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JohnC

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Everything posted by JohnC

  1. There is simply more structure in play both offensively and defensively in the NHL. In the AHL it is more helter-skelter and free-wheeling. Some players thrive when there is a lot of free-lancing, while others don't. Qualitatively, it is a much different game between the two leagues. The one advantage that UPL had in the lower league is that he could get more playing time. For a relatively inexperienced player that should help in his development.
  2. Your so called "true story" is false. Where do you and @PerreaultForevercome up with this hooligan mentality BS? Anyone who watches a lot of Sabre games knows very well that they hold up well and adequately respond to the physical play of other teams. The reality is that the Sabres give as much as they receive. You are responding to a myth of your own creation. It is utter nonsense!
  3. In hockey, and football, as you noted, the reality is that the team that is behind loosens their defensive responsibilities in order to go full throttle on offense. So it shouldn't be surprising that the team that is dealing with the onslaught has to have a more defensive posture. They have no choice. They are adjusting to the situation. If, in this case, the Sabres took a more offensive response, they risk giving up quick goals in a short duration. I have no problem with taking the safer approach to prevent a score as opposed taking a risk to score additional goals. The coach and the team played it right. We got a win against a good team on the road.
  4. The biggest takeaway from this game is the play of UPL. If he can sustain the play he has shown over the past few games, our expectations for the season should be elevated. At least for me, my expectation goes beyond merely staying in the playoff race until the end of the season to actually making the playoffs. There is still a long way to go. But if one looks back a week or so ago, and consider what the perception of UPL was then, and then seeing what it is now, that's a dramatic swing for the most important position on the ice. It's amazing how perceptions can change in a short period of time. The remedy is to have patience.
  5. The comeback was Lyubushkin getting follow up penalties trying to pay back that hit. That hurt the cause. The best way to inflict punishment is to score more goals and win. We did. We won!
  6. I agree with you that the extended minutes for this top pair is not sustainable over a grinding season. However, when you are in the survival mode present moment you don't worry about the long-term. Power should be back soon, and then Joki should return in another couple of weeks. And after another game or two Lybushkin should get back into the swing of things. I watched the first period and thought that Vegas dominated it. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that we won and that UPL played a sterling game. If he continues to play at his current level, this is going to be an exciting season up to the end.
  7. If Johnson is looking for the best situation for him after his college career is over, Buffalo should be at the top of his list of considerations. The Sabres need more defensemen, and within our current system there is a dearth of prospects who are ready to move up to the NHL.
  8. Is Power going to play? I suspect he won't out of an abundance of caution. He's become an important player for us. I predict someone on the Mitts line will score a goal.
  9. That was a terrific read. I suspect that he won't be able to go back home because of the Putin war. If he does, he might get stuck there and not be able to get back to North America. As you noted he is a smart kid. Being a chess wizard demonstrates that he has an ability to think strategically. It might take more than a few years but a guy like him has the drive to succeed in whatever endeavor he chooses to pursue.
  10. He reminds me of Curtis Lazar, another first round draft pick. Both Jost and Lazar were former first round picks who didn't become the players commensurate with their draft status. Each player had to modify their game and accept their more specialty role in order to stay in the league.
  11. How good is Mitts? What's his upside? What's his role on this team now and in the future? I just don't know??? This is why this is such an important season for him, and why the organization is going to make a determination about him and his role in the organization. Beyond winning as many games as possible, assessing players is an important task for this front office. And I am on record that I'm higher on Mitts than most are here. In my opinion he's got more to give. It's just a question of the best way to unlocking the door to his talents. The coach has done an excellent job in putting Krebs in a good position to succeed; I'm hoping he can do it with Mitts.
  12. You can include the Samuelsson signing in the category of the GM having foresight.
  13. That pisser performs with great accuracy. He didn't waste a drop. If Olofsson could hit the net instead of the pipes with such accuracy he would be a 40 goal scorer.
  14. What @PerreaultForeveris looking for are palooka players whose utility in this era of NHL hockey is minimal at best, and almost a generation outdated. The method to get better is to add talent. Looking back for a solution such as bringing in fighters in an era where there are few fights is not relevant to today's game. The reality is that he won't acknowledge is that the Sabres don't get pushed around. They have more than enough tough players to hold their own against any team. Adding talent to the lower half of the roster and buttressing the goalie position are what is needed to move up the ranks. We're getting there. It's just going to take a little more patience to see this process through.
  15. Without any hesitation I am praising the GM for acquiring Jost on waivers. The GM got him for nothing! No assets for given up for him. He adds an element of grit that this roster can use. He's versatile and can play cohesively with different players and lines. And he is solid on the PK. As far as the D unit is constituted, I agree with you that the lower pairings are insufficient. Depending where this team stands as the season progresses and the trade deadline approaches, you can't preclude a deal to upgrade the lower half of the pairings. But it is more likely that the issue will be addressed in the offseason than during this season.
  16. I made it clear that I only watched snippets of this game. So I don't want to draw any firm conclusions from that small sample size for Mitts. What I can say is that for the few games that Mitts played with the top line, while Skinner was shelved, his style of play was altered somewhat. As with Krebs, Mitts in these recent games seems to have simplified his game and become more quick reacting with the puck. I'm hoping that the coach finds the right line mates and formula for Mitts so that he can up his game like he did with Krebs.
  17. How many of those trades would you consider to be consequential?
  18. The Jost pickup was simply a good addition. He's not much of an offensive player but he is a solid player who adds an element of hardnosed play. And he seems to comfortably fit in with whomever he is playing with. Also, the coach has done wonders for putting Krebs in a position to succeed. Now the next challenge is to figure out who best to pair Mitts with to unlock his potential. From the little I saw of last night's game I thought Mitts played well (as you noted).
  19. How many trades have other teams made at t)his point of the season? Few and far between. Due to injuries the Sabres are down a number of defensemen. But Power and Lyubushkin should be back soon (probably after the road trip, and maybe two weeks later Joki will return. Most people agree with you that the lower end of our defensive pairings is lacking. The same dynamic applies to the goaltending position. Comrie should be coming back in two or three weeks. I don't see KA bringing in another goalie until he sees what Comrie is capable of. I just don't see the GM resorting to outside help at this point. It just seems to me that the GM has established a course this season and is not going to deviate from it during the season. If there are going to be any significant additions it will be done in the offseason.
  20. That was a great sequence. It demonstrates how this team has gotten tougher and grittier. That particular sequence says a lot how this team has grown together.
  21. You make two interesting observations. The Cozens's line has two rookies on its wing. So it shouldn't be a surprise that there are going to be instances where this line flashes exciting talent, and then there are going to be instances where it struggles. That's part of the learning process. In this game JJ's playing tine was curtailed. (It was noted on the broadcast.) I'm not bothered by it because we have a good coach who knows when to let them loose and when to pull them back. You also make a keen observation that Krebs is becoming more confident as a player while staying within the structure of the line. This youngster is playing less of a free-floating game where he constantly tries to force plays. Until he got with the oldsters, Okposo and Girgs, he didn't seem to value the puck. That's not the case now. When the coach first put Krebs with these vets I thought it didn't make sense because it was more of a grinding line. After seeing how Krebs game has changed for the better, it now makes sense. And it demonstrates how good of a coach he is. I was watching the game in snippets. So it was difficult to make fair judgments on players. But from what I witnessed I thought Mitts played a sharper game than usual. I hope the coach can work his magic with Mitts as he has done with Krebs. Internal improvement is what is going to drive this team upwards.
  22. Not really. I know where I'm likely to end up. I want some company from familiar faces. 😈
  23. You are a lost cause. You are more likely to go to hell than not. So I'm not going to waste my prayers on you.
  24. I was constantly flipping the channel between the Bills and Sabre game so I can't fairly give an assessment on the hockey game. But from what I saw it is evident that our top line is an upper tier first line in this league. And from what I saw I thought Mitts played a good game. He didn't dither with the puck or try to make cute passes. He was more decisive in shooting the puck and seemed to play a more simplified and focused game. (If anyone watched the whole game, I would appreciate their observations about Mitts in this game.)
  25. You can diminish the GM's accomplishments if you want. But what I am now seeing after making a bevy of personnel and organizational staffing decisions are results that would lead a fair-minded person to believe that the Sabres are on a positive trajectory. No one can argue that the Sabres are a complete roster. There certainly are needs. But as talent is being added and young players mature you can see this team move up the ranks and become a serious team.
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