...

Rename the thread with that!

That would be slightly more than a few games.

I don't know, ask me after I've seen them play a few games. As my grand-pappy used to say, "you never know what's in the pickle-barrel until you've taken the lid off it..."

They really just need to learn how to get to, and shoot from, the front of the net, foregoing the low percentage shots from the perimeter. If they can do that, their chances for more points this season rise substantially. If they can also figure out how to defend shots against in the same area of their own defensive zone...then it's an easy walk into the playoffs.

As is, if the stars and Moon cooperate, they could be a bubble team. If Botterill had done his job over the summer, they certainly would be a bubble team.

Since we're doing charts in the other thread, I thought it'd be fun to re-visit team charts briefly here. This is what the Sabres looked like last season: Compared to their 100 point season 2009-2010: Not a hell of a lot of difference defensively (although between 2007-2008 and now, there were much better years defensively). We had Connolly, Roy, Pominstein, Vanek, Myers, and Hecht all with over 40 points. Roy had, ironically, 69 points. And, ironically, Miller played 69 games ending with a SV% of .929. (Hutton had a .908 and Ullmark a .905 last year.) 15 players with 20 or more points in 2009-2010. 10 players with 20 or more points last year. Tim Kennedy had one more point than Mitts. Kaleta had more points than Angry Larry, Sobotka and Tage. Far to go?

Thanks for that. I scanned https://hockeyviz.com/txt/magnusEV to remind myself of what I was looking at and apparently work got in the way of comprehension.

In before the lock, again!

That's a little better. In a good relationship, the first place you would go for solidarity is your spouse, at least in my world. I don't know what you mean by "a wrong turn", though, unless you're talking about not-good people.

Hello, can of worms.

The red-er it is, the more positive the impact, the blue-er it is, the more negative the impact. In the offensive zone, you want red-er. Since he's more blue, and it's blue-er near the net, he's pretty bad in the offensive zone, and it shows you where he's bad. In the defensive zone you want blue-er, so he's bad defending in front of the net, and since it's blue-er near the dots, he's better defending on either side of the slot.

Let's not forget RK apparently had some extensive conversations with the players over the summer to find out "how they want to play". It's pretty clear that RK is mixing in variables other than stats and last year's performance to come to whatever conclusions he has thus far. And again, one of those variables is unarguably Botterill.

There is nothing else to say here - except the fact that they botched the rebuild brought us Dahlin, so I'm okay with that. I think the significant botching started the summer of 2018.

The problem, in a nutshell, has been maintaining possession long enough to do something offensively and then defending effectively when they don't have possession. Who does this well on these lines? WARNING: the following is eye-test and memory only. I welcome corrections based on stats from those with the time to contribute that data. Olofsson-Eichel-Reinhart - I would say at least Eichel and Samson possess and defend well. I'm fairly confident in saying Olofsson is at least competent at both. Skinner-Johansson-Sobotka - Skinner can possess but not a great defender in his own zone. No idea about Johansson. Sobotka - possession and defensive black hole. Vesey-Mittelstadt-Sheary - I think Vesey isn't bad at maintaining possession, but can't say about defending other than I recall his stats in this area aren't encouraging. Mitts, no. Sheary, double no. (aside: this line will be horrible defensively, which will neuter its offensive potential) Girgensons-Larsson-Okposo - All three are capable defenders. Z can maintain possession sometimes, for a little bit. Angry Larry is better at possession than Z. KO triple no.

I should have said "win the faceoff, feeding Johansson the puck..."

The problem is that the thinking on Sobotka is clearly one-dimensional. He's there to feed to the puck to Johansson, who is then supposed to find Skinner. What else could you rely upon Sobotka for?

This.

I will certainly give you the first line. I neither approve of or disapprove of RK. I need real substance to make that determination, and that substance accrues starting yesterday, but at the moment is way too little to make anything of it. I certainly like the Koncept of Krueger. Not going to bother commenting on what could happen league- or season-wise. I really hope all it takes to improve our goalies is an effective coach - and that we have an effective coach.

Very tough. Sorry for him and his wife.

I think this came up in another thread. Wish I could remember which one.

FIRE RALPH "FREDDY" KRUEGER!

Here is a live feed of the third line at practice:

Well, let's put it this way, feeling ashamed is too good for you right now.

I'm with you, man.

Pegula had no idea what he was talking about. The phrase "little did he know" is so apt.