dudacek Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 (edited) Some interesting numbers from the Sabres core in 19 games since the calendar turned: O’Reilly 9/10/19 Reinhart 8/10/18 Eichel 7/11/18 Okposo 3/14/17 Ristolainen 3/12/15 We have five players in the top 50 in NHL scoring so far in 2018. Risto’s tied for 48th with a million others, fifth among defencemen 6-4-1 since the Dallas debacle. Wins over the red-hot Bruins and elite Lightning. Scored 34, allowed 26. 11 for 34 on the PP, 28 for 35 on the PK. Outshot just three times. Typical blip in a long season? Signs of improvement? Aberration? What’s your take? Or are you too beaten down to care? Edited February 14, 2018 by Mick O’Manly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spndnchz Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 A glimmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerreaultForever Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 They are starting to get it finally? I suppose teams are taking them lightly, looking ahead to their next game, playing their back up goalies, that sort of thing, but they are definitely playing better. I'm not sure how much better they actually are, but I am definitely finding the recent games entertaining and that hasn't happened for a while. I should also point out that the recent improvement coincides with my joining this board so clearly it's all for me ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 I like to think the HCPH system is finally taking hold. Assuming a similar, slightly more aggressive system is being used in Rochester, and we get 2-6 players promoted from there next year, they might be good out of the gate for a change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASabresIUFAN Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 Backup goalies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 Lets see what happens down the stretch when there is more urgency for the teams jockeying for playoff standings. We are in the doldrums of the season for most teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabresparaavida Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 They heard that Dahlin isn't very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 Some interesting numbers from the Sabres core in 19 games since the calendar turned: O’Reilly 9/10/19 Reinhart 8/10/18 Eichel 7/11/18 Okposo 3/14/17 Ristolainen 3/12/15 We have five players in the top 50 in NHL scoring so far in 2018. Risto’s tied for 48th with a million others, fifth among defencemen 6-4-1 since the Dallas debacle. Wins over the red-hot Bruins and elite Lightning. Scored 34, allowed 26. 11 for 34 on the PP, 28 for 35 on the PK. Outshot just three times. Typical blip in a long season? Signs of improvement? Aberration? What’s your take? Or are you too beaten down to care? Signs of improvement. Even w/out Eichel wouldn't be surprised to see them at/ slightly above 0.500 for their last 26 games. They'll be playing ~1/2 of their games against teams that are out of the playoffs either by design (NYR) or by team construct (Arizona) & a fair # of the playoff teams will still have a penchant for looking past them. After the 4 day mid-March break following the Vegas game, they have 3 vs the Loafs, 2 vs Nashville, & get Tampa on the 1st half of a season ending FLA trip. Everybody else (including Chicago) post-minibreak will be essentially eliminated by the time they play the Sabres. So, about the time O'Reilly is a shell playing 25/game, the opponents will be broken themselves. McCabe should be back around March 1, hopefully Beaulieu goes to the press box rather than Antipin. Unless Ristolainen hits a wall or Nelson goes back to his former self, the D should be OK. Expecting the team to feel a sigh of relief post-trade deadline which will hopefully offset making LW even weaker w/ Kane's anticipated departure. But if Lehner is gone, all bets are off. Johnson being the #1 is downright scary. And if Falk didn't retrieve the puck that got through him last night, their spirit could've been broken long before they got to the 5-v-3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 What we're seeing is what we've seen lo these many years in the second half after crapping the bed in the first. Unless this time it's something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That Aud Smell Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 6-4-1 since the Dallas debacle. Wins over the red-hot Bruins and elite Lightning. Scored 34, allowed 26. 11 for 34 on the PP, 28 for 35 on the PK. Outshot just three times. Typical blip in a long season? Signs of improvement? Aberration? What’s your take? Or are you too beaten down to care? I'm always on the lookout for improvement, even if the season is lost. I didn't see much of the games when they started out that post-ASG home stand and lost 3 (or 4?) in a row, but I recall hearing analysis that they looked pretty decent actually. Last night's game had some score effects (I think I'm using that right - puck luck, basically), a shaky backup goalie, and the continuation of a torrid power play pace. So, it's nice to see. There are factors at play that can't be maintained, though. They still really need a few more, better players. about the time O'Reilly is a shell playing 25/game. I was at the game, and even in real time, I was thinking by the 3rd that PH was playing the guy way too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted February 14, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 Teams have been looking past the Sabres for five years. It didn’t start a month ago. I think the biggest current factor is the power play. We’re not going to keep scoring at 33 percent. But we were at 26 percent for the entire year last year, so it’s a good bet we’re better than the 14 per cent we were over the first three months of the season when Housley should have been leaving well enough alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 Backup goalies. Yup. That combined with a small jump in play has lead to a larger jump in other ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted February 14, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 The most promising recent stat to me (other than Sam’s production) is the shot clock. We’re used to seeing it favouring the opponents by numbers like 41-27. This recent run of normal numbers like 32-29 in our favour is uncharted territory since Lindy was here. Has there been a similar improvement in our Corsi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 What we're seeing is what we've seen lo these many years in the second half after crapping the bed in the first. Unless this time it's something else. I can’t rule this out until the team is actually in the hunt in February and still playing well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsb Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 I can’t rule this out until the team is actually in the hunt in February and still playing well. Yes I agree, although I've really enjoyed the improved play, I'm not going to fall for this like I did Bylsma's first year. As for ROR, he not only is playing like a beast lately but I think his increased TOI is from him taking so many faceoffs as opposed to Jack being out. There's been a definite change there, he always was our main faceoff man but now it's almost like he's our only faceoff man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woods-racer Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 We'll see what we got when we play the Leafs in March. A good barometer of how far this team has come and needs to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvelo Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 I like how the efforts are getting more consistent and they're not getting the yips and giving up in games, ever since the Dallas game. Now that Eichel is gone for awhile, there are guys like Pouliot, Wilson, Girgensons, and Antipin who are having revivals. They are getting more confidence and are playing consistently better. Maybe the team is actually gelling. Then again, It might be a dead cat bounce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted February 14, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 (edited) 2017/18 first half 10/22/9 2017/18 second half 7/8/1 2016/17 first half 16/16/9 2016/17 second half 17/20/4 2015/16 first half 15/22/4 2015/16 second half 19/14/7 2014/15 first half 14/24/3 2014/15 second half 9/27/5 2013/14 first half 11/26/4 2013/14 second half 10/25/0 2012/13 first half 9/13/2 2012/13 second half 12/8/0 Hmm, seems like this sense of misleadingly good second half performances is false. Basically, it’s the second half of Bylsma’s first year. Nobody expected the heroic run to 8th in 2013 to amount to anything the next year. Edited February 14, 2018 by Mick O’Manly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pi2000 Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 It's always darkest before the dawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woods-racer Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 2017/18 first half 10/22/9 2017/18 second half 7/8/1 2016/17 first half 16/16/9 2016/17 second half 17/20/4 2015/16 first half 15/22/4 2015/16 second half 19/14/7 2014/15 first half 14/24/3 2014/15 second half 9/27/5 2013/14 first half 11/26/4 2013/14 second half 10/25/0 2012/13 first half 9/13/2 2012/13 second half 12/8/0 Hmm, seems like this sense of misleadingly good second half performances is false. Basically, it’s the second half of Bylsma’s first year. Nobody expected the heroic run to 8th in 2013 to amount to anything the next year. We win 12 more games on a second half run I'm feeling better than I did when Blysma was coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottysabres Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 Their play has settled down. They look more like they are playing a support style game where aggressive forecheck and d zone puck battles and control are priorities 1 & 1. I don't think this is all coaching staff, some, but I believe it's the players who have finally woke up to the fact that they must commit to compete. Probably tired of being laughed at and screed at as well. Its either that or Botterill threatened to trade them all to Arizona..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd1001 Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 I don't think its much to give a great deal of hope. A LITTLE hope, but not much. As others have said: -seeing other teams backup goalies -'dog days' of the NHL schedule. Some of the worst team in the league have had pretty decent runs in January and February. -the team getting used to or accepting the new coaching staff. I still think this teams if flawed in a big way with Reinhart, O'Reilly, and Okposo being considered in your top 6 forwards with being so slow. But maybe, MAYBE there is some way to coach around that. JBots doesn't seem like he is in any hurry to give up on O'Reilly, and he knows a lot more about hockey than I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusader1969 Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 i think we are at where we have always been. A pretty good top 6 without any support for the bottom 2 lines. In the long run, its a losing proposition. when the top lines go cold again, they won't have any support for the bottom 6 and the Sabres will be back to being shut-out or scoring 1 or 2. it does give me hope for next year though as I think that 5 out of the 6 bottom forwards will be replaced by younger, faster and better players. 5 out of 6 Out - Larsson, Pouliot. Nolon, Josefson, Pominville (13th forward) In - Erod, Mittelstadt, Baptiste, Smith, ??? to fill their spots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted February 14, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 We need a first-pair defenceman and four middle six forwards. Could also improve our goaltending and a second pair defenceman would be nice. Middelstadt and our first pick this year should supply two of those but maybe not next year. Some of the others might already be in the system, but that first-pair D - I’m talking another Risto, not a Doughty - is going to be tough. Best shots would be this year’s first, or getting lucky with Guhle or the return from the Kane trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerreaultForever Posted February 15, 2018 Report Share Posted February 15, 2018 Does it really have to be one extreme or the other? They look better right now, enjoy it. Question it if/when they start losing again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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