Take a look at the hit counts for some of our "skilled" forwards

[LabattBlue]

Hits to date followed by games played in parentheses

 

MacArthur 28(18)

Kotalik - 24(16)

Pominville - 11(18)

Roy - 10(18)

Max - 7(18)

Stafford - 6(15)

Hecht - 5(8)

Vanek - 4(18)

Connolly - 2(6)

 

Except for Kotalik(and he sucks for other reasons) and MacArthur, this is pathetic. PATHETIC!!! :angry: I am not saying you have to drive someones head through the board 3 times a game, but is it a lot to ask, that you deliver at least one solid body check per game? IMO, there is a direct correlation between this and the commitment to defense in their own end. They just want nothing to do with either.

 

By the way, some of the "hit" totals for the blueliners are equally embarrasing if not worst....

 

http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fet...rtssPlayerStats

[2ForTripping]

Lydman has 41 hits which is more than 3 times as many hits than any other one of our blue liners. His closet counterpart is Rivet with a paltry 12 hits. It is saddening to say the least. If I recall wasn't there a mention of Lucic having registered his 70th hit last night , and that was early on in the game.

I feel we have far too many "sacred cows" on the roster and a bit of a selective slaughter is in order to get things headed in the right direction.

[Kristian]

Hits to date followed by games played in parentheses

 

MacArthur 28(18)

Kotalik - 24(16)

Pominville - 11(18)

Roy - 10(18)

Max - 7(18)

Stafford - 6(15)

Hecht - 5(8)

Vanek - 4(18)

Connolly - 2(6)

 

Except for Kotalik(and he sucks for other reasons) and MacArthur, this is pathetic. PATHETIC!!! :angry: I am not saying you have to drive someones head through the board 3 times a game, but is it a lot to ask, that you deliver at least one solid body check per game? IMO, there is a direct correlation between this and the commitment to defense in their own end. They just want nothing to do with either.

 

By the way, some of the "hit" totals for the blueliners are equally embarrasing if not worst....

 

http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fet...rtssPlayerStats

 

Vanek with 4 hits??!??! Ok, I realise grinding is not his game, but a guy of that size simply HAS to register at least one or two hits PER GAME!

 

Good grief, now wonder things are going south.

 

Stafford with 6!?! Anyone else get the idea he wants out?

[Claude Balls]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. WE NEED PLAYERS WITHOUT 'S!!!! This team is SPINELESS. What an embarrassment they are. You know other teams know about the lack of hitting and that's why every team the Sabres play knocks them all over the GD ice.

[Kevbeau]

Not offering excuses, but scoring hits is subjective. A lot of Lucic's "hit's" do not alter the play (the same can be said of Kaleta), and come after the hitee has already made his desired pass/clear. Some officials score hits only if they alter the play. Hitee has the puck/loses the puck/gets rid of the puck/etc...

[rickshaw]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. WE NEED PLAYERS WITHOUT 'S!!!! This team is SPINELESS. What an embarrassment they are. You know other teams know about the lack of hitting and that's why every team the Sabres play knocks them all over the GD ice.

 

What if they all shaved their Vaginas??

[Grinder42]

I understand that everyone wants a physical team like say the 1997 Sabres. We all need t recall the type of player Ruff was, smart, not flashy but not overally physical in the hit department. To say you want Vanek to hit or become a player he is not makes no sense! He doesn't need t be physical, he does need to be disruptive and does break down in our end way too much. The new line is a good fit! As for people beating up on Max, I wonder what he might do if he were to be on a line Paille and Roy! That speed would definitely create opportunity for all of them. In my opinion, Numminen is a liabilty......no physical presence at all and slow!He is a good story but I rather be competitive! Our, entire defense backs way too far in , so as to screen whichever unlucky bastard is in the net! But above and beyond anything, someone tell me why Mair is still on this team. He is a BUM!

 

Perhaps DR needs to shake things up....... I think Mair needs to be cut to make room for anyone in Portland. Package Mair and Strafford for a bag of pucks and a blue liner! Spacek and Sekera should never be a combo! Has Spacek thrown a meaningful check since Brian Campbell left?

 

 

The core of this team is : Vanek, Poms, Roy, Hecht, Kaletta,Sekera,Miller, Kotalik,Gaustad..... Everyone else should have a bag packed if this horrible not contact ice drill is continued Friday!

 

Oh, for all you Conolly lovers....The guy is soft and hurt way too often. Tim, why not do the right think and quit! DR is not going to trade you because no one wants ya and we have enough pucks!

 

 

We need a shake up now! Promote a player form Portland Mancari seems to be my pick! Release Mair! and strip that bum Rivet of his C! POMS should have that! How about the Fans vote for the Captain!

[darksabre]

What's your problem with Mair, he's been one of the harder working players this season. No way I cut him.

[Claude Balls]

What if they all shaved their Vaginas??

I'd be willing to bet they already shave each others 's before each game.

[LabattBlue]

Not offering excuses, but scoring hits is subjective. A lot of Lucic's "hit's" do not alter the play (the same can be said of Kaleta), and come after the hitee has already made his desired pass/clear. Some officials score hits only if they alter the play. Hitee has the puck/loses the puck/gets rid of the puck/etc...

I've questioned the "scoring" of these hits before and while it may not be 100% accurate, I think it is close enough to accurately depict the style of play in terms of the physical nature of the guys in question.

[Kevbeau]

I've questioned the "scoring" of these hits before and while it may not be 100% accurate, I think it is close enough to accurately depict the style of play in terms of the physical nature of the guys in question.

 

No question. Every goal/assist is reviewed to make sure the scoring is accurate. As for hits, well the guys who hit a lot probably sometimes get the benefit of the doubt.

[PASabreFan]

Not offering excuses, but scoring hits is subjective. A lot of Lucic's "hit's" do not alter the play (the same can be said of Kaleta), and come after the hitee has already made his desired pass/clear. Some officials score hits only if they alter the play. Hitee has the puck/loses the puck/gets rid of the puck/etc...

 

Good point. Also, the smallest of bumps can sometimes alter a season or a playoff series and never get counted. It's a bogus stat. Detroit was near the bottom of the league in hits last season.

 

The answer to the Sabres' woes is not to have Thomas Vanek running around nailing people.

[Knightrider]

As for people beating up on Max, I wonder what he might do if he were to be on a line Paille and Roy! That speed would definitely create opportunity for all of them.

 

There'd be more faceoffs just outside the offensive zone, IMHO. It's not like Max plays with anyone, anyway.

[Kristian]

Good point. Also, the smallest of bumps can sometimes alter a season or a playoff series and never get counted. It's a bogus stat. Detroit was near the bottom of the league in hits last season.

 

The answer to the Sabres' woes is not to have Thomas Vanek running around nailing people.

 

Nobody expects Vanek to run around nailing people, but I sure wouldn't mind if he would start running through some of the much smaller guys interfering with him, instead of trying to go around them all the time.

 

Also, it'd be nice if he would use that frame to do some interfering of his own.

 

Like you said, it's a bogus stat. Hits don't have to be open ice Mike-Peca-of-1999-hits to be effective.

 

But Vanek is just an example, Goose could be another player fitting this description. Basically anybody on the team who aren't easily moved, when they don't want to be.

 

Just sayin'....

[LabattBlue]

Good point. Also, the smallest of bumps can sometimes alter a season or a playoff series and never get counted. It's a bogus stat. Detroit was near the bottom of the league in hits last season.

 

The answer to the Sabres' woes is not to have Thomas Vanek running around nailing people.

Like I said, you don't have to drive someones head through the boards, just take them out of the play when needed. So if Vanek is exempt from doing this, what about the other "skill" players. Who else gets a free pass to play hockey like its Disney on Ice?

 

I put the stats out there because if I didn't, people would be demanding a link to back up my statement. The truth is, all you have to do is watch the Sabres forwards in this regard to realize they shy away from initiating contact more often than not.

 

PS For every Datsyuk or Zetterburg, Detroit has a Holmstron or Franzen playing alongside of them doing the dirty work along the boards.

[carpandean]

What's your problem with Mair, he's been one of the harder working players this season. No way I cut him.

Thank you! Mair is a steal for the salary that he makes. He's actually got more skill than a typical 4th-line role player - as evident by his play as a 3rd-line center - and is one of the few players with a set.

[PASabreFan]

Nobody expects Vanek to run around nailing people, but I sure wouldn't mind if he would start running through some of the much smaller guys interfering with him, instead of trying to go around them all the time.

 

Also, it'd be nice if he would use that frame to do some interfering of his own.

 

Like you said, it's a bogus stat. Hits don't have to be open ice Mike-Peca-of-1999-hits to be effective.

 

But Vanek is just an example, Goose could be another player fitting this description. Basically anybody on the team who aren't easily moved, when they don't want to be.

 

Just sayin'....

 

You realize you're talking about the guy who goes to the front of the net on a regular basis and pays the price to score those tip-in goals? Leading the league in goals not good enough for ya... that's tough. :)

[Two or less]

You realize you're talking about the guy who goes to the front of the net on a regular basis and pays the price to score those tip-in goals? Leading the league in goals not good enough for ya... that's tough. :)

 

And that's why it was so hard for me to disagree with you in that Lindy Ruff thread you made, because 99% of the time, you are on the money.

 

What does Vanek need to do to make people happy? He killed penalties. He's leads the league in goals. He's been playing very good in almost every game. I mean, he has 4 hits and people jump all over him? Watch a game and see the punishment he takes when he gets in front of the net just so the Sabres can have a solid scoring opportunity. Some people really surprise me on here.

[Kristian]

You realize you're talking about the guy who goes to the front of the net on a regular basis and pays the price to score those tip-in goals? Leading the league in goals not good enough for ya... that's tough. :)

 

I'll just put this one in again since you obviously missed it :

 

But Vanek is just an example, Goose could be another player fitting this description. Basically anybody on the team who aren't easily moved, when they don't want to be.

 

Vanek was an example seeing as he's one of our few big bodies, and 4 hits in 18 games is just a trend on this team, for too many "skill" players.

 

One could go back and forth all night over this, the bottom line is that other teams know that they can push us around all night, and they'll win.

 

How do you counter this? Well, I'm not looking for the second coming of the Broad Street Bullies, but surely it's a pretty good indication that we have too many contact shy players on this team?

 

And in this case, Vanek is a very good example of the kind of player I WOULD like to have - Somebody who can TAKE a hit, rather than dish one, but for such a player to be really effective, you still need to have someone else dishing out something along the boards during a game, just to make the other team play with their heads up.

 

This is no about me no giving credit where credit is due, I'm just saying there needs to be a change of mentality, as well as a change of personnel.

 

There are too many guys getting free passes on this team for past accomplishments. Vanek is one of the few who seems to be taking his game to the next level. Good enough for you?