GDT Sabres at Rangers 7PM 3-2-21

[IKnowPhysics]

Krueger on WGR this morning.

https://www.radio.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/krueger-we-need-to-get-some-gritty-goals

Bits:

-Cozens in tonight, was seated to rest, and is expected to be strong tonight.

-Krueger is still making reference to not being able to tell "everyone on the outside" about something with Jeff Skinner.  Says Jeff is being very professional about his benching, and while Jeff may not embrace the decision, Krueger says communication is clear and honest, and Jeff understands this "disruption" is helping get Jeff to where he needs to be.

-Said "there's no 4th line" but confirmed he has been playing Skinner with Lazar to get Skinner matched up against worse D pairs.  Sees Jeff getting lots of chances and is waiting for the "waterfall to break open."  Acknowledged Jeff is a "classic 5v5 scorer."

-Understands why Eichel seemes frustrated.  Expects everyone to be frustrated with where the team is, especially somone that competitive.

-Does not see a problem with goaltending.  Thinks games are close and putting a lot of pressure on the goalies, but the overwhelming team problem is 5v5 scoring, and Hutton and JJ played well enough.  Acknowledged Hutton is a leader on the team.

-Needs to find ways to open up the 5v5 scoring without opening up the goals against.

[bob_sauve28]

32 minutes ago, BuffalOhio said:

Maybe Dahlin should do something about it himself.  Stop using the "I'm a Swede we don't do that" excuse.  Man up.  All of you!

No, a team should protect their stars. He ain't Chara 

[Doohickie]

2 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

Bloodsport is an objectively bad movie, just as we are a subjectively bad NHL hockey team. But Bloodsport is really fun to watch if you happen to be a fan. The Sabres are not fun to watch.

You took a long time to make your point, but it is a point well made.

[inkman]

1 hour ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Krueger as a soccer coach may not appreciate the need for fighting as much. 

 

[Doohickie]

He's apparently never been a hockey coach either.

[Zamboni]

I’ll be optimistic today ...

Sabres ... 3

Rangers ... 2

Skinner, Cozens or Risto with a goal

[Mustache of God]

Sabres might score 9 tonight.

[inkman]

5 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

He's apparently never been a hockey coach either.

My issue to date with Ralph is the lack of results.  If you are preaching accountability you better hold your self accountable as well. If whatever system your coaching isn’t working, ***** fix it for Christ’s sake.  This isn’t rocket surgery here, do something different genius.  Have everyone skate backward, use the Flying V, call up Dalton Smith.  Do something!   

[bob_sauve28]

9 minutes ago, inkman said:

 

Oh well 

[SDS]

9 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

He's apparently never been a hockey coach either.

Krueger began his coaching career as an assistant with EV Duisburg of the German second league. Between 1994 and 1998, he led VEU Feldkirch to five straight Austrian championships, culminating in Feldkirch becoming champions in 1998 of the European Hockey League, made up of the champions of various European leagues. This experience later encouraged him to author a motivational book.[6] After the successes with the Austrian team, he took over as full-time head coach of the Swiss national ice hockey team, having split his time between Feldkirch and Switzerland in 1998. His tenure with the Swiss national team has also seen some notable successes. He led the team to appearances at the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Olympic Games and to several World Championship appearances.[7] Krueger was also a scouting consultant for the Carolina Hurricanes.[8]

Krueger spoke at the World Hockey Summit in 2010, and addressed the need to co-ordinate International Ice Hockey Federation and National Hockey Leagueevents.[9] He suggested that the World Cup of Hockey be played every four years, alternating with the Olympics Games every two years. He wanted to see the Ice Hockey World Championships became an under-23 event during Olympic years.[10] He felt it would be beneficial to national teams to evaluate their younger talent at the international level. He wanted to resurrect the Champions Hockey Leagueand Victoria Cup competitions, which he felt would make the game more popular in Europe.[11]

Krueger joined the Oilers as associate coach in 2010.[8] Although during his time with the Swiss team, Krueger may have been known as a defensive-minded coach, he has also demonstrated the ability to deliver the offensive style of game. This was confirmed by his performance as coach for VEU Feldkirch in Austria. He has been described as a great communicator, positive thinker and a motivator. The book he authored (in German, also translated into French), called Teamlife - Beyond Setbacks to Success, was devoted to handling problems in life, and became a bestseller.[12]

The Oilers promoted Krueger to head coach for the 2012–13 NHL season, but he was relieved of his duties after only one season.[13] Hockey Canadasubsequently added Krueger as a special adviser to its coaching staff for the 2014 Winter Olympics.[14][15]

Krueger was chosen to coach Team Europe in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.[16]

On 15 May 2019, Krueger returned to the NHL as the head coach of the Buffalo Sabres.[17]

[Brawndo]

 

[inkman]

Just now, bob_sauve28 said:

Oh well 

I’m just as unhappy as anyone.  I won’t fall into the whiner line guy tropes of calling them soft (they are), saying they don’t try hard enough (what I generally see is confusion).  How many games until something breaks?  They are losing this fanbase.  
 

I could get the fans back tomorrow.  Get rid of do nothings like Eakin, Okposo, Miller and put some juice into lineup.  Give us blood.  Get the kids into the lineup.  Get Tage the hell outta here.  For gods sake put Skinner with someone, anyone that can actually play hockey.  Trade for Bennett.  Get a goalie off waivers. Find a couple of thugs and put them on the 4th line.  Please, please staple Borgen to Dahlin for the remainder of the season. 

[steveoath]

[Marvin]

11 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

Sabres might score 9 tonight.

On whom?

[SDS]

10 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Oh well 

Did you say “oh well” because this is what you believed?

[Kruppstahl]

4 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Always have hated games at MSG.

The place feels like the ceiling is rather low for a building of that type, and that it is very poorly lit.

I have had that impression of it my entire life.

Never been inside.

 

 

10 minutes ago, inkman said:

I’m just as unhappy as anyone.  I won’t fall into the whiner line guy tropes of calling them soft (they are), saying they don’t try hard enough (what I generally see is confusion).  How many games until something breaks?  They are losing this fanbase.  
 

I could get the fans back tomorrow.  Get rid of do nothings like Eakin, Okposo, Miller and put some juice into lineup.  Give us blood.  Get the kids into the lineup.  Get Tage the hell outta here.  For gods sake put Skinner with someone, anyone that can actually play hockey.  Trade for Bennett.  Get a goalie off waivers. Find a couple of thugs and put them on the 4th line.  Please, please staple Borgen to Dahlin for the remainder of the season. 

There is ample evidence in every game they play to see a lot of "not caring" all over the ice.

If you don't know where to direct your attention, watch Jack.

He's as guilty as anyone.

 

[Kruppstahl]

43 minutes ago, IKnowPhysics said:

Krueger on WGR this morning.

https://www.radio.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/krueger-we-need-to-get-some-gritty-goals

Bits:

-Cozens in tonight, was seated to rest, and is expected to be strong tonight.

-Krueger is still making reference to not being able to tell "everyone on the outside" about something with Jeff Skinner.  Says Jeff is being very professional about his benching, and while Jeff may not embrace the decision, Krueger says communication is clear and honest, and Jeff understands this "disruption" is helping get Jeff to where he needs to be.

-Said "there's no 4th line" but confirmed he has been playing Skinner with Lazar to get Skinner matched up against worse D pairs.  Sees Jeff getting lots of chances and is waiting for the "waterfall to break open."  Acknowledged Jeff is a "classic 5v5 scorer."

-Understands why Eichel seemes frustrated.  Expects everyone to be frustrated with where the team is, especially somone that competitive.

-Does not see a problem with goaltending.  Thinks games are close and putting a lot of pressure on the goalies, but the overwhelming team problem is 5v5 scoring, and Hutton and JJ played well enough.  Acknowledged Hutton is a leader on the team.

-Needs to find ways to open up the 5v5 scoring without opening up the goals against.

How about any of the "journalists" who follow this team for a living actually doing some journalism, and digging around a little to find out what's going on with Skinner and Ralph?

I don't think it would be that hard.

For example, I suspect Rob Ray knows what it is; he probably would not talk about it, but he'd be the first person I'd talk to to try and get somewhere. 

Not sure if anyone has noticed, but Rob Ray is no longer doing his game day segments with Schopp and the Bulldog, which are greatly missed.

They were some of the best stuff in the world of Sabres media.

Rob would always tell it as it was and his personal (the real Rayzor) was totally different to the Yes Man he impersonates during broadcasts.  He provided a unique perspective on the team as he is largely an "insider" but he would be willing to talk to the outside, to a degree.  Not that he knows every last detail of the current team. 

He also supplied a steady stream of great stories from back in the day which you are only going to get from players.

Listening to his old Sabres stories is literally more enjoyable than watching the current team play hockey.

Anyway, he's gone, and of course, WGR-550 makes no mention of it! 

LOL

 

 

 

 

[LGR4GM]

51 minutes ago, IKnowPhysics said:

Krueger on WGR this morning.

https://www.radio.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/krueger-we-need-to-get-some-gritty-goals

Bits:

-Cozens in tonight, was seated to rest, and is expected to be strong tonight.

-Krueger is still making reference to not being able to tell "everyone on the outside" about something with Jeff Skinner.  Says Jeff is being very professional about his benching, and while Jeff may not embrace the decision, Krueger says communication is clear and honest, and Jeff understands this "disruption" is helping get Jeff to where he needs to be.

-Said "there's no 4th line" but confirmed he has been playing Skinner with Lazar to get Skinner matched up against worse D pairs.  Sees Jeff getting lots of chances and is waiting for the "waterfall to break open."  Acknowledged Jeff is a "classic 5v5 scorer."

-Understands why Eichel seemes frustrated.  Expects everyone to be frustrated with where the team is, especially somone that competitive.

-Does not see a problem with goaltending.  Thinks games are close and putting a lot of pressure on the goalies, but the overwhelming team problem is 5v5 scoring, and Hutton and JJ played well enough.  Acknowledged Hutton is a leader on the team.

-Needs to find ways to open up the 5v5 scoring without opening up the goals against.

 

[Randall Flagg]

14 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

The place feels like the ceiling is rather low for a building of that type, and that it is very poorly lit.

I have had that impression of it my entire life.

Never been inside.

 

 

There is ample evidence in every game they play to see a lot of "not caring" all over the ice.

If you don't know where to direct your attention, watch Jack.

He's as guilty as anyone.

 

I think Jack is far more guilty of dumb effort than of no effort. 

That guy will come screaming in to chase after defenders passing the puck between themselves, in a move that will cause a meaningful turnover maybe once every ten years. This will have him way too deep in the zone and behind the play when the defenders simply fire it up the ice past him, and he has to sprint back. Then he's at half a tank already, with a whole shift left to go. 

The missed stick lift wasn't a lack of effort - he didn't know where to look, because he's never known how to cover people in the d-zone. If he Cam Newtoned the coverage, like saw and then jumped away from his responsibility, that'd be different.

Edited March 2, 2021 by Randall Flagg

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Ya, because the Bruins just let people punk Bergeron around...

Last game Ritchie sat on the Rangers goalie's head and Lemieux and him settled things up at the end of regulation. Didn't even wait for the next game payback. 

It would be refreshing to see a frustrated team take a few runs at people or just drop them out of anger and frustration. Take something out on somebody. Show a little passion, even if misdirected, but not this bunch. I have low expectations for this game. 

[inkman]

5 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Last game Ritchie sat on the Rangers goalie's head and Lemieux and him settled things up at the end of regulation. Didn't even wait for the next game payback. 

It would be refreshing to see a frustrated team take a few runs at people or just drop them out of anger and frustration. Take something out on somebody. Show a little passion, even if misdirected, but not this bunch. I have low expectations for this game. 

No one in the current lineup will satisfy what you are looking for.  Buffalo loved Patty Kaleta but he couldn’t play a lick of hockey.  Dalton Smith is same. Call him up again.  What is there to lose?  Buffalo is a bloodthirsty town.  Give em what they want.  Clearly good hockey is nowhere near the horizon. 

[SDS]

7 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Last game Ritchie sat on the Rangers goalie's head and Lemieux and him settled things up at the end of regulation. Didn't even wait for the next game payback. 

It would be refreshing to see a frustrated team take a few runs at people or just drop them out of anger and frustration. Take something out on somebody. Show a little passion, even if misdirected, but not this bunch. I have low expectations for this game. 

I long for the day this attitude is out of hockey. 

There’s a reason why it doesn’t exist in any other professional sports league in the world.

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, IKnowPhysics said:

Krueger on WGR this morning.

https://www.radio.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/krueger-we-need-to-get-some-gritty-goals

Bits:

-Cozens in tonight, was seated to rest, and is expected to be strong tonight.

-Krueger is still making reference to not being able to tell "everyone on the outside" about something with Jeff Skinner.  Says Jeff is being very professional about his benching, and while Jeff may not embrace the decision, Krueger says communication is clear and honest, and Jeff understands this "disruption" is helping get Jeff to where he needs to be.

-Said "there's no 4th line" but confirmed he has been playing Skinner with Lazar to get Skinner matched up against worse D pairs.  Sees Jeff getting lots of chances and is waiting for the "waterfall to break open."  Acknowledged Jeff is a "classic 5v5 scorer."

-Understands why Eichel seemes frustrated.  Expects everyone to be frustrated with where the team is, especially somone that competitive.

-Does not see a problem with goaltending.  Thinks games are close and putting a lot of pressure on the goalies, but the overwhelming team problem is 5v5 scoring, and Hutton and JJ played well enough.  Acknowledged Hutton is a leader on the team.

-Needs to find ways to open up the 5v5 scoring without opening up the goals against.

Cozens, the 20 year old kid needs more rest than the slow 33 year old Okposo... well that's *****.

Krueger has nothing on skinner and just doesn't like him. I would guess because at some point Skinner disagreed with him and Krueger didn't like it. It isn't help Jeff Skinner get anywhere. 

There is clearly a 4th line and Ralph can kiss my ass if he thinks his gaslighting will convince me otherwise. Jeff is getting tons of defensive zone starts with minimal ice time and yet I am supposed to believe this is helping him and the D pairings thing is garbage. 

Great you realized the best player on the team is frustrated... and apology with change is manipulation which is exactly what this is. 

Games are not close. More gaslighting. They lost the last two games they played by 3 goals each and 6 total. Goal tending might not be the biggest problem but it is a problem. Who cares if Hutton is a leader? It is irrelevant. 

He does need to find ways but again this is him acknowledging the problem because he heard ppl saying it and thinks this will placate them while offering no actual change. It is manipulation and quite subtle. "Yes you are right we need to change this problem and we are going to look at that and move forward and get going." Sure you are, I could insert that fake sentence into a Krueger interview anywhere for anything and it is just manipulating the audience to make them feel like they were heard. 

[bob_sauve28]

41 minutes ago, SDS said:

Did you say “oh well” because this is what you believed?

Nope 

[SDS]

Just now, bob_sauve28 said:

Nope 

So, it was just a fact free insult when you said it?