I am Defecting Posted March 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 It's really been an emotional roller coaster with our young defenseman, Weber, as you said, and even Gragnini, considering the hype late last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
korab rules Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 Speaking of improving young defensemen, I think Weber has been playing great on this roadie. Very steady, good decision-making, playing a tough game in front of Miller and respectable at the offensive blue line as well. He got over 20 minutes of ice time vs Vancouver and SJ. I think starting the year on the bench really set him back, but he's found his game at the right time. It's really been an emotional roller coaster with our young defenseman, Weber, as you said, and even Gragnini, considering the hype late last year. Like pucks through a goalie's five hole, so are the foibles of a young NHL defenseman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I am Defecting Posted March 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 Thanks Korab. I should have tempered my expectations with these dashing young (defense)men. If Days of Our Lives has taught me anything, it's that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKnowPhysics Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 I never really liked Sekera. I thought he was unreliable in the defensive zone, often misreading plays and causing turnovers. But I think since January or so, he has started to find his game. I think a big reason for this is being paired with rock-solid own-ender Regher as opposed to offensive-minded Ehrhoff. I like him in this pairing much, much better. Circumstantially, I think the change in pairing has caused Ehrhoff's game to improve, as he's been away from offensive Sekera and paired with defense-first Weber. A lot of the Ehrhoff-Weber pairing's improvement has also come from Weber as he's improved radically from the slow start he had when he was called back up. I think one of the coaching staff's epiphanies this season was that they couldn't stack a team with all offensive defensemen and expect to automatically score five goals a game- breakouts start from forcing turnovers in your defensive end, and you need good defensive players to make that happen. Staggering offensive defensemen with reliable defensive defensemen helps the team greatly. Repairing the defense accordingly and forcing the team through a refocusing period on defensive fundamentals I think helped to cause the rejuvenation we're watching now. Myers (two-way, more offense recently)-Leopold (two-way, more defense recently) Sekera (offense)-Regher (defense) Ehrhoff (offense)-Weber (defense) Perhaps that's why MAGs didn't see much playing time later on in his Sabres tenure and maybe why he was deemed expendable: Weber was proving to be more reliable defensively and we have several offensive defensemen up-and-coming for the future in Pysyk, Scheistel, and Brennan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5th line wingnutt Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 I never really liked Sekera. I thought he was unreliable in the defensive zone, often misreading plays and causing turnovers. But I think since January or so, he has started to find his game. I think a big reason for this is being paired with rock-solid own-ender Regher as opposed to offensive-minded Ehrhoff. I like him in this pairing much, much better. Circumstantially, I think the change in pairing has caused Ehrhoff's game to improve, as he's been away from offensive Sekera and paired with defense-first Weber. A lot of the Ehrhoff-Weber pairing's improvement has also come from Weber as he's improved radically from the slow start he had when he was called back up. I think one of the coaching staff's epiphanies this season was that they couldn't stack a team with all offensive defensemen and expect to automatically score five goals a game- breakouts start from forcing turnovers in your defensive end, and you need good defensive players to make that happen. Staggering offensive defensemen with reliable defensive defensemen helps the team greatly. Repairing the defense accordingly and forcing the team through a refocusing period on defensive fundamentals I think helped to cause the rejuvenation we're watching now. Myers (two-way, more offense recently)-Leopold (two-way, more defense recently) Sekera (offense)-Regher (defense) Ehrhoff (offense)-Weber (defense) Perhaps that's why MAGs didn't see much playing time later on in his Sabres tenure and maybe why he was deemed expendable: Weber was proving to be more reliable defensively and we have several offensive defensemen up-and-coming for the future in Pysyk, Scheistel, and Brennan. I agree. A good pairing is a physical stay-at-home guy plus a more offensive guy. Of course it always helps when both d-men can help out both ways. I had noticed Sekera getting more engaged physically and liked it. I think it made MAG more expendable. I wonder if Vancouver really wanted Sekera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesportsbuff Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 Sekera has quietly been one of our most consistent (not necessarily 'best') defensemen for the better part of three seasons. He doesn't always have it in him to make the 'perfect' defensive play, but he makes a lot of nice little plays here and there that prevent scoring opportunities, and he's great at recovering if he makes a mistake. It's not every day you get a defenseman who can generate offense single handedly, and play a pretty solid defensive game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I am Defecting Posted March 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 Finally he is playing like he played in the Olympics. I've been waiting for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChimp Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 Finally he is playing like he played in the Olympics. I've been waiting for that. Funny, I was about to bring up the Olympics (it's that mind meld thing you and I got going here), as I remembered that following those games, he really stepped up his game for the Sabres for a while when he came back. He hasn't been consistent with it, but I have to agree, the word "Liability" hasn't occurred to me to use for Sekera in a very long time. Now Weber...I guess he really has improved on this road trip, now that I'm forced to really think about it. Let's see if this means anything long-term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I am Defecting Posted March 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 I guess he blew it tonight. I didn't watch the game, but I heard he was culpable on the first goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted March 6, 2012 Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 Speaking of improving young defensemen, I think Weber has been playing great on this roadie. Very steady, good decision-making, playing a tough game in front of Miller and respectable at the offensive blue line as well. He got over 20 minutes of ice time vs Vancouver and SJ. I think starting the year on the bench really set him back, but he's found his game at the right time. Got a close look at Weber live in Vancouver where he filled the Regehr role. He was a beast in front of the net. Loved his battle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
korab rules Posted March 6, 2012 Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 I guess he blew it tonight. I didn't watch the game, but I heard he was culpable on the first goal. Yup, had his back to the net, Ladd in front of him. Miller kicked a rebound right out to Ladd and shakira was too far away to do anything. Miller was a rebound machine last night. Low shots into the pads may have been their game plan. Hard to absorb those shots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I am Defecting Posted March 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 Yeah, I finally saw the highlights. Listened to the game, and Gare gave me the impression the Sekera flaked out on Ladd. Maybe in slow-motion it looked like he was slow to pickup Ladd, but in real time, the fat rebound was most noticeable. Regarding Miller, he was handling the low shots beautifully earlier in the trip. He's like an exotic car, maybe a Lambo, and we know it's been 5,000 miles, but we're waiting to see a performance drop before we change the oil. If it were my car, I'd be changing the oil and filter, every 3,000, and giving it a full inspection, even if I meant I had to drive a Corvette, or Mustang, got forbid, until I got 'er back from the shop. That analogy sounds like something the Bulldog would come up with, besides the jab at american auto. Sekera is more like a diesel Audi Quattro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted March 6, 2012 Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 Yup, had his back to the net, Ladd in front of him. Miller kicked a rebound right out to Ladd and shakira was too far away to do anything. Miller was a rebound machine last night. Low shots into the pads may have been their game plan. Hard to absorb those shots. I watched the TSN feed last night. All game long the announcing team was talking about "shooting with purpose", the idea of shooting for a rebound. They specifically talked of low pad shots that Miller can't smother. Winnipeg did a ton of that last night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
korab rules Posted March 6, 2012 Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 I watched the TSN feed last night. All game long the announcing team was talking about "shooting with purpose", the idea of shooting for a rebound. They specifically talked of low pad shots that Miller can't smother. Winnipeg did a ton of that last night. They did. It's certainly not a strange concept - that strategy was introduced to my kids at the Mite age, and it's pretty effective no matter the level. The Sabres did a good job of tying up sticks on the other opportunities, but Shakira got caught watching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted March 6, 2012 Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 They did. It's certainly not a strange concept - that strategy was introduced to my kids at the Mite age, and it's pretty effective no matter the level. The Sabres did a good job of tying up sticks on the other opportunities, but Shakira got caught watching. I know it is not a revolutionary concept, but it can seem strange when you are used to watching a pro team that shoots for a goalie's center mass on a regualr basis. :ph34r: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I am Defecting Posted March 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 I know it is not a revolutionary concept, but it can seem strange when you are used to watching a pro team that shoots for a goalie's center mass on a regualr basis. :ph34r: Could it be they are shooting for his stick paddle? You know, cause he has problems handling the puck? :huh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampD Posted March 6, 2012 Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 I know it is not a revolutionary concept, but it can seem strange when you are used to watching a pro team that shoots for a goalie's center mass on a regualr basis. :ph34r: This made me chuckle. I think they play for the faceoff because whoever is shooting knows darn well that there won't be another Sabre in front of the net to get the rebound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKnowPhysics Posted March 6, 2012 Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 Perhaps that's why MAGs didn't see much playing time later on in his Sabres tenure and maybe why he was deemed expendable: Weber was proving to be more reliable defensively and we have several offensive defensemen up-and-coming for the future in Pysyk, Scheistel, and Brennan. And of course as soon as I even mention Scheistel in passing, he's loaned to Texas (read: traded). http://theahl.com/stats/transactions.php?f_season_id=37&f_team_id=323 http://blogs.democratandchronicle.com/kevino/?p=2220 One unwritten organizational rule the Sabres probably will continue to follow: not to loan a player who is under contract for next season. “If he’s back with your team the next year, it’s kind of an awkward situation,” Devine said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spndnchz Posted March 6, 2012 Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 And of course as soon as I even mention Scheistel in passing, he's loaned to Texas (read: traded). http://theahl.com/st...7&f_team_id=323 http://blogs.democra.../kevino/?p=2220 We're talking over here http://forums.sabrespace.com/topic/20306-2011-2012-amerks-thread/page__view__findpost__p__372343 Come on in, the waters warm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peppy22 Posted March 6, 2012 Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 Sekera has a great 2nd half of this season but overall I dont think he has been our best D-Men this year. That's Leopold for me. Leopold had a bad stretch as well but not as bad as Sekera earlier this season. I remember 3 or 4 weeks were I was afraid when he had the puck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted March 7, 2012 Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 Sekera has a great 2nd half of this season but overall I dont think he has been our best D-Men this year. That's Leopold for me. Leopold had a bad stretch as well but not as bad as Sekera earlier this season. I remember 3 or 4 weeks were I was afraid when he had the puck. Leopold made 2 mistakes against the Jets I've never seen an NHL defensman make. He's lost right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChimp Posted March 7, 2012 Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 I know it is not a revolutionary concept, but it can seem strange when you are used to watching a pro team that shoots for a goalie's center mass on a regualr basis. :ph34r: Well, that and the high glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RazielSabre Posted March 7, 2012 Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 Sekera has a great 2nd half of this season but overall I dont think he has been our best D-Men this year. That's Leopold for me. Leopold had a bad stretch as well but not as bad as Sekera earlier this season. I remember 3 or 4 weeks were I was afraid when he had the puck. Aside from the time he was out and considering it's his 1st year Ehrhoff has been pretty good for us I'd say. Possibly our best, most consistent. Sekera had a really bad stretch and Leopold has gone silent before too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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