GDT: #61 – Sabres at Avalanche – Sat Feb 25, 10:00PM ET – MSG-B

[sincerity0]

Consistency. And I think it's happening in more sports than just hockey, but there's no consistency amongst the calls, not only game to game but within games and within even series of play.

I think the whole live video and streaming and replay are part of the issue, but another part is the league not being strict with its refs on what is a call and what isn't.

That's the worst part. We have coaches and executives that are actively saying "get it right" AKA Bylsma and TM on this team alone. Yet, this league refuses to actually call the rules on a consistent basis.

I mean Jesus Christ in a five minute span Eichel gets mugged to the face and dragged down and then tripped in front of the ref. The refs are afraid to call it in such a close game. I can't blame the Aves for doing it either. Essentially what players are being coaches to do is make the refs call the penalty.

In the NFL it's common for a defensive back to interfere with a receiver if they are breaking open for a deep pass. They are taught to do that because either it is a TD, spot foul or a no call. Well, a spot foul or no call is better than giving up a TD.

In the NHL it's the same way except the refs hardly ever make a call if it's close. They are afraid to effect the outcome of the game. By not calling those penalties they are effectively changing the outcome.

It's really frustrating watching a player like Eichel get interfered, tripped and dragged down multiple times per game by **** players who can't handle him. The best players should be the best players. Allowing ****** players to commit free penalties because they are not good enough to defend players like Eichel is ridiculous. Get better.

Unfortunately, as I already stated, I can't blame the teams for doing these things. It is 100% on the NHL and the refs. Every player and team knows that the refs are hesitant to call penalties. Their thinking is "MAKE them call it."

It's actually disturbing how each team gets extremely close to 3 PPs and 3 PKs per game. I believe @ineffectivemath posted it awhile back. It's like there is a quota to give each team 3 PPs and 3pks a game.

Watching guys like Eichel this year and last, I really understand what teams with super stars feel like. Crosby gets cheap shot all the time because the NHL refuses to protect and enhance their best players. Truly astonishing. No wonder why they can't compete with the other three major sports. Disgusting.

 

[JackTheRipper]

Tank time

 

[DapperCam]

If there are more PPs and then less
Obstruction we get back to 100 point players, and it costs the owners more money... that's my theory

My conspiracy theory is they are afraid a faster game will lead to bigger hits, opening them up to concussion liability. Holding people up leads to a slower game with less big hits.

I think I actually read something about that in the big e-mail leak from about a year ago, but I don't remember for sure.

Anyway, it sucks and totally seems like a top down directive. You did not used to be able to interfere on chip ins like defensemen do now.

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

What a surprise, the refs blow another game. Like I've said numerous times over the years this is why I'm glad the NHL is a Mickey Mouse type league far behind the big boys. #4? HAHAHA. NASCAR, Golf, Tennis and soon to be MLS bigger sports then hockey.

Skill should be more valued then size/strength. Call the games like they did in 05-06 or be happy being a third rate league Bettman you ass clown scum bag.

 

[jvirk]

Start selling now.

Sell Bylsma for a bag of pucks or a bag of sh**...either way him away from this team would instantly be an upgrade.

The defense on this team is pathetic...that falls on the shoulders of TM (not only on the coaches - system is **** poor being coach's fault).

TM needs to make some MAJOR changes to this team in the offseason regarding the defense. The only 2 solid defenseman are Risto and McCabe, and the only on int he pipeline that'll contribute well to this team in the near future imo is Guhle...other than that we're nothing but crap back there.


The officiating was pathetic. The NHL's officiating is the worst out of any of the major sports in north america. All officiating is going downhill (baseball, football, hockey, basketball). There's just no consistency what so ever...refs don't get punished for crap..their jobs are safe they can care less about missing a call(s) (MANY CALLS) and learning from mistakes and trying to get better. The league's gotta do something.

 

[toomuchsauce]

My conspiracy theory is they are afraid a faster game will lead to bigger hits, opening them up to concussion liability. Holding people up leads to a slower game with less big hits.

I think I actually read something about that in the big e-mail leak from about a year ago, but I don't remember for sure.

Anyway, it sucks and totally seems like a top down directive. You did not used to be able to interfere on chip ins like defensemen do now.

It is definitely a top-down directive, but it's not a concussion conspiracy, unfortunately. Nope - NHL brass just want hockey being played "the right way" - meaning, the way it was played in 1999: as slow as humanly possible, except this time without as many elbows to the head.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Start selling now.

The defense on this team is pathetic...that falls on the shoulders of TM (not only on the coaches - system is **** poor being coach's fault).

Can't change D in one season unless you get really, really lucky. We'll bring up Guhle, sign a 2nd tier guy to lineup and one journeyman. It's lock. No other moves unless you want to move real assets like Reinhart which they won't.

 

[sincerity0]

It is definitely a top-down directive, but it's not a concussion conspiracy, unfortunately. Nope - NHL brass just want hockey being played "the right way" - meaning, the way it was played in 1999: as slow as humanly possible, except this time without as many elbows to the head.

Which is really sad. The people running this league are the old guard who have been in power forever. They are all former players or have been executives for decades. Their vision of the game hasn't changed since the 80-90s.

As fans we watch sports like the NBA rapidly grow in the US because the league EMBRACES their stars. You're playing Lebron James and the Cavs, Steph Curry and the Warriors, etc. the NHL still uses the Montra of "it's not the name on the back, it's the crest on the front." It's the players that make the team, the team doesn't make the players.

 

[Jame]

It is definitely a top-down directive, but it's not a concussion conspiracy, unfortunately. Nope - NHL brass just want hockey being played "the right way" - meaning, the way it was played in 1999: as slow as humanly possible, except this time without as many elbows to the head.

That angle doesn't make sense to me. The league is owners, they need a reason to want less exciting hockey... it's got to be related to costs either in terms of concussion risk, or simply the cost of offense in terms of player salaries

 

[dotcommunism]

That angle doesn't make sense to me. The league is owners, they need a reason to want less exciting hockey... it's got to be related to costs either in terms of concussion risk, or simply the cost of offense in terms of player salaries

Regarding the latter idea, the NHL is a salary cap league where the salary cap is directly tied to revenue. There's only so much money that the players can make regardless of how many points are scored (unless revenue increases, and the owners gets half of that). If anyone wanted to depress scoring for salary reasons, it'd make sense for it to be the PA because the top end players would get less, leaving more for everyone else.

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

We are talking about a league that employed guys like Shanahan, George Parros, Quintal etc in regards to player safety. That's like the NFL hiring Suh for NFL player safety or Incognito in a fair play department. The NHL will always lag significantly behind the NFL,MLB and NBA.

What is happening to Eichel is a downright joke. It isn't good old time hockey or great defensive play, it's inferior trash players getting away with penalties time after time because the refs are too ***** to call the game the way it should be. There should be no ****ing such thing as too many penalties called. You Cheat you go to the box plain and simple. And the league wonders why it's such a joke league when it's premier talent gets abused and mugged several times a game.

 

[dotcommunism]

We are talking about a league that employed guys like Shanahan, George Parros, Quintal etc in regards to player safety. That's like the NFL hiring Suh for NFL player safety or Incognito in a fair play department. The NHL will always lag significantly behind the NFL,MLB and NBA.

What is happening to Eichel is a downright joke. It isn't good old time hockey or great defensive play, it's inferior trash players getting away with penalties time after time because the refs are too ***** to call the game the way it should be. There should be no ****ing such thing as too many penalties called. You Cheat you go to the box plain and simple. And the league wonders why it's such a joke league when it's premier talent gets abused and mugged several times a game.

I don't follow your argument here. What separates those other leagues from the NHL isn't that their officiating is great and the NHL's sucks. NFL officiating is not exactly celebrated, every football season in the Bills thread people are constantly complaining about calls or non-calls. MLB umpires routinely disrupt games by going on power trips and ejecting players for no reason. I'm not sure where to even start with the NBA where Tim Donaghey was a referee for 13 years.

 

[Yatzhee]

The refs didn't blow this game. The coaching didn't suck. The mile high thinner atmosphere is a garbage excuse. Hell I drove out to Ft. Lupton in Jan. From south Carolina and climbed steel for 90 days starting the day after I got there and I wasn't impacted, and that was just 2 years ago in my mid 40's.

Nope, what lost this game was the Buffalo Sabres non-existent defensive play the first 15 minutes of the game. They weren't focused on the ice, they showed no commitment to win. Each player that played like crap needs to look no further than themselves for this loss.

It's time to sell. Pick up the phone Tim, make the calls.

 

[Jame]

Regarding the latter idea, the NHL is a salary cap league where the salary cap is directly tied to revenue. There's only so much money that the players can make regardless of how many points are scored (unless revenue increases, and the owners gets half of that). If anyone wanted to depress scoring for salary reasons, it'd make sense for it to be the PA because the top end players would get less, leaving more for everyone else.

You don't think big market/cap teams have an interest in keeping the cost of their stars down?

 

[dotcommunism]

You don't think big market/cap teams have an interest in keeping the cost of their stars down?

I suppose in the sense that it makes it easier to ice a competitive team since stars take up a lower percentage of the cap.

 

[Jame]

I suppose in the sense that it makes it easier to ice a competitive team since stars take up a lower percentage of the cap.

Keeping stars = winning
Winning = more revenue

 

[AustonsNostrils]

Definitely expect more from O'Reilly and Okposo in a game like that.

Bailey is good, if he can find his scoring touch in the NHL he'll be a legit top 6'er. Rodrigues would have been a real upgrade over Grant all year.

Zemgus was great.

Carrier, Bailey, Rodrigues and Baptiste need to be on the roster next October. Moulson and Deslauriers go to Rochester. Ennis hopefully gets picked by Vegas but if not Ennis as our 12th forward isn't bad.

 

[buffalowing88]

Maybe we just got beat because we're still not that good? It's disappointing, admittedly, but the calls aren't stopping them from scoring ES goals. That's purely on the system Bylsma runs with. It's no different than when I got excited after Rex peeled off a couple wins last fall. We get complacent and excited, even, in the moment when we have a few wins then immediately lose perspective when the big picture issue slams shut on us again. I've got tickets to fly up in April and I already scooped seats for the Islanders game and if I see Kane or Bylsma near the ice I'll be disappointed. I love Kane but we need a top 4 D way more than another forward and we need a coach who can game plan on the fly more than this sack of ****. I'm sure I won't see either but lets at least keep things in perspective until then,

 

[Sabre the Win]

I think the NHL is still punishing us for openly tanking. I mean the Leafs did it too and won Matthews but the opportunity to put an American front and center in the biggest market in hockey; some palms got greased lol

As for us, the NHL is making us the poster boys for why you dont openly tank. Stack the refs against you.

It's the silent punishment treatment.


:tinfoil hat on:

 

[jBuds]

We must lead the league in successful set plays off draws. Both zones. I do love that...

 

[Dreakon13]

Came out with no legs, gave up opportunities and Lehner couldn't bail us out early. As the game went on, we started playing better and battled to try and tie it up, but between the hole we dug ourselves in and ****ty reffing, couldn't get it done.

Honestly, even though we should be beating the Avs every time, this is about as good as I could've hoped for the game following the bye week.

Playoffs were never really realistic in my mind, but the team is playing a lot better lately IMO. Which is nice to see. A full season of our best players being mostly healthy, confident and able to play 100%... and not bothering gifting roster spots to guys like Grant and Deslauriers spots above guys who can actually contribute... and this season looks a lot different. Hopefully GMTM goes into seller mode, gets some decent assets and takes a serious stab at retooling the defense (at the NHL and prospect level) this offseason... or at the deadline should the opportunity arise.

 

[ZZamboni]

They came out flat.
D wasn't up to it.
Lehner played average. He's been pretty good lately. Just not this game.
Colorado cashed in on the opportunities.
O'Reilly and Risto have generally been among the most consistent this season. Saying otherwise is just illogical garbage.

 

[Gordo21]

Even as poorly as we played. We probably should have won 6 to 4. We just couldn't bury our chances.

 

[Sabre Dance]

The 1st 2 periods we controlled play. In not sure what people saw last night? When Colorado had a chance they scored, simple as that. That's hockey sometimes.

The 3rd was disappointing.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

That angle doesn't make sense to me. The league is owners, they need a reason to want less exciting hockey... it's got to be related to costs either in terms of concussion risk, or simply the cost of offense in terms of player salaries

You're forgetting the regressive mentality of the people tasked to operate the league, and that the NHL has grown in spite of its suboptimal product so the current state of play could be as much a crime of omission as a conspiracy to depress salaries.