Erik Johnson sends a clear message postgame "until we have a commitment to team defense, we won’t accomplish much"

[matter2003]

And he is right...

https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/erik-johnson-knows-exactly-what-its-going-to-take-for-sabres-to-win-games

IMO, Sabres are in a weird place right now.  They are TRYING to play D better and do at times, but seemingly lose focus on that at other times and try to go back to the way they played most of last year.  However, it seems to be hurting them on both ends...they aren't fully committed to playing Team D all the time, yet they are focused ENOUGH that is also seems to be hurting them offensively and they aren't generating the chances they usually do either. Sometimes it seems like a few players are trying to play defensively while the others out there are trying to play offensively and they aren't on the same page as a group of 5 and seem disjointed with what they are trying to accomplish. So they end up kinda "meh" at both ends of the ice for much of the game.  

The PK has been fantastic tho, so that is one plus.  The PP not so much.  Yes they did score a PP goal yesterday but also gave up 2 shorthanded breakaways and a few other good chances...like what are you doing?

My bet is they figure it out at some point and when they do start rolling...just hoping that doesn't take til January and we have a mountain to climb.

Edited October 20, 2023 by matter2003

[Getpucksdeep]

Here's his post-game only.  Count me as his newest fan.

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/erik-johnson-postgame-vs-cgy-6339490059112

"make the play that's there" EXACTLY.  So many forced passes that just aren't there.  Skinner is the all time great at this. Power and Cozens creeping up the standings quickly this year.

[Weave]

Good

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Some one had to say it.  Good for him.

[inkman]

Breath of fresh air.  They needed a dick in the locker room.  Now let’s see if the kids listen to their daddy. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

It does make you wonder why Donnie hasn’t been able to deliver the same message.  Is his fast break system part of the issue?

Without better defense this team won’t make the playoffs regardless of how many goals they score.  They gave up 304 last year.  That needs to go down by at least 30 goals to make the playoffs.

[matter2003]

3 minutes ago, inkman said:

Breath of fresh air.  They needed a dick in the locker room.  Now let’s see if the kids listen to their daddy. 

Have a feeling he is going to be on their @sses in practice like White on Rice until we see improvement...to the point they are going to do it at first because they don't want to hear it anymore from him.

Edited October 20, 2023 by matter2003

[mjd1001]

He's probably not wrong, but the reason this team isn't winning early is not the D play. The top guys aren't scoring.

MAYBE part of playing "Team D" is getting the puck out of your zone and giving your forwards more time in the offensive zone, I can see that. But the bottom line is...your top 5 goal scorers last year accounted for over 2 goals per game (on average) and this year they are getting less than 1.

The Top line (plus Cozens) score, this team wins more often than not.

[matter2003]

3 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

He's probably not wrong, but the reason this team isn't winning early is not the D play. The top guys aren't scoring.

MAYBE part of playing "Team D" is getting the puck out of your zone and giving your forwards more time in the offensive zone, I can see that. But the bottom line is...your top 5 goal scorers last year accounted for over 2 goals per game (on average) and this year they are getting less than 1.

The Top line (plus Cozens) score, this team wins more often than not.

They seem disjointed to me, like as a group of 5, 3 of them are trying to play more team D oriented with the other 2 are playing more offensive oriented.  Don't look on the same page as a unit too often.

[GASabresIUFAN]

2 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

He's probably not wrong, but the reason this team isn't winning early is not the D play. The top guys aren't scoring.

MAYBE part of playing "Team D" is getting the puck out of your zone and giving your forwards more time in the offensive zone, I can see that. But the bottom line is...your top 5 goal scorers last year accounted for over 2 goals per game (on average) and this year they are getting less than 1.

The Top line (plus Cozens) score, this team wins more often than not.

Part of the scoring issue is the PP is 1/13. That’s cost us about 3 goals so far. 
 

By the way the PK is 15/16 which is a huge improvement if they can maintain it.  

[inkman]

3 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

He's probably not wrong, but the reason this team isn't winning early is not the D play. The top guys aren't scoring.

MAYBE part of playing "Team D" is getting the puck out of your zone and giving your forwards more time in the offensive zone, I can see that. But the bottom line is...your top 5 goal scorers last year accounted for over 2 goals per game (on average) and this year they are getting less than 1.

The Top line (plus Cozens) score, this team wins more often than not.

I think the part where EJ mentions taking what’s there is why they aren’t scoring.  They are pushing the puck right into the teeth of the defense.  They want to keep possession, probably even coached to do it.  They need to realize the only way to maintain possession in those situations is getting the puck past the other teams trap and skating to the puck.  I witnessed the Tage line do it successfully on a couple of occasions last night.  As a matter of fact that line excels at dump and chase as every one of their forwards is excellent at skating, stick handling and applying pressure on the opposing D.  
 

It’s just recognizing when to chip the puck past the D or gain zone entry when the holes are there.  Casey Mittlestadt was the poster boy for never getting this right.  He was downright abysmal and would try to stick handle through the entire opposition D.  Now that he’s on a forechecking type line, he’s excelling.  I’m confident they’ll figure it out. Hopefully it won’t be too late. 

[Crusader1969]

3 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Part of the scoring issue is the PP is 1/13. That’s cost us about 3 goals so far. 
 

By the way the PK is 15/16 which is a huge improvement if they can maintain it.  

Benson to the bumper position on the PP...Tage can go to PP2

[matter2003]

12 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Part of the scoring issue is the PP is 1/13. That’s cost us about 3 goals so far. 
 

By the way the PK is 15/16 which is a huge improvement if they can maintain it.  

PK has been phenomenal both on the stats and watching it...they are all over the PP units.

[GASabresIUFAN]

10 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

Benson to the bumper position on the PP...Tage can go to PP2

I was thinking Benson to bumper on PP1 with Skinner to PP2.  

[matter2003]

10 minutes ago, inkman said:

I think the part where EJ mentions taking what’s there is why they aren’t scoring.  They are pushing the puck right into the teeth of the defense.  They want to keep possession, probably even coached to do it.  They need to realize the only way to maintain possession in those situations is getting the puck past the other teams trap and skating to the puck.  I witnessed the Tage line do it successfully on a couple of occasions last night.  As a matter of fact that line excels at dump and chase as every one of their forwards is excellent at skating, stick handling and applying pressure on the opposing D.  
 

It’s just recognizing when to chip the puck past the D or gain zone entry when the holes are there.  Casey Mittlestadt was the poster boy for never getting this right.  He was downright abysmal and would try to stick handle through the entire opposition D.  Now that he’s on a forechecking type line, he’s excelling.  I’m confident they’ll figure it out. Hopefully it won’t be too late. 

That's part of the Team D concept causing this because they aren't breaking out early a lot anymore and taking chances that one of the D is going to win the puck and be able to start the O with a stretch pass into transition where they have numbers coming back the other way before the other team can get back like what happened so frequently last year. Sometimes they also aren't exactly staying in position either so it's like the forwards are in No Man's Land not fully committed to either heading towards transition or fully on D and aren't accomplishing much of anything.

[Crusader1969]

2 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I was thinking Benson to bumper on PP1 with Skinner to PP2.  

Bring up Kulich and put him in Cozens position.   lol

[MISabresFan]

51 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

And he is right...

https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/erik-johnson-knows-exactly-what-its-going-to-take-for-sabres-to-win-games

IMO, Sabres are in a weird place right now.  They are TRYING to play D better and do at times, but seemingly lose focus on that at other times and try to go back to the way they played most of last year.  However, it seems to be hurting them on both ends...they aren't fully committed to playing Team D all the time, yet they are focused ENOUGH that is also seems to be hurting them offensively and they aren't generating the chances they usually do either. Sometimes it seems like a few players are trying to play defensively while the others out there are trying to play offensively and they aren't on the same page as a group of 5 and seem disjointed with what they are trying to accomplish. So they end up kinda "meh" at both ends of the ice for much of the game.  

The PK has been fantastic tho, so that is one plus.  The PP not so much.  Yes they did score a PP goal yesterday but also gave up 2 shorthanded breakaways and a few other good chances...like what are you doing?

My bet is they figure it out at some point and when they do start rolling...just hoping that doesn't take til January and we have a mountain to climb.

The question is, can the zebra change its stripes?  Answer - you can when you change the environment.

 

[R_Dudley]

They need to make the home games an advantage. Are they trying to put on too much of a show for the home crowd since they seem to play smarter and more that way on the road (dump and chase).

Seems like they should have this down by now in both practice and execution. 

Islanders Sat and they deftly play the defense first style. Let's hope they figure this out quickly or they will be playing to sparse home team crowds. 

[rickshaw]

Calgary scored two, maybe 3 goad because we f’d around with the puck in our own zone. Tuch had a simple play at the line, didn’t get it out. Same sequence Thompson make a crappy pass and then shortly afterwards it’s in the net. One example.

Those are the types of goals they can’t give up. The game was there for the taking and we didn’t take it.

Levi made some huge saves but let in others he shouldn’t have. The reviewed play was in too and that was a bad sign.

[matter2003]

10 minutes ago, R_Dudley said:

They need to make the home games an advantage. Are they trying to put on too much of a show for the home crowd since they seem to play smarter and more that way on the road (dump and chase).

Seems like they should have this down by now in both practice and execution. 

Islanders Sat and they deftly play the defense first style. Let's hope they figure this out quickly or they will be playing to sparse home team crowds. 

They had the 5th worst home record in the NHL last year. The only 4 teams worse?  The bottom 4 teams in the NHL, ALL 30+ points below them in the standings(ANA, CHI, CLB, SJS). Inexcusable.  We wonder why they missed the playoffs...that's the reason right there. Because they were abysmal at home where most teams are actually really good. One of the best road teams, dreadful at home. Makes no sense.

2 minutes ago, rickshaw said:

Calgary scored two, maybe 3 goad because we f’d around with the puck in our own zone. Tuch had a simple play at the line, didn’t get it out. Same sequence Thompson make a crappy pass and then shortly afterwards it’s in the net. One example.

Those are the types of goals they can’t give up. The game was there for the taking and we didn’t take it.

Levi made some huge saves but let in others he shouldn’t have. The reviewed play was in too and that was a bad sign.

He also stopped 3 breakaways that UPL would have let in 3 goals on, so it all balances out.  Levi wasn't at his best last night, but he will improve and even last nights rebounds stick to him like velcro. UPL hasn't shown any indication of that and he had the worst rebound control in the NHL.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Just now, matter2003 said:

They had the 5th worst home record in the NHL last year. The only 4 teams worse?  The bottom 4 teams in the NHL, ALL 30+ points below them in the standings(ANA, CHI, CLB, SJS). Inexcusable.  We wonder why they missed the playoffs...that's the reason right there. Because they were abysmal at home where most teams are actually really good. One of the best road teams, dreadful at home. Makes no sense.

It’s weird stat, especially when we have last change and should be able to get favorable matchups for our best forwards.  For a team like ours getting the last change should be a clear advantage.  

Could it simply be that these guys are more relaxed on the road and therefore play better?

[Night Train]

I and many other have posted since last year that floating back on D needs to end. Tage and Tuch are 2 of the worst in this practice. Plus some of our blue liners are spectators for long stretches before it's too late. 

 

 Change or miss the playoffs. 

[rickshaw]

Yeah I’m not sure if they are coached to do fly bys or if they just don’t want to hit guys. Big bodies like Tuch need to lean on guys. Far too often they just skate by and the defense get a feee pass.

[Curt]

I also heard these comments and thought they were very on the nose.  Needed to be said.  It’s part of why he is here.

I think when he first took over, Granato’s focus was young player development, building confidence and getting the team going offensively.  Now they are putting more focus on improving their team defense.  At the moment it looks like they are struggling with integrating it into their game.  I think they will get there.  How quickly they get it together will determine whether they make the playoffs.  It’s a long season and most teams go through ups and downs, they have a little time.

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, matter2003 said:

Have a feeling he is going to be on their @sses in practice like White on Rice until we see improvement...to the point they are going to do it at first because they don't want to hear it anymore from him.

I hope so.  

 

Everything he said is correct.  The game has not changed that much.  The Avs did it and they have just as much "speed and skill" type of players as the Sabres, maybe more.