GDT: #18 – Stars at Sabres – Tue Nov 17, 7:00PM ET – MSG-B, Bell TV

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Smart guy with a not so smart take.


The bulk of this teams jump is due to the moves and the team assembled by Murray when contrasted to the equally crappy roster he assembled last year. Yost talks about the historic jumps and how shocked he is. Yet he does an incredibly lame job trying to understand the somewhat historic turnover in talent on this roster.

Murray put together an incredibly bad possession team last year. He spent this summer completely reversing that. The success of this team so far shouldn't be a surprise to anyone paying attention to the roster turnover. I think too many are thinking of the old paradigm of slowing growing things. Murray blew that out the water with the team he assembled. He didn't add all the parts since some were already in the system. But he sure as hell added the best options he could over the offseason to jumpstart things

If you want to have a strong possession team you need strong possession players. There is no system that can turn a bunch of bad possession players into a possession team. Though you can have a system that doesn't get the best out of your players. Thats certainly not the case with Bylsma. Nor does it mean he isn't having a positive impact ,because he certainly is.

But lets stop with the, this team is what it is this year because Bylsma's magic system. This just reinforces to me that many don't grasp the amazing job Murray did this summer. Unlike some, I'm not remotely shocked how successful we've been possessing the puck.

I wanted to second this post last night but I was busy. I expected a dramatic change from last season simply due to the immense roster turnover and bringing in ANY coach ANY viable NHL level system. I really thought getting into the range of the 20th place team was the baseline of where they should be, up to .500. I was wrong though in expecting a higher scoring team (with more GA). Instead they're 26th in GF and 16th in GA. Those numbers don't tell a whole lot, but they do back up what I've been seeing so far - a team focused on defending that isn't generating QUALITY scoring chances. Chance differential doesn't tell a whole story either, because I don't see a lot of open nets being missed since Kane blew a few early. I like putting a lot of pucks on net, but I don't pretend that equates with a snake-bitten offense that's about to bust out.

So far they're getting by on a very good PP, and I hate tho think what happens when that flattens out a bit. I agree that's it's mostly about some inexplicable player usage. I know the counter argument is that Bylsma wants all the FWs to be comfortable with each other and the system. I fail to see how more set lines with better usage holds anyone back from becoming better within a system. If anything I think the consistency would aid the learning process.

It seems like the organization is satisfied with this season being an experiment in progress. I know the team was going to need time, young players especially, but this approach draws that out more, imo. I will still hold out some hope that Bylsma settles on some roles in the 2nd half, but for now I think they could be doing better.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

They also lack true goal scoring wingers. A big reason this team is struggling offensively (and Bylsma is juggling his lines so much) is that our two best goal-scorers by far are centers, and Kane is the only top 9 winger with a scoring-line caliber shot (which has unfortunately been largely offset by his style of play).

We need to look for the next Sharp or Pavelski on the cheap, someone with an above average shot, offensive instincts and competent two-way game.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

They also lack true goal scoring wingers. A big reason this team is struggling offensively (and Bylsma is juggling his lines so much) is that our two best goal-scorers by far are centers, and Kane is the only top 9 winger with a scoring-line caliber shot (which has unfortunately been largely offset by his style of play).

We need to look for the next Sharp or Pavelski on the cheap, someone with an above average shot, offensive instincts and competent two-way game.

So is that juggling more of a vain attempt to get blood from a stone, at the expense of some consistency for the younger players? Or does Bylsma think the juggling is the right way to develop the players, scoring or not?

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

So is that juggling more of a vain attempt to get blood from a stone, at the expense of some consistency for the younger players? Or does Bylsma think the juggling is the right way to develop the players, scoring or not?

I think it's a little of both. He's using TOI as a carrot for young players while also trying to situationally deploy wings/lines.

 

[joshjull]

I think it's a little of both. He's using TOI as a carrot for young players while also trying to situationally deploy wings/lines.

Except with Eichel who seems to get a free pass at the moment. He gets a ton of ice time regardless of how he is playing. And Disco has situationally deployed the centers not the wings so much. Thought there has been some of that.

 

[joshjull]

They also lack true goal scoring wingers. A big reason this team is struggling offensively (and Bylsma is juggling his lines so much) is that our two best goal-scorers by far are centers, and Kane is the only top 9 winger with a scoring-line caliber shot (which has unfortunately been largely offset by his style of play).

He's juggling the wingers. The centers have been set in stone since the 5th game of the year. ROR, Eichel and Girgs. ROR has had primary defensive duties with Girgs helping, particularly on the road.

The better question is does that make the best use of our players? I don't think Larsson, for example, is at his best at wing. He's much better as a center IMO. Couldn't he handle Girgs current role? If so, it would free up Girgs to play on the wing. Something that would allow Girgs to use his speed and be more of an attacking player not as focused on defense. Something that could potentially increase our offensive output and isn't an earth shattering move. This just one of many examples. There are other more dramatic things that could be done as well.

We need to look for the next Sharp or Pavelski on the cheap, someone with an above average shot, offensive instincts and competent two-way game

I'd certainly be on board for a move like this. But I still feel there are some things that could be done with the lineup to get better use out of it. Replacing Girgs last night with Schaller is certainly not one of them.

 

[Heraldic]

He's juggling the wingers. The centers have been set in stone since the 5th game of the year. ROR, Eichel and Girgs. ROR has had primary defensive duties with Girgs helping, particularly on the road.

The better question is does that make the best use of our players? I don't think Larsson, for example, is at his best at wing. He's much better as a center IMO. Couldn't he handle Girgs current role? If so, it would free up Girgs to play on the wing. Something that would allow Girgs to use his speed and be more of an attacking player not as focused on defense. Something that could potentially increase our offensive output and isn't an earth shattering move. This just one of many examples. There are other more dramatic things that could be done as well.

I have said it before, but it seems they're grooming Girgs for a shut down role. Girgs is offensively more suitable as a winger, but while he occasionally makes mistakes covering his guy in d-zone, he is clearly our best player among forwards after ROR getting the puck controlled out of d-zone. I think that aspect is absolutely too underrated and gotten too little attention. He digs effectively pucks in d-zone, and he is able to get the puck out of the d-zone under heavy pressure and against tough competition. If he played as a winger, he wouldn't be that often digging pucks down-low in our zone and he wouldn't be the guy having the responsibility of getting the puck out of our zone - controlled.

And if (when) that is their goal, at this point of our rebuild you groom players into the roles you wanna see them eventually play rather than use them for current roster needs.

I think that at the start of the season they wanted to see how Larsson does in that role where Girgs has been. And while Larsson makes fewer mistakes covering his man, he is not a strong player without the puck and he cannot make controlled d-zone exits under heavy pressure (he doesn't have size/reach and speed for that). I think that it is the reason why Larsson has switched to be the guy who instead of having a regular role is plugged where ever there is a place open. But is that the kind of role the management see him being eventually? I have my doubts, considering Murray's comments.

 

[vcv]

This was the reaction from another sarbres board. Now don't know if that is true but if it is then the refs made a bad call on the review because Ennis didn't have his skates down. maybe DD should have challenged the challenge :p

Ennis was very clearly over before the puck. That's not the issue, at all.

 

[Jame]

I have said it before, but it seems they're grooming Girgs for a shut down role. Girgs is offensively more suitable as a winger, but while he occasionally makes mistakes covering his guy in d-zone, he is clearly our best player among forwards after ROR getting the puck controlled out of d-zone. I think that aspect is absolutely too underrated and gotten too little attention. He digs effectively pucks in d-zone, and he is able to get the puck out of the d-zone under heavy pressure and against tough competition. If he played as a winger, he wouldn't be that often digging pucks down-low in our zone and he wouldn't be the guy having the responsibility of getting the puck out of our zone - controlled.

And if (when) that is their goal, at this point of our rebuild you groom players into the roles you wanna see them eventually play rather than use them for current roster needs.

I think that at the start of the season they wanted to see how Larsson does in that role where Girgs has been. And while Larsson makes fewer mistakes covering his man, he is not a strong player without the puck and he cannot make controlled d-zone exits under heavy pressure (he doesn't have size/reach and speed for that). I think that it is the reason why Larsson has switched to be the guy who instead of having a regular role is plugged where ever there is a place open. But is that the kind of role the management see him being eventually? I have my doubts, considering Murray's comments.

Only Oreilly (and maybe debatable Reinhart) are better without the puck in the defensive zone.

As for D zone exits... there's a reason Larsson, while playing different roles on different lines over the last 3 seasons... consistently tilts dzone to ozone possession. He currently leads the team in this metric...

These 2 comments are completely bizarre.

 

[Heraldic]

Only Oreilly (and maybe debatable Reinhart) are better without the puck in the defensive zone.

As for D zone exits... there's a reason Larsson, while playing different roles on different lines over the last 3 seasons... consistently tilts dzone to ozone possession. He currently leads the team in this metric...

These 2 comments are completely bizarre.

Larsson is not literally strong without the puck - he cannot outmuscle or separate players from the puck pretty much at all - he's too small, slow and has too little reach for that against quality competition. He covers his man well and can read plays to intercept passes. There are many aspects of playing without the puck, you know?

Larsson is not a bad transition player... But I recommend you actually watch what's happening on the ice rather than just rely on stats. This season Larsson has played pretty limited time as a center, and when he did, he wasn't doing that good job getting the puck out d-zone as a center (most likely a big reason him eventually losing the center spot - at least for now). And he doesn't face toughest matchups on the team - he hasn't during these last two season.

It's about excelling against tough matchups. He is not a bad player without the puck at all, but his combination of average to below average size, reach, strength and skating creates holes for his game that are pretty crucial for this team regarding defensive game.