Rock 'em Sabres/physicality

[Stoner]

I could be all wet with this one, as I usually am. But last night felt like the game in LA where the Sabres were throwing the bodies but good, especially early, to set a tone. It also seemed like only the second game it's happened this season.

 

It makes a huge difference for a team that is usually passive slow out of the gate. It gets everyone going and into the game and sends a clear message to the opponent.

 

Why don't we see this more often, Phil? Handbag and Phyllis jokes invited...

[bunomatic]

Phil comes across as one of those parents that shields his kids from the concept of losing. No losers here. Everyone gets a medal for participating. I want to see the odd tirade on the bench to kick these babies into gear. There's no emotion or passion for long periods of time with this team. We have the horses to throw some weight around with the likes of Bogo, Risto, McCabe and heck even Falk can get nasty. In the forward ranks there are some shrinking violets but there's some muscle as well. No one we play goes into the game with any sort of fear. They don't fear our PP. Our scoring prowess. Our bite or lack thereof. Phil is vanilla and the team seems content to be vanilla too.

[darksabre]

I don't buy in to the idea that a coach needs to be a dramatic blowhard to get his players going. Find me NHL coaches who throw tantrums and berate their players?

Maybe that stuff works for guys like Patrick Roy coaching Juniors, but it isn't going to work on grown men. 

It's been said repeatedly, going back to the first Eichel season, that this stuff needs to come from the players. 

Now that we've had a coaching change and it's still the same, I believe it. 

If Housley was shielding this team from losing, we'd be playing Dan Bylsma hockey. Housley is just letting them lose and unfortunately losing isn't moving the dial for some of these guys.

What else can you do after that?

[bunomatic]

I don't buy in to the idea that a coach needs to be a dramatic blowhard to get his players going. Find me NHL coaches who throw tantrums and berate their players?

 

Maybe that stuff works for guys like Patrick Roy coaching Juniors, but it isn't going to work on grown men. 

 

It's been said repeatedly, going back to the first Eichel season, that this stuff needs to come from the players. 

 

Now that we've had a coaching change and it's still the same, I believe it. 

 

If Housley was shielding this team from losing, we'd be playing Dan Bylsma hockey. Housley is just letting them lose and unfortunately losing isn't moving the dial for some of these guys.

 

What else can you do after that?

Yeah maybe you're right. But what does he do if what he's tried ain't working ? Maybe a veteran coach with some miles on him might have been the answer. I'm just not sure Phils the guy. At this point though I agree that the makeup of the team is lacking. Not putting it squarely on the coach. 

 

As to the tirade thing. Pittsburghs coach shows emotion and has the occasional outburst to kickstart his guys and he has had success. Phil shows no emotion. There has to be some middle ground.

Edited December 28, 2017 by bunomatic

[Cityo'Rasmii]

"some shrinking violets"  lol        Nice, Bun :worthy: 

[bcsaberks]

I don't buy in to the idea that a coach needs to be a dramatic blowhard to get his players going. Find me NHL coaches who throw tantrums and berate their players?

 

Maybe that stuff works for guys like Patrick Roy coaching Juniors, but it isn't going to work on grown men. 

 

It's been said repeatedly, going back to the first Eichel season, that this stuff needs to come from the players. 

 

Now that we've had a coaching change and it's still the same, I believe it. 

 

If Housley was shielding this team from losing, we'd be playing Dan Bylsma hockey. Housley is just letting them lose and unfortunately losing isn't moving the dial for some of these guys.

 

What else can you do after that?

You can Babcock.  He seems entirely in control of his players, their approach, game plan, psyche.  And he seems vocal and appropriately emotional.

I'm not a "because Buffalo" guy, but ffs between the lottery balls and this miss.  Just brutal.

[inkman]

Just brutal.

My thoughts upon reading the thread title with the "word" physicality in it. So many better ways to describe the desired outcome.

[Stoner]

My thoughts upon reading the thread title with the "word" physicality in it. So many better ways to describe the desired outcome.

It's a good word.

[inkman]

It's a good word.

I can't explain it but it drives me nuts. Maybe the overuse or the overuse by the ignorant dinosaurs on TV?

[bunomatic]

Physicality is a good way to describe the playoffs. All the teams that advance in the playoffs have that ' physicality ' ( sorry Ink ) as an element of their game. The teams that can't handle the ' physicality ' quickly fall out of the playoffs. The Sabres are so far away from the level the elite teams play at during the playoffs. One day...

 

And before someone says it I know that ' physicality ' is just one element that is required along with skill, depth, heart etc. but every year when the playoffs start there is a huge separation between the teams playing in the ' show ' and our team on the sidelines. And skill isn't the only missing element.