K-9
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Perhaps you need to appreciate the difference between "bashing" Kassian vs. simply not buying into the myth. Some of us see him for what he is: a young kid with enormous potential as an offensive player who can handle himself with his fists if needed. Like you, we all read the scouting reports and were hoping to see the next Neely in the making immediately. But as is the case with the vast majority of prospects that takes time to develop. It's not fair to the kid to expect that immediately and I was certainly more than willing to wait. But then a funny thing happened: we had an opportunity to acquire a higher rated prospect at a greater position of need. If there is one glaring area of need that's even bigger than the one of grit and toughness, it's scoring. We are simply not very good at it. Scoring and getting leads will negate our disadvantage in the toughness department more than anything else. The Boston's of the league cannot leverage their physical advantage as readily when forced to play from behind very often. Plus, I think we're nicely positioned to make some deals for players that can help us get bigger and stronger in the summer. Yesterday was a start in reshaping the roster. It wasn't all going to be done overnight. And while it's easy to say that they should have started the process in December, I don't think it's that simple. Besides, it does no good to rant about missed opportunities that we don't know for sure existed in the first place. Bottom line: it took a great prospect with potential to land another great prospect with potential. And we all wish Kassian the best with his new opportunity. GO SABRES!!!
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I'm gonna go out on a limb and predict that Lindy Ruff deliberately coached it out of them. GO SABRES!!!
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I'd ammend that to say that if he's on the roster of a SC champion then they got what they wanted. I think there's a lot of pressure on the kid to be some sort of missing ingredient to get them over the hump in the toughness department from some of the commentary I've heard and read. GO SABRES!!!
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I've already predicted that Kassian will have a Gordy Howe hat-trick tonight. Newly traded players often have great initial first few games with their new teams. There is no doubt that Kassian can bring it when he wants to. But that's the problem he's had since juniors; it appears only when he wants to. If he wants to be another Dave Schultz he is ready right now. If he wants to develop into the player that everybody wants him to be, he'll continue to work on those facets of his game that will enable him to become an elite player. That means he'll have to be aggressive in the checking and hitting department. Something he has so far shown little consistency in. It will be unfair to Kassian if the Canucks insist on just releasing the "caged animal" of Kassian. Those guys are a dime a dozen. GO SABRES!!!
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This parallels the other rumor about another team that wanted Hodgson but were turned down. It had to have been Burke. Schenn has been a healthy scratch this season. And he has the nerve to criticize Darcy for overvalueing his players? Watching his PC yesterday, he looked like he had just eaten something disagreeable. GO SABRES!!!
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Lindy's propensity to shuffle lines is related to one thing more than anything else: our inability to score goals with ANY regularity. And that directly relates to our dearth of centers the last five years. Yes, he will demote players who routinely make mistakes, especially in the D end. Just like all coaches. But it's mostly about lack of scoring. GO SABRES!!!
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Wait til you see CoHo bring the mo-jo with his KoHo in slo-mo. GO SABRES!!!
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It's already CoHo, I believe. GO SABRES!!!
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EXACTLY what those who've seen his NHL games but no AHL games have seen as well. Can't thank you, Inkman and other Amerks fans for lending their invaluable insight into how our development players are looking at the AHL level. GO SABRES!!!
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Essentially what those of us have seen in every one of his NHL games as well. If those observations from Amerks fans were diametrically opposed to mine, I'd wonder what the deal is. But Kassian has shown the same maddening lack of physical presence at both professional levels, that I'm quite confident he just isn't there as a pro yet. GO SABRES!!!
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Everybody I've talked to that sees Foligno on a regular basis as well as those who post here on a regular basis, have noted the consistent physical play that he brings to the rink each and every game. Indeed, they've often lamented how much they wish Kassian would do the same when they were together in Rochester. I don't think that's conjecture. I've seen every one of his "35-game debut with Lindy's girls" and I have yet to see Kassian bring his physical presence on a consistent basis. That is not conjecture, either. I don't confuse being a great fighter that doesn't back down when challenged to drop the gloves with being a physically tough player to to play against. Kassian isn't there yet. GO SABRES!!!
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I agree. And it's good to see another poster who understands the difference between being a great fighter who doesn't back down and the type of physical toughness that big, physical players have to have. Again, I use the Foligno example of someone who brings his size and toughness every night. Both big rookies, both pretty much the same age, with comparable pro experience and one brings it every night and the other one doesn't. Like Rayzor said on WGR, it's either inside you or not and he was also questioning whether Kassian possesses that kind of internal desire to bring his size to the rink every game. I hope he does eventually. GO SABRES!!!
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How else should we have intepreted, "Lucic just breathed a sigh of relief, too?" Quit the attitude? WTF are you talking about? GO SABRES!!!
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That's laughable. Yeah, I'm sure Lucic lost sleep thinking about the prospects of playing against the mighty Kassian. Even if Kassian kicked his ass from one end of the rink to another (and I'd love to see that), it wouldn't make any difference in my opinion of Kassian's lack of overall physical play to date. GO SABRES!!!
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True, he got recognized for being a good fighter and one who won't back down. And that's a plus to be sure. But he had no problem doing that in the pros, either. The style he needs to develop is one of toughness at all times on the ice. He's good at using his body to keep the puck but not very good at winning puck battles to gain possession as of yet. He doesn't finish checks with any kind of regularity and is seldom one to initiate contact from what I've seen. He's got good hands and is a pretty good passer but is a liability in his own end much of the time. He's got great size but doesn't seem willing to bring it every night. Foligno on the other hand, does. Why would Lindy try to coach it out of one player and not the other? True, Kassian's past problems with suspensions and the law in Ontario for a bar fight may make him a marked man in some respects but I doubt anyone has ever told him to tone it down. Just be smart about it. Other than a few big hits in juniors and a couple of fights, his legend is mostly one of myth if you ask me. I just haven't seen this awesome physical presence on the ice on a conistent basis. Indeed, with his size, he is often conspicous in his absence. GO SABRES!!!
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What style is that, exactly? I'll give him another Gordy Howe hat-trick against the Sabres but I'm gonna chalk up a hat-trick for Hodgson against his former squad as well. GO SABRES!!!
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I'm sure the Canucks are hoping Foligno left more of an impression on Kassian. Foligno seems to be having no problem playing the kind of physical game that we all wanted to see from Kassian on a regular basis. That said, buck says Kassian racks up a Gordy Howe hat-trick in his first game with the Canucks. Trades have a way of adding jam to a player's game for that first game or two. GO SABRES!!!
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Thanks for the report. I'm liking Foligno's trajectory. He'll have more room on the big squad now that Kassian is gone. GO SABRES!!!
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I've also been appreciating the posts from Inkman and others that have been following Kassian in Rochester. He wasn't playing up to his size and toughness down there as well. I'm glad that he won't back down in a fight. That's a plus. But mucking it up in the corners, winning puck battles and routinely finishing checks is a far better indicator of toughness. His reputation was built largely on a couple of incidents in juniors. I wish the kid well but he's no where near as developed at Hodgson and doesn't fill as critical a position for our team. GO SABRES!!!
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If you're talking in terms of physical ability then he's even better than I thought. But since you're not, I'd like to know HTF you have ANY friggin' idea as to what kind of heart this kid has? Please bless us all with your 2008 NHL draft scouting reports. If the kid proves he's as heartless as Roy and Stafford then by all means please come back and bask in your 'I told you so, 20/20 hindsight' genius. Has to be a new record for finding the cloud in the silver lining. Did Darcy or Lindy run over your dog? Several times? GO SABRES!!!
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Finding Ray's comments about Kassian interesting. Said Kassian is talented and it's nice to have size but if you're not going to bring it every night, what's the point? Said it's not something that's learned. It's inate. I agree. GO SABRES!!!
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I thought their comments were grounded in how the Canucks couldn't answer the toughness bell against the Bruins in the SC finals. They focused an awful lot on that aspect of what Kassian brings them. I still say that Hodgson fills a bigger need for us than Kassian does for them both immediately and in the future. GO SABRES!!!
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Excellent point and you're absolutely right. He's just a rookie getting minimal minutes in Vancouver and I would be surprised if he played top line minutes for any length of time although stranger things have happened. It would be great to have him and Vanek gel right away but I'm willing to give the kid some time. GO SABRES!!!
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Rookie of the Month in January. Something to build on. GO SABRES!!!
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I like the trade. Hodgson gives us a more promising rookie at a greater position of need. I believe he was Rookie of the Month this year? Anyway he wasn't gonna get the ice time in Vancouver that he'll get in Buffalo. And it's probably a good deal for Vancouver, too. GO SABRES!!!
