Practice Lines 1/29/21; Reinhart Day to Day with an UBI

[Brawndo]

Reinhart not practicing today 

Edited January 29, 2021 by Brawndo

[dudacek]

What the hell is Jack Quinn doing?

We see the other taxi squaders in practice and even getting shots with the team. We see the other prospects in training camp with Rochester.

Jack seems to have been tucked away in a closet somewhere.

[Taro T]

6 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Reinhart not practicing today 

So, looks like the bottom 2 lines are set and Olofsson & Hall continue to bounce between Eichel's & Staal's line.

Guess Jokiharju must be good to go.  Interesting that Dahlin stays on the 3rd pairing.

[dudacek]

That lineup looks like everybody will be getting another chance to make up for yesterday.

Except Irwin who was an injury replacement anyway (and looked abysmal last night).

Hope Hall can find himself on that line. He really looks out of sync and I think he might be in his own head right now.

[GASabresIUFAN]

RK have some guts

try

Skinner Jack Sam

Hall Staal Olofsson

Mittelstadt Lazar Cozens

Rieder Eakin Sheahan

[steveoath]

3 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

RK have some guts

try

Skinner Jack Sam

Hall Staal Olofsson

Mittelstadt Lazar Cozens

Rieder Eakin Sheahan

Eek, that third line. I'd rather see Cozens up with Staal. And if were putting prospects on the third go with Olofsson-lazar-r2 (or quinn but I suspect he's not ready).

[jsb]

14 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

RK have some guts

try

Skinner Jack Sam

Hall Staal Olofsson

Mittelstadt Lazar Cozens

Rieder Eakin Sheahan

😀😀😀

Edited January 29, 2021 by jsb

[fiftyone]

Agreed. That third line looks like a disaster to me too. I think avoiding something that looks like that is the reason that RK has the talent a bit spread out. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

This team plays one good game one bad each series.  If the PP doesn’t score we don’t score.  

The setup we have isn’t yielding consistent good results. Moving guys around who aren’t giving a winning effort won’t work.  They need to be benched. 

Time to try something else.   Try the kids.  Mitts, R2 or Quinn.  They can’t be worse and at least they’ll be happy to be in the NHL.  

Edited January 29, 2021 by GASabresIUFAN

[Brawndo]

 

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

13 minutes ago, fiftyone said:

Agreed. That third line looks like a disaster to me too. I think avoiding something that looks like that is the reason that RK has the talent a bit spread out. 

Lol.  What did you see last night? A disaster.  Where is our 5 on 5 scoring?  How do know what kids can do unless you actually play them.  

[fiftyone]

Last night was terrible, no doubt. I just don't think a line of Mitts-Lazar-Cozens is the answer. I absolutely do think it could be worse, and a line like that might be what brings us there.

[GASabresIUFAN]

4 minutes ago, fiftyone said:

Last night was terrible, no doubt. I just don't think a line of Mitts-Lazar-Cozens is the answer. I absolutely do think it could be worse, and a line like that might be what brings us there.

Maybe, maybe not, but not a disaster.  Cozens and Lazar give an honest effort most nights and Mitts, in his only start, played fine.  Ask yourself who has more O upside Mitts or KO or Sheahan or even Eakin? This team is desperate for 5 on 5 scoring.  In 5 of 8 and in the last 3, the team has produced one or less even strength goals per game.   

The truth is most of the vets aren’t giving honest efforts night in and night out.  As a team we have only been the better team twice (Philly game 1 and NYR game1) in 3 games we got beat and 3 games we played pretty even, thus a record of 3-3-2.  We are what this record shows 15% of the way through this season.  So the question is how do we get a consistent effort?  Imho you bench guys who aren’t giving the effort or producing and give others a shot.  Eventually RK will get to this point, but we  can’t wait even 25 games if the goal is the playoffs.

[repster]

Zajac and both goalies Blackwood and Dell in COVID protocol and will miss the weekend for the Devils.

I know they still have Wedgewood who has played well for them, but this will be his 5th game in a row.

This has to turn into 4 points for the Sabres.  

They have to take advantage of these absences to key players on opposing teams.

They got 3 of 4 from the Caps, but they are better than the Devils.  

There has to be a strong response to the effort last night, like the Rangers and Flyers did to us after we won the first two games against those teams

Edited January 29, 2021 by repster

[fiftyone]

7 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Maybe, maybe not, but not a disaster.  Cozens and Lazar give an honest effort most nights and Mitts, in his only start, played fine.  Ask yourself who has more O upside Mitts or KO or Sheahan or even Eakin? This team is desperate for 5 on 5 scoring.  In 5 of 8 and in the last 3, the team has produced one or less even strength goals per game.   

The truth is most of the vets aren’t giving honest efforts night in and night out.  As a team we have only been the better team twice (Philly game 1 and NYR game1) in 3 games we got beat and 3 games we played pretty even, thus a record of 3-3-2.  We are what this record shows 15% of the way through this season.  So the question is how do we get a consistent effort?  Imho you bench guys who aren’t giving the effort or producing and give others a shot.  Eventually RK will get to this point, but we  can’t wait even 25 games if the goal is the playoffs.

I disagree with the bolded. I haven't seen lack of effort, and i'd be interested to hear who you're pointing to. The closest thing i've seen, to be honest, is Dahlin -- but I think that is just some quirk is his style of play that can be perceived as playing slowly or lack of effort (or that's my hope, anyway).

To the 5 on 5 scoring, I agree we need more. But as mentioned in the analytics thread, the numbers show that we should expect better results moving forward, and maybe "should" have had better results based on our play thus far. Now, that doesn't mean anything in terms of results, but may point toward staying the course rather than "blowing it up."

Additionally, I think the potential 5 on 5 gain in goals scored with a line like that would be more than counteracted by what they'd give up on the other end.

[Norcal]

Just waive Okposo already 

[GASabresIUFAN]

21 minutes ago, fiftyone said:

I disagree with the bolded. I haven't seen lack of effort, and i'd be interested to hear who you're pointing to. The closest thing i've seen, to be honest, is Dahlin -- but I think that is just some quirk is his style of play that can be perceived as playing slowly or lack of effort (or that's my hope, anyway).

To the 5 on 5 scoring, I agree we need more. But as mentioned in the analytics thread, the numbers show that we should expect better results moving forward, and maybe "should" have had better results based on our play thus far. Now, that doesn't mean anything in terms of results, but may point toward staying the course rather than "blowing it up."

Additionally, I think the potential 5 on 5 gain in goals scored with a line like that would be more than counteracted by what they'd give up on the other end.

Except Lazar is very good defensively and Cozens is already a 200 ft player.  RK actually praised Mitts defensive effort in his last game and gave him shifts with Eakin’s line.  This is consistent with Taylor’s and RK’s off-season comments on Mitts and his development as a 200 ft player.  It’s also incumbent on RK to utilize them properly. We have seen kid lines before (Vanek Roy Max) succeed.  I’m not sure my suggestion is the answer, but I’d rather try something new then watch this same old movie over and over again.

As to vet effort, can you really say Hall, Eakin, Dahlin, Staal, Rieder, Miller, Montour, Skinner, Samson, Jack, and even Sheahan have given us max effort each night? I don’t think you can.  Let’s take Eakin for example. He has done a better job of late killing penalties and has been excellent in the faceoff circle.  However he was brought in to be the 3C, which means two way play including scoring.  Has he even come close? I can think of 4 games he was completely invisible and last night he was a liability 5 on 5 in our zone.  Dahlin has been lost all season.  Miller, a disaster defensively.  Hall has been MIA for the last few games.  Jack disinterest half the time has been very telling.  

It’s sad because this team shows some potential.  The special teams are improved, the D structure despite Miller and Dahlin has been very good.  Ullmark is rounding into form.  However all that keeps us in games.  We need to score consistently 5 on 5 to be a playoff team.  I just don’t see that happening with the current forward alignment and RK’s coaching style.  We need less checkers and more scorers.   

Edited January 29, 2021 by GASabresIUFAN

[fiftyone]

26 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Except Lazar is very good defensively and Cozens is already a 200 ft player.  RK actually praised Mitts defensive effort in his last game and gave him shifts with Eakin’s line.  This is consistent with Taylor’s and RK’s off-season comments on Mitts and his development as a 200 ft player.  It’s also incumbent on RK to utilize them properly. We have seen kid lines before (Vanek Roy Max) succeed.  I’m not sure my suggestion is the answer, but I’d rather try something new then watch this same old movie over and over again.

As to vet effort, can you really say Hall, Eakin, Dahlin, Staal, Rieder, Miller, Montour, Skinner, Samson, Jack, and even Sheahan have given us max effort each night? I don’t think you can.  Let’s take Eakin for example. He has done a better job of late killing penalties and has been excellent in the faceoff circle.  However he was brought in to be the 3C, which means two way play including scoring.  Has he even come close? I can think of 4 games he was completely invisible and last night he was a liability 5 on 5 in our zone.  Dahlin has been lost all season.  Miller, a disaster defensively.  Hall has been MIA for the last few games.  Jack disinterest half the time has been very telling.  

It’s sad because this team shows some potential.  The special teams are improved, the D structure despite Miller and Dahlin has been very good.  Ullmark is rounding into form.  However all that keeps us in games.  We need to score consistently 5 on 5 to be a playoff team.  I just don’t see that happening with the current forward alignment and RK’s coaching style.  We need less checkers and more scorers.   

To the middle portion - I don't disagree that some of our players have been ineffective, I just don't necessarily think it has been as a result of a lack of effort as mentioned in your earlier post. When I think of lacking effort, I think of watching specific plays and thinking to myself, "he could have won that puck battle if he had been trying harder" or something to that effect. General lack of effort comments feel like they're more focusing on results than actual effort, IMO.

 

[inkman]

47 minutes ago, Norcal said:

Just waive Okposo already 

And pay him $4 mill to not be on the roster?  I think that’s how it works.  @Taro T help!  

[GASabresIUFAN]

20 minutes ago, inkman said:

And pay him $4 mill to not be on the roster?  I think that’s how it works.  @Taro T help!  

He gets the full $6 mill salary.  We just get a cap credit of 1.1 mill.

[nfreeman]

I'm kinda annoyed about Reino's injury, which I would guess was from the cheap shot he took after he scored his goal -- I think he raised his arms in the standard celebration and one of the Rangers hit him in the side.

FTR, and in full appreciation of the Reino supporters here -- I think he's probably been the Sabres' best forward this year, and he's certainly making a strong case for a long-term deal.  At this point, if you think the Sabres can give a long-term deal to only one of Reino or Hall, Reino's the one who's got the better argument so far.

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

And pay him $4 mill to not be on the roster?  I think that’s how it works.  @Taro T help!  

They're outside the buyout window.  Unless they get a gentleman's agreement with Okposo that he'll just walk away like Bogosian did (but from the 2-1/2 years left on the contract!) or they find a sucker that'll take him in a trade, they'll have to pay him the rest of this year's salary regardless of whether he plays in Buffalo, Ra-cha-cha, or wherever else he might get loaned and he'll still count as $4.885MM against the cap if he's loaned anywhere except Buffalo (where his cap hit is the full $6MM).

He isn't going anywhere.  And likely not next year either.  Best case for the cap is him having to retire due to injury.  (Ideally from past injuries somehow & not a new one, though that would technically be circumvision most likely.) Still cringe every time he takes a cheap shot into the boards based on his past history.

PS - Guess what the tablet wanted to convert circumvision to, twice!  😮 

Edited January 29, 2021 by Taro T

[Curt]

3 hours ago, Norcal said:

Just waive Okposo already 

People really coming down hard on Okposo.  I hope everyone remembers that he is not some AHL bum.  He has been a consistently good bottom 6 forward.  He was off from action for 10 months, then suffered an injury that kept him out for another 3 weeks.  It might take a guy a few games to get back to full speed.

And I didn’t even think he looked particularly bad last night.

[Zamboni]

Without Sam in the lineup that’s gonna be a big loss. Eichel and Hall need to step it up, along with Skinner and Staal. 

[PerreaultForever]

If Reinhart can't go, this is the perfect opportunity for Ralph to try Skinner with Jack and see what happens. Switch Olofsson over to RW and play Skinner-Eichel-Olofsson and not the giraffe. 

If it works, Skinner earns his top line spot and we have Skinner-Eichel-Reinhart again when Sam is back. If it doesn't, back to line 4 Skinner goes. Ralph gets to save face as it was an injury move and nobody has to placate their ego. It's the perfect opportunity and if Ralph isn't taking it it means he will never give Skinner another real chance to prove himself.