Pre-Game Talk: Game 1- 10/3 7PM Sabres @ Pens 'Haleth son of Háma. There is always hope.' edition

[K8fool]

Yeah, I mean ideally I'd do what you're suggesting here...............but we shall see, I suppose.[/QUO
Where's the trust and faith in our leader.? He's telling you he wants to win and start w a veteran precense and trust the discussions w his players.. If the world is right sobotka and ok play themselves out of the lineup.. A 32 year old khl scrub busted ass to make the team.. Ok protected himself and gets to prove it tomight and prob 7 games.. Ill be pissed if in the new responsibilitythey suck and remain up .. But jeez they are veterans and deserve some games before they call it a career . which by the way is whats at stake if they can't even be a throw in w a trade.. Chill.. This guy has things under control.. Life works when you get out of the the way and decisions become evident.. Both of these two boat anchors were part of ba hard working win streak.. This is a process.. So we all.. The team fans and mgmt know the fn truth and make good decisions...
I would aqueeze a couple of wins or more from two veterans who will give their all andvleave it on the ice.. You would do that to be honoraboeto the room and everyone's now accountable... When's the last time we had that.. I bet we win 2 of three.. Despite bad fancy pants..stats.. And you all are in avtizzy that he doesnt pull one or both immediately.. I'm willing to trust ralphy boy and that the pegulas have evidence of the process working and have full faith.... Nothing screws up the 50th and so on.. Let's go Buffalo...i like the cojones..

 

[Gabrielor]

You’re worst fear is Risto playing exactly where everyone should have expected him to be? On one of the top two pairs. Then we wait until the game to see how much he plays. But I would expect close to if not the most minutes.

Can’t wait for the games and even more nuanced takes.

Are you writing my opinions for me now??

Personally, I’d say my fear regarding Ristolainen is no significant reduction in his 5v5 minutes, and since Montour got hurt, that’s what I’m expecting.

 

[Goathead]

What’s sad is something that minor (yes its minor) has led to the hissy fits we’ve seen the last two days.

Btw they guy to be frustrated with for Erod not being in the lineup is... Erod. He played his way off the starting 12 during camp/preseason. Can’t say he wasn’t given a fair chance. He had a shot at the #2 center/wing spot when camp opened. He got chances with Skinner/MoJo.

Frankly I don’t want to hear anymore about accountability from many on this forum. Because its quite clear that only means getting rid of certain players posters on here don’t like. It sure as hell doesn’t mean holding a player you like accountable for a poor preseason/camp. Its laughable posters have lineups with Erod on the top line if they truly care about accountability.

I’ m certainly not excited about Sobotka playing on that line. I also fully expect Erod to respond to this and get back into the lineup. But I’m absolutely amazing at the carrying on over this.

Is it sad though? Sobotka was one of the worst players in the league last year and killed just about every line he played on. Now we’re strapping him to our $9mil man. A contract a lot thought was too much and that he’d need to be strapped to Eichel to make it worth it.

Also a player who was quite useful for us “looses his love of the game”, has a down year and gets shot to the sun for free. Sobotka plays an entire season like he couldn’t care less because he believes he deserves a better role. So we promote him to the second line. Something here is a**-backwards and I think fans have a right to be upset about it.

 

[K8fool]

suppose.[/QUO
Where's the trust and faith in our leader.? He's telling you he wants to win and start w a veteran precense and trust the discussions w his players.. If the world is right sobotka and ok play themselves out of the lineup.. A 32 year old khl scrub busted ass to make the team.. Ok protected himself and gets to prove it tomight and prob 7 games.. Ill be pissed if in the new responsibilitythey suck and remain up .. But jeez they are veterans and deserve some games before they call it a career . which by the way is whats at stake if they can't even be a throw in w a trade.. Chill.. This guy has things under control.. Life works when you get out of the the way and decisions become evident.. Both of these two boat anchors were part of ba hard working win streak.. This is a process.. So we all.. The team fans and mgmt know the fn truth and make good decisions...
I would aqueeze a couple of wins or more from two veterans who will give their all andvleave it on the ice.. You would do that to be honoraboeto the room and everyone's now accountable... When's the last time we had that.. I bet we win 2 of three.. Despite bad fancy pants..stats.. And you all are in avtizzy that he doesnt pull one or both immediately.. I'm willing to trust ralphy boy and that the pegulas have evidence of the process working and have full faith.... Nothing screws up the 50th and so on.. Let's go Buffalo...i like the cojones..​

 

[OkimLom]

Are you writing my opinions for me now??

Personally, I’d say my fear regarding Ristolainen is no significant reduction in his 5v5 minutes, and since Montour got hurt, that’s what I’m expecting.

Risto playing top 4 minutes while Montour being out is not exactly what the team planned. It's the card they're dealt. We just have to hope Krueger leans less on Risto, let him take the #2 PP minutes (if Miller doesn't), and let him play #2 PK defense minutes.

We haven't even began playing. If Krueger handles the top 4 pairings as both around 23-24 minutes, that's a whole lot better than say Risto getting 27 minutes. Not to mention the type of minutes he plays.

 

[K8fool]

fcojones..f everyone and win. Remember he knows who hates who from the bar visit and prob forums.

 

[Sabre the Win]

The only way we win with this roster is out working the Pens.. we dont have the talent to go up against half of the league so its gonna be on Kruger to get them to put their heads down and grind the win out with hard work.

 

[oldgoalie]

f***

 

[TehDoak]

What’s sad is something that minor (yes its minor) has led to the hissy fits we’ve seen the last two days.

Btw the guy to be frustrated with for Erod not being in the lineup is... Erod. He played his way off the starting 12 during camp/preseason. Can’t say he wasn’t given a fair chance. He had a shot at the #2 center/wing spot when camp opened. He got chances with Skinner/MoJo.

Frankly I don’t want to hear anymore about accountability from many on this forum. Because its quite clear that only means getting rid of certain players posters on here don’t like. It sure as hell doesn’t mean holding a player you like accountable for a poor preseason/camp. Its laughable posters have lineups with Erod on the top line if they truly care about accountability.

I’ m certainly not excited about Sobotka playing on that line. I also fully expect Erod to respond to this and get back into the lineup. But I’m absolutely amazed at the carrying on over it.

Unless Sobotka has magically found a combination of fountain of youth and magic speed skates, he shouldn't be anywhere near a top 6 role. It isn't just E-Rod.

I'd rather have Thompson staying up over Sobotka being there
I'd rather have claimed Sprong on waivers
I'd rather have Ruotsalainen kept in NA
I'd rather have Lazar kept and bump sheary up one spot.

There's a ton of options that don't involve giving Sobotka 15 minutes of TOI that traditionally comes with a top 6 role. He'd clear waivers in a heartbeat were he waived. If we still had recall waivers where teams could get him at 1/2 off, he'd clear those too.

This is the equivalent of getting swindled at a used car lot, and rather than cutting your losses, admitting you made a mistake, you basically put your mechanics kids through college getting repair after repair.

 

[BananaSquad]

The way I see it, is this team on paper looks better than the team that won 10 in a row last season. The potential is there, it’s up to Krueger to try to get to that level on a consistent basis..... I’m not saying win 10 in a row, but be that team every night consistently, and honestly I think Krueger might end up doing that.

 

[old kummelweck]

Please tell me that Krueger is not making Risto the #1 defenseman over Dahlin

He talked about Dahlin yesterday or today saying they need to work him up to that mid-20's number. He didn't give a timeline.

 

[Thorton02]

Defense is sloppy and our goal tending is as bad as we know it to be. 5-2 Pens.

 

[Montag DP]

What’s sad is something that minor (yes its minor) has led to the hissy fits we’ve seen the last two days.

Btw the guy to be frustrated with for Erod not being in the lineup is... Erod. He played his way off the starting 12 during camp/preseason. Can’t say he wasn’t given a fair chance. He had a shot at the #2 center/wing spot when camp opened. He got chances with Skinner/MoJo.

Frankly I don’t want to hear anymore about accountability from many on this forum. Because its quite clear that only means getting rid of certain players posters on here don’t like. It sure as hell doesn’t mean holding a player you like accountable for a poor preseason/camp. Its laughable posters have lineups with Erod on the top line if they truly care about accountability.

I’ m certainly not excited about Sobotka playing on that line. I also fully expect Erod to respond to this and get back into the lineup. But I’m absolutely amazed at the carrying on over it.

I agree with everything you've said except for the bolded. No amount of carrying on and blowing things out of proportion is surprising to me at this point.

 

[joshjull]

I agree with everything you've said except for the bolded. No amount of carrying on and blowing things out of proportion is surprising to me at this point.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised but it still amazes me.

 

[joshjull]

****

Goalie coach made the call. Or at least his advice carried the most weight.


Now I wait for those praising the goalie coach hire to turn on him because Hutton started in game 1.

 

[old kummelweck]

I'm kind of whatever about Hutton v. Ullmark. I think Ullmark played slightly better in preseason, but once again, neither grabbed the starting job.

Krueger really likes Hutton's leadership and voice in the locker room. At least enough to mention it in one of the interviews.

 

[sufferer]

I'm kind of whatever about Hutton v. Ullmark. I think Ullmark played slightly better in preseason, but once again, neither grabbed the starting job.

Krueger really likes Hutton's leadership and voice in the locker room. At least enough to mention it in one of the interviews.

Ullmark played really well against PIT the last time. Memorable overtime win.

 

[MacOfNiagara]

Please tell me that Krueger is not making Risto the #1 defenseman over Dahlin

Could be he considers Dahlin - Miller the top pair. I've always assumed it is the author of a tweet or article about line combinations making assumptions about which pairing or line is first.

 

[CrazyPsycho]

Hutton plays like he drank 8 red bulls before the game, I worry about him being too amped up being the opener and running around even more behind his net

 

[Snippit]

What’s sad is something that minor (yes its minor) has led to the hissy fits we’ve seen the last two days.

Btw the guy to be frustrated with for Erod not being in the lineup is... Erod. He played his way off the starting 12 during camp/preseason. Can’t say he wasn’t given a fair chance. He had a shot at the #2 center/wing spot when camp opened. He got chances with Skinner/MoJo.

Frankly I don’t want to hear anymore about accountability from many on this forum. Because its quite clear that only means getting rid of certain players posters on here don’t like. It sure as hell doesn’t mean holding a player you like accountable for a poor preseason/camp. Its laughable posters have lineups with Erod on the top line if they truly care about accountability.

I’ m certainly not excited about Sobotka playing on that line. I also fully expect Erod to respond to this and get back into the lineup. But I’m absolutely amazed at the carrying on over it.

You’re surprised why people are upset that we put an offensive black hole on a scoring line ?

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

5-3 pens in a game we all go “damn they looked like a hockey team, if only our goalies could stop a beach ball.”

 

[joshjull]

Is it sad though? Sobotka was one of the worst players in the league last year and killed just about every line he played on. Now we’re strapping him to our $9mil man. A contract a lot thought was too much and that he’d need to be strapped to Eichel to make it worth it.

Also a player who was quite useful for us “looses his love of the game”, has a down year and gets shot to the sun for free. Sobotka plays an entire season like he couldn’t care less because he believes he deserves a better role. So we promote him to the second line. Something here is a**-backwards and I think fans have a right to be upset about it.

Last year is irrelevant. I don’t get why some of you are struggling to understand that. A new coach will look at training camp and preseason to determine his roster to start the season. The only analytics that should matter to him for lineup decisions will start tonight.

Bringing up the big trade from last summer is yet another example of how over the top and ridiculous some of you are over this. Not to mention it’s utterly irrelevant.

The reality is simple. Erod didn't do enough in camp in Krueger’s mind to make tonight’s starting 12. If he had he would be in the lineup. So Sobotka is in now. Thats not ideal but its also not a big deal in the bigger picture. Certainly not something that warrants the level of angst and carrying on we’ve seen the last few days.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

All I want out of this season is for the coaching to be stable and competent enough that the players can be judged on the players and not the players trying to muddle through peewee level instruction. Hoping to see that right away. Hoping I can still remember what it’s like to watch competent hockey and evaluate the talent in that setting.

 

[CrazyPsycho]

Last year is irrelevant

I'm already tired of people making excuses for these decisions.

I am 100% fully on board with Krueger being the McDermott of this team, someone to actually LEAD the team in the right direction mentally. Is he a good actual coach? Jury is out on that.

His early signs of player evaluation are not good. He is going to have Scandella and Sobotka be key ingredients to our penalty kill, he has already smashed Reinhart and Eichel back together after 1 preseason game when that was a good time to try things, Risto looks to be back in the 23 minute role (give or take). He's most likely made the wrong choice in goal to start off.

Prove me wrong Ralph.

 

[Gras]

So can we officially declare GDTs ROR, Housley, and Murray free zones.