erickompositör72

There is always a chance that the "better" player may not have the defensive awareness that Sobotka has. Not to say Sobotka is Selke-calibre, as you said, but maybe Ralph has brought something out of him, and it just gels with Jojo & Skinner. That's what seems to be happening. I don't think there's any proof that Sobotka is actually a "drag" on the line, point totals notwithstanding. I'd expect someone into fancy stats not to reference point totals (esp. after <10 games) as indicative of anything! Again, this all could be wrong. The broader point is, we're winning, that line is winning match-ups, so talk of changing it is premature.

First of all, apparently he has the most hits of any forward on the team. His line is winning their match-ups, according to what others have posted. Ralph may not be asking him to put up points. Their line is working. Thank you for asking a question that gets to the crux of the issue. Yes, if they start losing, and it's clear the 2nd line is part of the problem, "upgrade" away. However, I'd even suggest that if they start losing, but the second line is playing really well- mess with the other lines first. We're not in that situation. The 2nd line is actually playing well.

I'm not sure if you're being facetious or you really don't get the point I'm making Which is why he often played on the top line

I wasn't referring to his spot in the lineup, I was referring to his effectiveness this season.

I always preferred Hecht, as well, but debating the two is interesting. From what I remember, Gaustad was perhaps even more important in the locker room than on the ice. The energy he brought was something to behold... I remembering watching him jump off the bench right in front of me and skate with an intensity I've never seen before. Lots of intangibles he had. ✌️

Sobotka is neither of them, but they were both effective cogs in a spectacular machine

So far this season, he absolutely is a second line player. Will that continue? We'll see. If Krueger can make Sobotka into a player as effective as a Hecht or a Gaustad, then he should stay on that line. It's just too early to tell if he will remain that effective.

I'll play devil's advocate (out of sincerity, not as an exercise): The laudable performance of Jojo's line makes me worry that tweaking it has just as much of a chance at messing it up, even if Sobotka's replacement is, on paper, a "better player" Sometimes line chemistry works in strange ways. It might be a secret formula Krueger has come up with, and I'm all about "if it ain't broken, don't fix it" I'm also curious if more definitive stats exist that prove Sobotka is "holding the line back," as many here assert. I don't think a stat showing him as "dull" necessarily proves this; the other two may need some "dullness" to even out their line. (and "dull" doesn't really mean anything in a strategic sense; it could actually point towards successful execution of a strategy. Goes back to Krueger's "you don't know what he's been asked to do")

Stay on topic, guys. Clearly, the best use of this thread would be to complain about the ROR trade.

Who'd have thought. I doubt that's what JBotts had in mind when he acquired Vesey. Just goes to show... "clean slate," looking at a player with fresh eyes & without bias of previous utilization- that's what a real coach does.

I'm sure plenty of people are- quietly to themselves, maybe to their wives (me included)... they just don't dare say it on here 😜

I don't know... I feel he's about 1/10 as strong on the puck as anyone on that line...

They gave him practically an entire season after that! That's a lot of rope

I can't wait to watch other teams give all sorts of "looks" to try to shut our PP down, and us owning every single one of them in a different way 👍 I can't remember ever being so excited for a Sabres PP

Really? Unless I'm misunderstanding... Jack and VO have much better shots That's the beauty of our PP. We can win every aspect of it.