The Optimism Thread: No, no, really... pick something to be optimistic about the Sabres

[Der Jaeger]

There was almost no issue with zone transition vs Montreal or Florida. In fact, some of the best o-zone entries and chances were from defenseman themselves. It's entirely on the wings to get their act together.

Or have you not actually watched these games?

It's not about just the neutral zone or getting into the offensive zone. It takes the Sabres a Herculean effort to get out of their own zone. A lot. So the centers are deeper and so are the wingers. By the time they get out, they don't have momentum through the neutral zone, and the opposition defense is gathered.

Watch Carolina play and see how their top 4 defenders transition quickly from the defensive zone.

I've watched all but one game this season.

 

[Icicle]

It's not about just the neutral zone or getting into the offensive zone. It takes the Sabres a Herculean effort to get out of their own zone. A lot. So the centers are deeper and so are the wingers. By the time they get out, they don't have momentum through the neutral zone, and the opposition defense is gathered.

Watch Carolina play and see how their top 4 defenders transition quickly from the defensive zone.

I've watched all but one game this season.

Ehh, Risto has been the biggest offender of slinging the puck up the boards with no target and I haven't seen much of that since he's been out. When I watch Carolina I'd see a pass to a winger on the boards, with a very quick pass to the center immediately afterwards. I don't see our wingers ever making that second pass, even when guys are open. It's more on the wingers than you're giving credit

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

I take this as "I don't watch the games, but you should watch the games"

I will watch whatever I want, you can watch whatever you want too. You have the right to an opinion, I've got the right to mine and I don't have to watch hockey 24/7 to have one.

 

[Tapu Coco]

I will watch whatever I want, you can watch whatever you want too. You have the right to an opinion, I've got the right to mine and I don't have to watch hockey 24/7 to have one.

Never said you can't, but the problem here is that your opinion is essentially baseless. I'm in the same position as you; I'm a full-time student, I work a job, have other commitments, etc - so yeah, I don't have much time to watch the Sabres let alone dig into their prospects. The difference is that I stay out of conversations I don't know anything about.

DJ has provided nothing but thoughtful and informative posts here, and he gives you fair opportunity to back up your claim; yet you answer by essentially saying "I haven't watched all of these defensemen so I don't know but they have to be better than Davidsson". Instead of blindly bashing the Davidsson pick, you should be paying heed to the guy who, from the looks of his posts, has watched Davidsson as well as the defensemen taken in the same range. If he was down on MD, you might have more credence to your argument. Changing one pick to a defenseman isn't going to right all the problems with this ****show. Oh well. At least, from DJ's opinion, we may have a future NHL forward to show for it.

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

Never said you can't, but the problem here is that your opinion is essentially baseless. I'm in the same position as you; I'm a full-time student, I work a job, have other commitments, etc - so yeah, I don't have much time to watch the Sabres let alone dig into their prospects. The difference is that I stay out of conversations I don't know anything about.

DJ has provided nothing but thoughtful and informative posts here, and he gives you fair opportunity to back up your claim; yet you answer by essentially saying "I haven't watched all of these defensemen so I don't know but they have to be better than Davidsson". Instead of blindly bashing the Davidsson pick, you should be paying heed to the guy who, from the looks of his posts, has watched Davidsson as well as the defensemen taken in the same range. If he was down on MD, you might have more credence to your argument. Changing one pick to a defenseman isn't going to right all the problems with this ****show. Oh well. At least, from DJ's opinion, we may have a future NHL forward to show for it.

There's way too many homers here to trust anyone's opinion on how good their prospects are. No offence to DJ - he may not be one, but I trust my eyes more than someone else's view on prospects. I've not seen much of him but the little I have tells me we should have gone D with that pick and not just because of Davidsson but based on the state of our farm. Baseless or not, this is my view.

 

[ZZamboni]

Never said you can't, but the problem here is that your opinion is essentially baseless. I'm in the same position as you; I'm a full-time student, I work a job, have other commitments, etc - so yeah, I don't have much time to watch the Sabres let alone dig into their prospects. The difference is that I stay out of conversations I don't know anything about.

DJ has provided nothing but thoughtful and informative posts here, and he gives you fair opportunity to back up your claim; yet you answer by essentially saying "I haven't watched all of these defensemen so I don't know but they have to be better than Davidsson". Instead of blindly bashing the Davidsson pick, you should be paying heed to the guy who, from the looks of his posts, has watched Davidsson as well as the defensemen taken in the same range. If he was down on MD, you might have more credence to your argument. Changing one pick to a defenseman isn't going to right all the problems with this ****show. Oh well. At least, from DJ's opinion, we may have a future NHL forward to show for it.

Well said.


I watch about 10-12 games of our various top prospects a year. Not enough IMO to give a solid, logical, experienced opinion on them too often. Therefore i usually refrain from having a "no opinion will sway me" stance on most prospects. No need to go there. The few posters who do watch them often usually have a consensus on the prospects. So you take the sum of the handful of posters and it's usually pretty accurate. Some don't like to have that approach, and would rather have weak arguments that are easy to spot and get challenged often. Why, i'll never know.

 

[Flamer12]

Ticket prices on Stubhub have been dropping..so that's a good thing.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Ehh, Risto has been the biggest offender of slinging the puck up the boards with no target and I haven't seen much of that since he's been out. When I watch Carolina I'd see a pass to a winger on the boards, with a very quick pass to the center immediately afterwards. I don't see our wingers ever making that second pass, even when guys are open. It's more on the wingers than you're giving credit

Sabres defenders blindly wing the puck around the boards most of the time if they go into the boards pressured. The difference is that the Carolina D makes a play.

Never said you can't, but the problem here is that your opinion is essentially baseless. I'm in the same position as you; I'm a full-time student, I work a job, have other commitments, etc - so yeah, I don't have much time to watch the Sabres let alone dig into their prospects. The difference is that I stay out of conversations I don't know anything about.

DJ has provided nothing but thoughtful and informative posts here, and he gives you fair opportunity to back up your claim; yet you answer by essentially saying "I haven't watched all of these defensemen so I don't know but they have to be better than Davidsson". Instead of blindly bashing the Davidsson pick, you should be paying heed to the guy who, from the looks of his posts, has watched Davidsson as well as the defensemen taken in the same range. If he was down on MD, you might have more credence to your argument. Changing one pick to a defenseman isn't going to right all the problems with this ****show. Oh well. At least, from DJ's opinion, we may have a future NHL forward to show for it.

Thanks!

 

[Sabre Dance]

The Sabres AHL affiliate has a winning record. That's improvement over previous years.

 

[AustonsNostrils]

One would hope that our injury situation will improve, Botterill really needs to look at the strength and conditioning dept and the team doctors, we now perennially are among the league leaders in man games lost. Team shooting % is terrible and it's reflected in a 97.0 PDO which stats nerds say is 'puck luck' so over time that should improve. The two young players supposed to lead us of the wilderness, Eichel and Reinhart, both have terrible shooting percentages, that should improve.

I think Reinhart has improved his game, doesn't show on the stat sheet but if he plays with Eichel it will. Falk has been good, Fedun decent - if we get Bogo and Risto back the defense should be better. Gorges when in the lineup has played well, we should be able to get something for him at the trade deadline. Eichel I trust will improve.

Rochester looks to be a playoff team this year, Guhle is making a nice transition to pro, CJ Smith is putting up points, Fasching beginning to produce points. Bailey can play for us if given the chance. Baptiste is up now. Mittelstadt, Asplund, Pu, Borgen and Fitzgerald should turn pro this year. Botterill can't let the two 3rd round dmen play their senior years, has to convince them to sign.

 

[pigpen65]

Nylander over Sergachev
Burned

Scoring isn't a need on this roster? With Murray's rebuild every position is a need.

 

[Club]

Casey Mittelstadt

.. anyone?

 

[Jame]

Scoring isn't a need on this roster? With Murray's rebuild every position is a need.

Yawn....

 

[joshjull]

Ticket prices on Stubhub have been dropping..so that's a good thing.

This season ticket holder begs to differ.

 

[pigpen65]

Yawn....

Their 40 goals for places them exactly 30th in the league.

 

[Clock]

This season ticket holder begs to differ.

Holy crap are those prices brutal. 13 bucks a game... yeesh. Is the season ticket waitlist still a thing?

 

[joshjull]

Ehh, Risto has been the biggest offender of slinging the puck up the boards with no target and I haven't seen much of that since he's been out. When I watch Carolina I'd see a pass to a winger on the boards, with a very quick pass to the center immediately afterwards. I don't see our wingers ever making that second pass, even when guys are open. It's more on the wingers than you're giving credit

Der Jaeger is spot on in his assessment of issues with the defense dragging down our offensive production. Not having enough dmen that can move the puck via pass or skating at a NHL level is killing our ability to come out of our zone and quickly transition to the attack.

We have dmen that can play that way and a potential top 4 that might have success. But they haven't all been healthy and together at any point this season. Add to that their replacements either don't have that skill set (moving the puck out via pass or skating) or have it but at a tweener or AHL level.

 

[Jame]

Their 40 goals for places them exactly 30th in the league.

So Botts failed to fix their scoring woes
And Housley has yet to get results

 

[joshjull]

Holy crap are those prices brutal. 13 bucks a game... yeesh. Is the season ticket waitlist still a thing?

I think so. I think a large reason for that is many STH split the tickets. Which leads to a rotation of who is in on them but doesn't lead to them being given up altogether. I was going to give up being in on my tickets with my dad and brother for this year. Instead I stayed in with 1 more person added to our split. But if I had gotten out the tickets would still not be given up. It would be my dad/brother and the new guy splitting them.

 

[pigpen65]

So Botts failed to fix their scoring woes
And Housley has yet to get results

Yeah for sure, scoring is still a need. Along with defense and goaltending.

 

[Icicle]

Der Jaeger is spot on in his assessment of issues with the defense dragging down our offensive production. Not having enough dmen that can move the puck via pass or skating at a NHL level is killing our ability to come out of our zone and quickly transition to the attack.

We have dmen that can play that way and a potential top 4 that might have success. But they haven't all been healthy and together at any point this season. Add to that their replacements either don't have that skill set (moving the puck out via pass or skating) or have it but at a tweener or AHL level.

My point is that the wingers can’t pass to each other anyway, so blaming the defense seems somewhat unfair.

 

[AustonsNostrils]

The team isn't being outplayed in most games, they're being outscored. Never mind not getting goals from defensemen we aren't getting goals from our forwards other than Kane and ROR.

 

[Chainshot]

My point is that the wingers can’t pass to each other anyway, so blaming the defense seems somewhat unfair.

When the defense regularly can't pass successfully to anyone, it inhibits the whole team's ability to move up the ice for their eventual low value shot and resulting counter.

 

[Fezzy126]

When the defense regularly can't pass successfully to anyone, it inhibits the whole team's ability to move up the ice for their eventual low value shot and resulting counter.

I agree with both of you on this one. Our wingers don't get enough of the blame. I've watched Risto make the right play many times, only to see the forward bumble the pass, turn it over, and allow the other team an extra 30 seconds of zone time. Does he make the right play every time? absolutely not, but he does it more often than he gets credit for. Our wingers need to improve with the overall transition game.

Risto and Scandella will never be as efficient with the one man breakout as Beaulieu or Antipin, but they are fine with their decision making and first pass. Again, not perfect, but good enough. Hopefully Bogo adds some that solo breakout ability if he ever heals and the rest of our team finds some chemistry.

 

[Aladyyn]

I agree with both of you on this one. Our wingers don't get enough of the blame. I've watched Risto make the right play many times, only to see the forward bumble the pass, turn it over, and allow the other team an extra 30 seconds of zone time. Does he make the right play every time? absolutely not, but he does it more often than he gets credit for. Our wingers need to improve with the overall transition game.

Risto and Scandella will never be as efficient with the one man breakout as Beaulieu or Antipin, but they are fine with their decision making and first pass. Again, not perfect, but good enough. Hopefully Bogo adds some that solo breakout ability if he ever heals and the rest of our team finds some chemistry.

Risto could be if he works on that area of his game.