dudacek
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Posts posted by dudacek
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This. I want some games that thrill me this year.
I want the Sabres to be on a 3-game winning streak with Boston coming to the FNC and to be looking forward to the game all day.
I want Enroth to seize his long-awaited shot at #1 by the throat, even if it means JJ50 gets the biggest I-told-you-so in Sabrespace history.
I want Myers to approach his potential and for Risto to play like Myers did during his Calder season.
I want Stewart to explode in his contract year and to pummel opponents on occasion.
I want Reinhart to look like the natural.
I want Pysyk to play like Teppo in 2005.
I want Nolan and Trottier to make me believe.
I want hockey that I care about.
Dammit, that was good.
Thank you, Mr. Churchill.
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If we play ourselves out of the McEichel derby this year it means some of our kids are improving and that the veterans and Nolan are creating the right environment for that to continue. We still get five high picks in June and a couple will turn into really good players.
If we finish last we get McEichel.
It's a win-win.
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I was just going to post something to effect of "how impressionable am I that I got to thinking that we were headed for an 80-point season based on a game I didn't watch against a team that iced an AHL squad?"
:lol:
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Stewart has always been one of those "if he's focused and motivated" guys.
Kicked to the curb by the Blues, coached by Ted Nolan and heading into his UFA summer — that looks like motivation.
I'd be hesitant to re-sign him given his history, but damn he's been fun to watch so far.
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Not to pile on Weber, but I think there is a decent chance the Sabres may attempt to move him before the start of the season.
Myers and Gorges are the clear number one pair. Meszaros and Benoit are the veteran depth, and pretty much everyone agrees Risto is ready.
That's your starting five.
Pysyk has paid his dues and belongs in the NHL. If it's me, he gets the last spot.
McCabe gets first-pair ice in Rochester, then moves up when a spot opens and someone gets traded at the deadline.
Which should leave Mike in the number seven spot to start the season.
But Strachan can also play the role of the stay-at-home placeholder and the team may decide to trade Mike now just to create some space.
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Damn, I picked the wrong day to go to work.
Did they look as good as it sounded on radio?
I know I need an intervention, but first I really need a scouting report.
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When Strachan and Foligno combine for offence, you do have to start questioning the opposition.
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OK, who's planning the parade route?
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He's a 26 year old rough and tumble stay at home D that has averaged 55 games a year in his career. He's proven when pushed past 16 minutes a night he fails. Last season he played with the worst group of forwards the NHL has seen in decades. He's a one pass defenseman. The jokers last season couldn't figure how to avail themselves to our D let alone do something with the puck once they had it. Mike Weber is what he is. A middle of the road stay at home D that should never be asked to be more than that.
Also, every team in the NHL had at least one if not 3 defenseman just like Mike Weber. Pair him with a puck moving or swift skating D and he will manage just fine.
I've seen him be that guy and, for the record, I want to see him be that guy again.
Also for the record, he is not that guy right now,
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I think y'all are nuts not putting Weber in the top 6. Benoit over him? I don't think so.
If things keep going the way they have, Inky is going to have to change his name to Lastweberfan.
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So the predictable cuts today, except I am surprised Strachan is still around.
Must be looking good in practice, because in exhibition so far he's showed me nothing.
Could Weber have fallen so far out of favour Strachn is being eyed for his role?
On the Weber topic, I don't have any feel for what Nolan or Murray think of him.
Does anyone else?
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I think Freeman's right that Girgorenko isn't going to make this team if he is not playing top nine.
So it's probably more realistic to say he is battling Foligno, Reinhart, Flynn, Armia, Larsson and Deslauriers for two spots on the third line. Foligno, Flynn, Larsson and Deslauriers can play on the fourth line. The other three can't.
Edit: And before anyone jumps on this, when I say third line, I don't mean checking line.
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At least he has that fashion line to fall back on.
Plus the music career.
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Still haven't figured out the deal with the new Canadian version, but apparently I will be getting for three months for free, effective Oct. 8.
Fingers crossed, but I'd pay anyway. I figure there is entertainment value if Nolan gets the team to "compete" and in watching Risto, Zemgus and hopefully others start to emerge.
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I know others have preached against it, mostly for developmental reasons, but I think the best 22 or 23 players should make the team.
There are about 10 players left battling for the last five or six forward spots.
Who among Kaleta, Larsson, Reinhart, Mitchell, McCormick, Deslauriers, Ellis, Schaller and Armia has been more effective than Grigorenko?
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Lets make this clear, Grigorenko will never be in the mix for 3rd line centre.
This is true, at least in the sense of roles. I should have said third centre, with Ennis and Girgensons being one-two.
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Hodgson wasn't perfect with all his passes, but he did connect with some beauties.
What I liked best though was the authority, timing and decisiveness with which he was attempting those passes.
He was making passes other players wouldn't have even seen, let alone attempted.
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After tonights game I think we have to seriously consider the idea that Grigo may make the cut. Would make things interesting if he can do it.
Moulson Ennis Stafford
Hodgson Grigo Stewart
Foligno Grigs Gionta
Desalaurier McC Kaleta
Flynn ???
I could see desaluarier and foligno swapping roles.
I think Mitchell has the inside track on ???, particularly after Kaleta and Larsson getting hurt tonight.
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I've really enjoyed watching Chris Stewart. Not only does he give this team a nice jolt of testosterone, he also looks dangerous offensively.
He seems to have good chemistry with Hodgson, who was much better tonight, showing off his great passing skills.
A real beneficiary from the play of those two was Girgorenko, who stood out on his own right. He has outplayed Reinhart all camp. That might have been his best game as a pro and he has to still be in the mix as the third line centre.
Like most of the lineup tonight, he was fighting for a job.
- Deslauriers should also survive the next set of cuts after his game tonight.
- Dalpe will be sent down, but he has shown he can fill in in a pinch.
- Armia will also be sent down, but he has added more battle to his game. I think he will be back before year-end.
- I feel bad for Larsson, who was showing some real sandpaper before getting hurt. And for Kaleta, who went down too fast to show much.
- Flynn and Mitchell were Flynn and Mitchell and are surviving what looks like a war of attrition.
- So long, Ellis, Strachan, Petrecki and Bagnall, none of whom embarrassed themselves.
- And good-bye Schaller, who I like as a long-shot fourth-line prospect.
- Makarov looked much better tonight, showing good athleticism. Maybe between him and Lieuwen and Johansson and Ullmark someone will eventually emerge.
Murray said he was going to fix the bottom two lines. I'm starting to think he may have done that.
EDIT: Loved how Weber stayed in there with Orr; I want the guy to succeed. Meszaros improves our team. Risto is never going to see Rochester again.
- Deslauriers should also survive the next set of cuts after his game tonight.
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What do I have to be negative about? Over the past year I have pretty much gotten everything I could ask for. Status Quo is gone and the roster has been stripped down and is in the process of being rebuilt by a GM I can have faith in.
This. It will take time, but the necessary steps have been taken and I Murray seems to be made of the right stuff.
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I'm not sure where this "needs work on his skating" is coming from.
He can skate just fine.
Maybe you guys are talking about "needs work on when to use his skating" or "when to push the pace?"
To me, his biggest issue is adjusting to how much less time he has playing with faster, smarter players.
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I like the kid's game. He is giving good effort and he is being defensively responsible.
He's not strong or fast, but it's not like he's being pushed around, or that he can't keep up.
WJAG nailed the issue: he's an offensive centre who is not producing offence, not only points, but chances.
The question is where will he develop more:
In juniors where things are very easy for him, but he is protected.
Or the NHL, where he is challenged, but may struggle.
It the moment it looks like the AHL is the right place for him.
More evidence of why that rule needs to change.
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Reinhart's strength is reading the game and slowing it down.
Right now the holes are opening and closing more quickly than he's used to. He has to adjust.
The thing is, it's not going to help him make the adjustment playing against juniors.
He needs to be challenged by NHL speed.
It will be a very interesting discussion Tim Murray and staff will be having.
I expect he will get three more exhibition games and nine in the NHL.
But he is going to have to show some improvement.
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The good:
Torrey Mitchell and Cody McCormick played exactly how I want my fourth-liners to play. Loved their hustle and their edge.
Jake McCabe looked like an NHL defenceman.
Tyler Myers was very solid. Minimized mistakes, made plays.
Chris Stewart finished and drove the net like a legitimate power forward.
The bad:
Cody Hodgson looked selfish. He has to play a give and go game to be effective and it wasn't there.
I hate the fact Mike Weber has become the latest whipping boy, but tonight he deserved it.
Michal Neuvirth better put that one in a garbage bag and bury it in the backyard.
The worth mentioning:
Marcus Foligno wasn't outstanding, but he did play a hard, basic game. It was a good sign.
The first line played like an OK second line. Gionta was OK.
Risto and Zads were unremarkable but dependable.
Meszaros is faster than I thought he would be and definitely an upgrade on McBain and Tallinder.
Schaller had a good, physical first, but kinda faded as the game went on. Flynn was Flynn, didn't hurt his chances.
Reinhart didn't looked overmatched. He was responsible and he wasn't getting pushed around. But he wasn't creating offence either. He could have been Flynn.
2014-2015 Roster
in The Aud Club
Posted
It's not unreasonable to think Ennis, Stafford, Hodgson, Stewart and Moulson will average 20 goals. There's 100 right there.
Can Myers, Gionta, Foligno, Girgensons, and the winner of the Reinhart/Girgensons battle average 10 goals each? That's not unreasonable.
Can the rest of the roster combine for 50 goals. Maybe.
200 goals is not out of reach.