Drag0nDan

Hey now, we're all friends here.

Different players need different metrics too. I don't need an xGF metric to see what my eyes tell me in that tage has a nasty shot, and some dirty dangles. He can shoot, create space, and deke the goalie. Thats a star player. But if you wanted to evaluate Krebs, or Mittelstadt utilizing analytics. This is a nice piece of data to have them digest when they re-watch their games. Your xGF is low because... your corsi is low because... and what pieces of your game you can improve upon to clean it up.

Offensively, he could shoot a little. He can't be useful on a PP though because he was a giveaway machine. His stretch passes constantly hit people in the skates, or miss them entirely. And he was always reacting to where people ARE not where they are going to be, or where he thinks they should be. Just too reactionary. Defensively, a lot of the same problems. No trust in his teammates or pairing, constantly chasing, and doesn't put pucks where they should be going. He holds it too much in the zone, chases hits, etc. 0 Points is Lybushkin level though. This means he isn't shooting (27 shots in 26 games would mean a career low pace), and the stretch passes are coming from his line mate. I think he's playing with Provorov so that makes some sense - Provorov is a better passer and shooter.

Justify the trade most likely.

Bryson is caught out of position too much. Fitz seems a touch slow, and his stick always seems to fall out of his hands. Pilut isn't a great defenseman at taking the puck away, but he moves it OK for the most part. He was better in this one at challenging forwards a bit more on zone entry. He at least seems to be the best fit from a style perspective. The key i think to him and dahlin working together so well is - it isn't just one of them that plays on their off side exclusively. They fluidly kind of move to either side and both play each side pretty well.

Poor goaltending and too many defensemen missing. It was nice to see them get the W without Power out there, but any extended absence will be tough to overcome with the guys they have.

Only way they can is if they make up the ground with an equally long winning streak, especially against Eastern conference opponents ahead of them in the standings.

I notice it with Tage zone exits sometimes too though - 2 guys going for the puck and neither of them seems to want it. And i know the answer is they're trying to get open for a pass... it makes sense. They just occasionally bungle it into a scoring chance against, and good teams don't do that nearly as frequently as buffalo. It's system, and chemistry. You vacate a space to do something, assuming your teammate will fill, and they don't.

Hayden Bjork and Eakin. Played like 150 games for the sabres last year.... 2 are in the AHL, and one is in... Switzerland? Throw in some more games for Jankowski, Murray, Caggiula. The amount of pure AHL talent that played here last year is a bit stunning. Sheahan is in Rochester who i like more than everyone else above. Not to mention Hinostroza. People will get banged up but I'm interested to see where people slot in during those absences.

If he played Center I could see him back in the lineup.

I don't know that he would "still suck" as a wing.

I'm not taking asplund out again. As for Quinn and JJP, whenever their legs seem to lag - thats when you sit them for a game or two to put hino in the lineup for some extra juice.

My pick. He doesn't take crap from people and i think someones going to lay out a linemate and he's going to drop them.

Cozens looks like a major upgrade from last years cozens. Quinn/JJP/full season Tuch/Krebs are a lot of upgrades over... Hayden, Eakin, Bjork, Caggiula, Jankowski etc. And this is with 3 defensemen out with injuries.

This!! They're playing cross ice passes, so put a good passer down low and crash the net. Set up a play to do that and force them to adjust - set up cozens or tuch in front of the net for 1 timers, then have the wall guys crash for rebounds. If they adjust then you can pass to thompson for the one-timer or one-touch cross ice pass. Puck needs to move faster, and they need to use the space behind the crease to open some passing lanes.

I think he's just there for a net front presence though. Buffalo's issues on PP have beenon the walls and zone entries. Move skinner off, move olofsson up, maybe give JJP some time with one group. Shake it up a bit.

Skinner has played pretty poorly in my eyes. He's getting PP time too, and just doesn't offer much at the moment. He's not getting to the net for rebounds, not forechecking effectively, not backchecking, and not shooting well. I'm not saying send him to the press box, but he needs to figure it out.

He's had some neat set-ups but stuff isn't falling. Skinners shot has been off all year. They tried the line without tuch and they were getting jammed in their own end. I'd kinda like to see someone like quinn on that line, or maybe krebs. They need to get faster and more creative on the power play and i think he's a part of that. Get skinner out of there, get some guys with some jam and stop dancing around and get the puck in on net.

Yeah, Pilut can create space for himself and is a skilled passer. Fitzgerald is not giving me the best vibes. It's always tough to be the swing guy on these type of arrangements though. They pair you with randoms constantly and theres no chemistry, but he was bad in his own end last night.

Poor effort, lots of turnovers by the team, poor zone entries, poor zone exits. They were getting out skated and out worked pretty consistently. Just an all around bad day at the office. It happens... but it can't happen often.

Its early - everyones healthy still. And there are a few differences Last season we ended up having to use scrubs at goalie by mid-season. Dell, Subban, Tokarski, Houser started 42 total. Some bad hockey players played... a LOT. Hayden Played 55 games. Eakin Played 69 games. Butcher played 37 games. Bjork played 58 games Eichel cloud hanging over their heads - they seemed to be a much different team upon adding Tuch and Krebs and dumping the "captain"

They just kept getting caught on long shifts, the zone exits were either when they were gassed so theyd change or iced it.

They run that mcdavid draisaitl combo at the end of the game for long stretches and its just exhausting.

1 - Happy to see Tuch back on line 1. Olofsson with Tage and Skinner wasn't working. They were struggling to zone exit, and didn't feel like they could use the line to match up effectively. 2- Comrie had himself a freakin NIGHT. 3 - Dahlin must've worked on shooting cuz that shot was naaasty. 4 - The reshuffled 2nd line is interesting. We really need Mittelstadt to be a Center it seems. 5 - The only question mark i have on the PP right now is Krebs, he just isn't able to create the same space as Tage on the wall because there is no threat of a shot.

Definitely.