Kassian to Vancouver for Hodgson

[FolignosJock]

That is an important factor into every player's Corsi number. Don't mock it.

 

 

LOLZ read the sig block and insert staffords name

[carpandean]

Oooo my favorite stat! I think Stafford has about 50 CGs so far this year (Coulda Goals).

 

At least with a CA, it's somebody else who kept it from being an A. Stafford turned his own G into a CG.

[wjag]

What's the line on whether Kassian crashes into Miller? I say 40-60...

[2ForTripping]

What's the line on whether Kassian crashes into Miller? I say 40-60...

Better yet what's the line on Kassian knocking the $###### out of whomever it is that tries to prevent him from doing so?

[...]

I don't buy this Kassian-Will-Kill-All-Sabres meme. Kassian is gone because he couldn't find that part of his game quick enough. He knows the Sabres don't play that way if they don't have to, and clearly he abides by that rule, too. If anything, he, like the rest of his new team, will be motivated to try and score on Miller, if Miller is the starter. Being the one to score first on a goalie who has had back-to-back shutouts is probably far and away more important to him than busting up the bodies of his former team mates (and friends).

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

I don't buy this Kassian-Will-Kill-All-Sabres meme. Kassian is gone because he couldn't find that part of his game quick enough. He knows the Sabres don't play that way if they don't have to, and clearly he abides by that rule, too. If anything, he, like the rest of his new team, will be motivated to try and score on Miller, if Miller is the starter. Being the one to score first on a goalie who has had back-to-back shutouts is probably far and away more important to him than busting up the bodies of his former team mates (and friends).

 

It's just sitting there for him. Can't you see it? It's like a gang initiation.

 

A Stanley Cup team brings in a kid to play physical and put them over the top. That's a lot of pressure and I'm sure a lot inside that room are questioning if it was enough or if he is up to it. The fans there are glued to him just like Buffalo is 24/7 Hodgson.

 

You don't get chances like this in life very often. Just the odds of his old team being there 5 days later.....you could see "the concept" leapfrog into reality.

 

I would assume both coaches understand this, and Kassian has to feel it as well. He doesn't have to be dirty, just have a scope on to make sure he gets in that one thundering check, or have a go at it with one of his old teammates. Will it happen? I don't know.....but if Vancouver wants to win it all this year, I expect to see it happen.

[wjag]

It's just sitting there for him. Can't you see it? It's like a gang initiation.

 

 

I would assume both coaches understand this, and Kassian has to feel it as well. He doesn't have to be dirty, just have a scope on to make sure he gets in that one thundering check, or have a go at it with one of his old teammates. Will it happen? I don't know.....but if Vancouver wants to win it all this year, I expect to see it happen.

 

That's why I went with run into Miller. He has to know that retaliation is probably only going to come from Kaleta or Ellis. If they're not on the ice together, it's a freebie...

 

And on top of that, Miller is playing off the charts lately. Someone needs to rattle him.. Might as well be Kass...

Edited March 2, 2012 by wjag

[...]

It's just sitting there for him. Can't you see it? It's like a gang initiation.

 

A Stanley Cup team brings in a kid to play physical and put them over the top. That's a lot of pressure and I'm sure a lot inside that room are questioning if it was enough or if he is up to it. The fans there are glued to him just like Buffalo is 24/7 Hodgson.

 

 

Of course the narrative is obvious, but I think it's fabricated by the internets. When has Kassian shown he bows to pressure from fans or from "the room"? I doubt he's being pressured from the inside anyway, his stats for his first few appearances are okay. Canucks fans are slightly more sophisticated than, say, Flyers or Bruins fans, and I wonder if they really care if Kassian creams someone on the Sabres. They will want him to do it when it matters in a game, in the playoffs, but now I'm sure they'd rather he score one.

 

Kassian himself said the other day that he's going to try and "fly under the radar" for a while. Doing a Lucic on Miller or ending the season for Hodgson tomorrow would be the exact opposite of that.

[Eleven]

I don't buy this Kassian-Will-Kill-All-Sabres meme. Kassian is gone because he couldn't find that part of his game quick enough. He knows the Sabres don't play that way if they don't have to, and clearly he abides by that rule, too. If anything, he, like the rest of his new team, will be motivated to try and score on Miller, if Miller is the starter. Being the one to score first on a goalie who has had back-to-back shutouts is probably far and away more important to him than busting up the bodies of his former team mates (and friends).

 

Kassian is gone because the Sabres needed a center. I don't think there will be a lot of hatred. I think he might be happy with being in Van City.

[K-9]

That's why I went with run into Miller. He has to know that retaliation is probably only going to come from Kaleta or Ellis. If they're not on the ice together, it's a freebie...

 

And on top of that, Miller is playing off the charts lately. Someone needs to rattle him.. Might as well be Kass...

 

It'll be Weber or McNabb (assuming he gets the call for Regehr) if it's anybody.

 

And it won't matter if Kassian kicks anyone's ass. What will matter is, if he DOES a try to do a Lucic on Miller (and I doubt he will), that whoever is on the ice AT THE TIME, goes absolutely apesh*t on Kassian. It's the hockey equivalent of throwing yourself on a grenade. It's the code. Personally, I hope it's Gerbe because Kassian will look like more of an ass for more than just running the goalie.

 

And it would be one helluva poetic way to chase some of this season's demons.

 

GO SABRES!!!

[X. Benedict]

Kassian is gone because the Sabres needed a center. I don't think there will be a lot of hatred. I think he might be happy with being in Van City.

That's right. Kassian was the cost and the cost IMO was high.

[K-9]

Kassian is gone because the Sabres needed a center. I don't think there will be a lot of hatred. I think he might be happy with being in Van City.

 

This. He's in the best situation possible and I don't think he's under any more or less pressure to be anything other than what he is: a great prospect with potential.

 

GO SABRES!!!

[...]

Kassian is gone because the Sabres needed a center. I don't think there will be a lot of hatred. I think he might be happy with being in Van City.

 

They needed a center, but they need a big body-clearing winger, too. If Kassian were as advanced in his potential as Hodgson is, I don't think this trade happens.

[Campy]

This. He's in the best situation possible and I don't think he's under any more or less pressure to be anything other than what he is: a great prospect with potential.

 

GO SABRES!!!

 

I disagree with that.

 

It seems they are looking for him to be the dominant physical player he was in Juniors. The AHL and NHL are full of big boys and I think he's learning that he's no longer the baddest man on the block. Regardless, 'Nucks fans are expecting him to be their answer to Lucic. I believe he's gotta' be under a lot of pressure...

Edited March 2, 2012 by Campy

[X. Benedict]

They needed a center, but they need a big body-clearing winger, too. If Kassian were as advanced in his potential as Hodgson is, I don't think this trade happens.

 

I'll disagree there. Though many have made the Kassian/Lucic comparison, a much better comparison and probably fairer one is probably Kassian/Chris Stewart. (st. louis)....and Stewart is probably the better skater.

 

Teams can get by without a true power forward. But a team without center depth ain't going far in the regular or post-season.

 

Take away Stewart and St. Louis is still okay. Take away Berglund and suddenly their lines would be a mess.

[kishoph]

Kass third star tonight. No points or fights. Not sure about hits...

 

 

Yahoo stats credited him with 4 hits, WGR this morning said he had 5. The fans voted him the games #1 star on their Mike's Hard Lemonade fan voting page. I hope Kassian does good and has a great career (he'll do better void Lindy), but I'm very happy with what Hodgson has showed so far.

[K-9]

I disagree with that.

 

It seems they are looking for him to be the dominant physical player he was in Juniors. The AHL and NHL are full of big boys and I think he's learning that he's no longer the baddest man on the block. Regardless, 'Nucks fans are expecting him to be their answer to Lucic. I believe he's gotta' be under a lot of pressure...

 

I don't put any stock into what the fans are expecting of him and I don't think his coaches do either. Yes, they want him to be physical, lay some heavy checks, and stick up for his teammates but they also want him to focus on developing his rare offensive potential for a player that big. If he gets distracted by fans' expectations, which are all based off his dominance in juniors, it will actually hurt the team and his development. There is no need or pressure on him to goon it up just for the sake of gooning it up. I think if he really felt that pressure, he would have answered Bissonette's invitation to fight in Phoenix. But he's smarter than that.

 

He's in a perfect situation in Vancouver because, with all those stars around him, he doesn't HAVE to be the straw that stirs the drink. It's not like the Canucks have been struggling without his 'presence' on the ice to begin with. That's why I think he doesn't feel any more or less pressure to do anything but what he's been doing.

 

GO SABRES!!!

[X. Benedict]

Yahoo stats credited him with 4 hits, WGR this morning said he had 5. The fans voted him the games #1 star on their Mike's Hard Lemonade fan voting page. I hope Kassian does good and has a great career (he'll do better void Lindy), but I'm very happy with what Hodgson has showed so far.

The wonder in my mind is now whether Kassian was trade bait all along.

 

Foligno has been in development in the minors which is the normal organization MO, while Kassian might have been brought up too soon.

 

Kassian will probably see 4th line minutes in Vancouver while Foligno has been getting much more ice time.

 

Compare ...Foligno logging first line AHL minutes while Kassian logging 4th line NHL minutes. Makes me wonder.

[nfreeman]

It's just sitting there for him. Can't you see it? It's like a gang initiation.

 

A Stanley Cup team brings in a kid to play physical and put them over the top. That's a lot of pressure and I'm sure a lot inside that room are questioning if it was enough or if he is up to it. The fans there are glued to him just like Buffalo is 24/7 Hodgson.

 

You don't get chances like this in life very often. Just the odds of his old team being there 5 days later.....you could see "the concept" leapfrog into reality.

 

I would assume both coaches understand this, and Kassian has to feel it as well. He doesn't have to be dirty, just have a scope on to make sure he gets in that one thundering check, or have a go at it with one of his old teammates. Will it happen? I don't know.....but if Vancouver wants to win it all this year, I expect to see it happen.

 

I agree with all of this. It's only natural for him to want to have a big game against his former team, especially so soon after the trade. It's on everyone's mind -- not just ours. I'm not sure he'll be looking for fights or big hits, but I'm sure he'll want to play a hard, aggressive, fast game, and that will entail hitting.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

The wonder in my mind is now whether Kassian was trade bait all along.

 

Foligno has been in development in the minors which is the normal organization MO, while Kassian might have been brought up too soon.

 

Kassian will probably see 4th line minutes in Vancouver while Foligno has been getting much more ice time.

 

Compare ...Foligno logging first line AHL minutes while Kassian logging 4th line NHL minutes. Makes me wonder.

 

There was a story I read somewhere (on CBC.com I think, but cannot confirm, so take this for what it is worth) that the Sabres were supposedly shopping Kassian quietly since December.

Edited March 2, 2012 by Sabres Fan In NS

[SDS]

There was a story I read somewhere (on CBC.com I think, but cannot confirm, so take this for what it is worth) that the Sabres were supposedly shopping Kassian quietly since December.

 

I mentioned it here because Rob Ray mentioned it on WGR earlier this week.

[nfreeman]

The wonder in my mind is now whether Kassian was trade bait all along.

 

Foligno has been in development in the minors which is the normal organization MO, while Kassian might have been brought up too soon.

 

Kassian will probably see 4th line minutes in Vancouver while Foligno has been getting much more ice time.

 

Compare ...Foligno logging first line AHL minutes while Kassian logging 4th line NHL minutes. Makes me wonder.

 

Would they have decided just based on watching him in juniors since drafting him that they didn't believe in him long term? Surely they wouldn't have learned enough from 60% of one pro season that was split between Rochester and Buffalo, right?

 

I'd guess that they didn't particularly want to trade him, but they weren't rock-solid confident that he'd reach his potential, they finally decided that Roy isn't the long-term answer, they knew they needed another skilled center, and they wanted Hodgson enough to part with Kassian.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I mentioned it here because Rob Ray mentioned it on WGR earlier this week.

 

Sorry, but I must have missed that post ... this thread is on page 22 now ... ;) .

 

The story I saw was someplace else. So, with two mentions in the news, it must be true ... to quote Joe Jackson "... they wouldn't print it if were not true ..." ... shout out to Neo! :flirt: .

Edited March 2, 2012 by Sabres Fan In NS

[X. Benedict]

Would they have decided just based on watching him in juniors since drafting him that they didn't believe in him long term? Surely they wouldn't have learned enough from 60% of one pro season that was split between Rochester and Buffalo, right?

 

I'd guess that they didn't particularly want to trade him, but they weren't rock-solid confident that he'd reach his potential, they finally decided that Roy isn't the long-term answer, they knew they needed another skilled center, and they wanted Hodgson enough to part with Kassian.

I think after the Leino tryout at center, it became pretty obvious that the organization needed to obtain a center somehow.

Kassian comes in around Thanksgiving gettting 11 or 12 minutes a game....of course there were injuries as well. But getting a 21 year old only 10-12 minutes isn't ideal at all.

[K-9]

I think after the Leino tryout at center, it became pretty obvious that the organization needed to obtain a center somehow.

Kassian comes in around Thanksgiving gettting 11 or 12 minutes a game....of course there were injuries as well. But getting a 21 year old only 10-12 minutes isn't ideal at all.

 

I had attributed that to the injury situation. He was sent down after we got some healthy bodies back and didn't come back up again until additional injuries occurred, IIRC.

 

Still, it begs the question. Especially because I think you're spot on regarding how glaring the need for a center became after the failed Leino experiment. And they DID keep him up even though he wasn't doing much and could have been garnering a ton more ice time with the Amerks.

 

Regardless, it took a good prospect to get one. And at a position of higher critical need, too.

 

GO SABRES!!!