Eichel Named Captain

[Thorner]

1 minute ago, Randall Flagg said:

I meant to post this before the game, but went mini golfing instead. 

There's a very real chance our season is pretty bad again. And it's because our team isn't good at hockey yet, and wasn't close last year, and didn't really add much in the way of immediate hockey ability. 

The problem with going all-in on culture and trading our best overall player was that we still weren't going to be better right away, and now at the first sign of continuing to be a weak NHL roster, everyone will jump down the throats of the only guys left. 

I'd encourage the board not to do this. These guys work hard and play hard. They aren't very good, and they aren't "different mindsets" and "different leaders" away from on-ice success. They are time, practice, and talent away from success, and it's still going to take some time to get there. 

We have three established good offensive players on our entire team. It's going to be a struggle for a while. 

4. Eichel, Reinhart, Skinner, Sheary. Ristolainen, if counting D. 

[Randall Flagg]

6 minutes ago, Thorny said:

4. Eichel, Reinhart, Skinner, Sheary. Ristolainen, if counting D. 

Sheary can't drive play, he just has nice speed and finish. Sheary isn't going to do all that much with Berglund and Thompson. 

We have 3 players that will score their points no matter what we do with them this season is all I mean. 

[pi2000]

29 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

I meant to post this before the game, but went mini golfing instead. 

There's a very real chance our season is pretty bad again. And it's because our team isn't good at hockey yet, and wasn't close last year, and didn't really add much in the way of immediate hockey ability. 

The problem with going all-in on culture and trading our best overall player was that we still weren't going to be better right away, and now at the first sign of continuing to be a weak NHL roster, everyone will jump down the throats of the only guys left. 

I'd encourage the board not to do this. These guys work hard and play hard. They aren't very good, and they aren't "different mindsets" and "different leaders" away from on-ice success. They are time, practice, and talent away from success, and it's still going to take some time and moves to get there. 

We have three established good offensive players on our entire team. It's going to be a struggle for a while. 

Then get a coach in there who can make some lemonade with these lemons.

Whatever Housley is asking them to do isn't working, either because they don't respect him, or they simply can't play the way he is asking them to.

[Randall Flagg]

14 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Then get a coach in there who can make some lemonade with these lemons.

Whatever Housley is asking them to do isn't working, either because they don't respect him, or they simply can't play the way he is asking them to.

Once again, I'm not going to go out of my way to defend Housley, but the same thing is going to happen to this team until it has as many good players, or more, as the good NHL teams do, and it's really as simple as that.

[pi2000]

7 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

Once again, I'm not going to go out of my way to defend Housley, but the same thing is going to happen to this team until it has as many good players, or more, as the good NHL teams do, and it's really as simple as that.

But isn't it an indictment of the coach if they're all underperforming?

[TrueBlueGED]

1 minute ago, pi2000 said:

But isn't it an indictment of the coach if they're all underperforming?

Are they underperforming, though? The second half of Bylsma's final season, last season, and an offseason that didn't meaningfully improve the on-ice talent (absent growth)...it's all looked the same. Mayhaps they are who they are? That's Flagg's point, I think.

[Randall Flagg]

4 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

But isn't it an indictment of the coach if they're all underperforming?

Who's underperforming? 

The "performance" hasn't happened long enough yet. I need to see another handful of games from these guys to even set my full expectations before seeing where they fall relative to them.

But the preseason expectations I built from what I think about the players on our team, well, this game was the least surprising thing in the world quite frankly, and also not the end of the world. 

This is before even bringing coaching into the picture, which I'd be happy to do in a different thread

[pi2000]

1 minute ago, Randall Flagg said:

Who's underperforming? 

The "performance" hasn't happened long enough yet. I need to see another handful of games from these guys to even set my full expectations before seeing where they fall relative to them.

But the preseason expectations I built from what I think about the players on our team, well, this game was the least surprising thing in the world quite frankly, and also not the end of the world. 

This is before even bringing coaching into the picture, which I'd be happy to do in a different thread

To my naked eye it looks like they're not playing with any urgency.  IMO, it's not for lack of talent... They just don't know what it takes it win... which is what a good coach would be teaching them.

[Randall Flagg]

3 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

To my naked eye it looks like they're not playing with any urgency.  IMO, it's not for lack of talent... They just don't know what it takes it win... which is what a good coach would be teaching them.

That's okay for you, but there's just nothing grounded/tangible there that I really have interest in discussing. I'm not saying there's nothing to it, but by nature I try to stick to things that I could see and show other people and break down

[Kruppstahl]

This doesn't have to be an either/or proposition.

Housley seems like the wrong man for the job, and this group of players has played like crap regardless of who their coach is.

The weight falls on both players and coaching.

 

 

[Doohicksie]

Now that the Sabres may be turning a corner, I had some thoughts about Eichel as a leader:  I think he fancied himself as the shining knight on a white horse that was going to come in and resurrect the Sabres franchise.  His view of leadership his first few seasons was to carry the team on his back.

What he's learned is that he can't do it all himself.

With that realization came the sobering thought that he needs others on the team for him to succeed.  He seems to have taken more interest in hearing the advice from the veterans around him, and playing off other players.  It's like he no longer assumes he's the best player on the ice.  And that new outlook makes him better, and makes him a better leader.

[thewookie1]

25 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Now that the Sabres may be turning a corner, I had some thoughts about Eichel as a leader:  I think he fancied himself as the shining knight on a white horse that was going to come in and resurrect the Sabres franchise.  His view of leadership his first few seasons was to carry the team on his back.

What he's learned is that he can't do it all himself.

With that realization came the sobering thought that he needs others on the team for him to succeed.  He seems to have taken more interest in hearing the advice from the veterans around him, and playing off other players.  It's like he no longer assumes he's the best player on the ice.  And that new outlook makes him better, and makes him a better leader.

 

I also think he may like the acquisitions of Sheary and Skinner as they give him something to use on his left side. Eichel seems to have more trust in Skinner than he had in Kane to not throw the puck at the net aimlessly. 

[LTS]

It has been mentioned more than once that putting Pominville with him is not because they are necessarily the perfect line combination on the ice but that Pominville can have a great influence on Jack while on the bench.  I think we're seeing more evidence of that.

Jack is playing a different game.  There might be some hesitation about his scoring, but he's out there demonstrating an effort we've not seen before.  I like it.  The rest of his game will come along.

[Ripper]

Yes definitely.  You see him battling in the corners and behind the net more than before.  LOVE IT!!!

 

[PerreaultForever]

To my mind, Jack and Bogo are the team leaders at the moment and they are now showing it on the ice. When the captain gives extra effort, it is infectious, and that's what we saw against Anaheim. 

[Randall Flagg]

Jack is going to lift the cup for this team, and we will all remember it as one of the most incredible, unforgettable, long-winding journeys a dedicated sports fan and sports town can ever go on. 

[LGR4GM]

Jack finally is starting to lead. Let's see if it continues. 

[darksabre]

9 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Now that the Sabres may be turning a corner, I had some thoughts about Eichel as a leader:  I think he fancied himself as the shining knight on a white horse that was going to come in and resurrect the Sabres franchise.  His view of leadership his first few seasons was to carry the team on his back.

What he's learned is that he can't do it all himself.

With that realization came the sobering thought that he needs others on the team for him to succeed.  He seems to have taken more interest in hearing the advice from the veterans around him, and playing off other players.  It's like he no longer assumes he's the best player on the ice.  And that new outlook makes him better, and makes him a better leader.

I appreciate you bumping this.

It was noted in the post-game last night that apparently after the losses to Vegas and San Jose the players had a bunch of meetings and hashed a lot out.

I don't know who called those meetings or who the leadership voices were, but I have to imagine Jack was at least partially responsible. 

[LTS]

6 minutes ago, darksabre said:

I appreciate you bumping this.

It was noted in the post-game last night that apparently after the losses to Vegas and San Jose the players had a bunch of meetings and hashed a lot out.

I don't know who called those meetings or who the leadership voices were, but I have to imagine Jack was at least partially responsible. 

I hadn't heard that and it's pretty awesome to hear that it happened so quickly in the season.

I did hear that after losing to the Sabres the Kings had a closed door meeting.  I really like the sound of other teams having to have those kinds of meetings after playing the Sabres.

[LGR4GM]

28 minutes ago, darksabre said:

I appreciate you bumping this.

It was noted in the post-game last night that apparently after the losses to Vegas and San Jose the players had a bunch of meetings and hashed a lot out.

I don't know who called those meetings or who the leadership voices were, but I have to imagine Jack was at least partially responsible. 

I think they had a meeting with Phil from my understanding and then the next day at practice the lines were suddenly changed. Taking responsibility is a good sign. 

 

Also, winning fixes everything. 

[Doohicksie]

Actually, I think they said on the broadcast that there were a series of meetings.

One thing I'm especially pleased with is the realignment of the defense.  Bogo's return brings another "rough and tumble" guy into the defensive corps (along with McCabe and Risto), and Bogo's probably the roughest and tumblest of them all.

I am a bit surprised that Nelson is playing over Beaulieu though.

Edited October 22, 2018 by Doohickie

[darksabre]

Bogo needs to stop fighting people though. He's going to hurt himself. 

[Randall Flagg]

56 minutes ago, LTS said:

I hadn't heard that and it's pretty awesome to hear that it happened so quickly in the season.

I did hear that after losing to the Sabres the Kings had a closed door meeting.  I really like the sound of other teams having to have those kinds of meetings after playing the Sabres.

I read that the Ducks did too haha. Not sure if it's true. 

24 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Actually, I think they said on the broadcast that there were a series of meetings.

One thing I'm especially pleased with is the realignment of the defense.  Bogo's return brings another "rough and tumble" guy into the defensive corps (along with McCabe and Risto), and Bogo's probably the roughest and tumblest of them all.

I am a bit surprised that Nelson is playing over Beaulieu though.

Nate might still be hurt.

[Doohicksie]

13 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

Nate might still be hurt.

Ah, that would make sense.  Phil seems to like Beaulieu.  I think Nelson is doing okay and holding his own.  I don't feel panicked during an opposing rush with any of the defensive pairings this year like I have in the past.  I think part of it is when the D does screw up, the forwards have been much better about covering for them.  When you see a D pinching you typically see a forward rotating high and ready to sprint back if the puck gets turned over.

[LGR4GM]

Nelson is also a righty which helps him. There are only a few defenders in the upcoming draft and only a few good righties.