dudacek

Both words, for me, equal abrasiveness, a style of game that pisses the opponent off. I just read an article that research has shown even "obvious" words like "penguin" carry different meanings for people. I don't like sandpaper or grit because they seem to be obvious examples of that. When someone says the Sabres need more grit, do they mean: hitting? fighting? chirping? intimidating? ability to dish it out? to take it?

This is the right of it. The question is not whether the Sabres need to hit more, it is "do they have the ability to outlast their opponent in the exhausting grind that is the NHL playoffs?" Strength, speed, endurance, discipline, depth and fortitude are all elements that go into this, both as the grinder and a grindee.

The Bedard/Levi race next year should be interesting. 😜

Hits that aren’t likely to result in Sabre puck possession, would be my guess, or to quote more eloquent people upthread: “Ristos” Adams was very quick to say they want their players to be physical and hard on contested pucks. (To be clear, I’m not trying to debate this with you, just passing on my interpretation of what I heard)

My interpretation of the response: Basically, it’s that the conventional hit stat is full of empty calories. The Sabres strategic goal is to have the puck. Hits are valued and encouraged for separating player from puck and gaining possession, hits for the sake of hits are discouraged for removing the hitter from the play.

I hear from Adams a consistent message of context being important: the why behind the numbers. He gives me a good sense that the principles underlying their decisions - personnel and tactics - have been pretty thoroughly and thoughtfully challenged and massaged.

In this interview, he didn’t promise “I am going to get a good defenceman” but, when asked about what needs to be addressed most, he responded by talking about how much Mule’s injury hurt them. Correctly or not, I’m pretty comfortable reading that as an acknowledgment he’s aware we need another good defenceman and will try to acquire one. I’m well aware other’s mileage may vary.

From this morning. Nearly an hour and worth an off-season listen. Among other things, Adams talks about: why the sabres don't hit what he's going to do to to cut the goals against and how he doesn't really give a rat's ass about the handedness of his defencemen He manages to talk around a lot of things, but it's pretty relaxed and reading between the lines it gives you a pretty good insight on where they are on a lot of topics. Gave me the sense they believe most of the pieces are already here and they will take the steps to address the ones that aren't because they expect to be good. https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/authors/howard-and-jeremy-show

I remember a picture of him working out being posted last time his size came up. Kids didn't look skinny. Projection-wise, he's a boom-or-bust type. Reminds me of Afinogenov — not the skating, but in the sense that he's skilled and frustrating, with do-it-yourself tendencies and might have a similar ceiling.

Off the top of my head, Kisakov did for the Sabres and Kuzmenko for the Canucks and Askarov for the Predators.. There was the Fedotov situation, where he was detained last year for military service after signing with the Flyers, so your question is warranted, but thus far it’s largely been business as usual on the hockey front. Neuchev was one of about 8 who signed since May 1, the day KHL contracts expired

Josh Bloom is 185 pounds and has averaged 32 penalty minutes a year as a junior. He was traded for a player who is bigger, grittier, and has already played more games for the Sabres than 13 of the past 15 Sabres 3rd rounders have played in the NHL. I don’t think this trade means what you think it does.

Kid's got a lot of growing to do to round out his game. But the shot and hands are sick. Glad to see he's going to be in the capable hands of Appert and Peca. It will be interesting to see what they do with him. Cozens, Krebs, Quinn, Peterka, Rosen, Poltapov, Kisakov, Nadeau, Savoie, Östlund, Kulich and now Neuchev is a ridiculous injection of talent up front in less than 4 years. And people wonder why they traded Bloom?

What happened to this team? Its not a stretch to say that 6 years ago they were where we seem to be now: young, deep and positioned for a long window of contention.

The interview was…eye-opening? You get glimpses of it listening to Andrew Peters, but as @PASabreFan says this is how (a lot?) of these guys really are: dude bros with a poorly nuanced, entitled athlete’s perspective on their profession and life. Next time you read so-and-so is a “good guy, beloved in the room” remember this interview and think about how that is also how Berglund is regarded in St. Louis. Your version of “good guy” and a 24-year-old hockey player’s are probably not aligned.

Marcus Foligno had 18 in his first 135 Derek Roy 27 in his first 119 Tim Connolly had 24 in his first 163 Danny Briere had 21 in his first 112 And the career has yet to be confirmed, but Casey Mittelstadt had 17 in 113 games and 27 in 154 These are just some relatively recent Sabres. Looking at the leading scorers this year: Jack Hughes 18 goals in 117 games Mika Zibanejad 23 in 111 JT Miller 15 in 114 Tage is a unicorn, but plenty of people break out after slower starts and it's a proven mistake to be passing judgement on players before 200 games played.

He's not big, but he's a dirty areas player who pisses opponents off and can make plays in traffic. Think Vaclav Varada. Sounds like the Sabres will be making every effort to sign Novikov and Neuchev as soon as the window opens later this spring and that they've been laying the groundwork to make that happen.

Two things from the year-end presser: Firm support for UPL on top of Adams continuing to gush over Levi like he gushes over no other player Adams telling the media the Sabres front-office will be "fearless" when it comes to selecting their goaltending. Read that into the backdrop of Sabrespace urging caution and adding an established goalie and conclude what you will.

Sure sounded like the Sabres will be doing what they can to bring Neuchev and Novikov over this year.

To me, Stillman was acknowledgement that Bryson was not getting it done, even as a six. I also watched Granato play anyone outside his top 4 as little as possible, indirectly blame his depth defencemen for the struggles of some of his forwards (specifically Mitts and VO or whoever was on the 3rd line), and then acknowledge at his year-ender that none of his depth guys stepped up. I know you’re saying Adams may not have it in him to pay the price to address a need. I also know you aren’t that high on Greenway, but I think in that case, he did (overpay for a need), and shows he will.

I’ll be surprised and disappointed if they don’t bring in a guy who will at least challenge Jokiharju for the 4th D spot.

I also think it’s already effectively Olofsson for Greenway in terms of who fills the 3W slot. Its an acknowledgement that the team’s overall identity needed more balance, and a statement that they think we’ll be better off getting 30 points and +12 from Greenway than 50 points and -12 from VO. Now we just wait and see if they’re right.

No, he has raised expectations to the point I consider him an “A” player going in to next year. To get an A he would need to more or less maintain what he did this year, although if he dropped off down the stretch again I’d possibly dock him a touch like I did Dahlin because he no longer gets the benefit of lesser expectations. To get a C he would have to drop off significantly - 50 points maybe? All valid. Oversimplifying, but I did expect 70 points from Dahlin, as well as being the team’s best player and a Norris trophy candidate.

Sure, I’ll try. Basically, I gave each player a grade based upon the expectations he had created prior to the season, then adjusted that grade depending on how well he met them. As @Randall Flagg said, a C/C+ was an average player. And if he met those expectations, he stayed there. Power was a former #1 overall pick who looked like he belonged a year ago, so I expected him to be good. He was very good, so I gave him a “B”. To get an “A” he would have needed to have had an all-star type season. “A”s should be hard. Dahlin was the only player I expected to be an “A” going in and he very nearly hung on to it. Fairly, or not, I nicked him a bit for the stretch drive where he had maybe 15 pedestrian games at a very crucial time of the season. I hold him to a Norris trophy finalist standard and his season fell a tad short. Tuch, Thompson and Skinner on the other hand all started the season with expectations in the “B” range but had years that were top 10 in the league for their positions. Dahlin was the team’s best player and MVP IMO, but these three significantly outstripped expectations in a way Ras didn’t. Hope that helps.

All grades adjusted for role and expectations Greenway C Pretty quiet start, but looked a little better when he returned from injury and started to assert himself more. Mostly an incomplete. Jost C Gave more than you would expect from a waiver wire pickup. Offered effort and versatility and, at times, a touch of skill. Krebs C Reinvented himself into a tenacious forechecker and backchecker and a bit of a pest while cutting his turnovers dramatically. Okposo C Took a step back from last year in terms of on-ice impact, but also had his share of bulldog moments where he lifted the team when it needed a lift. Elite leadership year. Quinn C+ Was feeling his way and had his share of quiet spells, but he produced like a solid middle-sixer and you could literally see him figuring things out. You can see the all-around game and the upside. Cozens B+ Took perhaps the biggest jump on the team and turned into a legit 2C Hinostroza C- Vinnie was the victim of the team's good health, but played fine when he managed to get in the lineup Girgensons C+ As usual, gave you all he's got night after night. A quintessential 4th-liner Mittelstadt B Started slow, but he just kept getting better in all facets of the game and looked like a legit top 6 player down the stretch. Skinner A A career year in points and the best, most consistent all-around hockey he's ever played Olofsson C hard to believe 28 goals could represent a disappointment, but it was. Too inconsistent to make up for his shortcomings in most areas outside of goal scoring. Thompson A Entered the year with our fingers crossed he could score 30 again and maybe be a 1B. Instead he was a human highlight reel and top 10 centre until injuries slowed him down the stretch. Peterka C He looked like a rookie finding his way. His age showed, but so did his skill and his competitive streak. Tuch A Just a fantastic year, beyond reasonable expectations. Emerged as a legit 1st-line winger and a playmaking force.

All grades adjusted for role and expectations Jokiharju C Kind of expected him to solidify himself as a #4 with less responsibility being moved off the top pair, but that didn't really happen. Had some really good games and some not so good ones and he didn't stay healthy. Samuelsson B You can't really argue with the record when he's in the lineup: 33/18/4. He's got more to give. Power B It was so hard to believe this kid was a rookie — so calm, so smart, so constant. Hardness was about the only thing missing in his game. Dahlin A- Would have been A if not for the late season letdown. Proved he is elite and in the conversation for the NHL's best defenceman Clague C- Signed as a depth defenceman to fill in for injuries. Played as a depth defenceman to fill in for injuries Lyubushkin C There was a 2-month stretch in the middle of the season where he looked exactly like the hard-nosed #5/6 we signed him to be, but he hobbled through the start and had a shaky finish. Stillman C Better than Canuck fans would have led you to believe, and better than the guys he pushed into the press box. Managed to stay unnoticed except for a few big hits and that's mostly what you want from a #7 Bryson D One of the most disappointing seasons on the team. Like many youngish Sabres he was given a chance to step up, unlike most he stumbled badly and looked overmatched in all but the most sheltered role. Luukkonnen C People need to remember no one expected him in the NHL this year and half the board was ready to dump him completely. The fact he started 32 NHL games and won 17 of them was completely unexpected. He's incredibly inconsistent with a lot of holes, but his contribution outstripped expectations as the #3. Comrie D He was given every opportunity to be the starter but mostly fell flat on his face. Injuries certainly played a role but he had only 8 games over .900 all year, and just 2 over a 4-month stretch. Anderson C+ He wasn't great, but as long as he wasn't overused, he was the team's best goalie for most of the year. Showed great leadership and did all anyone could have expected of him.