Gerbe for Captain

[inkman]

I've seen it posted repeatedly, perhaps by a few very vocal posters, that Nathan Gerbe should be given the "C". This makes little to no sense to me. Discuss.

[bills_fan_in_raleigh]

I've seen it posted repeatedly, perhaps by a few very vocal posters, that Nathan Gerbe should be given the "C". This makes little to no sense to me. Discuss.

Couldnt agree more the little sucker plays his heart out good to see him get a goal.

[dEnnis the Menace]

I've seen it posted repeatedly, perhaps by a few very vocal posters, that Nathan Gerbe should be given the "C". This makes little to no sense to me. Discuss.

 

Why shouldn't he? I'm just asking to get your point of view, not saying he should.

 

The one argument is that he lays it all out there on the ice, and doesn't take a shift off. But then again, Pominville has stepped up his play this year, has played thru injury and sickness, so the same could be said for him. Honestly, I like pommers as captain, but I would have rather given it to Vanek. I would not have dispersed the A's as they were, but hey, I'm just a fan.

[RazielSabre]

Shorty is to new. He has the heart but I so no leadership from him. I'd be happy with Pom and Regehr with the C and Vanek and Gausted with A's. Either that or Regehr with the C and Pom and Van with A's.

[inkman]

Why shouldn't he? I'm just asking to get your point of view...

What do we know about him other than he's really short and tries hard? He's grown on me (hehe) but I'm not sure this is the making of a Captain.

 

Let's also remember leaders lead no matter what's on the laundry.

 

Couldnt agree more the little sucker plays his heart out good to see him get a goal.

Please read my original post.

[RazielSabre]

Why shouldn't he? I'm just asking to get your point of view, not saying he should.

 

The one argument is that he lays it all out there on the ice, and doesn't take a shift off. But then again, Pominville has stepped up his play this year, has played thru injury and sickness, so the same could be said for him. Honestly, I like pommers as captain, but I would have rather given it to Vanek. I would not have dispersed the A's as they were, but hey, I'm just a fan.

 

Thats the 'captaincy problem' in a nutshell for me. Vanek, Pom and Regehr are the only clear leaders so far imho. Maybe Ehrhoff in the future, but not yet.

[Marvelo]

Not sure it's a ringing endorsement of Gerbe, although he has heart, as it's more of an indictment of a lack of character on the team. What a bunch of gutless wonders when they let 5'5 Nathan exact the punishment for Gomez' run on Miller...and that's just one incident that scratches the surface. Alot of these guys are either flat out mercenaries or just going through the motions. Be willing to bet a number of these guys would rather play for the fans of Berlin than Buffalo.

[sabills]

Thats all well and good, but can he fight? :death:

[nfreeman]

Well, as someone who posted the Gerbe-for-captain idea this very day, I will say that:

 

1. I am completely disgusted with the current "leadership group."

 

2. Gerbe is the only forward on the team who plays with any fire in the belly.

 

3. I think a captain should play a hard, intense game -- i.e. like Gerbe plays.

 

4. I don't think Gerbe will ever not play with a chip on his shoulder.

 

5. I think this team's group of forwards needs a significant shakeup, and that trading one of the "top 6", while necessary, is likely not to be sufficient. I would like the letters to pass from those who are wearing them now and have failed miserably in those roles to a younger group of guys with talent and intensity. I want it to be crystal clear to the guys wearing the letters now that nobody thinks that they have been good enough, and that their failures have necessitated someone else taking over.

 

6. I know Gerbe becoming captain isn't realistic at this point. But if we woke up tomorrow and Roy had been traded and Gerbe was the C with Myers and Regehr or Weber as the As, I'd be happy.

[carpandean]

Not sure it's a ringing endorsement of Gerbe, although he has heart, as it's more of an indictment of a lack of character on the team. What a bunch of gutless wonders when they let 5'5 Nathan exact the punishment for Gomez' run on Miller...and that's just one incident that scratches the surface. Alot of these guys are either flat out mercenaries or just going through the motions. Be willing to bet a number of these guys would rather play for the fans of Berlin than Buffalo.

 

This is basically it.

 

People want somebody with his heart as their captain, not necessarily Gerbe in particular. If Gerbe were bigger, a little more skilled, and bit more seasoned, he'd be just like those captains that you admire around the league. Unfortunately, we have some players who are bigger, some players who are more seasoned, but only a handful with the heart. If you had choose just one for your captain, wouldn't it be the heart? That's why people suggest that he be the captain. Really, they'd like somebody with all three traits on the roster.

[Weave]

Not sure it's a ringing endorsement of Gerbe, although he has heart, as it's more of an indictment of a lack of character on the team. What a bunch of gutless wonders when they let 5'5 Nathan exact the punishment for Gomez' run on Miller...and that's just one incident that scratches the surface. Alot of these guys are either flat out mercenaries or just going through the motions. Be willing to bet a number of these guys would rather play for the fans of Berlin than Buffalo.

 

I agree 100% with everything in this post except the last sentence.

 

One of the commentators at the Winter Clssic mentioned something that stuck with me. He said that a good part of why Ryan Callahan is a very good captain is becuase of his grit and extreme level of competitive desire.

 

Gerbe certainly does have a level of grit and extremely high competitive desire. Bot those traits alone are not enough to make him captain. He still needs to develop to the point to where his teammates respect what he has to say because his level of compete results in wins. He needs to get to a point where his play elevates the play of the rest of the team. He's not there. He may get there. He may not. It is too early to annoint him as anything.

 

Having said that, I certainly wish our other letter wearers had his level of grit and competitiveness.

[OverPowerYou]

Gerbe can't be captain. How is he going to hoist the cup when it's just as tall as him?

 

*caution sarcasm included

[nfreeman]

I agree 100% with everything in this post except the last sentence.

 

One of the commentators at the Winter Clssic mentioned something that stuck with me. He said that a good part of why Ryan Callahan is a very good captain is becuase of his grit and extreme level of competitive desire.

 

Gerbe certainly does have a level of grit and extremely high competitive desire. Bot those traits alone are not enough to make him captain. He still needs to develop to the point to where his teammates respect what he has to say because his level of compete results in wins. He needs to get to a point where his play elevates the play of the rest of the team. He's not there. He may get there. He may not. It is too early to annoint him as anything.

 

Having said that, I certainly wish our other letter wearers had his level of grit and competitiveness.

 

Good post. I will say though that IMHO his play last night both elevated Roy and Stafford and resulted in that win. Without him last night it was going to be another dreary 3-1 loss.

[deluca67]

I've seen it posted repeatedly, perhaps by a few very vocal posters, that Nathan Gerbe should be given the "C". This makes little to no sense to me. Discuss.

Someday the kid may wear a 'C' in the NHL, he seems likes the kind of kid that if it were his goal to wear a 'C' he will achieve it.

 

The kid has the effort. Which brings to mind a question not involving the 'C', why does his effort standout so much on this team? Why is there such a glaring difference between his effort and that of Roy, Stafford and a bunch of other guys in that locker-room?

[DumbPuck]

...

 

Gerbe certainly does have a level of grit and extremely high competitive desire. Bot those traits alone are not enough to make him captain. He still needs to develop to the point to where his teammates respect what he has to say because his level of compete results in wins. He needs to get to a point where his play elevates the play of the rest of the team. He's not there. He may get there. He may not. It is too early to annoint him as anything.

...

 

This is my opinion as well.

 

I don't think anybody on the squad deserves it more than him (including Pominville). However, he is lacking the buy-in factor that only comes with time, age, and proven success. Perhaps in a couple years.

[shrader]

If you need a letter on your jersey in order to be a leader, maybe you're not much of a leader after all. And while we're in this "he works hard" mode, why don't we pin a letter on Matt Ellis' chest while we're at it? These captain discussions are always the same and they're always so short sighted. You can't judge a guy's leadership capabilities simply by his play on the ice. You don't see who is saying what or doing what back in the locker room or during practice. You can catch a glimpse of something like that on the bench though. Who is the one doing the talking and who is the one doing the listening? To me, it seems like Gerbe is listening more often.

 

What this team is severely lacking right now is a younger version of a Mike Grier type. You would never not see him explaining things to anyone who would listen on the bench. Unfortunately his body wasn't able to keep up with the high standard of his character.

[jabtot]

I like the kid...I think he carries his heart out on his sleeve.

Pomminstein's play has been so poor lately, I'd give the kid

a shot!

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Perhaps one day.

 

I would not change any of the lettered players at this point. That decision was made ... wrongly in my opinion ... now live with it.

 

Unless there are drastic changes at every level (except owner and President, of course) of the organization making changes to the players wearing letters will not make any difference at all.

 

I want to see what happens over the course of the remainder of this year and this coming off-season (what changes happen I mean) before we name new letter wearers.

[LTS]

Good post. I will say though that IMHO his play last night both elevated Roy and Stafford and resulted in that win. Without him last night it was going to be another dreary 3-1 loss.

 

Do we give Ruff credit with putting Gerbe with those two? It was the first thing I thought when I saw it last night. Hey, look, they put the hardest working guy on the team with the two who are noted for being the least hardest working. Then, it paid off. I want to see how that works over a few games. If you think about it it was the only line that stuck from Lindy's new look lines that got the Sabres nearly killed in the first 10 minutes.

 

If you need a letter on your jersey in order to be a leader, maybe you're not much of a leader after all. And while we're in this "he works hard" mode, why don't we pin a letter on Matt Ellis' chest while we're at it? These captain discussions are always the same and they're always so short sighted. You can't judge a guy's leadership capabilities simply by his play on the ice. You don't see who is saying what or doing what back in the locker room or during practice. You can catch a glimpse of something like that on the bench though. Who is the one doing the talking and who is the one doing the listening? To me, it seems like Gerbe is listening more often.

 

What this team is severely lacking right now is a younger version of a Mike Grier type. You would never not see him explaining things to anyone who would listen on the bench. Unfortunately his body wasn't able to keep up with the high standard of his character.

 

You don't need a letter and guys know it. Players like Ellis and Gerbe are unquestionable right now because no one can say they are working as hard as those two. If they are talking, others are listening. I think Gerbe listens because he's young and has a lot to listen too. I think, right now, he's asserting his leadership on the ice and between shifts he lets others talk. Some of this is a respect thing, he's earning it by listening and by the end of the season and certainly into next he may be one of the speakers on the team. He's definitely got the right attitude.

 

The Sabres need a Grier type. I said it in another thread. He was unquestionable. You couldn't touch him. Looks at every team Mark Recchi was on in the last 8 years of his career. High level of compete, winners.. never giving up. He was untouchable. I wouldn't doubt that some of the Bruins early season woes were the lack of his leadership picking guys back up after the bad games. They clearly figured it out.. having great talent also helps.

[...]

Since I mentioned "Gerbe" and "captain" in the GDT yesterday first (I believe), I suppose I fall under the moniker of "very vocal posters", which is interesting because after a quick look around, I net 1.59 posts a day, nfreeman nets 2.58 posts a day, and inkman nets 3.75 posts a day. I would argue that inkman is more than twice as "vocal" as me.

 

But that's not the point. What I said was "future captain". Which implies that I don't think he should be the captain today. So, for my part, I don't advocate Pominville being stripped of the C and it being sewn onto Gerbe's chest at the next team meeting.

 

I will say, though, that when I see Gerbe on the ice, his zone coverage generally equals that of Pominville and half a Vanek. Meaning that, he cruises all over the place in the defensive zone, is usually ready for a breakout, while at the same time defending high. In the offensive zone, he forechecks, he battles for space in front of the net, he goes to the net, he plays the boards. He's all over the place trying to make a play and the effort is ALWAYS there. He never slacks off on a shift - never.

 

That last part is huge. I don't care if Vanek and Pominville were sick - they slacked off on their D zone coverage for the Oiler's third goal last night. If they can't manage their assignments, then Lindy shouldn't play them (fwiw, the Adam/Kassian line didn't see the ice the last five minutes or so last night - they should have been out there if the others were too sick to hold the lead). Roy and Stafford slack off a lot, Roy being the worst offender IMHO. As much as I like Vanek, I see him slacking a little from time to time.

 

The grit and passion are there for Gerbe, same as the effort and skill. It was Gerbe who buried the puck at center ice last season to start their campaign to make the playoffs - I doubt he'd be the one to do that if it weren't his idea. Little acts of symbolism like that can mean a lot. Gerbe is also a lot more honest in his team assessments during pressers than Pominville. I give Vanek credit for that, as well.

 

No pun intended, but there are a whole bunch of little things that add up. A few more seasons experience, and as long as he suffers no major injuries, he will have all of the proper elements a real captain needs. Unless someone has an issue with his size and believes it affects his ability to lead.

 

Final point: who would you prefer as captain, Ovechkin or Gerbe (and please avoid the "if that means having OV on the roster 'cause the Sabres need him" thinking, please, you know that's beside the point here)?

[FolignosJock]

Isnt there already a captaincy thread where everyone sounded off on this. I dont remember gerbe being a popular choice back then.

[darksabre]

Isnt there already a captaincy thread where everyone sounded off on this. I dont remember gerbe being a popular choice back then.

 

That was from the offseason/beginning of the season though. We had expectations of this team at that time that are not being met now. And I don't remember anyone being excited at the Pominville choice.

 

 

 

I just want to throw out there that St. Louis wears an A for Tampa. I could see Gerbe falling into that role in the future.

[FolignosJock]

That was from the offseason/beginning of the season though. We had expectations of this team at that time that are not being met now. And I don't remember anyone being excited at the Pominville choice.

 

 

 

I just want to throw out there that St. Louis wears an A for Tampa. I could see Gerbe falling into that role in the future.

 

What role is that? 80-100 point scorer consistently? You are kidding right? or do you mean just a short assistant captain?

[darksabre]

What role is that? 80-100 point scorer consistently? You are kidding right? or do you mean just a short assistant captain?

 

Both took similar paths to the NHL. Gerbe and St. Louis had similar senior years at their respective colleges, both were Hobey Baker candidates. Both had great stats in the AHL. The only difference is that St. Louis took a longer time to become what he is now for Tampa. His first season with Tampa after being let go by Calgary he was 25 years old. Gerbe is only 24 right now and is already in his second season with the Sabres.

 

If anything, Gerbe isn't even close to as good as he could be. He's right where St. Louis was in his first season with Tampa, which means the sky could be the limit with a player who possess, as far as I can tell, the same attitude that St. Louis does.

[shrader]

Both took similar paths to the NHL. Gerbe and St. Louis had similar senior years at their respective colleges, both were Hobey Baker candidates. Both had great stats in the AHL. The only difference is that St. Louis took a longer time to become what he is now for Tampa. His first season with Tampa after being let go by Calgary he was 25 years old. Gerbe is only 24 right now and is already in his second season with the Sabres.

 

If anything, Gerbe isn't even close to as good as he could be. He's right where St. Louis was in his first season with Tampa, which means the sky could be the limit with a player who possess, as far as I can tell, the same attitude that St. Louis does.

 

Those extra 4 inches on St. Louis (shut up inkman) go a long way though. Oh, and just be nitpick, Gerbe left after his junior year.

 

That size thing is always going to come up with Gerbe. All these smaller players that he's compared to are still significantly bigger. There really is no good comparison for him right now.