GDT - Leafs at Sabres 7pm

[SabresFan526]

I think I may be an odd man out on this, but I thought Hecht played a very solid game. I have made no bones about how I absolutely love the Hecht-Gaustad-Grier line. Hecht looked like he belonged on the wing. The line was a very good line playing very sound in the defensive zone and creating a lot of offensive chances. I think this line will be the best two-way line for Buffalo this year and will be the shutdown line Lindy uses against every team's top line. I thought that line had a great game, and I thought Hecht looked pretty good last night.

 

If we were to compare the games of Hecht and Tallinder, I'd easily say Hecht played a better game and looked good (not great or fantastic but good). Tallinder did not look great at all.

 

I also thought Butler had a terrible game last night. I know he's much better than how he played last night, but I thought he looked awful.

 

I also was not overly impressed with Myers either. I thought he was okay, but nothing special.

 

I think Kennedy is going to be really good, but I'm not sure he's a very good centerman. He's terrible on faceoffs. Aside from faceoffs, I felt that Kennedy looked pretty good in general.

 

I really liked that fourth line with Cowan-Ellis-McCormick. However, something tells me Cowan is going to be sent down. Once Mair comes back, they'll only be room for two extra forwards, and those are likely to be Ellis and McCormick.

 

I like Nathan Paetsch. I think he's a pretty good player, and I hope he gets the opportunity to be a regular player this season. Unfortunately for him, there are more talented guys in the system than him and he tends to lose opportunities because of that, but if given an opportunity, he can really play. I could very easily see Lindy sending both Cowan and McCormick down and keeping either Weber or Myers up to start the season with Ellis as the extra forward and Paetsch as the guy who will be the tweener who will play forward when there's an injury or will play defense when there's an injury. I suspect Lindy will go into the season with a 7 man defensive rotation and Paetsch will play when there's an injury.

[LabattBlue]

-The Sabres looked dominant the first 40 minutes...then failed to show up AT ALL in the final 20. Not a good sign for things ahead.

 

I'll chalk this up to the preseason and a lot of players in the lineup who will not be there come opening night. I really hope this is being addressed as it has been a BIG problem for the last couple of years.

 

Oh God, I have to add this:

 

The popcorn had to be a week old. They didn't even bother to warm it. I couldn't take it back and complain as my kids were looking forward to the popcorn all day.

 

But the Coke. Crap, the swill tasted like rancid medicine. What gives? I took that back, as my Coke can not taste like rancid swill. They poured another from a different fountain - tasted just as bad. They gave me my money back.

 

They had seriously better address the concessions issues before opening night. I've heard a lot of complaints about that this preseason.

The popcorn at the arena is almost always either too salty, stale or both. The concessions as a whole are overpriced. Stick with nachos, soft pretzel w/cheese, fried baloney w/peppers, onions and cheese, bottled pop and beer in a can or bottle.

[end the curse]

I think I may be an odd man out on this, but I thought Hecht played a very solid game. I have made no bones about how I absolutely love the Hecht-Gaustad-Grier line. Hecht looked like he belonged on the wing. The line was a very good line playing very sound in the defensive zone and creating a lot of offensive chances. I think this line will be the best two-way line for Buffalo this year and will be the shutdown line Lindy uses against every team's top line. I thought that line had a great game, and I thought Hecht looked pretty good last night.

 

If we were to compare the games of Hecht and Tallinder, I'd easily say Hecht played a better game and looked good (not great or fantastic but good). Tallinder did not look great at all.

 

I also thought Butler had a terrible game last night. I know he's much better than how he played last night, but I thought he looked awful.

 

I also was not overly impressed with Myers either. I thought he was okay, but nothing special.

 

I think Kennedy is going to be really good, but I'm not sure he's a very good centerman. He's terrible on faceoffs. Aside from faceoffs, I felt that Kennedy looked pretty good in general.

 

I really liked that fourth line with Cowan-Ellis-McCormick. However, something tells me Cowan is going to be sent down. Once Mair comes back, they'll only be room for two extra forwards, and those are likely to be Ellis and McCormick.

 

I like Nathan Paetsch. I think he's a pretty good player, and I hope he gets the opportunity to be a regular player this season. Unfortunately for him, there are more talented guys in the system than him and he tends to lose opportunities because of that, but if given an opportunity, he can really play. I could very easily see Lindy sending both Cowan and McCormick down and keeping either Weber or Myers up to start the season with Ellis as the extra forward and Paetsch as the guy who will be the tweener who will play forward when there's an injury or will play defense when there's an injury. I suspect Lindy will go into the season with a 7 man defensive rotation and Paetsch will play when there's an injury.

Were we watching the same game? Wow...I don't think it's humanly possible to disagree more with a post than I do with yours. Almost no common ground to work with - accept the part disliking Tallinder and respecting Paetsch. I guess it's like going to a show; one person comes back saying it was the worst acting performance they have ever seen in their entire lives, while the guy sitting next to them tells his friends it moved him deeply and deserves to sweep all the "Best of" awards shows.

[carpandean]

-The Sabres looked dominant the first 40 minutes...then failed to show up AT ALL in the final 20. Not a good sign for things ahead.

-The Sabres dominating the first two periods, then giving up in the third (aka failing to play the full 60).

I was only half watching in the third, but I'd say that it was more that they were playing a designed defensive system to protect the lead than "taking the period off." Certain individuals may have been slacking, but as a team, they settled back into the trap. Even the Leaf's coach said so after the game. A reported asked him if he was happy about how much better they played in the third and he said that the Sabres took it to them for two periods and then sat back in a prevent defense for the third to protect the lead. Yeah, they had more shots, but with the exception of some bad individual decisions or mistakes, they weren't getting quality opportunities. Not saying that I love the idea of them taking the pressure off to sit back and protect, but I don't think it was an effort thing.

 

 

-Seemed like the Sabres were DESTROYED in faceoffs. Anyone have stats on that?

Faceoff Report

 

Roy and Ellis were on fire, Pommer did surprisingly well, while Kennedy and Goose had bad games.

 

Kennedy has been inconsistent on faceoffs, but he's a relatively recent convert, having been a winger prior to last season. What I don't get is that guys like MacArthur and Kennedy say that they go to Goose for faceoff help. Yes, Goose is the best faceoff guy on the team, but he's also 6'5". He uses his size and strength in winning faceoffs. These kids don't have that. They should look to Derek Roy, who is closer to their own size and nearly as capable (statistically, anyway.) Actually, Moore was the guy to learn from in his brief stint here.

[shrader]

I was only half watching in the third, but I'd say that it was more that they were playing a designed defensive system to protect the lead than "taking the period off." Certain individuals may have been slacking, but as a team, they settled back into the trap. Even the Leaf's coach said so after the game. A reported asked him if he was happy about how much better they played in the third and he said that the Sabres took it to them for two periods and then sat back in a prevent defense for the third to protect the lead. Yeah, they had more shots, but with the exception of some bad individual decisions or mistakes, they weren't getting quality opportunities. Not saying that I love the idea of them taking the pressure off to sit back and protect, but I don't think it was an effort thing.

 

Yeah, it definitely came off as a trial type thing to me. Play that system and see how certain players handle it. It certainly wasn't anyting to panic about.

[nfreeman]

My 2 cents:

 

1. I thought Myers looked pretty good -- calm, in control, and generally like he belongs at this level. Not particularly physical, but more of that may come in time.

 

2. I too really liked the Gaustad-Hecht-Grier line. They were very effective. If that line plays that well all year, Hecht will still be way overpaid, but he won't be a complete washout like last year either.

 

3. MacArthur may get there, but right now he's not ready for prime time on the #2 line.

 

4. Kennedy, OTOH, looks like he could get there pretty soon. He looks like he has good hockey IQ and is a creator on offense. I'd love to see him on the #2 line with Roy and Stafford.

 

5. I thought Pommer looked pretty good -- enough that I'm cautiously optimistic about a bounceback year for him.

 

6. Roy looks the same as last year -- talented but spotty. He just doesn't seem to progress. It would be great if he were the #6 or #7 forward (like in '05-'07), and not the #3 or #4.

 

7. I didn't see anything out of Tallinder to make me think this year will be any better.

 

8. I liked the "jam" line of Ellis, Cowan and McCormick. Great scrum in the 3rd (I think) with those 3 and Montador. In fact, there was no backing down all game from the allegedly new and improved belligerent, truculent, blah blah blah Leafs.

[SabresBillsFan]

One of the Toronto's broadcasters was ranting and raving about how good Tyler Myers is and that he is definetly NHL ready! I watched the game on the computer and he is very calm with the puck and seems to me he is getting better with each game. He needs to stay up with the Sabres. The only thing I see that he needs to do more is throw his weight around and get nasty in front of the net and hopefully Rivet or Montador's toughness will rub off on this kid.

[Eric in Akron]

My thoughts on Myers is that he is not physical enough. In the corners, he should be moving bodies out of the way. Maybe he needs more upper body strength, I don't know. At 6' 8" he should be a physical presence and clearing bodies in front of the net and to get to the puck out from the corners.

 

His positioning seems good and he seems to make good decisions overall, which is great considering his inexperience.

[VansTheMans]

Im not convinced the Sabres can "play the trap" and try to sit on a one goal lead in the third. I dont think they have it in them.

 

Toronto came dangerously close to evening the game in the third period. They had several scoring chances. Buffalo looked like they were running around with their head chopped off several times in their own zone.

 

The Sabres are best when they're aggressive and trying to score.

[...]

The Sabres are best when they're aggressive and trying to score.

 

 

Agreed. Whatever they're trying to do on D still isn't working right and they simply can't hang playing a completely defensive game.

[VansTheMans]

I think I may be an odd man out on this, but I thought Hecht played a very solid game. I have made no bones about how I absolutely love the Hecht-Gaustad-Grier line. Hecht looked like he belonged on the wing. The line was a very good line playing very sound in the defensive zone and creating a lot of offensive chances. I think this line will be the best two-way line for Buffalo this year and will be the shutdown line Lindy uses against every team's top line. I thought that line had a great game, and I thought Hecht looked pretty good last night.

 

If we were to compare the games of Hecht and Tallinder, I'd easily say Hecht played a better game and looked good (not great or fantastic but good). Tallinder did not look great at all.

 

 

 

I co-sign this. Hecht played a solid game. He made one lazy play that sticks out in my mind, but other than that, I thought him and his line were the best Buffalo line of the night.

[FogBat]

My 2 cents:

 

1. I thought Myers looked pretty good -- calm, in control, and generally like he belongs at this level. Not particularly physical, but more of that may come in time.

 

2. I too really liked the Gaustad-Hecht-Grier line. They were very effective. If that line plays that well all year, Hecht will still be way overpaid, but he won't be a complete washout like last year either.

 

3. MacArthur may get there, but right now he's not ready for prime time on the #2 line.

 

4. Kennedy, OTOH, looks like he could get there pretty soon. He looks like he has good hockey IQ and is a creator on offense. I'd love to see him on the #2 line with Roy and Stafford.

 

5. I thought Pommer looked pretty good -- enough that I'm cautiously optimistic about a bounceback year for him.

 

6. Roy looks the same as last year -- talented but spotty. He just doesn't seem to progress. It would be great if he were the #6 or #7 forward (like in '05-'07), and not the #3 or #4.

 

7. I didn't see anything out of Tallinder to make me think this year will be any better.

 

8. I liked the "jam" line of Ellis, Cowan and McCormick. Great scrum in the 3rd (I think) with those 3 and Montador. In fact, there was no backing down all game from the allegedly new and improved belligerent, truculent, blah blah blah Leafs.

Sorry I didn't catch the game. I may have to change my attitude about watching the team this year and actually sign up to watch some games online at nhl.com (for honesty and integrity's sake).

 

As for the BOLD, there appears to be a general consensus amongst fellow board members that Tallinder should go. In all honesty, once his contract is up, I don't see any other team picking him up. Who knows? Maybe he'll play alongside Peter Forsberg.

 

BTW, do you have a link that shows how much longer Hank is signed with the Sabres?

[shrader]

 

BTW, do you have a link that shows how much longer Hank is signed with the Sabres?

 

No link needed. He's in the last year of his deal.

[Calvin]

I also thought Butler had a terrible game last night. I know he's much better than how he played last night, but I thought he looked awful.

I'm wondering why no one is even talking about this! He was abysmal! Bad turnovers, no vision, poor in covering his man and needed Myers to bail him out a few times. We can't just assume that Butler is a cornerstone in this team. Agreed he was very good last season in the limited expectations we had of him, but I also believe he is not ready to be anointed as part of our shutdown pair.

 

Then again, he might have just had a bad day. I didn't watch any of the other preseason games he was in, any observations.

 

Oh yeah, I might have to take back what I said about the Montador signing. When we picked him up I was quite excited about it. Now, not so much. He might have been the worst Sabre on the ice. Yes he got fluttering jabs on the goal, but nothing convincing. Either he's not got the offseason out of his system yet, or else the Bruins knew what they were doing when they let him go.

 

The last thing we need is for him to pair up with Rivet, and have Rivet nurse his backside throughout the season!