woods-racer

FIFY

What if we finally won the lottery in 2016 and got our first overall pick then? Would Babcock be here because of that?

Doohickie posted this in another thread... The problem with the way the tank worked out is that in each case we lost the lottery. I'm not sure losing the first one killed us, and I think Jack can, in fact, lead us to the Cup, but I think things would be further along with McJesus in the blue & gold. In the *old* days, when the Pens and Blackhawks finished last in the league, they drafted first overall and success on the ice came quicker than what we are seeing here given the same time line. So the question has been raised, are we not as far along this year because we didn't get the first overall pick for either of the two tanks years?

That is a headed thread worthy discussion IMO. If you don't mind I think I will steal it and go off and make one.

On the bolded, I completely disagree. That little rule has sped up the pace of the game and added more offense during the clutch and grab era than any other rule in place or proposed, in my mind. On Nolan vs. Bylsma, I agree that Nolan would have more wins. But I do think Dan is laying the foundation for fundamental NHL hockey for the future that Ted is not capable of doing.

I have the same believe as you that we are a year and a half into our rebuild. But my role models that used this same scenario (tank like blow up) to get elite talent, the Pens and Blackhawks, had much greater successes at this point. It appears we are not on their timetable for success, but we are much further along than the most failed tank and rebuild program to date, the Oilers.

I always just assumed that is what possession hockey is/was. Once you get the puck you create odd man rush scenarios no matter where you are on the ice. Who ever has the puck skates until the opposition forces a pass, the pass is short and easy to make, to a teammate close by, then repeat. This process is always done with 3 players, the other 2 players become defensemen. The only time a team has true forward and defensemen responsibilities is once they are set up in either the O or D zone. The transition game is mobile, fluid, fast (skating and passing) and the 3 players on the rush are your center, winger and the defensemen closest to the point that the puck was taken into your control. Effectively you've cut the ice in half (from goal net to goal net) and cut the defense down to the two opposing team members ( defenseman and the center) that are forced to defend that side of the ice. The third defender, the opposing teams winger is forced to skate hard and fast from deep within your own zone thus negating him from the play. It's why fast mobile defensemen are so crucial. I was also under the impression that Lindy tried to implement this a long time ago. We called it *defense joining the rush*.

The announcers don't agree with you even, and they're not exactly partial to the US.

Ha! Ha! Wide open shot karma miss.

That Jack kid is kinda good.

Sumabeach

Who is this player that the announcer calls RatsMustWin?

Ok, time to watch Sabres for a bit.

Dive

Wow, just wow. Got home at 9 and starting watching. Great game.

I love Rob Ray. Brad May is mey. I liked to see NHL games played on the larger international rinks. Goalie pads/equipment size should be reduced to be as small as possible while still having the same protective qualities. Intentionally going down on a knee or laying out on the ice to block a shot should be a penalty.

Puck control? The ability of the Sabres to gain possession on a controlled rebound have something to do with it?

I had googled crosby vs blysma before, just a sample http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/sidney-crosby-denies-rift-with-head-coach-dan-bylsma/ and if they did maybe Crosby told him how to try and avoid this.. http://nypost.com/2015/12/23/sidney-crosby-is-a-coach-killer-there-we-said-it/

I listen to the show most of Tuesday morning while driving when all 4 where on GR (Peters-Rivet-Biron-Hamilton). The summation of what I got from them was: Try harder. Suck it up. Don't show emotion because opposing teams will use it against you. Never once did they get coaching involved , it was all on the player(s) to do better. I found it very strange they never critiqued the coaches action/response to it at all. It was Nolan-esque of *more compete* cliches from them. I'm not sure if Jack's outburst was staged and I will give Hamilton the benefit of the doubt, but their show was most definitely staged in favor of Dan.

Well score one for Rob Ray, cause that is what he has been calling Nilsson and I thought for sure Rob was wrong. I also think of it as 2 names, mostly because of MODO's Swedish lesson of Ulmark's name. I just was't sure where to put the emphasis: On the *L*---- Kneel-Son Or on the *S* ---- Kneels-son Sorry for the interruption, please resume your regular scheduled programming.

Very nice Eleven. Between you and PA it's been a great start to the new year here on SS. Unfortunately I can not do it this Saturday, but if you want to do it again for next Saturday......

This team with it's Rochester call ups is still way better than the tank teams, but yet the stats show otherwise. The Stamkos scenario actually works against you because they looked just as good with out him as they did when he got back for their deep playoff run last year. Price was/is Montreal. He's our Hasek. One of those goalies comes along every decade and they make average teams good and good teams winners. Only a great goalie can do that, we don't have one of them. So yes, coaching is a large part of this.

It's Dan's second go around. It appears to be mirroring his first time with the Pens. Players talk, and to say there is no chance they have negative things to say about Dan I have a hard time believing.

Please, before we go any further I would like the best pronunciation of Nilsson's name. It had to have been said 5 different ways on last nights NBCSN broadcast. To me it's Nils Son. The son of Nils Thank you, I will hang up and listen.

Is it because DB has tried to remove the long stretch pass from their transition game? or Is it because of injuries? The mix of Fedun/Guhle/Falk give the team a decent amount of speed/skating/puck handling abilities on the back end. It seems to negate Dan's long first pass out of the d zone that is so hard to make and receive. That first pass is often tipped in for the dump potion of his dump and chase offense . So almost by default, and with reasonable success, by the addition of young mobile defense they render the dump and chase mute and play a game that is to the strengths of our skilled forwards. A fast short passed transition game like we saw in the first period of the Ranger game.