Lindy on GR @8am, Darcy at 5PM

[TheChimp]

I disagree. (with Punch and d4rk above) Stafford is a sniper. On his line, Ennis is the playmaker, Foligno clears the way, and Stafford shoots. It's the very line we've all been screaming for, and just because it has a guy who heretofore has failed to play consistently, some people are too stubborn to give him credit. But that's OK. I like being one of the only people here who can change his mind about things. Makes me feel all superior and I love that ######. :P JKOC

[Punch]

I only advocate trading Stafford in the event of replacing him with an upgrade, due to simple logistics. Stafford is a shooter, yes... but his temperament is something that is very much in question. Drew doesn't need to necessarily be a wedge buster like Foligno, but every player needs to show willingness to win puck battles in the corners and his consistency at doing that isn't established.

 

Every year there's a point where he needs to be reminded to shoot the puck more, and when he does he lights it up. It's entirely possible that his struggles this year were related to whatever personal issue he was dealing with, so I'm willing to cut him some slack. I don't hate him, but he needs to use his use his size and show some more aggression. Was it Komisarek that was pushing him around until Foligno stepped in? Stafford just stood there and took it, then watched as Marcus protected him. The Leaf players then chided him the rest of the game. Can't have that.

[tom webster]

TW, this isn't correct, at least with respect to Briere and Peca.

 

Peca did want more than his worth, and would not budge. This ultimately hurt him, and the team, too.

 

Briere was a Quinn decision and not a Regier decision. Regier is at fault for not fighting for DB, and Ruff wanted him back badly. Regier chose not to pick the fight he should have picked.

 

We will have to agree to disagree with regard to Peca but Dacy screwed up with Briere before his arbitration hearing. It was his call and he dropped the ball, later admitting he mis-judged the market. I don't really want to rehasj the whole thing. My only point is that it is convenient for Darcy to have a scape goat for all his mistakes.

[Weave]

I only advocate trading Stafford in the event of replacing him with an upgrade, due to simple logistics. Stafford is a shooter, yes... but his temperament is something that is very much in question. Drew doesn't need to necessarily be a wedge buster like Foligno, but every player needs to show willingness to win puck battles in the corners and his consistency at doing that isn't established.

 

Every year there's a point where he needs to be reminded to shoot the puck more, and when he does he lights it up. It's entirely possible that his struggles this year were related to whatever personal issue he was dealing with, so I'm willing to cut him some slack. I don't hate him, but he needs to use his use his size and show some more aggression. Was it Komisarek that was pushing him around until Foligno stepped in? Stafford just stood there and took it, then watched as Marcus protected him. The Leaf players then chided him the rest of the game. Can't have that.

 

Today Ruff talked about players that need to be willing to battle for pucks. First two players I thought of were Roy and Stafford. Stafford is skilled but incredibly soft. In the regular season Stafford may just thrive with a player like Foligno on his opposite wing but I cannot see Stafford being effective at all in the playoffs unless he develops some aggression. I;m not even referring to angry play, I'm talking aobut simply wanting a puck more than his opponent.

 

And I agree that Stafford allowing players to push him around is problematic.

[BlueNGold]

I don't know if this is your opinion or not, as this is my first visit back to the board in awhile, but Briere became about the money after Reiger completely undervalued him, just as he did with Dumont. Darcy can hide behind bad ownership but he made some bad decisions based strictly on hockey values. Peca, Briere and Dumont could have all been kept despite bad ownership if Darcy understood their importance behind the stat line.

 

WELCOME BACK!!! +1000

[waldo]

I disagree. (with Punch and d4rk above) Stafford is a sniper. On his line, Ennis is the playmaker, Foligno clears the way, and Stafford shoots. It's the very line we've all been screaming for, and just because it has a guy who heretofore has failed to play consistently, some people are too stubborn to give him credit. But that's OK. I like being one of the only people here who can change his mind about things. Makes me feel all superior and I love that ######. :P JKOC

 

Chimp// You were watching a line that played against second and sometimes third pairings. It is not the super line we dreamed of. Its center is skilled , but young and woefully undersized for a one center//He has been a center for ? how many games? Lets see how they do next year against shut down lines when they get keyed on because the old one line is gone . they clicked for 20-25 games?

[TheChimp]

Chimp// You were watching a line that played against second and sometimes third pairings. It is not the super line we dreamed of. Its center is skilled , but young and woefully undersized for a one center//He has been a center for ? how many games? Lets see how they do next year against shut down lines when they get keyed on because the old one line is gone . they clicked for 20-25 games?

OK, I'll concede that if it's true. But with Vanek and Hodgson and Tropp around I don't think Ennis, Foligno and Stafford will face all that much top shut down pairings even next season.

[bcsaberks]

Didn't Washington try to convert him to a winger and it didn't work out?

Not sure. I thought he got injured and never really got a shot with them.

[Weave]

Not sure. I thought he got injured and never really got a shot with them.

 

Seems to me he blew out the blood vessel in his hand after he was tried at forward.

[LGR4GM]

Heres the thing ppl. Offseason moves mean absolutely dick, unless this team changes the way it plays the game.

 

"The only way we can compete against the [rest of the nhl] is if we are willing to change. Change the way we train, the way we prepare, even change our schedule... We also need to change the way we play the game."

 

If you take a car and you change the paint, the body, the wheels, the seats, the dashboard and the instrument cluster but the Engine, Trans, and basically the drive train are still the exact same you have the exact same car.

 

If on a team you change a couple of forwards or a defender and leave that core drive train alone you have the same team. Miller, Vanek, Pominville, Roy, Stafford, Hecht. Thats your drive train. 5 of the top 7 highest paid forwards on the team are on that list. Leave out hecht and you have 4 of the top 5. Whats that mean? At least 2 of those have to be replaced or you are just putting a PT cruiser body on a Dodge Neon frame... it looks slicker but it drives the same.

 

Darcy seems to understand that. Ted Black definately understands that. The question is if they do make a change will Ruff be able to change the way his team plays. Any idiot can buy an R8 but only a pro can drive it.

 

 

here endeth the lesson... or car analogies.

[Kristian]

TW, this isn't correct, at least with respect to Briere and Peca.

 

Peca did want more than his worth, and would not budge. This ultimately hurt him, and the team, too.

 

Briere was a Quinn decision and not a Regier decision. Regier is at fault for not fighting for DB, and Ruff wanted him back badly. Regier chose not to pick the fight he should have picked.

 

Peca was quoted to wanting a contract similar to Jere Lehtinen whom I believe to have made 2.4 mill. at that point.

 

In 2001 money, I don't think that's penny more than he was worth, and I didn't think so at the time.

 

*edit

 

I remember it wrong, Darcy OFFERED him Jere Lehtinen money, Pecae wanted something around 2.9 instead.

 

Still don't think it was a bad deal.

[darksabre]

Heres the thing ppl. Offseason moves mean absolutely dick, unless this team changes the way it plays the game.

 

"The only way we can compete against the [rest of the nhl] is if we are willing to change. Change the way we train, the way we prepare, even change our schedule... We also need to change the way we play the game."

 

If you take a car and you change the paint, the body, the wheels, the seats, the dashboard and the instrument cluster but the Engine, Trans, and basically the drive train are still the exact same you have the exact same car.

 

If on a team you change a couple of forwards or a defender and leave that core drive train alone you have the same team. Miller, Vanek, Pominville, Roy, Stafford, Hecht. Thats your drive train. 5 of the top 7 highest paid forwards on the team are on that list. Leave out hecht and you have 4 of the top 5. Whats that mean? At least 2 of those have to be replaced or you are just putting a PT cruiser body on a Dodge Neon frame... it looks slicker but it drives the same.

 

Darcy seems to understand that. Ted Black definately understands that. The question is if they do make a change will Ruff be able to change the way his team plays. Any idiot can buy an R8 but only a pro can drive it.

 

 

here endeth the lesson... or car analogies.

 

I hope the team steps their game up in your footsteps. Another great post.

[calti]

We've had success in the past running a goalie in response to our goalie getting run. I don't prefer it, but it's happened succesffuly.

 

Bob Probert ran over Tom Barasso twice in one game at Joe Louis Arena. Much like the Lucic incident, who did we have on our team that was going to dissuade Probert from doing it again? The response.. Kevin Maguire returns the favor to Patrick Stefan. Chaos ensued, but Barasso wasn't touched again by a Red Wing.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj14Yh1GDpg

 

that was great.Thanks weave. Maybe we can toughen upike that again with Foligno etal

[RazielSabre]

I don't know if this is your opinion or not, as this is my first visit back to the board in awhile, but Briere became about the money after Reiger completely undervalued him, just as he did with Dumont. Darcy can hide behind bad ownership but he made some bad decisions based strictly on hockey values. Peca, Briere and Dumont could have all been kept despite bad ownership if Darcy understood their importance behind the stat line.

 

Dumont didn't do much outside of Buffalo. I rarely agree with Regier but I think he was right, Dumont wasn't all that good.

 

Briere was always going to go for the money, I'm not sure he ever hid that fact. Regier messed up by not seeing that and trying to bargin. Long term, less money per year or something like that. Or making it clear he was going to go for Drury instead, who would have taken less to stay here.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

Peca was quoted to wanting a contract similar to Jere Lehtinen whom I believe to have made 2.4 mill. at that point.

 

In 2001 money, I don't think that's penny more than he was worth, and I didn't think so at the time.

 

*edit

 

I remember it wrong, Darcy OFFERED him Jere Lehtinen money, Pecae wanted something around 2.9 instead.

 

Still don't think it was a bad deal.

 

Peca was surely worth that kind of money..........Especially when you consider how little he was getting paid as the Captain of the team......Our last real Captain.

[Eleven]

Peca was quoted to wanting a contract similar to Jere Lehtinen whom I believe to have made 2.4 mill. at that point.

 

In 2001 money, I don't think that's penny more than he was worth, and I didn't think so at the time.

 

*edit

 

I remember it wrong, Darcy OFFERED him Jere Lehtinen money, Pecae wanted something around 2.9 instead.

 

Still don't think it was a bad deal.

 

Weren't they $1M per year apart?

 

I could be remembering it incorrectly, too.

[RazielSabre]

Peca was surely worth that kind of money..........Especially when you consider how little he was getting paid as the Captain of the team......Our last real Captain.

How can this franchise ever achieve anything when even the fans refuse to let go ###### that happened over 10 years ago.

 

Anyway, my point is that you don't consider Drury/Briere to be real captains of this team? Oh dear.

[Wraith]

Every year there's a point where he needs to be reminded to shoot the puck more, and when he does he lights it up..

 

Stafford lead the team in even strength shots on goal basically the entire season. I followed this stat pretty closely because of my interest in the Corsi statistics. The attachment has two tables: The average shots/game and shooting percentage for the Sabres forwards at even strength as of December 27 and the same data as of March 21. So during the lowest of the low times for Stafford, he was outshooting his closest competitor by ~24%. The problem with Stafford during the first half of the year was an obscenely low shooting percentage, not a lack of shots.

 

[RazielSabre]

Stafford lead the team in even strength shots on goal basically the entire season. I followed this stat pretty closely because of my interest in the Corsi statistics. The attachment has two tables: The average shots/game and shooting percentage for the Sabres forwards at even strength as of December 27 and the same data as of March 21. So during the lowest of the low times for Stafford, he was outshooting his closest competitor by ~24%. The problem with Stafford during the first half of the year was an obscenely low shooting percentage, not a lack of shots.

 

[

His still a poster boy for the underperforming Sabres along with Roy. Even with his late season surge I think we should 'let him go'.

[Wraith]

His still a poster boy for the underperforming Sabres along with Roy. Even with his late season surge I think we should 'let him go'.

You have a right to your opinion. It doesn't change the fact that a lot of fans' perceptions did not match reality. All season long as I read these boards I couldn't help but wonder how the so-called laziest player on the team was managing to lead the team in shots on goal by such a large margin. If you want to understand Drew Stafford's season, try to figure out why his shooting percentage essentially doubled in the second half of the season.

[SwampD]

You have a right to your opinion. It doesn't change the fact that a lot of fans' perceptions did not match reality. All season long as I read these boards I couldn't help but wonder how the so-called laziest player on the team was managing to lead the team in shots on goal by such a large margin. If you want to understand Drew Stafford's season, try to figure out why his shooting percentage essentially doubled in the second half of the season.

I think it was because more of his shots were going in the net. :ph34r:

[spndnchz]

Regier said he has spoken with Sulzer. Sulzer said he does want to come back with the Sabres. Darcy said they haven't talked to his agent but will be.

[dEnnis the Menace]

Regier said he has spoken with Sulzer. Sulzer said he does want to come back with the Sabres. Darcy said they haven't talked to his agent but will be.

 

Good deal!

 

Heres the thing ppl. Offseason moves mean absolutely dick, unless this team changes the way it plays the game.

 

"The only way we can compete against the [rest of the nhl] is if we are willing to change. Change the way we train, the way we prepare, even change our schedule... We also need to change the way we play the game."

 

If you take a car and you change the paint, the body, the wheels, the seats, the dashboard and the instrument cluster but the Engine, Trans, and basically the drive train are still the exact same you have the exact same car.

 

If on a team you change a couple of forwards or a defender and leave that core drive train alone you have the same team. Miller, Vanek, Pominville, Roy, Stafford, Hecht. Thats your drive train. 5 of the top 7 highest paid forwards on the team are on that list. Leave out hecht and you have 4 of the top 5. Whats that mean? At least 2 of those have to be replaced or you are just putting a PT cruiser body on a Dodge Neon frame... it looks slicker but it drives the same.

 

Darcy seems to understand that. Ted Black definately understands that. The question is if they do make a change will Ruff be able to change the way his team plays. Any idiot can buy an R8 but only a pro can drive it.

 

 

here endeth the lesson... or car analogies.

 

another great post LGR!

[Kristian]

Heres the thing ppl. Offseason moves mean absolutely dick, unless this team changes the way it plays the game.

 

"The only way we can compete against the [rest of the nhl] is if we are willing to change. Change the way we train, the way we prepare, even change our schedule... We also need to change the way we play the game."

 

If you take a car and you change the paint, the body, the wheels, the seats, the dashboard and the instrument cluster but the Engine, Trans, and basically the drive train are still the exact same you have the exact same car.

 

If on a team you change a couple of forwards or a defender and leave that core drive train alone you have the same team. Miller, Vanek, Pominville, Roy, Stafford, Hecht. Thats your drive train. 5 of the top 7 highest paid forwards on the team are on that list. Leave out hecht and you have 4 of the top 5. Whats that mean? At least 2 of those have to be replaced or you are just putting a PT cruiser body on a Dodge Neon frame... it looks slicker but it drives the same.

 

Darcy seems to understand that. Ted Black definately understands that. The question is if they do make a change will Ruff be able to change the way his team plays. Any idiot can buy an R8 but only a pro can drive it.

 

 

here endeth the lesson... or car analogies.

 

There's that word again - Change.

 

If only......

[Punch]

Stafford lead the team in even strength shots on goal basically the entire season. I followed this stat pretty closely because of my interest in the Corsi statistics. The attachment has two tables: The average shots/game and shooting percentage for the Sabres forwards at even strength as of December 27 and the same data as of March 21. So during the lowest of the low times for Stafford, he was outshooting his closest competitor by ~24%. The problem with Stafford during the first half of the year was an obscenely low shooting percentage, not a lack of shots.

 

 

I was basing that comment on something Stafford mentioned at lockerroom cleanout about Lindy telling him he needed to shoot more, which he attributed as the catalyst for his scoring surge. It's a conversation we've heard in several different seasons. I know he was shooting and struggling for a time but sometimes passing up the shot is about confidence and that lack of confidence leads to missing a lot of shots despite point blank scoring chances--- this is where all those cliches about "squeezing the stick too tightly" come in. I would guess this is at least partially what Stafford is referring to and it is absolutely a recurring problem for him, as with a lot of young scorers.

 

You have a right to your opinion. It doesn't change the fact that a lot of fans' perceptions did not match reality. All season long as I read these boards I couldn't help but wonder how the so-called laziest player on the team was managing to lead the team in shots on goal by such a large margin. If you want to understand Drew Stafford's season, try to figure out why his shooting percentage essentially doubled in the second half of the season.

 

I never questioned his effort. Even when he was struggling he appeared to be skating hard. But, it doesn't change the fact that he appears to be easily rattled and is generally soft despite his size. I do think whatever off-ice personal problem he was dealing with this year contributed to the regression.