Stafford needs to go

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I will continue to point out when people make ###### up like this. And now he "cracked" Adam on the head? That's an outright lie.

 

No disrespect, but I suggest you watch the video again.

[Eleven]

No disrespect, but I suggest you watch the video again.

 

He tapped him lightly. He didn't wind up and crack him. And I'll say it again: if Adam can't take that almost fatherly tap on the helmet, that's on Adam.

[SwampD]

He tapped him lightly. He didn't wind up and crack him. And I'll say it again: if Adam can't take that almost fatherly tap on the helmet, that's on Adam.

It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is.

 

:wallbash:

[X. Benedict]

He tapped him lightly. He didn't wind up and crack him. And I'll say it again: if Adam can't take that almost fatherly tap on the helmet, that's on Adam.

:angel:

In a game in which people can punch you in the face for a 5 minute time out, physical contact during instruction is closer to affection than assault.

[X. Benedict]

Not making excuses for Stafford...he's under-performed.

 

But the most troubling stat for me on the roster isn't Stafford or Foligno's lack of production.

 

It is that Ennis only has 5 even strength assists and he's leading all forwards in even strength ice time.

Two of those assists came in the same game.

 

5 even-strength assists. That's behind Steve Ott, tied with Hecht, and only one more than Grigorenko.

 

That is all.

 

He is not moving the puck to the scoring areas.

 

Darcy went all in on this bet. Darcy lost.

Ennis isn't a center.

[Marvelo]

I don't think the Sabres owe him a favor.

 

 

 

I will continue to point out when people make ###### up like this. And now he "cracked" Adam on the head? That's an outright lie.

 

Depends on what your definition of crack is. Like what you're smokin'.

[tom webster]

Not making excuses for Stafford...he's under-performed.

 

But the most troubling stat for me on the roster isn't Stafford or Foligno's lack of production.

 

It is that Ennis only has 5 even strength assists and he's leading all forwards in even strength ice time.

Two of those assists came in the same game.

 

5 even-strength assists. That's behind Steve Ott, tied with Hecht, and only one more than Grigorenko.

 

That is all.

 

He is not moving the puck to the scoring areas.

 

Darcy went all in on this bet. Darcy lost.

Ennis isn't a center.

 

And Lindy knew this.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

:angel:

In a game in which people can punch you in the face for a 5 minute time out, physical contact during instruction is closer to affection than assault.

 

Again....if he tried that with me, I would have yanked the stick out of his hand and chucked it. It's amazing how much flack I got for disecting that video of Lindy with the #1 and #2 prospects in the organization....both of whom were never to be seen again a few months later.

 

But he wouldn't have tried it with me....because Lindy knows who he can control and intimidate. Which is why he is no longer the coach.....you can only squeeze so much life out of the same pool of people before they either retaliate, or give up. Be it a household, a country, or a team.

[darksabre]

 

:angel:

In a game in which people can punch you in the face for a 5 minute time out, physical contact during instruction is closer to affection than assault.

 

When I was a goalie one of my teammates used to tap me on the mask before our games as a joke. How what Ruff did with Adam could be interpreted as demeaning is beyond me. It's no worse than the shin pad tap a lot of teammates give each other, or when players slap their goaltenders leg pads after a good save or period or game.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

When I was a goalie one of my teammates used to tap me on the mask before our games as a joke. How what Ruff did with Adam could be interpreted as demeaning is beyond me. It's no worse than the shin pad tap a lot of teammates give each other, or when players slap their goaltenders leg pads after a good save or period or game.

 

It was absolutely demeaning. He was mad at Kassian for "screwing up", just had Adam doing pushups for "screwing up", then proceeded to verbally nail Adam for all of his screwups in the past as he whacked him on the shin, the head, then continued to blindly flail his stick in the direction of Adam's head.

 

If the player was Drury....and Drury just made an amazing play in practice...and Lindy said..."way to go Chris"...and popped him on the helmet.....then in context that is meaningless.

 

Here's an example......say we have a Sabrespace meetup, and I meet someone here for the first time who has verbally spared with me in the past, yet we seem to be on friendly terms. I shake that person's hand when smiling, and say "good to see you buddy!" and then give a nice whack on the shoulder with my other arm. Then I say, "I know you have made some really crappy statements over the years, but it's really good to see you!"...and then I whack them on the back with a "brotherly tap". And then I say to another poster, "Hey, isn't it good to see this dude?", and give another few whacks to the back of the same person. How would that be taken in context? How would you expect the other person to react? And to top it off, Lindy is in a controlling position of power....which makes it even crappier. There is risk to confronting him if you are Adam.

[qwksndmonster]

Can we not rehash this old debate? It sucked hard enough the first time.

[X. Benedict]

Well freedom has come then. Lindy can't crush Luke's spirit or shrivel his will any more with his his soul sapping and tyrannical instructions on stick control for organizational prospects. :D

 

 

Seriously, i never saw a narrative there. How this incident became an allegory for many here I'll never understand. Common stuff. Anyway......Lindy's the ex-coach.

This is the Rolston era......we have have a Lenscrafters Sunday Flyer Model to debate. :)

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

 

1:15 starts the fun.

 

1:40 you hear Lindy's stick hit Adam in the visor as Lindy flails his stick at him without looking

 

And Kassian firmly being told not to drive through your opponent and keep 2 hands on the stick at all times because....."If there is one thing we are going to do as a team...it is not taking penalties!" according to Ruff.

 

I'm done here, but if this isn't Lindy in a nutshell?......

[PASabreFan]

I missed bio's pic and Social Services getting called to the arena for an abusive father?

[SwampD]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPiC22gNjoM

 

1:15 starts the fun.

 

1:40 you hear Lindy's stick hit Adam in the visor as Lindy flails his stick at him without looking

 

And Kassian firmly being told not to drive through your opponent and keep 2 hands on the stick at all times because....."If there is one thing we are going to do as a team...it is not taking penalties!" according to Ruff.

 

I'm done here, but if this isn't Lindy in a nutshell?......

A. It really was a pretty good crack to the head.

 

B. In the grand scheme of things, it meant absolutely nothing and I doubt if Luke even remembers it.

[qwksndmonster]

Awww, now I miss Lindy. He seems like a good instructor.

[nfreeman]

Not making excuses for Stafford...he's under-performed.

 

But the most troubling stat for me on the roster isn't Stafford or Foligno's lack of production.

 

It is that Ennis only has 5 even strength assists and he's leading all forwards in even strength ice time.

Two of those assists came in the same game.

 

5 even-strength assists. That's behind Steve Ott, tied with Hecht, and only one more than Grigorenko.

 

That is all.

 

He is not moving the puck to the scoring areas.

 

Darcy went all in on this bet. Darcy lost.

Ennis isn't a center.

 

But Ennis would have more assists if his wingers -- Stafford and Foligno for most of the season, both of whom have been MIA for all of the season -- could finish, innit? Did Ennis not make a very sweet dish to Vanek for the one-timer against NJ the other night? I know it was on the PP, but it was still a great play.

 

When I watch Ennis, I see a guy with great speed and very-good-to-great puckhandling, awareness and determination. And if Ennis is leading all forwards in ES ice time, both of his NHL coaches this year must also like what they see.

 

It's quite possible that his size relative to that of most #1 or #2 NHL centers will prevent him from being an effective center on the defensive end. Certainly the Sabres' problems this year have been more concentrated in the defensive zone. OTOH, it's not like Ennis' line is the only one being scored against -- and the defensemen generally are at least as blameworthy as the forwards. And maybe he gets better with experience -- he's only played 40-odd NHL games as a center.

 

As for your point about Ennis being forced to the outside -- don't NHL defensemen try to do this to all puck-carriers? No one gets a free pass into the slot.

 

I'm not ready to give up on Ennis as a center yet.

 

A. It really was a pretty good crack to the head.

 

B. In the grand scheme of things, it meant absolutely nothing and I doubt if Luke even remembers it.

 

Good post.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

A. It really was a pretty good crack to the head.

 

B. In the grand scheme of things, it meant absolutely nothing and I doubt if Luke even remembers it.

 

Because he was concussed! :P

 

For sure it isn't some outrageous display of violence.....and I'm glad the Lindy orchiectomy mill has been shut down...

[Formerly Allan in MD]

Why the hate for Sekera? the man gives a good effort, is willing to actually skate the puck up ice with speed (unlike MAG), and will actually throw a bit of a body check now and then (again unlike MAG). Considering that I will accept his occasional bonehead defensive coverage.

Not much of a "bit."

 

From hat tricks to no tricks.

[deluca67]

I have really enjoyed the physical play that Ennis is bringing to the rink. The kid, despite his stature, is not afraid to get knocked down and a little bloodied. he seems to be willing to make his own room out on the ice.

 

I'm not too worried about the assist total. An assist is a two part equation. If the player receiving the pass doesn't finish than it won't matter if it is Ennis, Crosby or Gretzky making the pass. Put Ennis with Vanek in the early part of the season and the kid would have 20 assists.

[JJFIVEOH]

I don't remember the first time this was talked about. I just watched the video, and are you kidding me? People are making a big deal about that? Wow........

[qwksndmonster]

I don't remember the first time this was talked about. I just watched the video, and are you kidding me? People are making a big deal about that? Wow........

Person :P

[X. Benedict]

But Ennis would have more assists if his wingers -- Stafford and Foligno for most of the season, both of whom have been MIA for all of the season -- could finish, innit? Did Ennis not make a very sweet dish to Vanek for the one-timer against NJ the other night? I know it was on the PP, but it was still a great play.

 

When I watch Ennis, I see a guy with great speed and very-good-to-great puckhandling, awareness and determination. And if Ennis is leading all forwards in ES ice time, both of his NHL coaches this year must also like what they see.

 

It's quite possible that his size relative to that of most #1 or #2 NHL centers will prevent him from being an effective center on the defensive end. Certainly the Sabres' problems this year have been more concentrated in the defensive zone. OTOH, it's not like Ennis' line is the only one being scored against -- and the defensemen generally are at least as blameworthy as the forwards. And maybe he gets better with experience -- he's only played 40-odd NHL games as a center.

 

As for your point about Ennis being forced to the outside -- don't NHL defensemen try to do this to all puck-carriers? No one gets a free pass into the slot.

 

I'm not ready to give up on Ennis as a center yet.

 

Of course it is a battle. But it is one the Ennis is losing.

 

At even strength pucks are just not getting to the slot. He's just is not a guy that can bear down on the puck in

traffic and wait and buy time for his wings to get to scoring areas. He doesn't have that kind of stability on his skates either

(He gets knocked off his skates continually, compare to Pomminstein and hodgson who almost never

get knocked off their skates).

 

I'm not saying Ennis isn't a competitor or a skilled, I'm just saying this hasn't worked.

 

Of course - Ennis' line is just not winning possession either.

His even strength face-off percentage is 39% .......he's losing possession 61% of the time.

 

 

Ennis belongs on the wing, or as a PP specialists.

 

The trouble with this roster is there is no other option for #2 center.

Hell there is barely a good option for #3 center.

 

This is a bad roster.

 

Hodgson was a gamble at #1 ....that has paid off. We have a #1 line.

Ennis was a gamble at #2 - it has lost. There isn't a 2nd line.

Grigorenko was a gamble at #3 ...and that has lost, the kid has lots of potential, he just can't carry the mail yet. There is not logical checking line either.

 

This team is not going to win many.

[X. Benedict]

I have really enjoyed the physical play that Ennis is bringing to the rink. The kid, despite his stature, is not afraid to get knocked down and a little bloodied. he seems to be willing to make his own room out on the ice.

 

Ennis gets knocked off his skates more than any other forward. He gets up, but it is not a good sign for a center.

He only finds room to the outside. Teams will give him the outside every time.

 

 

 

 

I'm not too worried about the assist total. An assist is a two part equation. If the player receiving the pass doesn't finish than it won't matter if it is Ennis, Crosby or Gretzky making the pass. Put Ennis with Vanek in the early part of the season and the kid would have 20 assists.

 

Teams are made of lines. His entries don't break down the zone .

He's not finding his wings inside the circles for shots.

 

Its just how I see it. It ain't working.

I expect similar results going forward. Stafford and Foligno have had weak scoring opportunities.

They are holding possession on the walls, that's working ....Ennis's job is to support and move it inside ...it's not happening.

 

I like Ennis too, its just not a working at center.

[Hank]

I don't remember the first time this was talked about. I just watched the video, and are you kidding me? People are making a big deal about that? Wow........

 

Agreed. I saw absolutely nothing wrong with it. Good grief....