Is depth the problem? Sabres Injuries and the Standings

[LGR4GM]

http://www.diebytheblade.com/2016/1/7/10728288/buffalo-sabres-injury-stats-man-games-lost

 

Every team has injuries, but for a top-heavy team like Buffalo, those injuries can impact them more than other teams. The Red Wings, for example, are third in man games lost, but still hold a playoff spot because they get contributions from every line in addition to their stars.

 

My question is simple really.  How much truth is there to the statement that Buffalo's depth is one of the main reasons we are so far outside a playoff spot?  We know that our top 6 is decent but whenever any of them get hurt it is like a plague has descended or the Sabres have a gremlin in their engine and the train goes off the rails. We definitely like depth as we are just starting to stock Rochester with draft picks, picks that need 1-3 years to develop.  We really have the original 23 man roster and nothing behind it.

[SwampD]

I have another question. Is water wet? Having depth just means you are a good team. We aren't a good team yet so we have no depth.

[SwampD]

------

 

Sorry. That was obnoxiously stated. The question is sort of irrelevant, because it makes it seam like all we had to do was get a bunch of "depth" guys and we would have been better so far this year. That isn't how you build a good team, though. You build from the top. You get great players to fill in the top, thus pushing the good players into the "depths." It's the reason you, um, "try to draft high" for a couple of years.

[Thorner]

------

 

Sorry. That was obnoxiously stated. The question is sort of irrelevant, because it makes it seam like all we had to do was get a bunch of "depth" guys and we would have been better so far this year. That isn't how you build a good team, though. You build from the top. You get great players to fill in the top, thus pushing the good players into the "depths." It's the reason you, um, "try to draft high" for a couple of years.

 

This is a good point. It's all about getting the likes of O'Reilly and Reinhart to the second line, in a manner of speaking. When Eichel gets so good that he demands first line minutes, it means a couple things: 1. Eichel is reaching his potential, and we have a star player anchoring our top line, 2. We probably have found a main-stay winger or two to play with Eichel, contributing to his success, and 3. We have players of the caliber of ROR and Reinhart playing on a second line and getting great match-ups, keeping in mind that these players are still getting better themselves, giving us a mismatch when our second line is on the ice. Maybe this pushes Ennis and McGinn to the third line. Might get some good production from the third line if we have a healthy and performing Ennis on the 3rd line rather than top 2 lines, and McGinn, who is playing top 6 right now, in a more suited placement. Ennis - Larsson - McGinn could provide a bit of depth scoring.

 

When we have O'Reilly and a burgeoning Reinhart on our second line, we are going to get depth scoring from line 2. Perhaps pushing a couple guys that are now on the 2nd line down to the 3rd. We probably need one or two of the guys in the pipeline to make the team and contribute, and potentially a winger to play with Eichel from the draft this year.

Edited January 8, 2016 by Thorny

[Weave]

Lack of depth of scoring is absolutely part of the problem.  How many goals this season from our 3rd and 4th liners?  16 (19 if you include Girgs), from 7 guys, one of whom (Moulson) is supposed to be our #2 LW.  You can't make the playoffs with that little scoring off of your 3rd and 4th line.

[pi2000]

Lack of depth of scoring is absolutely part of the problem.  How many goals this season from our 3rd and 4th liners?  16 (19 if you include Girgs), from 7 guys, one of whom (Moulson) is supposed to be our #2 LW.  You can't make the playoffs with that little scoring off of your 3rd and 4th line.

 

O'Reilly has as many goals as our bottom six combined.   Can't win that way, especially with shaky goaltending, 6th worse sv% in the league.

Edited January 8, 2016 by pi2000

[Weave]

O'Reilly has as many goals as our bottom six combined.   Can't win that way, especially with shaky goaltending, 6th worse sv% in the league.

 

We can if he has 25.   :)

[bob_sauve28]

I think the real problem is the depth of defense. Since Pysak went down this team has tanked. The team drafted this year all the defenseman just for this reason. 

[darksabre]

You can't have good depth if you don't have anyone good to prevent good players from moving up.

[deluca67]

http://www.diebytheblade.com/2016/1/7/10728288/buffalo-sabres-injury-stats-man-games-lost

 

 

My question is simple really.  How much truth is there to the statement that Buffalo's depth is one of the main reasons we are so far outside a playoff spot?  We know that our top 6 is decent but whenever any of them get hurt it is like a plague has descended or the Sabres have a gremlin in their engine and the train goes off the rails. We definitely like depth as we are just starting to stock Rochester with draft picks, picks that need 1-3 years to develop.  We really have the original 23 man roster and nothing behind it.

100% healthy this team isn't likely a playoff team. There is a lot of building yet to be done.  

[Radar]

Frankly this team is what I expected for the most part. Did expect more from Girgs and Moulson at this point. Ennis has been hurt so hard to judge him but I had a feeling we might not see another year from him like last year. Didn't expect playoffs but an improved watchable team and that's what I'm seeing in my opinion.

[Wyldnwoody44]

I really would like to see some big turnover between off-season and deadline and drop the underachieving garbage. We now know who to move forward with.

 

Your move murray

[pastajoe]

The problem isn't depth, it's that they're still in transition. Many of the veterans have lost a step or their scoring touch, and many of their quality youth in the minors, junior, or college are still a couple years away from contributing.

[Crusader1969]

Lack of depth of scoring is absolutely part of the problem.  How many goals this season from our 3rd and 4th liners?  16 (19 if you include Girgs), from 7 guys, one of whom (Moulson) is supposed to be our #2 LW.  You can't make the playoffs with that little scoring off of your 3rd and 4th line.

 

 

Maybe its just me but the thing that has most disappointed me is that I don't see a physical game with Girgensons. I could live with the lack of scoring if he was playing a heavy game and causing havoc on the forecheck.  Really not sure what is going on with him?

 

We've,  you may already know this but Lemmy's funeral is being streamed live on the Motorhead facebook page this evening

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSAXVdIj6jY&feature=youtu.be

[Stoner]

Frankly this team is what I expected for the most part. Did expect more from Girgs and Moulson at this point. Ennis has been hurt so hard to judge him but I had a feeling we might not see another year from him like last year. Didn't expect playoffs but an improved watchable team and that's what I'm seeing in my opinion.

Did you expect them to be the worst team in the league again? Honest injin?

[3putt]

Did you expect them to be the worst team in the league again? Honest injin?

Standings wise yes. With the holdover of Gionta Weber Foligno and Dlo, definitely yes. When we have a few 10 25 guys on the third and fourth lines I will expect progress against the rest of the league. A player can bring a heavy game or grit til the cows come home but if you can't score ( forwards) or prevent scoring ( defense and get) then this team will not progress against the league points wise.