GDT: Buffalo at Boston Apr. 13, 2021 • 7:00PM ET MSG-B WGR

[sabremike]

25 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Has Eakin been a healthy scratch once? 

If the broooinz had thrown in a rocket we could strap Eakin to and fire straight into the sun into the Hall trade my opinion on it would've done a 180.

[tom webster]

4 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I find it difficult to discuss defensive play because people tend to have a wide variety of reference frames.

I think the people who define defence as puck pressure, blocking shots, taking the body, and similar positive acts of aggression are rightly down on Sam's defence.

And I think people who define it as covering for teammates, being on the right side of the puck, getting it out of the zone and other positive acts of positioning are rightly high on it.

Sam correctly recognizing a bad pinch, rotating back to be an a position to help break up the resulting rush is a signature move. It's just that he sometimes doesn't make the play when he gets there and you see him a stride behind the guy scoring the goal.

Lack of urgency is his both his gift and his curse.

I think his hockey “intellect” helps him tremendously with the offense side of the game, especially when playing with high level line mates. He needs to be tougher on the puck in the defensive zone and I’m not sure he has it in him.

[SDS]

10 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

You think Risto is a pragmatic robot that makes decisions entirely void of emotion in the heat of the game? That it's just a coincidence that, for example, he goes after Ovechkin almost every Caps game? 

I don't think Risto would hit Hall out of anger. Do the odds that he finishes a check and adds a little more focus/effort to it increase if he sees Hall in his sights, due to emotions that aren't just "grrr hall make me mad"? Almost certainly, that kind of stuff happens in sports all of the time, going all the way back to elementary school gym class lol. 

That scenario is all premeditated and the fact that Risto would be feeling that extra emotion. I’m guessing as a fellow player, he’s not upset one iota that Taylor Hall did what’s best for himself after the Sabres agreed to give him that option.

[Randall Flagg]

6 minutes ago, SDS said:

That scenario is all premeditated and the fact that Risto would be feeling that extra emotion. I’m guessing as a fellow player, he’s not upset one iota that Taylor Hall did what’s best for himself after the Sabres agreed to give him that option.

I doubt he's upset, but the way you framed your wholly rational and conspiracy-and-narrative-absent scenario seemed jarringly stiff and unlikely. 

Edited April 13, 2021 by Randall Flagg

[SDS]

1 minute ago, Randall Flagg said:

I doubt he's upset, but the way you framed your wholly rational and conspiracy and narrative-absent scenario seemed jarringly stiff and unlikely. 

It could very well be that there are players on the team that just didn’t like Taylor Hall’s game and have resentment towards that. I just don’t think this trade moves the needle for anyone putting on skates.

[Randall Flagg]

4 minutes ago, SDS said:

It could very well be that there are players on the team that just didn’t like Taylor Hall’s game and have resentment towards that. I just don’t think this trade moves the needle for anyone putting on skates.

I don't even think it has to be a negative thing. It's probably extra fun to chirp and check a guy you played with last week. 

[PerreaultForever]

here's your possible Bruins line up:

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/boston-bruins/line-combinations/

Hall on 2nd line with Krejci and Smith and on 2nd power play unit at the point. 

Lazar gets a shot on the 4th line. 

The bad news for us is McAvoy and Miller back in so that's 2/3 of their D playing again. Still got the rookie goalies though. 

Edited April 13, 2021 by PerreaultForever

[Doohicksie]

43 minutes ago, dudacek said:

 

The numbers may not back this up, but my sense is Eakin has been almost adequate without Kyle, and Kyle has been OK (and recently pretty good) without Cody.

Put them together and it is an absolute disaster.

 

[thewookie1]

5-2 Buffalo with an EN goal at the end.

Sabres Goals: Cozens, Bjork, Reinhart (EN), Okposo, and Dahlin

Bruins Goals: Bergeron and Hall

Cozens and Bjork end up with 1g1a and R2 gets 1a

The Mitts line has several good chances but is mostly neutral with Krejic's line

Okposo scores just after our PP expires

Reinhart's line barely survives against Bergeron's line but does just enough to limit their scoring chances.

Hall gets walloped by one of Risto, Miller, Cozens, or Dahlin

[SDS]

3 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

5-2 Buffalo with an EN goal at the end.

Sabres Goals: Cozens, Bjork, Reinhart (EN), Okposo, and Dahlin

Bruins Goals: Bergeron and Hall

Cozens and Bjork end up with 1g1a and R2 gets 1a

The Mitts line has several good chances but is mostly neutral with Krejic's line

Okposo scores just after our PP expires

Reinhart's line barely survives against Bergeron's line but does just enough to limit their scoring chances.

Hall gets walloped by one of Risto, Miller, Cozens, or Dahlin

Disagree. 

[thewookie1]

1 minute ago, SDS said:

Disagree. 

With what exactly lol, I just threw out a bunch of predictions.

Also I definitely see someone giving Hall a good check. I doubt they are going after him, barring some unknown locker room beef, but you always see that after trades. It's sort of a hey there... remember me. 

[SDS]

3 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

With what exactly lol, I just threw out a bunch of predictions.

Also I definitely see someone giving Hall a good check. I doubt they are going after him, barring some unknown locker room beef, but you always see that after trades. It's sort of a hey there... remember me. 

 It was a joke.

[Norcal]

I think it's possible the ATM line is gonna get a good test tonight.

Krejci isn't what he used to be but he's a cagy vet that could give the kids fits. 

[Drag0nDan]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

 

The numbers may not back this up, but my sense is Eakin has been almost adequate without Kyle, and Kyle has been OK (and recently pretty good) without Cody.

Put them together and it is an absolute disaster.

Eakins just a turnover machine.  There is no direction to his game either, he just seems content to constantly pass it around behind the net.  Either his own or the opponents when he happens to touch the puck in the offensive zone.  He never drives the net, and he never drives passes to the net.  If he was a big hitter, or could shoot maybe there would be some purpose out there, but right now its like 15 minutes that could be better spent by other players.  I guess he's good at draws?

[LGR4GM]

If Eichel were back and healthy I think we could win this game easily. 

[I-90 W]

I can’t picture this team getting upset at anything really, and certainly not doing anything on the ice even if they were. Not saying that they have reason to, but if they did, it’s not like they would do anything about it.

[PromoTheRobot]

@SDS doesn't think there's any animosity between Hall and the Sabres but you can bet the Bruins will be playing heavy. What I want to see is the Sabres responding to the Bruins physicality and keep up with them on the scoreboard. A win would be a bonus. As a whole the Sabres are getting outplayed but they still manage to claw their way back into these games. Let's keep that up.

[Marvin]

13 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

If Eichel were back and healthy I think we could win this game easily. 

I want to believe you.  What is your reasoning?

[Torpedo Forecheck]

20 minutes ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

I want to believe you.  What is your reasoning?

Jack Eichel is good at hockey when Taylor Hall isn't on his team!

[Mustache of God]

I feel like Curtis Lazar puts one in tonight. 
 

[inkman]

48 minutes ago, Drag0nDan said:

Eakins just a turnover machine.  There is no direction to his game either, he just seems content to constantly pass it around behind the net.  Either his own or the opponents when he happens to touch the puck in the offensive zone.  He never drives the net, and he never drives passes to the net.  If he was a big hitter, or could shoot maybe there would be some purpose out there, but right now its like 15 minutes that could be better spent by other players.  I guess he's good at draws?

Yes and all the dinosaurs in the league will overlook how ***** awful he is at actual hockey and covet him because he can move a puck 3 feet in any direction when their isn’t any actual hockey taking place.  Woohoo!  Faceoff king!  He’s better than Reinhart. 
 

He actually sucks at defense and the PK too. Just a black hole of nothingness.  

2 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

I feel like Curtis Lazar puts one in tonight. 
 

***** Curtis Lazar.  And really ***** the lottery ticket machine Taylor Hall.  I’m starting to think it’s no coincidence that whatever team he plays on wins the lottery.  

[SDS]

38 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

@SDS doesn't think there's any animosity between Hall and the Sabres but you can bet the Bruins will be playing heavy. What I want to see is the Sabres responding to the Bruins physicality and keep up with them on the scoreboard. A win would be a bonus. As a whole the Sabres are getting outplayed but they still manage to claw their way back into these games. Let's keep that up.

I don’t think there’s any animosity between players on the ice regarding the trade details. I have no idea what his teammates thought of him as a player. Maybe someone wants to smash his brains in for being an unproductive pretty boy. But his fellow players certainly aren’t mad at him for exercising his negotiated contractual rights.

[Mustache of God]

4 minutes ago, SDS said:

I don’t think there’s any animosity between players on the ice regarding the trade details. I have no idea what his teammates thought of him as a player. Maybe someone wants to smash his brains in for being an unproductive pretty boy. But his fellow players certainly aren’t mad at him for exercising his negotiated contractual rights.

Personally, I've always like playing hockey against good friends and always try to play a bit harder on them (without crossing any beer-league lines, of course). I feel like the Sabres v Hall will feel the same way. Go out of the way to compete a bit harder against him, maybe throw the body around without the intent to head hunt. I guarantee Lazar will be throwing his weight around.

[darksabre]

If I'm the Sabres the last thing I want to do is get Taylor Hall engaged in the game by throwing a big hit on him or acknowledging his existence beyond being just another guy. Frustrate him defensively and watch him disappear into the void.

[Mustache of God]

28 minutes ago, darksabre said:

If I'm the Sabres the last thing I want to do is get Taylor Hall engaged in the game by throwing a big hit on him or acknowledging his existence beyond being just another guy. Frustrate him defensively and watch him disappear into the void.

I think they should sneak into the locker room and all poop in his jock strap.