GDT: #27 – Capitals at Sabres – Fri Dec 9, 7:00PM ET – MSG-B

[stokes84]

Disco is turning him into Moulson junior. Great around the net and meh everywhere else.

His last couple shifts he went right to the front of the net and let his linemates cycle. He was not drafted to be wasted like that.

But that's the problem with him. He's really, really good in a few areas on the ice, but really, really bad on a lot of others. It's super frustrating.

 

[Snippit]

Disco is turning him into Moulson junior. Great around the net and meh everywhere else.

His last couple shifts he went right to the front of the net and let his linemates cycle. He was not drafted to be wasted like that.

It's sad when you watch his 2015 WJC highlights. His passing, hockey sense and vision was the best I've ever seen in my 10 years of watching that tournament.

Get Disco out of here. We can't afford to ruin Sam.

 

[stokes84]

I was literally just having this same thought. He's a young Matt Moulson.

I'm still at a young Pomminville.

 

[AustonsNostrils]

Eichel with ROR and Okposo, Reinhart at 2C.

 

[Vito_81]

Only a few more losses until the season is far gone. Would be no excuses then.

Realistically the season is already gone. They can't score. End of story. No goals ,no wins

Murray's team is not looking good. Only one solution for a GM who believes his team is under performing...

 

[1972]

I'm still at a young Pomminville.

Pominville could score goals from 20 feet out. We've seen Sam score two goals (I believe) in about 100 NHL games from beyond the hashmarks. He has a decent release too.

 

[Aladyyn]

Realistically the season is already gone. They can't score. End of story. No goals ,no wins

Murray's team is not looking good. Only one solution for a GM who believes his team is under performing...

The team IS underperforming. There is no way around it. The roster is better than last year and we are playing worse.

 

[1972]

The team IS underperforming. There is no way around it. The roster is better than last year and we are playing worse.

We are definitely not playing worse..decent PK and scoring on those open nets and we easily win this game.

 

[CrazyPsycho]

Realistically the season is already gone. They can't score. End of story. No goals ,no wins

Murray's team is not looking good. Only one solution for a GM who believes his team is under performing...

They just arent deep enough yet...moulson des gorges grant nelson franson falk, and to a lesser extent carrier and girgs wouldnt get time on a playoff team

 

[toomuchsauce]

I hold multiple conflicting opinions about this team all at once. Namely,

1) This team sucks.
2) This team is okay; this game could have very easily been 2-2 heading to OT right now.
3) Lehner is bad.
4) Lehner is okay, if the team was better he'd be better, same as every goalie in the league.

I can't decide what's right. I feel somewhat confident in saying that, whatever it is this team needs (skilled offensive wingers), Kulikov and Bogosian are not the answer. For all the hand-wringing over the defense...they're last in the league in goals scored. Neither Kulikov nor Bogosian are going to help improve on that.

Even respecting the ability of competent D to impact F scoring without actually recording points, neither Kulikov nor Bogosian are going to fix this.

 

[joshjull]

They just arent deep enough yet...moulson des gorges grant nelson franson falk, and to a lesser extent carrier and girgs wouldnt get time on a playoff team

There are various combinations that could be tried with this lineup that our coach refuses to try.


It drives me nuts when people blame depth. If the coach sticks with the same set up that doesn't produce offense over and over and over again. Maybe, just maybe he should try something different.

 

[Aladyyn]

I hold multiple conflicting opinions about this team all at once. Namely,

1) This team sucks.
2) This team is okay; this game could have very easily been 2-2 heading to OT right now.
3) Lehner is bad.
4) Lehner is okay, if the team was better he'd be better, same as every goalie in the league.

I can't decide what's right. I feel somewhat confident in saying that, whatever it is this team needs (skilled offensive wingers), Kulikov and Bogosian are not the answer. For all the hand-wringing over the defense...they're last in the league in goals scored. Neither Kulikov nor Bogosian are going to help improve on that.

Even respecting the ability of competent D to impact F scoring without actually recording points, neither Kulikov nor Bogosian are going to fix this.

Kulikov was by far the best shot generator on this team before his injury. He could be an answer.

 

[stokes84]

Pominville could score goals from 20 feet out. We've seen Sam score two goals (I believe) in about 100 NHL games from beyond the hashmarks. He has a decent release too.

Yeah, that's right. Holmstrom? No matter how you cut it, it's upsetting. When you look at a healthy rebuild, having a major piece like that be marginalized is a big time problem. And I'm sorry, I don't think this is a coaching problem.

 

[joshjull]

Yeah, that's right. Holmstrom? No matter how you cut it, it's upsetting. When you look at a healthy rebuild, having a major piece like that be marginalized is a big time problem. And I'm sorry, I don't think this is a coaching problem.

You can't blame Sam for not being an effective center , which is what he was drafted to be, when he isn't allowed to play the position. Try to put your agenda aside for a second. To put into perspective how ridiculous its been, Girgs has played FAR more games at center the last two seasons than Sam has. And Girgs is hardly a Disco favorite.

 

[Aladyyn]

Girgensons is a coaching problem, Reinhart is a coaching problem.

Eichel is too.

 

[CrazyPsycho]

Still dont understand how bailey and baptiste are racking up good games (well scoring at least) on that garbage fire rochester team and cant crack this lineup

 

[stokes84]

You can't blame Sam for not being an effective center , which is what he was drafted to be, when he isn't allowed to play the position. Try to put your agenda aside for a second. To put into perspective how ridiculous its been, Girgs has played FAR more games at center the last two seasons than Sam has. And Girgs is hardly a Disco favorite.

He has to show he can be effective on 200 feet of ice, not just standing in front of the net, before he can be trusted at C. That's not on the coach, that's on him.

 

[1972]

I think we all can agree. We need to Sam to be more then just a guy who makes a few nice passes a game and goes to the net on the powerplay. He can easily make a nice career for himself doing that putting up 40-50 points a year, but that's not what we should want.

I don't care if it hurts him point wise in the short term, he needs to learn how to play HIS game in the NHL, the game which got him drafted with the second pick. When I say his game I don't mean he 100% has to be a center, we all saw him play terrific in the world Juniors as an underager on the wing.

 

[Lumpjaw]

Still dont understand how bailey and baptiste are racking up good games (well scoring at least) on that garbage fire rochester team and cant crack this lineup

I think you forgot we have Deslauriers. Very importat player for this team. Really good player. Played a whopping 5:48 today. Did many good things. Or not. The hit on Ovechkin was nice though.

 

[AustonsNostrils]

Koziol just said 'long wait for Dan Bylsma' to do his post game presser - maybe he's busy ..... being fired

 

[Havok89]

He has to show he can be effective on 200 feet of ice, not just standing in front of the net, before he can be trusted at C. That's not on the coach, that's on him.

Kane - Eichel - Reinhart proves to be ineffective at ES though and there's no change.

 

[joshjull]

He has to show he can be effective on 200 feet of ice, not just standing in front of the net, before he can be trusted at C. That's not on the coach, that's on him.

You're so lost in your agenda its hysterical. Going the front of the net like Sam has since being a Sabre is 100% the coach. Thats never been part of Sam's game. But you seem to think he suddenly decided thats how he will play as a NHLer. Disco even talked about how much he loved him around the net and wants him there.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

I've seen that look of frustration from O'Reilly before (staring out into space at the end of the game while leaning on his stick.....) I'd bet anyone here a steak dinner that he's had it with the coaching this team is receiving.

He came to Buffalo not only for the money but also to win!

 

[stokes84]

You're so lost in your agenda its hysterical. Going the front of the net like Sam has since being a Sabre is 100% the coach. Thats never been part of Sam's game. But you seem to think he suddenly decided thats how he will play as a NHLer. Disco even talked about how much he loved him around the net and wants him there.

I'm not criticizing him going to the net. I'm criticizing the rest of his game. If it were up to me, that's all he's do, because that's all he does well.

 

[1972]

Why not let Sam play the half wall on the second PP? He might thrive on his own there. Someone else can pretend to be Tomas holmstrom (Matt Moulson) .