Why is everyone loving Hecht?

[nfreeman]

Also: since the yoots seem for some reason to favor "hating on" instead of "hating", should the title of this thread reference "loving on?"

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Also: since the yoots seem for some reason to favor "hating on" instead of "hating", should the title of this thread reference "loving on?"

 

It was going to be "Why is everyone on Hecht's knob?", but I didn't want it to sound inflamatory.

 

I understand what Hecht brings....but I would say there would have been an 85% chance people would be ripping him for playing like a wuss. He would be getting run like most the team, and except for the occasional one armed lean in towards the net....the Sabres would probably have lost 1.9 to 1 instead of 2-1 the other day.

[Skibum]

Hecht has had a great year. He's been his usual rock solid responsible self and has also been clever with the puck on scoring chances. He's a lot more physical than Ennis and is probably more of a scoring threat at the NHL level, especially in the playoffs where he has tons of experience. He plays a strong all around game in all situations. Not having him on the ice has been a huge detriment to the team in all phases of the game.

[Taro T]

He may be harder to move off of the puck than (Ennis,Roy,Gerbe,Connolly,Pominville,Kennedy,) by default, but he NEVER stepped his game up in the playoffs before. I looked for it when he first came here because he looked like the type that would. A guy like Kotalik would go apeshit and try to run everything in sight until he took a stupid penalty and Ruff would hold him back. Hecht just did his thing.

 

Would he be an improvement at this point....yes. But that's like saying grilled chicken is tastier than tofu. I want some freakin steak!

Well, you were probably too busy figuring out whether the best place to sell Finals tix was on E-bay, Craig's List, or something other to know who scored at the end of the 2nd in Game 7, or something other; but the guy that gave the Sabres the lead in Game 7 was the subject of this thread.

 

He played well in '06 and '07. I expect he would have been strong this year as well. Who knows, maybe they'll stick around long enough that we can find out.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Well, you were probably too busy figuring out whether the best place to sell Finals tix was on E-bay, Craig's List, or something other to know who scored at the end of the 2nd in Game 7, or something other; but the guy that gave the Sabres the lead in Game 7 was the subject of this thread.

 

He played well in '06 and '07. I expect he would have been strong this year as well. Who knows, maybe they'll stick around long enough that we can find out.

 

And Miro Satan scored a OT goal tonight

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

PS.....for as much as I think Larry Quinn is the Devil, his ticket system did make me a pretty penny. Was I wrong when I said there was no way they would beat Ottawa in '07? Was I wrong when I took advantage of the pent up demand and sold all my tickets the next year in preseason for multiples of face?

 

I enjoyed the way this team played in '05-'06.....but when they got rid of Dumont, McKee, Grier and Pyatt....it was the signal that this organization was pansy from the top. In with those guys, Roy was a young, hungry kid who played wing like a future olympian.....Pominville didn't know enough to be scared yet. That to me is proof enough it is the system and those in charge that have put the heart of this team on autopilot.

 

It is a culture of groupthink. The Montadors, Rivets, and Griers are just not talented enough at this point to log the minutes needed to hold them all together. If they gave they effort they gave tonight every game..... would have faith.

[Taro T]

And Miro Satan scored a OT goal tonight

And that has 0 relevance to a statement that Hecht has NEVER stepped up his game in the playoffs.

[SabresFan526]

Who made that pass to Briere in Game 1 against Philly?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37h7GYSAupg

 

Wait a minute. Was that Jochen Hecht? He never steps his game up in the playoffs.

 

By the way, I'd be curious to know how many points has he scored in the playoffs with the Buffalo Sabres vs. how many points he scored in the playoffs when he played with the St. Louis Blues. I wonder what percentage of those points come from playing with the Sabres.

 

Anywho, I think Hecht is a missing piece. Is he the savior? No. But, the PK gave up 2 goals last night and 3 goals thus far in the series. Hecht was the leading PK time on ice guy for #2 ranked PK. Hecht likely would not have lost the puck against Recchi in Game 3. This team misses Hecht for sure.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

And that has 0 relevance to a statement that Hecht has NEVER stepped up his game in the playoffs.

 

He is the Tallinder of the forwards.

 

They must be twins because 90% of the board would have given them away last year.....then they are Larry Robinson and Guy Carbaneu this year according to everyone.

 

By the way.....you are uncharacteristicaly on the ropes with your response. NEVER....is really weak. Dick Jauron coached some good games....you want him?

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Who made that pass to Briere in Game 1 against Philly?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37h7GYSAupg

 

Wait a minute. Was that Jochen Hecht? He never steps his game up in the playoffs.

 

By the way, I'd be curious to know how many points has he scored in the playoffs with the Buffalo Sabres vs. how many points he scored in the playoffs when he played with the St. Louis Blues. I wonder what percentage of those points come from playing with the Sabres.

 

Anywho, I think Hecht is a missing piece. Is he the savior? No. But, the PK gave up 2 goals last night and 3 goals thus far in the series. Hecht was the leading PK time on ice guy for #2 ranked PK. Hecht likely would not have lost the puck against Recchi in Game 3. This team misses Hecht for sure.

 

If we had THIS GUY....in the lineup....we would have swept Boston!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoDcbu45jgk&feature=PlayList&p=AE31E1426468CF7E&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=3

[Taro T]

He is the Tallinder of the forwards.

 

They must be twins because 90% of the board would have given them away last year.....then they are Larry Robinson and Guy Carbaneu this year according to everyone.

 

By the way.....you are uncharacteristicaly on the ropes with your response. NEVER....is really weak. Dick Jauron coached some good games....you want him?

I'm still not certain what Zero Shatan has to do w/ the discussion.

 

And while I probably am off my game, c'mon, bringing up Jauron?!? Talk about being on the ropes. ;)

 

Would Hecht be enough to turn the series around? Don't know, but it definitely is in the realm of possibility. You wouldn't have had a line of Ennis, Connolly, and Poms together if Hecht were in the lineup; so you wouldn't have had 3 guys absolutely refusing to come back up ice on the 4 on 2 (at worst it would have been a 4-on-3, which is much less dangerous). The PK also would be stronger. In a series where all the games have been 1 goal affairs (discounting the EN'er), a guy that probably could have helped you give up 2 fewer through 4 would be useful. He'd quite likely have scored 1 from a very bad angle as well. Which would also be useful.

 

Agree that he was bad last year and many posters would have given him up for a bag of pucks. (I wasn't one of those, nor was I one stating that Hecht would put the Sabres over the top that you referred to in the post to start the thread.) But when playing his natural position of wing, he is very solid, does win most of his battles along the boards, is one of the very few forwards on the team that will take a bad angle shot, is the best PK forward, and far more importantly (especially in a series where your opponent is significantly offensively challenged) doesn't often make the major bonehead play that creates a scoring chance for the opponent.

 

His ability to both double shift and to take the odd shift at center and be reasonable (his issues at center come when he has to play there regularly) would also have provided more flexibility for Lindy to limit Connolly's ice time as he apparently is still having issues w/ the foot. (When they wanted to have Connolly skip a shift they could have had Roy double shift 1 time and have Kennedy center that line w/ Hecht playing wing there and then center on Kennedy's line.) His presence would also have allowed Lindy to keep Timmy off the PK if, as he claims, he has issues w/ Timmy's conditioning/compete/whatever you want to call it.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Taro...I said he'd be an improvement. I didn't say he was a BAD player. I just couldn't...and still can't understand how anyone can look at him as a difference maker.

 

We have plenty of defensive roll players that can protect the puck during the regular season, kill penalties, add some size to a scoring line, and put in 12-20 goals. Their names are Grier, Torres, Gaustad, Kaleta.

 

Your goal scorers aren't scoring and your grinders don't have the fast paced talent to keep up with the tempo and suppliment the scoring beyond what they have and should. Miller has played acceptable in my opinion, and the defense isn't playing poorly....the team is just not used to physical hockey and on-the-fly decisions that are necessary in the playoffs. THAT....you can blame on Ruff. I have always said, if you have to think out there, you aren't playing. Last night they went to a more instinctive game. It was working until the refs helped the momentum swing.

 

Hecht is a nice role player on a team of 20 just as Tina Fey is cute in a girl next door kind of way.