So who's the locker room problem on this team?

[Randall Flagg]

I bet Marco wears an A next year.

[Weave]

I could def see Risto being a player that isn't listening.  His play has degraded so much from where he was projected to be.  And he seems very prone to really stupid on ice plays.  Way below where he should be given his skill set.

[darksabre]

I mean no disrespect here, but did you ever have a mentor at school, or on the job?

 

That is what these kids on the Sabres need, IMO.

 

I agree with We've that the Sabres need and have needed for a long time good experienced (at winning) vets. Gionta was good, but he was not enough. I still say it was a big mistake not bringing him back this season and maybe even next season. I would have signed him last July for 2 years.

Sure. But there's a type of approach I respond to and there's a type of approach I don't respond to.

 

I wouldn't respond to Shea Weber trying to beat anything in to me or shout at me. I tune out the drill sergeant stuff immediately because that is for chuds.

 

But I would probably respond to the approach Housley has taken, which seems to be working btw, which is earn the kids trust and let them figure things out for themselves.

 

You have to be willing as a person to seek help or receive advice. Or else nothing anyone says or does is going to carry any weight for you.

 

I think Housley has been patient and let them come to him.

Did you not see that with Drury?

Listen, if they can find another diamond like Drury then I'm all aboard. I just think you guys are hoping for lightning in a bottle.

[SwampD]

I could def see Risto being a player that isn't listening. His play has degraded so much from where he was projected to be. And he seems very prone to really stupid on ice plays. Way below where he should be given his skill set.

im starting to think he is just not that smart.

[dudacek]

If this is really happening the way described and the player isn't Jack, move him out if you can get equal value. If it is Jack, do everything you can to find a Drury to kick his ass. Not literally, but leader-y. 

 

I don't think it's Jack, not just because I don't want to (which is absolutely an element of it) but because he really responded to his private skate with Housley with his best and most committed and consistent hockey stretch of his entire career. I think he gets it now. Now it's about bolstering the leadership group with guys that ROR was supposed to be, and making sure they own the room.

 

  

This idea of someone coming in from outside the org and swinging their dick around is laughable to me.

Maybe you get good results by bringing someone in that the players like.

Maybe.

But I think these lessons are ones the players have to learn on their own.

  

To a degree, they lucked into Drury. The guy they really lucked into was Briere (the OTHER guy wearing a 'C' on those really good teams) because the Yotes had no f###ing idea what they had.

They NEED the leadership to be developed from w/in. They won't be able to trade for an outsider to step into the leadership role.

Eichel has looked much better since Christmas time. O'Reilly has looked good, for the most part, since slightly after that. And Reinhart has looked good for about a month. Okposo is finally healthy again. Scandella now has essentially a full season w/ this team. These guys & Ristolainen need to be the leaders.

IMHO, the fact that nobody on D (Bogosian wearing a letter for his 20 games doesn't count) wears a letter is a problem. (Not because they don't wear one, but because noone apparently has earned one.) If neither Scandella nor Ristolainen earn one next year we'll be in for another long season.

This is the course that has the best chance of success.

Risto, Samson and Jack might be entitled, but they became entitled because they were damn good.

Challenge them to be the guys that lift this team up and they just might do it.

 

For the record, I think this is the course Botterill has actually chosen and I’ve seen signs in Sam and Jack that it is actually working.

If you are going to anoint them leaders, you need to have the roster filled with guys who can follow them.

 

Kane wasn’t that guy, I doubt Bogo is. ROR may not be either.

 

And certainly Nelson and Baptiste are more likely to fill that role than Pouliot and Lehner.

[Weave]

Sure. But there's a type of approach I respond to and there's a type of approach I don't respond to.

 

I wouldn't respond to Shea Weber trying to beat anything in to me or shout at me. I tune out the drill sergeant stuff immediately because that ###### is for chuds.

 

But I would probably respond to the approach Housley has taken, which seems to be working btw, which is earn the kids trust and let them figure things out for themselves.

 

You have to be willing as a person to seek help or receive advice. Or else nothing anyone says or does is going to carry any weight for you.

 

 

 

Yeah, but you're a diva.  :angel:

[darksabre]

Yeah, but you're a diva. :angel:

Absolutely :p

[North Buffalo]

Totally agree.  It's much easier said than done.

 

But that's why JBott is getting paid who knows how much (but certainly in the 7 figures) for a job that millions of people would love to have.  He needs to find a couple of guys with credibility, skill and leadership. 

 

I'm just imagining Ryan Kesler and Shea Weber beating the crap out of Risto and Reino in the parking lot after they blow off Howie's instructions during a home loss...

Nice image... but then you have to hug them and tell you love them but get the f to work. Still like dealing with a teenage boy. You can never be predictable... gotta constantly be engaged with them.... one minute barking... another hugs... and still another letting them sink... then back to teaching... in no particular order... then once they get it backing off till the ultimately revert to old bad habits then repeat the cycle till they find consistency... ugh get tired just thinking about it... no days off though.

[Taro T]

This is the course that has the best chance of success.

Risto, Samson and Jack might be entitled, but they became entitled because they were damn good.

Challenge them to be the guys that lift this team up and they just might do it.

For the record, I think this is the course Botterill has actually chosen and I’ve seen signs in Sam and Jack that it is actually working.

If you are going to anoint them leaders, you need to have the roster filled with guys who can follow them.

Kane wasn’t that guy, I doubt Bogo is. ROR may not be either.

And certainly Nelson and Baptiste are more likely to fill that role than Pouliot and Lehner.

Ristolainen has shown some signs as well but not to nearly the same extent. The question becomes is that due to attitude, hockey IQ, simply being worn out playing WAY too many minutes once again, unreported injury, not being as good as we think he is, a combination of all that, or none of the above?

[pi2000]

Ristolainen has shown some signs as well but not to nearly the same extent. The question becomes is that due to attitude, hockey IQ, simply being worn out playing WAY too many minutes once again, unreported injury, not being as good as we think he is, a combination of all that, or none of the above?

 

Risto is what he is.   Everybody expects too much out of him.   He's a nice 2nd pairing guy who can contribute a bit offensively.

[Randall Flagg]

Risto is what he is.   Everybody expects too much out of him.   He's a nice 2nd pairing guy who can contribute a bit offensively.

And really, really needs to start being used as such.

[Gramps]

And really, really needs to start being used as such.

 

Can we get him to take a pay cut ? 

[Thorny]

"Sometimes guys think they're playing hard, but they're not playing hard enough and they have to work," Housley said. "I think that's the bottom line for a lot of guys." -Housley

 

Sam is the most likely candidate for the entitlement stamp and the I’m smarter than the coach stamp.

You see it in the interviews: “I’m not doing anything different.” Of course you are Sam.

Does his improved play mean he’s listening to the coach?

How about Risto? There’s another’s who fits the mould given his pedigree of pampered national team prodigy.

And of course Eichel. With Kane being the ringleader for a group of young athletes that has been pampered and told they are special for years, coming to downtrodden organization where they were embraced as saviours and have never been forced to earn it.

The Pegulas coddle their athletes in general, Murray fed that with our high picks and Bylsma and Housley aren’t exactly the types to throw the fear of god into anyone.

Those two quotes from Housley and Sam fit perfectly together.

 

Sam thought he was working hard enough, and therefore doesn’t think he’s doing anything different now, but if he’s finally listening to the coach, and his game is much the better for it, I hope he realizes in time that there is a quantifiable reason for the upswing in his game, and that he sticks to it.

 

He appears at least to be listening to Housley, judging from the vast improvement in his play. That’s the big thing. I do hope that at least internally, he’s recognizing the things leading to his improvement.

[dudacek]

Most teams would kill to have a guy as good as Risto as their number 3.

 

And he can contribute a lot more than bit offensively. He’s the 23 highest scoring D in the league over the past three years.

 

What he is not is Drew Doughty and we need another Risto or two more Scendellas so we can stop using him as such.

[Thorny]

Sabres need to trade for Johnny Taves. 

 

He's a top 100 player of all time over Evgeni Malkin, and is in the elite company of Orr, Gretzky, Crosby etc. Didn't you see that NBCSN special?

Plus it would make Hawks fans super happy to get his contract albatross off the team. They literally hate him right now.

  

Yes I can't stand the fawning that Toews still gets

  

 

I’m totally there with you on Toews and always have been. Being listed over Malkin is both laughable, and frankly, weird. Malkin has been a perennial MVP candidate in this league.

 

But I do find the hate spewing from many Hawks fans to be especially off-putting. It’s incredible. You guys have 3 cups in the last 8 years, relax.

 

I bet Marco wears an A next year.

How common is it for the A’s to change hands in a given offseason, though?