What is right with the Sabres!

[GASabresIUFAN]

Apparently our PK is 4th in the NHL. ROR for 5 players picks and prospects isn’t a hockey trade.

 

Hockey trade are Seth Jones for Johanson or Ennis/Foligno for Pommers/Scandella

[Radar]

Apparently our PK is 4th in the NHL. ROR for 5 players picks and prospects isn’t a hockey trade.

Hockey trade are Seth Jones for Johanson or Ennis/Foligno for Pommers/Scandella

You give something to get something. I like it for us though. Scandella and Pommers filled a need at forward and defense.

Did he just go right past Antipin?

Edited October 28, 2017 by Radar

[Pokey Jones]

Antipin showed more bright moments again in this SJ game. I think he's just finding some difficulty in adjusting to NA and learning English etc. At times he makes a great play but then just goes to the wall and waits, looks like he is unsure of what the rest of the guys are doing.  

Maybe they should trade for a Russian that speaks really good English to room with him. Give him time, I think Antipin is a perfect fit for Housley's system and will be great in a year or so.  

[French Collection]

Antipin's stretch pass led to our second goal today, no assist but a nice play.

 

I like him and hope he keeps learning.

[thewookie1]

Antipin showed more bright moments again in this SJ game. I think he's just finding some difficulty in adjusting to NA and learning English etc. At times he makes a great play but then just goes to the wall and waits, looks like he is unsure of what the rest of the guys are doing.  

Maybe they should trade for a Russian that speaks really good English to room with him. Give him time, I think Antipin is a perfect fit for Housley's system and will be great in a year or so.  

 

For once I agree with you, now we'd just need to find a cheap effective Russian to fill that role.

[Wyldnwoody44]

What is right with the Sabres.

 

 

Hmm, well stubhib tickets are dirt cheap, like crazy cheap for this early in the season.... That's good for those of us who love to catch a live game, when we can and not break the bank.

 

I still enjoy watching eichel, but he's getting angry these days (who can blame him)

 

ROR looks back to his normal self, and I'm looking forward to Rodrigues coming back.

 

Other than that, I can't really point to much more positive

[dudacek]

Hasn’t got a lot of play today, but I absolutely loved McCabe’s no-hesitation run at Tom Wilson in terms of team-building.

And this coming from a guy who hates it when clean checks start fights and who thought that was a clean hit on Reinhart.

Edited November 8, 2017 by dudacek

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Hasn’t got a lot of play today, but I absolutely loved McCabe’s no-hesitation run at Tom Wilson in terms of team-building.

And this coming from a guy who hates it when clean checks start fights and who thought that was a clean hit on Reinhart.

 

It was a clean hit, although the elbow was up a bit.

 

I love that McCabe went after Wilson.  Things happen very quickly on the ice and that hit must have looked boarder line to Jake.  The no-hesitation from McCabe is great.  

[Doohickie]

I posted this in the Washington GDT, I think maybe it would be a good crosspost here:

 

Benoit Pouliot has more goals than Jack Eichel.  This forum might point to that and say it shows that Jack isn't living up to expectations.  I'm going to look at it differently.  I think it indicates a couple things:

 

1. Housley's got Jack playing into the system.  It's not the free-wheeling style he played in college, it's not the freelancing DDB let him get away with.  No, he's learning to be in position for his teammates.  We know he has the speed but we see him coasting a lot.  I think he's got instructions from Housley on how he wants Jack to play, where he wants Jack to be, and Jack is buying into it.  Don't worry about the goals, but trust the system.  Okay sez Jack.  And he buys in.  It's frustrating; it's making him play a lot more disciplined than he's ever had to endure, and at times the frustration erupts.  But he's trying to follow the system for the good of the team.

 

2. Pouliot is what we were hoping JBot would find- the random rent-a-player that fills a gap in the roster and meshes with his teammates, helping Housley implement his system and using his experience to provide quiet leadership to the team.  We've got a guy on each of the top two lines that are doing that- Pouliot and Pommer (the only two in the top six who don't have negative +/-).  As more mature players who've been around, they're more accustomed to tailoring their game to new systems and they're picking it up more quickly that Jack and Sam and Gus, who've never known anything but crap coaching and crap systems at the NHL level.  They provide the quiet glue that supports the current and future leadership of the team.

 

So let the veterans lead.  Let them take the pressure off the future leaders of the team.  Those youngin's have a system to learn and aren't being counted on to win games for this team.... not yet.  Let the veterans vet.  Let the youngin's learn.  Sometimes it all comes together and the team looks good, like they did against the Capitals, against the Coyotes (at least early).  Sometimes the system breaks down and everyone's frustrated.  The Sabres are not a fragile team as such, but their mastery of Housley's system is fragile and sometimes it breaks down.  Everyone gets frustrated and the team looks bad.  But eventually the system will be second nature and the team will look more consistently good.  Yes they need more talent, and need to learn to use the talent that they have.  But they certainly have enough talent to start winning now.  As their mastery of the system matures, that will become apparent.  For now we see glimpses of it for games or parts of games, and feel the depths of frustration when the system fails.

 

It will come.  Not in two years, not next season.

 

Soon.  Soon.  This season.

Edited November 8, 2017 by Doohickie

[woods-racer]

I want to kiss you Doo, you made my day :wub:

[LGR4GM]

Guess I should continue my holding out for 20 games mantra. 

[dudacek]

As more mature players who've been around, they're more accustomed to tailoring their game to new systems and they're picking it up more quickly that Jack and Sam and Gus, who've never known anything but crap coaching and crap systems at the NHL level.  They provide the quiet glue that supports the current and future leadership of the team.

 

So let the veterans lead.  Let them take the pressure off the future leaders of the team.  Those youngin's have a system to learn and aren't being counted on to win games for this team.... not yet.  Let the veterans vet.  Let the youngin's learn.  Sometimes it all comes together and the team looks good, like they did against the Capitals, against the Coyotes (at least early).  Sometimes the system breaks down and everyone's frustrated.  The Sabres are not a fragile team as such, but their mastery of Housley's system is fragile and sometimes it breaks down.  Everyone gets frustrated and the team looks bad.  But eventually the system will be second nature and the team will look more consistently good.  Yes they need more talent, and need to learn to use the talent that they have.  But they certainly have enough talent to start winning now.  As their mastery of the system matures, that will become apparent.  For now we see glimpses of it for games or parts of games, and feel the depths of frustration when the system fails.

 

It will come.  Not in two years, not next season.

 

Soon.  Soon.  This season.

 

This may or may not work, but it is clearly the plan and it is mostly what I think too.

At least after a win. :P

[Doohickie]

Guess I should continue my holding out for 20 games mantra. 

 

That stance definitely influenced my viewpoint.  What in holy hell is he doing in that first 20 games?  He's beating (er, positively reinforcing) the system into the heads of these players that have been allowed to run around like savages for a few years.  Demonstrate competency with the system, then we'll talk about getting creative with it.

This may or may not work, but it is clearly the plan and it is mostly what I think too.

At least after a win. :P

 

Even after a loss, we need to look at it that way I think.  (Or the team does.)  The better you play the system, the better the results.

[jsb]

This may or may not work, but it is clearly the plan and it is mostly what I think too.

At least after a win. :P

LOL, whatever I was going to post just got lost after reading this!!!!

[SwampD]

[WildCard]

Guess I should continue my holding out for 20 games mantra. 

You tease

[bob_sauve28]

Depth on defense! Four defenders down and they look ok still. Scandella is a wonderful addition. So glad we got him. Antipin still looks a bit shaky out there but he has the talent. Falk is a beast, Fudun has really improved. Tennyson looks ok. 

[Doohickie]

I think Antipin may turn into a stalwart Dman for the Sabres, perhaps along the lines of Lydman.

 

Falk alternately looks like an AHL scrub and a top-4 Dman; I think it depends on his pairing.  He's a natural complement to Scandella, even to the point of serving top-pair duty.  He brings a steady, not flashy, physical presence.

 

Fedun is a known quantity- a passable 6/7 depth defenseman.

 

Tennyson is an AHLer that can handle some NHL action.  I think he stuck for so long because while he is weak in his own end, he plays well within Housley's system, especially in transition and in the opponent's end.

 

I think they were all good pickups for the team and time (and upcoming prospects) will help sort them all out.

 

All serve their purpose.

Edited November 8, 2017 by Doohickie

[GASabresIUFAN]

Tomorrow starts Babock block no.4

Block 1: 0-4-1 1 pt

Block 2: 3-1-1 7 pts

Block 3: 2-3-0 4 pts

 

Good news: 5-4-1 in last 10 games

 

Benoit Pouliot is the key Sabres ytd. He has 5g 2a and these 7 pts have come in only the 5 Victories. Futhermore he leads the team with 3 GWGs.

Edited November 10, 2017 by GASabresIUFAN

[Doohickie]

Housley said he splits the season into 7-game blocks.

 

Block 1:  1-5-1 (3 pts)

Block 2:  3-3-1 (7 pts)

Block 3:  1-1 so far.

 

So after Block 1 they're playing .500 hockey (point-wise), and hopefully improving.  That's why I still hold out hope for the playoffs:  I really believe that the Sabres ceiling once Housley's system is clicking will be better than .500.  A few bounces go our way and I could see it happening.  They're currently 6 points out of a WC spot with a game in hand over Philly.  If they can catch up 3 points this month, 3 points next month, they'll be right in the hunt.  Stranger things have happened, but we're so used to the wheels falling off that for a lot of Sabres fans, it's difficult to project an upward trajectory for the team. 

 

Let's see what they look like at the end of Housley Block 3.

[LGR4GM]

Housley said he splits the season into 7-game blocks.

 

Block 1:  1-5-1 (3 pts)

Block 2:  3-3-1 (7 pts)

Block 3:  1-1 so far.

 

So after Block 1 they're playing .500 hockey (point-wise), and hopefully improving.  That's why I still hold out hope for the playoffs:  I really believe that the Sabres ceiling once Housley's system is clicking will be better than .500.  A few bounces go our way and I could see it happening.  They're currently 6 points out of a WC spot with a game in hand over Philly.  If they can catch up 3 points this month, 3 points next month, they'll be right in the hunt.  Stranger things have happened, but we're so used to the wheels falling off that for a lot of Sabres fans, it's difficult to project an upward trajectory for the team. 

 

Let's see what they look like at the end of Housley Block 3.

The first block he said was 5 games I think. The remaining 11 are 7 games. Adjust accordingly. 

[Doohickie]

Ah, I missed that.  Block 1 gets even uglier then.

[Randall Flagg]

I define my blocks as with/without Beaulieu

With Beaulieu: 1-5-2, 3 of a possible 16 points, a 30 point pace 

Without Beaulieu: 4-3-0, 8 of a possible 14 points, a 93 point pace 

 

In all seriousness, there are only 5 teams in the east with a better record in their last 10, 2 of them only one point better, so if we can get one of those 7 wins in 10 game stretches that it seems like every NHL team gets at least twice a year except the Sabres, no reason we can't be back in the thick of things. 

[MattPie]

I define my blocks as with/without Beaulieu

 

With Beaulieu: 1-5-2, 3 of a possible 16 points, a 30 point pace 

 

Without Beaulieu: 4-3-0, 8 of a possible 14 points, a 93 point pace 

 

In all seriousness, there are only 5 teams in the east with a better record in their last 10, 2 of them only one point better, so if we can get one of those 7 wins in 10 game stretches that it seems like every NHL team gets at least twice a year except the Sabres, no reason we can't be back in the thick of things. 

 

6 wins in 6 games gets the Sabres back on pace. 8 wins in the next 10 is still slightly off-pace. Long-term, the Sabres need 1.22 (82 points in 67 games) points per game to hit 94. 7 wins in 10 games needs to be fairly common, 6 wins in 10 is 1.20, 92 points, and a very unlikely playoff berth.

[bunomatic]

In reality who would want to go into the playoffs anyways with this roster ? I'd be surprised if we weren't swept considering the make up of this team as it stands now. There's no reason to suggest the compete level would ramp up as it does for most teams that get in when this club can't even ramp it up for what should amount to meaningless games now.