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Drury on the shootout?


Eleven

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putting drury on the shootout was stupid... come on now... everyone knows he's just a playmaker and scores once in a while... even though we all call on him to do more then that... a max, connolly, vanek lineup would have been better i think.

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putting drury on the shootout was stupid... come on now... everyone knows he's just a playmaker and scores once in a while... even though we all call on him to do more then that... a max, connolly, vanek lineup would have been better i think.

I think that's the ideal shootout lineup, actually, despite goals from Briere and Kotalik. (Should have included Vanek in my original post). Possibly I swap Kotalik in once in a while, but I'm happy with him as a fourth or fifth if it remains tied. At least this: the selection should be three of the following five: Max, Briere, Connolly, Kotalik, Vanek.

 

No Drury.

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I've already adopted the philosophy that Drury will only be effective as a "checking" line forward who may occasionally light the lamp (15 -20 goals) over the season. Clearly good on face-offs but not a go-to guy for scoring critical goals. Average playmaker.....aside from his face-off skills, I question why he's always on the powerplay.

 

I hope he proves me wrong!

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I've already adopted the philosophy that Drury will only be effective as a "checking" line forward who may occasionally light the lamp (15 -20 goals) over the season. Clearly good on face-offs but not a go-to guy for scoring critical goals. Average playmaker.....aside from his face-off skills, I question why he's always on the powerplay.

 

I hope he proves me wrong!

you and me both... he seems to be a good playmaker.... some goalscoreing would be nice but i guess his line mates make up for that... but like others and i have stated above... drury never again on the shootout.

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I think Lindy probably considers whether someone who hasn't played particularly well in a game should go in the shootout. Last night I thought neither Connolly nor Vanek played well and Drury did. I'm not sure this is the right approach though -- probably would like to have seen Vanek get a shot.

 

I am fine with Briere and Kotalik though (although that's easy to say since they both scored on very sweet moves).

 

I thought the Sabres played OK last night, but not great. Far too many turnovers and sloppy passes. Connolly wasn't aggressive at all -- too many passes and not enough taking it to the rack. The Vanek-Roy-Max line was exciting at times (Max played pretty well -- great to have him back) -- but turned it over far too much. If Mika hadn't played GREAT, we wouldn't have made it to OT.

 

Speaking of Mika, once he gets healthy, is there any reason for Marty to ever play for the Sabres again?

 

I'll report back after tonight's game in LI, which I will be attending.

 

Go Sabres.

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Yes. Lindy likes Marty. More than enough reason to play him.

 

 

Certainly this has been true in the past. However, based on the way I heard Lindy talking about Mika after the Boston game, on his giving Mika a 2nd consecutive start and on Mika's play last night, I predict that Mika moves ahead of Marty in the rotation once Mika is healthy.

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Certainly this has been true in the past. However, based on the way I heard Lindy talking about Mika after the Boston game, on his giving Mika a 2nd consecutive start and on Mika's play last night, I predict that Mika moves ahead of Marty in the rotation once Mika is healthy.

maybe but apparently theres some rumor floating around that ruff has it in for noronen because of something noronen said about him a while back.

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Guest tx sabres

if you have ever coached anything at all, you may realize that its not all talent when picking a player for a shootout. sometimes you have to consider where he is mentally and if he could use a lift or confidence builder. drury has been playing better and maybe ruff thought that if he scored it would get him over the top, and if he didnt he would still know that the team has confidence in him. just a thought, i have no prob with him being picked

 

transplanted to tx sab fan who used to love doubleheader sundays. bills then sabs when the french connection was there

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maybe but apparently theres some rumor floating around that ruff has it in for noronen because of something noronen said about him a while back.

 

 

 

Who knows why anyone ends up in Lindy's doghouse? The problem is, once you're there, the only way out is a trade

 

That sounds pretty far-fetched. I find it hard to believe that a coach, whose livelihood depends on winning games, wouldn't go with a better goalie b/c of some personal insult. My guess is that (i) Lindy historically has thought Marty had more upside but fragile confidence, and playing more would help get Marty to his potential, (ii) Lindy hasn't liked the way Mika practices (I think I've seen this somewhere) and (iii) Mika hasn't blown Lindy away when he has gotten his chances in games.

 

However, with Marty having received and blown a million chances to establish himself, and with Mika staying sharp during the lockout, the worm may have turned.

 

 

 

As to Kristian's point about Lindy -- maybe my judgment is clouded by fond memories of watching Lindy play in the Aud when I was growing up, but I really like him. A coach can only deal with what he's given by the front office. I don't think anyone can claim that Lindy's been handed a bunch of star players and has delivered an underperforming team.

 

Lindy got the Dominik teams -- which IMHO were made up of an incredible goalie and a bunch of string and rubber bands -- into the playoffs every year and they were generally real contenders. When Dominik retired, we still had the bunch of string and rubber bands, without the real goalie we needed to stay competitive. Instead, we got Marty, who is not a legit NHL starter, and we became a below-average team.

 

I don't think it's fair to blame Lindy for those teams not being playoff teams. I also think if we have a good year this year he will deserve a ton of credit, since we still don't have any real stars -- having almost completely sat out the free agent frenzy this year -- and have a bunch of young players making major contributions, including a rookie goaltender.

 

I'm also not aware of any players who got into Lindy's doghouse, got traded and then went on to be really good for other teams. Who? Mike Wilson? Dixon Ward? Chris Gratton? For that matter, both Connolly and Max have spent significant time in that doghouse but are getting tons of ice time now having improved their play.

 

Give Lindy some weapons and a real goalie before you give up on him.

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That sounds pretty far-fetched. I find it hard to believe that a coach, whose livelihood depends on winning games, wouldn't go with a better goalie b/c of some personal insult.

Happens all the time in sports.

 

Look at TO.

 

Why do think Rueben Brown and Ross Tucker are no longer Bills?

 

The Sabres have a long history of this happening also. It's why Ruff was traded from the Sabres way back. It's why Andreychuk ended up leaving. Barnaby could be added to the list. Coaches have as fragile an ego as any player. When questioned they hold it personally.

 

I have nothing against Ruff. With the way the goalies are handled and his favorites list I wouldn't mind if he left. Or if he stayed. My problem is further up the chain.

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