Sabres Lines, Nov. 9, 2022

[sabresparaavida]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

Bryson has not done anything lately to deserve to be paired with Rasmus.  I hope this is just for practice. 

And who on the left side is better?

[Weave]

Have we finally reached the point where we can actually look down on Mitts contributions without the kids-just-need-time brigade shouting us down?  Rejoice.

He just doesn’t have it.  At this point Brian Holzinger or Derek Plante will be a very positive outcome for Mitts.  Move him for a piece that helps now, and after his next contract he’ll enjoy a respectable career in one of the European leagues.

It’s a shame.  He’s got Connolly’s hands.  But the rest of Connolly’s shifty-ness just doesn’t show up often enough.

[Digger]

I figure Granato will move the guys around throughout the game.

In my opinion they should have thrown Hinostroza into one of the back to back games (Carolina / Tampa) just to give a set of fresh legs and energy.  Maybe he was holding him back for Vegas.  He's not a top line player but he is noticeable when he's playing well and can make a difference on a dead night like last game. 

[SwampD]

Someday,… some… day, we will be trying to win now and not in a development year.

 

…someday…

 

[Marvin]

4 hours ago, Toilet_Mop said:

Need to make a trade for a power forward. How much better/entertaining would this team be with one of the Tkachuk Brothers? Exponentially better. 

This is a team that's been devoid of gritty/grinders for several years. I want a guy that scores a goal then blasts someone on his next shift. Like a Shane Doan.

 

All the coaches seem to value is speed and shot. 

 

 

 

Welcome back!

[Refuting]

30 minutes ago, Marvin said:

Welcome back!

Hey thanks man. Go Sabres 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Please get a power forward) 

[Broken Ankles]

5 hours ago, Thorny said:

Do they think Mitts is good? Or are they giving him the runway to definitively prove he is not?

Is it more likely they have a very wonky talent analysis of Mittelstadt that flies in the face of what the underlying numbers would be telling them, or that they view this as a season where experimenting with individual players is the priority? 

Disclaimer: *This is not an endorsement of said priority alignment*

You are on record for them viewing the Vegas game as an “event game”.  A quote from the GDT below….. so if true, why are they tweaking the lines, again? When it was clearly a factor in the loss yesterday.  Then add to that sitting Quinn, and giving Vincenzo (whom I like in a top 12 role) time on the first line?  How do you reconcile the two?  Seems like they are treating this game like the last few. Perhaps a few players are more motivated and come out flying, or playing in front of a bigger crowd gives some added juice but not sure how these changes “help” with a W.  

“Event games, these vibes games, they are a different story. The team approaches them differently imo and I think the statistics from last year clearly bear that out. Maybe they get shellacked tomorrow but I don't think so. I think they win.”

[LGR4GM]

33 minutes ago, Toilet_Mop said:

Hey thanks man. Go Sabres 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Please get a power forward) 

You mean another power forward. They have one

[Thorner]

21 minutes ago, Broken Ankles said:

You are on record for them viewing the Vegas game as an “event game”.  A quote from the GDT below….. so if true, why are they tweaking the lines, again? When it was clearly a factor in the loss yesterday.  Then add to that sitting Quinn, and giving Vincenzo (whom I like in a top 12 role) time on the first line?  How do you reconcile the two?  Seems like they are treating this game like the last few. Perhaps a few players are more motivated and come out flying, or playing in front of a bigger crowd gives some added juice but not sure how these changes “help” with a W.  

“Event games, these vibes games, they are a different story. The team approaches them differently imo and I think the statistics from last year clearly bear that out. Maybe they get shellacked tomorrow but I don't think so. I think they win.”

There’s always the distinction between the aims of management, that of coaching, and that of the players. I don’t think the sorting of priorities from on up changes on a game to game basis. 

I do however acknowledge the fact that last year they had a really good record in games like this - I do think it comes down to the psyche of the players. 

If no “must wins” are going to be intimated from higher up, the players will choose their own. 

 

[PerreaultForever]

6 hours ago, Thorny said:

respectfully I think a sentence like this just serves to muddy

It's not that they "don't want" to win. They do. They aren't tanking.

The point of distinction is whether or not that is priority numero uno for this team, and whether or not it should be. 

To the first - I think it's obvious it's not

To the second - I have my leanings but truly do not know

I don't really want to throw out terms like "job security" right now when much of the details underneath the surface, like say with drafting and the off-ice personnel they've added look very promising. But....they are certainly going for long-form rebuild. 

Like, really long. Like, maybe 5 years to make the playoffs long. And people like to count last year as Adams year 1. 

I don't really disagree with you but to me not caring about winning vs. winning not being priority numero uno is a distinction that kind of doesn't matter. To me. It amounts to the same thing. I'm pretty sure it is a VERY long timeline, but I don't have to like that. As a fan I am sick and tired of "next year". We've heard all that before. 

To me, setting a standard and an expectation for giving it your all and trying to win every night is a cornerstone. Philly was supposed to be crap (and maybe still are) but that's the approach they've taken. Culture first.  I'm simply afraid this will cycle around AGAIN and this batch will lose their love or get comfortable with a low bar and round and round and round we go. 

[grinreaper]

Think of things this way: The Sabres are certainly interested in winning but at this point in time don't place winning over development. They want to do both.

[Refuting]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

You mean another power forward. They have one

Who's that? 

[Pimlach]

5 hours ago, Weave said:

Have we finally reached the point where we can actually look down on Mitts contributions without the kids-just-need-time brigade shouting us down?  Rejoice.

He just doesn’t have it.  At this point Brian Holzinger or Derek Plante will be a very positive outcome for Mitts.  Move him for a piece that helps now, and after his next contract he’ll enjoy a respectable career in one of the European leagues.

It’s a shame.  He’s got Connolly’s hands.  But the rest of Connolly’s shifty-ness just doesn’t show up often enough.

You move him if you can improve somewhere else.  It would be better if one of our young centers is ready, but none are right now. 

1 hour ago, grinreaper said:

Think of things this way: The Sabres are certainly interested in winning but at this point in time don't place winning over development. They want to do both.

Winning would enable development.  

[Refuting]

Why isn't Craig Anderson playing more? Not saying that Comrie is brutal. I know many of his goals he allowed were not his fault, but the Craiger has some nice stats going and a winning record just like last year. 

The team seemed noticeably different when he played last year and he's doing well this year. So why not play him more and if he starts tanking THEN switch to Comrie? You paid him to come back and he's not getting any younger. 

 

Logic says use him as long as you can 

[K-9]

7 minutes ago, Toilet_Mop said:

Why isn't Craig Anderson playing more? Not saying that Comrie is brutal. I know many of his goals he allowed were not his fault, but the Craiger has some nice stats going and a winning record just like last year. 

The team seemed noticeably different when he played last year and he's doing well this year. So why not play him more and if he starts tanking THEN switch to Comrie? You paid him to come back and he's not getting any younger. 

 

Logic says use him as long as you can 

I think KA and DG have Anderson on a tight pitch count. 

[Refuting]

9 minutes ago, K-9 said:

I think KA and DG have Anderson on a tight pitch count. 

Yeah, but why? Typically pitch counts are reserved for guys returning from injuries. Not for guys you willingly re-signed to play for your team and who has respectable stats for said team. 

If they're so worried about injury, why re-sign him in the first place? 

[K-9]

3 minutes ago, Toilet_Mop said:

Yeah, but why? Typically pitch counts are reserved for guys returning from injuries. Not for guys you willingly re-signed to play for your team and who has respectable stats for said team. 

If they're so worried about injury, why re-sign him in the first place? 

If I had to guess I’d say it’s because he’s 41 and they’re being ultra conservative in managing his workload. Perhaps they view him as strictly a backup goalie who is only gonna get 25 starts or so, which his four starts in 13 games puts him on pace to do. 

[Thwomp!]

I think it's time they move on from Mittlestadt.  Hopefully they're trying to showcase him, but it's not like he's playing well anyway.  Him being in the lineup and given opportunity after opportunity is maddening.  They definitely love him more than I do, however, so who knows?

[LGR4GM]

8 hours ago, Toilet_Mop said:

Who's that? 

The 6'4" power forward they traded for last year

[Refuting]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

The 6'4" power forward they traded for last year

I like Tuch I think he's a good player with lots of potential but he's no power forward yet. 

[Doohicksie]

10 hours ago, Toilet_Mop said:

Logic says use him as long as you can 

No, logic says if you play him too much he will break down and won't be available for the full season.

[Refuting]

1 minute ago, Doohickie said:

No, logic says if you play him too much he will break down and won't be available for the full season.

Actually it doesn't. Ride the hot hand. This team is different when he plays dating back to last year. Reminds me of when Ullmark was in net. The whole team played better. They scored more goals played harder. I think it's a respect thing  

[Doohicksie]

I'm thinking a 41-year-old goalie who missed significant time last year due to injury would not hold up long as an every day starter.  I think Granato thinks the same thing.

[Refuting]

5 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

I'm thinking a 41-year-old goalie who missed significant time last year due to injury would not hold up long as an every day starter.  I think Granato thinks the same thing.

I did not imply that he should be an everyday starter. I think he should play more. 

 

I thought when we signed Comrie it would be a 50/50 split. Its not, which is okay. With how long Craigster has been in the league plus his stats being respectable, he should get more playing time than he has now.  

[Pimlach]

14 hours ago, Toilet_Mop said:

Hey thanks man. Go Sabres 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Please get a power forward) 

When people talk about power forwards, I immediately think of James Worthy of the LA Lakers.  Always seemed like a basketball term to me because there are so few in hockey.    

We have Cozens and Tuch.  Another big forward that will hit people and has speed and scoring skills would never hurt.  You have to draft these guys and then develop them.