mjd1001

A saying is that a lot of goal scorers are 'streaky'. Maybe he just is even 'streakier' than most. It doesn't make sense to me in a logical way why that would be true, but hopefully its something like that: -The first part of the 21-22 season, (Oct - Jan) he had 11 goals on 76 shots (14.5% shooting over almost 4 months) -The last 2nd half of 21-22 , (Feb, Mar, and April of 2022) he had 2 goals on 84 shots (2.4% shooting over 3 months) -The entire season of 22-23, he shot 14.7% (Entire season) -October of last season, 23-24, he had 3 goals on 19 shots (15.7% shooting over the first month of the season) -In November and December of last year he had 3 goals on 76 shots (3.9% shooting over 2 months) -The remainder of last year he shot 19% in January, 7.3% in Feb-Mar, 18.8% in April. -This year so far he is shooting 0% (no goals on 27 shots) in October. Again, scorers are streaky, but when you look at the above numbers, COZENS is really REALLY streaky. When you look at someone like Tage for example, he never really had even a 2 months period under 10%. With Cozens for his entire career, the shots and quality of shots are somewhat consistent but his accuracy is way, WAY streaky. Hopefully he starts scoring, but maybe Cozens is just a player that is 'about' a 20 goal scorer on average, but there will be some years he only gets 10, some years he gets 30. Some months he will put in 6 or 7 in a month, other months he will have nothing. Just way more extreme ups and downs than most other players. I have been saying on here a lot recently...just get Cozens to 10% shooting and stay there for the season. It very well might be that he just isn't that type of player, He might have high peaks and low valleys of shooting. We can only hope if/when this team makes the playoffs, his 'shooting' is at a peak, not a valley at that moment.

A lot of what you are saying is just not true. -I have seen alot of posts in the GDT's when the Sabres are down where people are negative about Ruff...he doesn't have it anymore..it was a bad hire (not the hiring process was bad, but it was a bad hire, etc. So yeah, you are wrong there. -The team needing to be broken down/rebuilt? You are wrong again. Look back through the gameday threads, just as above, they get down by a goal or two and there certainly ARE people calling for that in posts. -You say that is not outlandish to say the team shouldn't be run differently? I never said it is outlandish. All I said is it is an example to support the point that some of us where making and guess what, IT DOES. It may not be outlandish, but it still supports the main point. -You don't get context at all. I never said last night was a 'nagging win'. My point is to the people I am describing, when they want change, and YES, there are people that want change at all costs, 'wins' get in the way of that. Context, I am using the word 'nagging' to refer to them being in the way of what some people want. And again, read through all the GDT's, anytime they are losing there are posts, after posts, after posts supporting this, no matter how much you may want to ignroe them, they are there. So BS LOL, your post is laughable. Its not "nonesense" it happens. Maybe you took offense to the post because it hits home too hard with you? By your response it sure seems like it. I guess when people DO call out something you disagree with, it must sure get so old. Too bad, as I said, look through the posts, look through the gameday threads, ITS THERE.

I'm not going to totally disagree with you, but I'll disagree with the above a bit. I can't see how different linemates will solve his scoring issues. He IS getting a ton of shots (most on the team). If you look at where he is getting shots from, they are from prime scoring areas. He is getting them from the slot often and he has time. He's just missing. Maybe his overall game (more assists) would improve with different linemates, but his shooting/scoring? He has the most shots on the team and arguably the BEST scoring chances on the team (if not the best, close to the best). Other linemates aren't going to make that even better, at least not by much. His accuracy shooting was always a bit of an issue with him, but it has just vanished. Totally.

I have a cousin who is a really good friend who is/was like that. I don't think he is on this forum, so I can say this without him knowing about it....For years, when we were little kids everything was negative: "The Bills will NEVER be a top team" "Kelly is OK but hes no where close to Elway/Marino". "The Sabres got LaFontaine and Mogilny but they aren't going to last here" IT was non stop, all the time. And the teams he DID like was whoever was good. He liked the Cowboys when they were on the superbowl run. The Yankees became his favorite team in the late 90's and early 2000's. He was a USC football fan in the days of Leinhart/Bush, but then in the last decade all of a sudden he "always liked Alabama". But when it came to Buffalo sports...he always 'bet the under' always was negative. I think what you are saying, its kinda like the way my cousin is. The good thing is, after all these years he is less and less like that. Now when he watches the Bills and Sabes, its less about 'mentally protecting himself from they losing' and more about just having fun watching the game, win or lose.

There are some people that...how can I say this....I do not want to say root for losses, but they aren't all that happy with wins because the team isn't doing it the way THEY want it to be done. Some people have made up their mind that Kevin Adams is awful and needs to be gone and so does Ruff...and if they win, that won't happen. Same goes with players like Tage (not a top center, its a mirage), Dahlin (WAY overrated), Power (needs to be traded now). Either the team turns into a cup contender right now for those fan,s or it needs to be broken down. Again, I do not want to say some fans, some board members even, are openly rooting for this team to lose. But we have seen where sometimes we get a narrative in our own head that we want the team run differently, and these 'nagging wins' are causing the changes we want to be made to not be made soon enough. If there are people like that, you'll see....they won't say much during a win, but even after a winning streak the team will have that first bad game and they'll be back here to say "everything is awful" "**** is a bum" and "I told you so"

The team has been so fun to watch since they have been scoring goals...now i'm kinda bummed out we have to wait 4 more days until the next game. They didn't really 'miss' Benson...maybe another game off to try to get whatever his injury is truly to 100%?

Lots of games tonight, lots of surprises so far: Buffalo over Dallas....Bruins getting shut out by the Preds...Sens being outshot 23 to 10 but being up 4-0....Lightning with 8 more goals...Panthers blown out 5-1 to Minnesota....Columbus wiping the floor with Toronto 6-2 with almost 40 shots... How about Washington winning 4 of their first 5 games. I have no idea how they do it with that roster. At least you can't say the NHL is too predictable in the early season.

Quinn with a total of 6 shots on net through 7 games played for him. Something has got to be wrong with him that we don't know about, injury? Hes not even getting shots off or in position to do so. Cozens. no goals on 27 shots (leads the team). I'm guessing this isn't a stat that can be easily looked up, but I wonder what the record is for most shots to start a season without a goal for someone who is in your top 3 highest paid Fowards? Krebs. He now has a goal, he is the best faceoff guy on the team this season, looks like he's playing with a high motor and no major positioning mistakes to cost them recently. Still only 10 minutes of ice time. Has he earned a little more than that going forward?

Just like I said before the game, I'm pretty good with Power's overall game. Hes not going to be physical, I get that. But, interesting stat on Hits: Power on the season: 3 hits while averaging over 22 minutes of ice time Clifton on the season: 22 hits while averaging 14:57 minutes of ice time. In terms of 'hits per 60 minutes', Clifton is outhitting Power 11-to-1.

So Saturday is the next game vs Detroit...do you go with UPL in net again? He will have another 3 days off...but then Levi hasn't played in over a week (by Saturday), do you keep him out of another game?

Greenway led all forwards in ice time at 19:27. McLeod 2nd at 18:35. Defense all getting ice time. Dahlin led at 23:41, Clifton lowest but still nearly 16m (15:42) Everyone else right at or near 19 minutes or more. Clifon had 5 blocked shots (tied with Greenway for the most) and 4 hits (the most on the team) and 4 takeaways (most on team) for the game.

They only had one single powerplay tonight where they didn't score. If you look at it that way, its progress...right? RIGHT??? (Lindy's post game press conference, said he liked the PP tonight and was pretty sure they would get one by the end of the year....at least he has a sense of humor about it)

Cozens got 3 assists tonight? did I miss something? My post was talking about Cozens.

I'm "OK" with his effort in the offensive zone. Also, he hasn't made a dumb play in the defensive zone that I noticed for the last 2 games, so that is good. He NEEDS to score though. He isn't a rookie that is working hard who just made the team where we can give him a thumbs up for effort. He's in his 5th season and is making $7m per year. 10% shooting percentage. I don't need him to shoot 15-16%, I don't even need him to be near 14% like he was 2 years ago. Just get to, and maintain, 10% shooting percentage. That is what a lot of 3rd liners do for you.

Its half way between. He has been getting shots and chances all year. He can't really play 'better' in the offensive zone other than putting the puck in, hes in the right areas and is taking the shots. The question is as it has been...Is he a 14% shooter like he was 2 years ago? Or is he an 8% shooter like he has been just about the rest of his career. He shoots 14% hes scoring 30. He shoots 8% (or less) he's going to struggle to be a 15 goal scorer.

I'd say we have seen enough, McLeod should be getting 2nd line minutes over Cozens...BUT.....its working well right now so just keep things the way they are.

Puck movement, getting to the scoring areas, getting the shots off...he's been decent at that all year. For $7m though, he NEEDS to start converting.

I think some say Dallas plays a 'heavy' game, but to me they are more a blend of skill and size (not much speed). They have a lot of guys who work well together. Hintz is really the only forward the is a great skater (Dadanov maybe, but he doesn't play many minutes), but they have other guys with great hands, other guys who are good along the boards...and it seems on each line they have each player do the thing they are good at. My opinion of them is, not a great transition team, won't outskate you, but when they do get in the offensive zone they are good at keeping the puck there, don't make a lot of mistakes in the neutral zone, and have very good goaltending. The exact type of team that it SEEMS gives Buffalo problems. They wear you down, not with speed or always with size, but they just play a good solid game and when you get frustrated and make a mistake, they pounce on you. Now, I don't know if any advanced stats back that up, but that is my impression of them.

what about a rehab stint?

He was/is injured, so how about the ole "injury rehab stint" in the minors, is that still a thing?

Good question, I'd hope not but he might be too young for Rochester.

For whatever reason, there are some players that I do "like" more than others. Even when they were with the team, and there appears to be no rhyme or reason for it. In the drought era: -Eichel. If COURSE I WANTED him to be a generational level player for the Sabres, but from the time he got here, something about him I didn't 'like' as much as many did. -Reinhart. He, on the other hand, I "Liked" more than Eichel. Guys I 'liked' more: Foligno, Zemgus, Dahlin, Thompson, McCabe, Olofsson, Tuch, Pysyk, Lehner Guys I didn't 'hate' but wasn't as big of a fan of as many others were: O'Rielly, Steve Ott, Cozens, Eichel even Ryan Miller (kinda 'liked' him but thought he wasn't quite as good as made out to be) Again, no really reason I can think of for the list above...just the way it kinda happens with being a fan.

Maybe in some way playing in Rochester might do Benson some good: -Confidence? I'm not a huge believer in it, but in Rochester he is likely to produce more points, thus get his confidence up a bit. -Working on parts of his game. Up in Buffalo, he NEEDS to fit into a system, He is placed not where he is best, but where it is best for the team he is. Now, as good as he might be/is, I'm sure there are parts of his game that can be better. In Rochester he can be placed in situations where he can work on those parts of his game, not be forced into the spot that is best for the team. Not saying they will do it, and my suspicion is they won't, but if Benson was sent down to Rochester, he might come back a somewhat better player for it.

As per above, personally I am fine with Power at the moment (for the reasons listed above). Krebs has improved his play slightly to me from last year...but that slight improvement with the drop in play/production from Cozens make Krebs look more-than-marginally better. Cozens has been my whipping boy for the last 1.5 years, and there are a few others that I think agree with that. Its just the 'whip' is 'cracking' a bit louder now...for me at least until he gets his shooting percentage up to 10% to make up for his bad play without the puck. Dahlin I think is playing poorly, but eventually Lindy may have to give him the 'Benson treatment' and sit him for a game or two to try to let heal on him what is hurting.

Just because you don't want to hear it doesn't make it untrue. I'm not as upset about his play as I would be from a forward his pay/pedigree. I think most of the time D-men mature slower (not all the time, but most of the time). Has he made mistakes? Yep. Is he Physical, No, not at all, he might be the least physical guy on the team. But I'm fine with 'overpaying' him this year when you had cap room that you didn't spend on anyone else. As far as his defensive lapses and not picking up someone in front of the net, I will repeat what I have said in the past and I still believe it (with regard to Power and other D-men): When you watch a replay of a goal scored against, the D-men look like they are standing there, or spinning around like tops and not doing anything. However, watch other angles of the goal, and you will often (not all the time but often) see a different picture. It appears many times the D-men are staying with their guy down low, but the forwards are off in La-La-land with their coverage, often times letting wingers (or even point d-men) rush the Sabres net and not covering them at all. The Sabres D-men have to then either leave THEIR guy/zone wide open to cover for the forward, Let the rushing opposing player be wide open in the slot, or play things 'half way'. Often times they play things 'half way' which means positionally they are sound (playing the 'zone defense') but it looks like they aren't doing anything and are confused. Again, this doesn't happen all the time, but I have seen, and posted on this forum about goals where most people blamed Power, Clifton, and Samuelsson for doing this, and on the replay it APPEARS that is what happened. But go to NHL.com and watch the replay where they show you other angles, and you will see they are caught in that 'middle ground' due to the forwards just hanging out up high. This does happen with Power. Of course he needs to improve his game. He is an NHL D-man that is 21 years old. But overall, I'm not upset with his play. On the list of issues this team has, his current play and his level of Development is down the list form some other things. I think Samuelsson is more of an issue on defense with current play, and if you count forwards, Quinn and Cozens level or production and mistakes are way more of an issue than Power.