Defense Injury Survival

[matter2003]

Anyone know what is going on with Lyubushkin?  Reported he was a healthy scratch last night...I thought he was playing very well for us and brought a much needed physical presence and nastiness to the lineup.

 

Ah...NVM, this explains it better in detail...re-aggravated whatever was bothering him from blocking the shot...assuming its an ankle or foot by the way they talked about it.

https://www.buffalohockeybeat.com/ilya-lyubushkin-out-again-sabres-plan-to-add-new-defenseman/

Edited November 1, 2022 by matter2003

[GASabresIUFAN]

22 hours ago, Doohickie said:

"I saw Hickey at Duff's"

I read this to quickly the first time.  I thought you wrote "I got a Hickey at Duff's"  Dyslexia is a terrible thing.

[Doohicksie]

33 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I read this to quickly the first time.  I thought you wrote "I got a Hickey at Duff's"  Dyslexia is a terrible thing.

I should be so lucky.

[GASabresIUFAN]

With Dahlin now injured, the pressure to do something has to be building.

[matter2003]

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

With Dahlin now injured, the pressure to do something has to be building.

Dahlin is day to day, might be good by next game

[JohnC]

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

With Dahlin now injured, the pressure to do something has to be building.

No it isn't. Lyubushkin just came back, and there is a good chance that Dahlin will play in the next game. And shortly after that it is expected that Joki will also be back. If Bryson was struggling I would be on board with your greater sense of urgency than I currently have. In my view he is holding up fairly well. One positive out of this blue line depletion is that it is apparent that Power already is capable of playing an anchor defenseman role. (He's already a gem.) I'm not ruling out additions to the blue line but not right now. Although I'm sure the GM and his pro scouts are putting together a list of players from other teams who may be available when the team gets to near the half-way point into the season. And then it will more likely consider what is on the market. 

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

No it isn't. Lyubushkin just came back, and there is a good chance that Dahlin will play in the next game. And shortly after that it is expected that Joki will also be back. If Bryson was struggling I would be on board with your greater sense of urgency than I currently have. In my view he is holding up fairly well. One positive out of this blue line depletion is that it is apparent that Power already is capable of playing an anchor defenseman role. (He's already a gem.) I'm not ruling out additions to the blue line but not right now. Although I'm sure the GM and his pro scouts are putting together a list of players from other teams who may be available when the team gets to near the half-way point into the season. And then it will more likely consider what is on the market. 

Correct.  It's giving them another "we can't simulate this in practice" environment.  As much as it is BEYOND frustrating to watch them not do everything possible to give THEIR CHOSEN group its best chance to win today, they are officially in the "we want them to win consistently in the LT and winning today is gravy" phase of the program.

Don't see where bringing another D hurts in the LT (w/ the exception that Pilut or other D-man MIGHT get claimed should they all get healthy again, which isn't especially likely at this point) but Adams is only going to bring somebody in if it actually builds toward his LT vision and doesn't merely not hinder it.

[Crusader1969]

Starting to think Luke Schenn might be a target.  Would come cheap 

[JohnC]

2 hours ago, Taro T said:

Correct.  It's giving them another "we can't simulate this in practice" environment.  As much as it is BEYOND frustrating to watch them not do everything possible to give THEIR CHOSEN group its best chance to win today, they are officially in the "we want them to win consistently in the LT and winning today is gravy" phase of the program.

Don't see where bringing another D hurts in the LT (w/ the exception that Pilut or other D-man MIGHT get claimed should they all get healthy again, which isn't especially likely at this point) but Adams is only going to bring somebody in if it actually builds toward his LT vision and doesn't merely not hinder it.

I'm not arguing against bringing in another defenseman. But I don't see another first or second caliber of defenseman brought in at this stage of the season. KA has repeatedly stressed the importance of building from within the system. I'm sure he is not a rigid ideologue who wouldn't be willing to bring in another blueliner if the cost was reasonable and the player fit within his roster concept. As I have stated to @GASabresIUFANI just don't see that kind of transaction happening right now. 

[JohnC]

2 hours ago, Taro T said:

Correct.  It's giving them another "we can't simulate this in practice" environment.  As much as it is BEYOND frustrating to watch them not do everything possible to give THEIR CHOSEN group its best chance to win today, they are officially in the "we want them to win consistently in the LT and winning today is gravy" phase of the program.

Don't see where bringing another D hurts in the LT (w/ the exception that Pilut or other D-man MIGHT get claimed should they all get healthy again, which isn't especially likely at this point) but Adams is only going to bring somebody in if it actually builds toward his LT vision and doesn't merely not hinder it.

My response is more of a question than a statement: What happens if as the season advances this team surprises expectations and is in the thick of a playoff race? Will KA make some moves that go against his longer term rebuild strategy in order to seize an opportunity for a playoff spot? I lean toward that he should as much for business reasons (attendance) as for competitive reasons. 

[Doohicksie]

2 hours ago, Taro T said:

Correct.  It's giving them another "we can't simulate this in practice" environment.  As much as it is BEYOND frustrating to watch them not do everything possible to give THEIR CHOSEN group its best chance to win today, they are officially in the "we want them to win consistently in the LT and winning today is gravy" phase of the program.

Don't see where bringing another D hurts in the LT (w/ the exception that Pilut or other D-man MIGHT get claimed should they all get healthy again, which isn't especially likely at this point) but Adams is only going to bring somebody in if it actually builds toward his LT vision and doesn't merely not hinder it.

Pilut is still waiver exempt.  That's why he was sent down at beginning of season.

[Taro T]

5 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Pilut is still waiver exempt.  That's why he was sent down at beginning of season.

WRONG. 

And correct.

But things change, and when they do they don't stay the same, which is why you are wrong.

 

[Doohicksie]

Had he played too many games?  No longer waiver exempt?

[GASabresIUFAN]

Capfriendly now lists Pilut as waiver required.

[LabattBlue]

I didn’t watch much of the last couple of games, but in the short glimpses of play Clague has not looked that bad…and even maybe better than Fitz or Pilut.  Yes, no, maybe?

The only downside of him in the lineup is Dan D thinks Brandon Hagel is Sabres property once again, and has switched from forward to defense. 

[shrader]

3 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

I didn’t watch much of the last couple of games, but in the short glimpses of play Clague has not looked that bad…and even maybe better than Fitz or Pilut.  Yes, no, maybe?

The only downside of him in the lineup is Dan D thinks Brandon Hagel is Sabres property once again, and has switched from forward to defense. 

I want to start calling him Claguel.

[Amerks8796]

Laaksonen got hurt over the weekend so, for the moment, Sabres are out of NHL contracted defensemen in Rochester. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

3 hours ago, Amerks8796 said:

Laaksonen got hurt over the weekend so, for the moment, Sabres are out of NHL contracted defensemen in Rochester. 

...and so it goes.

Seems like there is a curse on our organization.  Thou shall not compete with a full roster of good players.

[Taro T]

5 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

I didn’t watch much of the last couple of games, but in the short glimpses of play Clague has not looked that bad…and even maybe better than Fitz or Pilut.  Yes, no, maybe?

The only downside of him in the lineup is Dan D thinks Brandon Hagel is Sabres property once again, and has switched from forward to defense. 

It's true, Clague has looked alright since getting paired w/ Power.

In fairness, both Pilut & Fitzgerald would likely look better being paired w/ Power as well.  Unfortunately for them, they're each getting paired w/ a guy who's a 6-8.

And expect, Pilut &/or Fitzgerald and Clague would look significantly worse than Larry & Casey have looked together.

[Thorner]

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

...and so it goes.

Seems like there is a curse on our organization.  Thou shall not compete with a full roster of good players.

Everyone has injuries 

[Brawndo]

On 11/6/2022 at 9:23 PM, Doohickie said:

Had he played too many games?  No longer waiver exempt?

The Covid Season reduced the number of games required to make Him Waiver Eligible.

 

 

 

 

[Brawndo]

Here are the RAPM Charts from Evolving Hockey for the Sabres Defenseman. Ironically Lyubuskin who is usually a defensive stalwart is struggling.

 

 

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Here are the RAPM Charts from Evolving Hockey for the Sabres Defenseman. Ironically Lyubuskin who is usually a defensive stalwart is struggling.

 

 

Lyubushkin's played a lot of hockey on a bad leg.   It's been affecting him for a significant portion of his small sample size to date.

Fully expect that to improve when he finally gets a chance to heal up.

[Thorner]

 

[bob_sauve28]