Sabres Training Camp Starts September 23rd

[bob_sauve28]

Quote

 

Tage Thompson had his stick on the puck a lot in the scrimmage and had numerous opportunities. Granato believes a change in his practice habits has made Thompson a much better player.

“With him, and Jeff Skinner, their practice habits needed to improve," Granato said. "With [Thompson], it’s practice habits. With him, we see a lot of what happens in games happened in practice, both good and bad. That’s part of becoming a pro. For players that play that way, every practice matters. Every shot is on net where it should be, and I think that lags behind sometimes. With Tage, he’s in part with that process.”

Skinner has been in a two-season scoring slump. Many thought it was because he wasn’t playing with Eichel, but in his last 30 games playing on Eichel’s line, Skinner has scored just four goals.

Granato has a good idea on why that is.

“We talked about Jeff Skinner the other day, his practice habits have changed completely," Granato explained. "You can see him targeting things that he wants to get done in a game.”

 

https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/victor-olofsson-showing-improvement-early-in-sabres-training-camp

[Taro T]

34 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Honestly the goaltending is the thing (of two things) this off-season I really don't understand.  I don't understand how a GM, who is working to instill a winning professional culture can bring in 2 goalies who played 11 games last season total and have been in decline for 3 years and think that's going to work.  This team was going to struggle with decent goaltending because of all the youth on the roster, but to sabotage the season with Dell and Anderson is simply wrong.

IMHO, the goaltending indicates that Adams is quite fine with the team being in the Wright derby and that he expects that the kids have enough intestinal fortitude to not find themselves shell sshockedby the experience.  Not happy about the former & desperately hope he's right about the latter.  Be abuse if he's wrong about the latter, this movie doesn't end until at least 2 years after Adams is gone but he's here at least 3 more years regardless because the self-chosen path of building around kids can't be expected to show real results for at least that long & Adams is too smart to tick the owners off before then.

33 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Anderson and Dell each looked pretty good at first blush.

I'll remain skeptical until I see it in November.

IF Anderson plays 25 games or less, expect he'll look like he historically has.  Can't see Dell & UPL up to carrying the other 57 so there's a very real chance all 3 will either look like tire fires, force the team to be ridiculously aggressive in their own end to TRY to cover for them, or both.  Bales needs to work some magic.  If he can, the season might be entertaining though they'll still lose more than they win.  If not, ...

[dudacek]

16 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/victor-olofsson-showing-improvement-early-in-sabres-training-camp

Those two need to score for this team to improve and they need to get better if they are going to score.

Like the fact that Granato has matter-of-factly identified their issues and a path to improving, and is making them publicly accountable.

[K-9]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Those two need to score for this team to improve and they need to get better if they are going to score.

Like the fact that Granato has matter-of-factly identified their issues and a path to improving, and is making them publicly accountable.

Granato is a breath of fresh air in that regard. Talk about a complete 180 from the previous coach who didn’t seem to care how players practiced or even if they were in proper physical condition to do so effectively. 

I’ve always subscribed to the axiom, “You play like you practice.” 

And I always add, “And you practice like you’re coached.” 

Edited September 27, 2021 by K-9

[Doohicksie]

2 hours ago, Brawndo said:

 

And there's your opening night first line.  Given the pieces available, I can't say I hate it.

[Doohicksie]

6 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Granato mentioned in His Post Scrimmage Presser that Anderson and Dell are the leading candidates in the goalie competition 

Dell will be somewhere between Carter Hutton and Michael Houser (as he played on the the Sabres last year).  Either spent and rapidly declining, or eager for and worthy of a shot to start some games in the NHL.

The way I see it, the longer Anderson and Dell can hold down the fort in Buffalo, the longer 6K gets to work on his game in the A, and the better likelihood he'll turn into a pretty good NHL goaltender.

My only hope is that if our goalies are sucking it bad, that Granato doesn't collapse into a defensive shell but rather tries outscoring other teams in wide open action.

[Brawndo]

 

[LGR4GM]

9 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

Peterka - Cozens - Quinn.... I feel the vapors coming on, my word is that a glorious sight. 

[Doohicksie]

2 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

“We talked about Jeff Skinner the other day, his practice habits have changed completely," Granato explained. "You can see him targeting things that he wants to get done in a game.”

I hate to say it, but if Skinner picks up his play in practice and in the preseason, he might get one of the A's and a reward for being a good trooper.  If it happens I hope it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

[dudacek]

16 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Peterka - Cozens - Quinn.... I feel the vapors coming on, my word is that a glorious sight. 

Real glimpse of a hoped-for future there.

[PromoTheRobot]

 

[Curt]

4 hours ago, dudacek said:

These guys are always going to be connected in my brain as the first block of CHL players the Sabres picked in the middle rounds in 10 years.

Can't say any looked liked future NHLers, but they didn't look awful either. About as good as you you could hope for 18-year-old middle-rounders in their first NHL camp.

More like 4-5 years.  2017-2020 were the non-CHL years.

[dudacek]

49 minutes ago, Curt said:

More like 4-5 years.  2017-2020 were the non-CHL years.

No man, I looked it up, 2011 was the last time we took three CHLers in a row in rounds 3-4-5 — catennacci, Jacobs and Lepowski (hope this group does a little better than that one)

2016 we did it, but late, 5-6-7

[PerreaultForever]

Tage as a goal scorer? I just don't see it. I still think unless he gets mean and physical he's never going to be anything. Skinner's practice habits have improved? Well that's good if it's true and it sticks. I kind of think he didn't have any practice habits before. See it to believe it. 

[JohnC]

If someone else posted this link I apologize for the redundancy. Within this post game Sabre.com link is a 14 min clip of Granato commenting on the training camp game and his comments about some of the players. He's a pleasure to listen to because he is usually very clear and succinct when answering questions. 

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/sabres-prepping-for-game-pace-with-blue-vs-gold-scrimmage/c-326366714

[dudacek]

Is anyone else surprised to see Casey Fitzgerald among the Sabres remaining defencemen?

Never really considered him a legit prospect, but he’s outlasted guys with better pedigrees like Schuldt and Laaksonen.

[SwampD]

12 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Is anyone else surprised to see Casey Fitzgerald among the Sabres remaining defencemen?

Never really considered him a legit prospect, but he’s outlasted guys with better pedigrees like Schuldt and Laaksonen.

It”s not a tank.

[Taro T]

8 hours ago, dudacek said:

Is anyone else surprised to see Casey Fitzgerald among the Sabres remaining defencemen?

Never really considered him a legit prospect, but he’s outlasted guys with better pedigrees like Schuldt and Laaksonen.

Fitzgerald had been getting a lot of ice time in Ra-cha-cha last year and even spent some time on the taxi squad.  Could just be them honoring their "if you put in the work, you'll get rewarded with at least an opportunity" mantra.

Yeah, figure he'll end up back in Ra-cha-cha when all is said & done, but it's not like any of the other guys still up have locked the door to competition.

And, prior to watching the preseason, figured Tokarski was a lock for Ra-cha-cha.  Granato really seems to be giving guys opportunities & letting their play rather than their pedigree or salary be the deciding factor.  Refreshing.  (Even Ruff to a degree didn't fully embrace that philosophy.  Nobody since him even considered it.)

[Digger]

10 hours ago, dudacek said:

Is anyone else surprised to see Casey Fitzgerald among the Sabres remaining defencemen?

Never really considered him a legit prospect, but he’s outlasted guys with better pedigrees like Schuldt and Laaksonen.

Is he waiver exempt?  Might explain if they want to send him down on a busy day.

[dudacek]

33 minutes ago, Digger said:

Is he waiver exempt?  Might explain if they want to send him down on a busy day.

He is.

[bob_sauve28]

Nice article about our goalie prospect at Michigan 

 

https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2021/10/sabres-draft-pick-erik-portillo-has-big-shoes-to-fill-as-michigans-starting-goalie.html 

Quote

 

Sophomore Erik Portillo, a 2019 third-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres, takes the reigns as the team’s starting goalie, but he also has just five career starts under his belt. His numbers last season were impressive, going 4-1 with a 1.67 GAA. Head coach Mel Pearson will be relying on him to backstop a talented Michigan team that features seven first-round picks on the roster and 13 overall.

The Wolverines open the season Friday at home against Lake Superior State.