GDT: 4/6/21 Sabres at NJ Devils, 7pm ET, MSG & WGR

[thewookie1]

1 minute ago, inkman said:

The last part of that is so damning of the previous coaches.  Like no one on the team wanted to touch the puck because Ralph’s system was so *****. 

Maybe that's why Hall loved it so much? He had been ordained a puck carrier and thus had a large share of the puck possession for the team.

[matter2003]

I am not sure what Granato has done exactly but they look night and day different from the team under RK

[inkman]

Figured @DarthEbriate would appreciate this. 🙂

[matter2003]

30 minutes ago, darksabre said:

I don't know if Granato deserves any credit beyond being a replacement level coach, but whatever he's not doing is working. 

Why do we assume he is a bad coach? No NHL experience but he is the winningest coach in Worcester IceCats history in the AHL with a 191-130-45-14 record.  Who is to say he might not turn into a very good coach given enough time and growth into the position?  Clearly he has something working lately with a 3-0-2 record in the last 5 games with 8 of a possible 10 points and leads in the 3 games prior to that.

Edited April 7, 2021 by matter2003

[inkman]

7 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

Maybe that's why Hall loved it so much? He had been ordained a puck carrier and thus had a large share of the puck possession for the team.

You are wise in the ways of science 

[JohnC]

When you have good goaltending you are usually in the game even if territorially the other team has the margin. 

Dahlin has been unshackled. He and Joki complement each other. Joki plays the tighter defensive game allowing Dahlin to do more creative freelancing on offense. 

Mitts has taken a lot of heat from the crowd.  Understandably so.  Each game he seems to get better and more confident. 

Under Granato the team is getting better and playing a faster north/south game. And what is most encouraging is that the younger players are getting better.

My money is on Granato being the HC next season. 

 

[matter2003]

2 minutes ago, JohnC said:

When you have good goaltending you are usually in the game even if territorially the other team has the margin. 

Dahlin has been unshackled. He and Joki complement each other. Joki plays the tighter defensive game allowing Dahlin to do more creative freelancing on offense. 

Mitts has taken a lot of heat from the crowd.  Understandably so.  Each game he seems to get better and more confident. 

Under Granato the team is getting better and playing a faster north/south game. And what is most encouraging is that the younger players are getting better.

My money is on Granato being the HC next season. 

 

I mean, if we finally have a coach that seems to get this team to play well, understand what they are supposed to do on the ice and execute it and look like a competent NHL team more times than not, then who cares what his name is. Hire Tiny Dancer for all I care.

Edited April 7, 2021 by matter2003

[PromoTheRobot]

6 minutes ago, JohnC said:

When you have good goaltending you are usually in the game even if territorially the other team has the margin. 

Dahlin has been unshackled. He and Joki complement each other. Joki plays the tighter defensive game allowing Dahlin to do more creative freelancing on offense. 

Mitts has taken a lot of heat from the crowd.  Understandably so.  Each game he seems to get better and more confident. 

Under Granato the team is getting better and playing a faster north/south game. And what is most encouraging is that the younger players are getting better.

My money is on Granato being the HC next season. 

 

True, but we are scoring now. 

[Jon in Pasadena]

38 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

We could score more goals if we had more Rasmi!

 

[Cascade Youth]

4 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

I mean, if we finally have a coach that seems to get this team to play well, understand what they are supposed to do on the ice and execute it and look like a competent NHL team more times than not, then who cares what his name is. Hire Tiny Dancer for all I care.

There are young players who actually seem to be improving into the best versions of themselves.  Haven’t had that in AGES.  That to me is good coaching but, of course, small sample size.

[JohnC]

Just now, PromoTheRobot said:

True, but we are scoring now. 

I agree with your comment. Good goaltending and scoring certainly go hand and hand in winning. In this game I thought that Jersey territorially had the edge and that Ullmark had more tougher shots to stop. He made them. In my mind that was the difference

[Doohicksie]

14 minutes ago, JohnC said:

My money is on Granato being the HC next season. 

It really depends, I think, on any AGM(s) that KA hires.  If he brings them in for their experience, smarts and connections and then doesn't take advantage of them, this won't end well.  If he brings them in and they, as outsiders, unanimously back a Granato hire, then it's ordained.

[Norcal]

I mean, someone will say it's only the Devils but when the Sabres roll a line of Thompson Mittlestadt and Asplund out there with Fogarty and then Bryson filling in on D I'd say that organizational depth looks a little better right now.

They all have contributed positively in the recent run.

[miles]

[JohnC]

Just now, Doohickie said:

It really depends, I think, on any AGM(s) that KA hires.  If he brings them in for their experience, smarts and connections and then doesn't take advantage of them, this won't end well.  If he brings them in and they, as outsiders, unanimously back a Granato hire, then it's ordained.

Even with the consultation from the added staff what will tilt the selection of Granato is how this team finishes this turbulent season. If the overall play is dramatically better since his elevation this season and the younger players continue to get better then why wouldn't you retain him? 

[Norcal]

2 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

It really depends, I think, on any AGM(s) that KA hires.  If he brings them in for their experience, smarts and connections and then doesn't take advantage of them, this won't end well.  If he brings them in and they, as outsiders, unanimously back a Granato hire, then it's ordained.

The Granato name holds weight in hockey circles.

 

[LGR4GM]

Look, I'm glad we won. We're starting to play better but the shot metrics say we're still basically the same team. Granato isn't some magician. 

[PerreaultForever]

26 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

I am not sure what Granato has done exactly but they look night and day different from the team under RK

I'm not sure it's all that complicated. He's opened it up and they are playing loose. Going to be interesting to see what they do up against the tough checking teams. Washington and Boston games will tell us more.

I have to think this team quit on Ralph. They didn't like the style he wanted and/or couldn't play it but whatever the case, the effort level is much higher now. There is emotion and we seem to have lost that dead in the eyes quit we had before. Some of that is because we're playing the kids and letting them play but again, they are just playing loose and energetic.

What's left of the core (at the moment) still not looking great though. Skinner is still a bust, and while Reinhart hasn't been bad or anything, he's mot the guy leading this either. 

[Second Line Center]

29 minutes ago, JohnC said:

When you have good goaltending you are usually in the game even if territorially the other team has the margin. 

Dahlin has been unshackled. He and Joki complement each other. Joki plays the tighter defensive game allowing Dahlin to do more creative freelancing on offense. 

Mitts has taken a lot of heat from the crowd.  Understandably so.  Each game he seems to get better and more confident. 

Under Granato the team is getting better and playing a faster north/south game. And what is most encouraging is that the younger players are getting better.

My money is on Granato being the HC next season. 

 

 

If they maintain this how can he not?  

[JohnC]

6 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Look, I'm glad we won. We're starting to play better but the shot metrics say we're still basically the same team. Granato isn't some magician. 

No one is claiming that he is a magician?  What is obvious is that this team is playing demonstrably better and the younger players are improving. And it should be noted that on ice play is not better but it is being done with a much depleted roster due to injuries. 

[PromoTheRobot]

20 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I agree with your comment. Good goaltending and scoring certainly go hand and hand in winning. In this game I thought that Jersey territorially had the edge and that Ullmark had more tougher shots to stop. He made them. In my mind that was the difference

You're right that NJ was better overall tonight.

[Doohicksie]

16 minutes ago, Norcal said:

The Granato name holds weight in hockey circles.

They need to hire a coach, not a name.

[JohnC]

3 minutes ago, Second Line Center said:

 

If they maintain this how can he not?  

You are capturing my position. When you hire a new coach you want to hire someone who gets the team to play better and have his younger players get better. That is what is happening now. The season is not over so let's see how this plays out. But it should be considered that the team play has significantly improved even while the roster has been depleted due to injuries. 

[PromoTheRobot]

Just now, Doohickie said:

They need to hire a coach, not a name.

As long as it's a name coach.

[LGR4GM]

4 minutes ago, JohnC said:

No one is claiming that he is a magician?  What is obvious is that this team is playing demonstrably better and the younger players are improving. And it should be noted that on ice play is not better but it is being done with a much depleted roster due to injuries. 

I think the young players are finally getting a chance because injuries.