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Lack of scoring


Marvelo

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Let's point out a few obvious factors. This is a fairly new lineup compared to last year. Relatively speaking some new pieces are big parts of the lineup. Moulson wasn't here all year last year, Stewart barely played, the D core is completely revamped and Gionta was added. You don't start off the season on a tear when guys are still getting used to each other. Now let's add in the obvious.......... there is a lack of talent on this team. There are plenty of guys that can score, but there isn't enough talent to force the opposing team to have to defend 3 lines with their best defensive lines. When you can't spread the scoring around your best line is stuck against the best defensive pairings all night long. So the 1st line end up scoring less. It's not because they suck, most of them are doing all they can at this point.

 

It's also not Nolan's fault they aren't scoring. He can only do so much; he has little to work with.

 

Can we also throw in the fact that the Sabres have played arguably the top 3 Cup contenders in 4 of the first 8 games of the season, two of them on back to backs on a west coast trip?

 

This team isn't going to the playoffs this year. We all know it. But, take all those factors into consideration and the rest of the year isn't going to be this bad. They easily could have won last night, and with a lucky bounce could have gotten at least a point tonight. Compared to the first few games of the season, I think these last two were pretty decent so when you take into account who and where they were playing, they can win a few here and there against lesser teams.

 

This is the part I don't buy. Nolan knew what he had last year coming in. You adjust to the parts you have.

 

For example:

Look at what Laviolette is doing in Nashville with a weak hand. His forwards are Neal, a rookie Forsberg and a heep of used parts. Roy, Gaustad, Jokinnen, Wilson. Lavi puts in a modified lock and at least he's averaging 27 shots a game, which is not great, but he's limiting opponents to 29. With decent goaltending Nashville has a chance to win every game.

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8 goals in 8 games. 0 for 27 on the PP. Come on guys. I can appreciate trying to stay positive but this is utterly embarrassing. Hodgson, Stafford, Stewart, Moulson, Gionta, Myers, etc. NOT ONE GOAL!!

 

After the game your coach praises the effort. Can this moron discuss anything other than effort? How about discussing what you are going to do about the PP? You hired the guys you wanted as your coaches. How about some accountability from them?

 

 

 

 

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The number of proven 10+ goal scorers (who should have at least 1 goal by now) on this team that have yet to score is, for me, proof that either Nolan is right, and the guys aren't trying, or he is.the.worst.

 

The complete lack of scoring could also be just luck. Is this team special enough to continue to have a sub 5% shooting percentage all season?

 

Last year the team shot 5.84 at evens...I cannot envision a scenario where this team is somehow a full percentage point worse than that over 82 games. There has to be some degree of bounce back as the season drags on.

 

...right?

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Last year the team shot 5.84 at evens...I cannot envision a scenario where this team is somehow a full percentage point worse than that over 82 games. There has to be some degree of bounce back as the season drags on.

 

...right?

 

I can't imagine Moulson stays invisible the whole season. So there's a chance.

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Last year the team shot 5.84 at evens...I cannot envision a scenario where this team is somehow a full percentage point worse than that over 82 games. There has to be some degree of bounce back as the season drags on.

 

...right?

 

It will even out a little. No way it can possibly sustain this level of incompetence. When it is all said and done we should be similar to last years offensive numbers. That is not saying much but no way we average 1gpg the rest of the way.

 

I just keep reminding myself April is just a little over 5 months away. I will suck it up that long. After that no more excuses. After that no more tank talk. No more sucking on purpose. GMTM's free pass will be over the minute the draft ends. At some point as fans we have to demand better. For me it is July 1, 2015.

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We need to do this...

 

 

That is great. I think when they get back every fan should yell SHOOT as soon as the point man touches the puck on the PP. 18K screaming shoot might actually get the point man to flinch enough that the puck finds the net and distract the goalie enough that it actually goes in.

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This is the part I don't buy. Nolan knew what he had last year coming in. You adjust to the parts you have.

 

For example:

Look at what Laviolette is doing in Nashville with a weak hand. His forwards are Neal, a rookie Forsberg and a heep of used parts. Roy, Gaustad, Jokinnen, Wilson. Lavi puts in a modified lock and at least he's averaging 27 shots a game, which is not great, but he's limiting opponents to 29. With decent goaltending Nashville has a chance to win every game.

 

Since the Preds are my (other) team, the perception of what they have is a little off. They have the best collection of offensively gifted defensemen of any team in the league with Weber, Josi, Seth Jones, Ekholm, and Ryan Ellis (everyone but Volchenkov). So Lavi simply saw what he had and allowed those guys to carry the puck and generate offense from the back-end. I am in total agreement that a good coach should see what he has and go with it. That's what Lavi did. As well, some of the Preds forwards are very underrated - in particular Craig Smith and Colin Wilson. Ribero has been playing well, as has Derek Roy (and Neal, of course). And, Forsberg, Beck and Jarnkrok are all good looking rookies.

 

While everyone around here seems happy that Myers isn't a complete catastrophe so far this year, I can't help but think he'd probably be the 5th best defenseman on the Preds. My personal take on what is wrong with the Sabres is we don't have a single above-average offensive defenseman. We had one last year (The Hoff) and now we have none. In today's game your defenseman need to score and your forwards need to defend. We don't do well with either.

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Since the Preds are my (other) team, the perception of what they have is a little off. They have the best collection of offensively gifted defensemen of any team in the league with Weber, Josi, Seth Jones, Ekholm, and Ryan Ellis (everyone but Volchenkov). So Lavi simply saw what he had and allowed those guys to carry the puck and generate offense from the back-end. I am in total agreement that a good coach should see what he has and go with it. That's what Lavi did. As well, some of the Preds forwards are very underrated - in particular Craig Smith and Colin Wilson. Ribero has been playing well, as has Derek Roy (and Neal, of course). And, Forsberg, Beck and Jarnkrok are all good looking rookies.

 

 

Thanks for that.

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Since the Preds are my (other) team, the perception of what they have is a little off. They have the best collection of offensively gifted defensemen of any team in the league with Weber, Josi, Seth Jones, Ekholm, and Ryan Ellis (everyone but Volchenkov). So Lavi simply saw what he had and allowed those guys to carry the puck and generate offense from the back-end. I am in total agreement that a good coach should see what he has and go with it. That's what Lavi did. As well, some of the Preds forwards are very underrated - in particular Craig Smith and Colin Wilson. Ribero has been playing well, as has Derek Roy (and Neal, of course). And, Forsberg, Beck and Jarnkrok are all good looking rookies.

 

While everyone around here seems happy that Myers isn't a complete catastrophe so far this year, I can't help but think he'd probably be the 5th best defenseman on the Preds. My personal take on what is wrong with the Sabres is we don't have a single above-average offensive defenseman. We had one last year (The Hoff) and now we have none. In today's game your defenseman need to score and your forwards need to defend. We don't do well with either.

 

Not to mention the fact that the Sabres have an entirely new defensive core. So even if they had a ton of talent, you just don't go into a new season with everybody gelling. That's not something Nolan (or any coach) can fix overnight.

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That's actually a pretty damn funny video. Crazy thing I was in this Mexican swap meat today and u will never guess what commercial pop up in spanish. Celino and Barnes injury attorneys. I almost fell over laughing.

 

What in the ###### is "Mexican swap meat," and how were you in it? Are you still alive? SabresBillsFan? Hello?

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