GDT: Ottawa Senators @ Buffalo Sabres 7 PM ESPN+, MSG

[PickaPecaPickles]

Interesting comments by Ruff:
 

Quote

 

The Sabres coach spoke postgame about the decision to scratch Samuelsson and Jokiharju, who had both appeared in every game this season.

“I want those two guys to raise their standard of play,” he said. “I need their standard to be a lot higher.

He added: “I think we’ve discussed what is necessary to win hockey games. I’ve probably been more patient than I’ve ever been, just trying to figure these guys out. But there’s a standard you have to play to, and the standard, it hasn’t been good enough. And other guys have sat. I met with both players today and discussed what is acceptable and what will work if you’re in the lineup.”

 

 

[ska-T Chitown]

51 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

Quinn and Cozens...I'm not going 100% here yet because it still is a bit early...but I'm starting to have some Cody Hodgson/Matt Moulson vibes with them.

You mean the guy with the degenerative illness that tried to kill him when he tried real hard?? Rough analogy.

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, mjd1001 said:

As per my above post, it is early. Quinn is lost I don't know what to think about him, but I THINK Cozen is going to 'kinda' snap out of his shooting slump soon (I'm almost convinced he will not be a regular 30 goal scorer, but I still DO think you are going to get some years of 25 goals out of him, and some years of 15 out of him)

But as far as Benson.  If you think Benson is going to be a legit top 6 player on this team going forward and has the potential to put up decent goal numbers, at some point do you want to get him away from Cozens and Quinn?

There is the school of thought they have worked well together or their games may mesh, but a young guy, is there anything to him losing confidence in his offense production if he is dragged down by being part of a line like that?  Might he be better suited on a line with McLeod?

I'd Consider Benson with McLeod and Greenway.  Move Zucker with Quinn and Cozens. 

I have a lot of regard for Benson and his potential. After watching him play it seems to me his value doesn't relate to his goal stats. Whether he is on the second line with Cozens or on another line he is going to be the digger more than the finisher on that line. 

As far as the Quinn malaise, I just don't know what the source of his deteriorating play is. Is it physical or mental? JJP and he were a duo that I thought were going to grow together. Both showed exciting promise. JJP is playing with confidence and with a smile while Quinn has faded to the point where he is invisible on the ice. You can't have that on the second line, one of your primary lines. I thought that Kulich should have been kept up and Quinn relegated to the lower league in the hope that he would find his game. The Quinn retraction is troubling. I'm baffled by his play. 

Edited November 6 by JohnC

[PromoTheRobot]

8 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

So there you go. They show us that they are capable of bringing the effort and playing decent hockey. Ruff just has to figure out how to get them to bring that every night on a consistent basis and not just every now and again. 

No complaints. That was entertaining hockey. 

I personally think Gilbert should stay in the line up. At least for a while. Quinn however, still needs to sit. Byram looked better 

Obviously Kulich was the problem.  🤪

[ska-T Chitown]

17 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I have a lot of regard for Benson and his potential. After watching him play it seems to me his value doesn't relate to his goal stats. Whether he is on the second line with Cozens or on another line he is going to be the digger more than the finisher on that line. 

As far as the Quinn malaise, I just don't know what the source of his deteriorating play is. Is it physical or mental? JJP and he were a duo that I thought were going to grow together. Both showed exciting promise. JJP is playing with confidence and with a smile while Quinn has faded to the point where he is invisible on the ice. You can't have that on the second line, one of your primary lines. I thought that Kulich should have been kept up and Quinn relegated to the lower league in the hope that he would find his game. The Quinn retraction is troubling. I'm baffled by his play. 

Quinn would have to clear waivers, no? First team up in the queue would take him before the announcement was even complete. Ice or press box for our boy Quinn.

I was at dinner last night and did not get to see the whole game, but I actually noticed Quinn doing good things a few times in the first period and I thought he looked decent against Deetroyit early on, too. I'd hate to break up our third line, so it looks like we are sticking with Cozzie-Quinner for now. Ruff must see something?

[mjd1001]

43 minutes ago, ska-T Chitown said:

You mean the guy with the degenerative illness that tried to kill him when he tried real hard?? Rough analogy.

Not meant to be a rough analogy. I said "Vibes" meaning their style of play and their production. No one knows why Cozens and Quinn aren't scoring. not sure why you went there, I wasn't thinking that at all. Again, 'vibes' mean how their level of play is progressing, nothing more.

Edited November 6 by mjd1001

[JohnC]

4 minutes ago, ska-T Chitown said:

Quinn would have to clear waivers, no? First team up in the queue would take him before the announcement was even complete. Ice or press box for our boy Quinn.

I was at dinner last night and did not get to see the whole game, but I actually noticed Quinn doing good things a few times in the first period and I thought he looked decent against Deetroyit early on, too. I'd hate to break up our third line, so it looks like we are sticking with Cozzie-Quinner for now. Ruff must see something?

If he has to clear waivers I'm sure that's why he is kept up? I'm not really sure on that issue. 

The positives you have seen on Quinn are not what I have seen. He's a shell of a player from what he has previously displayed. He has little spark compared to what he has exhibited before. His game is very flat with no impact. That's what I see. It would be such a bonus if he can revitalize his game to his previous form. 

[ska-T Chitown]

6 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

Not meant to be a rough analogy. I said "Vibes" meaning their style of play and their production. No one knows why Cozens and Quinn aren't scoring. not sure why you went there, I wasn't thinking that at all. Again, 'vibes' mean how their level of play is progressing, nothing more.

Sorry, was not trying to imply you were being a d-bag ... it just struck me as an odd player to chose since it has been well documented he had a physical ailment. I can see how you were just comparing their mutual odd tail off of on-ice production. 

8 minutes ago, JohnC said:

If he has to clear waivers I'm sure that's why he is kept up? I'm not really sure on that issue. 

The positives you have seen on Quinn are not what I have seen. He's a shell of a player from what he has previously displayed. He has little spark compared to what he has exhibited before. His game is very flat with no impact. That's what I see. It would be such a bonus if he can revitalize his game to his previous form. 

Yeah, I meant to imply he has looked better compared to the shite he has looked like in most games prior.

[WhenWillItEnd66]

Now, do you keep the same lineup for the Rangers???

[mjd1001]

23 minutes ago, ska-T Chitown said:

Sorry, was not trying to imply you were being a d-bag ... it just struck me as an odd player to chose since it has been well documented he had a physical ailment. I can see how you were just comparing their mutual odd tail off of on-ice production. 

No problem

[#freejame]

44 minutes ago, WhenWillItEnd66 said:

Now, do you keep the same lineup for the Rangers???

Yes you don’t change what worked. Reward good play. 

[WhenWillItEnd66]

22 minutes ago, #freejame said:

Yes you don’t change what worked. Reward good play. 

Totally agree! Muel and Joki have needed to sit for awhile! This will send a clear message to the team. Do your damn job or ride the box!!!

[Demoted]

2 hours ago, PickaPecaPickles said:

Interesting comments by Ruff:
 

 

Ruff is not afraid to lay the ***** out there and let people know where the problems are. It does show that is wears out after a while but this team needs an ass kicking constantly to try and get consistency. 

Edited November 6 by Demoted

[LTS]

7 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Great game tonight.  Maybe the best 3rd period we played this season.  Now they have to build on it.  Best game Byram played as a Sabre.  

Zucker may end up being Adams best acquisition.  He has helped these kids grow up.  

Bryson and Gilbert out playing Joki and Samuelsson is still a bad look for Adams.

I disagree with this.  Do you think that Jokiharju and Samuelsson are playing to the best of their abilities right now?  If so, then I suppose you could be correct. Although I suppose that would only apply to Samuelsson since Jokiharju is on a one year prove-it contract. Even so, I don't think this is their level of play and Ruff called them out on it. Having Bryson and Gilbert there to specifically challenge those two players is actually something the Sabres have not had in the past. That needs to be put in the W column for Adams.

If the benching results in elevated play across all the players then it's doing what's needed. We don't know yet if it will. As much as I don't think Adams has done what it takes I'm not going to just look to condemn him for everything unless its warranted.

[Mr Peabody]

It might be my imagination but it seems they play more freely with Gilbert in the lineup.  Nice when someone has your back. 

[inkman]

12 hours ago, GoPuckYourself said:

I'd love to see Tkachuk in a Sabres uniform that isn't photoshopped in 1.

Dahlin for Brady Tkachuk and Sanderson  E5 

[Jorcus]

I went to the game last night, here are a few random thoughts. 

 

When JJP is on his game this team plays a whole lot better. He seemed a little off in the last few games but the speedy, tricky winger was back last night. There is no way he should be removed from the top line to help anyone else. With Thompson and Tuch it is a top line that is very difficult to stop. 

UPL had his best game. He was tight against the posts and stopped some good chances from the wing sides. Not to mention on the 2 on 0. 

The goal against was a strange sequence Dahlin was fighting his way out of the zone and was scrumming in the neutral zone for 20 or more seconds with a linesman trying to get the players to stop roughing each other. It really should have been whistled with both guys going to the box but play goes on which seemed good for the Sabres at first but then the play goes the other way. Byram was out of gas chasing the play but you would have hoped for a little more effort to stop the rebound attempt.

The second Byram goal was cool in the sense he got the shot off while not looking like he was going to shoot. It did not look like that on TV but his snapper was so quick it handcuffed Ulmark and ended up going in all the way from the blue line.

Once they got the 4 to 1 lead in the 3rd the shut down game was not quite as good as against Dallas but Sabres are getting better about dumping pucks in the corners and chasing into it to slow the game down.

Gilbert had some good hits and certainly will play against the Rangers because they may need someone to go up against Rempe.

Quinn plays with no determination to do something. A lot of players on the Sabres are determined to do something and sometimes it's the wrong thing but it's something. Not that Quinn was ever fast end to end, (his metrics are pretty low) but he used to at least skate well in the O zone and get open for shots. That is not happening so I just don't know what they are going to do but he is holding the ream back. 

Good game over all, hope it continues.     

 

 

Edited November 6 by Jorcus

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

Dahlin for Brady Tkachuk and Sanderson  E5 

Absolutely not!

[DarthEbriate]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

Dahlin for Brady Tkachuk and Sanderson  E5 

Based on their contracts and Ottawa’s expectations for Sanderson to be a top-pairing D and PP 60-point producer, I’m not sure you could convince Ottawa to do Sanderson + a 1st for Dahlin at this point, let alone a top line winger. 

[matter2003]

4 hours ago, PickaPecaPickles said:

Interesting comments by Ruff:
 

 

About time someone that isn't going to coddle these players and accept substandard crap.

[HumanSlinky39]

We know Lindy is willing to sit players now when needed, I'd like to see him shelf Quinn for a couple of games. He provides nothing right now. We've seen flashes of a good offensive player with him, so we know it's in there, but he does not look dialed in at all. A couple of games in the cooler might help him get back on track, and that would be big.

[mjd1001]

36 minutes ago, HumanSlinky39 said:

We know Lindy is willing to sit players now when needed, I'd like to see him shelf Quinn for a couple of games. He provides nothing right now. We've seen flashes of a good offensive player with him, so we know it's in there, but he does not look dialed in at all. A couple of games in the cooler might help him get back on track, and that would be big.

No one seems to know what is up with him.

At least he is getting more shots??  He had a total of 6 shots on goal in his first 7 games.  He has 11 shots in his last 5.  Maybe its a start?

But yeah, you don't even notice him out there, and none of his shots are from high danger areas either.  With all the coaches the Sabres have, the video coaches, the guys who work with the players on the ice...They have to have SOME idea what is different about him this year and the reason for it, don't they?

[inkman]

1 hour ago, DarthEbriate said:

Based on their contracts and Ottawa’s expectations for Sanderson to be a top-pairing D and PP 60-point producer, I’m not sure you could convince Ottawa to do Sanderson + a 1st for Dahlin at this point, let alone a top line winger. 

It’s a negotiation.  I’d take a tall Genesee 12 horse Ale instead of Sanderson.  

[PerreaultForever]

6 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Obviously Kulich was the problem.  🤪

lol, but he's not ready yet either. He's not a solution on that line. Too many fresh green faces and not enough grit imo. Adams needs to bring in a veteran winger. Another Zucker at least. Somebody to guide Cozens and Benson and develop proper line chemistry. Quinn isn't getting it done. 

[Marty]

There are several good takeaways from last night. Gilbert being a physical presence! Greenway too.  Ruff calling out Mule and Joki. Peterka was dynamite. Tage was very good overall.  We were generally physical and fast. Lots to like.