Bucky Geason's Article Right on the Money

[Dave Dryden]

Gleason's article on the front page today expresses exactly how I feel about this team right now. I see effort, but no leadership up front.Their core players have skill, and will try, but there is no leadership outside of Miller. There are some leaders, e.g., Greer, and some skill, Vanek, Pominville, but no one who possesses both. They are so plainly lacking a forward who can will a goal when it is needed, like Drury used to do. You see a Recchi last night, and I crave a couple of older guys who know what it takes to win, and still have a little something in the tank. Role player leaders are not enough--they need leaders who can also make it count on the ice when it counts. And that kind of player is not on the roster right now.

[Chief Enabler]

Gleason's article on the front page today expresses exactly how I feel about this team right now. I see effort, but no leadership up front.Their core players have skill, and will try, but there is no leadership outside of Miller. There are some leaders, e.g., Greer, and some skill, Vanek, Pominville, but no one who possesses both. They are so plainly lacking a forward who can will a goal when it is needed, like Drury used to do. You see a Recchi last night, and I crave a couple of older guys who know what it takes to win, and still have a little something in the tank. Role player leaders are not enough--they need leaders who can also make it count on the ice when it counts. And that kind of player is not on the roster right now.

This is what I got out of it:

 

Tim Connolly completed a common playoff double, disappearing during and after the game. Heaven forbid the longest-tenured Sabres forward would stand up and show some semblance of leadership without slithering away and needing a formal interview request. Apparently, he was comfortable with having his play do his talking for him.

 

Well, he was silent again.

 

Connolly failed to score for the 19th straight postseason game.

 

:ph34r: Dang!

[Dave Dryden]

This is what I got out of it:

 

Tim Connolly completed a common playoff double, disappearing during and after the game. Heaven forbid the longest-tenured Sabres forward would stand up and show some semblance of leadership without slithering away and needing a formal interview request. Apparently, he was comfortable with having his play do his talking for him.

 

Well, he was silent again.

 

Connolly failed to score for the 19th straight postseason game.

 

:ph34r: Dang!

Connolly is not a leader of men. He has skill, but he utterly lacks a hatred of losing, which drives the best players. What you see is what you get, a great pond player.

[SDS]

Connolly failed to score for the 19th straight postseason game.[/i]

 

I'm not defending TC's recent play, but this is a low rent cheap shot in my book. Look for the stat that makes someone look their worst and then run with it? It's also nice he failed to mention his 9 points. It's just "no goals in 19 games" because 9 points in 19 games isn't ominous enough.

 

TC missed the entire season (save 2 games) in 06-07. Then to be thrown into playoff hockey after not playing an entire year? For this he needs to be criticized for. What an ######.

[Dave Dryden]

I'm not defending TC's recent play, but this is a low rent cheap shot in my book. Look for the stat that makes someone look their worst and then run with it? It's also nice he failed to mention his 9 points. It's just "no goals in 19 games" because 9 points in 19 games isn't ominous enough.

 

TC missed the entire season (save 2 games) in 06-07. Then to be thrown into playoff hockey after not playing an entire year? For this he needs to be criticized for. What an ######.

That's fair, but he's just not the kind of guy I'd want in a foxhole ready to go into battle. He lacks something, which is too bad given his skill.

[nfreeman]

TC's play has been poor and plenty worthy of criticism. However, I really don't care about him ducking the post-game media scrum. This has been a consistent theme of Bucky's that I think is misguided. I think it's more or less irrelevant to the leadership question. Pommer is always there chatting away in the locker room. Was that leadership? He's been invisible in this series.

 

Having said that, I agree with the bulk of Bucky's piece today.

[R_Dudley]

Gleason's article on the front page today expresses exactly how I feel about this team right now. I see effort, but no leadership up front.Their core players have skill, and will try, but there is no leadership outside of Miller. There are some leaders, e.g., Greer, and some skill, Vanek, Pominville, but no one who possesses both. They are so plainly lacking a forward who can will a goal when it is needed, like Drury used to do. You see a Recchi last night, and I crave a couple of older guys who know what it takes to win, and still have a little something in the tank. Role player leaders are not enough--they need leaders who can also make it count on the ice when it counts. And that kind of player is not on the roster right now.

 

Hmmm Dave sounds like you finally see some of the same things some of us others here were saying about this teams make up before the playoff's ever began. Yeah watching some of the other series I see the Richards, Crosby, Parise's, Sedins, OV's of their teams stepping up and leading by example even Chara and Recchi for the Bruins. Sad to see we have no player who will do that for this team and inspire his team mates.

 

I am also disappointed in our coachs lack of a plan, answer or some creativity here after having faced the Bruins 6x this season. We clearly cannot match a physical game like the one Boston wants us playing and right now their rookie goalie and system is beating our goalie and system. In fact I think they really have outplayed us for most of the three games. I have also noted the system is not fairing so well right now in Portland with the AHL playoff's either. (e.g. It has been stated the farm team has been made to use the same system so the player's can make the jump easier when call ups are needed). So my observation is that maybe the system works reasonably well in regular season but with the players as currently constituted cannot stand up to playoff hockey.

 

So given the size and style of our player's why not try to speed the game up on the Bruins and use speed and skill(as Sabres republic would say) to either back Boston up or get behind the Boston defense becuase it appears we are not going to beat this Bruins team using the system when they with a rookie goalie are doing the system better then we are.

 

Come on Lindy time to show us why you won the Jack Adams before.

[PromoTheRobot]

I haven't read the article yet (I will) but it sounds like Raffi Torres got another free pass. I forgot what we traded for him but whatever it was the Sabres were robbed. What a waste of oxygen. You wanna talk about disappearing? What the ###### has #17 done since joining the team? One assist??? Connolly is a ball of fire in comparison.

 

PTR

[Marvelo]

Hmmm Dave sounds like you finally see some of the same things some of us others here were saying about this teams make up before the playoff's ever began. Yeah watching some of the other series I see the Richards, Crosby, Parise's, Sedins, OV's of their teams stepping up and leading by example even Chara and Recchi for the Bruins. Sad to see we have no player who will do that for this team and inspire his team mates.

 

I am also disappointed in our coachs lack of a plan, answer or some creativity here after having faced the Bruins 6x this season. We clearly cannot match a physical game like the one Boston wants us playing and right now their rookie goalie and system is beating our goalie and system. In fact I think they really have outplayed us for most of the three games. I have also noted the system is not fairing so well right now in Portland with the AHL playoff's either. (e.g. It has been stated the farm team has been made to use the same system so the player's can make the jump easier when call ups are needed). So my observation is that maybe the system works reasonably well in regular season but with the players as currently constituted cannot stand up to playoff hockey.

 

So given the size and style of our player's why not try to speed the game up on the Bruins and use speed and skill(as Sabres republic would say) to either back Boston up or get behind the Boston defense becuase it appears we are not going to beat this Bruins team using the system when they with a rookie goalie are doing the system better then we are.

 

Come on Lindy time to show us why you won the Jack Adams before.

 

Amen.

[LabattBlue]

I forgot what we traded for him but whatever it was the Sabres were robbed.

Over the last two seasons, the Sabres have given up four 2nd round picks for an old/slow Rivet who at the time was under contract for 3 more years and two rentals in Moore and Torres.

 

Way to piss away high picks for an organization that always talks about having to build from within.

[nfreeman]

I haven't read the article yet (I will) but it sounds like Raffi Torres got another free pass. I forgot what we traded for him but whatever it was the Sabres were robbed. What a waste of oxygen. You wanna talk about disappearing? What the ###### has #17 done since joining the team? One assist??? Connolly is a ball of fire in comparison.

 

PTR

Over the last two seasons, the Sabres have given up four 2nd round picks for an old/slow Rivet who at the time was under contract for 3 more years and two rentals in Moore and Torres.

 

Way to piss away high picks for an organization that always talks about having to build from within.

Torres is playing harder and is more of a factor, in this very physical series, than TC, Pommer and Roy. Those 3 constitute 25% of the Sabres' payroll. They are paid to produce offense in crunch time. So far they haven't done a GD thing.

[SDS]

Torres is playing harder and is more of a factor, in this very physical series, than TC, Pommer and Roy. Those 3 constitute 25% of the Sabres' payroll. They are paid to produce offense in crunch time. So far they haven't done a GD thing.

 

I thought JP scored a pretty nice goal at the time to put us up 3-2 going into the 3rd period in game 2. Beautiful shot top corner.

[Stoner]

I thought JP scored a pretty nice goal at the time to put us up 3-2 going into the 3rd period in game 2. Beautiful shot top corner.

 

Bucky wrote that the goal was "gift-wrapped." I kind of stopped taking that column seriously right there.

[bunomatic]

It's funny how Bucky is a complete moron to most posters during the regular season and with one article he's become a hockey sage.That being said,he does make some good points in the article.

[LabattBlue]

Torres is playing harder and is more of a factor, in this very physical series, than TC, Pommer and Roy. Those 3 constitute 25% of the Sabres' payroll. They are paid to produce offense in crunch time. So far they haven't done a GD thing.

If all they wanted at the deadline was a banger for the 3rd/4th line, they could have found someone a lot cheaper than what it cost to get Torres. <_<

[nfreeman]

I thought JP scored a pretty nice goal at the time to put us up 3-2 going into the 3rd period in game 2. Beautiful shot top corner.

You're right -- it was a beautiful shot and a big goal. But it came on a conversion off of a busted play -- ie Ennis scooped up a bad turnover by the Boston defenseman and fed it to Pommer for the bang-bang play. It didn't come in the normal flow of the offense or (heaven forbid) on the PP. In other words, it wasn't a "bread and butter" goal that the Sabres need their top guns to produce on a consistent basis in order to win in the playoffs. And it was the only sign of life from Pommer in 3 games.

[nfreeman]

If all they wanted at the deadline was a banger for the 3rd/4th line, they could have found someone a lot cheaper than what it cost to get Torres. <_<

True, but it was reasonable for them to think they'd get more offense from him than what they've gotten. My real point is that I'm much more inclined to blame TC/Pommer/Roy/Stafford, who are supposed to be the "core" scorers, for being invisible than I am to blame the FNG who's playing with Ellis and Kaleta for 8-12 minutes per game.

[Stoner]

True, but it was reasonable for them to think they'd get more offense from him than what they've gotten. My real point is that I'm much more inclined to blame TC/Pommer/Roy/Stafford, who are supposed to be the "core" scorers, for being invisible than I am to blame the FNG who's playing with Ellis and Kaleta for 8-12 minutes per game.

 

Who do you blame more, Torres or Ruff?

 

What was the second thing out of Torres' mouth after "The drive from the airport really is lovely"? "I don't play so well in systems where I have to think." Paraphrased.

[Dave Dryden]

Hmmm Dave sounds like you finally see some of the same things some of us others here were saying about this teams make up before the playoff's ever began. Yeah watching some of the other series I see the Richards, Crosby, Parise's, Sedins, OV's of their teams stepping up and leading by example even Chara and Recchi for the Bruins. Sad to see we have no player who will do that for this team and inspire his team mates.

 

I am also disappointed in our coachs lack of a plan, answer or some creativity here after having faced the Bruins 6x this season. We clearly cannot match a physical game like the one Boston wants us playing and right now their rookie goalie and system is beating our goalie and system. In fact I think they really have outplayed us for most of the three games. I have also noted the system is not fairing so well right now in Portland with the AHL playoff's either. (e.g. It has been stated the farm team has been made to use the same system so the player's can make the jump easier when call ups are needed). So my observation is that maybe the system works reasonably well in regular season but with the players as currently constituted cannot stand up to playoff hockey.

 

So given the size and style of our player's why not try to speed the game up on the Bruins and use speed and skill(as Sabres republic would say) to either back Boston up or get behind the Boston defense becuase it appears we are not going to beat this Bruins team using the system when they with a rookie goalie are doing the system better then we are.

 

Come on Lindy time to show us why you won the Jack Adams before.

I've always seen it, I just try and remain hopeful that someone can elevate. But it is not happening, and I don't think it will. There are a lot of good guys and players on this team, but they are being asked to fill roles they apparently can't fill, i.e, leadership. It's like making your 8th inning set-up guy in baseball your closer--he's great in the 8th, but not so much in the 9th. If the Sabres could get their "closers" if you will, the others could go back to supporting roles that they can well fill. But none of them seem to be able to make the jump to closer, which puts this team in a difficult situation right now.

[Dave Dryden]

It's funny how Bucky is a complete moron to most posters during the regular season and with one article he's become a hockey sage.That being said,he does make some good points in the article.

I think he is usually full of ######. But a blind squirrel catches the occasional nut, and that's today for Bucky boy.

[Kristian]

Who do you blame more, Torres or Ruff?

 

What was the second thing out of Torres' mouth after "The drive from the airport really is lovely"? "I don't play so well in systems where I have to think." Paraphrased.

 

No idea who to blame, all I know is Lindy is getting out-coached so far.

[LabattBlue]

True, but it was reasonable for them to think they'd get more offense from him than what they've gotten.

...and they probably would be getting more offense from him if they put him on one of the top two lines. He saw action on one of the top two lines for a game or two after the deadline, went down to the 3rd/4th lines, got hurt and then came back to the 3rd/4th lines.

[nfreeman]

Who do you blame more, Torres or Ruff?

 

What was the second thing out of Torres' mouth after "The drive from the airport really is lovely"? "I don't play so well in systems where I have to think." Paraphrased.

Well, no coach is going to revamp his entire system with a month to go in the season to accommodate a deadline pickup.

 

...and they probably would be getting more offense from him if they put him on one of the top two lines. He saw action on one of the top two lines for a game or two after the deadline, went down to the 3rd/4th lines, got hurt and then came back to the 3rd/4th lines.

After last night, I wouldn't be surprised to see a bigger role/different linemates for Torres. Neither Roy's line nor TC's line did anything last night. As far as that goes, it seems like Lindy's tried Pommer with Roy a couple of times with no success -- they don't seem to have any chemistry.

[Kristian]

...and they probably would be getting more offense from him if they put him on one of the top two lines. He saw action on one of the top two lines for a game or two after the deadline, went down to the 3rd/4th lines, got hurt and then came back to the 3rd/4th lines.

 

Speaking of 3rd and 4th lines : Daniel Paille. Anybody remember him?

 

Somebody must've taught him how to play hockey in Boston, or perhaps he already knew when he was here, but a certain coach were too busy sitting him while playing the floater they call Stafford instead?

 

I don't know what to think anymore, I really don't. Some days I just get the feeling you could trade a guy like Pominville, and he'd turn into a workaholic 35-goal guy overnight :wallbash:

[Mbossy]

FWIW, Torres is the best player this series (even with Vanek). 2 points and a plus 2 through three games. Averaging only 11-12 minutes a game.