GDT: Capitals @ Sabres, 7pm NBCSN, 11/7/17

[nucci]

Girgs showed speed.

Kane scoring (pump that trade value UP UP UP)

 

Glad for the win.

Yes, let's trade one of our top players....best way to improve the team....more draft picks

[Scottysabres]

Yes, let's trade one of our top players....best way to improve the team....more draft picks

There is absolutely 0 chance he gets re-signed here. In case you haven't noticed the roster is stuck with bloated contracts from sub-par or beyond marginalized players. And while that is no fault of Kane's, its a current reality none the less.

Furthermore, you are stating draft picks in return, not I.

[North Buffalo]

Hey they won, yeh!  First period didn't show much for either team other than Lehner is playing better...  good.

[MODO Hockey]

AWESOME! :D happy day! they won on my birthday!

[Doohicksie]

Happy Birthday MODO! :)

[Huckleberry]

I am going to go against the grain and say that Housley is doing exactly what he should with Sam Reinhart.

It’s a year too late, but he learning how to be an NHL Centre, and to be the go-to-guy on his line.

 

The points -and really, the chances -aren’t there yet, but the positioning and the engagement are improving.

I really hope they continue with this development plan long-term. We will be better for it next season.

 

Short-term pain for long-term gain.

 

Yup thinking the same pretty much, you can see him getting better.

[MODO Hockey]

Happy Birthday MODO! :)

 

 

Thank you my dear friend!  :beer:

[LGR4GM]

Yup thinking the same pretty much, you can see him getting better.

I think I agree too. Reinhart needs to learn how to be an NHL center. Give him an entire season.

[ROC_exEMT]

1. Housley's got Jack playing into the system.  It's not the free-wheeling style he played in college, it's not the freelancing DDB let him get away with.  No, he's learning to be in position for his teammates.  We know he has the speed but we see him coasting a lot.  I think he's got instructions from Housley on how he wants Jack to play, where he wants Jack to be, and Jack is buying into it.  Don't worry about the goals, but trust the system.  Okay sez Jack.  And he buys in.  It's frustrating; it's making him play a lot more disciplined than he's ever had to endure, and at times the frustration erupts.  But he's trying to follow the system for the good of the team.

 

Excellent comment.  I don't post very much here but this is what I was thinking about while watching last night.  Sure Jack could be slacking now that he's got his $$$, maybe he's got a minor injury no one is talking about or perhaps a touch of the flu.  He definitely didn't look like his normal self.  but I was thinking that perhaps Housley (and maybe even JBott) has told him to tone it back.  Jack certainly doesn't need to be 'evaluated' like others on the team and possibly the coaches don't want him out there taking over games - at least not now.  It could also be the reason they ended up signing him rather than letting him go through the season trying to "prove his worth" which would've caused Jack to be much more selfish a player to pad his stats - perhaps at the expense of the team.

Edited November 8, 2017 by ROC_EMT

[thewookie1]

AWESOME! :D happy day! they won on my birthday!

Happy birthday MODO

[SwampD]

Yup thinking the same pretty much, you can see him getting better.

It's funny, because I thought he was pretty bad last night.

 

I thought jack was really bad, too.

 

I'm finding hope, though, in the fact that even though our two spoils of the tank were really awful last night, we still won,… and Jack even made the great play to set up the first goal,… on a night he was awful.

 

Can't wait to see them when they're playing well.

And happy birthday MODO!

[MODO Hockey]

Happy birthday MODO

 

Thank you buddy! :D

It's funny, because I thought he was pretty bad last night.

 

I thought jack was really bad, too.

 

I'm finding hope, though, in the fact that even though our two spoils of the tank were really awful last night, we still won,… and Jack even made the great play to set up the first goal,… on a night he was awful.

 

Can't wait to see them when they're playing well.

And happy birthday MODO!

 

Mwooaaaa!! :D

[MattPie]

Excellent comment.  I don't post very much here but this is what I was thinking about while watching last night.  Sure Jack could be slacking now that he's got his $$$, maybe he's got a minor injury no one is talking about or perhaps a touch of the flu.  He definitely didn't look like his normal self.  but I was thinking that perhaps Housley (and maybe even JBott) has told him to tone it back.  Jack certainly doesn't need to be 'evaluated' like others on the team and possibly the coaches don't want him out there taking over games - at least not now.  It could also be the reason they ended up signing him rather than letting him go through the season trying to "prove his worth" which would've caused Jack to be much more selfish a player to pad his stats - perhaps at the expense of the team.

1. Housley's got Jack playing into the system.  It's not the free-wheeling style he played in college, it's not the freelancing DDB let him get away with.  No, he's learning to be in position for his teammates.  We know he has the speed but we see him coasting a lot.  I think he's got instructions from Housley on how he wants Jack to play, where he wants Jack to be, and Jack is buying into it.  Don't worry about the goals, but trust the system.  Okay sez Jack.  And he buys in.  It's frustrating; it's making him play a lot more disciplined than he's ever had to endure, and at times the frustration erupts.  But he's trying to follow the system for the good of the team.

 

I love this line of thought. I'm not sure I buy it, but I do love it.

[WildCard]

AWESOME! :D happy day! they won on my birthday!

Happy birthday man :beer:

[MODO Hockey]

Happy birthday man :beer:

 

Cheers! :D 

[darksabre]

I love this line of thought. I'm not sure I buy it, but I do love it.

Man, I do not buy it. 

[That Aud Smell]

Yup thinking the same pretty much, you can see him getting better.

 

Re Sam: I thought I saw the same last night (although I was watching with no sound while doing  some work stuff). He is looking stronger, smarter, and harder on the puck.

 

As for Eichel, I guess I see where the frustration comes from. There are plenty of instances where it seems like he could make a "hard" play on or toward the puck (lean on an opponent, even throw a check, or simply take the body), but he pokes around for the puck to no avail. I can't say that I'm seeing him float or fail to skate when he should.

 

OTOH, he picked a d-man's pocket to set up the first goal; created a dangerous odd-man rush on the PK (yes, that he flubbed); set up Girgensons for what should have been a goal (but was shot wide); and selflessly (maybe unwisely) tried to get an assist on the EN rather than shoot.

 

I thought Eichel was just fine, thank you very much. But he can be and has been so much better than that.

[Stoner]

Don't all the great players of a certain ilk look "lazy" out there?

 

One more note on Jack. We joked during the game that Eichel started shooting just to shut people up. Maybe pretty close to the truth:

 

From the brilliant column by Harrington today:

 

"Jack Eichel even joked he heard the paying customers' groans and will start shooting more."

[WildCard]

Don't all the great players of a certain ilk look "lazy" out there?

 

One more note on Jack. We joked during the game that Eichel started shooting just to shut people up. Maybe pretty close to the truth:

 

From the brilliant column by Harrington today:

 

"Jack Eichel even joked he heard the paying customers' groans and will start shooting more."

https://twitter.com/Matt_Bove/status/928093468173496320

[Doohicksie]

I love this line of thought. I'm not sure I buy it, but I do love it.

 

Truth be told, I'm not sure I buy it either.  But when you look at the facts, know what Jack is capable of, look at what's going on with the team, it does seem to match the observations we see.  I imagine that DDB even tried the same thing with Jack last year but he wasn't a strong enough coach (or Jack just didn't like him) to instill that discipline.

 

The second part of my little treatise, about Pouliot and Pominville, I thought about a bit... and I think Jordan Nolan may be filling that same veteran roll on the fourth line.  On the third line maybe it's Griffith (although he doesn't have the same pedigree of experience and success).  But when you look at it, it seems like Housley wants each line to have an "outsider", perhaps to help break the bad habits that the longer tenured Sabres have picked up.

 

Given that construct, I can see where the team would look good at times, but unable to maintain it consistently.  The energy the team brings (I think Pouliot or Falk mentioned that in the post-game interviews) and the way the other team attacks/reacts/defends the system, and the ever-important gap control they are able to achieve, will influence whether the team looks cohesive or disorganized.

[darksabre]

Don't all the great players of a certain ilk look "lazy" out there?

 

One more note on Jack. We joked during the game that Eichel started shooting just to shut people up. Maybe pretty close to the truth:

 

From the brilliant column by Harrington today:

 

"Jack Eichel even joked he heard the paying customers' groans and will start shooting more."

I think this can be true sometimes. Good players don't react as aggressively away from the puck because they're reading the play more, but I think Jack has looked disengaged with the puck at times, which isn't quite the same thing. 

 

 

I appreciate that Jack is able to joke about his shooting. I really do think he needs to shoot more and I suspect the coaches have told him as much, if only to add some un-predictability to his game when he has the puck. If I were an opponent I would be operating under the assumption that Jack is pass-first. If he can dispel that notion simply by shooting once or twice more per game, I think that'll open up some space for his passing game. 

[bob_sauve28]

Trade him and you stay in permanent rebuild mode ala Edmonton.

He isn't going to sign here. You just want to let him walk? 

[woods-racer]

I am going to go against the grain and say that Housley is doing exactly what he should with Sam Reinhart.

It’s a year too late, but he learning how to be an NHL Centre, and to be the go-to-guy on his line.

 

The points -and really, the chances -aren’t there yet, but the positioning and the engagement are improving.

I really hope they continue with this development plan long-term. We will be better for it next season.

 

Short-term pain for long-term gain.

I agree.

 

I thought this was his best game to date. Griffen/Griffith (no clue on how to spell) and him seem to be finding some chemistry.

[CamDMC12]

I agree.

 

I thought this was his best game to date. Griffen/Griffith (no clue on how to spell) and him seem to be finding some chemistry.

I think Sam looked good last night.

[nucci]

There is absolutely 0 chance he gets re-signed here. In case you haven't noticed the roster is stuck with bloated contracts from sub-par or beyond marginalized players. And while that is no fault of Kane's, its a current reality none the less.

Furthermore, you are stating draft picks in return, not I.

I've noticed...so we get rid of the one player that is performing well? How does this make the team better?