Some Lineup Changes for April 15th

[Brawndo]

 

[Weave]

I think Cozens with Okposo will be very good for Cozens.

[Doohicksie]

The shuffling to me looks like it's more about refreshing things, trying to find some new chemistry than a promotion/demotion scenario, imo.

The defense vexes me though:  Why is Butcher playing with Fitz?  Unless the feeling is that Muel will be back next game...

[dudacek]

I like the fact they are using the stretch to try new things.

Ive been hoping to see Tuch/Mitts since we added Alex, and I like Okposo/Cozens and think Asplund will make that combo hard to play against.

I see VO as a guy who thrives on structure and Skinner on chaos, so I have my doubts there, but that line is 3 talented guys playing well, so why not give it a look?

Edited April 15, 2022 by dudacek

[Doohicksie]

1 minute ago, dudacek said:

Ive been hoping to see Tuch/Mitts since we added Alex

I also think there is some chemistry between Tuch and Krebs.  I think the biggest thing missing from Mittsy's line lately is that unstoppable force tilting the ice toward the opponents' goal; that's kind of what Tuch provides.

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

1 hour ago, Brawndo said:

 

I'm glad to see Granato mixing up both the forward and defensive lines so much at this point in the season.  It's apparent the Sabres management is evaluating individual skill sets in preparation of offseason whiteboarding.  You can't hide behind chemistry, or be a passenger, with the lines moving around like this.  I haven't felt this confident about the Sabres FO in a long time...

[French Collection]

I still cannot wait for Butcher to leave on the same train as Eakin but he did OK yesterday and had flashes of offensive IQ for a few shifts.

I feel Pysyk and Miller are better than Butcher.

[inkman]

39 minutes ago, French Collection said:

I still cannot wait for Butcher to leave on the same train as Eakin but he did OK yesterday and had flashes of offensive IQ for a few shifts.

I feel Pysyk and Miller are better than Butcher.

Well, all three may be playing their last games for the Sabres.  Maybe not Pysyk. 

[PerreaultForever]

I have to assume they do not think Miller is good for the room as he's a bad but better player than the other two. Maybe he's miffed he wasn't dealt at the deadline idk. idrc. 

I thought Mitts Tuch would be a good combo from the outset so now we shall see maybe. Cozens Kyle worked before should work again. Not sure about that top line. All snipers/shooters, somebody's going to have to be playmaker, I guess Thompson. Might work, could also be a defensive disaster. 

I think this is mostly about getting Mitts going and seeing if he can elevate. The rest is just what's left. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

The lineup here is pretty much distilled down to our best 9 forwards and 4/5 of our legit NHL D.  Only Samuelsson is missing.

Girgensons, Hinostroza, Eakin, Bjork, Hayden, and Caggiula are all expendable forwards.  Miller, Butcher, Pysyk and Fitz are also expendable D.  None of these 10 players are part of a championship roster other then as a short term injury substitute.   I have Z on the list because while the effort is there most nights the results don’t match the effort.

[bob_sauve28]

If they do this for rest of season, Mitts and Krebs will score a few goals, as Tuch will surely get them the puck. 

 

From what I know now, if we had just got Tuch from Vegas for Eichel, I would not be complaining. Great player. Glad we got the others too, though. 

[Stads]

Forgive me if this was already discussed: Why did they take Hayden out of the lineup for the Blues game? Did they want him for the Leafs in case they tried some dirty nonsense? 

[K-9]

7 minutes ago, Stads said:

Forgive me if this was already discussed: Why did they take Hayden out of the lineup for the Blues game? Did they want him for the Leafs in case they tried some dirty nonsense? 

Eakin returned to the lineup. He was out vs. the Leafs. 

[Mr. Allen]

2 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I think this is mostly about getting Mitts going and seeing if he can elevate. The rest is just what's left. 

This is what I think too.  I think this is a big audition for Mitts and to see what they got in him moving forward. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, Stads said:

Forgive me if this was already discussed: Why did they take Hayden out of the lineup for the Blues game? Did they want him for the Leafs in case they tried some dirty nonsense? 

I think they are just rotating the depth players to get them some PT.

[Doohicksie]

2 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Not sure about that top line. All snipers/shooters, somebody's going to have to be playmaker, I guess Thompson. Might work, could also be a defensive disaster.

I think all three players have good passing ability and Tommer and Olofsson are okay defensively.

1 hour ago, Stads said:

Forgive me if this was already discussed: Why did they take Hayden out of the lineup for the Blues game? Did they want him for the Leafs in case they tried some dirty nonsense? 

Because Eakin couldn't play against TO and he was back against StL.

[Stads]

1 hour ago, K-9 said:

Eakin returned to the lineup. He was out vs. the Leafs. 

I have secured a seat on the Anti-Eakin train so I was happy to see him sitting out. I enjoy games more without him in. He represents to me a player that symbolizes where we've been and not where I'd like us to go. I realize this isn't fair to him and I should dial it back a skosh

[PerreaultForever]

6 minutes ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

I think all three players have good passing ability and Tommer and Olofsson are okay defensively

You really think they are "okay" defensively? TheSkinner Thompson Tuch line has been good offensively but even they were a defensive liability. 

very few of our forwards are any good defensively at all. 

25 minutes ago, Mr. Allen said:

This is what I think too.  I think this is a big audition for Mitts and to see what they got in him moving forward. 

might also be a test for VO. See what he does on the big line. If he can't score (a lot) there, they might want to move on from him or bring that up in negotiations. 

[Doohicksie]

45 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

You really think they are "okay" defensively?

Yes.

[LGR4GM]

3 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

The lineup here is pretty much distilled down to our best 9 forwards and 4/5 of our legit NHL D.  Only Samuelsson is missing.

Girgensons, Hinostroza, Eakin, Bjork, Hayden, and Caggiula are all expendable forwards.  Miller, Butcher, Pysyk and Fitz are also expendable D.  None of these 10 players are part of a championship roster other then as a short term injury substitute.   I have Z on the list because while the effort is there most nights the results don’t match the effort.

I don't agree with anything you've said about Zemgus here. 

[Mr. Allen]

2 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

might also be a test for VO. See what he does on the big line. If he can't score (a lot) there, they might want to move on from him or bring that up in negotiations. 

Good point.  But I like that they are trying new things out right now.  Hope the guys that do have chemistry and play well with each other don’t lose it come next year. 

[Pimlach]

5 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I have to assume they do not think Miller is good for the room as he's a bad but better player than the other two. Maybe he's miffed he wasn't dealt at the deadline idk. idrc. 

I thought Mitts Tuch would be a good combo from the outset so now we shall see maybe. Cozens Kyle worked before should work again. Not sure about that top line. All snipers/shooters, somebody's going to have to be playmaker, I guess Thompson. Might work, could also be a defensive disaster. 

I think this is mostly about getting Mitts going and seeing if he can elevate. The rest is just what's left. 

Nope.  KA meet face to face  with Miller and they talked about where he wanted to go in trade possibilities.   No one wanted Miller.  KA tried to accommodate.  He was hurt for a long time and the in little that he played before the deadline, he was not good.  He look horrible and he still does.   He has fallen behind Butcher on my depth chart, which I didn’t think was even possible.  It has nothing to do with Miller in the room.  He is just not playing good hockey.  

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Nope.  KA meet face to face  with Miller and they talked about where he wanted to go in trade possibilities.   No one wanted Miller.  KA tried to accommodate.  He was hurt for a long time and the in little that he played before the deadline, he was not good.  He look horrible and he still does.   He has fallen behind Butcher on my depth chart, which I didn’t think was even possible.  It has nothing to do with Miller in the room.  He is just not playing good hockey.  

is that not perhaps because he doesn't want to be here, so doesn't care, so plays even worse, and thus is bad for the room? 

I have a hard time believing he got that bad that fast if attitude and effort doesn't have something to do with it. He's not the first for this to happen to. Montour and Scandella aren't tearing up the league or anything, but they are both playing solid hockey on good teams. Much better play than we saw out of them here. 

I will not be surprised if Miller ends up on Vegas or somewhere else next year and plays decent 3rd pairing minutes. But regardless, he's done as a Sabre for sure. 

[Doohicksie]

At some point I want to see Muel and Power on the same defensive pairing so we can call the the Twin Towers.

[Andrew Amerk]

6 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I don't agree with anything you've said about Zemgus here. 

I would include Hiney also. He’s almost a .5ppg player with speed, if there is no upgrade out there. 

2 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

is that not perhaps because he doesn't want to be here, so doesn't care, so plays even worse, and thus is bad for the room? 

I have a hard time believing he got that bad that fast if attitude and effort doesn't have something to do with it. He's not the first for this to happen to. Montour and Scandella aren't tearing up the league or anything, but they are both playing solid hockey on good teams. Much better play than we saw out of them here. 

I will not be surprised if Miller ends up on Vegas or somewhere else next year and plays decent 3rd pairing minutes. But regardless, he's done as a Sabre for sure. 

I find it really hard to believe there wasn’t value to be had in trading Miller. What a giant waste of time he has been.