Sabres and the 1st Period

[Brawndo]

1 hour ago, 7+6=13 said:

You're not sure if Olofsson is quite ready for 2nd line duties?   

  

Chris Taylor sounded pretty sure he isn’t ready as of right now 

[IKnowPhysics]

Sabres goals by period (GF/GA) this season:

1st 4/6

2nd 5/4

3rd 3/7

Sabres shots by period (SF/SA) this season:

1st 46/73 (38.7SF%)

2nd 58/62 (48.3SF%)

3rd 55/67 (45.1SF%)

Number of times we outshot opponents:

1st 0/6 times

2nd 3/6 times (BOS, COL, ARI)

3rd 2/6 times (BOS, VGK#2)

Edited October 18, 2018 by IKnowPhysics

[PerreaultForever]

I think this team simply doesn't have an identity (aside from being losers). Step one end the losing culture. Good plan, but what are we now? Not a fast team, not a physical team, not a team that is tough to play against with solid D play. The lines are forever shifting, role players don't really have clear roles, until this team develops a personality or clear style, we will flounder.

On top of that, there's a lot of young guys, and not enough direct coaching  of those guys during games. 

[LGR4GM]

15 hours ago, 7+6=13 said:

You're not sure if Olofsson is quite ready for 2nd line duties?   

  

Yes. I'd leave him down. Preferably all year but at least the first full month of the season. 

[7+6=13]

16 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Chris Taylor sounded pretty sure he isn’t ready as of right now 

 

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Yes. I'd leave him down. Preferably all year but at least the first full month of the season. 

He's absolutely not ready nor should he be - that was my point for responding.  NB said he wasn't quite sure if he's ready.  

The discussion that he could, might, or that it's even being discussed is proof (IMO) that this is a team not ready for expectations.  We're in year 2 of a rebuild and we have to get to a point where we're not lead by teenagers and early 20 year olds - in terms of on ice production.  

That can't happen right now - so that's why I got involved in the thread.  We need to stop expecting first drop to final buzzer solid play.  That is not who we are.  

There were posters "expecting" playoff contention.

[North Buffalo]

Yeh I am back and forth.. His work in the corners needs to be better and he wont get the same amount of time to get off that shot in the majors.  He can move the puck up ice... skates well... Looks positionally sound on D, but nothing stands out.  With space on powerplay he is deadly.  So at this point he’d be a powerplay specialist.  CJ has a better all around game from what I saw and Nylander based on reviews from last year has improved a lot 5v5.  He was hustling most of the game and guys were bouncing off him when they checked him.  He seemed unfased by the hits..

[pi2000]

1 minute ago, North Buffalo said:

Yeh I am back and forth.. His work in the corners needs to be better and he wont get the same amount of time to get off that shot in the majors.  He can move the puck up ice... skates well... Looks positionally sound on D, but nothing stands out.  With space on powerplay he is deadly.  So at this point he’d be a powerplay specialist.  CJ has a better all around game from what I saw and Nylander based on reviews from last year has improved a lot 5v5.  He was hustling most of the game and guys were bouncing off him when they checked him.  He seemed unfased by the hits..

He doesn't need time or space to get that shot off.... it will translate well to the National league IMO.   

It all depends what role they're asking him to play.    If they want him to be a trigger man, PP specialist, then it doesn't matter how many puck battles he wins.    If they're asking him to be a well rounded 200ft player, then yeah there's a lot he needs to work on.    

I think it was Brett Hull who, when asked about his lack of defensive awareness, responded "Do you want me to score 50 goals, or play defense?".

That said, there is some minimum defensive awareness all players need at the NHL level, but he should be able to pick that up pretty quick.    And if Housley deploys him in the right situations... PP, offensive zone starts, matching up against other teams weaker D pairings, etc... then he should find success sooner than later.

[North Buffalo]

5 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

He doesn't need time or space to get that shot off.... it will translate well to the National league IMO.   

It all depends what role they're asking him to play.    If they want him to be a trigger man, PP specialist, then it doesn't matter how many puck battles he wins.    If they're asking him to be a well rounded 200ft player, then yeah there's a lot he needs to work on.    

I think it was Brett Hull who, when asked about his lack of defensive awareness, responded "Do you want me to score 50 goals, or play defense?".

That said, there is some minimum defensive awareness all players need at the NHL level, but he should be able to pick that up pretty quick.    And if Housley deploys him in the right situations... PP, offensive zone starts, matching up against other teams weaker D pairings, etc... then he should find success sooner than later.

Agreed that is why I think why not.  But I do think he wouldnt find the initial space he has found in the A that he finds in NHL.  His board work needs to be better.  That being said a lot of Sabres need to be better along the boards.  PS Nyls has improved a lot on the half boards.  Held a lot of pucks in during the game I saw.  

Edited October 18, 2018 by North Buffalo