Physical play including fighting are missing from the game...

[PerreaultForever]

8 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

I know I will be viewed as a dinosaur and wanting something that is gone from the game, but it is a big part of why I am "losing my love" for the game.  Just to be clear, I am not asking for bench clearing brawls, or even line brawls, but a fight between two players should be ok and a regular part of the game(remove the instigator penalty). 

Also, and this is magnified by the play of the Sabres particularly, what has happened to body checking?  The Sabres are dead last in hits per 60 min, by ~3.5 hits per game(and 13 hits per game away from being middle of the pack). 

https://www.nhl.com/stats/teams?report=realtime&reportType=season&seasonFrom=20222023&seasonTo=20222023&gameType=2&filter=gamesPlayed,gte,1&sort=hitsPer60&page=0&pageSize=50

This isn't a women's "no checking" league.  Maybe I would feel differently if the Sabres were a playoff team AND if they were not another season into one of the worst periods any NHL team has ever experienced...or maybe I'd still yearn for the physical play even if winning.

 

Anyone who has ever been to an NHL game, can't tell me that other than a goal, two of the most exciting plays in a game, are a bone crushing body check or a fight.

Fighting is down, but it's definitely not gone from the game. You're just watching too many Sabres games. 

Remember this guy? 

https://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/n265891

 

Sabres definition of checking: wave your stick towards the puck, close your eyes and hope nothing happens. 

[Billssabres33]

10 hours ago, Zamboni said:

No NEED for fights in todays NHL. 
Just a want.

I’d rather have hard or skilled checks than “fights”. 
 

 

I think part of LB’s point is that those hits are missing too…at least from the Sabres game

[Carmel Corn]

I don't think it's asking too much for a team that will finish checks, hit opposing D-men in the offensive zone (ex. causing them to look over their shoulder before going to the boards to retrieve a puck) and moving an opposing forward out of the way of your goalie to avoid a screen.  The Sabres do none of this, which is part of the reason why other teams do not fear playing them.  I don't need fighting, just a team that makes other teams respect their physical play (which is largely non-existent).

[Dryballs]

Physical play usually indicates intensity. I always felt as though guys like Housley, Turgeon, Vanek and others could be intimidated off their games. Was really frustrating to see. I'm not saying you need to fight but I think in tight on the wall, ya gotta let the other guy know that you're gunna be balls to the wall so "buckle up"...... Play hungry!

[thewookie1]

5 minutes ago, Dryballs said:

Physical play usually indicates intensity. I always felt as though guys like Housley, Turgeon, Vanek and others could be intimidated off their games. Was really frustrating to see. I'm not saying you need to fight but I think in tight on the wall, ya gotta let the other guy know that you're gunna be balls to the wall so "buckle up"...... Play hungry!

I disagree about Vanek, that guy took a beating through his career and rarely relented.

[inkman]

26 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

I disagree about Vanek, that guy took a beating through his career and rarely relented.

Vanek may have been 6’2 200 lbs but no one was ever intimidated by him.  

[Refuting]

23 minutes ago, inkman said:

Vanek may have been 6’2 200 lbs but no one was ever intimidated by him.  

Didn't matter. We didn't need that from him. He was a pure goal scorer 

[John Tucker]

Unfortunately, fighting will be phased out completely.  Staged fights were always bothersome, but heat of the battle, trying to get your team energized fights will be missed.  Maybe not by you all, but it is something was engrained in us older Sabre fans and is lacking.  Even the days when the blue and gold weren't that good, fans showed up and you could feel the energy in the building that a scrap or two creates.  This team plays like a Friday night men's league wannabe.

[Curt]

19 hours ago, Dryballs said:

Physical play usually indicates intensity. I always felt as though guys like Housley, Turgeon, Vanek and others could be intimidated off their games. Was really frustrating to see. I'm not saying you need to fight but I think in tight on the wall, ya gotta let the other guy know that you're gunna be balls to the wall so "buckle up"...... Play hungry!

I second the disagree.  Never felt that way about Vanek.  Teams would beat the hell out of him and it never took him off his game.

18 hours ago, inkman said:

Vanek may have been 6’2 200 lbs but no one was ever intimidated by him.  

No one said that Vanek intimidated people..

[inkman]

1 minute ago, Curt said:

I second the disagree.  Never felt that way about Vanek.  Teams would beat the hell out of him and it never took him off his game.

No one said that Vanek intimidated people..

Right.  But that’s what this team needed then and still needs now.  The fact that a decade can pass where not one GM bothered to do the easiest thing of just adding sandpaper, which would appease a large segment of this fanbase, instead just keep brining in similar soft skill players is maddening.  All you had to do was have a few guys on the team that hit and occasionally fight and most of the fanbase would have been content waiting for the skill to arrive via the draft. 

[Eleven]

On 11/16/2022 at 3:58 PM, spndnchz said:

I’d agree. After the ‘instigator’ penalty, things quietly downed for fear of putting your teams down a man. 

The way this season is headed, I'd have no problem with the Sabres taking penalties just to show Boston and Ottawa that if they're gonna ***** around, they're gonna find out.  Especially if some posters are right and Adams is tanking *again*.

Edited November 18, 2022 by Eleven

[Norcal]

I don't necessarily want a fighter on the ice but I'd love a couple big physical guys who can muck it up a bit and give a good beat down if needed.

If the team was going to make a change to facilitate that I'd love one F and one D in a perfect world.

Two tough, physical, sturdy veterans who can play but will always finish a check, stand toe to toe and crosscheck with an opponent, take or give a punch. 

This team needs a crazy, hair on fire F steaming down the ice with bad intentions on the forecheck to loosen up a few more pucks.

The D could use one more Boosh to step up to the hard-nosed Fs in the league like Tkachuk. 

I love Muel and he can play but he's more positional than physical at this point.

He might develop that snarl one day but for now they could use an example imo. 

 

[Curt]

16 hours ago, inkman said:

Right.  But that’s what this team needed then and still needs now.  The fact that a decade can pass where not one GM bothered to do the easiest thing of just adding sandpaper, which would appease a large segment of this fanbase, instead just keep brining in similar soft skill players is maddening.  All you had to do was have a few guys on the team that hit and occasionally fight and most of the fanbase would have been content waiting for the skill to arrive via the draft. 

I replied to one specific statement.  You are talking about something else.

When Vanek was on the team they had more “sandpaper”.  Ott, Kaleta, Weber, Scott, Foligno, Gaustad, Reghier, McCormick, Rivet, Mair, Peters.  About half those guys were on the Vanek roster at any given time.

Edited November 19, 2022 by Curt

[Norcal]

4 hours ago, Curt said:

I replied to one specific statement.  You are talking about something else.

When Vanek was on the team they had more “sandpaper”.  Ott, Kaleta, Weber, Scott, Foligno, Gaustad, Reghier, McCormick, Rivet, Mair, Peters.  About half those guys were on the Vanek roster at any given time.

I'd take Foligno back. He'd look good with Z and Okposo.

[Curt]

3 minutes ago, Norcal said:

I'd take Foligno back. He'd look good with Z and Okposo.

Having a bit of a rough season so far, but yeah, sure.

[bunomatic]

21 hours ago, Norcal said:

I don't necessarily want a fighter on the ice but I'd love a couple big physical guys who can muck it up a bit and give a good beat down if needed.

If the team was going to make a change to facilitate that I'd love one F and one D in a perfect world.

Two tough, physical, sturdy veterans who can play but will always finish a check, stand toe to toe and crosscheck with an opponent, take or give a punch. 

This team needs a crazy, hair on fire F steaming down the ice with bad intentions on the forecheck to loosen up a few more pucks.

The D could use one more Boosh to step up to the hard-nosed Fs in the league like Tkachuk. 

I love Muel and he can play but he's more positional than physical at this point.

He might develop that snarl one day but for now they could use an example imo. 

 

Crazy hair on fire got me thinkin.

eddy shack ! Now if he’s incarnated in another human form thats fine too but we need that kind of energy. With skill and a few other necessary attributes. Make it so #1.

[Refuting]

32 minutes ago, Curt said:

Having a bit of a rough season so far, but yeah, sure.

Shouldn't have traded him to begin with 

[Norcal]

2 hours ago, Curt said:

Having a bit of a rough season so far, but yeah, sure.

I know but he's pretty much what I described above and your mention of him reminded me.

He would be a perfect fit.

2 hours ago, bunomatic said:

Crazy hair on fire got me thinkin.

eddy shack ! Now if he’s incarnated in another human form thats fine too but we need that kind of energy. With skill and a few other necessary attributes. Make it so #1.

Any team could use that guy

[John Tucker]

On 11/18/2022 at 2:33 PM, Eleven said:

The way this season is headed, I'd have no problem with the Sabres taking penalties just to show Boston and Ottawa that if they're gonna ***** around, they're gonna find out.  Especially if some posters are right and Adams is tanking *again*.

If nothing else, at least to maybe put an extra 5 people in the stands and create a little bit of excitement for this fan base once in a generation.