Sobotka and his "offensive upside"

[LGR4GM]

I read this and when it compared Sobotka's goal total to Eichel's as if they were equivalent players, I almost spit out my drink. 

http://www.buffalohockeybeat.com/versatile-vladimir-sobotka-quietly-key-contributor-to-sabres-strong-start/

[inkman]

Yeah for a guy who has never topped 11 goals, he getting a lot of ball washing in that piece. 

[Samson's Flow]

I feel like this is what people who hate traditional counting stats-based articles point to as exhibit A for their point.

While Sobotka has a decent goal total and good counting stats so far, watching games and diving deeper into his play shows that he has been the beneficiary of his linemates and has generally been the anchor on his line and not the driver of play.

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

Sobotka has looked just fine for a bottom six player joining a new team.  He is quick and does all the little things you want a veteran play to do.  I was worried he may be a bit discouraged at his role on this team, but it looks like he is grinding it out.  Winning always helps with that too...

[inkman]

20 minutes ago, Samson's Flow said:

I feel like this is what people who hate traditional counting stats-based articles point to as exhibit A for their point.

While Sobotka has a decent goal total and good counting stats so far, watching games and diving deeper into his play shows that he has been the beneficiary of his linemates and has generally been the anchor on his line and not the driver of play.

I still read anchor as this: 

Anchor - provide with a firm basis or foundation

[Samson's Flow]

Just now, inkman said:

I still read anchor as this: 

Anchor - provide with a firm basis or foundation

 

Ahh.

My interpretation and usage is more along the: Anchor - something that serves to hold an object firmly in place or drag down

[inkman]

1 hour ago, Samson's Flow said:

Ahh.

My interpretation and usage is more along the: Anchor - something that serves to hold an object firmly in place or drag down

Even the first half of that definition could be interpreted as positive. I think the term boat anchor was originally used there but we've decided to drop the boat part making it ambiguous. 

[LGR4GM]

Either way as I said in another thread, Sobotka is a drain on his line. He is an offensive passenger and I am disappointed in Hoppe for making it sound like he is someone reliable. He might be ok on the PK but that is because he just has to stay in position and fire the puck away. That isn't driving your transition game up the ice or maintaining the cycle. It is a passive way of looking at things. 

[Andrew Amerk]

“Winger Tage Thompson, perhaps the biggest piece of the deal, was a former first-rounder the Sabres insisted the Blues include.”

Insisted? Idk, maybe the writer was there, but I don’t remember it ever being proven that Buffalo “insisted” on TT being included or else that trade wasn’t going down. 

[North Buffalo]

Sobotka is not an anchor but nothing skating wise to write home about.  He plays positionally well and shows moments of a little more.  I think he has St Louis’ system in his head.  May take awhile to see him be more.  Ill take it that he isnt a defensive liability unlike last year’s Sabres.

[Randall Flagg]

Sobotka is fine and any complaint I have about him will center on the way he gets used and not what he does. 

In the perfect world, health and AHL promotion lets him become our favorite 13th forward since who knows when, by the end of this season.

[In The Buff]

1 hour ago, Andrew Amerk said:

“Winger Tage Thompson, perhaps the biggest piece of the deal, was a former first-rounder the Sabres insisted the Blues include.”

Insisted? Idk, maybe the writer was there, but I don’t remember it ever being proven that Buffalo “insisted” on TT being included or else that trade wasn’t going down. 

Doug Armstrong the GM of the Blues said that we insisted on Tage being part of the deal. Many sources out there that use that term 'insisted'. But heres the 1st one i got from google: https://www.pjstar.com/sports/20180702/newly-acquired-tage-thompson-eager-to-settle-in-with-sabres  And another one:https://www.sportsandotherthings.com/nhl/2018/7/2/ryan-oreilly-to-st-louis-is-another-step-in-the-wrong-direction-for-buffalo Obviously we don't know for 100% what JBots would've accepted or not. But all signs that i've seen point that Tage was a player they really wanted.

I'm still hopeful that Tage will develop into a productive player. He's got great size & has a great shot. Just needs more refinement & playing time imo. If he's not gonna get ice time up here, i'd like to see him sent down to Rochester so he can get more reps there.

Its funny though. That 2nd link i posted where they said the ROR trade was a wrong step for Buffalo... Looks like they were wrong & everyone else who said the sky was falling with that trade. ROR has been playing great for St Louis but we've been doing pretty good ourselves. I for one continue to see the trade as a win win for both clubs. #In JBots i trust 

Edited November 13, 2018 by MillerVaive

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

3 hours ago, MillerVaive said:

Doug Armstrong the GM of the Blues said that we insisted on Tage being part of the deal. Many sources out there that use that term 'insisted'. But heres the 1st one i got from google: https://www.pjstar.com/sports/20180702/newly-acquired-tage-thompson-eager-to-settle-in-with-sabres  And another one:https://www.sportsandotherthings.com/nhl/2018/7/2/ryan-oreilly-to-st-louis-is-another-step-in-the-wrong-direction-for-buffalo Obviously we don't know for 100% what JBots would've accepted or not. But all signs that i've seen point that Tage was a player they really wanted.

I'm still hopeful that Tage will develop into a productive player. He's got great size & has a great shot. Just needs more refinement & playing time imo. If he's not gonna get ice time up here, i'd like to see him sent down to Rochester so he can get more reps there.

Its funny though. That 2nd link i posted where they said the ROR trade was a wrong step for Buffalo... Looks like they were wrong & everyone else who said the sky was falling with that trade. ROR has been playing great for St Louis but we've been doing pretty good ourselves. I for one continue to see the trade as a win win for both clubs. #In JBots i trust 

It's quite possible that JBot "insisted" because Thomas, Kyrou, and others were not offered at all, so he "insisted" on getting what he could instead of some other throw-in piece.

Edited November 14, 2018 by MakeSabresGrr8Again

[LGR4GM]

I wonder how sobotka will do in this game and at what point it costs erod ice time 

[In The Buff]

2 hours ago, MakeSabresGrr8Again said:

It's quite possible that JBot "insisted" because Thomas, Kyrou, and others were not offered at all, so he "insisted" on getting what he could instead of some other throw-in piece.

Yep, we just dont know, and we won't ever know.