GDT Sabres at Kings, Feb. 13, 2023, 10:30 pm, MSG, WGR

[IKnowPhysics]

16 hours ago, pi2000 said:

Scrambling the lines in Granato's way of sending a message to his players.

If the effort level returns, I'd expect the lines go back to normal... perhaps by the second or third period.

 

11 hours ago, HumanSlinky39 said:

Don’t think these line changes are having the desired effect. 7+ minutes without a shot. 

 

11 hours ago, Stads said:

These newly constructed lines are a bit poop

 

11 hours ago, Believer said:

Our passing is really raggedy so far… 

 

10 hours ago, HumanSlinky39 said:

We ain’t scoring with these lines.

 

10 hours ago, Stads said:

Put the lines back Meatballs!

 

10 hours ago, skaught said:

I think the experiment was a failure, can we put the lines back?

 

[IKnowPhysics]

Granato stuck with it for periods one and two, and it was a disaster. Bad passes, no coordination, no timing, no confidence. Period three, they went back to mostly original lines, and the pace, coordination, passing, confidence, and aggressiveness came right back. I gotta believe we'll see the original lines in Anaheim because not doing that would be playoff suicide.

[PASabreFan]

13 minutes ago, IKnowPhysics said:

Granato stuck with it for periods one and two, and it was a disaster. Bad passes, no coordination, no timing, no confidence. Period three, they went back to mostly original lines, and the pace, coordination, passing, confidence, and aggressiveness came right back. I gotta believe we'll see the original lines in Anaheim because not doing that would be playoff suicide.

How lovely of the boys to start playing down by 4 or 5. Ever heard of score effect?

[That Aud Smell]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

How lovely of the boys to start playing down by 4 or 5. Ever heard of score effect?

[That Aud Smell]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

They've achieved status and ridiculous millions without proving they can do what your rightly identify as the most important thing. The 85% thread is rattling around my head. The best players modulate their energy to step up at the right moment. Now through June. Our best guys probably spent their 100% to achieve their personal goal of that first huge contract in the NHL. What now? Unless they're extraordinary competitors, the future is still fraught with doubt. Who are these guys, really? There's no reason they should spitting out the bit now. Alas, checks are being marked off. Process. Improvement. Playing time. Contracts.

It's still not about winning.

They're still quite young, as a group. It's a tale as old as time -- that a young core can grow, develop, mature (in some cases, like literally, grow -- get stronger), and learn how to win over a long season.

There's no guarantee that will be the story told here. But it seems like there's a good chance.

[Pimlach]

I missed the game, was traveling all night.  

I actually saw the last minute and the Kings were still getting odd man rushes.  

They either figure it out right now, or this is the beginning of the end of the playoff dreams.   Need to find a hot goalie and ride him.  

[Quint]

Get well soon PA.

[JohnC]

54 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I missed the game, was traveling all night.  

I actually saw the last minute and the Kings were still getting odd man rushes.  

They either figure it out right now, or this is the beginning of the end of the playoff dreams.   Need to find a hot goalie and ride him.  

This team has been plagued by an upsurge of odd rushes. It is catching up with the team. The problem is not only with blue line players or even the goalies. The forwards have to be aware of their defensive responsibilities, especially when linemates are in tight in their offensive zone. 

[Thorny]

9 hours ago, inkman said:

I was thinking about this watching the fist half of the game last night.  Good teams have leaders that will put the team on their shoulders and push through.  We have young leaders like Cozens, Dahlin and Tuch but they don’t seem like they are ready for that role (Tuch probably should be for all the “future captain” talk in the off-season).  Our current leaders, Girgs and Okposo, aren’t capable of carrying the team through tough stretches because of dwindling talent (Okposo) or not enough skill (Zemgus).  Until the aforementioned young leaders achieve the status where they can will their team to win, this team is going to struggle.  All teams have tough stretches.  Good ones have leaders that keep it together.  The Sabres aren’t there yet. 

The help they need isn’t coming from the draft (sans Bedard).  They will need to figure it out or bring in some more talent.  

I think it’s still about accumulation/depth of talent. 

[North Buffalo]

7 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

How lovely of the boys to start playing down by 4 or 5. Ever heard of score effect?

I get why Granato tried to do it to shake things up because of the effort against Calgary... but he hasnt done it much since the beginning of the season... my guess is they need to practice different lines more before implementing... played decent in 1st but after Kings first goal it was a disaster... they pressed without coordination and Andy was off his game.

Edited February 14, 2023 by North Buffalo

[dudacek]

2 hours ago, Thorny said:

I think it’s still about accumulation/depth of talent. 

It’s more about Quinn Krebs Peterka Power Samuelsson getting 200 NHL games under their belts and acquiring/developing a legitimate #1 goalie.

Edited February 15, 2023 by dudacek

[Thorny]

12 minutes ago, dudacek said:

It’s more about Quinn Krebs Peterka Power Samuelsson getting 200 NHL games under their belts and acquiring/developing an legitimate #1 goalie.

Yes, I’ve mentioned a few times that when I use the broad, “accumulation of talent” it’s inclusive of internal improvement:

On 2/10/2023 at 3:12 PM, Thorny said:

I think our F group is really good overall and getting better, but those sorta intimating that it’s “set now” and we just need to tweak on D, maybe a 4th line F or so..

..after our first playoff series we are going to have a little list of stuff and I can guarantee we won’t see the F unit as compete relative to formulating a unit with overall balance and ability. Some (lots, most?) of the improvement will/may even be internal, my point is inclusive of that. I just don’t think the numbers as they are presenting themselves right now, nor the eye test, nor the record, point to the F unit being among the best in the league overall, quite yet. 

 

18 hours ago, Thorny said:

it tests our depth. Which is much improved but evidently maybe not quite “there” yet

next year hopefully we have, for example, 2nd line wings who can pick up the slack on a day like today. Could even happen down the stretch this year, yet 

...I think much of the improvement comes from within but there will be areas Adams needs to supplement at every position to help out. He can glean that from this here evaluation year 

[SwampD]

They are who we thought they were.

[Thorny]

2 hours ago, SwampD said:

They are who we thought they were.

Then crown their ass 

[Pimlach]

4 hours ago, dudacek said:

It’s more about Quinn Krebs Peterka Power Samuelsson getting 200 NHL games under their belts and acquiring/developing a legitimate #1 goalie.

So true.  So young.  The talk of losing Kyle or Z or both, and replacing with Savoie or Kulich means next year will be a lot like this year.  

[Weave]

6 hours ago, Pimlach said:

So true.  So young.  The talk of losing Kyle or Z or both, and replacing with Savoie or Kulich means next year will be a lot like this year.  

Ugh.  This team needs a little more veteran presence, not a little less.

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, Weave said:

Ugh.  This team needs a little more veteran presence, not a little less.

Agree.  But some common thoughts are:   1 - Kyle is in his last year.  2- Z has one more year maybe.   3 - Adam’s does not like blocking his prospects.   Add that up and we could potentially be breaking in another rookie next year, maybe two.  
 

If Quinn and JJP have a mixed sophomore season (commonly happens) and we add Savoie or Kulich or both,  that means we will still be very young and will be sheltering players.  
 

It is inevitable that Adams will have to make some trades to bring in veterans players that round out the team.  

[K-9]

13 hours ago, SwampD said:

They are who we thought they were.

[Thorny]

7 hours ago, Weave said:

Ugh.  This team needs a little more veteran presence, not a little less.

Ya.
 

Like I said, potential improvement for NEXT season will come in large part due to advancements players like Quinn make, but the performance of our rookie forwards this year has done nothing to suggest Savoie for example would represent improvement, NEXT year 

The goal is playoffs next year, right? Merely shuffling in rooks won’t do the trick 

[Taro T]

3 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Ya.
 

Like I said, potential improvement for NEXT season will come in large part due to advancements players like Quinn make, but the performance of our rookie forwards this year has done nothing to suggest Savoie for example would represent improvement, NEXT year 

The goal is playoffs next year, right? Merely shuffling in rooks won’t do the trick 

Which is why we MIGHT see 1 rookie on the opening night roster.  If Savoie earns a 9 game tryout or Kulich forces his way onto the roster, 1 will be in Buffalo on opening night.  And that likely requires Okposo deciding to move on.  Expecting we do see 1 rookie, but not both.  And not expecting Roysek or others to make the roster out of camp either.

(Extremely outside chance Levi starts the year in Buffalo.  But wouldn't have any money on it.)

[LGR4GM]

Just now, Taro T said:

Which is why we MIGHT see 1 rookie on the opening night roster.  If Savoie earns a 9 game tryout or Kulich forces his way onto the roster, 1 will be in Buffalo on opening night.  And that likely requires Okposo deciding to move on.  Expecting we do see 1 rookie, but not both.  And not expecting Roysek or others to make the roster out of camp either.

(Extremely outside chance Levi starts the year in Buffalo.  But wouldn't have any money on it.)

I think it more likely Rousek or Weissbach are more likely to make the Sabres over Kulich or even Savoie. They are both 23 or older so it is kinda now or never. 

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I think it more likely Rousek or Weissbach are more likely to make the Sabres over Kulich or even Savoie. They are both 23 or older so it is kinda now or never. 

Could see them (particularly Rousek) getting mid-season callups, but doubt they're on the roster on opening night.  If Savoie didn't have to go back to Junior if he doesn't make the team, doubt he'd be there opening night either; but he does, so unless he's really out of his element in the preseason, he'll likely get that shot.

Kulich is an interesting cat & likely forces a look on the big club at some point.

Waivers become a factor for the 2 you mentioned, but would be mildly surprised if anybody claimed them at roster cutdown.  They are both small (Weissbach is downright tiny) and they aren't tearing up the AHL THAT badly that somebody really will want to steal them.