Georgia Blizzard
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Posts posted by Georgia Blizzard
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Omg, how many ways can I say this. Ristolainen played more minutes, against tougher competition, at age 20, then anyone else in the NHL.
Again, I'm not trying to tear Risto down. I think he is one of our best prospects at D and has the potential to be top-2, again, potential. He's 21 years old.
I struggle with the urgency to crown him the next Bobby Orr ? His play has been very good (NOT great), Ekblad is a year younger and a better player.
You dismiss +/- too quickly. It should give all of us reason to pause and look for more information. If you look at his advanced analytics, they are troublesome as well. His Fenwick and Corsi PER MINUTE numbers are bad, he's ranked 90-100th in league of D-men.
Again, I like Risto.
I think he has a great chance to be top-4 on this team and the "POTENTIAL" to be top-2.
Let's just wait for more evidence
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That isn't why you got a harsh reaction. You basically said Ristolainen was better in his Sophomore season and looked and played worse last year. That simply is not true.
This was and is my biggest issue with your take. I don't think it is accurate in any way shape or form. Ristolainen was leaps better last year compared to his 2nd season. The agreement we have is I think after about game 50 Risto tailed off a bit and then seemed to surge for the final 5-10 games.
I think you are confusing my point a bit.
For a 19 year old, 20 year old to become a top 2 pairing D-man, I expected MORE progress than what I saw in Risto during the 1st half of 2015-16 season. What I saw on ice was some progress during those first 40+ games, but not a ton. In the second half of last season, I saw regression. Now, that could have been because he was overused in first half, it could have been who he was paired with, but, what I didn't see was ascension and he taking that next big step, which is what you would need to see if he was on the trend for top-2
I will grant you that he looked better at the very end of the season.
Just because he didn't take that next big step last year, doesn't mean he won't this year, but it give me (and seems like GMTM) reason to pause and reassess whether he will be top-2 or top-4
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No chance we were watching the same player through the first half of last season. No chance. Risto was a ###### beast.
On his regression: Show me a 21 year old that didn't get worse around game 50 with 25 minutes a game against top lines with a partner in over his head with high defensive zone starts. Show me a single 21 year old. Not named Orr.
Erik Karlsson, Drew Doughty, Duncan Keith, Shea Weber have hours of footage showing gaffs and poor plays leading to goals against. It's going to happen, often. Players in this league are good. Risto consistently made incredible plays against elite NHL players every single game last year, even when he was slumping. All the evidence is there that he is and is going to be a stud. You just have to watch and realize that he's not going to be Lidstrom. Sure, he needs to improve. Sans Orr, which defenseman his age didn't? Which of the players I list here were even in the NHL at this point, let alone taking on top lines for a huge amount of ice time that even the coach admits was way too much, but that he couldn't stop feeding him, because he's a rock?
Amazing how saying he wasn't a top-2, but a top 4 is met with such harsh objection. I still think Risto is a stud, I just have a lot of questions on whether he'll ascend to a legit top-2 for a playoff team -- again, he and his agent are attempting to position the negotiations based on the quality of Buff D last year and where he stacked up -- the D was not good, being the best of an average group of D men, does not warrant a huge contract ---
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Were you more sure before last year. I'm confused here. I get not giving him Ekblad money, he doesn't deserve that. I don't get what you were sure of and now aren't.
So, to the extent you can be "more sure" about a 19-year old his first season (1/2 season), YES, I was.
But, you have to remember, he exceeded the expectations of what an 8th overall pick would look like as a 19-year old 6 months after being drafted, so, you immediately reset his trend line and say. wow, he's a can't miss top-2 Dman.
He settles in for his 2nd season as a 20-year old, and for the most part, he looks like he is progressing along that same (reset) trajectory.
Last year, it appeared as though he didn't make the necessary progress during the 1st half, and actually regressed in the 2nd half of the season.
Defense is hard to project and typically take longer to develop. I want to see him cut down on the defensive lapses, get more physical and push the puck more. I'm hoping a stronger pairing with Kulikov will allow him to make more progress.
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What direction has his play trended in?
I think even the most ardent Risto supporters would admit that his play in 2nd half last year was concerning and his plus / minus and Corsi are both troublesome --- again, he's looking for Ekblad money, he's no Ekblad. He's a legit top 4, hopefully he'll develop into top 2, not so sure anymore
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I think the bigger issue is not when Risto will sign and report it's whether he'll turn corner and be true top pairing D-man that we all thought he'd be 2 years ago. His play has NOT trended in that direction the past 2 years, that's the concerning headline !
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Completely understand, I think my buddy was reading another poster's post anyway
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It's funny, I got a text from a buddy in Florida who simply said "kane a coke head, get this f**ker off the team"
Harmless fun, defaming people.
Ugh
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I'm shocked some posters are purely speculating but stating it in their posts as a fact that Kane does coke.
Completely mind boggling that you would stoop that low.
Let's stick to facts and opinions and clearly state as much in posts.
I'm not even a Kane fan, but to read these posts makes me disgusted.
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I think it's a great idea, and long overdue.
Supply and Demand in a free society, it essentially moves a small portion of the secondary market profit from the brokers and STH sellers back to Sabres where it belongs. To me, it's a natural evolution of the tiered pricing that's been in place for years.
I can't see why anyone wouldn't like this, of course, unless you're one of those Bernie socialists who want the minimum wage at $15/hour and rent control and subsidies etc. etc., GROW UP !
STH will still be rewarded with the lowest full season prices available at the time and a guaranteed seat at every game. If you're a STH I highly doubt you can do better rolling the dice and hoping demad plummets, but, hey, if you think that the case, then cancel your tickets and buy game by game -- I doubt any would
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I know it's hockey's down time so the Vesey decision is making all kinds of noise. But looking at his stats, I still don't get it. Last year he was 8th in the nation in PPG, is one of the oldest players (more experience at the college level) in the top 20 and played in the ECAC. I'm no scout so I've never seen his all around game, but there obviously has to be more than just production?
While scouts are somewhat split, the consensus is that he is a top 6 (probably 2nd line winger) with 20-30 goal upside. Most think if in this year's draft, he would have been picked 7-15 range in 1st round.
I think you raise the same issues his detractors raise.
I think the reason there is so much hype surrounding him is three fold
1- lower upside, but much higher floor than most non-Top 5 1st round picks
2- can contribute immediately
3-costs a team nothing (i.e. he's a UFA) and he's cheap ($925K base, max $3M+ with incentives)
For those reasons he is creating the hype ---
not to mention, there isn't much going on in the NHL !!
BTW, if he was a UFA and asking for 5 years and $30M, it would be a different story, IMHO
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How much is the delay in signing Rasmus and Girgs related to Sabres waiting to find out what Vesey does ??
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From WGRZ
http://www.wgrz.com/mb/sports/nhl/sabres/jimmy-vesey-says-hell-make-decision-in-august/272318820
"Tim (Murray) was pretty understanding about me taking my time and I respect that out of him. I'm still going to wait until August 15th but I had a good meeting with Buffalo but I'm pretty much just waiting until August 15th," Jimmy Vesey told Pete Gallivan in Foxboro after a summer league game.
The 2016 Hobey Baker Award winner also says his relationship with Jack Eichel is a very positive factor in Buffalo's favor.
"He's a once in a lifetime type of talent and I know him pretty well so it would definitely be comforting to walk into a locker room with him there and him show me the ropes so it's definitely a factor in the process," Vesey explained.
"OK folks, move along nothing to see here" . . . at least until August 15th.
Classic rubber necker delay.
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I don't know that there's a limit to the amount of bonus money that can be given out - the only thing I know exists is that teams are allowed to exceed the cap by 7.5% to cover potentially earned bonuses and if they exceed that overage they are penalized. So long as we spend less than 78.475M after performance bonuses are calculated we cannot be penalized. Near as I can tell we're still 9M under the cap, including Eichel and Reinharts bonuses (2.85 and 2.65M each). We wouldn't be able to offer Vesey 2.85M of performance bonus without being penalized next year if we were also going to spend right to the cap. Long story short, it's an accounting issue that can be overcome.
Also, I did a little more reading into it and the way the bonuses have to be structured is spelled out by the league, only x amount of money can be devoted to each type of bonus, the minimum level of achievement required to earn the bonus is spelled out pretty specifically, etc. The bonuses all count against the cap immediately whether they end up being paid out or not. For example - at least 2M of the potential bonuses are specifically tied to NHL awards - which only one guy can win each year. More than one guy will have a cap hit for it the Calder Trophy each year, but only one guy will get paid. Again, long story short the most lucrative, most guaranteeable contract the Sabres can offer is the exact same as anyone else can offer. There's no way to make the bonuses automatically vest.
I did some reading and came away with same understanding. There is a limit per player, but I've seen no limit per team accept the overall cap, which provides a 7.5% overage if performance bonuses push you higher than cap.
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Well said.
Does anyone know when this meeting with GMTM is?
If I had to guess, I'd say it's today. With development camp starting on Wednesday, I'd assume all the front office/ownership would want to focus on that starting on Wednesday.
Anyone else know something more certain ?
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If he doesn't sign contract this week, I doubt he ends up in Buffalo and I think the Sabres should shop his rights to another team and simply move on.
I like the thought of adding a legit mid-1st rounder to the assets we have. If he signs, I think being Jack's LW is his to lose, but, I don't think it's a given, nor should it be. I think Sabres will also look at Girgs and Ennis for that slot and I'm not sure this kid is a huge upgrade over either of those two, except it does give GMTM more assets to trade if Vesey pans out.
I don't like the delay, I think it does in some ways speak to Vesey's passion to be here, in Buffalo. I get why he is doing it, and don't necessarily fault him, but, if he was pre-sold on Buffalo, he should have signed or sign quickly this week and get to development camp to start earning his spot on team.
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Could at least lower the price of beers for us.
That's something we can all agree on !! :w00t:
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So everyone who thinks it's a bad thing to charge is a socialist? Freeman, were you aware you're a socialist? You too Taro! Talk about a GoT-level plot twist!
I couldn't resist, seemed like you were "feelin the Bern"
Look, this is simple supply and demand, no different than ticket price increases, if there wasn't demand at $20/$30, they wouldn't charge it, nobody wants to see an empty arena. It's not like they are asking $200/ticket or something outrageous.
I'm tired of everyone expecting something for nothing from our rich owner.
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What a bunch of whining socialists !
It's $20, if you don't want to pay it don't go or act like a capitalist and buy the tickets for $20 and turn around and sell them to a Toronto fan like STH's do in regular season for a profit.
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Non touch lap top yes?
Touch laptop.
However, IE sucks and crashes several times per day and GC, while stable, is super slow.
On top of that, apps that I run in non-touch mode are not optimized and those that run in touch mode are not as intuitive
Printing is routinely a challenge
I'm sure most of issues come from my desire to run computer as a laptop not tablet, and preference to non-touch mode
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I hate 8 !! I've had it for 2 years and hate it more with each passing day!!
Still contemplating whether to "upgrade" to 10 or attempt to really upgrade back to 7. If anyone has done 8 to 7, please post level of difficulty and instructions, it would be greatly appreciated.
I can honestly say, I've almost thrown this laptop out over a hundred times because 8 is such a crappy operating system.
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Others have said it in the past... Can't they figure out how to get a microphone into the press so you can hear the questions?
Agree 100%.
I'm sick of both Sabres and Bills having press conferences and us not being able to hear the questions
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Disgusted.
A concussed goalie coming off 2 bad years.
I would be okay if it was the 51st pick, but the 21st.
GMTM got schooled by his uncle.
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I've been a long time lurker and just recently started to post.
I was very passionate about the situation concerning the tank and was openly critical of GMTM and Pegula for not taking more overt action during the last month.
I was shocked at some of the accusations several posters threw my way -- for some reason they accused me of being another poster that reemerged under a different name, some called me a troll and others threatened to block me (obviously those that did that won't see this post) -- for some bizarre reason one poster kept posting pictures of bunnies ?? -- not sure what that was about, weird, but must be an inside joke
To be honest, it turned me off from posting and to certain extent from reading this forum.
I belong to a couple other forums, I've never been blocked, I've never been called a troll and along the way over past years I've been involved in some very controversial and heated discussions, so not sure why this forum was different ? ---
I think sabre space tends to be dominated by fewer voices than the other forums I'm on, which might simply be a membership issue or could be a result of the squeaky wheels drowning out everyone else thoughts ---
Either way, I applaud the OP for asking the question and for our opinions as silent members, reading the responses I plan to give the forum another shot and I'll try to temper my passion as well
GDT: Buffalo at Edmonton, 7:00pm, 10/16/16
in The Aud Club
Posted
I needed this type of win, was very worried after first game after a long off-season of high hopes
Lucic is a POS, even looks like one after he scores a goal, easily most hated NHLer
While Girgs doesn't appear to fit this system, I'd like to see him on PK (his strength) and with other linemates before I pull plug
Ennis needs time and needs to adapt to system and stop expecting coaches to adapt to his style of play
ROR is a stud
Okposso is what we expected, smooth and natural
Reinhart deserves a lot more credit, seamlessly shifted from C to RW and now to LW without complaint and performs at high level
Risto still needs to tighten up on backend, but very encouraged by his offensive play
Gionta's demise was premature, that line is solid
Moulson's goal was definitive and a scorer's goal, I don't care that both are on PP, it's hard to score in this league and it's an encouraging sign