scratch for 3-5 games in Buffalo, which is the most likely outcome -- i.e. I think at this point, Stafford is the healthy scratch, and Paille, MacArthur, Mair and Kaleta all are going to play, until the next stinker loss.

[BetweenThePipes00]

I think a 1- to 2-week stint in the A, which is probably all it would be until another forward gets hurt, could be a good wake-up call for Stafford. I also think it would be better than having him be a healthy scratch for 3-5 games in Buffalo, which is the most likely outcome -- i.e. I think at this point, Stafford is the healthy scratch, and Paille, MacArthur, Mair and Kaleta all are going to play, until the next stinker loss.

OK, but how do they get to the roster limit? Do they expose Ellis or Paetsch to waivers? Peters? Send Kaleta down because he doesn't go through waivers? It's not as simple as just scratching Stafford ...

[nfreeman]

OK, but how do they get to the roster limit? Do they expose Ellis or Paetsch to waivers? Peters? Send Kaleta down because he doesn't go through waivers? It's not as simple as just scratching Stafford ...

Well, I think the best move to get to the limit is to send down Stafford. You are certainly right that healthy-scratching Stafford doesn't solve the problem -- if they do scratch him, they will most likely waive Ellis.

[shrader]

I like Stafford and I worry about how he would react, but he is younger than MacArthur. Just because he has played more NHL games and is perceived as a better, more skilled prospect it doesn't mean he is futher along in his development, necessarily. maybe he needs a wakeup call to play with the urgency MacArthur has this season. Either way, they don't have the luxury of babying him unless they want to expose someone to waivers. It's not out of the question.

 

While he is in fact younger than MacArthur, that probably isn't a factor here.

 

MacArthur: 4/6/85

Stafford: 10/30/85

[BetweenThePipes00]

While he is in fact younger than MacArthur, that probably isn't a factor here.

 

MacArthur: 4/6/85

Stafford: 10/30/85

 

I guess my point was that if MacArthur was off to a slow start and didn't have to clear waivers, I doubt anyone would say he is "too far along" to be sent down ... they'd say he's not ready and he's only 23 ... I'm just saying why can't the same be said about Stafford? Again, I like him a lot and believe he will be a better player than MacArthur, but not sure they we need to baby him.

[nucci]

What has Ellis shown that we would miss him if he were waived? Seems like an easy solution.

[X. Benedict]

Well, I think the best move to get to the limit is to send down Stafford. You are certainly right that healthy-scratching Stafford doesn't solve the problem -- if they do scratch him, they will most likely waive Ellis.

 

Waive Ellis. He's a nice player but if you need his type by mid-season you go into the organization.

[shrader]

I guess my point was that if MacArthur was off to a slow start and didn't have to clear waivers, I doubt anyone would say he is "too far along" to be sent down ... they'd say he's not ready and he's only 23 ... I'm just saying why can't the same be said about Stafford? Again, I like him a lot and believe he will be a better player than MacArthur, but not sure they we need to baby him.

 

Yeah, Stafford has definitely been rushed much faster than most guys in this organization. But then again, if he's struggling at this level, maybe that AHL wakeup call is exactly what he needs. Just look at great results for guys like Roy and Pominville. It's a slightly different situation, but I think it's a good comparison.

 

 

What has Ellis shown that we would miss him if he were waived? Seems like an easy solution.

 

It's an obvious no brainer that if anyone gets waived, it's him. But then again, if you have to have someone sitting in the press box next to Peters on a nightly basis, I'd much rather see it be him instead of a guy like Stafford.

[BetweenThePipes00]

I'm fine with waiving Ellis, I guess ... but as often as the centers get hurt, it could leave them short at some point ... X, I don't see that kind of player in the organization ... lots of young skill but ... there is no grinding center type guy who won't kill you on draws and in your own end ... like Chris Taylor used to be ...

[inkman]

I think a 1- to 2-week stint in the A, which is probably all it would be until another forward The Skill gets hurt

fixed

[carpandean]

What has Ellis shown that we would miss him if he were waived? Seems like an easy solution.

Definitely the easy choice. The question, though, is whether there is value to sending Stafford down at this point. If he is going to be a healthy scratch for a few games, maybe it would be better to have him light it up in the AHL for a little bit to get that feeling back. Not only that, but once he is down there, then it becomes just as easy to call up somebody else (Mancari, Kennedy, Gerbe, etc.). While I don't necessarily advocate such a move, the threat of it might be motivation for Stafford not to slack off down there. Those kids are on fire down there and he will need to outperform them.

[shrader]

I'm fine with waiving Ellis, I guess ... but as often as the centers get hurt, it could leave them short at some point ... X, I don't see that kind of player in the organization ... lots of young skill but ... there is no grinding center type guy who won't kill you on draws and in your own end ... like Chris Taylor used to be ...

 

I can't help but wonder if that type of player isn't constantly available on the waiver wire.

[BetweenThePipes00]

I can't help but wonder if that type of player isn't constantly available on the waiver wire.

 

 

Maybe so ... it's a risk either way, just depends what you want to risk. They know Stafford better than we do, if they think it is too big a risk to send him down because he may not respond to it and regress more, maybe they risk having to find another Ellis if the need arises. (Stafford does not strike me as being that fragile but ... who knows.)

[tom webster]

I'm fine with waiving Ellis, I guess ... but as often as the centers get hurt, it could leave them short at some point ... X, I don't see that kind of player in the organization ... lots of young skill but ... there is no grinding center type guy who won't kill you on draws and in your own end ... like Chris Taylor used to be ...

 

I'd say the odds are less then 20% that Ellis even gets picked up. As to Pipes assertion, center depth should definitely be a priority with the emphasis on size.

 

As for sending Stafford down, they may avoid that if they feel he may be a valuable trade commodity and sending him down could lower hos value.

Yes I implied it again, I fully expect a trade to happen sooner rather then later and yes I know, its contrary to Darcy's m.o.

[X. Benedict]

I'm fine with waiving Ellis, I guess ... but as often as the centers get hurt, it could leave them short at some point ... X, I don't see that kind of player in the organization ... lots of young skill but ... there is no grinding center type guy who won't kill you on draws and in your own end ... like Chris Taylor used to be ...

 

I think you drop Mair to the 4th line, and probably bring in a Kennedy or Gerbe or even Mancari to play on the 2nd or 3rd. Hecht - Gaustad and Mair can all play center or wing.....so you aren't replacing Ellis's skill set per se ...just shuffling composition.