GDT Toronto at Buffalo 4/3/17 7 PM MSG WGR

[TrueBlueGED]

So glad I checked out after the 1st period.  I actually got some useful stuff done around the house.  (I'm remodeling my laundry room and cut and painted all my baseboard trim.  I'll nail it in tomorrow.)

 

What in the world would possess a person to do this? Is this what Buffalo sports have done to you? :p

[Stoner]

Idk what this means

You seemed to be implying that the 2016-2017 Buffalo Sabres = the 2015-2016 Toronto Maple Leafs.

[Doohicksie]

What in the world would possess a person to do this? Is this what Buffalo sports have done to you? :P

 

Apparently, yes.

 

It's actually the final stage of an 8-year remodeling project.  8 years ago, I tiled my back hall and the back bathroom that my sons use, redid the bathroom and painted the hall.  Then 5 years ago I continued into the kitchen with the same tiles.  Finally a week ago I did the tiles in the laundry room.  The room itself looked like hell, with crappy plywood shelves I put up temporarily when we bought the house 20 years ago.  So after putting the tile down I painted the room.  I grouted the tile last night and worked on the baseboards tonight and after I get those nailed in I'll put up proper cabinets.

 

What's really cool is that Lowe's doesn't sell that tile pattern anymore.  When I finished tiling several hundred square feet, I was left with 4 extra tiles.  Amazing.

Edited April 4, 2017 by Doohickie

[Randall Flagg]

You seemed to be implying that the 2016-2017 Buffalo Sabres = the 2015-2016 Toronto Maple Leafs.

I was scrambling for some solace by pointing to the amazing hockey turnaround that they went through in the past calendar year, but then pointed out that they had the brains to pull that off at all levels and I'm not convinced that we do. 

 

The situations surrounding the teams are obviously a lot different, our tank is 2 years out already

[pi2000]

Moulson scratched for Nylander

 

[Sabre fan]

So, the Sabres dropped the season series 3 losses to 2 wins against the Leafs?   

 

How did the Leafs get so clearly ahead of the Sabres so quickly?   They have 93 pts and a .500 record with 4 games to play.   The Sabres are now in a tie with Detroit for the BOTTOM of the Atlantic.... again... with only 76 pts and 3 games left!  And are 15 games BELOW 0.500!  

 

Weren't we supposed to be ahead of them, and they had more pain and suffering ahead while we were on the fast track to playoff contention?

 

3rd season with Tim Murray at the helm (supposedly) and the team may have fewer points this season than last.    This is really looking like a failed rebuild to me.   Does Murray even care, what with his big contract now?   

It's not Murray's fault that Babs took TO's absurd amounts of cash and headed north instead of with us...this team would be a whole lot better, and the leafs a whole lot worse if Babs was behind our bench and they had Blysma (or whoever)...

[Huckleberry]

Alex Nylander made a few nice turns on the boards to shake guys, and could stickhandle better than plenty of guys on the big club. His foot speed and slight frame were also evident. I don't think he had a bad game at all, and I think he can be a nice NHL player with devoted development time. I could see some IQ, and I could see that he was playing in the fastest environment of his life, for the first time it was a little too much for him. All in all, a solid debut. 

 

Noticed that to, He lacks some physical strength, but he made some nice passes.   

 

Ennis and Bogo made cringe each time they were on the ice, looks like they lost every bit of hockey IQ they had.

[Thwomp!]

Noticed that to, He lacks some physical strength, but he made some nice passes.

 

Ennis and Bogo made cringe each time they were on the ice, looks like they lost every bit of hockey IQ they had.

Bogo is by far the worst contract on this team. We need to hope that Vegas takes him and even sweeten the pot if necessary to ensure it.

 

My fear is that Murray actually protects him.

 

This offseason, the 2 biggest evaluations of Murray for me are the D, specifically finding some way to unload/upgrade Bogo, and the coach.

 

It's looking at this point like they both may be back and it's crazy that it's even remotely possible after this season. ZFG will have officially turned into FAC (Fat and Complacent).

[SwampD]

I know he scored a nice goal last night (set up by someone else), but there was a play in the first period that Jack made (or rather didn't make) the just turned me off to the whole game.

 

His foot was inches from the crease and there was a loose puck just out of reach for him that [i think Reinhart] was battling for, and Jack just stood there,… waiting for it, he never made an attempt to get it. I tried to blame it on the end of his shift, but he stayed out there so it wasn't that. Just a lazy, lazy play. I'm concerned.

[North Buffalo]

I know he scored a nice goal last night (set up by someone else), but there was a play in the first period that Jack made (or rather didn't make) the just turned me off to the whole game.

 

His foot was inches from the crease and there was a loose puck just out of reach for him that [i think Reinhart] was battling for, and Jack just stood there,… waiting for it, he never made an attempt to get it. I tried to blame it on the end of his shift, but he stayed out there so it wasn't that. Just a lazy, lazy play. I'm concerned.

Jacks compete level or awareness when except when he is pissed at times is seriously lacking. Kid needs a kick in the arse at times. Edited April 4, 2017 by North Buffalo

[Stoner]

Jacks compete level or awareness when except when he is pissed at times is seriously lacking. Kid needs a kick in the arse at times.

Imagine if he moved his feet! I think most ultra-talented players get this rap from time to time. We went to a Sabres-Pens game at the Aud circa 1990 and my dad was astounded at how lazy Lemieux looked. "He's just floating around."

Edited April 4, 2017 by PASabreFan

[Samson's Flow]

Hey guys did I miss anything? No?

 

Sounds like it was a wise move to decide last night was for watching baseball and NCAA championships and not hockey. :bag:

[SwampD]

Imagine if he moved his feet! I think most ultra-talented players get this rap from time to time. We went to a Sabres-Pens game at the Aud circa 1990 and my dad was astounded at how lazy Lemieux looked. "He's just floating around."

I get that Jack's skating style is a lot like Lemieux's and that he generates a lot of power and speed without wasted movement. This was different. He made no effort whatsoever to try and get the puck.

[dudacek]

Anyone who has watched Eichel play regularly could tell he wasn't dialled in last night.

I am sadder to say the same is becoming increasingly true for Samson.

[Randall Flagg]

It's definitely something that needs to be addressed. I went from thinking there was no way Jack could be the captain, to being sure the next one was him, back to the first thing, this season.

[Doohicksie]

I know he scored a nice goal last night (set up by someone else), but there was a play in the first period that Jack made (or rather didn't make) the just turned me off to the whole game.

 

His foot was inches from the crease and there was a loose puck just out of reach for him that [i think Reinhart] was battling for, and Jack just stood there,… waiting for it, he never made an attempt to get it. I tried to blame it on the end of his shift, but he stayed out there so it wasn't that. Just a lazy, lazy play. I'm concerned.

 

Maybe.  Maybe it's a case of recognizing that staying out of the scrum gave him a better chance to score than getting tied up in it.  Maybe he was depending on Sam to to bump the puck back to him where he could gave a better scoring chance.  If that was his thought process, it's debatable as to whether it was the right conclusion, but it's one of many judgments a player makes every game. 

 

One of the things elite players have that sets them apart is vision- they see the game differently and sometimes they don't do the ham-fisted, obvious play, like jamming into a scrum but rather staying just outside it to give himself a better shot at scoring should the puck come loose.  How many times do you see players flying toward the crease and the puck pops out just past them?

 

I don't recall the play you're talking about, but there could be other explanations for Jack's actions that the one you came up with.

Anyone who has watched Eichel play regularly could tell he wasn't dialled in last night.

I am sadder to say the same is becoming increasingly true for Samson.

 

They've both checked out and I'm not holding it against them at this point.  They're playing for..... nothing.  (Yeah, I know, pride and all that but still, win or lose, it doesn't matter in any real way at this point.)

[TrueBlueGED]

It's definitely something that needs to be addressed. I went from thinking there was no way Jack could be the captain, to being sure the next one was him, back to the first thing, this season.

I dunno. This is what Ovi looked like when he quit on Boudreau and Hunter. Crosby when he quit on Bylsma and Johnson. I know it drives the old school among us up a wall because Eichel is less accomplished than them, but this is a classic case of a star being done with a coach. Happens to the best of em.

[Stoner]

Maybe.  Maybe it's a case of recognizing that staying out of the scrum gave him a better chance to score than getting tied up in it.  Maybe he was depending on Sam to to bump the puck back to him where he could gave a better scoring chance.  If that was his thought process, it's debatable as to whether it was the right conclusion, but it's one of many judgments a player makes every game. 

 

One of the things elite players have that sets them apart is vision- they see the game differently and sometimes they don't do the ham-fisted, obvious play, like jamming into a scrum but rather staying just outside it to give himself a better shot at scoring should the puck come loose.  How many times do you see players flying toward the crease and the puck pops out just past them?

 

I don't recall the play you're talking about, but there could be other explanations for Jack's actions that the one you came up with.

Great analysis! Didn't you poo-poo yourself once by saying you don't really know the game? Bull. You're growing on me, sir. Still drive me crazy at times, but that's OK.

[Doohicksie]

Yep.  Jack reminds me in temperament quite a bit of Ovi.

Great analysis! Didn't you poo-poo yourself once by saying you don't really know the game? Bull. You're growing on me, sir. Still drive me crazy at times, but that's OK.

 

Meh.  Just winging it.

But thanks.

[SwampD]

Maybe.  Maybe it's a case of recognizing that staying out of the scrum gave him a better chance to score than getting tied up in it.  Maybe he was depending on Sam to to bump the puck back to him where he could gave a better scoring chance.  If that was his thought process, it's debatable as to whether it was the right conclusion, but it's one of many judgments a player makes every game. 

 

One of the things elite players have that sets them apart is vision- they see the game differently and sometimes they don't do the ham-fisted, obvious play, like jamming into a scrum but rather staying just outside it to give himself a better shot at scoring should the puck come loose.  How many times do you see players flying toward the crease and the puck pops out just past them?

 

I don't recall the play you're talking about, but there could be other explanations for Jack's actions that the one you came up with.

 

They've both checked out and I'm not holding it against them at this point.  They're playing for..... nothing.  (Yeah, I know, pride and all that but still, win or lose, it doesn't matter in any real way at this point.)

I'm aware of all that. I wouldn't have brought it up if I thought it was that.

[Doohicksie]

Fair enough.

[Radar]

If half the opinions expressed on this board are true then I'm very concerned about this organizationally. Carry that over to the Bills and now I'd be very concerned about ownership. I know they are still relatively new owners but I remember fans thinking if we only had deep pocket ownership willing to spend we'd be all set. Well, maybe we're seeing the problems aren't all solved by simply spending. Having said that I still feel better about the Sabres than Whaley and the Bills. I'm waiting to see what transpires thus off season. We need to upgrade our defense for sure. If problems between players and coaching is at all widespread then coaching needs to change as well.

[That Aud Smell]

Maybe.  Maybe it's a case of recognizing that staying out of the scrum gave him a better chance to score than getting tied up in it.  Maybe he was depending on Sam to to bump the puck back to him where he could gave a better scoring chance.  If that was his thought process, it's debatable as to whether it was the right conclusion, but it's one of many judgments a player makes every game. 

 

One of the things elite players have that sets them apart is vision- they see the game differently and sometimes they don't do the ham-fisted, obvious play, like jamming into a scrum but rather staying just outside it to give himself a better shot at scoring should the puck come loose.  How many times do you see players flying toward the crease and the puck pops out just past them?

 

I don't recall the play you're talking about, but there could be other explanations for Jack's actions that the one you came up with.

Great analysis! Didn't you poo-poo yourself once by saying you don't really know the game? Bull. You're growing on me, sir. Still drive me crazy at times, but that's OK.

 

I tend to agree. I saw PA's post upthread about how some fans would decry Lemieux for "floating" -- very true.

 

Just because Eichel doesn't seem to be playing in a way that some would recognize as intense/focused/fearless, etc., doesn't mean that he isn't.

 

Calls to mind for me that scripture from Isaiah -- "for my thoughts are not your thoughts -- neither are your ways my ways.”

 

Having said that, he has looked fairly checked out of late.

[qwksndmonster]

I don't know how many more concerns about Eichel and Reinhart I can stomach. They've both been good soldiers for Bylsma and now they're having the very human reaction of being pissed about a lost season. This team could've been pushing for a playoff spot last season but Bylsma had the "we're only one year removed from tanking" excuse.

[bunomatic]

I watched American pickers last week and they were talking about this guy. He was actually an Italian. O.K. back to the GDT. :P