2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round

[Brawndo]

8 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Honestly? Heiskanen *looks* better than Dahlin defensively,  and plays a more physical game.  He plays a more grown up game.

I watch Stars games and I want Dahlin to be better than Heiskanen, but Heiskanen just looks better to me.

They are closer than the eye test indicates 

[...]

So, Nashville is going to have to do some re-tooling.  Their system and ours are very, very similar and it's pretty clear, without some changes, that system is less than ideal for the playoffs.  I think Laviolette is safe for next season (unless his contract is up, I don't know), but I bet he cycles through some assistants.

[Doohicksie]

8 hours ago, North Buffalo said:

Bishop deserves Vesina

They mentioned that during the local Stars coverage- that it was a battle of the reigning Vezina winner and perhaps the next one.  OT was intense, with each team getting the other trapped in their own zone with tired players for extended shifts.  I thought home ice advantage would rule in this game, and it did.  The house was hoppin'.

[Doohicksie]

43 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

They are closer than the eye test indicates 

People keep posting those charts; I have no idea what the categories mean but I understand that it shows Dahlin is better than Heiskanen.  I'm not sure if it shows or not, but we all saw Dahlin making the rookie blunders; they often didn't result in a goal or even a scoring chance, but it was obvious he got burned by NHL competition on occasion.  Maybe because I only started watching Heiskanen at the end of the year and he was playing for a playoff team where mistakes simply can't be tolerated, he just looked more solid and competent.

46 minutes ago, ... said:

but I bet he cycles through some assistants.

Well he can have Housley back if he wants him.

[...]

3 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Well he can have Housley back if he wants him.

I found some interesting Twitter activity on this I put in the coaches thread.

[LTS]

21 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

That's because the rule book sucks! I feel bad for any new fan who goes to that document to try and understand the call they just saw get made. What's charging? Who knows.

I see the point on "puck battle," but I don't think McNabb was engaged in such a thing.

The rule book defines what is illegal and as such everything else, I guess, is legal.  However, McNabb was engaged in a battle for the puck as soon as the puck was near the player who was about to play it.  It's not like pass interference in the NFL where you have to wait for the guy to touch the puck.  It's in his "frame" so he's legal to be hit.  It's certainly not clear cut as people might like it to be though.

14 hours ago, Thorny said:

He's a fundamental reason why they are a good team. We suck right now with Jack Eichel, but we better believe when we are finally good, he's going to be a big part of why. 

The Blues were bad in spite of ROR being really good, it's the same with Buffalo and Jack. 

Yes, they might be a worse team without ROR, but from a standings and statistics point of view (record notwithstanding) they were fundamentally the same team as the year before without ROR.  The difference was they started playing defense and got a great goaltender.  Cue, Berube and Binnington.

13 hours ago, Pimlach said:

I’m in St Louis and I can tell you that ROR is given great credit for helping keep this team together during the slump.  He is known as the first guy at practice and the last to leave.  They love him here.   He is superior to Stastny  as a leader and as a player. 

The Blues turnaround is largely due to Binington and the coaching change.  ROR has been consistently good, even when the team was not.  

And ROR received the same credit here (other than the slump being the whole season).  He was the first guy there, last to leave, blah blah blah.  ROR is the same player there that he was in Buffalo.  The Blues were largely the same team with or without ROR (the season prior to this season).  ROR is a constant.  The Blues improved because of goaltending and the Blues were better than the Sabres because of superior talent and clearly Berube was a good coach for the team.  ROR was in St. Louis before Binnington and Berube and the team was awful.  He was the leading scorer and the team was dead last in the league (just like Buffalo).  He doesn't change the team.  He's a very good player, but he's just one person.

I'm not sure how much more obvious the point can be made.  It's okay for ROR to be the same consistently good player, wherever he goes, and still NOT be the reason the Blues are in the playoffs and NOT have had any impact in Buffalo.  Keep in mind, the Sabres did improve this year.  And, if you want to say "but without the 10 game win streak" you can say that, but I will ask you to remove 10 of the Blues 12 game win streak and see where they end up.  Streaks are streaks.

This point should be done now.  It won't be, but it should be.

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

People keep posting those charts; I have no idea what the categories mean but I understand that it shows Dahlin is better than Heiskanen.  I'm not sure if it shows or not, but we all saw Dahlin making the rookie blunders; they often didn't result in a goal or even a scoring chance, but it was obvious he got burned by NHL competition on occasion.  Maybe because I only started watching Heiskanen at the end of the year and he was playing for a playoff team where mistakes simply can't be tolerated, he just looked more solid and competent.

Well he can have Housley back if he wants him.

That's why a year older does for you. Heiskanen has 1 extra year of development and experience. Dahlin's blunders rarely appeared twice.  He made some risky plays but if they didn't pan out, it wasn't a big deal because of where and how he made them. There are so many small things Dahlin does that contribute to those charts. Heiskanen is very good and may have been a more rounded player than Dahlin this season. The interesting thing isn't this season or really next. The interesting thing will be 23yr old Heiskanen v. 22yr old Dahlin. Dahlin's ceiling is higher IMPO. 

Edited April 23, 2019 by LGR4GM

[LGR4GM]

Random thought, with Columbus loading up on talent and then beating Tampa, does it add more buyers at the next deadline? 

[...]

8 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Random thought, with Columbus loading up on talent and then beating Tampa, does it add more buyers at the next deadline? 

If they go deep, it likely will change the way GM's think of how they approach their rosters.

[Doohicksie]

Eh.  Not so sure.  Look at all the teams that bought at the deadline.  One, Columbus, did quite well.  Zuccarello is doing well for Dallas.  But beyond that, I'm not sure trade deadline deals are having any more impact than in past years.

Short summary:  Columbus got lucky that their deadline moves worked out perfectly.

[Brawndo]

3 hours ago, Doohickie said:

People keep posting those charts; I have no idea what the categories mean but I understand that it shows Dahlin is better than Heiskanen.  I'm not sure if it shows or not, but we all saw Dahlin making the rookie blunders; they often didn't result in a goal or even a scoring chance, but it was obvious he got burned by NHL competition on occasion.  Maybe because I only started watching Heiskanen at the end of the year and he was playing for a playoff team where mistakes simply can't be tolerated, he just looked more solid and competent.

Well he can have Housley back if he wants him.

 

 

 

Compare how they defense the blue line and remember that one of them played his entire rookie year at 18 compared to the other being 19. 

As Sabres Fans every mistake he makes we will notice, we need to remember how good he actually is. 

[Doohicksie]

These stats track the positives, and I have no doubt in Dahlin's ability to stop rushes and clear the zone.  But what about the negatives?  Giveaways?  Scoring chances allowed?  Unforced errors?  These are where Rasmus scared me this season. 

[WildCard]

21 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

 

 

Compare how they defense the blue line and remember that one of them played his entire rookie year at 18 compared to the other being 19. 

As Sabres Fans every mistake he makes we will notice, we need to remember how good he actually is. 

 

I wanted Ghost years ago and I want him again now

[Pimlach]

4 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Random thought, with Columbus loading up on talent and then beating Tampa, does it add more buyers at the next deadline? 

 yes, copycat league.  Especially if the win another round. 

[Thorner]

6 hours ago, Brawndo said:

They are closer than the eye test indicates 

Closer? Apologies if I'm not reading these or other charts/stats properly, but eye test aside, wasn't Dahlin significantly better statistically this season than Heiskanen? Not just the simple stats but the underlying numbers too?

Edited April 23, 2019 by Thorny

[Thorner]

4 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

That's why a year older does for you. Heiskanen has 1 extra year of development and experience. Dahlin's blunders rarely appeared twice.  He made some risky plays but if they didn't pan out, it wasn't a big deal because of where and how he made them. There are so many small things Dahlin does that contribute to those charts. Heiskanen is very good and may have been a more rounded player than Dahlin this season. The interesting thing isn't this season or really next. The interesting thing will be 23yr old Heiskanen v. 22yr old Dahlin. Dahlin's ceiling is higher IMPO. 

Ya, maybe. But Dahlin was better. What Dahlin (maybe? Dahlin had the better +/- (I know) on a much weaker team) slightly lacked relative to Heiskanen defensively, he more than made up for in offensive contribution. He scored 33% more points than Heiskanen. That's a lot. 

[Zamboni]

I’m gonna go with BOS and SJS winning tonight.

[Thorner]

7 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

I’m gonna go with BOS and SJS winning tonight.

I'll take the two road teams. 

[Tondas]

God, I hate the Leafs.  God, I hate the Bruins.  Decisions, decisions.

[sodbuster]

I don't want to see TML win a cup in my lifetime.

[Tondas]

1 minute ago, sodbuster said:

I don't want to see TML win a cup in my lifetime.

And I hope you live to be 110 years old.

[sodbuster]

17 minutes ago, Tondas said:

And I hope you live to be 110 years old.

Jeez, I hope I don't. There are mornings i wake up and wonder if 30 is in the cards.?

[Pimlach]

Blow Leaves Blow.  

 

Cant believe I’m pulling for Bahstin 

[Pimlach]

2-0 B’s are buzzing 

[CallawaySabres]

Die Toronto!