GDT Buffalo Sabres at Tampa Bay Lightning, 2/28/18, 7:00pm, MSG

[Sabres Fan in NS]

It's been a slow grind that's for sure!

 

Some might say, not me mind you, that it's been glacial ...  ;)

[Doohicksie]

Nice win for the Sabres last night, even without Kuch and Palat that is still a heck of a Tampa squad.

 

Would be nice to see the Sabres finish well: Good to see the effort being put forth. May not seem like of much importance now but finishing well can carry over into next season.

 

It can, but it hasn't so far.  :rolleyes:

[Swedesessed]

Through 41 games, the team was 30th in the league in points. They had 6 more than Phoenix, and 8 fewer than the next worst team (Ottawa).

 

From the 42nd game onward, they are 21st in points. And they're bunched up with several teams that have anywhere from 20-24 points during that span -- that'd be the Blues, Panthers, Coyotes (!), Devils, Kings, Islanders, Red Wings, and Blue Jackets.

 

I know they got the Lightning's backup goalie (?) twice and probably Boston's too -- but they've repeatedly beat the best teams in the East. I was at that Lightning game at home, and they looked very good. Consistency is the thing.

 

They are getting better (?).

 

 

Good post and I completely agree. I think we are seeing what the team could have been if not for the dreadful start.

[Randall Flagg]

When Viktor Antipin was matched up against Hedman last night at even strength, the Sabres took 16 shot attempts while the Lightning took zero.

 

When Antipin faced Stamkos and Stralman together, the Sabres took 12 shot attempts and the Lightning took 1. 

[That Aud Smell]

When Viktor Antipin was matched up against Hedman last night at even strength, the Sabres took 16 shot attempts while the Lightning took zero.

 

When Antipin faced Stamkos and Stralman together, the Sabres took 12 shot attempts and the Lightning took 1. 

 

I know he's had bad stretches, but I have really liked the look of his game and how he's projecting. He's arguably the picture of a modern d-man.

[Randall Flagg]

I know he's had bad stretches, but I have really liked the look of his game and how he's projecting. He's arguably the picture of a modern d-man.

Picture the way he and Nelson played last night, and imagine that as our third pair instead of trying to hide disasters, after marginal upgrades to the top four. 

 

That's what I want for Christmas. 

[Doctor of Philhousley]

When Viktor Antipin was matched up against Hedman last night at even strength, the Sabres took 16 shot attempts while the Lightning took zero.

 

When Antipin faced Stamkos and Stralman together, the Sabres took 12 shot attempts and the Lightning took 1. 

So extend him for a year or two? The fact that this guy couldn't get any playing time given the roster makes me more than a little nervous regarding leadership down at 1 Seymour H Knox III Plaza.

[Drunkard]

So extend him for a year or two? The fact that this guy couldn't get any playing time given the roster makes me more than a little nervous regarding leadership down at 1 Seymour H Knox III Plaza.

 

Housley hates Russians. Antipin has been better than Beaulieu all year and usually better than Gorges as well (although Gorges is still capable when he gets sheltered minutes).

[Doohicksie]

Maybe Housley has been having trouble with the language barrier thing.  Maybe he's getting over it now.

[darksabre]

I almost wonder if it had something to do with Antipin being a GMTM project?

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Maybe Housley has been having trouble with the language barrier thing.  Maybe he's getting over it now.

 

This very well could be part of it.

 

I really think that it has taken this time for Victor to get used to the game in the NHL.

 

I almost wonder if it had something to do with Antipin being a GMTM project?

 

I respect your opinion and this may be part if it, but I don't think so.

[Doohicksie]

I respect your opinion and this may be part if it, but I don't think so.

 

Concur.

[Randall Flagg]

That poster who ate with Justin Falk's parents said that Falk had a lot of trouble communicating with Viktor on the ice because of the language barrier, so that has to be why he was often scratched early on. It makes sense too. Hopefully they've had a guy with him working on English all season and hopefully the guys in the room are trying to make Viktor comfortable here in Buffalo.

[darksabre]

This very well could be part of it.

 

I really think that it has taken this time for Victor to get used to the game in the NHL.

 

 

I respect your opinion and this may be part if it, but I don't think so.

It's not really an opinion, I was just throwing it out there as a thinking point. I would certainly hope that something like that wouldn't be the case, but I feel like stranger things have happened and Botts doesn't seem to married to any of the guys GMTM brought in. I always wondered if finishing up the Antipin deal wasn't really something Botterill was too high on doing but since the bulk of the work had already been done it was just kind of a "why not" thing. 

That poster who ate with Justin Falk's parents said that Falk had a lot of trouble communicating with Viktor on the ice because of the language barrier, so that has to be why he was often scratched early on. It makes sense too. Hopefully they've had a guy with him working on English all season and hopefully the guys in the room are trying to make Viktor comfortable here in Buffalo.

Right. Hopefully that's all it is. Maybe it's taking him a little time to absorb systems stuff? 

[Stoner]

That poster who ate with Justin Falk's parents said that Falk had a lot of trouble communicating with Viktor on the ice because of the language barrier, so that has to be why he was often scratched early on. It makes sense too. Hopefully they've had a guy with him working on English all season and hopefully the guys in the room are trying to make Viktor comfortable here in Buffalo.

Or maybe they got Phil English lessons.

Any team can still make a trade but noplayer traded after the TD is allowed to play in the playoffs.

Two examples...

TB makes a trade with AZ and TB makes the playoffs and AZ doesn't. No players traded to TB can play in the playoffs this season.

TB makes a trade with NSH and both teams make the playoffs. No players in that trade can play in the playoffs this season.

Really rare.

Nice to see you guys batting 1.000 without Kaner.

Never knew this. Has a trade even been made after the deadline?

[darksabre]

Or maybe they got Phil English lessons.

Never knew this. Has a trade even been made after the deadline?

I think one happened last year. 

[Stoner]

Also — didn't Botterill sign Antipin?

[darksabre]

Also — didn't Botterill sign Antipin?

He did, but the deal was all GMTM's stuff. I think Botterill's part was mostly a formality. We don't really know if he wanted Antipin or if he just didn't care enough to back out of the deal.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Also — didn't Botterill sign Antipin?

 

According to wiki he ended his contract in Russia on May 1, 2017 and sometime after that signed a 1 year ELC with the Sabres.

 

So, it depends when JBOT took over as GM, which was on May 11, 2017.

 

It seems that you would be correct that JBOT signed him.

[Mustache of God]

According to wiki he ended his contract in Russia on May 1, 2017 and sometime after that signed a 1 year ELC with the Sabres.

 

So, it depends when JBOT took over as GM, which was on May 11, 2017.

 

It seems that you would be correct that JBOT signed him.

 

There was an understanding between Murray and Antipin that they'd sign him once his contract was up in the KHL and FA opened for the NHL.

 

Murray did the legwork but Botteril pulled the trigger. If Jbots didn't want him then he would not have signed him, plain and simple.

[Stoner]

There was an understanding between Murray and Antipin that they'd sign him once his contract was up in the KHL and FA opened for the NHL.

 

Murray did the legwork but Botteril pulled the trigger. If Jbots didn't want him then he would not have signed him, plain and simple.

That seems right, but what do I know?

[Thorner]

Picture the way he and Nelson played last night, and imagine that as our third pair instead of trying to hide disasters, after marginal upgrades to the top four. 

That's what I want for Christmas.

 

 

 

The emergence of Antipin and Nelson as a solid 3rd pairing (maybe even potentially at worst) is a huge development. If they keep improving, our projected D core looks a heck of a lot better with four names pencilled in with confidence, than how it looked before. All of a sudden, we’re sitting here with Scandella - Ristolainen, Antipin - Nelson, looking like 2/3rds of a solid D corps.

 

Improvements are still greatly needed, but things seem much more manageable when we only need to find 2 new pieces. Especially when we’ve seen how Botterill helped build the D in Pittsburgh through value additions.

 

We may already have 1 of the 2 needed, in Guhle. There are a ton of promising D in the draft. Failing that, Botterill can look to make a value addition. And probably will attempt to, either way.

 

How might this D look in a couple years:

 

Scandella - Ristolainen

Guhle - Boqvist

Antipin - Nelson

 

He did, but the deal was all GMTM's stuff. I think Botterill's part was mostly a formality. We don't really know if he wanted Antipin or if he just didn't care enough to back out of the deal.

Antipin is one of those additions that could be a bright spot on GMTM’s resume, in time.

[nfreeman]

Don't forget McCabe!  Disappointing season this year, but I think still a potentially solid 2nd-pair guy.

[That Aud Smell]

Don't forget McCabe! Disappointing season this year, but I think still a potentially solid 2nd-pair guy.

I’ve really come to doubt whether he’s a top-6 dman on a playoff team.

[Randall Flagg]

I’ve really come to doubt whether he’s a top-6 dman on a playoff team.

While I have outlined a hopeful scenario above, I have a sneaking suspicion we see both McCabe and Beaulieu logging 15+ minutes per game next season, perhaps even with Antipin being shipped out. And I will be quite angry at that turn of events.