GDT: BUF @ PHI 7pm TV:MSG Radio:WGR - Can they win two in a row? Please?

[littletonhockeycoach]

So does Cozens being demoted to the 4th line tonight light a fire under his ass or no?

On a team with loads of disappointing players early in the season, I'd have to label him the biggest.

Great idea for a new thread......Most disappointing Sabres this season thus far.

You could keep it open and let us vote on the rankings weekly.....

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

I think they'll run EJ until they have confidence in a 7th. DG showed tonight that it's not Bryson. I don't know if any Amerks D looked good tonight either.

How about "the other Johnson"?

Looked pretty good in pre-season. Can he handle the big time? Only in spurts? .....

Will Alex Tuch allow his beard to regrow giving him new hockey smarts?
Will Oloffson ever see the ice in a Sabres uniform again?
Will Jeff Skinner back check all the way back to his net next game?

Find out each week on "As the Sabres Turn"...

lol...

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

If I was Gus, I'd have a sit down with him over some Timmy's before tomorrow's practice. I'm serious. Do it quietly in private but what he's doing is actively hurting them.

I think deep down KO knows he's efing things up..... He's played too much hockey to not know.

This is on the coaches. Not the players.

Remove him from the 2nd PP quietly. He doesn't belong there. Manage the 4th line better. I know Granato wants to roll 4 but between Krebs penalties a period and Okposo, make it more situational.

If you need Krebs shit disturbing skills, give him an extra shift when necessary.

If ya got kids of your own, you know this is not rocket science.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Agreed, maybe UPL will be in philly's heads Friday given his performance tonight.

Agree...... but I'm laughing to myself that the usual Sabre outcome in these situations is that he sh!ts the bed........ lol

 

[Matt Ress]

How about "the other Johnson"?

Looked pretty good in pre-season. Can he handle the big time? Only in spurts? .....

Will Alex Tuch allow his beard to regrow giving him new hockey smarts?
Will Oloffson ever see the ice in a Sabres uniform again?
Will Jeff Skinner back check all the way back to his net next game?

Find out each week on "As the Sabres Turn"...

lol...

He would get my vote but we would probably see Clague first. Who knows

Is Tuch going with the stache? It is Movember

 

[Jacob582]

How do you tell your captain to declare a “time out” from playing? He’s not helping the team on the ice.

I don't understand anyone crapping on Kyle Okposo.

He's been our MVP the last two games. He's taken out the other teams best player in those games. Makar and Hart.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Great idea for a new thread......Most disappointing Sabres this season thus far.

You could keep it open and let us vote on the rankings weekly.....

Him consistently making the dumb play rather than the simple play has plagued him for years, but it seems to be worse this year than last year. I don't have much hope he'll be that defensive stud at C that we hoped for. Mitts seems to be filling tha role.

That's not to say he won't be effective and a damn good player. I just don't see that will to win every puck battle + consistently making the smart play that the upper echelon of defensive players make.

He's still young, so Im no anointing him anything. I just wouldn't put my money on him becoming what Peca and co. saw in him early on, which is fine. Becoming a top tier defensive center in this league is not an easy task.

As always with topics like this, I hope to be proven wrong. The season is still young.

 

[Dubi Doo]

I think deep down KO knows he's efing things up..... He's played too much hockey to not know.

This is on the coaches. Not the players.

Remove him from the 2nd PP quietly. He doesn't belong there. Manage the 4th line better. I know Granato wants to roll 4 but between Krebs penalties a period and Okposo, make it more situational.

If you need Krebs shit disturbing skills, give him an extra shift when necessary.

If ya got kids of your own, you know this is not rocket science.

These are the type of games where I wish Adams had revamped the bottom 6. I wanted Girgs back, but I was not a fan of re-signing Jost and Okoposo. Jost's contract was an overpay, too.

I would've loved if Adams found his version of EJ for the bottom 6. Oh well, I doubt we see Okoposo benched, so I'll just hope he regains steam.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Mitts is one and Greenway is the other. It would be nice if they could find someone who is regularly smart defensively to add to that mix who can stick in the lineup.

Been keeping an eye on Rousek and Cederqvist as potentials, the former in particular this year. Hard to tell how he’d do if that different role though.

 

[joshjull]

I also think Eric Johnson will begin getting a few off here and there as well. EJ is playing great but they need him all season long so no use wearing him out.

I think they'll run EJ until they have confidence in a 7th. DG showed tonight that it's not Bryson. I don't know if any Amerks D looked good tonight either.

Eric Johnson's minutes are being handled very well. There is no need to sit him.

He doesn't play much 5v5 -> 11:04 (#6 among dmen)
But is a workhorse on PK --> 4:30 (#1)

He's playing the lowest overall and 5v5 minutes of his career. About 2:30mins a night less 5v5 and 1:30mins less overall than the previous two years with Avs.

He's being used as a PK specialist getting the most PK ice time of his career. He and Sammy (4:06 PK atoi) are the workhorse top PK pair and that's helped improve the PK immensely. The next closest two are Power 2:19 and Clifton 1:39

Voluntarily sitting Johnson wouldn't be a very good idea.

 

[elchud]

Good for Biro! 10:39 of ice time.

 

[joshjull]

These are the type of games where I wish Adams had revamped the bottom 6. I wanted Girgs back, but I was not a fan of re-signing Jost and Okoposo. Jost's contract was an overpay, too.

I would've loved if Adams found his version of EJ for the bottom 6. Oh well, I doubt we see Okoposo benched, so I'll just hope he regains steam.

Our top players underperforming has been the issue. No depth players are going to overcome that.

We had a very good 3rd line to start the season that had to get broken up and spread among the top 6 to get things going.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Our top players underperforming has been the issue. No depth players are going to overcome that.

We had a very good 3rd line to start the season that had to get broken up and spread among the top 6 to get things going.

I agree with the bolded. That was a big reason why I wanted that line to be broken up.

That's also the reason I wish Adams upgraded on Okposo and Jost. A solid bottom-6, two way center would help balance the lines out. Mitts is the only center who consistently brings it defensively. The centers are young, so I understand why they're struggling in that area.

There have been a few players available either via trade or FA that have intrigued me. I do appreciate the additions of Johnson and Greenway, though!