GDT: St.Louis Blues @ Buffalo Sabres 7:30 PM ESPN+/Hulu, WGR550

[LETSTUCHINGO]

If that is what you want to take from it. I don't believe he is playing at the level he needs to and I believe he's cost us goals and games. I also believe that he can develop physicality bc he is young, I believe in Ruff's ability to develop young players, and ultimately I do think he will develop into a top defensemen. To say though that he is currently playing great is wrong and that he is something to watch is straight comical!

[LETSTUCHINGO]

12 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I have to agree with @SwampD in that there are aspects of his game that are very good right now.  I doubt Lindy gives him 23 mins a game otherwise. 

ESPN pointed out his problem handling bodies around the net on several replays, and then on one replay they highlighted that he did a very good job of using his body and his stick as leverage, and he kept the slot clear for Levi at a crucial point in the 3rd period.   

He can do it, and he is actually big enough and smart enough to be good at it.  He just has to get into more involved physically and build confidence.  I don't think it fair to say "its not his game" and let it go though.  It is a facet of the game that he must be willing to do.  

I remember back when Dahlin was getting pushed around and he decided he had enough and started pushing back.  It was right after he spent time with Hedberg at the All Star break.   Power needs that same revelation and it has to come from within himself.  

You should reread what both of us said and reevaluate who you agree with.

 

1 hour ago, SwampD said:

Non-physicality aside (it’s just not his game), Power was great last night. When he is moving the puck out of the D zone (either through skating or passing) he is something to watch. The other stuff will come with age/experience.

1 hour ago, LETSTUCHINGO said:

I don't know what you're watching, but I'm not seeing the same thing. Saying "it's just not his game" is a copout if I've ever heard it. In one breath you agree he's young and Dmen take longer to develop and in the other breath you say it is just not his game. Should he not develop it? Should he not be working on it to become a complete player? Would he not be better if he did? You can't have it both ways. I believe he will develop it under Ruff, but he hasn't yet and it costs the team. Has he been playing better than last year, 100 percent! That isn't saying much! He still has a long way to go. He is definitely not something to watch at this point, YET!

 

[LGR4GM]

Impo, I think Power can develop but I don't believe that will be physically. He's just not that guy. 

[Pimlach]

30 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Sometimes it's OK to actually look at real goals for and against — the things that actually win hockey games.

Byram is +9 for the season. He has 11 points, all of them at even strength — top 5 among all NHL D in even-strength points.

Since Oct. 31 — roughly when he was elevated to the 1st pair, this is his stat line:

 

Trust your eyes, like Lindy does. Can you imagine this D corps right now with Jokiharju and Samuelsson eating Byram's minutes?

Byram  was brought in to be a top 4 defenceman and so far he's delivered.

Meanwhile

• Mittelstadt: 6/10/16/-11 has 8 points at even strength and wins 41.2% of his faceoffs
• McLeod: 5/6/11/+7 kills penalties and wins 52% of his faceoffs

Way early to judge overall, but initial returns on Byram and McLeod for Mitts and Savoie have given the Sabres exactly what I hoped it would.

I like this data.  Good to see some "real GF and real GA".   

The returns for the combined trades for Byram/McLeod have been very good so far.   We must acknowledge that.  

I might add that although Zucker was not brought in to replace Skinner, it looks like he is doing more for Buffalo than Skinner is doing for Edmonton. 

                     GP    G   A    PTs     PIM   +/-

Skinner        17      3    3      6        2      -6  

Zucker         17      3    8     11      23     +2

Not to mention that Zucker has a two-way physical aspect to his game.  He does not float.   I can think of at least two times when he screened a goalie to help score a goal, some of his good play is not reflected on the scoresheet.  

 

[SwampD]

1 minute ago, LETSTUCHINGO said:

You should reread what both of us said and reevaluate who you agree with.

 

 

What part of “the other stuff will come with age/experience” is confusing?

I specifically pointed out how special he is with the puck.

We agree, but for some reason you want to argue.

[LETSTUCHINGO]

2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Impo, I think Power can develop but I don't believe that will be physically. He's just not that guy. 

He doesn't have to be bruiser, he just needs to learn to use his big frame better along the boards to close out a guy. All I'm saying in regards to physicality. 

[ska-T Chitown]

2 hours ago, _Q_ said:

I think Quinn is simply thinking too much.  Causing him to not get moving with his feet and not having the space he is used to having.

 

I expect a huge 2nd half from him.  

Granted I was watching on my phone on a plane - but I thought Quinn was noticeable for neutral to good reasons for a large portion of his ice time yesterday. He get powerplay time and was out there for the 4-on-3 OT, so obviously Lindy still likes what he sees. I feel like Quinner (Quinny? Quinser? Quinsie?) has really cut down on the slow plays and error plays the last few games. He seems to be "going with the flow" a lot more lately and I think once he pops, we'll see the Quinn we saw last year.

[LETSTUCHINGO]

4 minutes ago, SwampD said:

What part of “the other stuff will come with age/experience” is confusing?

I specifically pointed out how special he is with the puck.

We agree, but for some reason you want to argue.

Not trying to argue, I didn't read it that way. If we agree cool!

[Doohicksie]

5 hours ago, Getpucksdeep said:

I was honestly confused at the moment. Does anyone have the stats on this?  4v3 odds vs 6v5 & 5v4.

Simple math:

6-on-5 (end of game with goalie pulled):  1.2 times the manpower
5-on-4:  1.25 times the manpower
4-on-3:  1.33 times the panpower
3-on-2:  1.5 times the manpower (doesn't happen in the NHL but just to show the trend)
2-on-1:  2 times the manpower (ditto)

[Doohicksie]

4 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

"Winner winner, chicken Parm dinner!"

The mentioned the chicken parm several times; felt they were overdoing it.  Does no other city serve chicken parm?

[ska-T Chitown]

Just now, Doohicksie said:

The mentioned the chicken parm several times; felt they were overdoing it.  Does no other city serve chicken parm?

maybe they had watched "Buffaloed" on Netflix as research for the game?

[PickaPecaPickles]

28 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I like this data.  Good to see some "real GF and real GA".   

The returns for the combined trades for Byram/McLeod have been very good so far.   We must acknowledge that.  

I might add that although Zucker was not brought in to replace Skinner, it looks like he is doing more for Buffalo than Skinner is doing for Edmonton. 

                     GP    G   A    PTs     PIM   +/-

Skinner        17      3    3      6        2      -6  

Zucker         17      3    8     11      23     +2

Not to mention that Zucker has a two-way physical aspect to his game.  He does not float.   I can think of at least two times when he screened a goalie to help score a goal, some of his good play is not reflected on the scoresheet.  

 

With the Sabres, Skinner was most productive on the first line with Tage and Tuch.  I'm guessing he's not on the line with McDavid... 

He's JAG when he's not with some top line players. 

On another random stat note, since the Sabres 0-3 start, where they had 1 gpg, they are averaging 4 gpg.

[Getpucksdeep]

11 minutes ago, Doohicksie said:

Simple math:

6-on-5 (end of game with goalie pulled):  1.2 times the manpower
5-on-4:  1.25 times the manpower
4-on-3:  1.33 times the panpower
3-on-2:  1.5 times the manpower (doesn't happen in the NHL but just to show the trend)
2-on-1:  2 times the manpower (ditto)

nicely done!

Lindy's presser from last night.  I love the end where he talks about the A word without saying the A word.  Relative to Dahlin and his bad elbowing penalty in critical moments of the Montreal game.

 

[Thorner]

10 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

No.  This team is not better with McLeod and Byram.  Cheaper in the short-term, but both are RFAs at year's end.  Also younger as well.  However, Byram is a disaster defensively and that erases much if not all his skill on offense.    Byram is -15 in HDCF/HDCA.  Power is nearly as bad at -11.  Dahlin by comparison is +16 and he has had his own struggles this season.  

I’d also rather have Mittelstadt and McLeod.

McLeod was a sweet trade. The message here imo as many others have said is to trade prospects for current players. Which we’ve been harping on for a long time.

People will talk about the risk of dealing prospects who may amount to something…IMO who cares. You are wagering future acumen. Aren’t we through with the “future” by now? Way riskier to trade on roster talent, as we see with Mitts/Byram.

It feels good to be the team that pulls ahead in the now, (McLeod / Savoie) because if your eyes are on the now, the current, we really don’t need to give a sh*te about the future. You start to find you don’t need to look down the road to a vague future to find hope

Edited Friday at 05:24 PM by Thorner

[DarthEbriate]

6 minutes ago, Doohicksie said:

Simple math:

6-on-5 (end of game with goalie pulled):  1.2 times the manpower
5-on-4:  1.25 times the manpower
4-on-3:  1.33 times the panpower
3-on-2:  1.5 times the manpower (doesn't happen in the NHL but just to show the trend)
2-on-1:  2 times the manpower (ditto)

Where the children dance / to the pipes of Pan (power!) 😇

27 minutes ago, ska-T Chitown said:

Granted I was watching on my phone on a plane - but I thought Quinn was noticeable for neutral to good reasons for a large portion of his ice time yesterday. He get powerplay time and was out there for the 4-on-3 OT, so obviously Lindy still likes what he sees. I feel like Quinner (Quinny? Quinser? Quinsie?) has really cut down on the slow plays and error plays the last few games. He seems to be "going with the flow" a lot more lately and I think once he pops, we'll see the Quinn we saw last year.

Quinn Solo. He's not yet had his Solo weekend though where he met all his friends, got his ship and gun, and learned the tough life lessons.

28 minutes ago, LETSTUCHINGO said:

He doesn't have to be bruiser, he just needs to learn to use his big frame better along the boards to close out a guy. All I'm saying in regards to physicality. 

It all comes back to a single play last season. I don't recall the opponent or forward. Power defending a one-on-one zone entry. He has the angle and position as the wing moves up the far boards. The wing goes behind the net. Power also goes behind the net... unsure why he felt he needed to drop so low, but he did. At this point, all Power needs to do is stick his butt into the boards -- stops the forward in his tracks, causes a puck battle, and the remaining skaters all arrive in the zone and it's a reset of the action.

Power doesn't need to hit the winger; he just needs to stop the forward progress. If it had been Chara, the winger would've been killed. We all know that isn't Power's game, but he needs to stop the play and start a puck battle.

Instead, Power stops way off the boards, waves his stick, and the winger proceeds around the back of the net, circles in front and creates a 2-on-1 versus the other Sabres defenseman - Joker or Dahlin or whomever it was had no chance. Tap-in goal.

[Thorner]

4 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

"Winner winner, chicken Parm dinner!"

Chicken parm you taste so good 🎵

[DarthEbriate]

10 minutes ago, Doohicksie said:

The mentioned the chicken parm several times; felt they were overdoing it.  Does no other city serve chicken parm?

I think Ray Ferraro was on the broadcast.

[Doohicksie]

Just now, DarthEbriate said:

I think Ray Ferraro was on the broadcast.

He was.... is he addicted to the stuff or what?

[Thorner]

2 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

I missed the second half of the game (Godzilla Minus One is good kaiju, good characters and most importantly, Godzilla looks like a person in a suit even when it's not -- that works well), but the highlights show a lackluster second sandwiched between pretty solid periods. I've seen goalie interference before; I'm not sure Benson's infraction counts. They should have won in regulation, but won in OT instead.

McLeod was excellent throughout the first and in the other highlights. Benson being Benson is important, right down to the post-whistle scrums and conversations.

They thought they had that steady top-4 stay-at-home guy in Samuelsson, but since 2022-23, his stay-at-homeness has been in the press box with an injury.

I enjoyed that film too. I feel like not enough people saw it. 

Also, I saw HERETIC (2024) yesterday. What a delicious performance from Hugh Grant. Hilariously compelling film. See it! 

[DarthEbriate]

2 minutes ago, Doohicksie said:

He was.... is he addicted to the stuff or what?

It's his hockey nickname. https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/f/ferrara01.html  

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Well it is not has hard as Adams makes it either.   We certainly have the assets and cap space to add at least one of them, and not doing that was an issue with the off season IMO.  

Sometimes you find these players on other teams and they breakout after a trade ... just like many of the former Sabres seem to do when they leave Buffalo.  

It can be done.  

Of course it can be done. We are looking at a 5 season period, here. All excuses wash away like beaded water on resistant material 

1 hour ago, SwampD said:

Only, that’s what probably half the teams in the league think they need.

If not every team.

But not the same half, every year 

[Doohicksie]

1 minute ago, DarthEbriate said:

It's his hockey nickname. https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/f/ferrara01.html  

[DarthEbriate]

5 minutes ago, Thorner said:

I enjoyed that film too. I feel like not enough people saw it. 

Also, I saw HERETIC (2024) yesterday. What a delicious performance from Hugh Grant. Hilariously compelling film. See it! 

I'll add it to the list.

[Doohicksie]

6 hours ago, triumph_communes said:

McLeod had himself a nice game. Very high IQ plays.

You know, Krebs had a good game too.  Set up the Benson goal- took the pass at the point skated down the boards to the half wall, drawing Suter over to him so that when he passed to Benson there was space for him to walk in on the goal.  He made several other smart plays durhing the night.  He's maxed out at 3C but he's not in over his head at that level.

[Pimlach]

2 minutes ago, Thorner said:

Of course it can be done. We are looking at a 5 season period, here. All excuses wash away like beaded water on resistant material 

I waxed my 1970 Pontiac so often that my neighbor said I was going to rub the paint off of it.