GDT: 3/13/2022, Leafs @ Sabres, 4pm on Sportsnet and TNT 📺

[LGR4GM]

48 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

Dahlin does three things. Plays hockey, kicks ass, chews gum... and he's all out of gum. 

[JohnC]

10 minutes ago, Curt said:

Gretzky is fine behind a microphone.  And I bet if you asked him to, he would do a decent job in the booth as a color/analyst guy.  That is not what they did today though.  They spent at least 80% of the game talking about Gretzky instead of the hockey game that was being played.

It was a production decision.  They don’t just send guys to the booth and say “just talk about whatever”.  There is a plan for how they will call the game.  They obviously thought it was a good idea to spend tons of time talking about Gretzky.

As someone else in here said, it’s a missed opportunity to market the game.  A 9 year old who happened to be watching isn’t going to be interested in what Gretzky did 40 or 50 or 60 years ago.  They would have been much better served to talk about how awesome it is that these guys are playing outside, and highlight interesting/fun things about players in the game.

You really hit the mark on how out of touch the theme of the pre-arranged exchanges were. The trio in the booth weren't responding either to the game or to the audience of today. As someone else brought up it was like a group in a bar talking about the games and players of yesterday. As you noted it was a missed opportunity to promote the game to a more current audience. 

There were more than enough story lines associated with Toronto and Buffalo that they could have included in this game. They instead looked to the past instead of the game that was in front of them. Way off target and irritating to listen to. And as I said in a prior post I usually like Albert covering games. In this game he was neutered. 

[LGR4GM]

33 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

PS Vegas losing again 5-2 to Columbus

[Norcal]

1 minute ago, JohnC said:

You really hit the mark on how out of touch the theme of the pre-arranged exchanges were. The trio in the booth weren't responding either to the game or to the audience of today. As someone else brought up it was like a group in a bar talking about the games and players of yesterday. As you noted it was a missed opportunity to promote the game to a more current audience. 

There were more than enough story lines associated with Toronto and Buffalo that they could have included in this game. They instead looked to the past instead of the game that was in front of them. Way off target and irritating to listen to. And as I said in a prior post I usually like Albert covering games. In this game he was neutered. 

Everyone involved with putting on the broadcast was thrilled with it while it was on.

I have to wonder if they will be as thrilled after they see the reviews? 

Like you said, there were plenty of good storyline and they could have mixed Waynisms into the broadcast without just having a Wayneover. 

I think overall the new broadcast partners failed to put out a product for any new fans that may have stumbled onto it to understand the game and se of its history. 

Most new fans probably didn't even know who was talking. 

[JohnC]

11 minutes ago, Carmel Corn said:

So, in the limited sample size to date....does his game remind you more of dad (Kjell) or Ulf (unrelated)?  Or a combination of both?

I'm not knowledgeable enough about the play of the two players you mentioned. What I can say for sure is that for an inexperienced NHL player he already plays a mature game. I remember how posters were clamoring to bring him up from Rochester a lot sooner than he should have. He is a good example on how to develop players the right way. The AHL experience served him well. And that is a tribute to the organization for not moving him up to the big league before he was ready. 

[sodbuster]

4 minutes ago, Norcal said:

Most new fans probably didn't even know who was talking. 

Not only do they probably not know, they probably don't care. All due respect to The Great One, young people aren't eager to listen to the ramblings of an old man.

[SDS]

Just now, sodbuster said:

Not only do they probably not know, they probably don't care. All due respect to The Great One, young people aren't eager to listen to the ramblings of an old man.

😡

[Huckleberry]

3 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I'm not knowledgeable enough about the play of the two players you mentioned. What I can say for sure is that for an inexperienced NHL player he already plays a mature game. I remember how posters were clamoring to bring him up from Rochester a lot sooner than he should have. He is a good example on how to develop players the right way. The AHL experience served him well. And that is a tribute to the organization for not moving him up to the big league before he was ready. 

Injuries also helped, still would have been in Rochester otherwise for sure.   But him and Fitzgerald are learing fast.   Bottom D pairing for years.

[Carmel Corn]

Blue Jackets 5, VGK 4....Eichel with a PP goal early in the 3rd.

[JohnC]

2 hours ago, North Buffalo said:

Luving Cozens paying back Matthews

Of all the posts in this thread your posting of a picture of you and your son at this game was the coolest. Although the both of you probably froze your arses off, you and he will never forget this event. ⛄

[JohnC]

27 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

 

They can always trade him for assets and then re-sign him in the off-season if he wants to come back.

Heck no! If you want him on next year's roster next then keep him on the roster and have him continue to grow and have chemistry with his teammates . It would make little sense to trade him for a medium pick and then risk losing him in the future. Let's not get cute and fool around. If you like him, then stay with him. 

[JohnC]

10 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

Injuries also helped, still would have been in Rochester otherwise for sure.   But him and Fitzgerald are learing fast.   Bottom D pairing for years.

Fitz in my view is a third or fourth pairing defenseman. I think there is a good chance that Samuelsson can be a second caliber pairing player. If not, a good third pairing player who could easily move up to the second pairing when needed. 

[Flashsabre]

Terry was at the game talking to Cozens. Didn’t look like a checked out ready to sell owner to me.

[Brawndo]

 

[K-9]

1 hour ago, Slack_in_MA said:

I think just being named an All Star did it. Affirmation of your own talent like that can be powerful.

Yep. And it helped to have one of his idols (Hedman) tell him he belongs. 

[triumph_communes]

Imagine if Dahlin pulled off that goal 

[K-9]

49 minutes ago, Norcal said:

I'm in love with the guy. There, I said it 🙂

 

[K-9]

36 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I thought TNT just took the Toronto feed.

It wasn’t just the feed they took from Toronto. They took the franks and the beans!

[Marvin]

The NHL highlight video of the game in my YouTube feed has the play-by-play from SportsNet rather than TNT.  That is a damning critique of the TNT broadcast.

[PromoTheRobot]

Blue Jackets seal it with an ENG 6-4. VGK loses again. That's a shame.

[Curt]

3 minutes ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

The NHL highlight video of the game in my YouTube feed has the play-by-play from SportsNet rather than TNT.  That is a damning critique of the TNT broadcast.

Yeah because all the highlights would have had voiceovers about what team Gretzky played on when he was 14 or about stick curves from the 80’s instead of a play by play call.

[dudacek]

Sometimes goalies outright steal games or blow games.

But most of that time that isn’t really necessary. Most games are generally close enough that if your goalie stops the pucks he’s supposed to and the other goalie doesn’t you’re going to win.

I really think the past 2 games with the Leafs have been good evidence of that. And I think that most games the Sabres played in the first half of the year were evidence of the same thing, except we were on the opposite end of that.

[Crusader1969]

1 hour ago, Curt said:

Yeah, I think he is also trying to mold Cozens into a player who can be used in energy/shutdown/matchup type roles.

Cozens has the skating, hands and shot to do more in the offensive zone.  I think he will with more experience, muscle gain, and better wingers.

Quinn and JJ?? 

[GASabresIUFAN]

What a difference 4 years makes

Lineup for the Heritage Classis

Skinner Thompson Tuch

VO Mittelstadt KO

Krebs Cozens hinostroza

Bjork Eakin Hayden

Dahlin Jokiharju

Samuelsson Bryson

Hagg Pysyk

Anderson

Lineup for the 2018 Winter Classic

Girgensons Eichel Reinhart

Kane ROR KO

Pouliot ERod Pominville

Larsson Josefson Nolan

Scandella Ristolainen

McCabe Bogosian

Gorges Beailieu

Lehner

 

Surprisingly only KO was on the ice for both games and in the same position (2 RW).

A quick examination shows clearly why we are in the mess  we are in.  Beside Jack, Sam, ROR, Scandella and McCabe, no one on that team was someone to build around.  

Today's team may lack the dynamic skills of Eichel or the two way play of ROR, but if I'm being honest, I like the current team so much better.  The new team is actually 3 forward lines deep talent wise instead of 2 and has two good D pairing instead of just two good D.  I also see 8 guys to build around in Tuch, Krebs, TnT, Mitts, Cozens, Joki, Samuelsson and Dahlin.  

 

Edited March 14, 2022 by GASabresIUFAN

[Andrew Amerk]

I haven’t read the thread, so I’m sure all of these things have been discussed already:

-the game calling (or lack thereof) was awful. Both teams feature a lot of young players, and the NHL missed an opportunity to showcase them. It was like a couple dudes ran into Gretzky while a game was playing in the background. I’m sure a lot of people under 30, especially kids, didn’t care to hear stories from 40 years ago - especially if I didn’t want to hear them. A couple stories would’ve been cool, but not during play and not the entire game.

-The Sabres made a lot of small plays that were impressive, particularly defensive ones I saw made by Dahlin and Samuelsson. Samuelsson is criminally underrated and he’s only going to get better. 

-The Cozens hit and then staying to watch the rest of the game was amazing to see. This is the type of character the team lacked for a long time, and now they have a handful of these guys so far. 

-I forgot exactly what he said, but before the game, Biz said something like “Toronto will annihilate Buffalo.” What a hack. 

I have voluntarily opted out of watching most of the games this season for the first time since the 90’s, but happened to see the last 2, and I am happily surprised by what I watched Thursday and today. They look to finally be on the correct path. 

Also, F the Leafs.

Edited March 14, 2022 by The Ghost of NS