Jump to content

GDT - Thursday, Jan 16 - Sabres @ Dallas - 8pm ET (WGR,MSG)


LTS

Recommended Posts

Well, one thing is for sure, the Sabres didn't get this coach fired! 

https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mac-engel/article239005603.html

 

Quote

 

Former Dallas Stars coach Jim Montgomery released a statement, and admitted he has a drinking problem, but this is not the sole reason he was fired from the team on Dec. 10.

According to sources, there was a specific incident that led to the Dallas Stars’ firing of Montgomery, but out of respect for the coach and his family everyone within the organization has remained silent on the particulars.

According to sources familiar with the situation, Montgomery’s after-hours behavior and relationship with alcohol had been a point of concern during his first and only season with the franchise. Montgomery’s admission was not a new development with the franchise.

Sources said Stars general manager Jim Nill had previously implored his hand-picked coach to change the behavior, and to stop with the excessive public episodes of drinking. The club tried to work with Montgomery on this, and to give him time and space to alter the behavior.

 

During the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs, Montgomery was known to frequent the popular bar Moxies, which is owned by Dallas Stars owner Tom Gaglardi. The bar is attached to the high-end hotel, The Crescent, which is close to the American Airlines Center.

Now, a coach tossing back a few beers is not exactly a new phenomenon in the NHL. The league, and the sport, have a long history of players and coaches partaking in a few drinks. And “a few beers” in the NHL is measured by cases, not cans.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, CallawaySabres said:

7 points out of 8th. 1 point won't cut it if they have any chance at all. By the way, if the Wild end up firing Boudreau, I would fire Botterill that very second and have a GM lined up and ready to go.

So are you saying Boudreau would replace Botteril as GM?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, That Aud Smell said:

Well, wait. There's something a little more to this, potentially. Those 2 were absolutely joined at the hip as NHLers. They would constantly show up in each other's social media content. Maybe Casey being in the A has allowed/prompted Dahlin to refocus a bit? 

Except Dahlin's play had already picked back up some before the injury.  Remember how he was injured?  It was making some moves we hadn't seen much of this season but were starting to see again.  So, while yes he was playing his absolute best hockey of his brief pro career right after coming back from injury, that was IMHO an exponential  continuation of what had been happening right before the injury and it wasn't fully sustained.  His play dipped a bit (though not as badly as some on this board would have us believe) for the holidays but has since picked up again the last 5 or 6 games (coincidentally the same 5 or 6 games that Reinhart picked up his game).

Though they'd been roommates, the numbers and the eye test both don't place Dahlin's "resurgence" corresponding with Mittelstadt's absence anymore than Skinner's dropoff corresponded to Sobotka's injury.

Dahlin's improved play is due to him being a d*man good player and finally seemingly getting a handle on the increased responsibilities a 2nd year player is expected to shoulder.  Don't know that sitting out a couple of weeks was a major factor in it (again, he started looking better before he was injured), but that seems far more plausible and likely than a kid that's been disciplined enough to play and excel against men when barely able to drive and was disciplined enough to finish 2nd in the Calder voting as an 18 year old needed his buddy going through a rough patch to come out of his own sophomore slump.

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Zemgus?

Yep.  With 8 goals.  Pretty sad.  Jack 28, VO & Sam 16 each, Skinner out with 11 and then  Zemgus with 8.  He is ahead of Sheary, Vesey, MoJo, and KO. Also Lazar has 4 goals in 17 games. That’s a 19 goal pace over a full season.

More evidence that Jack is a one man team.  He has 61 pts so far in 46 games.  Samson is second with 39 in 47 games.

Jack leads 28 goals to 16 (VO and Sam). Jack leads 43 assists to 24 (Dahlin) and 23 (Reinhart).

Edited by GASabresIUFAN
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

That was my point with the original post. Casey isn't living with Dahlin right now and Dahlin is better. As I said I was just spitballing but Casey Mittelstadt's work ethic hasn't impressed me thus far. He made almost no strides from last season to this one. The hell does he do in the offseason? Play video games and chew?

Might be something to this idea. Goes back to the cultural issues this team has had and maybe still has. At least they weren't riding a tandem bike together.

Might have more to do with the post concussion stuff though. maybe he had some sense knocked into him? :)  Seriously, maybe the time off gave him time to watch film and reflect and listen to Krueger etc. and he came back with a new focused attitude. The room mate being away might not hurt, even if it just means he doesn't have to leave a sock on the door any more. 

As for this game, we've been crap on the road but no reason we can't win this game. They have one big line, we have one big line. Should be a low score and probably comes down to goaltending.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

More food for thought.  
Risto has 5 goals this season tying last year.  He is on pace for 38 points but with a little luck he’ll make 40+ again for the 5 consecutive year.  He is also +1 for the season. 

Only two Sabre D in history has had more then 4 consecutive 40 pt seasons.  They are Phil Housley, who had 8 straight ranging from 62 to 81 and Jerry Korab, who had 5 consecutive 40+ in the mid 70’s. Bodger came close with 4 in 5 years topping out at 54.  Van Boxmeer had 3 consecutive 50+ with a top of 69. Campbell had 3 consecutive seasons of 40+. Other Sabres D with one 40+ pt season are Dunn, Zhitnik, Myers, Spacek, Smehlik, Woolley, Krupp, Galley, Numminen, Calle Johansson and Guevremont.   

If Dahlin can get hot in the 35 remaining games and also get to 40.  It will be the second time in history (according to my research) that we’ve had 2 D score 40+ together in consecutive seasons.  Houlsey and Bodger accomplished the feat in the late 80’s. Numminen and Campbell also paired up for 40+ pts each in 2005-6.

Side Note: we traded Calle Johansson and a 2nd rd pick for Clint Malarchuk, Grant Ledyard and a 6th in 1989.  One of he worst trades in Sabres history.

Edited by GASabresIUFAN
  • Like (+1) 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I plan on listening to the game on my way up to Springfield, Mass. I have a delivery appointment up there in the morning.
 

BTW, I hope #SabresMafia is out in full force at the game. One of my friends lives a short distance east of Dallas. I have no idea if he'll make the game, but I know he pulls for our boys.

 

Edited by Crosschecking
spelling
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is OLD. A NEW topic should be started unless there is a VERY SPECIFIC REASON to revive this one.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...