GDT: Buffalo Sabres @ Detroit Red Wings 3/12/25 7:30 pm TNT

[Thorner]

9 minutes ago, BlowLeafsBlow123 said:

Yeah, I'm not seeing playmaking from either Tuch or Peterka on a consistent basis. Tuch makes things happen, plays an alpha game by getting in on pucks and playing a more aggressive straight line game. But I don't see creativity from either of them consistently, like we used to see from Eichel/Reinhart/O'Reilly for instance. Those guys all saw the ice much better than this current crop of top 6'ers. We need someone that can come in and calmly make tape to tape passes on the PP in key moments, like we saw Pat Kane do last night. It truly feels like the missing ingredient and something I'd loved to fill by trading Cozens. While Norris is an upgrade as a center, he's not an upgrade as a playmaker by any means. 

Eichel was a treat. People can probably see now just how good his playmaking truly was, the way he could enter the zone almost effortlessly and then set up shop, qb like, find the open man. I think Tuch can pass but yes he doesn’t command the ice with poise and vision and feather to the open man like Eichel does (honestly my favourite hockey skill to watch) but not many do 

I used to be so surprised his playmaking wasn’t more of a talking point and would mention it. It was always more so about his shot. His shot was good and he took a lot of shots but even his shooting was often as an avenue to playmaking. Shooting for rebounds. We can see now that’s he’s fully rounded out just how exceptional that aspect of his game is 

[Pimlach]

8 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

Agreed. He might be our best playmaking forward. He fits well with Norris and Thompson. Regardless of what I think about Benson being in the NHL, he’s here and he’s capable. He is a skilled player and he should be playing with other skilled players. 

If not you hurt his development.  He aspires to more than 4th line.