PotentPowerPlay22 Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 Here is the biggest weakness on this team: center ice! I don't think there is a weaker group of Centers on any team in the league. Just look at this list with stats through 2/21/2011 (note: POS could stand for position or something else) POS PLAYER GP G A Pts. +/- C DEREK ROY 35 10 25 35 -1 C TIM CONNOLLY 44 8 18 26 -13 C JOCHEN HECHT 58 9 14 23 -3 C PAUL GAUSTAD 58 8 11 19 6 C CODY MCCORMICK 57 7 8 15 3 C ROB NIEDERMAYER 48 0 12 12 -3 C PAUL BYRON 8 1 1 2 0 43 goals from 308 games played! Ugh! Do the math! No production down the middle. Mr. Pegula, Mr. Regier please take note of priority numero uno!
87168 Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 This thread could go on FOREVER hahaha :sick:
BuffaTB Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 2. A usable/reliable backup goaltender. 3. A D-man that can run the PP. 4. A captain that plays in games, perhaps?
R_Dudley Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 Watching the Flyers' Rangers game yesterday afternoon I heard something that struck a chord with me. ( On a side note, thank you NBC's saving me the mad frustration that is the Sabres). They mentioned the Flyer team's record in last 20 games and the change since Laviolette was made coach. The fact he came in and stated the identity and style he wanted his team to play from day one and has not wavered going about molding his roster and team to play to that identity. Tough, no nonsense physical, uptempo style of play. They said the results speak for themselves. So the Sabres biggest weakness is my book is the question, What is this teams identity Is it to be skilled, defense first, fast, what. From the rogues gallery collection we have and watching from Center Ice two years running now I would say as a team we have no soul, no identity and certainly no players that personify that identity unless you consider a lack of soul/identity your identity.
OverPowerYou Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 Over half of our team are POS players.
bob_sauve28 Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 A top line center would solve a lot of problems.
Weave Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 Watching the Flyers' Rangers game yesterday afternoon I heard something that struck a chord with me. ( On a side note, thank you NBC's saving me the mad frustration that is the Sabres). They mentioned the Flyer team's record in last 20 games and the change since Laviolette was made coach. The fact he came in and stated the identity and style he wanted his team to play from day one and has not wavered going about molding his roster and team to play to that identity. Tough, no nonsense physical, uptempo style of play. They said the results speak for themselves. So the Sabres biggest weakness is my book is the question, What is this teams identity Is it to be skilled, defense first, fast, what. From the rogues gallery collection we have and watching from Center Ice two years running now I would say as a team we have no soul, no identity and certainly no players that personify that identity unless you consider a lack of soul/identity your identity. Outstanding. When Briere, Drury, et al were here I believe the team did have an identity. They were a speed team that could roll 3 bonafide scoring lines at you. The defence pushed, and sometimes pulled, the play through the neutral zone. What are they today? Are they still a speed team? Not with the 3rd and 4th line we have. Are they a defensive team? Nope. Tough and gritty? Not really. Hard working? That's a laffer. If they have any identity today it is a negative one. Underachievers. As to what personnel is the biggest weakness... center ice. This team has been weak at center ice since that dark summer day that Drury and Briere moved on. Mgt never did address the migration of center ice depth from the team.
DR HOLLIDAY Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 Strength and skill up the middle is important in every sport and we are totally lacking in that area. I kept holding onto the belief that Gaustad would provide something up the middle but I give up now, I see that he is pretty much a fourth line centre at best. Connolly is also a lost cause, he is so frustrating to watch on top of being unproductive.
Drunkard Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 Scoring line center and having a back up goaltender that can be counted on to play at least once every two weeks and win 40-50% of the time are this team's biggest weakness by far.
LGR4GM Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 Over half of our team are POS players. :clapping: Yes they are. We need a strong skilled physical center. Some non rookie defensemen, and to get rid of the weak POS players like connolly, rivet, morrisonn ect. :death: = how i feel about that being addressed while regier is in charge.
LGR4GM Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 Over half of our team are POS players. :clapping: Yes they are. We need a strong skilled physical center. Some non rookie defensemen, and to get rid of the weak POS players like connolly, rivet, morrisonn ect. :death: = how i feel about that being addressed while regier is in charge.
NNYSABRESMAN Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 Scoring line center and having a back up goaltender that can be counted on to play at least once every two weeks and win 40-50% of the time are this team's biggest weakness by far. I'm with you on a first line scoring center; but unless you fire LR It won't matter who they sign as a back up. Miller is like a reliable old pick up truck, run it right into the F'N ground. :wallbash:
LabattBlue Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 Scoring centers have been needed since the D/B fiasco, yet Darcy has been ignoring it for years whether it be trades, FA or the draft. Since then, it has been Roy(who I am okay with only because there is nobody even close to his talent level on the Sabres, in Portland or in the system), the oft injured and equally ineffective Connolly and maybe Luke Adam. That's it! Yet DR's answer is bringing back Connolly year after year and using Hecht as a fill-in at center. It doesn't help that year after year at the draft, there is more of a focus on blueliners than scoring forward despite the obvious void. Here is the breakdown of the first 4 rounds of the draft(2007-2010) since the D/B fiasco... Wingers - 5 Centers - 3(Adam - 2nd, Sundher - 3rd & Shipley- 4th) Blueliners - 9(3 1st rounders) Goalies - 0
Drunkard Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 I'm with you on a first line scoring center; but unless you fire LR It won't matter who they sign as a back up. Miller is like a reliable old pick up truck, run it right into the F'N ground. :wallbash: Yeah, with Ruff it kind of becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. The backup sits for 2 weeks and doesn't play then finally gets a start and is understandably rusty. We lose the game (usually just as much for lack of goal support as questionable play by the backup) and Lindy benches him for another 3 weeks until we have a stretch where we play 3 games in 4 nights and then it's as if he's surprised when the backup comes in and is rusty. Frustrating for sure.
BADMOFO518 Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 Scoring line center and having a back up goaltender that can be counted on to play at least once every two weeks and win 40-50% of the time are this team's biggest weakness by far. :thumbsup: +3
LGR4GM Posted February 22, 2011 Report Posted February 22, 2011 Scoring centers have been needed since the D/B fiasco, yet Darcy has been ignoring it for years whether it be trades, FA or the draft. Since then, it has been Roy(who I am okay with only because there is nobody even close to his talent level on the Sabres, in Portland or in the system), the oft injured and equally ineffective Connolly and maybe Luke Adam. That's it! Yet DR's answer is bringing back Connolly year after year and using Hecht as a fill-in at center. It doesn't help that year after year at the draft, there is more of a focus on blueliners than scoring forward despite the obvious void. Here is the breakdown of the first 4 rounds of the draft(2007-2010) since the D/B fiasco... Wingers - 5 Centers - 3(Adam - 2nd, Sundher - 3rd & Shipley- 4th) Blueliners - 9(3 1st rounders) Goalies - 0 Wow thats sad. I keep running out of reasons why other than the fact hes been here for 14 years we should keep regier. I have no freakin clue the guys a joke here and around the league. :doh:
inkman Posted February 22, 2011 Report Posted February 22, 2011 Wow thats sad. I keep running out of reasons why other than the fact hes been here for 14 years we should keep regier. I have no freakin clue the guys a joke here and around the league. :doh: For better or worse, Darcy is highly repected around the league. Some here will argue, but his peers respect him.
bunomatic Posted February 22, 2011 Report Posted February 22, 2011 For me the biggest weakness has got to be Darcy Regier. I know he's respected by his peers,yada yada yada but this is essentially an old boys club and you'll rarely hear any of them say anything bad about the others except in a situation like an offer sheet a la Kevin Lowe. Regier has done some good in the past but his modus operandi has become very old and at the pace he works it might be another 20 years before we get a sniff of the cup, if ever. We need new blood and a new direction.
Marvelo Posted February 22, 2011 Report Posted February 22, 2011 Character has always been fragile without Drury and Briere and there's way too many incumbents hanging on.
carpandean Posted February 22, 2011 Report Posted February 22, 2011 For better or worse, Darcy is highly repected around the league. Some here will argue, but his peers respect him. I still argue that we don't really know this. I'd say that I respected him, too, if I thought there might be a chance I could unload my junk players on him for a second-round pick. He's been around a long time, is not totally stupid/reckless, and is probably a nice guy. That's enough for most people to publicly say that they respect him. We don't, however, know what they say about him behind the scenes. I would love to be able to ask them, "if you were promoted to President of Hockey Operations and Darcy were available, would he be on your list of candidates for GM?"
LGR4GM Posted February 22, 2011 Report Posted February 22, 2011 Darcy Regier is an analog gm in a digital world. Any idiot with a computer could have told you that torres was crap or that you should have gotten antropov not moore (both went for a 2nd rnd pick and one actually didnt suck) or that clark mcarthur was a good solid winger. All you had to do was look at there stats. I am not kidding and know ppl will be like grr you cant just look at stats blah blah... but hey when torres has scored 1 goal in the last 30 days and you wanna trade for him and mcarthur has scored 5... ummm yea its stupid and spare me the intangible comments...
bob_sauve28 Posted February 23, 2011 Report Posted February 23, 2011 I think getting Tyler Myers a real mentor on the ice is priority number one Then add a number one center
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.