GDT 2/25/21: 7pm ET, NJ Devils @ Sabres, local TV and Radio

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

Not improved.  Just more noticeable when he's not in Eichel's shadow. 

Disagree entirely. I think he's playing a lot better than in past seasons. It's the same, but with more confidence and aggressiveness. More assertiveness. It's taken him up a level. It's not just about Eichel's lack. 

I only saw the second half of this game. Looked similar to previous nights. The same better team chemistry and effort. That 4 minute PP did us in, otherwise maybe a win. idk if it's totally related, but the TEAM is definitely better with no Skinner and Mitts is doing okay. 

[Thorner]

19 hours ago, dudacek said:

How much more?

Jeff Skinner's monthly goal totals since the second half of his last season in Carolina (the bolded marks his first three seasons in Buffalo:

• Jan. 2018 3
• Feb. 2018 5
• Mar. 2018 4
• Apr. 2018 0
• Oct. 2018: 6
• Nov. 2018: 14
• Dec. 2018: 6
• Jan. 2019: 5
• Feb. 2019: 5
• Mar. 2019 1
• Apr. 2019: 3
• Oct 2019: 7
• Nov. 2019: 3
• Dec. 2019: 1
• Jan. 2020: 0
• Feb. 2020: 3
• Mar. 2020: 0
• Jan. 2021: 0
• Jan. 2021: 0

Think a graph might show and interesting trend? He's had one good month out of the past 10, four out of the past 19.

Kyle Okposo has a good history of scoring goals prior to turning 27 and signing a big contract.

EDIT: Also, interesting to note that his second-best month came playing under Ralph (italics)with Sobotka and Johansson on his line.

4 goals is a reasonable month. That projects for about 24 in a year. 5 goals is a pretty good month. 

He has at least 7 good months there, I'd say 8. 

With all the zeros coming at the end, where his offensive zone start time went WAY down, and his linemates went WAY down - we can tell there's also another issue. He also draws penalties at an elite rate, which is something I'm going to keep mentioning, as we have a very good PP and it's of massive value. 

I'm assuming you are being so one-sided here to counteract the fact that there's a lot one sided the other way at the moment. 

[Thorner]

19 hours ago, Mustache of God said:

Why isn't Okposo, someone with 1 point this year getting similar treatment? Despite being stapled to the 4th line Skinner was still generating chances, and hitting posts. Okposo dumps the puck in and changes. 

I understand sitting Skinner for a game to get him going, but going into 3 games and not even practicing with the team? Something else has to be going on behind the scenes. 

Skinner was getting us the man advantage. If nothing else, it's more conducive to winning than the net-negative KO clearly is. 

- - - 

On another note, Eakin's numbers are terrible, Larsson would have been a massive upgrade. 

[Thorner]

17 hours ago, dudacek said:

Just because people keep saying this doesn't make it true.

Skinner continued to play close to 18 minutes a night in November and December last season despite the fact he only scored 4 goals in that period and started what eventually became a 22-game goalless drought.

Skinner stopped scoring well before Krueger started "jerking him around"

 

Jack's also had as bad of a goal scoring stretch the last while - and people are calling it "luck". Yes, Jack is gaining assists, but we can't ignore the other areas of value Skinner provides. Just because they aren't surface level doesn't mean they don't provide value - especially when the bar is apparently only the TWELVTH best F. 

Skinner is not our 13th forward. Even RIGHT NOW in this stretch. 

[Mustache of God]

It's baffling that with Eichel out you still opt to sit Skinner. 

I'm fine with not signing Larsson, he's been here for too long. I also hated giving Girgensons 2 years. I like both of the players but they've been part of this failing organization for too long. 

[Thorner]

15 hours ago, Kruppstahl said:

Anyone listen to Krueger's pre-game PC?  

He was asked about Skinner.

He went out of his way to emphasize that he loves being transparent with the press, he would love to be able to tell everything that is going on, and that there is a lot of stuff going on in totality behind the scenes.

But he can't say everything and he assured everyone they are making decisions with all factors in mind for the good of the entire team/organization.

It was interesting...basically saying "Hey guys, if you knew everything I know, you'd know why he's been scratched 3 games in a row too!"

I wonder if Skinner straight up skips team meetings or something? And has been warned not to, and he thumbed his nose at the organization anyway?  Something like that?

Then again, Ralph has suggested Skinner is a consummate professional.

I have no idea what is going on!

 

 

 

These things kinda lost their intrigue for me after Kim's "I think we know a little bit more than the fans"

[Thorner]

14 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Ullmark out 

 

Hutton in

It's hilarious how obvious of a need this was coming into the season, that went unaddressed. 

Baffling, totally baffling. 

[Mustache of God]

13 minutes ago, Thorny said:

It's hilarious how obvious of a need this was coming into the season, that went unaddressed. 

Baffling, totally baffling. 

I wouldn't call myself completely baffled by this move, in my mind GMKA knows he has 1 more year of Hutton and was probably leaning on the infusion of Hall bringing more offense to make up for Hutton's play? Why trade Hutton when you'd need to add an asset to get rid of him? There's no market for him. KAs only option would have been to waive him and bring someone else in, which would have at least sent a message? I don't know. I think he's probably handcuffed by ownership because they don't want to pay more people to not work.

[Thorner]

4 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

I wouldn't call myself completely baffled by this move, in my mind GMKA knows he has 1 more year of Hutton and was probably leaning on the infusion of Hall bringing more offense to make up for Hutton's play? Why trade Hutton when you'd need to add an asset to get rid of him? There's no market for him. KAs only option would have been to waive him and bring someone else in, which would have at least sent a message? I don't know. I think he's probably handcuffed by ownership because they don't want to pay more people to not work.

We are trying to make the playoffs and Hutton represents a position filled MOST-inadequately. That's unacceptable, there's really nothing more to it than that. 

"1 more year"....

we only HAVE Hall for one year. 

Baffling. 

[Kruppstahl]

16 hours ago, Gatorman0519 said:

We need another goalie desperately 

 

16 hours ago, Second Line Center said:

Hutton sucks.  

 

16 hours ago, 7+6=13 said:

Hutton is the worst goalie in the league.

 

16 hours ago, IKnowPhysics said:

Hutton is a ***** sieve.

 

16 hours ago, Claude Balls said:

Hutton needs to be in Erie

 

15 hours ago, sabresouth said:

Management is 100% responsible for not upgrading goaltending in some way. And then they want us to believe when they say we're in it to win it. Sheesh...

The most predictable thing about this lineup prior to the start of the season was that our goaltending was not nearly good enough and needed to be improved.

Those who run this organization know that too.

They did nothing.  It shows you where their heads are at now.

It's not about icing the best possible team; it's also not about saving every last penny.

But it is somewhere in between.

Hutton is not an NHL goalie and this organization knows it, but yet they retain him for obvious reasons.

TWO THUMBS DOWN!

 

 

[Kruppstahl]

19 hours ago, IKnowPhysics said:

He said before the last game, after specifically being asked, that Skinner being benched was not disciplinary in any way.

edit: And definitively repeated that again today.

And yet Skinner was still benched last night, even with Jack being out and making a spot for him! 

But the benching isn't punitive? 

Of course it is!  Does Ralph really think Skinner wasn't going to be one of his best 20 guys to dress last night?

There is no way this whole thing is purely about Skinner's performance on the ice.  Can't be.

There's way more here, and we don't know what it is.

Some have suggested it's all being done as a way to instigate Skinner into waiving his no move clause.

That makes as much sense as anything, at least until we hear new, better information.

 

[triumph_communes]

Hutton is pure garbage and the team knows it and plays poorly because of it

 

Hall and Eichel are completely underperforming. 

[erickompositör72]

9 hours ago, Thorny said:

These things kinda lost their intrigue for me after Kim's "I think we know a little bit more than the fans"

To be fair, this is a different context. It could be such a multitude of personal issues. Who of us knew Lehner was battling alcoholism?

[Norcal]

3 hours ago, triumph_communes said:

Hutton is pure garbage and the team knows it and plays poorly because of it

 

Hall and Eichel are completely underperforming. 

What sucks is that last game Hall appeared to be giving a better effort but still came away with the same lackluster result. 

[bob_sauve28]

On 2/25/2021 at 8:02 PM, Brawndo said:

Ullmark out 

 

Hutton in

This was the moment the ceiling collapsed. We were winning, looking to make it two wins in a row, Devils were reeling and then...