GDT : Wild at Sabres 7:00 March 4, 2022

[woods-racer]

9 hours ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

To be honest I think Hayden has hands of stone but is pretty good at breaking up opponents' rushes and getting into the zone.  Bjork has better tools but just doesn't use what he's got.  Hayden has little talent but good hockey sense.  Bjork is more talented but dumb as a brick.

I think Bjork is faster with the same stone hands and has no clue how to use his body to shield the puck. Hayden can also find an open man to get the puck to, something Eakin and Bjork are clueless to.

It appears that DG see's a little something in Hayden as he got a little extra ice time than his line mates. 

Love to see a Hayden/Jankowski/Girgensons line for at least 4-5 games and see how they gel.

 

[JohnC]

9 hours ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

Are you aware that you have a unique glow? 😄

[LGR4GM]

 

[LGR4GM]

Mittelstadt had some moments last night and I had forgotten how good his hands are. I still think he's not quite 100% but he looks worlds better than last week. 

[PromoTheRobot]

9 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

Haha how many of you were at this one? It was my first since 2020 as well

I'm trying to figure out when I can get back to town for some more games. 

[woods-racer]

I remember that little jester by Cozens. That was a physical game with a lot of talk and it was a big game for the Wild to maintain their playoff hopes. That was a must win for the Wild against a beatable team. Appears DG has the underdog spoiler roll going on.

[mjd1001]

10 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Mittelstadt had some moments last night and I had forgotten how good his hands are. I still think he's not quite 100% but he looks worlds better than last week. 

I think the 2 biggest reasons why this team is not 10 or more points better are the injuries to Mittelstadt and Girgensons.

-We saw last year, Mittelstadt has the potential to be a significant contributor to scoring. Will he be that long term? Unknown yet, but he just hasn't had a chance to get into any type of flow this year even when he has played.

-Girgensons. I sometimes don't understand the dislike for him on this board.  The guy is 100% motor and effort when he does play.  He is one of the better penalty killers and is relied on for that role. He appears to be one of the better locker room/leader guys. As a 4th liner with 10-20% less ice time than the top forwards, he produces. Over the last 3 years, not only does he have one of the better +/- ratings among forwards, but the scores at a 15+ goal pace per 82 games..again with less ice time and 4th line teammates.

[Zamboni]

16 minutes ago, woods-racer said:

I remember that little jester by Cozens. That was a physical game with a lot of talk and it was a big game for the Wild to maintain their playoff hopes. That was a must win for the Wild against a beatable team. Appears DG has the underdog spoiler roll going on.

did he look like this?

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, JoeSchmoe said:

You're right that he's better than those 3, and would be helpful now if they'd turf one of them to put him in. 

I just think we should look for better if we want to be a cup contending team. 

Let’s get to playoff contending.   Look to improve the top 6 or top 9, then others move down to where they belong. 

[JohnC]

15 minutes ago, woods-racer said:

I remember that little jester by Cozens. That was a physical game with a lot of talk and it was a big game for the Wild to maintain their playoff hopes. That was a must win for the Wild against a beatable team. Appears DG has the underdog spoiler roll going on.

The best chirper on the team and one of the better chirpers in the league is Skinner. He has an irritating high-pitched gumby voice that makes the opposition want to strangle him.  

[Doohicksie]

51 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Are you aware that you have a unique glow? 😄

Everything in the American Airlines Center is lit in nuclear green.

[JoeSchmoe]

Skinner, Tuch, Thompson

Quinn, Cozens, Mitts

JJ, Krebs, Okposo

Olofsson, Aspland, Hinostroza

Maybe he takes Asplands' spot in the lineup, but I would hope that spot would be easily upgradable through FA.

[JohnC]

3 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Let’s get to playoff contending.   Look to improve the top 6 or top 9, then others move down to where they belong. 

I strongly believe (as does @Thorny) that with a few smart moves utilizing our cap and draft assets this team can make an appreciable move up the ranks. And I'm convinced it can be done within the framework of the core rebuild strategy of draft and develop. Especially in a cap system the difference between success and failure is not great. It's not a question can it be done as it is an issue of willing to do so.  

[spndnchz]

So it worked. ?

[nucci]

46 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

I think the 2 biggest reasons why this team is not 10 or more points better are the injuries to Mittelstadt and Girgensons.

-We saw last year, Mittelstadt has the potential to be a significant contributor to scoring. Will he be that long term? Unknown yet, but he just hasn't had a chance to get into any type of flow this year even when he has played.

-Girgensons. I sometimes don't understand the dislike for him on this board.  The guy is 100% motor and effort when he does play.  He is one of the better penalty killers and is relied on for that role. He appears to be one of the better locker room/leader guys. As a 4th liner with 10-20% less ice time than the top forwards, he produces. Over the last 3 years, not only does he have one of the better +/- ratings among forwards, but the scores at a 15+ goal pace per 82 games..again with less ice time and 4th line teammates.

poor goaltending is at the top of the list

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, mjd1001 said:

I think the 2 biggest reasons why this team is not 10 or more points better are the injuries to Mittelstadt and Girgensons.

-We saw last year, Mittelstadt has the potential to be a significant contributor to scoring. Will he be that long term? Unknown yet, but he just hasn't had a chance to get into any type of flow this year even when he has played.

-Girgensons. I sometimes don't understand the dislike for him on this board.  The guy is 100% motor and effort when he does play.  He is one of the better penalty killers and is relied on for that role. He appears to be one of the better locker room/leader guys. As a 4th liner with 10-20% less ice time than the top forwards, he produces. Over the last 3 years, not only does he have one of the better +/- ratings among forwards, but the scores at a 15+ goal pace per 82 games..again with less ice time and 4th line teammates.

Girgensons is big, fast, versatile, defensively strong, and never stops hustling.He’s not good offensively, but he can contribute at an acceptable bottom 6 level.

He”s a useful player even on a Stanley Cup contender and is in the starting lineup of any team in the league.

He deserves some success and I never understood how a “blue collar Buffalo underdog” who gets hockey could possibly dislike him.

[That Aud Smell]

2 hours ago, woods-racer said:

It appears that DG see's a little something in Hayden as he got a little extra ice time than his line mates. 

Love to see a Hayden/Jankowski/Girgensons line for at least 4-5 games and see how they gel.

Hear, hear. Hayden is the only player on that 4th line who is worth keeping around.

Also: I audibly groaned every time Eakin came over the boards last night.

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

I strongly believe (as does @Thorny) that with a few smart moves utilizing our cap and draft assets this team can make an appreciable move up the ranks. And I'm convinced it can be done within the framework of the core rebuild strategy of draft and develop. Especially in a cap system the difference between success and failure is not great. It's not a question can it be done as it is an issue of willing to do so.  

Will is one thing, skill and savvy is quite another.  Do we have a front office that can make a few key trades/acquisitions that improve the team and not purge the pipeline?  Murray couldn’t do it, Botterill wouldn’t do it.  
 

KA is on the clock.  
 

This isn’t rocket science.  Look at how many teams were bad and have since rebuilt while we remain down - Toronto, Avs, Calgary, Rangers, Wild, Canes, Panthers  - all dramatically better.  Many others have improved and leveled out or faded again in the ten year span - Jets, Oilers, Canadians, Islanders, … and now  teams like the Kings, Ducks and Detroit are trending up   

 

Very few teams have been consistently good fortune past  ten years - Boston, Blues, Lightning, Penguins, Caps

[woods-racer]

1 hour ago, Zamboni said:

did he look like this?

My mental image is along these lines.

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Skinner, Tuch, Thompson

Quinn, Cozens, Mitts

JJ, Krebs, Okposo

Olofsson, Aspland, Hinostroza

Maybe he takes Asplands' spot in the lineup, but I would hope that spot would be easily upgradable through FA.

Thompson centers the first line, not Tuch. 
 

IMO Girgs is better than both Asplund and Hino.   Olofsson is not an ideal 4th liner but his scoring touch would be useful if he is willing to effectively backcheck and not float around, plus he can help on PP. 
 

Girgs brings size and muscle, versatility to play wing or center, and he is very good on PK   I want my fourth line to bang people and help on the PK.   Girgs does both. 

Edited March 5, 2022 by Pimlach

[bob_sauve28]

Anderson didn’t have a very good game 

[North Buffalo]

5 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Anderson didn’t have a very good game 

And yet the Sabres still won.... that my friend is called growth.

[Stoner]

10 hours ago, bunomatic said:

Wow. I could get behind this team with a little more consistency and more jam. Love seeing the boys stand up for their brothers. That was a fun game to watch. Happy for the fans that were at the game. String a few more wins like that together and the fans will come back.

The wins will have to be many next fall to restore any semblance of a crowd after the Bills are done. Too many are tuned out and skeptical of March heroics. Just my opinion. YMMV.

[Randall Flagg]

The lady that does the commercial break/intermission games with fans is new (I think it was Lauren Hall that did that job a while ago, this was the first time I've seen this new person). It felt like she was talking to a kindergarten class the whole night. Same thing happens at work, corporate emails and zoom meetings and seminars all take the same tone. It's very grating 

31 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Will is one thing, skill and savvy is quite another.  Do we have a front office that can make a few key trades/acquisitions that improve the team and not purge the pipeline?  Murray couldn’t do it, Botterill wouldn’t do it.  
 

KA is on the clock.  
 

This isn’t rocket science.  Look at how many teams were bad and have since rebuilt while we remain down - Toronto, Avs, Calgary, Rangers, Wild, Canes, Panthers  - all dramatically better.  Many others have improved and leveled out or faded again in the ten year span - Jets, Oilers, Canadians, Islanders, … and now  teams like the Kings, Ducks and Detroit are trending up   

 

Very few teams have been consistently good fortune past  ten years - Boston, Blues, Lightning, Penguins, Caps

This team can be made into a wild card team this summer, and there are ways to do it that won't "mortgage the future." If Kevyn can't find them, we shouldn't have faith that he can get this team over the more important hump, being a championship team, because that is even harder. If Kevyn won't do this, fans have no reason to give this team any time, attention or money, because it's a complete waste of an opportunity to wash the losing stench off of these young players, and give them irreplaceable development in important springtime games. There is no reason that this team shouldn't be the 16-17 Leafs next year. Pushing that off another year does absolutely nothing for anyone. 

[North Buffalo]

15 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

The lady that does the commercial break/intermission games with fans is new (I think it was Lauren Hall that did that job a while ago, this was the first time I've seen this new person). It felt like she was talking to a kindergarten class the whole night. Same thing happens at work, corporate emails and zoom meetings and seminars all take the same tone. It's very grating 

This team can be made into a wild card team this summer, and there are ways to do it that won't "mortgage the future." If Kevyn can't find them, we shouldn't have faith that he can get this team over the more important hump, being a championship team, because that is even harder. If Kevyn won't do this, fans have no reason to give this team any time, attention or money, because it's a complete waste of an opportunity to wash the losing stench off of these young players, and give them irreplaceable development in important springtime games. There is no reason that this team shouldn't be the 16-17 Leafs next year. Pushing that off another year does absolutely nothing for anyone. 

Stop with the double negatives