dudacek
-
Posts
29,066 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by dudacek
-
-
1 hour ago, inkman said:
Last season Allen had 385 completions last season. So we can chalk up 250 to Kincaid, Samuel, Shakir, Coleman. Easily. Leaving 135 among the RBs, Knox and WR’s 4-7. The offense will look different. Thankfully we won’t have to watch Josh force 5 throws a game to Diggs in tight coverage. Brady definitely likes to spread it around and you have to think not having any diva receivers will go hand and hand with that. I’ve seen some post draft hub bub about KJ Hamler & Justin Shorter. Maybe they breakout. Not counting on it. Yes I’m rationalizing a bit but none of the receivers after the top 3 are sure bets to contribute anything this season. A few will surprise but most rookie WRs take at least a half season to get acclimated.
I took a rare walk along the Stadium Wall and damn they are melting down there.
The Brady offence looked pretty damn good last year with Diggs being just a guy.
Kincaid looked good and is going to be better. Shakir looked good and is going to be better. Nobody talks about the impact player Cook has become.
Coleman should be able to replace or even upgrade Davis. Samuel is no prime Diggs, but he should be able to replace what last year’s checked-out Diggs was offering.
And it’s Josh freaking Allen getting them the ball.
They’re going to score.
-
1
-
-
Toronto’s biggest problem seems to be they keep coming up against better teams. 😁
-
1
-
-
4 hours ago, LGR4GM said:
Jack Quinn outproduced Krebs in 53 less games.
18yr old Zach Benson just outpeoduced Krebs.
You can keep Krebs as a depth piece but pencil him in to your 3rd line center seems unwise. You should at least get a real 3rd line center because if Krebs fails it won't matter and if he succeeds, you gain depth.
You get a guy who you known can play 14 minutes of NHL + hockey a night and you tell Krebs there’s your target; be better than him and those minutes are yours.
2 hours ago, Doohickie said:I'm not ready to say that yet.
If I squint hard I can see someone who only watched Byram play in Buffalo say that.
Im reminded of last year and what everyone was saying about Greenway.
Im not going to say we bought low because we paid a pretty big price. But I will say you weren’t getting him at that price any time before this year.
He’s shown he can be better and I expect he will be.
-
3
-
-
14 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:
We lost that series 0-4. Do I remember this right: LaFontain was hurt, Muckler played Grant Furh instead of the unknown Hasek, Mogilney broke his leg in game four and the Candiens won several of the games--maybe 3?--in OT. They then won the cup.
Yep.
I think every game was 4-3
-
1
-
-
Tampa has no picks, prospects or cap space. They are loaded with experience and edge.
The Sabres are exactly the opposite.
I don't think you'll find many teams that are a better trade match.
i wonder if Nick Paul or Tanner Jeannot might be available at a price we can afford.
-
2
-
-
I’m more interested in the Byram part of this equation.
How likely are we to see the dangerous Bo of the 1st few games over the majority of the season?
How likely are we to see the overmatched in his own zone Bo that finished the year?
What I saw over his brief stint here wasn’t overly impressive; it gave me Brandon Montour square peg vibes.
At the same time, I’ve seen this kid play at an elite level at the world juniors and in the Stanley Cup finals. He’s got a ton of talent and is a competitor.
Being moved from a Stanley Cup champion to a doormat, after a largely disappointing season playing in a less-than optimal role, dragging his girlfriend from Denver to Buffalo, having to switch to a zone defence after playing man his whole career, and having some kind of family issue playing out behind the scenes are real things.
There should be no issue with the roster fit. He can play on the left side in a top-4 role and add a transition and offensive weapon to augment skilled forwards, without hurting the team defensively. There’s room there and he has the skill set.
There’s a world where his addition cements the Sabres identity as a dangerous, quick-strike, ice-flipping team that kills you from the back end. But he has to get focused and aligned with his coaches. He has to shake off the past, step up and grab the opportunity.
He’s a guy who can be a difference-maker and someone I hope is a priority for Lindy and his staff.
-
6
-
-
Is it just me, or has the board generally had a pretty dramatic swing from “we can afford to trade Mittelstadt” to “we have a giant Mittelstadt-sized hole on the roster”?
Maybe it was more gradual over the past year or so, as Cozens and Tage dropped off and Casey emerged?
From a depth perspective, I would be surprised if 1 or more of Krebs, Kulich, Östlund and Savoie doesn’t emerge as a decent 3C or better.
But I - and I think most of us - would be shocked if any are that this year.
It is my hope that Mitts is replaced not by another Mitts, but by a different kind of 3C: cheaper, edgier, more defensively focused.
With Lindy on board, I don’t think it’s a stretch to target a Gaustad or Hecht type of player.
-
1
-
-
1 hour ago, DHawerchuk10 said:
RIP Bob
God, I loved watching Hawerchuk on that team.Favourite Sabre no one ever talks about as a Sabre.
-
1
-
1
-
-
I can’t get over how young these Amerks are.
Last night they dressed 7 rookies: Neuchev 20, Östlund 20, Wahlberg 18, Johnson 22, Novikov 20, Metsa 24 and Levi 22
And 2nd year players: Kulich 20, Rosen 21
2nd-year guys Kisakov and Kozak, each 21, are among the spares.
-
1
-
-
1 minute ago, JustOneParade said:
Can guys like Wahlberg and Östlund, and even Savioe, play in ROC next season?
All 3 are eligible and under contract. So as far as I know the Sabres control where they play.
Östlund and Savoie are expected to for sure. Uncertain about the plan for Wahlberg.
I thought Östlund was the most dangerous Amerk on the ice last night. He’s small, but fast and always moving and involved; he’s looked that way every time I’ve watched him play.
But even though he attacks the game like Benson, he doesn’t show Benson’s ability to get underneath bigger guys to win puck battles. Definite hole in his game even though overall he’s looked effective.
-
1
-
2
-
-
53 minutes ago, Weave said:
I have a hard time comparing Benson to Sabres past. He’s not the prototypical top 6 skillset, but he’s got a unique level of compete that overcomes it to some extent.
We are into “concept of” level of discussion regarding Benson. My initial thought was, if Drury was a winger instead of a center, their games might be similar. But it’s Chris ***** Drury. I don’t want to make that comparison. And I shouldn’t make that comparison.It’s way too soon.
It’s been the same for all these kids: you see things you like, you look at their age and say “damn, he could really be something when he’s in his prime.”
The sad thing is that even if we’re right - and for every Girgensons and Kassian and Zadorov there’s been an Eichel, Reinhart, Thompson and Dahlin - it’s been so long since it’s happened when it mattered.
-
7 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:
Is that actually it? I had the sense that fans were upset about an apparent lack of a deliberate, thorough process -- that GM KA was just like
I always get into trouble speaking in broad-brush generalities.
There are definitely fans who think targeting your guy without a thorough process is unprofessional, and that is a legitimate take.
There are also definitely fans who were vehemently saying things like "they should hire ---" and "no way they should hire ---"
I'm referring to people who belong to both group A and group B at the same time.
-
1
-
-
It makes me smile when the same fans who are passionately for or against a particular coaching candidate they’ve never met are furious because Adams targeted someone someone he knows very well, then simply went out and got him.
-
2
-
1
-
-
1 hour ago, French Collection said:
Wow, I didn’t think he was in such good company. Lindy will like his fast, attack on the rush game.
I hope he ends up a bit better than Ehlers. Ehlers is good but always seems to leave me wanting more.
Picked Ehlers because he seemed to represent the “really good 2nd-liner” level that represents the low end of the peer group.
Another way of saying it would be “you score 25-30 goals at 21 and the odds look really good you’re going to continue doing that, or better, throughout your career.” (Which we should keep in mind with Dylan Cozens, who hit 31).
The question with Peterka is really “how much can he grow?”
His skate/shoot combo is high-end. His compete and vision seem good.
His consistency and details need work.
He had 25 even-strength goals, that was good for 19th in the entire NHL last year.
Leon Draisaitl had 20, Stamkos 21, McDavid 24.
-
Peterka is an interesting guy to look at comparables.
His 28 goals mark the 25th-best 21-year-old season in the past 10.
Some guys who had similar U22 seasons:
- Pastrnak 35
- Conner 31
- Kucherov 29
- Draisaitl 29
- Rantanen 29
- Petterson 27
- Eichel 25
- Nylander 20
But then you also get guys like Alex Debrincat with 41 and Jack Hughes with 43, so there are guys who were pretty far ahead.
One thing seems to hold true though, very few of the guys on that list of 25 proved to be a flash in the pan. This type of production at the age seems likely to set him up for at least a Nikolaj Ehlers type career.
-
1
-
1
-
12 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:
I don't see Benson becoming Marchand or Marchand-like but he could be Danny Briere.
As for next year, I am hoping Ruff starts camp as early as possible and makes it a clean slate for all players under contract regardless of age or stature. Earn it and it's yours for as long as you can hold on to it. That should be the standard applied equally to all.
I was listening to Lindy talk about how he works, and how he basically the same as most coaches, he deploys the guys he trusts most to get the job done in all the most crucial game situations.
And I started thinking about how what changes is how much each coach likes a particular player.
Donnie clearly had a pecking order that started with Tuch and Tage. He liked to match top lines. He didn't lean on Ras much for the PK, but he played him to death everywhere else. Krebs was an extra. Quinn and Peterka an afterthought on the PP. Girgs a 4th liner. Samuelsson in the top 4 and often with Ras. No shutdown line.
All these trends that have kinda come to expect that may get overturned in ways we don't at all expect.
It will be interesting how it all settles out.
12 hours ago, Scottysabres said:This Sabres Fans generations Danny Briere.
I mean I get the size and the compete level, but the team has a much better match for its Briere clone playing in Moose Jaw.
Savoie has those as well, but he also has Briere's shark-like approach to offence and breakaway threat. He even kinda looks like Danny.
-
1
-
-
2 hours ago, Thorny said:
What do you think our first round pick is worth?
2022 #7 (plus a 2nd) for Alex Debrincat
2022 #12 for #27 #34 and #45
2022 #14 for Kirby Dach or Alex Romanov
2022 #19 (plus Brock Faber) for Kevin Fiala
2021 #9 for Connor Garland (plus a bunch of cap dumps)
2021 #14 (plus a 2nd) for Rasmus Ristolainen
2021 #15 for #23, #48 and #138
2020 #15 for Kasperi Kapanen
2019 #11 for #14 and #45
2018 #12 (plus 2 2nds) for Travis Hamonic
Most recent time I can find a summer trade of a pick in the Sabres range involving a middle 6 centre was #7 and Tony DeAngelo for Antti Raanta and Derek Stepan, when Stepan was a 27-year-old 55-point scorer.
I've stayed away from rentals.
-
1
-
-
18 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:
Quick question. How does KA fill the hole at 2/3C?
I’d trade picks/prospects for a vet under contract.
-
1
-
-
18 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:
The fact that Benson was in our top 6 forwards this season is an indictment on the GM and the other players on the roster. As much promise this kid has, at it's a ton, he should not have been in the NHL this season. It was terrible asset management and it didn't make the team better.
He should have been in the CHL completing his 4th year in the CHL and then he could play in the AHL or NHL this coming season on the 1st year of his ELC. Just dumb.
Did the kid show he could play in the NHL? Yes his did, but he was often knocked off the puck and took dumb penalty after dumb penalty. He was not physically ready of the NHL game and it showed all season. I'm not sure he'll be physically ready next season either because he is only 19 and not yet physically mature. Sadly, he won't be eligible to be sent down to the A if he again isn't physically because of his age. Oh well!
I'm sorry, but while I like some of what I saw from Benson this season, Benson's production was 224th among NHL forwards last season. That was 4th line production. I also think the analytics place him in the top 9 for the Sabres, but considering how bad the offense was this season, that isn't much to write home about.
Do I think Benson has top 6 potential? Yes I do, but in 2025/26 just in time for his next contract.
Not sure what’s up with your math, but there are 192 top 6 positions open in the NHL (6x32).224th is upper-end 3rd line production.
Benson’s 28 even-strength points ranked 184th. Guys around him: Elias Lindholm, Jake Debrusk, Dawson Mercer, Andrew Copp, David Perron, Mats Zuccarello and Anton Lundell.
And that doesn’t even take into account his chops defensively.
I also don’t agree with your knock off the puck comments. Did it happen? Absolutely, but I also saw lots of instances where he won pucks along the boards and made plays in heavy traffic.
Looked me like he won more battles than he lost.
This is just a bad take. He was clearly NHL-ready.
-
1
-
3
-
-
1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:
I don't have a comparable, that's for sure. 18yr olds at his size, but with his game, in the NHL already and holding their own? That's gotta be a massively short list but I will say that in his draft year, Mitch Marner was a comparable I saw. I think they play different though.
And Marner didn’t play as an 18-year, but put up 60 at 19 as a rookie.
The size matches, but Marner’s got that Housley thing, where his skating agility and puckhandling are so, so good.
Zach doesn’t have that. But he’s got something.
I keep coming back to Marchand without the elevated ***** element.
He’s smarter and more competitive than anyone he matches up against and just finds a way.
-
1
-
-
I gravitate to smart players who don’t quit.
He’s become my favourite player to watch on the team.
Really hope he can improve his shot. It stood out to me as a significant hole in his game.
His performance relative to physical maturity and experience was remarkable, something I’ve never seen before on this team. Housley, Dahlin and Turgeon were much bigger and/or obviously skilled and that’s more or less where the “regulars at 18” list ends. Guys of his size just don’t play in the NHL without hall-of-fame hands and feet, but he doesn’t seem to have either. So that says a lot about his will and hockey sense.
It’s hard to project his ceiling given the lack of comparables.
But it’s obvious the kid just gets hockey.
-
3
-
1
-
-
On 4/23/2024 at 9:19 AM, PromoTheRobot said:
He did a game recently with Duffer, and Don was struggling to describe the action, like he couldn't see it.
It was concerning.
It wasn’t mistaking 25 for 26, it was like literally missing things the whole building could see.
The “five players on the ice” sequence was bizarre.
-
5 minutes ago, triumph_communes said:
Lindy: your system is set before the start of training camp and doesn’t really change throughout season. It’s all about developing muscle memory from day 1.
breath of fresh air Christ
Lindy’s interview with Marty today came across better than the big presser.
-
6
-
-
21 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:
No they haven't. How have they earned an opportunity? Savoie has earned an opportunity in the AHL. Kulich was a mess for 2 months this year and Rosen is still Rosen. I see no reason that we should promote any of them.
I agreed with your take with these players on this team at this time.
If we’re talking in generalities though, opportunity is not the same thing as role.
My observation has been that NHL teams will give a D3 or D4 1st-rounder coming off a good season a chance at beating someone out for a job in the fall.
If yours is different, we’re probably not going to change each others minds.
-
1
-
Buffalo Bills 2024 Thread
in The Aud Club
Posted
Incredible.Thanks for posting.