Ruff's Conundrum

[carpandean]

Only one goalie has ever been captain IIRC. Besides Miller might argue with the ref with those crooked eyes and get an unsportsmanlike penalty.

Luongo is the only one in recent history, but there were some back before the rule was implemented in 1948 that a goalie can't be the captain on ice.

 

Naming your goalie as captain is now purely symbolic on the ice. He can be a leader in the locker-room (can do that with or without the "C"), but he can't perform most of the captain's duties on the ice. Someone else (one "A") is designated the responsibilities of that position on ice.

[spndnchz]

Rivet 2-10-2010

 

Rivet comments today on himself and leadership.

 

"Sometimes you just need to take a step back and look back at the things that gave you the success. When things don't go well you can always point fingers and blame somebody else, but I'm not looking at that. Me, personally, I need to be better iin some areas I know in my mind I can be better".

[nfreeman]

I don't think there is any way Lindy takes the "C" away from Rivet during the season nor do I believe Lindy would send him to the press box.

 

Option #1 - Trade him before the deadline

 

Option #2 - Live with his crappy play for the rest of the season and then try to trade him in the offseason or worst case scenario...buy out the last year of the contract.

 

Either way, he does not have a place on the team next season.

I agree with your analysis of the potential outcomes. I would be very surprised if he were traded or benched before the end of this season. I don't really agree that his play has been "crappy" overall, although I recognize that this is likely a minority view.

 

The question of what happens next year, though, is an interesting one. I think the most likely outcome is that he's back with the Sabres and still captain. For one thing, Rivet is under contract for $3.5MM for next year, which is not an easy contract to unload (although if the Sabres get their act together and have a decent playoff run, his marketability will increase).

 

More importantly, this team is still leadership- and toughness-deficient, and subtracting Rivet will only worsen those problems. I agree 100% that it was an embarrassment to the other guys that he was handed the captaincy upon arrival.

 

There's been some improvement between adding Grier and Gaustad stepping up (and Kaleta doing so when he's not injured), but none of the holdover "core" guys (Roy, TC, Vanek, Pommer, Hecht, Lydman, Tallinder, MacArthur, etc.), although talented, has come anywhere near to developing into a guy like Toews or Mike Richards. Does anyone think any of those guys would've gotten into a fight with Boston's tough guy last night like Rivet and Gaustad did? I'm still PO'd that Miller absorbed his biggest hit of the year against Ottawa, and Tallinder, on the ice at the time and thus handed an opportunity to redeem himself for turning the other cheek when Gomez ran Miller last year, let Myers carry the flag and was himself nowhere to be found.

 

My bottom line is that there isn't enough guts on this roster even with Rivet. If we are able to magically trade Pommer or Roy for a guy like Brenden Morrow or Shane Doan or Chris Pronger, fine, but otherwise, I think he's going to play well enough to earn 17-18 minutes per game and I want him back next year.

[Lethbridge Broncos]

Ed KIlgore, I mean Senior Labatt, the entire team is struggling. Why pick a whooping boy and go after him? Rivet was the teams best defender last yr. IF Myers wasnt around, i assume it would be the same. When this club was winning, before they went on the west coast and got their a$ses kicked, no one complained about anything. So, try to keep things in perspective. Rivet has been doing jsut fine and when the playoffs start you will like him ALOT better than you liked Numminen or any other scub that has been on defense for this club lately.

 

 

 

 

I don't know about this, but your earlier point about Rivet being handed the "C" before he could even find his way to the arena was an embarrassment to every player on the roster at the time of the trade.

[SwampD]

I thought THIS was Ruff's Conundrum - "On a team where the term underachiever applies to so many, how is he considered an elite coach?"

 

 

 

 

 

That should fire up all the cheery new folk.

[nucci]

I would trade Lydman and Rivet for draft picks, bring up Weber as Rivet's replacement and insert Sekera for Lydman, hell, they certainly can't do any worse.

 

I would also dump MacArthur and Stafford, to Chicago? Sharp and Versteeg, that adds 7 mil in salary next season, so it will still be tight, but you add a couple of good 2nd liners. I would then move Roy, strictly for draft picks, install Ennis.

 

Your line up for the playoff run:

 

Vanek-Ennis-Sharp

Versteeg-Connolly-Pomminstein

Kennedy-Gaustad-Grier

Ellis-Mair-Kaleta

 

Myers-Tallinder

Weber-Sekera

Montador-Butler

 

Miller

Lalime

 

You may be able to replace Grier with Mancari, depends on whether or not he decides to show up.

You offset the Salary increase by dumping salary, you get these young guys the playing time and a playoff atmosphere experience.

In other words, your preparing them for next seasons run, isn't that what Darcy implied, next season is a run for the Cup? That's what I took from his interview.

Stafford and MacArthur for Sharp and Versteeg?? You couldn't get a couple of practice nets for MacArthur. Stafford, maybe. Have you seen Mancari play?

[LabattBlue]

(Having a lousy day at work and an opinionated day here....)

I've been having the same problem for about a week now in regards to both of your points. :D

[LabattBlue]

Only one goalie has ever been captain IIRC. Besides Miller might argue with the ref with those crooked eyes and get an unsportsmanlike penalty.

:oops:

I love that the crooked eye debate is back. It is even more enjoyable than Ek. :)

[static70]

Stafford and MacArthur for Sharp and Versteeg?? You couldn't get a couple of practice nets for MacArthur. Stafford, maybe. Have you seen Mancari play?

Well, the post was Ruff's Conundrum, I tried to pick up the scoring a little, keep the cap as low as I could and got rid of some of the dead weight taking up roster spots on the team. It surely could have helped solve Ruff's Conondrum. :thumbsup:

 

I wasn't saying it was remotely possible :nana:

 

But something needs to happen, and knowing Darcy, Lindy should be receiving that additional 3rd line player by the deadline :D

[nucci]

Well, the post was Ruff's Conundrum, I tried to pick up the scoring a little, keep the cap as low as I could and got rid of some of the dead weight taking up roster spots on the team. It surely could have helped solve Ruff's Conondrum. :thumbsup:

 

I wasn't saying it was remotely possible :nana:

 

But something needs to happen, and knowing Darcy, Lindy should be receiving that additional 3rd line player by the deadline :D

ok, just checking. :)

[TheChimp]

Typical Sabres schizo crap. He plays like doodoo for months, doesn't hit anyone and doesn't fight, and Ruff plays him steadily. The ONE game where he fights, and fights a guy TEN times as good at fighting as himself, and holds his own, and Ruff decides to finally bench him for his poor defensive play.

 

I swear, this Ruff character is such a passive-aggressive douchebag sometimes.

 

The time to limit Rivet's playing time was not AFTER he fights Thornton and sparks the team.

 

#%^$#!in' idiot.

[SabresRepublic]

Typical Sabres schizo crap. He plays like doodoo for months, doesn't hit anyone and doesn't fight, and Ruff plays him steadily. The ONE game where he fights, and fights a guy TEN times as good at fighting as himself, and holds his own, and Ruff decides to finally bench him for his poor defensive play.

 

I swear, this Ruff character is such a passive-aggressive douchebag sometimes.

 

The time to limit Rivet's playing time was not AFTER he fights Thornton and sparks the team.

 

#%^$#!in' idiot.

 

LR doesn't want expenditure of energy by senseless pummelling of another player - he wants the expenditure of energy in a concerted effort of aptitude and skill!!!

That's why they play the game on ice with sticks and with their gloves on - hockey it is called!

[SabresRepublic]

I love that the crooked eye debate is back. It is even more enjoyable than Ek.

 

Actually, every living mammal has a certain degree of asymmetry (lack of symmetry) between the left and right half! The crooked eye debate is criminal because first and foremost it is personal information regardless of whether you earn $50M or $50K.

 

Last night Rask was burned on a long shot by Myers from inside the blue line; perhaps his depth perception was NOT quite there at that moment?

 

But originally I was hoping to respond to the individual that conducted the thread and topic discussion with all that revealing information. This is what I thought but could NOT post at the time:

 

"....I couldn't figure out where you were coming from at first introspection until I pictured you divulging information about an individual which may NOT be veritable.

 

So, are you a psychoanalyst or are you a psychobabbleist? This is all rhetorical but nevertheless fundamentally esssential because Ryan Miller's performance this season - from all angles has earned him the Sabre distracting potential all-world Olympic goalie moniker!

 

GO BUFFALO SABRES!!!......"

 

 

AND GO USA!!!!

[gregkash]

you don't scratch your captain, plain and simple.

[2ForTripping]

you don't scratch your captain, plain and simple.

why not does it hurt his feelings? tough #%^$#!

[inkman]

you don't scratch your captain, plain and simple.

why not does it hurt his feelings? tough #%^$#!

Maybe he's not itchy...

[spndnchz]

you don't scratch your captain, plain and simple.

 

What if he has an itch in one of those "hard to reach" areas?

[Assquatch]

you don't scratch your captain, plain and simple.

 

 

Maybe he's not itchy...

 

 

What if he has an inch in one of those "hard to reach" areas?

 

Paging Dr. Freud...

[BADMOFO518]

Actually, every living mammal has a certain degree of asymmetry (lack of symmetry) between the left and right half! The crooked eye debate is criminal because first and foremost it is personal information regardless of whether you earn $50M or $50K.

 

Last night Rask was burned on a long shot by Myers from inside the blue line; perhaps his depth perception was NOT quite there at that moment?

 

But originally I was hoping to respond to the individual that conducted the thread and topic discussion with all that revealing information. This is what I thought but could NOT post at the time:

 

"....I couldn't figure out where you were coming from at first introspection until I pictured you divulging information about an individual which may NOT be veritable.

 

So, are you a psychoanalyst or are you a psychobabbleist? This is all rhetorical but nevertheless fundamentally esssential because Ryan Miller's performance this season - from all angles has earned him the Sabre distracting potential all-world Olympic goalie moniker!

 

GO BUFFALO SABRES!!!......"

 

 

AND GO USA!!!!

ummmmmmm ok..........GO SABRES?

[inkman]

What if he has an inch in one of those "hard to reach" areas?

I guess if he only has one inch, it will always be in a hard to reach area. :beer:

[NNYSABRESMAN]

LR doesn't want expenditure of energy by senseless pummelling of another player - he wants the expenditure of energy in a concerted effort of aptitude and skill!!!

That's why they play the game on ice with sticks and with their gloves on - hockey it is called!

Oh how rich; lets all join hands and sing WE ARE THE WORLD!!! .I watch hockey because it used to be a hardnosed team sport where you fought for yourself and your teammates. LR takes every player who has any grit and neuters them the minute they take the ice. This is North America not Europe.It really is hard to stomach watching the Sabres and their milk toast play as of late.

[TheChimp]

Oh how rich; lets all join hands and sing WE ARE THE WORLD!!! .I watch hockey because it used to be a hardnosed team sport where you fought for yourself and your teammates. LR takes every player who has any grit and neuters them the minute they take the ice. This is North America not Europe.It really is hard to stomach watching the Sabres and their milk toast play as of late.

AMEN!

[Kristian]

Oh how rich; lets all join hands and sing WE ARE THE WORLD!!! .I watch hockey because it used to be a hardnosed team sport where you fought for yourself and your teammates. LR takes every player who has any grit and neuters them the minute they take the ice. This is North America not Europe.It really is hard to stomach watching the Sabres and their milk toast play as of late.

 

Like I posted in another thread, the Sabres would be considered soft in the Swedish Elite-League, and that's stating facts. Some of those Euro elite leagues play a lot tougher than most people seem to think.

 

I can understand Ruff's approach to some of these things, like not taking penalties for the sake of being all badass motherf*ckers on the ice, but at some point there HAS to be a physical aspect to the game, and there isn't.

 

The Sabres have one of, if not the best penalty kills this season. If ever there was a time to not worry about an extra two penalties a game this is it. As long as they're good penalties, and not lazy stick penalties.

 

Which makes me think - When was the last time a Sabre took an elbowing or, god forbid, a roughing penalty? And that's a roughing penalty from open play, not one of those ridiculous coincidentals taken efter a shoving match. I can't for the life of me remember seeing one. It's always holding, tripping, hooking, slashing, interference.

[Stoner]

What if he has an itch in one of those "hard to reach" areas?

 

What if his ring finger is a quarter of an itch shorter than it should be?

 

http://www.livescience.com/health/050203_finger_length.html

 

Nice payoff for those who bother to read until the end!

[SabresRepublic]

Oh how rich; lets all join hands and sing WE ARE THE WORLD!!! .I watch hockey because it used to be a hardnosed team sport where you fought for yourself and your teammates. LR takes every player who has any grit and neuters them the minute they take the ice. This is North America not Europe.It really is hard to stomach watching the Sabres and their milk toast play as of late.

 

We agree the NHL is the premier hockey venue in the world and it originated in North America - thx Canada! Like any team sport aptitude and skill is how you win it all! Fighting is a distraction that takes away from the aptitude and skill and mostly caused by a lack of timely officiating.

 

Earlier , that is before the swoon, Sabres were on their aptitude and skill game which they were 70% successful - NOT BAD!!! The talk of the NHL!

 

Methinks, the Sabres will recapture that hockey essence and it will provide the impetus for a claim to being the best at aptitude and skill leaving out the machismo headbashing to the inferior leagues!

 

GO Buffalo Sabres!!! GO USA!!!