GDT: Buffalo at Toronto, 7pm 9/20/19, MSG WGR

[darksabre]

33 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

I'm 100% convinced that 75% of our worst players from last year are playing on opening night, and everyone will find a way to justify it and be shocked when we're a mediocre hockey team again

The opening night roster isn't really the goalpost. Now, if this team looks largely the same at the end of October...

[erickompositör72]

What do we do if Cozens clearly outperforms Mitts?

[LGR4GM]

7 minutes ago, erickompositör72 said:

What do we do if Cozens clearly outperforms Mitts?

Be glad we have Cozens in the system. 

[dudacek]

6 minutes ago, erickompositör72 said:

What do we do if Cozens clearly outperforms Mitts?

Assuming this means he is one of our 12 best forwards, there should be no other answer than play Cozens.

Casey is not subject to waivers. If he’s not among our 12 best forwards he sits. If he’s not going to play, he goes down.

[Cityo'Rasmii]

8 minutes ago, erickompositör72 said:

What do we do if Cozens clearly outperforms Mitts?

Sorry, Erick I couldn't help myself...

Bet I can make your hands clap
Bet I can make your hands clap
Bet I can make your hands clap
Bet I can make your hands clap

Go Sabres 
Read more: Fitz & The Tantrums - HandClap Lyrics | MetroLyrics

[Randall Flagg]

27 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Is there really anyone on this board who fits this? When the most optimistic fans are saying “we have a chance to make the playoffs” that tells me we expect to be mediocre.

As for rest, Beaulieu, Pominville, Berglund and probably Elie/Wilson won’t be here, but most of Sobotka, Sheary, Okposo, Thompson, Mittelstadt, Scandella and Nelson probably will.

Montour*, Miller, Olofsson, Vesey, Jokiharju and Johansson look to be the new guys

I saw a lot of "i expect this team to make the playoffs" and "this team has enough talent to make the playoffs" in the expectations thread.

Edited September 20, 2019 by Randall Flagg

[dudacek]

9 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

I saw a lot of "i expect this team to make the playoffs" and "this team has enough talent to make the playoffs" in the expectations thread.

A lot of people said variations of “this team might compete for the playoffs”

Two of the 26 posters said they expected the team to make the playoffs.

[...]

This gives me some hope.  It doesn't sound like he likes Mitts very much.  It sounds like he has a higher opinion of Tage.  And he clearly seems to favor Borgen.

[LGR4GM]

"Casey is settling down, he looked really good today in practice and spoke to his skills today on the pp." 

"Just speaking with him about going out and playing today and having a fun. He's maybe a little tight the first game and lets hope he loosens up and let's us see the way he can play." 

Krueger on Casey. I don't get the impression at all that he "doesn't sound like he likes Mitts very much"

[...]

2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I don't get the impression at all that he "doesn't sound like he likes Mitts very much"

That's fine. I do.

[darksabre]

I gotta agree with liger here. I don't hear anything in Krueger's comments that sound negative about Casey. If anything it's that his expectations are high for Casey given his raw talent.

[LGR4GM]

I enjoy listening to Krueger talk about hockey

 

[erickompositör72]

I think Krueger is a pretty positive guy.

With that said, it's usually not a good thing if the coach needs to have a talk with you.

[darksabre]

Just now, erickompositör72 said:

I think Krueger is a pretty positive guy.

With that said, it's usually not a good thing if the coach needs to have a talk with you.

I don't think that's true at all. A big part of the Ralph Krueger approach seems to be getting to know his players one on one.

I assume everyone is going to be talking to him quite a bit. 

[...]

4 minutes ago, darksabre said:

I gotta agree with liger here. I don't hear anything in Krueger's comments that sound negative about Casey. If anything it's that his expectations are high for Casey given his raw talent.

People don't communicate solely through words. How many times have people like  yourself or liger said something to the effect of coaches and/or players will say the right words.  The words mean s%^t.  Compare his body language and tone of voice (the way he says the meaningless words) between when he's speaking about Mitts vs. when he's speaking about Borgen.  Very obvious distinction.

[LGR4GM]

To be honest, his body language is the same. 

[darksabre]

2 minutes ago, ... said:

People don't communicate solely through words. How many times have people like  yourself or liger said something to the effect of coaches and/or players will say the right words.  The words mean s%^t.  Compare his body language and tone of voice (the way he says the meaningless words) between when he's speaking about Mitts vs. when he's speaking about Borgen.  Very obvious distinction.

Sorry, there's no "there" there. You're just projecting. 

[...]

Just now, LGR4GM said:

To be honest, his body language is the same. 

Okay! 

Just now, darksabre said:

Sorry, there's no "there" there. You're just projecting. 

Okay!

[erickompositör72]

6 minutes ago, darksabre said:

I don't think that's true at all. A big part of the Ralph Krueger approach seems to be getting to know his players one on one.

I assume everyone is going to be talking to him quite a bit. 

I think he implied a different context for his "talk" with Casey. It wasn't a "let's get to know one another" talk.

It was a "you sucked the other night" talk

Edited September 20, 2019 by erickompositör72

[LGR4GM]

His tone when speaking is a little different. I think he wants more from Casey. 

[darksabre]

1 minute ago, erickompositör72 said:

I think he implied a different context for his "talk" with Casey. It wasn't a "let's get to know one another" talk.

It was a "you sucked the other night" talk

I think that's a weird read. Krueger speaks knowingly about the challenges of being a young, developing player in the NHL and it seems that he recognizes that Casey is, reasonably, in need of some guidance. That's just good coaching and doesn't speak negatively to the player at all. 

[Randall Flagg]

38 minutes ago, dudacek said:

A lot of people said variations of “this team might compete for the playoffs”

Two of the 26 posters said they expected the team to make the playoffs.

"Slightly above. 500 and flirting with the playoffs, get in by a miracle at the last second."
"Expectation: Playoffs."
"Expectation: Roster as is: 88.  Roster with another 2nd liner & Gardiner: 96."
"Due to key player injuries, we barely miss or barely make the playoffs " (with key injuries, mind you)
These were in four of the first six posts that explicitly listed expectations. If it plays out that we're playing most of the reasons we played 55 games last year as a ~64 point team, well, I stand by what I just said. Fans here and elsewhere will generally assume the team is going to be pretty good any given year. 

I'm just sensitive to this angle because, quite literally, every other notification I've received on this site over the last three years is people taking issue with me criticizing some aspect or another of the team. (Though it hasn't been as bad recently. It peaked last summer when I would spend two days putting something together and only receive comments about my attitude once it was posted)

But I should be better and just say "man, I'm not happy with the idea that the team is most likely using Scandella in its top six as plan A." 

And I know we have injuries. But even before them, people were skeptical about Joki and Pilut beating Scandy out, and he has the handedness edge over Bogosian. The idea he slipped into top six because of injuries doesn't hold for me, it's been talked about seriously all summer 

Edited September 20, 2019 by Randall Flagg

[Weave]

This lineup is interesting.  Almost as if RaKru ? has decided to put all the bubble guys out at once to have them all competing directly against each other.  Nothing like making it uncomfortable.

[dudacek]

Again, two of 26 posters said they expected the Sabres to make the playoffs.

You didn’t post “people are going to be shocked when this team struggles to hit 70 points.” But if that’s what you meant, fair comment. I think 80-90 points when I read mediocre.

7 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

"Slightly above. 500 and flirting with the playoffs, get in by a miracle at the last second."
"Expectation: Playoffs."
"Expectation: Roster as is: 88.  Roster with another 2nd liner & Gardiner: 96."
"Due to key player injuries, we barely miss or barely make the playoffs " (with key injuries, mind you)
These were in four of the first six posts that explicitly listed expectations. If it plays out that we're playing most of the reasons we played 55 games last year as a ~64 point team, well, I stand by what I just said. Fans here and elsewhere will generally assume the team is going to be pretty good any given year. 

I'm just sensitive to this angle because, quite literally, every other notification I've received on this site over the last three years is people taking issue with me criticizing some aspect or another of the team. (Though it hasn't been as bad recently. It peaked last summer when I would spend two days putting something together and only receive comments about my attitude once it was posted)

But I should be better and just say "man, I'm not happy with the idea that the team is most likely using Scandella in its top six as plan A." 

 

Edited September 20, 2019 by dudacek

[dudacek]

48 minutes ago, ... said:

This gives me some hope.  It doesn't sound like he likes Mitts very much.  It sounds like he has a higher opinion of Tage.  And he clearly seems to favor Borgen.

I read that as he didn’t like Mitt’s game in CBus very much.

Which a) isn’t the same as not liking the player and b) exactly how he should have felt.