GDT Anaheim Ducks at Sabres 2/9/20 3pm MSG, WGR

[Curt]

48 minutes ago, dudacek said:

This is true, but whatever style you want to frame it in, it comes back to the inability to create scoring chances.

There aren't many guys who create chances virtually every game like Jack, but there are dozens of guys who can do it every two or three games — the Al Kotaliks or JP Dumonts. We just haven't been able to create that middle class that's so crucial for success over 82 games. It's so bad that when someone who actually fits that profile surfaces, like Marcus Johansson, we're shocked and tend to overrate how good he is, just because he's got some basic offensive competence.

Agree.  Johansson is a nice example. As a 2C, he’s going to be disappointing more often than not, but he can help a team create offense and I think he is a great guy to be a play driver on a 3rd line, or the 3rd best player on a top-6 line that needs some puck carrying/playmaking ability.

[Randall Flagg]

1 hour ago, SwampD said:

I think the problem is that they are even more incapable of playing old time offensive hockey.

The SwampD-inspired Sabres 2020 offseason:
Re-sign Larry, Girgs, Reinhart
Mittelstadt for Josh Anderson
Montour and a prospect for Andrew Copp
Prospect, pick to whoever has our third for our third back, so that we can offersheet Anthony Cirelli at something that would get him out of tampa (he's got a skill-and-sandpaper game, I think he'd be one of your favorites)
UFA: Braden Holtby, Ryan Reaves, JG Pageau (not a tough guy persay but I want more centers), Radko Gudas

Skinner - Eichel - Anderson
Olofsson - Cirelli - Reinhart
Johansson - Pageau - Copp
Zemgus - Larry - Reaves
extras: Lazar, Okposo

Miller - Risto
Dahlin - Jokiharju
McCabe - Gudas
hopefully Borgen is closer to making the jump, he and Pilut can split call-up duties, Pilut to replace an injured puck mover, Borgen to replace one of the other guys.
Note: Gudas may well be fried now, but he was a surprisingly effective defenseman a season and a half ago, I haven't paid attention since

Holtby (i know his stats have been down for a few years, but I'm predicting a Fleury-like rebound)
Ullmark



 

[FogBat]

3 hours ago, Tondas said:

Fantastic.  My primary focus in life is my wife,  She is my god.  We can all get along, right.

Get along? Yes.

[Doohicksie]

4 hours ago, Curt said:

Johansson ...on a top-6 line that needs some puck carrying/playmaking ability.

I don't see Johansson has a puck carrier/play maker. Virtually every time he carries the puck into the offensive zone he gets forced wide and ends up stuck in the corner.  He can carry it in the space the defense gives him, then the defense runs him out of space.

[Curt]

14 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

I don't see Johansson has a puck carrier/play maker. Virtually every time he carries the puck into the offensive zone he gets forced wide and ends up stuck in the corner.  He can carry it in the space the defense gives him, then the defense runs him out of space.

He can reliably carry it through the neutral zone and enter the offensive zone with possession.  That’s valuable and something that only 2-3 other players on the roster can do as well as him.

He doesn’t often turn that into a good scoring chance because he just isn’t that good.  If he could, he would be a 1st line player, a star.  Once in a while he can, but not often.  That’s why I say he is a good puck carrier for a 3rd line or on a top-6 line with two very good players.  3rd liners are imperfect, but useful players.

Johansson is useful, but he isn’t great.

Edited February 11, 2020 by Curt

[Weave]

9 minutes ago, Curt said:

He can reliably carry it through the neutral zone and enter the offensive zone with possession.  That’s valuable and something that only 2-3 other players on the roster can do as well as him.

He doesn’t often turn that into a good scoring chance because he just isn’t that good.  If he could, he would be a 1st line player, a star.  Once in a while he can, but not often.  That’s why I say he is a good puck carrier for a 3rd line or on a top-6 line with two very good players.  3rd liners are imperfect, but useful players.

Johansson is useful, but he isn’t great.

I tend to agree that MoJo is pretty good at zone entries.  That's one thing he does better than all on this team but Jack and Dahlin, really.

[Doohicksie]

I'll give you that.  It's after he enters the zone that his weakness is exposed.

[SwampD]

6 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

The SwampD-inspired Sabres 2020 offseason:
Re-sign Larry, Girgs, Reinhart
Mittelstadt for Josh Anderson
Montour and a prospect for Andrew Copp
Prospect, pick to whoever has our third for our third back, so that we can offersheet Anthony Cirelli at something that would get him out of tampa (he's got a skill-and-sandpaper game, I think he'd be one of your favorites)
UFA: Braden Holtby, Ryan Reaves, JG Pageau (not a tough guy persay but I want more centers), Radko Gudas

Skinner - Eichel - Anderson
Olofsson - Cirelli - Reinhart
Johansson - Pageau - Copp
Zemgus - Larry - Reaves
extras: Lazar, Okposo

Miller - Risto
Dahlin - Jokiharju
McCabe - Gudas
hopefully Borgen is closer to making the jump, he and Pilut can split call-up duties, Pilut to replace an injured puck mover, Borgen to replace one of the other guys.
Note: Gudas may well be fried now, but he was a surprisingly effective defenseman a season and a half ago, I haven't paid attention since

Holtby (i know his stats have been down for a few years, but I'm predicting a Fleury-like rebound)
Ullmark



 

Gotta say, I don't hate it.

[Randall Flagg]

9 hours ago, SwampD said:

Gotta say, I don't hate it.

I would hope not, I just built a team that would be playing in May ?