Gionta needs to be taken off the power play. Seriously this veteran bias is getting beyond a joke. Eichel playing point isn't taking advantage of his shot or skill set. Needs to replace Gionta on that half wall. Moulson is miscast as a 3rd liner and mcginn is miscast as a 2nd liner of late.
Post-Game Talk (GBU): #22 The Good (?), the Bad, and the Ugly
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what do YOU mean, "you people????"
"HUH???"
McGinn miscast? His 7:58 of ToI was second-to-last, only ahead of Larsson "I got benched" and his 6:37.
The usage has been a problem since day one, but you're misdirecting your anger.
Gionta almost 23 minutes?! Girgensons not even 15?! What the actual ****?!
"Drink BootySweat, baybi!" - Alpa Chino
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sabresfan129103
1-4-6-14
Gionta had more ice time than Risto. I think that says it all right there.
An over the hill veteran who isn't that good anymore has more ice time then your #1 D. Yup.
This isn't exactly true. Yes they've put a lot of SOG and had good possession time in many games, more so the first 10-12 games. However, they've been outshot in four of these last six losses (two games by just one shot). In their last four wins, they were outshot in each game, by an average of over 11 shots per game.
The bad puck luck myth has to start dying out after game 22 and a -14 goal differential. If you're not cashing in on chances, you're just not good enough offensively. It also doesn't help if you're playing in a role that's not your best. I think it's fair to say that this is an average offensive club at best, that isn't being deployed to it's best potential, and still requires time for young players. Two of those factors are on the players, one on the coach, but none of it is about outplaying teams and having bad luck.
Sabres Dynasty
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- Apr 11, 2015
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G:
- 2 goals which were kinda pretty
B:
- Most of our "vets", who we don't need. They are sh*tty hockey players and having ROR, Kane, Bogo is enough to show the youngsters the ropes. Gionta, Moulson, Legwand... these guys are bums.
- McCabe looked like trash tonight
U:
- As said before, Bylsmas player usage.
- 2 goals which were kinda pretty
B:
- Most of our "vets", who we don't need. They are sh*tty hockey players and having ROR, Kane, Bogo is enough to show the youngsters the ropes. Gionta, Moulson, Legwand... these guys are bums.
- McCabe looked like trash tonight
U:
- As said before, Bylsmas player usage.
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PlamsUnlimited
Big Church Bells
Pls don't give Gionta almost a half hour of ice time. It takes away from the players who want to produce.
Thorton02
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- Feb 6, 2009
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At least Gionta and Legwand will be gone at the end of the year.
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Dreakon13
Registered User
If this team played the way they did near the end of the third period, for the full 60, they'd be playoff bound and do pretty damn good IMO.
Other than some questionable player usage decisions and some vets not pulling their weight, I think this kind of slump was to be expected. They weren't playing great hockey most of this game, but they outplayed Nashville while looking like they were barely trying for 40 minutes. We knew the goaltending would be suspect this year, we know the coaching and the organization are treating this as a "learning year" with all the new blood injected in the offseason. To be honest, that's probably a good reason why Gionta is getting killer minutes... if they aren't yet, Eichel and Reinhart will get burnt out by the rigors of an 82 game NHL schedule. Who would you rather get run into the ground in a season of "trying stuff" and "taking notes"? The kids that are still learning and trying to make it work, or our past-his-prime "captain" with a little left in the tank that won't be here in two seasons?
Something interesting. After that second Buffalo goal, you could tell the kids were so amped up they were playing scatterbrained. Risto whiffed in his own zone with an empty net behind him, then a little later Eichel whiffed trying to take it up the ice. It wasn't until ROR stepped in, beast mode but cool as a cucumber, that they started putting on some pressure. This team can do that, but the kids need to get more confident playing at that next level for extended periods of time. That may not happen this year... but we have a lot of years of ROR to look forward to, and a lot of years of Risto, Eichel and Reinhart to get so frustrated by losing and confident in their abilities that they play just like him.
/end optimism
Other than some questionable player usage decisions and some vets not pulling their weight, I think this kind of slump was to be expected. They weren't playing great hockey most of this game, but they outplayed Nashville while looking like they were barely trying for 40 minutes. We knew the goaltending would be suspect this year, we know the coaching and the organization are treating this as a "learning year" with all the new blood injected in the offseason. To be honest, that's probably a good reason why Gionta is getting killer minutes... if they aren't yet, Eichel and Reinhart will get burnt out by the rigors of an 82 game NHL schedule. Who would you rather get run into the ground in a season of "trying stuff" and "taking notes"? The kids that are still learning and trying to make it work, or our past-his-prime "captain" with a little left in the tank that won't be here in two seasons?
Something interesting. After that second Buffalo goal, you could tell the kids were so amped up they were playing scatterbrained. Risto whiffed in his own zone with an empty net behind him, then a little later Eichel whiffed trying to take it up the ice. It wasn't until ROR stepped in, beast mode but cool as a cucumber, that they started putting on some pressure. This team can do that, but the kids need to get more confident playing at that next level for extended periods of time. That may not happen this year... but we have a lot of years of ROR to look forward to, and a lot of years of Risto, Eichel and Reinhart to get so frustrated by losing and confident in their abilities that they play just like him.
/end optimism
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G: after this stretch of games against some of the best teams, we finally have a game against Carolina. A game against someone in our own weight class should do wonders for the team's confidence. They've looked panicky and impatient with the puck in recent games, because the Stars, Blues and even Nashville, have given them very little room.
Schaller doesn't look like an NHL player, so TM will have to find someone to play 4C, unless a top scoring winger can shift Larsson down to that spot...or McCormick returns. Legwand wouldn't be a bad choice to re-sign for one year if nobody else pans out.
Gionta still has another season after this, so we're stuck with him.
Sabre the Win
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Why does every blame McCabe for the first goal against? IT was Eichel not covering Fisher tieing up his stick. Everyone had a man covered; McCabe went to block the shot coming from the faceoff circle rather than tie up Fisher. It was a split second decision. Where was Eichel on that play?
But yes lets blame McCabe for not being able to cover two players. How dare he. Considering Fisher wasn't even going towards the net until Ullmark gave up the rebound.
But yes lets blame McCabe for not being able to cover two players. How dare he. Considering Fisher wasn't even going towards the net until Ullmark gave up the rebound.
Heraldic
Registered User
- Dec 12, 2013
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I have addressed this topic recently.
Larsson is better at center, but he has some holes considering a lot more aggressive defensive system. And those holes are really difficult to dent, because he is not going to grow size, get more dynamic or stronger but marginally at best most likely.
Girgs would bring some needed aspect to this roster as a winger, but he also brings a lot needed aspects regarding center's role on defensive system.
Sure we all can disagree about those things, but I'm not personally baffled about Larsson being used as a winger and Girgs as a center. Bylsma has a lot of mind boggling decisions considering lines and players positions, but that's not one of them IMO.
It seems they groom Girgs as the shutdown-center over Larsson, so Larsson's spot is either on 4th line center or winger on top-9-lines.
Eichel sure has struggled. But he needs to learn the hard way at some point. And this season is a perfect season for learning the hard way, because no expectations are set.
The goal is not to build the roster to be as good as possible today. The goal is to grow the roster to be good in the future. It means compromising short term success, but I rather sacrifice the success this season for developmental purposes than any of the seasons after this.
Sabre the Win
Joke of a Franchise
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Go back and rewatch that play on the 1st goal, Bogosian had his man in the corner and McCabe was attempting to block the shot.
I thought this was one of McCabe's better game if only for the fact he seemed comfortable to really start getting aggressive. He had a good rush in the 3rd that caught my eye. I wish he'd play more of a Subban-esque game especially if/when paired with Pysyk to cover him. He's the kind of guy you want stepping up to make hits, trying a few rushes a game etc. I think theres a ton of untapped potential in McCabe and i hope it begins to show more as he gets comfortable.
I just rewatched it. Its a soft erister from the point. If he tried to block it he missed the lane by a mile. More importantly Fisher was right next to him, representing a much higher priority than blocking a shot he was no where near in position to block. Bad play by him.
He is working thru some wrinkles, but he has absolute potential. He reminds me a little of Letang. More physical less skilled, but the same type of risk taking.
Sabre the Win
Joke of a Franchise
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Where was Eichel on the play? too busy floating he cant lift a stick and take Fisher? I seen everyone on a man EXCEPT Eichel on that play. How is McCabe suppose to attempt to block a shot and take Fisher, why was Fisher free and by McCabe? because he's Eichel's missed assignment. Just because a player is by another player doesn't mean they should leave their assignment and go for the other guy because no matter what player you cover someone is left open in that type of situation. No way that goal was the fault of McCabe.
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Umm, Eichel could have been there, but he wasn't. ..
Either way Bogo had one guy. McCabe had another guy. No need to block the shot and cover his guy. Just cover the guy. The shot was a soft wrister from the point. It was a 2v2 situation and McCabe got beat. It's not a witch hunt. He also gets celebrated for good plays. The replay is on nhl.com if you want to see a replay again.
OkimLom
Registered User
- May 3, 2010
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Think you may have to watch the goal again. Eichel DID allow Fisher to go to the net, but he was going to the net before the shot was taken. McCabe's responsibility whether you want to admit it or not is to take Fisher. Seeing as there was one other guy in Front, which Bogo did a terrible job of boxing out, there was nothing wrong with asking McCabe to take Fisher. The other three guys from Nashville were all at Buffalo's blueline when the shot was taken.
McCabe could have taken the shotblock and he could've tied up Fisher. Eichel did allow Fisher to go the net, but there was no outnumbered situation. It was just a bad goal to give up. McCabe had a part in allowing the goal, as did Eichel for not winning his battles in the zone. Winger could've pressured the shot better. But for what you're arguing about, I believe you come out on the wrong end of the debate.
However, If there's a goal that is 100% Eichel, it's Hodgson's goal. That's the one that is definitely Eichel's fault for not tying up his guy. He was skating with Cody(something that isn't hard) until they got the center of the zone, and Eichel just stopped skating. By the time McCabe went to retrieve the cross-ice pass, which happened because of Eichel playing too high in his own zone, it was too late.
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