Does Novotny deserve to be here?

[inkman]

He's shown flashes but not much lately. So given that, why the heck is he here and not in Rochester? Does he have to clear waivers? Paille or Stafford seemingly could contribute more, so why are we stuck with a player that doesn't really bring much to the table.

[nfreeman]

I'm pretty down on him myself. He just seems completely ineffective. The difference between Kotalik's and Drury's play with Gaustad as opposed to Novotny is huge.

 

However, I'm pretty sure that he would have to clear waivers in order to be sent down, and that somebody would grab him. So he's not going anywhere this year. He's got potential. Whether or not he realizes it is up to him. If not, someone else will probably get his spot next year.

[bob_sauve28]

I'm pretty down on him myself. He just seems completely ineffective. The difference between Kotalik's and Drury's play with Gaustad as opposed to Novotny is huge.

 

However, I'm pretty sure that he would have to clear waivers in order to be sent down, and that somebody would grab him. So he's not going anywhere this year. He's got potential. Whether or not he realizes it is up to him. If not, someone else will probably get his spot next year.

I'm not sure you can attribute Drury and Kotalik's play to Gaustad. First off its only been a short time and secondly maybe they just started to find themselves. Chemestry takes time to build sometimes. And for all this dumping on Novotney, he actually has one more goal than Gaustad.

[nfreeman]

I'm not sure you can attribute Drury and Kotalik's play to Gaustad. First off its only been a short time and secondly maybe they just started to find themselves. Chemestry takes time to build sometimes. And for all this dumping on Novotney, he actually has one more goal than Gaustad.

 

Bobby S. -- Your points are all quite valid. It just seems like the switch was flipped when the line change happened. Before the change, you just knew that line wasn't going to produce anything 5-on-5. Now they are a legit scoring threat on every #%^$#!. And though Novotny has one more goal than Gaustad, I think Gaustad plays with a lot more fire in the belly than Novotny does.

 

I'm not giving up on Novotny (just like I didn't give up on Kotalik when everyone was calling for him to be unloaded, which was until about a week ago). I'd like to see Novotny get a chance to play a regular shift with Mair and Stafford/Paille. Those aren't slouch linemates and he ought to be able to produce with them.

[drnkirishone]

most nights Novotny was the only one to show up on Drury's line. Personally i think he is just having a hard time adjusting his game to play with Mair and peters or whatever call up is there. But if you throw another skill player on his line like Paille or Stafford I think we will have the 4 line threat rolling like old.

 

 

I still want to see Kotalik traded for a D-man that makes less then him

[Bmwolf21]

I disagree. Most nights Novotny has been a non-factor at best, and if he stays with the big team, then for right now he should be relegated to the 4th line alongside Mair and whomever else is left (currently Peters.)

The TSN scouting report seems dead on, IMO:

 

Assets Owns a projectable frame for the pivot position. Sees the ice well and has sound playmaking instincts.

Flaws Doesn't have top-end finishing skills. Must continue to improve his work ethic, since he tends to be lazy at times.

Career potential Third line forward.

 

As for the second part of your post - if we do trade Kotalik for a "D" making less than him, how does that shake out? Are you talking about about an NHL-level defenseman, or someone to stash in Rochester until injuries hit? If it is an NHL-level defenseman, who loses a spot in the top 6- Kalinin, Teppo, Spacek? Do you move someone, or try to sneak Paetsch through waivers? And who takes Kotalik's spot in the forward ranks?

 

Not attacking you or flaming, just wondering how it all shakes out in your mind if the Sabres do trade Kotalik...

[bob_sauve28]

I still want to see Kotalik traded for a D-man that makes less then him

Sounds like you just want to get rid of him. Why would you want to dump a guy who is on pace for 20 something goals?

[Goodfella25]

Flaws Doesn't have top-end finishing skills. Must continue to improve his work ethic, since he tends to be lazy at times.

Career potential Third line forward. [/i]

 

Not only that, but Novotny seems to always take stupid penalties at bad times, which goes hand-in-hand with the fact that he is lazy. But hey, the team is doing well so it's not that big of a deal

[X. Benedict]

What Gaustad does to the Kotalik-Drury line is huge.

It allows Kotalik to work the right side. (his natural side)

Something he wasn't doing with Novotny.

Kotalik worked hard on the left - but it is probably his weakest forward position.

 

Novotny is probably more of a natural center.

Giving him more centre time may help his game too.

 

Ruff, as good of a coach as he is, often has line combinations where players

are not at their natural positions- the only line that really has everyone

where they should be has been Vanek-Roy-Afinagenov.

 

Not complaining though, it is a deep team.

[drnkirishone]

wouldn't mind packageing Kotalik with say Kalinin or another d-man.

 

We have an excessive of forwards in are system and imo Kotilak is never gonna be as good as his skills should let him be. I see him as a Grosek type, someone that has all the tools to be good in this league but isn't consistant enough nor focused enough to pull it together. I'd love to be wrong and maybe I am about him, but at this point that is what I see from him.

 

As for a trade I'd like to see us trade him with Kalinin, and/or one of are defensive prospects In return I figure capwise we can handle a 2- 3 million defenseman and have some cap space for call ups once timmy comes back.

[ThePolishSabre]

Kotalik is finaly starting to play really good. Getting rid of him now would just be dumb.

[envirojeff]

Novotny played real good last night!

 

Jeff

[deluca67]

Novotny played real good last night!

 

Jeff

 

I think some may be down on Novotny because we all hope every player coming up plays like Pominville.

 

Novotny is more of a complete player. Maybe a good comparison might be Ric Seiling. A player that chips in at both ends. He is a great player for the Sabres to have on the third or fourth line. He'd be a second liner on about 20 teams in the NHL.

[Two or less]

In the salery cap world, and us being strapped for money as we are, just "letting him go" is not an option. The guy is a young center, who has played in big games, is durable and fights for the puck. Yeah, he's stuggling right now, but give him time.

 

When Roy got hurt, and everyone got scared cuz it would kill the Roy, Vanek and Max line, Novotny stepped in and that line played great each night.

 

Novotny isn't going anywhere IMO. He's too good in his own zone for Lindy to let him go. His value is low right now anyways and a good insurance for a center. I just hope Lindy gets him to stop taking stupid penalties!

[LabattBlue]

Try to read this real slow...Novotny is an NHL rookie who has 6 goals and 11 points in less than half a season. He seems to play hard most nights, is responsible defensively and can be physical. I know he has slumped, but many of our highest played players have gone through prolonged slumps also.

 

Cut him some slack.

 

 

Peters on the other hand....THROW HIM TO THE WOLVES! :nana:

[Two or less]

Novotny was at the Amerks game tonight with a hottie... my buddy was at the game. Sopposetly, Novotny is pals with Danny Paille and he came to see him, watch him play and they are both driving together back to Buffalo... so you heard it first here... Paille to play vs. Atlanta. lol

 

 

God i hope my buddy is right. lol

[LabattBlue]

Novotny was at the Amerks game tonight with a hottie... my buddy was at the game. Sopposetly, Novotny is pals with Danny Paille and he came to see him, watch him play and they are both driving together back to Buffalo... so you heard it first here... Paille to play vs. Atlanta. lol

God i hope my buddy is right. lol

ABP! :)

[Eleven]

I think some may be down on Novotny because we all hope every player coming up plays like Pominville.

 

Novotny is more of a complete player. Maybe a good comparison might be Ric Seiling. A player that chips in at both ends. He is a great player for the Sabres to have on the third or fourth line. He'd be a second liner on about 20 teams in the NHL.

 

That's about right on. Not every player is going to be a superstar; Novotny is an excellent role-player.

 

And maybe he's just finding his game--I remember a lot of posts last year, including a few of my own, noting that while a certain #61 was fast, that didn't mean he'd ever be a scorer. I'd rather see him develop now than have a great rookie year, suck thereafter, and get traded to Dallas. I'm talking to you, Derek Plante.

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

The TSN scouting report seems dead on, IMO:

 

Assets Owns a projectable frame for the pivot position. Sees the ice well and has sound playmaking instincts.

Flaws Doesn't have top-end finishing skills. Must continue to improve his work ethic, since he tends to be lazy at times.

Career potential Third line forward.

 

 

On the other hand, TSN describes Chris Drury as "still searching for consistency at the NHL level." :doh:

[Bmwolf21]

I have to wonder when that was updated, but it could be argued that his offensive game has been streaky and slightly inconsistent.

Some of the TSN scouting reports seem dead on, while some seem like they are out of right field.

 

Here is Briere's:

Assets Is extremely creative and capable of seeing the play develop in slow motion. Makes excellent decisions when passing and shooting. Has good speed and the hands of a legitimate NHL sniper.

Flaws Can get pushed off the puck very easily. Is prone to long-term injuries, which diminish his excellence.

Career potential Second line center.

I think he had one LT injury, IIRC. Doesn't make him prone to them, if that is the case.

 

Max:

Assets Possesses blinding speed, shiftiness and an ability to make opposing defenders miss. Loves to score goals off the rush.

Flaws Still plays out of control at times, and needs to better harness his tremendous speed. Misses a lot of scoring chances.

Career potential Top six winger.

Seems dead-on to me, especially about missing a lot of scoring chances. We've all said that if his hands ever catch up with his feet...

[Eleven]

BMWolf:

 

Assets: Readliy accesses TSN.ca for player profiles, and analyzes TSN's work. Has a good avatar.

Flaws: Is prone to too much TSN.ca, which diminishes his excellence.

Career Potential: GM of some AHL team, or maybe the Phoenix Coyotes or something.

 

Eleven:

 

Assets: Is extremely creative and able to see the message board develop in slow motion.

Flaws: Posts messages after drinking. Misses a lot of "scoring chances."

Career Potential: That guy on the corner of Chippewa and Franklin who always needs exactly sixty-five cents for the bus.

[Bmwolf21]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

 

EDIT: Sadly, TSN is about the best overall source of info for the NHL. ESPN is hit and miss, and even the NHL.com website has had issues lately with stats not updating, etc. Kind of sad, actually.

[drnkirishone]

5 or 10 games does not mean a player has turned there game around. Kotalik did the same thing last year. He got hot for like 15 games or so in the middle of the season than diisappeared. Since we using some scouting reports. Check out Kotaliks. I can accept a player having a scoring drought but you have to make the other plays and you have to put yourself in a position to get passes from your linemates. When Kotalik is on his game he finds that open ice to get the passes for the scoring chances, but when he is not he puts his linemates in tough spots cause he never gets open. I love the game he has played the last 5 games and hope he keeps playing that game. But if he goes back to bad Kotalik he should get scratched for a game or 2 to remind him what he is here for.