erickompositör72 Posted April 3, 2018 Report Share Posted April 3, 2018 OK, well I stole this concept from someone I know who's in the business, who was telling me his opinion on the Sabres. I think it's the most apt way to put our situation. It has a little more nuance than "not enough talent" or "no heart." What I read into this concept is: we don't have clear strengths and weaknesses as a team. On the contrary, when a team with an identity prepares for a game, they can look at it from two ends of a spectrum: 1. Our opponent is a great match-up for us. Let's do what we do best (Housley wants that to be fast transition, puck-moving defense, high pace, etc. Suffice it to say, we're not there yet) 2. Our opponent is a tough match-up for us. We need to focus on the little things and be aware of our weaknesses. We need to pay extra attention to details This is an over-simplification, but it is a mindset with which a team with an identity can approach different opponents, and use to improve throughout a season- building on strengths and shoring up weaknesses. I think Housley's and Botterill's main task is building an identity for the Sabres. This assessment actually gives me some hope, because there really hasn't been enough time yet for a team with a real identity to be assembled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASabresIUFAN Posted April 3, 2018 Report Share Posted April 3, 2018 This team has an identity. Unlovable losers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampD Posted April 3, 2018 Report Share Posted April 3, 2018 OK, well I stole this concept from someone I know who's in the business, who was telling me his opinion on the Sabres. I think it's the most apt way to put our situation. It has a little more nuance than "not enough talent" or "no heart." What I read into this concept is: we don't have clear strengths and weaknesses as a team. On the contrary, when a team with an identity prepares for a game, they can look at it from two ends of a spectrum: 1. Our opponent is a great match-up for us. Let's do what we do best (Housley wants that to be fast transition, puck-moving defense, high pace, etc. Suffice it to say, we're not there yet) 2. Our opponent is a tough match-up for us. We need to focus on the little things and be aware of our weaknesses. We need to pay extra attention to details This is an over-simplification, but it is a mindset with which a team with an identity can approach different opponents, and use to improve throughout a season- building on strengths and shoring up weaknesses. I think Housley's and Botterill's main task is building an identity for the Sabres. This assessment actually gives me some hope, because there really hasn't been enough time yet for a team with a real identity to be assembled. Every other team sees us as their number 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted April 3, 2018 Report Share Posted April 3, 2018 (edited) I think this is exactly why Housley is safe. He and Botterill share a vision for a team identity and they share the opinion they need better players to play it. Edited April 3, 2018 by dudacek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted April 3, 2018 Report Share Posted April 3, 2018 Identities are for winners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacque Richard Posted April 3, 2018 Report Share Posted April 3, 2018 Soft team Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunomatic Posted April 4, 2018 Report Share Posted April 4, 2018 our identity is a team of players being rewarded for losing. Thats been our identity since the tank was conceived and implemented . There's no getting around it. Changing that is where it gets hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spndnchz Posted April 4, 2018 Report Share Posted April 4, 2018 You know you have a reality of the players of the past. Usually the reality disappoints. It hasn’t. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthEbriate Posted April 4, 2018 Report Share Posted April 4, 2018 Since 2005-2007, when we were a dangerous "don't give them space or they'll punish you" team, the perception around the league is that it's a frail team. Push us around or pressure us and we'll crumble like an AT-ST. Even before the tank. 10 years is a long time to be seen as pushovers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted April 4, 2018 Report Share Posted April 4, 2018 I'll put team identity in the same place I put momentum or plus minus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted April 4, 2018 Report Share Posted April 4, 2018 I'll put team identity in the same place I put momentum or plus minus. At the altar of our Lord and Savior Matt Moulson? In TrueBlueGED's lunchbox for him to open excitedly and then get super sad, as a cruel April Fools trick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
French Collection Posted April 4, 2018 Report Share Posted April 4, 2018 An identity means opponents need to prepare for you. If the game is played your way, you win more often than not. You may be a quick transition team, a bull of a forechecking team, a trapping team, a kitty bar the door team or even a firewagon team. I agree that they need to develop a reputation and have teams wary of coming into their barn for a game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorny Posted April 5, 2018 Report Share Posted April 5, 2018 Since 2005-2007, when we were a dangerous "don't give them space or they'll punish you" team, the perception around the league is that it's a frail team. Push us around or pressure us and we'll crumble like an AT-ST. Even before the tank. 10 years is a long time to be seen as pushovers. Let the past die. Kill it, if you have to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted April 5, 2018 Report Share Posted April 5, 2018 Identities are for winners.Thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerreaultForever Posted April 6, 2018 Report Share Posted April 6, 2018 This team has an identity. Unlovable losers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gramps Posted April 6, 2018 Report Share Posted April 6, 2018 If identity is the same as chemistry, I'm all in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyldnwoody44 Posted April 6, 2018 Report Share Posted April 6, 2018 We have -Pouty jack -Bad Nolan -Soft risto, until it doesn't matter anymore -Loose cannon lehner -Emo ROR -Nathan beal-what the hell were--eau-thinking Our identity is, just a bad team, and a team lacking desire. It'll be better next year ???????????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted April 6, 2018 Report Share Posted April 6, 2018 I can't speak for erick, but my interpretation of the "identity" concept as put forth in the OP is "an important part of the game that the team is really good at -- to the point where it makes the team a threat to win every night and the opponent needs to gameplan for it." Clearly, such an element doesn't exist with this team, since they stink at pretty much everything. Maybe the first such element could be the PP -- but having a really good PP alone isn't enough. Now, really good PP and really good PK PLUS really good goaltending (which of course is a critical element in the PK) -- that might be achievable next year and might be enough to vault this team up a few levels to bubble team status. That might give the team another season or 2 to develop Howie's attacking defense/high speed 5-on-5 style, which is what I think the identity goal really is, and what will be needed to get to contender status. The first and most immediately critical step is to step way up at goalie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASabresIUFAN Posted April 6, 2018 Report Share Posted April 6, 2018 Bottomline you have to have a team to have a team identity. Right now we only have about 7 legit NHL players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted April 6, 2018 Report Share Posted April 6, 2018 This team has an identity. Unlovable losers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthEbriate Posted April 6, 2018 Report Share Posted April 6, 2018 Let the past die. Kill it, if you have to. I recall that second half of Bylsma's first season... We stunk in the first period. Game in and game out. But the third would come along and we'd play like gangbusters. That could have been our identity: "No lead is safe against the Sabres." That's not a bad identity. The problem was we never advanced our efforts in periods 1 and 2... and you can't live by comebacks alone. Then, the following season, all we had was a good powerplay. If we'd have become a "play even in periods 1 and 2, and then been a third period team of destroyers of opponents..." then this thread wouldn't be an issue. Alas... Killing the past and starting anew. Again. Identities are for winners. Identities are for closers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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