GDT: Buffalo Sabres @ Anaheim Ducks 10:00 PM EST Victory+, MSG-B, KCOP-13, ESPN+ (for those out of the Buffalo area), WGR550

[aristocrat]

So didn’t want the game but when tage comes back so we keep kulich up as second line center with cozens on the wing?

[Pimlach]

5 hours ago, Stoner said:

Correlation does not... yada yada.

Fighting after a clean hit is an abomination in the game.

Shirley, you jest. 
 

[bob_sauve28]

8 hours ago, Crusader1969 said:

Feeling good that another of my favourite prospects (not drafted in top 10)  looks like he has a real chance to hit  
 

My track record over the years:

Hit - JJP

looks good - Kulich

jury still out - Poltapov

I was really wrong - Justin Bailey 

I thought Bailey would be good too

[Flashsabre]

4 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

I thought Bailey would be good too

Bailey and Nick Baptiste

[JohnC]

18 minutes ago, Weave said:

I hate this exaggeration to make a counter point.  He didn’t say “knock guys around”.  He said “moving guys out”.  We’ve all come to varying levels of acceptance that Power is not going to hit guys very often, but a critical part of that position is moving players out of dangerous areas, and a guy Power’s size only needs to lean and push to make it happen.

Even if you want me to use a "lesser" physical term such as moving players out of the dangerous areas, he is not going to be able to do that at a high level at this point in his physical development. For him, it's more about positioning than muscling players out. At this stage of his career, he is a puck mover who can skate. The muscle game is not his forte and never will be. No player is beyond criticism for his play. But the pleasant reality is that he is now a good player who is going to get better and become one of our core and essential players.  

[ska-T Chitown]

All this "keep Kulich up!" talk is kinda amazing. We. Don't. Need. More. Rookies. He is doing exactly what he is supposed to do - come up for 2-10 games and keep things afloat while someone heals. He had a good game, for sure ... against a mediocre opponent after several "meh" games. When we are healthy, he is practically the only player we CAN send down to get back to the roster limit.

We worry about "what to do with Kulich?" if he lights it up in the AHL for the rest of the year and dominates in camp next year. This is already the youngest roster in the league, swapping out a mid-20's (whom we will likely lose on waivers if we try to send them down) for a 20-yr old is madness. Madness, I say!!

[PromoTheRobot]

3 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Just watched the game recap video. Looked like a solid comeback win.  I haven’t watched either West Coast game, can anyone if they have tightened up defensively or is it poor execution by the opponents?

It was Anaheim that smothered the Sabres most of the evening. Buffalo had to fight through that to get their goals. Both Ducks goals were of the flukey variety. 

[Pimlach]

5 minutes ago, ska-T Chitown said:

All this "keep Kulich up!" talk is kinda amazing. We. Don't. Need. More. Rookies. He is doing exactly what he is supposed to do - come up for 2-10 games and keep things afloat while someone heals. He had a good game, for sure ... against a mediocre opponent after several "meh" games. When we are healthy, he is practically the only player we CAN send down to get back to the roster limit.

We worry about "what to do with Kulich?" if he lights it up in the AHL for the rest of the year and dominates in camp next year. This is already the youngest roster in the league, swapping out a mid-20's (whom we will likely lose on waivers if we try to send them down) for a 20-yr old is madness. Madness, I say!!

He scores a big goal you hear “keep him up”.   Right now he is still developing his game and he is looking like good NHL depth.  Being in Rochester does not mean he can’t get more games with the Sabres.  

I must add that I am intrigued and surprised with his play at center.  Most of the draft and Rochester experts say he projects to wing.  Lindy likes guys that can play both.  

[JohnC]

7 minutes ago, ska-T Chitown said:

All this "keep Kulich up!" talk is kinda amazing. We. Don't. Need. More. Rookies. He is doing exactly what he is supposed to do - come up for 2-10 games and keep things afloat while someone heals. He had a good game, for sure ... against a mediocre opponent after several "meh" games. When we are healthy, he is practically the only player we CAN send down to get back to the roster limit.

We worry about "what to do with Kulich?" if he lights it up in the AHL for the rest of the year and dominates in camp next year. This is already the youngest roster in the league, swapping out a mid-20's (whom we will likely lose on waivers if we try to send them down) for a 20-yr old is madness. Madness, I say!!

Whether he is a rookie or not is not the critical issue. If his play dictates that he stays up with the big club, then he should stay up. If his play slides or he is not given sufficient playing time, then send him down. The issue for keeping a player up or down is simple: Does he make the team better and help them win more than the player he is replacing? It's about the now!

[SwampD]

6 hours ago, Stoner said:

Correlation does not... yada yada.

Fighting after a clean hit is an abomination in the game.

I often agree with this. Not last night. You might be able to make a case for the first fight, but that second hit needed to be addressed. The Ducks were starting to take liberties and I don’t think they would have if Greenway and Thompson were playing.

And, I’m not sure it changed how the Ducks were playing. It definitely woke up the rest of the Sabres, though.

6 hours ago, Stoner said:

Correlation does not... yada yada.

Fighting after a clean hit is an abomination in the game.

I often agree with this. Not last night. You might be able to make a case for the first fight, but that second hit needed to be addressed. The Ducks were starting to take liberties and I don’t think they would have if Greenway and Thompson were playing.

And, I’m not sure it changed how the Ducks were playing. It definitely woke up the rest of the Sabres, though.

[ska-T Chitown]

6 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Whether he is a rookie or not is not the critical issue. If his play dictates that he stays up with the big club, then he should stay up. If his play slides or he is not given sufficient playing time, then send him down. The issue for keeping a player up or down is simple: Does he make the team better and help them win more than the player he is replacing? It's about the now!

The tangible issue would be "who do we send down?" The answer is no one - it has to be Kulich unless we want to chance waivers. No one else is waiver eligible. Greenway + Tage = Kulich and Rosen back to the AHL, simple. Unless Sammy being on IR helps us with the numbers? Gotta admit, I forgot about that one.

*If we want to be a good team, we should at least try to start acting like one. The only reason the top teams have players on ELCs in the lineup is for the cap ... we have $8M free. On the good teams, their stud prospect comes up, does their job, and leaves everyone with a half-chub over how well they played. Then they go back to the AHL, now with the sweet taste of NHL coffee in their mouth and fire in their brain. If they are that good, the remainder of their AHL season plus their stellar camp the next year is what gets them that slot.

Edited 1 hour ago by ska-T Chitown

[Broken Ankles]

Observations and thoughts from the game.

Owen’s size, McClouds speed, and Kulics shot are noticeable.
Kulics warm up after most every one left the ice included him shooting 10 pucks from a low angle just under the crossbar and inside the post, not missing once.  His one timer won the game in OT.  Timing and placement was elite. 
  UPL was fantastic but the Ducks left some meat on the bone.  They have a foundation of young players, but they missed on a lot of grade A chances.  
  Buffalo out-skated them in the first period until the hit on Zucker, then later on Cozens.  Sabres seem tentative thereafter.  Gudas affected Sabre zone entries being aggressive in the nuetral zone.  Anaheim played a Florida Panthers style game with less skill. 
  Benson gets kudos for stepping up, but brought little to the offense last night.  His linemates certainly didn’t help him.  Cozens is not a 2c.  As a highly intoxicated Broadway Joe once said….Ssstrrruggglling. 
Quinn -Zucker - Kulic line was above average. Gotta love what Zucker is bringing to the table each night.  While Cozens was in a malaise after his hit, Zucker bounced back and tied the game up and changed momentum in the second period. 
  Enjoyed a win, but quality time spent with my son, born here in OC but proudly wore the Blue and Gold sweater last night. 

[inkman]

31 minutes ago, ska-T Chitown said:

All this "keep Kulich up!" talk is kinda amazing. We. Don't. Need. More. Rookies. He is doing exactly what he is supposed to do - come up for 2-10 games and keep things afloat while someone heals. He had a good game, for sure ... against a mediocre opponent after several "meh" games. When we are healthy, he is practically the only player we CAN send down to get back to the roster limit.

We worry about "what to do with Kulich?" if he lights it up in the AHL for the rest of the year and dominates in camp next year. This is already the youngest roster in the league, swapping out a mid-20's (whom we will likely lose on waivers if we try to send them down) for a 20-yr old is madness. Madness, I say!!

Bill Hoppe disagrees 🤷‍♂️

 

[JohnC]

7 minutes ago, ska-T Chitown said:

The tangible issue would be "who do we send down?" The answer is no one - it has to be Kulich unless we want to chance waivers. No one else is waiver eligible. Greenway + Tage = Kulich and Rosen back to the AHL, simple. Unless Sammy being on IR helps us with the numbers? Gotta admit, I forgot about that one.

If he shines and demonstrably outperforms other players, then why ship him out? There are a variety of options to consider accommodating a player who is playing well. You can keep an extra forward and one less defenseman. You can waive a Lafferty, Malenstyn or Aubel-Kubel etc. Having a player who is playing well is not a problem to lament over. It's a good sign that the roster is filling out with more talent resulting in tough roster decisions. All teams deal with the issue of roster composition and juggling players and making in tough roster decisions. I'm simply not overly concerned about this particular issue. 

[ska-T Chitown]

Just now, inkman said:

Bill Hoppe disagrees 🤷‍♂️

 

This is great or whatever - and maybe true for the short term if they only keep 7 Dmen until (if) Sammy comes back ... but the roster math just won't work beyond that point - he and Rosen are the only players who can be sent down without being exposed. 

For a team with the marginal talent level we have, exposing any of the rostered players to waivers is insanity. Kulich has played fine - but not so well that we can jettison other NHL talent willy-nilly over one OT goal. 

[ska-T Chitown]

1 minute ago, JohnC said:

If he shines and demonstrably outperforms other players, then why ship him out? There are a variety of options to consider accommodating a player who is playing well. You can keep an extra forward and one less defenseman. You can waive a Lafferty, Malenstyn or Aubel-Kubel etc. Having a player who is playing well is not a problem to lament over. It's a good sign that the roster is filling out with more talent resulting in tough roster decisions. All teams deal with the issue of roster composition and juggling players and making in tough roster decisions. I'm simply not overly concerned about this particular issue. 

But it is the exact thing we all know the Sabres have done too often in the past. Kulich is playing fine, sure. But he has been just as invisible as some of the other players on most nights. If he was lighting things on fire, I'd agree - but he is not. He has two whole goals. Once the endorphins of an OT game winner wear off, unless he has another great game - the correct move is to send him back down.

Replacing an NHL vet JAG with a rookie JAG (I think Kulich will be awesome, but unless this game was his "ah-ha!" moment, he is still at 'replacement level') is just not something successful teams do.

I could be wrong ... happens a lot - but it seems like shiny new toy syndrome and I feel it is the wrong thing to do. 

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Shirley, you jest. 
 

I take it you think a goal scorer should also have to answer for what he did.

[JohnC]

Just now, ska-T Chitown said:

But it is the exact thing we all know the Sabres have done too often in the past. Kulich is playing fine, sure. But he has been just as invisible as some of the other players on most nights. If he was lighting things on fire, I'd agree - but he is not. He has two whole goals. Once the endorphins of an OT game winner wear off, unless he has another great game - the correct move is to send him back down.

Replacing an NHL vet JAG with a rookie JAG (I think Kulich will be awesome, but unless this game was his "ah-ha!" moment, he is still at 'replacement level') is just not something successful teams do.

I could be wrong ... happens a lot - but it seems like shiny new toy syndrome and I feel it is the wrong thing to do. 

I'm not arguing to keep him or not. My basic point is that his play should be the determining factor. It's not an issue of rushing his development and ultimately hurting it. The fundamental issue is whether he helps the team on a sustained basis or not. All teams have to face the same young player considerations. What I prefer not to do is to rule out options because that is the norm. Sometimes what is not the norm materializes and makes your team better. I'm open to all options.

[Pimlach]

1 minute ago, JohnC said:

If he shines and demonstrably outperforms other players, then why ship him out? There are a variety of options to consider accommodating a player who is playing well. You can keep an extra forward and one less defenseman. You can waive a Lafferty, Malenstyn or Aubel-Kubel etc. Having a player who is playing well is not a problem to lament over. It's a good sign that the roster is filling out with more talent resulting in tough roster decisions. All teams deal with the issue of roster composition and juggling players and making in tough roster decisions. I'm simply not overly concerned about this particular issue. 

Sure. He has two solid games now, and a goal.   But he is a player that can go back without waivers, so that is a factor, despite the media hype on twitter 
 

If he stays it’s because he improves the center spline, which has been a need all along.  Cozens has been inconsistent at 2C.  

Malenstyn is not going to get waived.   Lafferty either.  Aube-Kubel could be the one if Ruff really wants to keep Kulich up.  

We shall see.  Don’t forgot we have Thompson and Greenway to slot back in.  Our best offensive forward and our best defensive forward.  It’s great to finally see some good options and depth.  

[JohnC]

Just now, Pimlach said:

Sure. He has two solid games now, and a goal.   But he is a player that can go back without waivers, so that is a factor, despite the media hype on twitter 
 

If he stays it’s because he improves the center spline, which has been a need all along.  Cozens has been inconsistent at 2C.  

Malenstyn is not going to get waived.   Lafferty either.  Aube-Kubel could be the one if Ruff really wants to keep Kulich up.  

We shall see.  Don’t forgot we have Thompson and Greenway to slot back in.  Our best offensive forward and our best defensive forward.  It’s great to finally see some good options and depth.  

That's my point! I'm open to all options. I'm not foreclosing anything simply because it is the standard option. As you point out, having a deeper and more talented roster presents tough decisions. Considering this teams feeble recent history, that's a good thing and not something to be tormented over. 

[Pimlach]

10 minutes ago, Stoner said:

I take it you think a goal scorer should also have to answer for what he did.

I have no clue what your above comment is asking or who this goal scorer is.  
 

I disagree with the notion that you think the fights were an abomination because the hits were clean.  The fights were excellent responses for the situation at the time.  We were down 2-0 and the Ducks were starting to take liberties.  The play of the Sabres team changed at that point.  We won.  Build on it. 

[Pimlach]

7 minutes ago, JohnC said:

That's my point! I'm open to all options. I'm not foreclosing anything simply because it is the standard option. As you point out, having a deeper and more talented roster presents tough decisions. Considering this teams feeble recent history, that's a good thing and not something to be tormented over. 

But I’m also saying 2 good games is not enough to waive a player when we don’t have to.  Let’s see some more good games from kulich first.  I need to see more. 

[Flashsabre]

Even when Tage returns the Sabres need a proven scorer/offensive threat on the 2nd line.  I’m not sure who it is but someone that brings offensive acumen. Benson is going to be a heck of a player but he is not there yet offensively. Cozens is still struggling. Quinn is starting to take some strides.

Last night I was impressed with Zegras’ playmaking. Definitely something that the Sabres lack. Not saying he is the guy to bring in but that type of playmaking would do wonders for a guy like Cozens and help the PP immensely.

I know Zegras name is out there and he has struggled offensively but the skills are there. He wouldn’t be my first pick but I wouldn’t be upset if they acquired him. 

 

 

[That Aud Smell]

1 hour ago, ska-T Chitown said:

This is great or whatever - and maybe true for the short term if they only keep 7 Dmen until (if) Sammy comes back ... but the roster math just won't work beyond that point - he and Rosen are the only players who can be sent down without being exposed. 

 

Please do not use a nickname for that brittle plug.

[SwampD]

53 minutes ago, Stoner said:

I take it you think a goal scorer should also have to answer for what he did.

 

39 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I have no clue what your above comment is asking or who this goal scorer is.  
 

I disagree with the notion that you think the fights were an abomination because the hits were clean.  The fights were excellent responses for the situation at the time.  We were down 2-0 and the Ducks were starting to take liberties.  The play of the Sabres team changed at that point.  We won.  Build on it. 

Also, it’s not goal scorers who are making those hits.

But if it is, then yes, they need to answer, as well.