GDT- Sabres at Bruins, 1/1/2022, 1:00 pm ET, MSG, WGR

[bob_sauve28]

Krueger was right about not playing Skinner in OT 

[LGR4GM]

20 minutes ago, Claude Balls said:

This team still needs generate more offensive chances. They get out shot badly way too often. This has been an ongoing problem for many years now. Why is it so hard for these guys to shoot the ***** puck more often.

They aren't talented enough. 

[Doohicksie]

3 hours ago, Gatorman0519 said:

These young kids are not magically going to gel in one year and get us 100 points.

Yes they will and it won't be magic.

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

That time will be April when 6'6" Power and 6'4" Samuelsson will be on the team. 

Yes, that is my hope as well. I wouldn't mind a trade for a big reliable veteran to add to the mix though in addition to them. Not sure about Samuelson, but it'll still take a few years for Power to grow and fill out physically. 

[Thorner]

3 hours ago, Norcal said:

 

trade him for a 1st 

[dudacek]

I’ve not been shy about criticizing Jeff Skinner the two previous seasons, but I think his selfishness and confounding puck decisions are noticeably down this year, and his engagement level far more consistent.

Generally speaking, he was a positive today and has been more often than not this year.

Please Donnie, don’t use him in overtime. It’s just not his game in any way, shape or form. The body of work is large enough and the results speak for themselves.

Edited January 2, 2022 by dudacek

[SabresVet]

What makes this game unique is how, through 33 games now, Buffalo has held the lead after the first and second periods 5 times.  Three of those games occurred during the 5-1-1 start.

Someone before mentioned they don't have the talent, and that's true.  But the other thing is, they're getting out-scored 34-21 in the first during the season and now 28-15 since the hot start.

Otherwise, in GF, they're 42-41 in the 2nd period and 27-31 in the 3rd.  I'm not taking a deep dive into the analytics, but being so poor during the 1st period is cause for concern.  

[dudacek]

22 minutes ago, SabresVet said:

What makes this game unique is how, through 33 games now, Buffalo has held the lead after the first and second periods 5 times.  Three of those games occurred during the 5-1-1 start.

Someone before mentioned they don't have the talent, and that's true.  But the other thing is, they're getting out-scored 34-21 in the first during the season and now 28-15 since the hot start.

Otherwise, in GF, they're 42-41 in the 2nd period and 27-31 in the 3rd.  I'm not taking a deep dive into the analytics, but being so poor during the 1st period is cause for concern.  

I’d be interested in whether those numbers hold up when you take out the period between Anderson’s injury and UPL’s recall.

[LGR4GM]

7 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Yes, that is my hope as well. I wouldn't mind a trade for a big reliable veteran to add to the mix though in addition to them. Not sure about Samuelson, but it'll still take a few years for Power to grow and fill out physically. 

Only if it's a rhd.

[Pimlach]

12 hours ago, pastajoe said:

Their two best forwards are Tuch and Thompson.

Then add Mitts and Cozens.  That’s it for top 6 

VO, Asplund, Okposo, Girgs, Murray are middle to bottom 6 

Quinn, Krebs and Peterka are critical pieces for next year. 

[Indabuff]

12 hours ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

Yes they will and it won't be magic.

Do you believe in magic?

[JohnC]

17 hours ago, Brawndo said:

My worry is The Line He has centered has had the Team Worse xGF on 5v5 in all three games and this was with Okposo as His Winger.
 

 I would have Him play in Rochester on Wednesday, Buffalo Thursday and then travel with the Amerks to play Syracuse on Sunday. I believe game experience would be of the greatest benefit to him now. 
 

I imagine the Sabres will have a lighter practice schedule over the next nine days. 
 

This being said, they have been developing Cozens correctly so I will yield to the Teams Better Judgement on Krebs 

What you are saying makes sense. There is still much for him to work on in his game. But I'm starting to lean the opposite way. Assuming he is going to get adequate playing time he seems like a player who can learn while playing in the higher NHL league. He's got terrific vision with his ability to let the play develop before making the right pass at the right time to put his teammates in a good scoring situation. In contrast to Peterka he has a good sense of knowing how to play at the higher level. He should stay, or at least kept a little bit longer. 

Krebs, JJ, Quinn, Samuelsson will in the not too distant future be called up. It might be a good approach to stagger their entry. And as you point out in your post this regime has been adept in their judgments on players. So, like you, I will be receptive to however it decides to handle these youngsters. 

 

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Then add Mitts and Cozens.  That’s it for top 6 

VO, Asplund, Okposo, Girgs, Murray are middle to bottom 6 

Quinn, Krebs and Peterka are critical pieces for next year. 

Your assessments of your listed players is fair. And even if the three young players you listed play this year in the NHL they are for the most part pieces for next year. (As you stated.) I believe that those three players (Quinn, JJ and Krebs) are second-line caliber players. But it is still going to take another year or so before they play at that level of expectation. 

I have felt that it is going to take three years before this team becomes a serious team. I consider this the first year in this  post-Jack rebuilding process. Next year there is going to be an infusion of maybe half a dozen young players. It's still going to take time for that talent to marinate. What's required is patience and fortitude to stick to the plan. There's no other way to do this. 

What I find encouraging is the play of UPL. If he materializes as a #1 goalie (as his recent play indicates) then I will be even more optimistic about the prospects of this team. 

[Kruppstahl]

Granato scribbling in his notebook after the game:  "Note to self: never play Jeff Skinner in 3-on-3 conditions.  EVER."

 

 

 

 

[BuffalOhio]

16 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Krueger was right about not playing Skinner in OT 

Yep, he make his usual "Hope Play" with that shot and gave away possession of the puck.  Right down the ice and into our net.  

[SabresVet]

12 hours ago, dudacek said:

I’d be interested in whether those numbers hold up when you take out the period between Anderson’s injury and UPL’s recall.

Do your own research.  

Reality is, you don't remove 15 out of 33 games because the goalies are/were known as underperforming.  That hits to a bigger issue where the position was mismanaged and poor resulted followed.

Which means, if UPL and Subban are better, there's an issue identifying talent.  

And, it doesn't explain why they score twice the goals in the 2nd period than the first. 

 

[Pimlach]

7 hours ago, JohnC said:

Your assessments of your listed players is fair. And even if the three young players you listed play this year in the NHL they are for the most part pieces for next year. (As you stated.) I believe that those three players (Quinn, JJ and Krebs) are second-line caliber players. But it is still going to take another year or so before they play at that level of expectation. 

I have felt that it is going to take three years before this team becomes a serious team. I consider this the first year in this  post-Jack rebuilding process. Next year there is going to be an infusion of maybe half a dozen young players. It's still going to take time for that talent to marinate. What's required is patience and fortitude to stick to the plan. There's no other way to do this. 

What I find encouraging is the play of UPL. If he materializes as a #1 goalie (as his recent play indicates) then I will be even more optimistic about the prospects of this team. 

UPL -  I like when he stays up and uses his glove. Gloves don’t put out rebounds.  He is doing better than I thought given his AHL stats. 

[JohnC]

4 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

UPL -  I like when he stays up and uses his glove. Gloves don’t put out rebounds.  He is doing better than I thought given his AHL stats. 

There is little scramble and flopping to his play. His movements are usually under control even when under duress. He's a big goalie who plays like a big goalie. During his recent stint in net he has been quite impressive. Better than I anticipated. In the Boston game he was clearly the better goalie. 

[PerreaultForever]

18 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Only if it's a rhd.

Obviously a big solid rhd would be the ideal compliment for one of our lhd prospects, no question. 

[Claude Balls]

On 1/1/2022 at 8:12 PM, LGR4GM said:

They aren't talented enough. 

I suck at hockey, but I'll take any opportunity to shoot the ***** puck I can. In fact, the few goals I scored was just from flinging the puck on net 😆

Edited January 3, 2022 by Claude Balls