LabattBlue Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 IMO Mair has really picked up his game recently and I was wondering how much playing with Kaleta has re-energized him. I was ready to kick Mair to the curb after the season, but if he is ready to become the player he used to be, he is more than welcome to remain a 4th liner for the next few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR HOLLIDAY Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 Kaleta is like a six pack of Red Bull..........He #%^$#! never be sit again.........Sit one of the loafers, he has earned a spot on this team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR HOLLIDAY Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 Kaleta is like a six pack of Red Bull..........He #%^$#! never be sit again.........Sit one of the loafers, he has earned a spot on this team. LOL, I didn't swear in that post???............ :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregkash Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 I completely agree that Kaleta being a freight train has given Mair some extra juice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabattBlue Posted March 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Kaleta is like a six pack of Red Bull..........He #%^$#! never be sit again.........Sit one of the loafers, he has earned a spot on this team. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R_Dudley Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Don't know maybe it's the Mair taking him under his wing I read in paper,,, but I will say this kid(kaleta) has to stay. The other teams that play Bflo all end up looking for him on the ice and taking penalties.... Gotta love it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 I was never quite sure what people meant by a player creating space but Stafford's goal was a perfect example. Two Leafs were all concerned with Kaleta's antics leaving Drew standing all alone in front of the net. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campy Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 I was never quite sure what people meant by a player creating space but Stafford's goal was a perfect example. Two Leafs were all concerned with Kaleta's antics leaving Drew standing all alone in front of the net. Good call on the Stafford goal. In addition to making space, it seems he draws at least one penalty every game. Seems he's our answer to guys like Ruutu and Avery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Seems he's our answer to guys like Ruutu and Avery. I keep trying to explain this to my son... who hates Avery. I said the point that you so thoroughly hate Avery is an indication of how good he is (same with Tucker in his prime). The Sabres now have a guy like that. An essential ingredient. And just because a guy is an sandpaper guy doesn't mean he's not capable of playing. Kaleta has decent (if not outstanding) skills. Instigating aside, his game is simple, direct, but effective. Putting Kaleta and Mair together gives both players an identity. Stafford has been floating around all year, being the extra guy to complete a line in Lindy's shuffles. I think Stafford's game plays very well into the tendencies of the other two. This is a line with chemistry, something that's been missing from the team all year. That chemistry seems to be inspiriing the other lines. We can piss and moan about the players that got away. There are empty holes that need to be filled. But this line- Kaleta, Mair and Stafford- they are something that works well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_sauve28 Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Don't forget what Stafford brings to that line. He's smart with the puck and makes good plays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRH Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 I keep trying to explain this to my son... who hates Avery. I said the point that you so thoroughly hate Avery is an indication of how good he is There's still a difference. Kaleta doesn't yap. He doesn't smirk. He doesn't play dirty. He doesn't think he's an All-Star. He doesn't have his nose permanently affixed to the team leaders' derrieres. Avery is a prick. Kaleta isn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I disagree. All those things that you ascribe to Avery *also* make him a pain in the butt to play against, which increases the value to his team. And all those things (well most of them) Kaleta does. He yaps some, but not too much. He smirks; if you don't agree you're not watching closely. I don't think Avery has any illusions that he is an all-star. The last bit.... I guess I'm not quite sure what that means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 There's still a difference. Kaleta doesn't yap. He doesn't smirk. He doesn't play dirty. He doesn't think he's an All-Star. He doesn't have his nose permanently affixed to the team leaders' derrieres. Avery is a prick. Kaleta isn't. Don Cherry disagrees: K-Auygw4mQs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabattBlue Posted March 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 Don Cherry disagrees: K-Auygw4mQs I mentioned this in the GDT. Cherry is full of crap. When he was coaching, he loved players like Kaleta. I was on another Sabre board over the weekend, where there are some questioning Kaleta's style of play. WTF do you want...a team of Tim Connolly's? Who remembers Campbell putting his arm around the one Ottawa player during a scrum a couple of years back. Is that what the Sabres need more of? :angry: :angry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I mentioned this in the GDT. Cherry is full of crap. When he was coaching, he loved players like Kaleta. I was on another Sabre board over the weekend, where there are some questioning Kaleta's style of play. WTF do you want...a team of Tim Connolly's?Who remembers Campbell putting his arm around the one Ottawa player during a scrum a couple of years back. Is that what the Sabres need more of? :angry: :angry: In fairness to Campbell, that's what you are supposed to do to, mark a man and make sure he doesn't move in. Although that picture certainly looked very loving, it happens all the time : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeFerguson Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I think we too often forget that Stafford is only in his second year as a pro. He has hardly played at all in Rochester. He has struggled this year because I think too many times he tries to get too cute. Putting him on the Mair line forces him to keep it simple, which improves his game. I also like that Stafford has more of a mean streak than some of our other finesse players, so he fits in better with Kaleta and Mair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I'm not sure mean streak is the right word, I think maybe hard-nosed describes Stafford better. For a while when he was on the line with Roy and Vanek, that hard-nosed attitude seemed to rub off on Vanek, but it didn't stick with Tom, unfortunately. But that hard-nosed thing works well with Kaleta & Mair. And throw in that they're scoring a bit the last couple games, and you get BONUS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeFerguson Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I'm not sure mean streak is the right word, I think maybe hard-nosed describes Stafford better. For a while when he was on the line with Roy and Vanek, that hard-nosed attitude seemed to rub off on Vanek, but it didn't stick with Tom, unfortunately. But that hard-nosed thing works well with Kaleta & Mair. And throw in that they're scoring a bit the last couple games, and you get BONUS! I don't know whether to call it hard nosed or mean or whatever. When is the last time Vanek did something like this: or this: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmwolf21 Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I think we too often forget that Stafford is only in his second year as a pro. He has hardly played at all in Rochester. He has struggled this year because I think too many times he tries to get too cute. Putting him on the Mair line forces him to keep it simple, which improves his game. I also like that Stafford has more of a mean streak than some of our other finesse players, so he fits in better with Kaleta and Mair. Joe I think that's a great point, and one that's often overlooked, along with his age (22.) He played less than a half-season at Ra-Cha-Cha last year but when he was up here, he showed enough promise to earn a regular spot this season. Now he's hitting a true sophomore slump and is battling nagging ankle injuries to boot. I think he's just going to get better and better as he matures and gains more experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderbread Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I think we too often forget that Stafford is only in his second year as a pro. He has hardly played at all in Rochester. He has struggled this year because I think too many times he tries to get too cute. Putting him on the Mair line forces him to keep it simple, which improves his game. I think playing him on the 4th line allows him to play against less skilled players which could help him shine. Similar to my Vanek theory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stenbaro Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I think playing him on the 4th line allows him to play against less skilled players which could help him shine. Similar to my Vanek theory. Last yr it wasnt a theory with Vanek it actually was a sound decision..He ate up those 3rd and 4th lines he went against Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpandean Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 Last yr it wasnt a theory with Vanek it actually was a sound decision..He ate up those 3rd and 4th lines he went against Home: 30 goals (Sabres change second; choose match-up) Away: 13 goals (Sabres change first; don't choose match-up) Yup, looks like a sound decision to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.