What can Josh Doan become?

[dudacek]

40 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

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What I see in the league with Florida's success is although the league has pushed towards more open ice speed, finesse, and scoring, the clever coaching answer to that has been speed combined with an aggressive forecheck. Essentially eliminating offense before it even gets started. It's a good counter plan as Florida has proven. Why isn't that the Sabres plan? We have and have had big young fast players. We could build that way. But we don't. 

I think this is a good read on the game today.

I just think that the Sabres actually do agree with you and tried to go exactly in that direction.

Analytically, Danforth and Doan are two of the best forecheckers to move teams this summer. They’ve got Tuch and McLeod, they drafted Benson abd molded Krebs to play that style. Norris can fly. Greenway’s not fast, but he’s a load.

they walked away from Skinner and Olofsson and Mittelstadt and Peterka.

They also tried it with Lafferty Malenstyn and Aubé-Kubel and failed miserably. All of them fast, each with a forechecking reputation. 

Maybe the problem was not identifying the right for checkers? Maybe its coaching- either Lindy or the transition to Lindy?

It hasn’t worked yet, but I don’t think they’re completely blind to the issues they perpetuated under Granato.

Edited 20 hours ago by dudacek

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, PerreaultForever said:

I have no idea how the Sabres lines will shake out. Too many similar guys and trying to balance kids with vets. Is Thompson a center or wing? Is McLeod going to be 2 or 3? Where will Doan play? I don't see a clear checking line. You can argue the 4th line is a bit heavier but not overly so the plan is roll all 4??? Is Malentstyn still part of it? What do we get out of Zucker and Gtreenway? I just don't know. 

Part of my constant problem with the Sabres is the constant rotating of bodies but with a lack of clear direction or identity. What are the Sabres? Who will they try to be? I never see a clear direction forming in any season and can't see one now. 

So to your other frequent comment, yes, I have issues with the coaching as well. 

What I see in the league with Florida's success is although the league has pushed towards more open ice speed, finesse, and scoring, the clever coaching answer to that has been speed combined with an aggressive forecheck. Essentially eliminating offense before it even gets started. It's a good counter plan as Florida has proven. Why isn't that the Sabres plan? We have and have had big young fast players. We could build that way. But we don't. We have some sort of open ice possession game obsession that never seems to come together and leaves us on the perimeter more often than not. Weak and ineffective. So what kind of roster are we trying to build? I currently have no idea.  

Don't know.  It WAS the Sabres plan until Murray got punted.  Theoretically, it kind of was supposed to be last season's plan but the implementation left a lot to be desired and the plan seemed to get scrapped somewhere midseason to go back to more of a Granato style open ice possession game.

[ska-T Palmtown]

8 hours ago, MattPie said:

Well, if the Sabres trade Doan to the Leafs *of course* he's not going to win a cup there. Let's not be ridiculous.

And I do get your point, probably half of every SC winner's roster played somewhere else before that. Buffalo isn't unique in that regard. That doesn't make my statement (joke) any less true, he's more likely to win a cup if the Sabres are dealing him to a team looking to make a run than with the Sabres... Because if the Sabres are dealing him they're probably out of the chase anyway. 

I totally understood you were just playing along with the running joke, and don't begrudge you that. Heck, all opinions are welcome, right? I normally add a "not directed you" disclaimer when I just wanna pick at a point with broader SS.

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, dudacek said:

I think this is a good read on the game today.

I just think that the Sabres actually do agree with you and tried to go exactly in that direction.

Analytically, Danforth and Doan are two of the best forecheckers to move teams this summer. They’ve got Tuch and McLeod, they drafted Benson abd molded Krebs to play that style. Norris can fly. Greenway’s not fast, but he’s a load.

they walked away from Skinner and Olofsson and Mittelstadt and Peterka.

They also tried it with Lafferty Malenstyn and Aubé-Kubel and failed miserably. All of them fast, each with a forechecking reputation. 

Maybe the problem was not identifying the right for checkers? Maybe its coaching- either Lindy or the transition to Lindy?

It hasn’t worked yet, but I don’t think they’re completely blind to the issues they perpetuated under Granato.

That's an interesting way to look at it. Could be. Have to wait and see. They definitely created the mess they are dealing with though that's for sure.

Have they figured it out? idk, I'd have more faith in thinking that if they had Rochester playing that way already though. and they don't. 

Imagine Tage Thompson actually running people in the corners and bumping them off the puck. Imagine what a force he'd actually be.