Johnny Rain Cloud: The Sabres Need More Scoring and Scorers!

[GASabresIUFAN]

I hate to be Johnny Rain Cloud, but our offense still leaves a lot to be desired.

We have 11 goals in 5 games or 2.2 per game.  That’s 180 for the season.  That is down from last season’s terrible 199 goals last and the awful 201 the year before.  

Top line forwards Eichel and Sheary have 6 of our 11 goals. Amazingly the D have 3 of the others.  That leaves only 2 goals from the other 12 forwards combined.

While the D adding some O is great, we are going to need to average 3 goals a game going forward to have a chance.

If the Sabres have a mediocre or less road trip, some forwards needs to go.  Larsson and Thompson top the list.  I actually like Thompson,  but if he doesn’t add scoring, he needs to be sent down and replaced by a scorer.  Olofsson tops the list.

Edited October 15, 2018 by GASabresIUFAN

[LGR4GM]

Almost like we aren't getting enough scoring chances... checks the box scores... confirms that. 

[Marions Piazza]

5 games in with a sizeable roster turnover and a bunch of line shuffling, not surprised about it, but, yes, we need to score more goals, and i think we will soon enough.

[Doohicksie]

Be careful, I can get pretty vitriolic around rain clouds, Johnny.

I agree with your two suggestions, with the same comment about Thompson.  I think he's going to be a good NHL player, but to bring him into a team with so much turnover and expect him to do too much is just unrealistic.  Let him tear it up in the A for a bit, then bring him back up (if he's the most deserving).

OTOH, I'm willing to give this team a chance to gel, so long as they are winning.  I know there is value in fancystats, but the only stat I care about right now is Ws.  If the Sabres are winning I don't care if they average scoring 1.1 goals per game.  If the law of averages catch up with them and they simply can't win with the lineup they've got, there are options bubbling up in the A.

Edited October 15, 2018 by Doohickie

[pi2000]

The spend a large percentage of each game in their own zone.   Can't get scoring chances if the puck is in your zone.     Sometimes the best offense is a good defense.

Adding better offensively skilled players isn't going to help.    The coaching staff needs to teach these guys how to win pucks back in their own zone and execute a controlled breakout under pressure instead of the just flipping it out and giving possession to the other team.

Edited October 15, 2018 by pi2000

[SDS]

6 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Be careful, I can get pretty vitriolic around rain clouds, Johnny.

 

FWIW, he hasn't returned since. It would be quite a loss if he didn't return.

[GASabresIUFAN]

YTD the league is shooting at a nearly 10% clip (9.9).  The Sabres 21st at 8.3%  The Sabres are also 22nd in SOG

Last season the league average 9.2 and the Sabres last at 7.7. The Sabres were 21st in SOG last season.

[WildCard]

26 minutes ago, SDS said:

FWIW, he hasn't returned since. It would be quite a loss if he didn't return.

Indeed. But he'll be back. I'm still happy that Hoss has stuck around

Eichel averages 3.9 shots/game over the last two seasons. So far he's averaging 4.2 Surprising considering we usually get on him for that

Skinner shoots a ton

Our defense finally has goals, I'm assuming they're shooting more.

So, who is it? I'm gonna guess it's the anchors on the bottom 3

[sabills]

5 minutes ago, WildCard said:

Indeed. But he'll be back. I'm still happy that Hoss has stuck around

Eichel averages 3.9 shots/game over the last two seasons. So far he's averaging 4.2 Surprising considering we usually get on him for that

Skinner shoots a ton

Our defense finally has goals, I'm assuming they're shooting more.

So, who is it? I'm gonna guess it's the anchors on the bottom 3

I think its gotta be more than that if we're that low. Most teams have a kinda crappy 4th line, if only because there's only so much talent to go around.

[WildCard]

Heat charts for every game

https://www.naturalstattrick.com/games.php?team=BUF

IMO, seems like we either have the lead or are down by a few for long stretches of time; so we're either chasing around and shooting like mad or we're alamo kinda

[jsb]

It's early, OMG no charts please

 

 

Edited October 15, 2018 by jsb

[GASabresIUFAN]

Like I said in the original post, besides Jack and Conor, our other 12 forwards have 2 goals total

Edited October 15, 2018 by GASabresIUFAN

[inkman]

Sample size?

[woods-racer]

21 minutes ago, inkman said:

Sample size?

Bigger than a bread box but smaller than a microwave.

In all fairness to the OP he is using the past two seasons and showing that as of the start of this season we are worse, and that is bad. So we may have one or 2 more wins than would have last year at this point, but will it continue?

The eye test says yes, the stats say no.

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Like I said in the original post, besides Jack and Conor, our other 12 forwards have 2 goals total

And Sam has zero. But he's looked good and has 3 assists already. He's an example of why I am not worried about that stat, as is Skinner, having only one goal but looking dangerous. 

[Scottysabres]

I'll need to see a DNA test before you can claim to be a native rain cloud...………..

[Hoss]

I think this is something everyone would agree with and most said in the off-season. This roster isn’t a finished product. Certainly doesn’t mean the sky-is-falling-even-though-we-won posts are warranted.

If they’re floating around a playoff spot at the deadline it could get very fun watching them potentially pursue more scorers. I don’t think they will spend a ton if that’s the case (nor should they) but the low-cost buys could be fun. If they do want to get heavily involved with someone, maybe with some term left, at the deadline then they can compete with anyone with the two extra firsts they’ve got.

I also think once the defense has more time to gel and get used to finding guys in stride instead of hitting stationary spots the scoring will improve.

[Marions Piazza]

14 hours ago, Thorny said:

And Sam has zero. But he's looked good and has 3 assists already. He's an example of why I am not worried about that stat, as is Skinner, having only one goal but looking dangerous. 

I think that Skinner starts to light it up, he got the monkey off his back over the weekend.  He's had a lot of good chances but wasn't get the 'luck'.  

 

15 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Like I said in the original post, besides Jack and Conor, our other 12 forwards have 2 goals total

It's a good thing that right now, Eichel and Sheary are carrying the team until others finally start potting goals.  I think it's more likely that those other 12 forwards start scoring than to stay stagnant.    

[PerreaultForever]

On 10/15/2018 at 11:38 AM, GASabresIUFAN said:

I hate to be Johnny Rain Cloud, but our offense still leaves a lot to be desired.

We have 11 goals in 5 games or 2.2 per game.  That’s 180 for the season.  That is down from last season’s terrible 199 goals last and the awful 201 the year before.  

Top line forwards Eichel and Sheary have 6 of our 11 goals. Amazingly the D have 3 of the others.  That leaves only 2 goals from the other 12 forwards combined.

While the D adding some O is great, we are going to need to average 3 goals a game going forward to have a chance.

If the Sabres have a mediocre or less road trip, some forwards needs to go.  Larsson and Thompson top the list.  I actually like Thompson,  but if he doesn’t add scoring, he needs to be sent down and replaced by a scorer.  Olofsson tops the list.

Well you're not wrong.

As teams realize (those that haven't already) that all they have to do is shut down the Eichel line we will lose a lot of games. 

The D is a LOT better this year and will be even better as Dahlin learns, but most of the forwards are rubbish. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

14 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Well you're not wrong.

As teams realize (those that haven't already) that all they have to do is shut down the Eichel line we will lose a lot of games. 

The D is a LOT better this year and will be even better as Dahlin learns, but most of the forwards are rubbish. 

Sad really.  12 goals in 6 games.  

[Cage]

Victor Goalofsson is ready to rock and waiting in the wings in Rochester.... he's just registering his 3rd straight 3pt night (2G/1A) right now, still just in the 2nd period.  11 points in less than 6 games

Edited October 18, 2018 by Cage

[inkman]

2 minutes ago, Cage said:

Victor Goalofsson is ready to rock and waiting in the wings in Rochester

I like the pseudonym. Kid is lighting it up. Two more goals so far tonight. I'm not sure what his deficiencies are but can they be so prolific that he can't function in the NHL. 

[Cage]

1 minute ago, inkman said:

I like the pseudonym. Kid is lighting it up. Two more goals so far tonight. I'm not sure what his deficiencies are but can they be so prolific that he can't function in the NHL. 

He's the leading scorer in the AHL

[Cage]

People if you're interested in what's coming, follow the Amerks game unfolding now.  Victor Olofsson now has 4 pts (2G/2A) tonight and his the leading scorer in the AHL.  And his Swedish counterpart Pilut is also running a multi-point night again and is +7 leading the Amerks

Edited October 18, 2018 by Cage

[inkman]

1 minute ago, Cage said:

People if you're interested in what's coming, follow the Amerks game unfolding now.  Victor Olofsson now has 4 pts (2G/2A) tonight and his the leading scorer in the AHL.  And his Swedish counterpart Pilut is also running a multi-point night again.

Linky dinky

https://app.radio.com/6eLR3kxm6Q