pi2000
-
Posts
9,344 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by pi2000
-
-
10 hours ago, CallawaySabres said:
They are in the process of ruining Levi, and now they will begin the process of ruining Benson. It's so great to see that this organization learns from its mistakes. I wish that management could get burned without doing the same things to the fans. I have checked out of the last 3 games and will not be watching tonight. This team, man...
I agree about Levi. He's certainly a confident kid, but everyone has their breaking point.... especially goaltenders. I don't believe there has ever been a goalie, at least in recent history to make the jump from college directly to the NHL without spending any development time in the AHL.
Benson is just built different. The only thing holding him back is physical development. He plays a more mature game than other Sabre forward who are 4-5 years older than him. I haven't seen any evidence in his play that would suggest he's in over his head. That said, to maximize his development I feel juniors would be best.
-
1
-
-
Levi is gifted athletically.
He needs to work on positioning and rebound control.
Far too often he gets caught too deep in his net, or over persues the puck taking him out of position.
Teams are starting to pick up on this. We saw it in the Washington game and he'll continue to get exploited until he adjusts.
Playing once a week will stunt his development. He needs to be "the guy" down in Roch where he'll progress much faster.
-
1
-
-
....but but but the guys really like Bryson.
Friendships are more important than wins.
-
1
-
-
2 hours ago, LTS said:
I wonder why you keep putting energy into this team given all of its transgressions. If I felt as negative as it appears you do in your posts I would just tune the team out for awhile and save my sanity.
The team has regressed this year. It very probably has to do with the fact that they are a young team and they are not handling the expectations placed upon them. They are playing too tight. It could be that they just suck. The question is, are the players capable of playing better and the coaching staff is keeping them from achieving or is it that the players are not executing what the coaching staff expects? I'm not sure we know the answer to that. There's a ton of speculation here. It was the same coach that had them playing better last year. So why have they regressed?
Perhaps he did. But it's hard to say that an alternate path would have been better. That's the luxury everyone here has. First, hindsight is 20/20. Second, we can all make prognostications as to what changes are correct but we all make those without any direct insight into the organization or the league itself. It's pure speculation and certainly when it plays out negatively as predicted the justification is there. He could have made the changes people thought and it could have still not worked out to be any better.
When the Pegula family took over they tried all manner of quick fix solutions and they all failed. They've settled on a plan to build a team and by all accounts that was working. For that I am at least thankful. The quick fixes only burned out all talent from this organization.
The fans will always have a shorter timeline than the organization because they continue to carry baggage of past management structures with them. That said, it's clear there are some changes that need to be made and the inflection point is upon us.
They have to decide on Benson. That alone requires them to take action. They have to decide on how to ice 6 defense and 12 forwards. This 11+7 crap is no way to ice a team. They need to move some bodies. Whether that's moving some of the prospects for players who can definitively help the team now or moving some of the vets blocking the prospects so the prospects can help the team now. Something has to change. The risk with bringing MORE youth in is that it's already a very young team.
The Sabres will be forced to make one of the less common December trades that helps the team turn things around. They aren't a team that will be able to wait for the deadline.
They're playing a more defensively responsible style this year.
This is early season growing pains for a young team learning how to play winning hockey.
Would they have more goals and maybe a better record if they continued playing fire wagon hockey? Maybe. But we know that can only take them so far.
If they can manage to stay around 500 while implementing a new system, then it should pay off in the second half of the season.
That said, until they stop making dumb mistakes and poor personell decisions, I'm not sure Granato is the guy to help them take that next step.
And lastly, Levi needs to be sent down, he has glaring weaknesses that need attention. He needs more than a spot start once a week to develop this early in his career.
Benson should be sent down, it's best for him and his long term development. Let him and Savoie continue to build chemistry.
-
2
-
-
KA wanted to make additons but the players told him they wanted to move forward with the current group since they all get along so well.
It's time for the tail to stop wagging the dog.
-
1
-
-
7 hours ago, pi2000 said:
Play him 15-20min/game or send him to Wenatchee.
With Quinn coming back and Tage eventually, there won't be enough minutes for him to get the ice time required to properly develop at his age.
Send him down.
welp
-
1
-
-
UPL deserves the start.
Levi needs to be sent down.
Clifton needs to sit a game.
-
They could use a defensive minded veteran center with playoff experience... a PK specialist who can win draws.
Also... for the love God, get Tage off the PK... you can't have your 50 goal scorer standing in shooting lanes absorbing shots.... just dumb.
Eriksson Ek
M. Granlund
Compher
Cirelli
Lowry
....those are some the top guys in the league, more realistically...
N. Dowd
R. Faska
N. Bjugstad
F. Gaudreau
-
2
-
-
Play him 15-20min/game or send him to Wenatchee.
With Quinn coming back and Tage eventually, there won't be enough minutes for him to get the ice time required to properly develop at his age.
Send him down.
-
They need an experienced HC who can implement a system. This fire wagon style of hockey is fun, but it isn't winning hockey. EJ alluded to this early on in the season.
That and a goaltender and I like our chances.
-
3
-
1
-
1
-
-
Goaltending still an issue... who could've imagined that?
-
1
-
-
What happened to Jokiharju? Was he injured?
-
They've plateaued under Granato.
It's now less about individual player development and more about playing winning hockey as a team.
-
I thought the penalty on Greenway was the correct call, Bogo never had the puck… that said there were more than a few egregious infractions which were not called, overall an inconsistent night for the refs which can be maddening as a player.
Levi was great, stole them at least a point.
Something looks off with Thompson, he’s not moving as well as he was last season…. seems a bit stiff legged, not as smooth on his edges, been that way all season, maybe he should go back to he old skates.
Peterka just seems be getting better and better, was dangerous just about every shift.
-
I wouldn't call it a talent, more a blessing... and not because of luck.
Some are just more durable than others.
-
11 hours ago, dudacek said:
Per Granato's presser today post-practice; Benson skated on his own with Comrie and Samuelsson today.
They need to play him at least 15min/g or send him to Wenatchee.
-
1
-
-
Does shot location include where the puck was tipped in or deflected?
Or is that the location of where the "shot" that was tipped originated?
-
1
-
-
Is it better for Levi to be a rotational goalie or learn "the grind" in the AHL?
He needs to be playing and playing a lot at this point in his development. 1 or 2 games a week isn't going to help him.
-
1
-
-
Jiri Kulich
-
4 hours ago, Hank said:
6K. Wow, that was a rough one. I said in the GDT I didn't like him getting the start last night, I thought three in a row was too much for him at this point in his career. Not a great game.
For those who care about such things, 6Ks save % is down to .901 and money puck has him 48 out of 69 in GSAE, what a difference a game makes with a short sample size.
6K is still 3-1 in games he's started, DG needs to do better in managing those starts.
DG was right to start him Friday coming off the 38s effort against the same team.
I blame DG and the leadership group for the poor effort.
-
18 minutes ago, JohnC said:
Your scenario is possible. But my sense from the reports on Levi is that it is likely that he will play the next game. We shall see.
UPL just dominated the Flyers. You put him right back in there against them Friday.
-
1
-
-
Can't fault UPL for first goal, but he could've stepped up and poked the puck on the second goal, also Bryson doing Bryson things... why is he still here again? smh
-
3 hours ago, K-9 said:
The history of prospects ruined or not ruined has ZERO bearing on the Benson situation. If the Sabres send him back, fine. He can play and dominate against lesser competition and have a blast doing it. But it won’t help him adjust to the NHL in the least. If he needs to be anywhere, it’s in the AHL but a stupid rule negates that possibility and what’s truly best for a young player’s development, which is all that should matter, can’t even be considered.
There is ZERO evidence that Benson is currently being “ruined.” None at all.
The coaching situation in Wenatchee is of no concern to me and I’m sure Sommer is a great coach as you said. But please, tell me what he’s gonna teach Benson that Granato and Co. can’t? What razor is best for beginner shavers? What skin care product is best for acne?
I’ll tell you what he can’t teach and that is how to adjust to the speed of the pro game. Only one way to learn that.
3 hours ago, dudacek said:it stands to reason that the best way to develop prospects is to challenge them.
I don't see WHL competition doing that for Benson (or Savoie), so the challenges there would have to come mostly outside of game situations: practice, off-ice habits, etcetera.
So it really comes down to coaching, and environment, doesn't it?
I agree, he plays a very mature game, however IMO he's not "too good" for juniors.
Again, for a prospect like him at 18 he needs to playing +20min a game in all situations to fully round out his game.
Giving him 10-13min at night in the NHL will stunt his growth and most importantly his confidence as he'll need to adjust from being over a point per game player, to much much less than that.
That's not ideal for a kid with his potential... dominating in juniors is much better for him long term vs being a role player at the NHL level.
-
8 hours ago, K-9 said:
It’s not. As I’ve said previously and as Peterka attested to last week, the biggest adjustment for young players to make when first entering the league is to the sheer speed of the game compared to juniors. And the only thing to improve that is to play against it, both in practice and in games.
It’s great that they can go back and dominate on a level they’ve already graduated from, but it won’t help them make the necessary adjustment to the much faster NHL game. Unfortunately the CHL rule governing their eligibility to remain with the Sabres as well as the numbers game we have at forward currently, will most likely dictate the return to juniors.
But I’m glad KA and Co. seem to be scheming to maximize their time and exposure to NHL level competition in the meantime.
Name one prospect, in the history of the game, who's development stalled out because he played an extra year in juniors.
There's none, but I can name a dozen off the top of my head who made the jump too early.
He's 18, he's still learning the game, his instincts and awareness are still developing... he needs to playing and playing a lot... not just 10-13min per game like he is now.
And all those rumors about Wenatchee being a toxic environment are completely false. They have the winningest head coach in AHL history (808 wins) behind the bench and are 1st place in their division, 2nd in the Western Conference... there's a lot he could still learn from Coach Sommer.
IT'S GAME DAY: Buffalo Sabres (9-9-2) @ New Jersey Devils (8-9-1) Sat 7pm MSG, ESPN+
in The Aud Club
Posted
Should be Clifton or EJ that sits... but will probably something dumb like Ryan Johnson or sitting Olofsson and dreasing 7 D again.
Also I'd go w Comrie.