GDT:Flyers at Sabres 7:30PM NBCSN

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TrueBluePhD, on 16 Feb 2015 - 5:08 PM, said:

As opposed to anything to make the anti-Hodgson argument work ;)

 

 

It's not a good interwebz debate without a few low swings...

[dudacek]

But the thing is, Nolan's choice of tactics isn't getting the desired effect--we *are* getting blown out.

 

This. This is where Nolan has lost me.

 

I'd imagine this is where we'd diverge in our analysis and you would blame Hodgson for being lazy, and I'd blame Nolan for being inept.

 

And you'd both be right.

 

Anything to make the anti-Nolan argument work.

What is the pro-Nolan argument? How has he been good? Don't say helping the tank because they could have paid Sabretooth an appearance fee to do that.

What has he done to deserve coming back after the worst season in Sabres history?

Edited February 16, 2015 by dudacek

[Drunkard]

Miller/Enroth is much better than Enroth/Neuvirth, but I don't think that should impact the team's play or possession numbers, only goals against.

 

I think Ott/Gionta is a wash. We've also had Stewart for a full season, and I think he's better than Ott.

 

Ehrhoff's replacement was Gorges, who yes, Ehrhoff is much better than. But those other guys are 3rd pairing players, and our 3rd pairing was just as bad last year. *cough* McBain *cough*

 

I'm not being intellectually dishonest, I happen to think you're discounting the improvement of some players such as Girgensons and Ristolainen while overvaluing last year's roster (John Scott played 56 games, FFS). Heck, I think Risto and Zadorov are a straight upgrade over every defenseman from last year's roster not named Myers or Ehrhoff.

 

 

 

As opposed to anything to make the anti-Hodgson argument work ;)

Fair enough, I guess. But if you are going to factor in that the kids are playing better then you should also factor in that Moulson and Hodgson are both producing much less which kind of cancels out the improvement of the kids.

 

That still puts the downgrade from Miller and the downgrade from Ehrhoff making this year's roster worse.

 

I think losing Ehrhoff was the biggest loss by far though and the biggest factor in our scoring difficulties. Even with him packing it in he was still on the ice for a big percentage of our goals and driving our offense and puck possession from the back end. Gorges is a good defenseman but provides no where near the offensive contributions that Ehrhoff did and is probably the biggest difference in or offensive struggles.

Edited February 17, 2015 by Drunkard

[JJFIVEOH]

9 pages, what happened here?

[LastPommerFan]

Are you suggesting that he might be using bottom 6 guys in top 6 roles because of his current goalie?

I'm suggesting that this is what a bad coach looks like with a bad team. In nearly any other situation he would have already been fired. But, because McEichel, he's being fully left out to dry so we can all bask in his gloriousness.

[TheMatrix31]

6 years? No wonder you don't get the tank.

 

I know all about "the tank." Loser fans for teams I've rooted for in other sports for way longer than six years have also tried to promote such things and I've been just as if not more forceful in expressing my disdain. Obviously it's pointless so I should just give up. But I'm not gonna take ###### from people like PromoTheRobot just because I want my team to beat a big rival, ok?

 

Great post. By the way, who is the #3 guy in this draft?

 

Don't give a ###### either way. ###### Philadelphia. And ###### Boston. Hopefully one of the losers we're losing on purpose for plays well enough so we don't have to hear about losing on purpose anymore.

Edited February 17, 2015 by TheMatrix31

[LGR4GM]

I know all about "the tank." Loser fans for teams I've rooted for in other sports for way longer than six years have also tried to promote such things and I've been just as if not more forceful in expressing my disdain. Obviously it's pointless so I should just give up. But I'm not gonna take ###### from people like PromoTheRobot just because I want my team to beat a big rival, ok?

I am not sure about other sports but I can say that no team in the history of the NHL has compiled the list of first and second round picks the Sabres have since 2012.  It is possible that it will fail but the end game is more important to some than things occurring this year.  I understand your side of this, I simply ask you understand the opposite.  At this stage every point in the standings we earn is like winning the battle to lose the war.  It is a sad reality caused by years of mismanagement.  I blame no fan for hating it or refusing to cheer for it.

[TheMatrix31]

I "understand" it. I just want small victories to make something worth watching. To me, if the team is going to lose on purpose, what I want in return, at the very least, is victories over rivals while doing so. If my team is going to miss the playoffs, then I want Boston and Philadelphia to miss them too.

 

If not for at least victories over rivals, there is literally no reason whatsoever to watch the team until they're good again and all this losing on purpose ###### stops. Until, of course, the next cycle.

Edited February 17, 2015 by TheMatrix31

[LGR4GM]

I "understand" it. I just want small victories to make something worth watching. To me, if the team is going to lose on purpose, what I want in return is victories over rivals.

I think that is perfectly reasonable. 

[beerme1]

Let's talk about all that whining.

 

"That's his question," Amerks coach Chadd Cassidy said. "If and what his role is going to be in Buffalo maybe hasn't been determined."

 

Cassidy relies heavily on Larsson; Sabres coach Ted Nolan doesn't.

 

During his recent recall, the 22-year-old native of Lau, Sweden, usually played around 10 minutes a game. Against Tampa he played only 6:55. He skated 8:09 against Detroit.

 

"The trust factor was not there," Larsson said.

 

He's not sure what he must to do earn that trust from the coaching staff, either.

 

ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE

 

Let's just say this isn't the strongest Amerks lineup

 

Called up because of an illness-created emergency at the very last moment on Dec. 20 — at around 5 p.m. for a 7 p.m. game — Larsson scored the Sabres goal in a 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. The next night he assisted on a goal in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins.

 

"I felt my time was going to come," Larsson said. "Then I was right back to the fourth line."

 

The checking, grind-it-out role isn't really what his game is about. Nor is it why he was drafted on the second round (56th overall) by the Minnesota Wild. And the Sabres under Darcy Regier's management didn't obtain him in the Jason Pominville trade on April 3, 2013, with thoughts of having him crash and bang.

 

The Sabres have seen how he plays in Rochester but that scoring game has never translated to the NHL and/or he hasn't been given the chance to play it.

 

"He probably has some sort of idea what kind of player I am," Larsson said of Nolan. "I don't know what you can do more to show them."

 

Perhaps it's just circumstances.

 

"So much of that is about opportunity," Cassidy said. "It's playing with the right players, the right spots, the right minutes.

 

"Everybody wants to play in the NHL. You go up and feel like you played pretty well. Then you're sent back down and you don't necessarily understand — like any young player — why he doesn't stay up there."

 

Frustration is building for Larsson. He has been called up — and then returned — six times over the past two seasons, playing a total of 40 NHL games. He has produced 1-4-5. During the same two seasons, he has 23-41-64 in 77 AHL games with the Amerks.

 

He wonders what the future holds.

 

"It's getting late in the season and this is my last year (on his contract); it's tough to answer," he said.

 

"Now that I'm back here, I want to just be really focused and help this team get some wins and have fun. That's the most important thing for me."

 

 

 

Any of that sound like whining or just asking honest questions?

 

 

Kid should keep his mouth shut and play. I agree with Nolan on that part. And the answer to your question, yes some, not all of that sounds like whining.

And Ink it sounds a lot more like whining when I hear him speak those statements versus you writing them. It comes across as whiny when you hear him asking. Fair or not. 

Sounds like Hodgson actually lol

[JJFIVEOH]

I "understand" it. I just want small victories to make something worth watching. To me, if the team is going to lose on purpose, what I want in return, at the very least, is victories over rivals while doing so. If my team is going to miss the playoffs, then I want Boston and Philadelphia to miss them too.

 

If not for at least victories over rivals, there is literally no reason whatsoever to watch the team until they're good again and all this losing on purpose ###### stops. Until, of course, the next cycle.

You could always root for your local team for the rest of the year.  :angel:

[dudacek]

Kid should keep his mouth shut and play. I agree with Nolan on that part. And the answer to your question, yes some, not all of that sounds like whining.

And Ink it sounds a lot more like whining when I hear him speak those statements versus you writing them. It comes across as whiny when you hear him asking. Fair or not. 

Sounds like Hodgson actually lol

 

Larsson played well again for the most part tonight against Jersey.

The kid battles, gets in the way and understands possession hockey.

Got caught out on a shift way too long and I don't think he saw the ice again.

Edited February 18, 2015 by dudacek

[Claude_Verret]

 

If not for at least victories over rivals, there is literally no reason whatsoever to watch the team until they're good again and all this losing on purpose ###### stops. Until, of course, the next cycle.

And there you have the very simple solution that I adhere to. I don't watch. That way they can tank their hearts out without causing me frustration by playing putrid hockey in completely meaningless games against teams I hate.

[inkman]

Larsson played well again for the most part tonight against Jersey.

The kid battles, gets in the way and understands possession hockey.

Got caught out on a shift way too long and I don't think he saw the ice again.

Which again tells me Nolan doesn't understand the situation.

[Brawndo]

Which again tells me Nolan doesn't understand the situation.

Exactly, Chad Cassidy does a terrific job balancing his offensive/defensive zone starts and putting him in position to succeed