X. Benedict

That's interesting. I always wondered how the spinnerama in shootouts was a legal move.

I have no clue what the ENTHRON joke means. I assume it is an elf video game guy.

If you are referring to Kovalchuk teams, they have never been all that successful. If you are referring to the Devils, yeah, I love seeing them slip down a few rungs. They nearly killed hockey with the neutral zone trap.

Really? I thought the puck had to continuously move forward.

I know the 4 point game thing is a bit cliche'. But this is already a huge game.

Watching this summer, I think Uncle Lou Lamarrello was relieved the league nixed it, and then disappointed when he went back to an ownership that asked him to make it work. I really think they thought he would fill their new building on nights they weren't playing the Rangers.

Hmmmm. TSN was reporting the days this summer as in Kovalchuk Hostage Crisis Day 15 as he effectively held two franchises in a state of Paralysis, just 4 months after turning down more money from Atlanta, that once fired a pretty good coach (Hartley) to accommodate him. I think you could make a great case for him being the most selfish player in the league with non-Buffalo sources. I hate his game. And I think he's poison. That's admittedly my bias. But it is in no way a bias exclusive to Sabre fans. As far as the Sabres go, I would have preferred by 10x Marian Gaborik who was available almost 13 months ago and should play tonight in NY and is a much more complete player with very similar offensive numbers. ... and off the Devils, I wouldn't be sad if Buffalo traded an entire draft for Zack Parise.

I had the Doc Emmerick feed... RJ and Harry's take in the link vid with story. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=543161

He came back to the defensive zone approximately once in that game, and actually made a nice play.(that once).

Evidently, Kovalchuk is not a Hutt. Hutts are immune.

I couldn't hear. How did that tune go?

I think you can qualify it this way: he's got the best wrist shot in the league and a terrific knack for getting open to take it and unload it from anywhere. He's pretty average at everything else.

Nice Game Kovy!!!!!!!!!!!

That's the softest goal I've seen in years! But I'll take it. :lol:

Watched the Portland game today. I can't say I think there is anyone that I saw that is particularly ready to make the jump.

Questions in order A) Really? a 4th line player? = a player on the 4th line B) Yep C) When? 2005? Sudden lack? I gotta tell you, I don't see much difference in his game. Maybe people project a fierceness not often exhibited. But Gaustad doesn't play with recklessness and never has. He's positionally sound and doesn't run around. But maybe we can compare Mike Grier to Cam Neely or something next? :unsure: Gaustad's a physical player in a physical league. He's not a dominant physical force. But is strong on the puck and he is decent behind the net when he gets there, mostly he's at center and not playing the sidewalls much. Given his skill-set I would say he's more over-achiever than underachiever.

You know it's funny. I went down to the ice yesterday to specifically look at Milan Lucic. He isn't as tall as Guastad - Lucic is probably closer to 6'2" if you size him up, and I would say 235 lbs. No matter what he's listed at. I was sizing him up to the biggest Sabres. Although Guastad is probably 6'5" (eyeballing here) he looks like he's going about 215 lbs. He's as lean as I've seen him. My thinking is that Doug McKinney asked him to cut weight to play center more than wing. So he's going across the ice more than into the corners. Gaustad is not a pretty skater. Neither is Lucic. Lucic has a much better scoring touch. But he's more of a bowling ball with ape arms. He has a real roundness to him. Why isn't Gaustad like Lucic? Very different players. Skate Gaustad on a second line and maybe they look similar. But in reality, Gaustad is a solid 4th line player. Lucic is skating with Kreji and Horton. Skate Lucic with Marchant and Paille for 12 minutes a game and you get a comparison. Even at that. Lucic will probably get 20 goals this year and 4 fighting majors. He really isn't fast enough to hit a moving target. He's like the ball from the kid bowling between his legs. He really is oddly slow. Almost ahem, Raffi Torres slow. Seriously, looking at him close up the first thing you wonder is if he's in shape. Guys who aren't natural skaters are often perceived as not trying. In fact they are working very hard to get in, stay in the play. A lot of Lucic's limitations as a skater are hidden in that 1-2-2 trap and I would imagine him as absolutely useless on a PK. I don't remember seeing him on the ice for any last night. Gaustad probably had a couple hits last night - but I think he won something like 8 or nine straight face-offs. I notice. I know Face-offs don't impress you, so I desist, but I am one of those guys that thinks a face-off win = 30 seconds of possession and a shot. My logic may be flawed, but the Buffalo forwards probably missed at least a dozen shots and passed up a dozen. ( Irony on, No way do they have the chance to miss a dozen shots and pass up a dozen shots if Gaustad isn't winning face-offs.) I am perfectly okay with Gaustad coming in for 15 seconds to win possession. But I'm not putting him on my top 6. If he was a top 6 player - I would say there is a problem. As it is, I am more disappointed in Neidermeyers contribution thus far on the third line. So that's my logic, and why I would say Gaustad is not the problem. I don't think he's going to become Milan Lucic, Ryan Getzlaf or has the ability to play like him. I'm not asking him to become captain. I just think it is nice to have possession. With 5 minutes left in the game I was amazed they (quite improbably) had a chance (not a good one, but a chance) because they were winning faceoffs. It's not an expert opinion, just my own. But as I obviously spend an inordinate amount of my life thinking about this stuff, and spending money to watch it, I would really appreciate it, and I will take a more nuanced view of your writing as well, if any response to this isn't prefaced by - Bulxhit! :D

:lol:

gramps, eh? I hear three gavel strikes. squeak, squeak, squeak. Anyway. Thank you for writing bulxhit and getting me to re-examine...whatever point you were trying to win. You probably aren't a lousy human, but it makes me think you are. Words work like that. (Oh, and now I get it's Playstation 3 which I've never played, for some reason I thought it was some text way of calling me something not nice the same way WTF and LOL and IIRC work.)

Well I think you did when you called bulxhit. Always a good way to start a douche' exchange. Even though I'm not sure what PS3 is. If your calling bulxhit I think you But just for kicks - how many more physical 4th lines in the NHL can you name at the moment than Buffalo's. I'll expand it - the Gaustad-Kaleta-McCormick line is not the problem. but feel free to PS3 with them, whateverthehell that is. We can have a hockey conversation or we can "Bulxhit" at each other. squeak squeak. I don't think it is very nice when you do that. Truly, I think so. I'm closer to 80 than I am to 20. So it comes off as whatever the adverb is for blowhard is - Blowhardy? Maybe I think its blowhardy. Or maybe I'm just persnickety and don't know what to make of PS3 -or whatever - Jibber and too tired to look it up. (in a matter of truth, I just did the math and I'm not closer to 80 than 20. My mistake.)

Have it your way. Gaustad is the problem. He should stop taking face-offs all together. Even though he's a forth liner and the only Sabre that is the best at anything in the league. He's the problem. In the De Luca courtroom, does the judge have that plastic gavel that makes a squeaky sound every time he pounds it on the table?

Gaustad and Manny Malholtra are probably the best in the league right now at face-offs. Median salary is just over 2Million.... Gaustad is not the problem. Him winning faceoffs has been about the only bright spot on the PK.

Well acted. :censored: Bounce off a forward into the goaltender. That's almost as good as a dive.

For what its worth, I don't see Kolulchuk being much in favor on a Ruff team. I don't think Ruff is one of those coaches. No. But at least I think Ruff would have told you why he scratched him. :) Anyway....The Devils have 14.9 more years to see this play out.

Actually...his powerplay numbers actually inflate the points vs. plus/minus comparison. But it is a fair point...those were some bad teams. Here's what I like about Kovalchuk: His shot. Here's what I dislike about Kovy: every other part of his game. That's my bias. I don't like him. And I take pleasure that Lou Lamirello has gone against his every instinct and tried to fit his square peg into their round hole system. The first player I would take off of the Devils team/ hands down/ regardless of money is Zack Parise. That kid busts his ass just about every second he is on the ice.