The Current Situation

[mjd1001]

23 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Getting pp goals makes you stronger in rest of your game. But not scoring ANY PP goals is just death 

Ok, well I don't now how to 'fix the PP', I am not good with analyzing NHL play in the offensive zone.

Cozens has quickly become my whipping boy but it is well deserved.  He has zero touch shooting the puck at all.

Maybe start by removing Cozens from the PP. (He has the 2nd most PP ice time on the team). Replace him with who?  Greenway?  Big guy with reach, just have him stand in front of the net, take a beating, provide a screen, make the opposing players collapse closer to the net because he is standing there, and give the rest of the unit more time to work on the perimeter (Greenway has only 17 seconds of PP time per game, to Cozens nearly 4 minutes per game). 

If there are any rebounds just have Greenway whack away at the puck in front of the net...he may not have the best hands but he can't do much worse than what they have now.

I want the likes of Peterka, Benson, Quinn, Thompson, and Tuch getting the shots on the PP from the wings and the slot, not Cozens.  I have more faith that those other guys are likely to come out of a shooting slump.

 

Edited 3 hours ago by mjd1001

[bob_sauve28]

3 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

Ok, well I don't now how to 'fix the PP', I am not good with analyzing NHL play in the offensive zone.

Cozens has quickly become my whipping boy but it is well deserved.  He has zero touch shooting the puck at all.

Maybe start by removing Cozens from the PP. (He has the 2nd most PP ice time on the team). Replace him with who?  Greenway?  Big guy with reach, just have him stand in front of the net, take a beating, provide a screen, make the opposing players collapse closer to the net because he is standing there, and give the rest of the unit more time to work on the perimeter (Greenway has only 17 seconds of PP time per game, to Cozens nearly 4 minutes per game).  If there are any rebounds just have Greenway whack away at the puck in front of the net...he may not have the best hands but he can't do much worse than what they have now.

I want the likes of Peterka, Benson, Quinn, Thompson, and Tuch getting the shots on the PP from the wings and the slot, not Cozens.  I have more faith that those other guys are likely to come out of a shooting slump.

 

Lindy needs to start promoting and demoting on PP, find players that work.

 

ZERO PP goals so far. Wow! 

 

It's just unbelievable 

[pi2000]

14 minutes ago, SABRES 0311 said:

No it’s six points. 

the oilers won 2 games in october last year

[mjd1001]

12 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Lindy needs to start promoting and demoting on PP, find players that work.

 

ZERO PP goals so far. Wow! 

 

It's just unbelievable 

One other thing about the PP....I haven't been as high on Benson as others, but this year he does look like he is controlling the puck well when it is on his stick. The Sabres did not respond to being pressured on the PP tonight, and not against NJ either. I think Peterka when he comes back, and Benson, they may have to play a bigger roll on the power play. Maybe try to run the PP through them on the walls? They both seem to have quicker hands for both getting off quick shots and/or handling the puck in tight when pressured.

Dahlin is off. He isn't himself handlilng the puck back there. Byram looks a little more confident with the puck. If, IF there is something going on with Dahlin, make him your #2 point guy and give a little more ice time on the PP to Byram until Dahlin sorts out whatever it is he is going through.

Edited 3 hours ago by mjd1001

[bob_sauve28]

4 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

One other thing about the PP....I haven't been as high on Benson as others, but this year he does look like he is controlling the puck well when it is on his stick. The Sabres did not respond to being pressured on the PP tonight, and not against NJ either. I think Peterka when he comes back, and Benson, they may have to play a bigger roll on the power play. Maybe try to run the PP through them on the walls? They both seem to have quicker hands for both getting off quick shots and/or handling the puck in tight when pressured.

Dahlin is off. He isn't himself handlilng the puck back there. Byram looks a little more confident with the puck. If, IF there is something going on with Dahlin, make him your #2 point guy and give a little more ice time on the PP to Benson until Dahlin sorts out whatever it is he is going through.

He's been almost invisible. Quinn, too. 

 

They have to try something. It's a disaster 

[ASlugAbove]

We just look flat out dead. No drive. No direction. Just like last year. The game starts and it’s like they didn’t even realize they’re in an nhl game. They announce the players at the HOME OPENER and NOBODY looks excited. Probably because they know we’re about to boo. And ya know what? It’s deserved. They have no heart. No leadership. Our captain is 24 and has never won here. We’re broken and I’m afraid we’re staring down the barrel of 0-4. 

[SABRES 0311]

15 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

the oilers won 2 games in october last year

Sabres are not the Oilers. Not even close 😂 

[Thorner]

15 minutes ago, SABRES 0311 said:

Sabres are not the Oilers. Not even close 😂 

Those comps don’t really serve the argument, I agree. Not if the personnel isn’t comparable. It’s not as if we can just like, ya know, steal their league leading power play design and voilà. Pretty sure the artists are responsible for the created art, and I don’t see a spare McDavid lying around, let me know if you do.

Biggest (see: only) avenue to substantially addressing notable issues like even strength scoring, our PP deficiencies, etc is to properly build and supplement the roster.  The PP remaining bad isn’t very surprising when you remember who the key offseason additions were, after an inept PP last year. We chose to supplement the 4th line, ok. I’m shocked that without more talented players we aren’t finding more success within the area of the game talented players  shine the most 

we are hoping right now on a sorely needed in-season move from the GM (don’t laugh) or the first three games to be proven a very unlucky statistical anomaly, wherein we really do have a good top 6, in which case goal scoring in all facets should fix itself. Ie: if Adams built a good roster, it’ll simply bear out 

Edited 2 hours ago by Thorner

[SABRES 0311]

15 minutes ago, Thorner said:

Those comps don’t really serve the argument, I agree. Not if the personnel isn’t comparable. It’s not as if we can just like, ya know, steal their league leading power play design and voilà. Pretty sure the artists are responsible for the created art, and I don’t see a spare McDavid lying around, let me know if you do.

Biggest (see: only) avenue to substantially addressing notable issues like even strength scoring, our PP deficiencies, etc is to properly build and supplement the roster.  The PP remaining bad isn’t very surprising when you remember who the key offseason additions were, after an inept PP last year. We chose to supplement the 4th line, ok. I’m shocked that without more talented players we aren’t finding more success within the area of the game talented players  shine the most 

we are hoping right now on a sorely needed in-season move from the GM (don’t laugh) or the first three games to be proven a very unlucky statistical anomaly, wherein we really do have a good top 6, in which case goal scoring in all facets should fix itself. Ie: if Adams built a good roster, it’ll simply bear out 

Agree with everything here. I don’t see a trade happening though. I do think we got a little flash in the pan with Cozens and TT. Not saying they’re bad, just not what we want them to be exactly.

Line shuffling of the top six is where I’d start. Switch Quinn and Tuch. Switch McLeod and Cozens. Try it in practice and a game or two.