jimiVbaby Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 right - i meant during the game against the swiss. Ah gotcha. The fact that he realizes the ramifications of taking a run at a player in the medal round of the tourney is a testament to his recent maturity. Two years ago he'd be looking to take someone's head off every game no matter what bad situation he put his team into. I haven't been a big supporter of Zack and still think he'll be a marginal player in the NHL but he SHOULD dominate a tournament like this based on his size. The fact he's not able to make an impact on a game where he really has to temper his physicality shows his limited hockey skill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That Aud Smell Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 he SHOULD dominate a tournament like this based on his size. The fact he's not able to make an impact on a game where he really has to temper his physicality shows his limited hockey skill. this is precisely the concern that crept in for me as yesterday's game wore on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunomatic Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 this is precisely the concern that crept in for me as yesterday's game wore on. If Kassian is invisible in a game as important as todays on the biggest stage of his career up to this point then I'm with you on feeling concern about his game. Something to remember is that although built like a wall this guy like the others is still just a kid. His development hasn't stopped yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two or less Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 i was being a bit flip on the foligno/kennedy angle. what i had in mind was that he might be another young "hometown" player who's a marginal nhl talent. as you point out, i may have noticed kassian on the fringe of several scrums because he was trying to stay out of trouble. that said, he made several attempts to line up a spectacular hit -- none of them connected. Foligno has a great first and second game, and also won player of the game vs. Sweden. I think he'd doing just alright. Kassian had a monster game vs. the Russians and had several big hits. Then he got suspended the next game for two and did look somewhat flat last night, probably a bit extra tense since he didn't want to do anything stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calvin Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 Foligno has a great first and second game, and also won player of the game vs. Sweden. I think he'd doing just alright. Kassian had a monster game vs. the Russians and had several big hits. Then he got suspended the next game for two and did look somewhat flat last night, probably a bit extra tense since he didn't want to do anything stupid. I can see Foligno turning into our Grier replacement, hopefully with more offensive output. Scrappy, natural third-liner not afraid to fight for the puck in the messy areas. Kassian.. alas, if he only turns into a Kaleta with bigger hits and a few more goals then that will be a waste of a high draft pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robviously Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 Kassian.. alas, if he only turns into a Kaleta with bigger hits and a few more goals then that will be a waste of a high draft pick. I don't think he's destined to be another Kaleta. For starters, he's 3" taller and 30-40 pounds heavier. Opposing players hate playing against Kaleta; now imagine that same game being played by a guy who can really hurt you. Kassian's upside is that he completely changes the character of our team. When is the last time the Sabres had a player that opposing teams were actually afraid of? Kassian isn't just a guy who goes into the corners, he seems enthusiastic about delivering hard, borderline-dirty hits that will hurt you. He's not going to let up at the last second like we see Gaustad and Grier do all the time. After seeing that he's done in juniors and in the WJC, I wouldn't feel especially safe playing against him. You forget what you're doing out there for one second and you might end up with a brain injury. That's a much different experience from playing against Tim Connolly, Derek Roy, or even Patrick Kaleta. I don't want the Sabres to be an easy team to play against. I want opposing teams to see the Sabres on the schedule and think "Great, we're either going to get run into the boards by Kassian, Foligno, McNabb, Weber, Kaleta, etc., or end up fighting all of them." And while they're worried about dealing with our aggressive players, that gives our skill guys like Vanek, Ennis, and Roy a lot more room to maneuver. That's what I'm hoping we get out of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That Aud Smell Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 I don't think he's destined to be another Kaleta. For starters, he's 3" taller and 30-40 pounds heavier. Opposing players hate playing against Kaleta; now imagine that same game being played by a guy who can really hurt you. Kassian's upside is that he completely changes the character of our team. When is the last time the Sabres had a player that opposing teams were actually afraid of? Kassian isn't just a guy who goes into the corners, he seems enthusiastic about delivering hard, borderline-dirty hits that will hurt you. He's not going to let up at the last second like we see Gaustad and Grier do all the time. After seeing that he's done in juniors and in the WJC, I wouldn't feel especially safe playing against him. You forget what you're doing out there for one second and you might end up with a brain injury. That's a much different experience from playing against Tim Connolly, Derek Roy, or even Patrick Kaleta. I don't want the Sabres to be an easy team to play against. I want opposing teams to see the Sabres on the schedule and think "Great, we're either going to get run into the boards by Kassian, Foligno, McNabb, Weber, Kaleta, etc., or end up fighting all of them." And while they're worried about dealing with our aggressive players, that gives our skill guys like Vanek, Ennis, and Roy a lot more room to maneuver. That's what I'm hoping we get out of this. interesting post - and a vision worth dreaming about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 I don't think he's destined to be another Kaleta. For starters, he's 3" taller and 30-40 pounds heavier. Opposing players hate playing against Kaleta; now imagine that same game being played by a guy who can really hurt you. Kassian's upside is that he completely changes the character of our team. When is the last time the Sabres had a player that opposing teams were actually afraid of? Kassian isn't just a guy who goes into the corners, he seems enthusiastic about delivering hard, borderline-dirty hits that will hurt you. He's not going to let up at the last second like we see Gaustad and Grier do all the time. Brad May was the last one. Larry Playfair before him. They are about the only two genuinely intimidating players the Sabres have EVER had. After seeing that he's done in juniors and in the WJC, I wouldn't feel especially safe playing against him. You forget what you're doing out there for one second and you might end up with a brain injury. That's a much different experience from playing against Tim Connolly, Derek Roy, or even Patrick Kaleta. I don't want the Sabres to be an easy team to play against. I want opposing teams to see the Sabres on the schedule and think "Great, we're either going to get run into the boards by Kassian, Foligno, McNabb, Weber, Kaleta, etc., or end up fighting all of them." And while they're worried about dealing with our aggressive players, that gives our skill guys like Vanek, Ennis, and Roy a lot more room to maneuver. That's what I'm hoping we get out of this. I don't see where everyone gets Kassian is just going to be a big, mean body. The kid has really good hands and he passes the puck well. And he did a terrific job of back checking. The Canada team had the 12 best forwards in junior hockey, and Kassian was good enough to find himself on the #1 PP unit. This kid has enough talent to be a top 6 winger if he develops as projected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calvin Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 I don't want the Sabres to be an easy team to play against. I want opposing teams to see the Sabres on the schedule and think "Great, we're either going to get run into the boards by Kassian, Foligno, McNabb, Weber, Kaleta, etc., or end up fighting all of them." YES! Wouldn't that be fantastic?! In fact, that would set the tone as to what kind of UFAs we want here, and the overall team attitude too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robviously Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 I don't see where everyone gets Kassian is just going to be a big, mean body. The kid has really good hands and he passes the puck well. And he did a terrific job of back checking. The Canada team had the 12 best forwards in junior hockey, and Kassian was good enough to find himself on the #1 PP unit. This kid has enough talent to be a top 6 winger if he develops as projected. Michael Peca was interviewed by Mike Schopp last week and said he thought he had 30 goal/season potential. [Let's not get too excited; Drew Stafford was also heralded as a potential 30-goal scorer and so far all we have to show for it is one 20-goal season.] I do think Kassian can score consistently in the NHL. Superior size and strength goes a long way, and anyone with his temperament who crashes the net is going to make things happen. Like a lot of people here, I see him as a top-6 forward while Foligno becomes a staple of our 3rd/checking line. (Both guys played in front of the net on Canada's PP in the WJC, BTW.) I'd like to try Kassian playing RW for Vanek and Roy. That'd be a lot for the other team to worry about all at once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sterling Archer Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 I look at Kassian as a bit more flashy and hard ass version of Dustin Brown with a little sprinkle of Barnaby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 I look at Kassian as a bit more flashy and hard ass version of Dustin Brown with a little sprinkle of Barnaby. I'm hoping for a bigger angrier version of Ryan Clowe. Well, this year's Ryan Clowe who has 35pts in 40 games. :clapping: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two or less Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 I can see Foligno turning into our Grier replacement, hopefully with more offensive output. Scrappy, natural third-liner not afraid to fight for the puck in the messy areas. Kassian.. alas, if he only turns into a Kaleta with bigger hits and a few more goals then that will be a waste of a high draft pick. That's is why it's so important to develop him right, and not rush him, because if he's just a Kaleta, he's a major bust. As the one dude said, he needs to be a Dustin Brown or like a Milan Lucic. Btw, awesome feature on the Foligno family was aired last night on TSN before the US game... watch here- http://watch.tsn.ca/clip396103#clip396103 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robviously Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 I'm hoping for a bigger angrier version of Ryan Clowe. Well, this year's Ryan Clowe who has 35pts in 40 games. :clapping: Slightly OT, but I caught a Ryan Clowe interview on HNiC's "After-Hours" show and apparently he's from the same town as Luke Adam and they work out together in the off-season. They asked him about Adam being the latest guy from that town to enter the NHL and Clowe had some good things to say about him. Hopefully Adam learns a few things from Clowe when trying to find his way in the NHL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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