Pokey Jones

1. I never said Kane was the locker room problem. They didn't name names. But as for his off ice issues, that isn't exactly "news". 2. I know what I heard. It was last year, March or April, near the end of the season. They rarely talk about the Sabres at all so it caught my attention. Wasn't on this board or I would have brought it up then.

Wish I had them for you, I just remember them talking about these things on tv. In the HNIC hot stove or whatever they call it these days the talk was about a division between some of the young players and the veterans. Bylsma had lost the room as well. You take it with a grain of salt, of course, but would it really surprise you to think that the locker room last year was a mess too?

McCabe won't surprise me, I actually expect him to be pretty good. He will surprise me if he isn't. I am hoping Rodrigues will take the final step and learn how to finish the play. With his speed, I have him as a potential longshot to play with Eichel. I think the biggest surprise will be Beaulieu. Housley will take him to the next level like he did with that Nashville D. Reinhart will surprise me if he can play Housley's system well. I hope I am wrong about him.

I'm a troll now? Ok buddy whatever. The rumors were reported by TSN hockey guys last year and a little on HNIC. If they got them from "trolls" I wouldn't know. Next you'll tell me Kane has never had off ice issues............

Don't forget he said "2 mediocre seasons on a lousy team" that second part can't be ignored.

I loved the hiring of Phil and think it was the best move. If they give him time, and get him the type of players he needs I think he will be hugely successful. I do, however, think there will be more growing pains than most people here and am not sure about how many of the guys on this roster will succeed in his system. I see us giving up a lot of odd man rushes this year and a lot of our success will be determined by how well the goaltending handles that. About Bylsma, I didn't like his style either, but I get why he did it. This was a system he used to decent success when Crosby was out with a concussion. Lacking offense and speed on this team, he probably felt his best shot was the kind of D he attempted. I mean come on, with that pathetic D what else could he do but try to keep everybody back-checking all the time. The over use of Risto and ROR was ridiculous, but what choice did he really have?

I don't think Reinhart will be happy on the 3rd line but I guarantee you if Kane is on the 3rd line he will pout and you'll have to trade him fast or that locker room will fall apart totally. There were already rumors about locker room issues last year, Kane is a prima donna. Salary cap will not allow you to keep 3 top lines. Remember that team couldn't keep Briere or Drury after they gave Vanek all that cash and that was before a real cap.

Interestingly today Leafs announced they will go with no captain. Mathews isn't ready, but they want it vacant for when he is. This might be the way to go, as ROR imo deserves it, but you really want Eichel to have it in the long run. Can't see giving it to him until he commits and signs long term.

I think the speed will matter but we can leave that to be shown true as the season moves on. I'll reiterate, Reinhart as 3rd line center is fine, I just don't think HE sees himself as a 3rd line player so that'll be a problem. We have differences in philosophy and how we think they should play, let's see what Housley does and who fits better with it. It won't be anything like Bylsma's methods so some players that were bad will be good and some that were decent will struggle.

Well it depends on your system of course but not if you play a more aggressive game like Housley promises and use them to forecheck and jump the gap. Also, in a D capacity it is easier to have them shadow a star player as a center, if that's how you want to play it.

If Larsson is Larry, who are Curly and Moe? Moulson's Shemp right?

Maybe part of it but I also think for him it had a little to do with the more disciplined nature of being a winger. He's a bit of a wildcard and free spirit so to speak and plays better here there and everywhere rather than up and down the wing. He needs that freedom to roam. and for spelunker, spare me the condescension and enlighten me on "how it works" cause I don't know nuttin' about this fancy hockey game............

lol - sorry if I read it too seriously. :P

You can say that in theory, but it doesn't always work that way. Girgensen's best season was when he was a center. he showed promise in that role, then Bylsma ruined him. I'm fine with Reinhart as 3rd line center, I don't think he will be fine with that assignment. He will be disgruntled and see it as a demotion. If not, fine, but I don't see him as a top line winger.

The point is different players play better in different spots with different roles. You can't function with 3 guys instinctively always trying to do the same things. You need compliments based on the chemistry and structure of your line. 3rd line center not winger.

Wow. Reading this thread from before I got here just boggles my mind. Comparing Eichel & Reinhart to Toews & Kane or Perreault & Martin are such ridiculous fan-atic comparisons as to be laughable. I'm sorry guys, but this is a ridonculous thread. Not only is Reinhart nowhere near the skill level of either of those players, he is nowhere near Eichel's skill level. So the Batman Robin comparison is closer, in that Batman really never needed Robin and Robin should have just stayed in school. He may still turn out to be a decent mid-level player (although I still say he's David Legwand v2), but imo Reinhart isn't even comparable to Robert unless he takes a huge leap forward this year.

Yup. This has been my mantra since before I joined this board and I'm sticking to it. Too many centers on this team, not enough true wingers. If you trade Sam for a winger, Girgensens can excel as 3rd line center rather than struggling as a winger. You keep Sam and he will be unhappy on the 3rd line and there will be issues - even though 3rd line center is his best fit on this team. Unless Jack can be a standout as a winger (which I think isn't the answer myself) we need to find true wingers for him and we have to do it fast, so he can grow with them.

We could use a Brad May on this team.....................but I digress :) For me, Nylander has all the speed you need, perfect for this new nhl and in an up tempo system he could be a perfect fit. What I saw lacking last year was the ability to finish and a skittishness around the net like he was a little afraid to get too close to the opposing D. If he gets a little bigger and stronger and moves into the crowded areas a little more he might be alright, but it is still a big IF.

If you don't trade Reinhart then imo 3rd line center is the logical place for him to play. I suspect however, he does not consider himself a 3rd liner and that will lead to contract issues down the road. I think all Housley is really saying is it's all new and he will try everyone everywhere and the best fits/players will play wherever they fit best. He'll probably try Eichel as a winger too but most of the experiments will be just that, experiments. He will have roles and he will see who can fill those roles best.

Well it was obvious Murray's dream was for Kane to pair with Jack as a dynamic duo but that was a bust and thought 2 was Nylander I am sure but so far Nylander looks to be less than his brother but it is too early to write him off, could still happen. Maybe new management was thinking along similar lines with Mittelstadt. Going to wait until I see him play before assessing him. A guy who clicks with Jack though is the key and this is why I'd be willing to trade any number of guys who haven't to find that guy(s).

nothing. trade him.

Off ice sure, 2 young guys why wouldn't they hang out but on ice chemistry? Don't see it. I do not see a fit there at all.

The main thing is to find someone who can have real chemistry with Jack. So far we haven't seen that. Whoever plays best with Jack plays with Jack and then you make the rest of it up according to what's left. O'Reilly should be shutting down other team's top forwards as his primary role and not depended on for primary scoring. The philosophy isn't exactly all your best on line one, it's your top line being a scoring threat, your second line being more of a 2-way line that can be matched against their top line but still give you offense, the 4th line is a checking line maybe an energy combo, and philosophies differ on line 3 which is dependent on your roster as to it's character. Last year none of our lines had any real character or identity and nobody really clicked with Jack outside of the PP.

The new system should hypothetically bring up goal scoring (although goals against might be worse until the team gets better) but it does remain to be seen how many of these guys can actually finish and put the puck in the net. Last year aside from the PP this team was dreadful. Everyone blames Bylsma, but I can see his side. You have a team with dreadful offensive skills so what do you do? You try to play dull dead hockey and hope to win with the power play, it's a logical decision given what you have to work with. Housley's system will be an initial disaster if the forwards can't score on their chances.

Oh he most likely will get playing time on a top line cause there'll be players struggling and under-achieving and Kane will probably get injured BUT I'm saying on a decent team he shouldn't be better than 3rd line. So the question is will we have a decent team cause if he's a top line forward, we're in deep trouble.