Taylor Fedun -- Am I crazy, or is he pretty decent?

[nfreeman]

IIRC in an interview with HCDB, he said Kulikov has been practicing with the team for a few days now, and of those injured we should expect him back the soonest.

 

My take was days, not weeks.

Good info. Thanks. I'm curious as to whether it will be Fedun or Falk that sits. If Fedun keeps contributing on the PP, I think he'll stay in.

[Ogre]

To be fair here, Fedun ain't that bad and Nelson ain't that good.

[Randall Flagg]

If you would have told me that game 22 saw 
McCabe-Ristolainen

Gorges-Franson

Falk-Fedun

 

in August, I would have probably started crying. But these guys are still playing passable hockey, even though probably every single one of them is at least one or two spots too high. Fedun is a big part of that. I like how he's played. We'll see if it lasts and if he can adjust to tougher situations as he slowly receives more of them.

[bob_sauve28]

He made a few mistakes on passes last night. But was solid along the boards and cleared the puck well. 

And he was a +1 

[Huckleberry]

My guess as to why Fedun has looked good is 3 fold:

 

1 our expectations for him were non-existant (most of us, yours truly included, knew little to nothing about him before he was called up, and lets face it, being behind Nelson & Falk on the depth chart didn't inspire confidence) so anything productive would necessarily be viewed as exceeding expectations;

 

2 he's been quite sheltered - except for pp time he's been very heavily used in 3rd pairing w/ almost no pk time so he hasn't been put in situations that take him too far out of his comfort zone nor has he been asked to do anything but the simple plays, again keeping him in his comfort zone; &

 

3 due to the way his career started, he never lucked back into the chance to make an impression so he's been pencilled in as a 9 but really may be a 5/6/7; getting to play at the level you belong has to inspire confidence & all these guys at this level have skill but not all have the confidence to allow themselves to stay in the lineup.

 

He looks like when they are all healthy that he should be the 6/7. Personally, I'd like to see him get a shot over Franson at 6, but expect it'll go the other way. But I'd also much rather see Franson as the emergency 4 than him.

 

The thing I noticed in the Wings game was that when he's in the neutral zone (& offensive zone to a fair extent as well) he almost never has his feet still. He may be staying in place, but he's working to not get caught flat footed. Will be looking to see if that's the case at the B's game as well, or if it was just a case of ALWAYS catching him at the moment he was moving. That could be something he's been working on, if so, maybe that's enough of an edge to let him finally be an NHLer. (Or, it could be an effect of small sample size & timing of the samples. Hope for his sake & ours it's the former.)

 

Just hoping that their apparently misplacing him in the pecking order didn't steal those 2-4 points they might need come playoff time.

 

Franson hasn't been doing that badly either, but I don't expect much from him also.    Don't know if I'd want fedun over franson when bogo and kuli get back, but that we are all doubting says enough I guess.

[That Aud Smell]

I watched him closely last night, and agree with those who like what he can do, and also agree with Taro's analysis (that he gets real yippy when he's under pressure with pace).

 

Whoever said Nathan Paetsch, I think, was spot on.

 

That's a good guy to have as a 6/7.

[GASabresIUFAN]

If you would have told me that game 22 saw 

McCabe-Ristolainen

Gorges-Franson

Falk-Fedun

 

in August, I would have probably started crying. But these guys are still playing passable hockey, even though probably every single one of them is at least one or two spots too high. Fedun is a big part of that. I like how he's played. We'll see if it lasts and if he can adjust to tougher situations as he slowly receives more of them.

 

Who would have ever thought that over a quarter of the way through the season our D would be:

1) A top line of a 22 & 23 yr old (and they truly our our two best D even when the whole group is healthy)

2) A 2nd group of two vets with minimal foot speed

3) A 3rd group of two career AHLers, one of which, Fedun is earning a permanent job in Buffalo. 

 

Who would have also thought that that group would be playing an all around better gam then the lineup that included Kulikov and Bogo?

 

Now we need a fan to create the "Legion of Fedun"

[Doohicksie]

Not for nothing: The guy is 28 y/o. He's no kid.

 

At my age, yer all kidz.

 

Now get off my lawn.

[beerme1]

A look at Fedun's fancy stats in his games to date with the Sabres is interesting.

 

The team's PDO while he is on the ice is 102.9. The team's overall PDO is 99.5. In other words (I think), he's been fairly fortunate when he's out there -- his teammates have higher than normal SH% and his goalies have a higher SV% than they normally do. Of course, some of that may be due to his influence on the game, but some (most?) is probably just puck luck and situational usage.

 

As to the latter, I see that he's had a ~75% O-Zone start rate in 6 Sabre games he's played. 

 

Pysyk, OTOH, is getting O-Zone starts this season only ~41% of the time. Much tougher sledding.

 

All I know is what I see. I don't see moneyball with this guy but I certainly see him helping us. Let it continue.

 

 

I like the kid, he's played well enough to be a 5-7 with the Sabres IMO

 

Absolutely!

 

 

Good info. Thanks. I'm curious as to whether it will be Fedun or Falk that sits. If Fedun keeps contributing on the PP, I think he'll stay in.

 

I think Fedun has earned the permanent 6-7 +

 

 

Franson hasn't been doing that badly either, but I don't expect much from him also.    Don't know if I'd want fedun over franson when bogo and kuli get back, but that we are all doubting says enough I guess.

 

While I am fighting for Fedun, No way does he beat out Franson on a full time basis.

 

 

 

 

Now we need a fan to create the "Legion of Fedun"

 

Oh I like this!

[Taro T]

Sorry, was trying to quote Beerme's Fedun is a permanent 6/7.

 

Possibly, but VERY doubtful. As soon as MAGs doesn't cost the Sabres a game 7, we'll have something to discuss. ;)

Edited December 3, 2016 by Taro T

[GASabresIUFAN]

Fedun has done everything we hoped Nelson would do. With injuries stacking up like cord wood, and our desperate need for decent depth on D, I can't see any reason at this point he won't be here for the rest of the season.

[bob_sauve28]

Fedun has done everything we hoped Nelson would do. With injuries stacking up like cord wood, and our desperate need for decent depth on D, I can't see any reason at this point he won't be here for the rest of the season.

I think he has outplayed Bogo

[pi2000]

Guys like Fedun, Falk, Grant, Nilsson, Guhle, etc. make me feel better about GMTMs talent analysis. And he needs to hit on some 2nd and 3rd rounders to take this franchise to the next level... but those guys usually take few more years to develop.

[bob_sauve28]

He is on a one year deal, right? Hope they get him signed

[Huckleberry]

He is on a one year deal, right? Hope they get him signed

 

If he keeps playing like this, I wouldn't mind seeing him around for a couple of more years at 6/7 

[bob_sauve28]

If he keeps playing like this, I wouldn't mind seeing him around for a couple of more years at 6/7

 

and now he is hurt! This is crazy!

[GASabresIUFAN]

and now he is hurt! This is crazy!

I thought you were kidding. The hockey g-ds really hate us.