PerreaultForever

Maybe, and that is true for Tage as well (but thankfully Granato found another way to use his size and skills) but from what Murray has said he has come to realize his size is his geatest asset and he has tried to change his game. He knows at this point he won't make the NHL playing like his junior days so I think he can be coached and molded. He's not going to become some one man wrecking crew or anything, but if he has success using his size he might take to it and start to relish the role. I think there is a place for him on this team.

See I think we are seeing the same thing, he delays and thinks about what to do. Hesitates. You feel it's overthinking too many things, I feel he's slow to think it through and decide. It may very well be both or a combination of the two, but in either case, he hasn't been taught properly to just act/do.

I'm going to go one step further and say I'd like to see Murray stay up with the big club on that line. Murray is still a work in progress but he adds a dimension this team lacks and that was our best line tonight. Give him more time to adjust and jell, teach him a little more aggressiveness and we might just have an unexpected piece added. Once again I am even more convinced that Dahlin is mentally slow. When under pressure he gets confused, hesitates and that's the end of that. Team failed to recognize this flaw and developed him poorly. He needs to make quick instinctive plays and not have to think. Needs a huge step backwards or he will be flawed forever. and Jokiharju isn't much better. Cane we get a Tanev somewhere? We need that.

That's a good question. I don't think anybody good. Best you're going to be able to do right now is some cast off like Murray. Possibly there will be a salary dump goalie closer to deadline if some team wants to add but can't due to cap space but at that time what's the point?

I wouldn't be surprised if next year we still go with 3 A's, Kyle, Cozens and Tuch. Then the following year Cozens, Tuch, Power, and one of Tuch/Cozens will be captain going forward depending on who claims it/earns it.

I suppose that's why Florida has him on the wing right? 🙂

Oh I heard it, and I hear you, and I believe it's true, and I want it to be true, BUT I also know in this day and age athletes get coached by agents and they say the right thing and I'm skeptical of everything with the Sabres at this point so I simply want to see it. When I see him on the ice, how he plays, how he reacts, how he interacts, then I will feel that I know for sure if it's real or not. I think it will be.

Well, we haven't had ANY leadership with that old group (or at least any GOOD leadership) so I get that people want to latch onto anything even this small. I'm not on the Tuch bandwagon yet, but there is cause for hope there. If he is the local boy who wants to bleed blue and gold for real well then that is something we've missed and will go a long way and hopefully become infectious. In a few years I would not be surprised (or disappointed) if our letters were on the jerseys of Tuch, Cozens and Power.

Krakheads have trouble scoring, but they are a gritty tenacious and relentless bunch that will give us trouble with their style of play. Goaltending is definitely their edge so if we get one of our stinker games from our goalies we will lose, if our goalie has a good game it's an even match with a full contrast of hockey styles for your dining and dancing pleasure. toss up.

Not going to argue with either of these positions but that was not THEIR plan (unless they were idiots and simply assumed they'd re-sign Ullmark). The failure to bring in a decent goalie for this year was imo a clear indication that they were prepared to write off this year and the only thing that mattered was the rebuild/reset/whatever, basically moving on from Eichel etc. That's all that mattered to THEM. If they actually had wanted to try to win now there were many many goalie options better than the way we went. So I simply don't want to change course mid plan. We have those prospects, we have picks, don't trade them away for a stop gap goalie measure now with some silly notion that we can challenge for the playoffs this year. We won't, even with a goalie.

Of course, but it'll just be interesting to see. Plus I wouldn't say "can't make an expansion team" as they clearly drafted extra D men and simply have too many. Trade deadline capital. Borgen will be part of that team going forward. The style they play will be hard for us to play against.

Offensively yes, but not as a whole. Our D will be ahead of theirs next year when we add Power and Samuelson. Goaltending remains to be seen 🙂

and exactly what we need.

No, but I'd keep him in the line up and just waive Caggula myself. Hayden's not great, but he fits into a bottom line better imo. I did too. I kind of like Murray on his wing for now too. Opens up a little more ice for Dylan and makes that line a bigger force. I think the Murray-Cozens-Okposo combo is a much better line than Cagguila-Cozens-Hinostroza was. We might see Borgen(and be annoyed). Made his season debut tonight and looked pretty good. Detroit and us are about the same imo. Neither will make the playoffs.

Well their rebuild seems to be on an accelerated curve so likely not good but they are speed oriented and we are better with that than physical tough checking so it's not impossible. Going to require a hot goalie game though like in Pittsburgh. Is Detroit now, perhaps what we are hoping to become next year? I suspect that's the hope/plan.

Well, Ottawa's been looking to unload Murray for a while so when we needed a contract to get up to the cap floor wouldn't that one have made more sense than Boychuk, if we had any interest in another goalie at all that is, which clearly they didn't. Personally don't think they will spend any extra money here on out at all.

Also shows you how much difference a great goalie can make. They are missing many key people from that team and some of their kids have taken the not that unusual step backwards.

That's what I've been noticing about Skinner too. More and more it looks like his big season was just luck. He doesn't aim his shots or pick his spots at all. Just turn and fire like a blind man. Useless. Mildly satisfying to see we are not that worst they are (or Arizona maybe). Best moment had to be Tage giving him the stare down after the goal following the hit. Enjoyed that. nice to win for a change. Even if they lost, more than we won.

trade them Skinner for Murray straight up. (no move clause I know, but if he'd agree). Only 2 years of a bad contract that way and a (slim) possibility of a reclamation cause goalies are weird and you never know. I know it won't happen.

lol, I'm obviously being facetious but the point holds that they are a really bad team and there is no excuse not to win this one. Even for a tank team.

I just don't want him to pull a Terry Murray and start trading off the capital he has acquired for veterans. We decided to tear it down and build with the draft, we have to stick to that now - this time.

I hear ya, and I'd like them to give him a proper chance (5 or 6 games actually playing) but I suppose that is why you have a farm team close to your city.

If they now flip the script and trade a high pick or prospect for a goalie I might be done caring. It'd be an admission of a total f up. I say wait until January and trade Bjork back to the Bruins for Ullmark. That seems about right for this team.

Montreal is horrible this year. If we can't win this one we may not win another all year.

Drafting has been horrible no question and we've traded picks away but we've also had talent that has idk done wrong? not developed? fallen off the path? not been developed? misused? call it whatever you like. ROR - Stanley Cup MVP and a team captain for example. Goaltending is the perennial issue here and there's old Lehner considered one of the top 10 in the league (ya I know, F that guy ) but still............ They even like Risto in Philly for some reason or other. If Eichel turns into McDavid playing with Vegas we're all going to need medication. idk, players come here and get worse almost never better. Draft picks underachieve. It's just fugazi.