Player Discussion Victor Antipin - Sports.Business-gazetta speculates he is going back to KHL

[joshjull]

I'm not arguing over side. My point is that he's a possible depth option.

If he's gone, so be it.

My bad then. Yes he is possible depth lost.

 

[ek93]

What a waste. Can't say I blame him, though.

 

[Jame]

Thanks a lot Phil...

 

[OkimLom]

It's weird, but when I watched tape of Antipin, he played just like Housley did back in his day. The way Housley wanted to play, it sounded like guys like Antipin would've played very well in and brought out the best of the system...And then and goes and scratches him for guys like Beaulieu who consistently making horrible decisions that is pretty much a dumber version of Antipin.

Housley is implementing a system that would utilize his own strengths well and he's scratching the guy that plays just like him. He's essentially stopping himself from playing his own system.

 

[Sabre the Win]

I just would like to take time out and say f*** You Phil Housley for running Antipin out while playing Blowu for the season.

I would also like to say Thank You to Blowu for helping us secure Dahlin. You are now no longer needed.

 

[joshjull]

I just would like to take time out and say **** You Phil Housley for running Antipin out while playing Blowu for the season.

I would also like to say Thank You to Blowu for helping us secure Dahlin. You are now no longer needed.

It’s like the circle of life

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

I am disappointed he isn't coming back, but i am not really mad about it and i don't think its a huge loss that he is KHL bound again. I think i only give a damn because i am pissed off at the way Housley utilized him. I don't think we were ever actually able to see what we had in Antipin and the fact that Beaulieu was played over Antipin is maddening.

Had he played 82 games, was mediocre and then split, i'd have nothing to complain about.

 

[dotcommunism]

They retain his rights I believe until 27 as long as they QO him every summer by the QO deadline. After that, he'd be eligible (which by my initial typing has a second b, no g, and three i's) to sign with any NHL team as a UFA. My thought is more to see if some other team, perhaps one with a Russian speaking segment of the team, would be interested in him and see if they can use him as part of a deal. Florida or the Rangers might be good destinations in that regard.

They don't need to qualify him every year, just the once, and his rights are held until 27 (through 2020, in this case)

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

They don't need to qualify him every year, just the once, and his rights are held until 27 (through 2020, in this case)

he'll be the player that cames back to the team when they are clearly going to make a solid play off run.....ya know, if we ever get to be that team again.

 

[Dingo44]

#FreedAntipin

 

[cybresabre]

Butterfly effect. Thanks Phil for doing every lousy exactly like you did to put us in this Dahlin-filled timeline.

 

[BritSabre]

Shame, but can't blame him. It sucked for him that Murray brought him in and then got booted. Botterill went through with the deal but he was Murray's guy. Think that counted against him big time.

I can't be alone experiencing first hand a new boss favouring their recruits over inherited employees.

 

[valet]

Not the right timing for this club as they weren't able to handle his development properly. That said, I never saw any glimpses of greatness at the NHL level to make it worth fretting over a marginal NHL defenseman.

i agree, he could have been good depth at d but him going back to the khl isn't a dagger by any means

 

[Buffaloed]

Antipin is the Rodney Dangerfield of Sabres dmen. He gets no respect. If they have a going away party for him, they'll probably forget to invite him.

 

[Dreakon13]

Antipin was probably a "good" defenseman on this pitiful team last year, and likely didn't deserve the treatment he got unless there were personal issues really hampering things behind the scenes (like a language barrier or that illness)... but I don't see a spot for him with Dahlin slotting in and eventually pushing everyone down, and I think it was made pretty clear when he signed last offseason he was either playing on the Sabres or going back home (ie. NOT going to Rochester).

Sure, Beaulieu and Bogosian are ideally gone... but I don't go hard to keep Antipin over McCabe or any younger guys that could make the team out of camp (Guhle, Nelson, Pilut, etc). If we need a solid vet pickup to fill a spot, I feel like there are better options out there.

I think Antipin as anything more than a 7th D next year is a bad sign, and he probably doesn't want to be a 7th D in the NHL. So I can't say I blame him for heading home, and I'm not too torn up about it either.

EDIT:

Dahlin
Risto
Scandella
McCabe
Guhle
Nelson

Factor in that we probably won't be able to get rid of both Beaulieu and Bogosian. Factor in that we're due for probably one solid (proven) D pickup this offseason. Where does Antipin fit?

 

[Buffaloed]

Antipin needed to spend some time in the AHL. The Sabres should have Shipachyoved him instead of wasting a year pretending they could get him NHL ready in practice.

 

[Duddy]

Or they could've played him over known trash players.

 

[brian_griffin]

Because of the date, May the fourth be with you...

Thank god..I've always said, the Sabres have too many defensemen

Agreed, no place for spare defensemen.

...the sarcasm is strong with these two...

After getting Dahlin there is no pal;ce for him. We already have Risto, Dahlin, Bogo and Nelson on the right with Borgen probably close too.

Coin flips as to whether any one of those 3 would be better than Antipin on any given night.

Not the right timing for this club as they weren't able to handle his development properly. That said, I never saw any glimpses of greatness at the NHL level to make it worth fretting over a marginal NHL defenseman.

In all fairness, the Sabres have many more marginal defensemen who have had longer looks than Antipin got. I posit we don't truly know how good Antipin can/could be, and we've had enough McCabe / Bogo to know the upside is a lower possibility than the downside.

Not picking on Icicle or anyone else who has referenced "communication", but are there any substantiated reports of communication issues with Antipin?

I recall @joshjull posting a late-season post-game stat where Antipin just blew away the rest of the field with zone exits and Corsi for a game. I don't care if he's mute, he has the capability of being better than Beaulieu for sure, healthier than Bogo, and is a toss-up with Nelson, IMO.

 

[Icicle]

Because of the date, May the fourth be with you...



...the sarcasm is strong with these two...

Coin flips as to whether any one of those 3 would be better than Antipin on any given night.

In all fairness, the Sabres have many more marginal defensemen who have had longer looks than Antipin got. I posit we don't truly know how good Antipin can/could be, and we've had enough McCabe / Bogo to know the upside is a lower possibility than the downside.

Not picking on Icicle or anyone else who has referenced "communication", but are there any substantiated reports of communication issues with Antipin?

I recall @joshjull posting a late-season post-game stat where Antipin just blew away the rest of the field with zone exits and Corsi for a game. I don't care if he's mute, he has the capability of being better than Beaulieu for sure, healthier than Bogo, and is a toss-up with Nelson, IMO.

Multiple interviews from Botterill and Housley themselves.

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

Why? He has a reasonable buyout. Alternatively, we can retain salary if/when we move him. Keeping Bogo around is the definition of insanity. If he remains, I think Botterill will have failed to accomplish one of his primary offseason duties.



This is simply wrong.

Botts disagrees with you so tell me more about how Im wrong.

 

[Zip15]

Botts disagrees with you so tell me more about how Im wrong.

Sweet appeal to authority. I guess Botts is infallible. Housley was probably right to play Falk and Beaulieu over Antipin too, right?

And your point, or lack thereof, presumes it was Botterill's decision and not Antipin's.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Housley's big change on the backend was giving most of the third pairing's sheltering under Bylsma (remember when Mike Weber was a 50% corsi player) to Risto, and turning the bottom rung into a complete afterthought.

That basically screwed Antipin from the jump, who was scouted for his passing and relative skating advantages.

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

Sweet appeal to authority. I guess Botts is infallible. Housley was probably right to play Falk and Beaulieu over Antipin too, right?

And your point, or lack thereof, presumes it was Botterill's decision and not Antipin's.

Whatever floats your boat, no place for Antipin by the time October hits. You can accept it or not, I move on from this failed experiment.

 

[old kummelweck]

In all fairness, the Sabres have many more marginal defensemen who have had longer looks than Antipin got. I posit we don't truly know how good Antipin can/could be, and we've had enough McCabe / Bogo to know the upside is a lower possibility than the downside.

Not picking on Icicle or anyone else who has referenced "communication", but are there any substantiated reports of communication issues with Antipin?

I recall @joshjull posting a late-season post-game stat where Antipin just blew away the rest of the field with zone exits and Corsi for a game. I don't care if he's mute, he has the capability of being better than Beaulieu for sure, healthier than Bogo, and is a toss-up with Nelson, IMO.

I just can't get to a place where I care enough about his skill set and where he would fit in next years defense. Both player and org need to move on. I wish him well and even hope if he wants to play in the NHL, he finds a team where he can be successful. I do think they mishandled him, but I also recognize that it may not have been a fit: new coach, struggling team, bad culture, wasn't treated well.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Whatever floats your boat, no place for Antipin by the time October hits. You can accept it or not, I move on from this failed experiment.

It was a failed experiment because our coach is also a failed experiment. His entire system was a failed experiment and Blowu was the worst experiment of all time.

Antipin was a casualty of our flawed coach. He himself was only a failed experiment because of the coach.

Saying he has no spot next year over Blowu is ridiculous.