GDT: Sabres @ Flyers 26 February 2018, 7PM on NBCS

[freester]

1 hour ago, Jacque Richard said:

And their smallest guy takes a run at dahlin.  

Sabres don’t have anyone who will keep the opponent straight. 

Bots got rid of Kane a tough goal scoring power forward. Boy we could use a guy like that. A physical presence. His contract will look like peanuts compared to Skinners contract. 

[Kruppstahl]

10 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

Do you honestly believe Ovechkin's goal scoring prowess is a result of his ability to throw a body check? His goals are rarely derived from physical play. 

Ovechkin is an extremely physical, passionate, gritty player...with enormous skill and talent on top of it.

He is like a raging inferno compared to the Sabres, who are more of a lukewarm finger bowl.

 

 

[Pimlach]

41 minutes ago, Tondas said:

Agree and add:  This team is not a passionate/gritty team. Hockey is a passionate/gritty game.

Got to love the Tracy Pratt reference.  Let's not forget Larry Hillman and Al Hamilton.

As much as we love the old time original Sabres, the defenseman on the first two teams  (Hillman, Barrie, Hamilton, Watson, Pratt, Terbence) were not a good unit.  Pratt was decent, Hillman was way past his prime, and rest were marginal.  Dumbo Jim Watson was horrible actually.  

Todays Sabres defense is light years ahead in skating and shooting.  They are a bigger unit and would kill the older teams  in the weight room or on the ice.  

The  first playoff era Sabres defenseman such as Schoeny, Korab, Hajt, Guevemont, Pratt and Robitaille were quite good for their time ... they had size and speed and a few of them could skate and shoot well even by today’s standards.  

I still think our top 6 today are better athletes with better potential.  Dahlin could be our first Norris Trophy defensemen ever someday. 

[Kruppstahl]

3 minutes ago, freester said:

Bots got rid of Kane a tough goal scoring power forward. Boy we could use a guy like that. A physical presence. His contract will look like peanuts compared to Skinners contract. 

Botterill is not interested in a tough, physical style of play and is not going to go out of his way to find players who play in that manner.  That's a huge part of our problems.  And guess what?  They're going to continue.

 

 

[TrueBlueGED]

1 minute ago, Kruppstahl said:

Ovechkin is an extremely physical, passionate, gritty player...with enormous skill and talent on top of it.

He is like a raging inferno compared to the Sabres, who are more of a lukewarm finger bowl.

 

 

I don't disagree with any of that, but it also doesn't answer my question. I asked if the poster believed that Ovechkin's goal scoring was a result of the body checks he throws. 

[Claude Balls]

12 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

Do you honestly believe Ovechkin's goal scoring prowess is a result of his ability to throw a body check? His goals are rarely derived from physical play. 

I didn't say that they were did I? I was simply implying that goal scorers are capable of throwing hits and don't always have to be ballerinas to be great players. It is possible to do both these days, which some here seem to disagree with. Hitting is and always will be part of the game. 

[Tondas]

1 minute ago, Pimlach said:

As much as we love the old time original Sabres, the defenseman on the first two teams  (Hillman, Barrie, Hamilton, Watson, Pratt, Terbence) were not a good unit.  Pratt was decent, Hillman was way past his prime, and rest were marginal.  Dumbo Jim Watson was horrible actually.  

Todays Sabres defense is light years ahead in skating and shooting.  They are a bigger unit and would kill the older teams  in the weight room or on the ice.  

The  first playoff era Sabres defenseman such as Schoeny, Korab, Hajt, Guevemont, Pratt and Robitaille were quite good for their time ... they had size and speed and a few of them could skate and shoot well even by today’s standards.  

I still think our top 6 today are better athletes with better potential.  Dahlin could be our first Norris Trophy defensemen ever someday. 

Well, yeah, but could any of our current top six sing "She was just seventeen" like Schoeny???  Hah, take that!

[TrueBlueGED]

1 minute ago, Kruppstahl said:

Botterill is not interested in a tough, physical style of play and is not going to go out of his way to find players who play in that manner.  That's a huge part of our problems.  And guess what?  They're going to continue.

 

 

What do you think is a bigger problem: lack of body checks or Sobotka getting 2C minutes? 

[SDS]

1 minute ago, Pimlach said:

As much as we love the old time original Sabres, the defenseman on the first two teams  (Hillman, Barrie, Hamilton, Watson, Pratt, Terbence) were not a good unit.  Pratt was decent, Hillman was way past his prime, and rest were marginal.  Dumbo Jim Watson was horrible actually.  

Todays Sabres defense is light years ahead in skating and shooting.  They are a bigger unit and would kill the older teams  in the weight room or on the ice.  

The  first playoff era Sabres defenseman such as Schoeny, Korab, Hajt, Guevemont, Pratt and Robitaille were quite good for their time ... they had size and speed and a few of them could skate and shoot well even by today’s standards.  

I still think our top 6 today are better athletes with better potential.  Dahlin could be our first Norris Trophy defensemen ever someday. 

There is no way on gods green earth those beer drinking dinosaurs with wooden sticks and cement skates compare to today’s athletes. Not even close. 

[Tondas]

Just now, TrueBlueGED said:

What do you think is a bigger problem: lack of body checks or Sobotka getting 2C minutes? 

That's a rhetorical question, right?

[TrueBlueGED]

1 minute ago, Claude Balls said:

I didn't say that they were did I? I was simply implying that goal scorers are capable of throwing hits and don't always have to be ballerinas to be great players. It is possible to do both these days, which some here seem to disagree with. Hitting is and always will be part of the game. 

Do you think he's one of the best players in the league because he hits or because he has a ludicrous shot? 

[Kruppstahl]

1 minute ago, TrueBlueGED said:

What do you think is a bigger problem: lack of body checks or Sobotka getting 2C minutes? 

Physical play need not have anything to do with "body checks". 

You don't have to take my word for it.  Watch the playoffs when they start.  They are a physical war.

 

 

[TrueBlueGED]

Just now, Tondas said:

That's a rhetorical question, right?

I dunno. People seem to keep pointing to not hitting enough as some gigantic problem that must be solved before we're good. 

People like to see hits. I get it. It's fun! But there still isn't any evidence it contributes to a winning team. 

[SDS]

4 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

Botterill is not interested in a tough, physical style of play and is not going to go out of his way to find players who play in that manner.  That's a huge part of our problems.  And guess what?  They're going to continue.

How do you know this?

is it not conceivable that he is trying to acquire the needed skill before he goes and drags a caveman or two out on the ice to give the local Alphas something to fist pump about?

[TrueBlueGED]

1 minute ago, Kruppstahl said:

Physical play need not have anything to do with "body checks". 

 

 

 

I agree, but the whining tonight is centered on hitting, which is why I'm pushing back. 

[Claude Balls]

1 minute ago, TrueBlueGED said:

Do you think he's one of the best players in the league because he hits or because he has a ludicrous shot? 

Both, and since he has re-focused on his defensive play, he is one of the best all around players out there.

[freester]

4 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

Botterill is not interested in a tough, physical style of play and is not going to go out of his way to find players who play in that manner.  That's a huge part of our problems.  And guess what?  They're going to continue.

 

 

I hope you’re wrong. Currently we only have Bogo and Risto as a mild physical presence. We are no more physical than the figure skaters ?

[SwampD]

1 minute ago, TrueBlueGED said:

I agree, but the whining tonight is centered on hitting, which is why I'm pushing back. 

Then yes, we needed to hit more,... all around. We’re a better team when we hit. Most teams are.

[Pimlach]

Kane with 27 Goals and 24 Assists, 51 pts,  with a whooping 118 PIM.  He fought Chara tonight 

Skinner with 36 goals and 20 assists, 56 pts, 20 PIM.  

Skinner has more consistent goal output   Kane brings real toughness, Skinner plays with an edge too.  

different players. 

 

Kane was not going to sign here. Skinner might. 

[Claude Balls]

4 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

Physical play need not have anything to do with "body checks". 

You don't have to take my word for it.  Watch the playoffs when they start.  They are a physical war.

 

 

Truth! Physicality ramps up big time in the playoffs. Sabres would get steamrolled with this lineup.

[North Buffalo]

Sabres need forwards that can hit, D hits enough... forwards do too many drive bys including Eichel... OK and Girgs are the only forwards that actually hit and that is the problem... Sam has been using his body more, and Mitts seems to be working at it, but Eichel, Skinns, Sheary and Erod are too small to be effective.  Sabres need at least two guys that can be physical... use their body.  Watch Vegas, watch Tampa, watch Boston they all hit... and most of the top teams have guys who will be physical.

[TrueBlueGED]

5 minutes ago, Claude Balls said:

Both, and since he has re-focused on his defensive play, he is one of the best all around players out there.

At least now I know I've been trolled. 

5 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Then yes, we needed to hit more,... all around. We’re a better team when we hit. Most teams are.

Still no evidence of this. 

[Claude Balls]

11 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

I dunno. People seem to keep pointing to not hitting enough as some gigantic problem that must be solved before we're good. 

People like to see hits. I get it. It's fun! But there still isn't any evidence it contributes to a winning team. 

I like to see physical play, which to me, includes hitting. I would much rather see someone make a nice clean hip check over someone slashing or crosschecking someone.

 

And because people wanna see some sort of physical play or hitting from their team, they are whiners? Guess I've been trolled too.

Edited February 27, 2019 by Claude Balls

[SDS]

6 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Then yes, we needed to hit more,... all around. We’re a better team when we hit. Most teams are.

I googled “are hits correlated with winning nhl”. Nothing I just read supported this claim. In fact, hitting has a negative correlation with winning according to these nerds. 

[Tondas]

1 minute ago, Claude Balls said:

I like to see physical play, which to me, includes hitting. I would much rather see someone make a nice clean hip check over someone slashing or crosschecking someone.

And not having to fight after landing a good hit.  Somehow, they have to get rid of that.  You get hit, that's hockey.  Get up, wipe the snot off your face and keep playing.