GDT Columbus at Buffalo 9/23/25 7 pm Streaming Sabres.com, WGR 550

[bob_sauve28]

Maybe the team is buying into Ruff's defensive scheme

Maybe 

[Jorcus]

14 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

Which is why I'm leaning toward Norris not being on the same line with tage. Tage doesn't need him. 

Tage creates his own scoring chances and puts his own scoring chances away. He's one of the best in the league at that. If Norris has talent, let Norris's talent Help guys on other lines. 

In short, other guys need Norris a lot more than Tage does.

I'm not saying to put tage out there with a couple ahl-ers, but put him out there with a guy like Benson who will do the dirty work and will help keep the puck out of the defensive zone.

Benson does not have anywhere close to a good shot. It doesn't matter if he's out there with tage, he can do everything else on the ice but tage is going to get in position and take the shots.

 

One issue is that Norris wins about twice as many faceoffs as Tage does. I do understand the point that in some ways they are both finishers. It's Lindy though, the lines will change all the time. Zucker was talking about that on the radio postgame last night. It sounded like it's one of the things players had to buy into with Ruff as coach. He said now they expect lines to get shuffled during the game. 

[DarthEbriate]

18 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

If Norris is not a play driver, all the more reason I don't want him with Paige. He's a scorer, I don't want him taking any shots away from tage.

I'm starting with Kulich.

Patience. Norris has to stay healthy first.

[mjd1001]

1 minute ago, Jorcus said:

 

One issue is that Norris wins about twice as many faceoffs as Tage does. I do understand the point that in some ways they are both finishers. It's Lindy though, the lines will change all the time. Zucker was talking about that on the radio postgame last night. It sounded like it's one of the things players had to buy into with Ruff as coach. He said now they expect lines to get shuffled during the game. 

I guess that's the lesson I could take from preseason, this might be just testing outlines and getting a feel for them. 

I would like to see Norris play with Tuch. Norris has speed, and Tuch is... In my opinion... One of the best forcheckers in the league with decent speed himself. 

I'm not sure who would be on the other side of that line... Maybe some kind of guy who's not afraid to go into the corners and do the dirty work and is decent in his own zone... Maybe even Doan?

So many possibilities I think could be interesting... I just hope they don't end up slotting the lines like this is a video game or fantasy hockey.

 

[K-9]

10 hours ago, inkman said:

I guess I never thought about how you spelll it. Been saying it for years. 

I have no idea if that’s correct spelling or not. I was wingin’ it. 

[triumph_communes]

No idea why Marty is harping so bad on Benson and Thompson chemistry. The game showed exactly how they work well together. Benson digs and draws attention, Thompson finishes.  Yeah maybe it’ll take a little while for them to find each other, but that’s what pre season is for.

 

Norris looks good, I entertain the argument he isn’t needed with them, could be swapped out. But I strongly believe Thompson needs to play wing and stay focused on getting open. 
 

Samuelsson looks bad. Yeesh

[Mr Peabody]

58 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

I guess that's the lesson I could take from preseason, this might be just testing outlines and getting a feel for them. 

I would like to see Norris play with Tuch. Norris has speed, and Tuch is... In my opinion... One of the best forcheckers in the league with decent speed himself. 

I'm not sure who would be on the other side of that line... Maybe some kind of guy who's not afraid to go into the corners and do the dirty work and is decent in his own zone... Maybe even Doan?

So many possibilities I think could be interesting... I just hope they don't end up slotting the lines like this is a video game or fantasy hockey.

 

Like you I think separating Norris and Tage is a good idea but I’d put Tuch with Tage because of his defense.  Haven’t seen much of Norris but my understating is he’s a 200’ center and D isn’t Tage’s  forte - yet. 

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, mjd1001 said:

Yeah, I'm not denying that Kulich might have some growing to do in his game, and there's a possibility he could take a step back. 

I'm just saying that I would start there and then make changes if necessary after you see it works or doesn't work. 

Maybe the coaching staff thinks a key to this team's success is getting good on the power play... And you want Thompson and Norris to play together to develop chemistry that will translate to the power play? I don't know.

I'm supposed to be working now so I don't have time at the moment... But I think an interesting project might be to look at Norris's numbers in Ottawa. Who is he the most and least productive with? Where were his analytics good versus bad? Basically, to find out what type of player in Ottawa he played the best with versus not so well.

 

Realize that the analytics say that Kulich and Thompson were very good together and they were in the offensive end and against middle of the pack teams.  But, from the eye test, Kulich got absolutely stomped in his own end against teams with very good top lines.  The Sabres didn't face many of those down the stretch, which IMHO skews their results.

Completely expect Kulich to get better at that; but IMHO at least against teams w/ GOOD top lines, he is NOT a top line C.

Maybe the guy to play with Thompson and Benson is McLeod; then Norris gets Zucker and Tuch or Doan and Tuch; and Kulich gets Quinn (until Helenius steals his spot 😉 ) and Doan/Zucker.  McLeod is very defensively responsible and showed more in the offensive zone last year than people expected.  Especially if opponents are keying on trying to take away Tage, then maybe McLeod's offense last year wasn't just a mirage.