GDT: 2/22/21 7pm Sabres at islanders

[Carmel Corn]

11 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

They just won their first game in forever and now RK is making lineup changes...   What could possibly go wrong? SMH

Anyway, another terrible matchup for the Sabres... Trotz is just light years ahead of RK when it comes to strategy.     I see a 5-1 NYI win, Sabres get maybe 20 shots on goal.    Just an ugly ugly game, exacerbated by lack of depth on the back-end.

 

To be honest, I don't know if I even see 20 SOG's tonight against a well-coached Isles team.  I can agree that a 5-1 NYI win is very possible.  The common denominator on Skinner's lack of production is HC RK.  He may be forcing Skinner to "respect" him, but RK needs to understand that he is the more replaceable commodity on the team (vs. Skinner).  Skinner and his contract is going nowhere.

[Norcal]

I wouldn't mind seeing Johansson if it's not Ullmark. 

[Stoner]

51 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Since Nov. 1, 2019 — despite playing more games — Jeff Skinner has scored fewer goals (7) and/or fewer points (14) in a Sabres uniform than

• Marcus Johansson 5/21
• Jimmy Vesey 9/18
• Johan Larsson 5/16
• Zemgus Girgensons 11/15
• Conor Sheary 6/15
• Kyle Okposo 8/14
• Curtis Lazar 8/14

He's well behind Risto, Dahlin and Montour in points and barely ahead of McCabe, Miller and Jokiharju. Heck, he's only 4 points ahead of Taylor Hall. Mittelstadt has as many points in two games this year as Jeff has in 14.

This isn't a slump, it's 60 games and 18 months of not producing.

I say it's about ***** time he sits out.

I'd say closer to 24 months. Things tailed off starting in January 2019.

[Kristian]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Since Nov. 1, 2019 — despite playing more games — Jeff Skinner has scored fewer goals (7) and/or fewer points (14) in a Sabres uniform than

• Marcus Johansson 5/21
• Jimmy Vesey 9/18
• Johan Larsson 5/16
• Zemgus Girgensons 11/15
• Conor Sheary 6/15
• Kyle Okposo 8/14
• Curtis Lazar 8/14

He's well behind Risto, Dahlin and Montour in points and barely ahead of McCabe, Miller and Jokiharju. Heck, he's only 4 points ahead of Taylor Hall. Mittelstadt has as many points in two games this year as Jeff has in 14.

This isn't a slump, it's 60 games and 18 months of not producing.

I say it's about ***** time he sits out.

Those are Ville Leino numbers.... 😳😳😳

The Tank Commander is back!

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Oh, yeah ...

GO SABRES!!

MUST WIN!!

Jeff will be in the lineup tonight.  Count on it.

A hattie for the cutie Jeffie ... sssswwwwooooosssshhhhh ...

Sabres win big ... 5 - 1

Edited February 22, 2021 by New Scotland (NS)
1 too many letters in that word ... I'm not a goodly typerer ...

[Gatorman0519]

The old record for the playoff drought is 10 years. We are looking at year 10 this year. I could make a case of not just beating it next year but could see us stretching it to 12-13 years.  

[IKnowPhysics]

1 hour ago, SwampD said:

Wait. That’s why people are saying he’ll be in the press box? Because of the order Harrington put the practice lines in a tweet?

Yes.  But it's possible that there's more floating out there from actual conversations with the coaches.

1 hour ago, LTS said:

What is it about Skinner that makes you think he's a good player?

...

There's some concept out there that Jeff Skinner is blameless in this.

Jeff is one of the highest players in the league (and leads the Sabres) in ixG/60, iHDCF/60, and iCF/60.  He's productive.  He's creation of high danger chances is simply prolific.  He tilts the ice in possession and shots.  He's a good player.

But he's not blameless.  He's paid to score.  The team needs him to score.  He's simply not burying the puck on those chances and it costs the team dearly in the win column.  What does Jeff Skinner need to do differently in order to finish on all of those chances?  I don't think even Jeff Skinner or the coaching staff knows.

1 hour ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

Jeff is a highly skilled player that is in a funk.  He needs to play.  The Sabres are a better team with Jeff in the lineup.

But this is the start.  Skinner, even goal-less gives the team a better chance to win every night than a replacement player.  The team needs Skinner to start burying all the chances he's generating and he can't do that from the press box.  Same with Eichel., Hall, Staal, and whomever is being plugged into RW2 today.

[steveoath]

Regarding Skinner 

 

[Kruppstahl]

10 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Depleted D and so many games close together meaning Hutton has to start some of them does not bode well. 

It'll be that way to the end of the season. 

So now I'm hearing Ralph wants to bench Skinner tonight? 

Ralph really doesn't like that guy.

 

 

[Kruppstahl]

1 hour ago, Carmel Corn said:

To be honest, I don't know if I even see 20 SOG's tonight against a well-coached Isles team.  I can agree that a 5-1 NYI win is very possible.  The common denominator on Skinner's lack of production is HC RK.  He may be forcing Skinner to "respect" him, but RK needs to understand that he is the more replaceable commodity on the team (vs. Skinner).  Skinner and his contract is going nowhere.

Ralph talks so much BS--he should buy into some of it himself.

He's there to bring out the best of the crew he has to work with, not impose his will or style of play on the team.

He's done a very satisfactory job of taking a natural 40 goal man and utterly destroying his game.

Good job Ralph! 

 

 

[Scottysabres]

12 minutes ago, steveoath said:

Regarding Skinner 

 

 

4 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

Ralph talks so much BS--he should buy into some of it himself.

He's there to bring out the best of the crew he has to work with, not impose his will or style of play on the team.

He's done a very satisfactory job of taking a natural 40 goal man and utterly destroying his game.

Good job Ralph! 

 

 

There is a 3rd option, the organization is trying to make it so uncomfortable for Skinner that he agrees to waive his NMC?

[Cal Naughton Jr]

2 hours ago, Mike Honcho said:

this will be a winner

Dude! You’re my alter ego!!!

[Mustache of God]

1 hour ago, Kristian said:

Those are Ville Leino numbers.... 😳😳😳

The Tank Commander is back!

Skinner is at least generating chances, he's hit some posts and is getting looks and I'm shocked he hasn't gotten a fluky bounce to go in yet.

If memory serves me correctly, which it usually doesn't, Leino was pure garbage and wasn't generating opportunities, and was given a chance to succeed by the coaches (?) , besides them saying, "hey, you're a winger, i bet you'd be a great fit at...center..."

Skinner needs to be better but so does his usage.

[Mustache of God]

18 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

 

There is a 3rd option, the organization is trying to make it so uncomfortable for Skinner that he agrees to waive his NMC?

I can't imagine a scenario right now where Adams could have a trade drawn up and Skinner would deny it. "You're saying there's a team with a coach who wants me and will use me properly, the team isn't a bottom feeder and I get paid the same? Sounds tempting but I like what's brewing here. DENIED."

[Doohicksie]

2 hours ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

Right now, and for a year he has NOT been a good player.

What else is different during that year?  Oh yeah, Ralph F***ing Krueger.

[Torpedo Forecheck]

27 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

Ralph talks so much BS--he should buy into some of it himself.

He's there to bring out the best of the crew he has to work with, not impose his will or style of play on the team.

He's done a very satisfactory job of taking a natural 40 goal man and utterly destroying his game.

Good job Ralph! 

 

 

Agreed. I keep hearing how JS is not producing and you can't blame coaching, its all his fault. What is the argument when you have a group of talented players and they are all underperforming? Does the coach not bear some responsibility? I thought good coaching was essential to team success in hockey!

[IKnowPhysics]

28 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

There is a 3rd option, the organization is trying to make it so uncomfortable for Skinner that he agrees to waive his NMC?

This is my new favorite unfounded conspiracy theory.

If it were truly RK's GM-given mission to ***** Jeff Skinner into oblivion at all costs, the overall season usage would probably look different though.  Put him out against the hardest competition, make him D-zone start 100%.  Play him 5 minutes a game.  Constantly change linemates.  Healthy scratch him and play him injured, just within CBA rules.

 

Anyways, RK typically doesn't reveal lines until game time for away games, so we'll be forced to wildly and inaccurately speculate until then.

[Marvin]

30 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

Ralph talks so much BS--he should buy into some of it himself.

He's there to bring out the best of the crew he has to work with, not impose his will or style of play on the team.

He's done a very satisfactory job of taking a natural 40 goal man and utterly destroying his game.

Good job Ralph! 

If the goal is to make Jeff Skinner a more responsible defencive player, maybe RK should learn from how the Sabres trained Gil Perreault to be better in his own end: put him out on the penalty kill.  First, it was in lop-sided games where, if they go scored on, it wouldn't matter.  Then, as he got more experienced, he got better in our end of the ice.  By the time Scotty Bowman, Roger Neilson, and Jimmy Roberts got here, he was a passable two-way player.  Maybe no one else remembers, but he was the "defencive conscience" of the "dream line" in Canada Cup 1981 (Perreault-Gretzky-Lafleur).  Even after being injured in Canada's 4th game, he led the team in scoring until their 2nd last game and still got votes for tournament MVP.

[darksabre]

Has anyone considered the possibility that Skinner and Krueger both suck?

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, steveoath said:

Regarding Skinner 

 

Hard to score that way.  Further proof that RK has no idea what he is doing on offense.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

38 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

What else is different during that year?  Oh yeah, Ralph F***ing Krueger.

Where did you find that post you are quoting?  It is attributed to me, but I did not post it?  Wierd.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

3 minutes ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

Where did you find that post you are quoting?  It is attributed to me, but I did not post it?  Wierd.

Found it ...

It was a reply by @LTS to my post.  Wierd.

[dudacek]

2 hours ago, IKnowPhysics said:

Yes.  But it's possible that there's more floating out there from actual conversations with the coaches.

Jeff is one of the highest players in the league (and leads the Sabres) in ixG/60, iHDCF/60, and iCF/60.  He's productive.  He's creation of high danger chances is simply prolific.  He tilts the ice in possession and shots.  He's a good player.

But he's not blameless.  He's paid to score.  The team needs him to score.  He's simply not burying the puck on those chances and it costs the team dearly in the win column.  What does Jeff Skinner need to do differently in order to finish on all of those chances?  I don't think even Jeff Skinner or the coaching staff knows.

But this is the start.  Skinner, even goal-less gives the team a better chance to win every night than a replacement player.  The team needs Skinner to start burying all the chances he's generating and he can't do that from the press box.  Same with Eichel., Hall, Staal, and whomever is being plugged into RW2 today.

 

But he's not. He's not productive at all.

He has no goals and one assist the entire year, and if I remember correctly that was a secondary assist that came thanks to an amazing (flukey?) pass by Sheahan.

I'd be more willing to buy into the fancy stats if Skinner's dip was short enough to call a slump. Eichel is in a slump. As @PASabreFan correctly pointed out, Jeff is in down stretch that predates Krueger, encompasses nearly two calendar years, and (other than a month-long bump when Krueger first took over) has gotten progressively worse.

Things like ice time, linemates or slumps change players from 35 goal scorers to 23 goal scorers, not 35 goal scorers to 10-goal scorers. I don't think people have really put into perspective how non-productive Jeff has been, and for how long.

In the past 45 games Skinner has 4 goals and 3 assists! Brian Flynn, Nick Deslauriers, Cody Hodgson and Torrey Mitchell put up better numbers with similar ice time, playing with each other in the depths of the tank!

It's funny how everyone says Jeff's bad play coincided with Krueger (which isn't entirely true) and almost no one talks about how it also coincided with a contract that set him up for life.

1 hour ago, darksabre said:

Has anyone considered the possibility that Skinner and Krueger both suck?

The second might be true. The first undoubtedly is.

Jeff Skinner was magical his first three months in Buffalo. That player hasn't been seen for years and I suspect he never will be again.

Blaming it all on Krueger is just fooling yourself.

Edited February 22, 2021 by dudacek

[Brawndo]

Skinner officially scratched tonight per Krueger 

 

[darksabre]

48 minutes ago, dudacek said:

 

But he's not. He's not productive at all.

He has no goals and one assist the entire year, and if I remember correctly that was a secondary assist that came thanks to an amazing (flukey?) pass by Sheahan.

I'd be more willing to buy into the fancy stats if Skinner's dip was short enough to call a slump. Eichel is in a slump. As @PASabreFan correctly pointed out, Jeff is in down stretch that predates Krueger, encompasses nearly two calendar years, and (other than a month-long bump when Krueger first took over) has gotten progressively worse.

Things like ice time, linemates or slumps change players from 35 goal scorers to 23 goal scorers, not 35 goal scorers to 10-goal scorers. I don't think people have really put into perspective how non-productive Jeff has been, and for how long.

In the past 45 games Skinner has 4 goals and 3 assists! Brian Flynn, Nick Deslauriers, Cody Hodgson and Torrey Mitchell put up better numbers with similar ice time, playing with each other in the depths of the tank!

It's funny how everyone says Jeff's bad play coincided with Krueger (which isn't entirely true) and almost no one talks about how it also coincided with a contract that set him up for life.

The second might be true. The first undoubtedly is.

Jeff Skinner was magical his first three months in Buffalo. That player hasn't been seen for years and I suspect he never will be again.

Blaming it all on Krueger is just fooling yourself.

Every year the twitter nerds get caught sniffing their own farts about some cause celibre where they think their position is infallible. Risto is "the worst" or Pilut is "the best" or that Bogo is "the worst" or O'Reilly's faceoffs don't matter. This year it's "Skinner is actually good" despite all evidence to the contrary.

It's just so boring.