Speculation: In the future, why not try Myers at forward?

[Crazy Tasty]

What does Gerbe have to do with this?

 

[Old Navy Goat]

San Jose tried it with Brent Burns and he's scored twice in two games.
But that's a very small sample size, obviously.

Considering Myers gets manhandled regularly despite being 6' 8"... maybe this would work. IDK.

The difference is that Burns broke into the league as a winger. He was moved back to defense.

 

[RazielMoshman]

Crazy as it sounds, w/ his skating, hands, and his willingness to hop up in the play and attack, why not try it?? Is it a case of just needing him more on the blue line for depth reasons or what?? Why would it be a bad idea?? Why might it be a good idea??

5 on 5 I don't like it, however I've thought for a while using him as a winger on the PP to stand around the net would be a good idea.

 

[sabresEH]

Its absolutely a horrible idea. You could have watched his mother give birth to him, it wouldn't make amoving him to forward any better an idea.

He's getting paid $12,000,000 to play defense... not to try and see if maybe he can be serviceable to forward.

Next year its $6,000,000 to be a defensemen. Not to give a new position a shot.


If hes so far gone that the idea of moving him to forward comes up in a coaches meeting then trade him or buy him out.

Why do I keep getting sucked into this nonsense.... its so incredibly dumb.

To the underlined, he gets paid to play hockey. If it just so happens he is worth his money on forward rather than defence than you have to at least try before buying him out. Quite honestly whats the worst that can happen by trying him out as a forward. Nothing. He either tries it, sucks and never plays again, or he tries it, is good at it, at which point we have multiple options as an organization going forward into the rebuild.

 

[Karate Johnson*]

To the underlined, he gets paid to play hockey. If it just so happens he is worth his money on forward rather than defence than you have to at least try before buying him out. Quite honestly whats the worst that can happen by trying him out as a forward. Nothing. He either tries it, sucks and never plays again, or he tries it, is good at it, at which point we have multiple options as an organization going forward into the rebuild.

Every second he spends trying to be a winger is a second he's not getting better at defense.

He will never ever be a $6,000,000 forward in the NHL.

His options are Defensemen or not on the team.



There is a reason nobody does this.

 

[RazielMoshman]

Every second he spends trying to be a winger is a second he's not getting better at defense.

He will never ever be a $6,000,000 forward in the NHL.

His options are Defensemen or not on the team.



There is a reason nobody does this.

Actually its common for defensemen to play forward, it's happening all over the league. The difference is you only do it with depth players, not your only shot at a no.1 dman.

 

[sabresEH]

Every second he spends trying to be a winger is a second he's not getting better at defense.

He will never ever be a $6,000,000 forward in the NHL.

His options are Defensemen or not on the team.



There is a reason nobody does this.

Actually there are a lot of coaches who let defence play forward early in development(not for long) so they can understand the forward position better and get a better understanding of how to stop the forwards.
Do you people not see that this kid doesn't have hockey sense. Or common sense for that matter. He's dumb. But he has the skillset and size everyone wants. IF we can't teach him to be better defensively than it is worth a shot to try him at forward before buying him out.

 

[slip]

[insert video link from 20 year old SNL commercial entitled "Bad Idea Jeans"]

 

[Royisgone]

I don't think there is a strong likelihood of this succeeding, but it's an interesting idea for 5 games in an otherwise meaningless season.

Myers best moments, by far, have come when he has effectively pretended he was a forward for a while. He goes into "condor" mode with those long legs, body, and arms, and swoops down the ice very effectively. He has a good skill set and deceptive speed. He looks like his is going slower than he is, b/c his body is so damned big.

 

[DixonWard15]

I have always liked the idea of using a defensemen on the PP to stand in front of the net

Myers was standing in front of the net for the game winner on the PP, I'm just saying


He also looked terrible after coming out the box and trying to play a shift as a forward

 

[FanboySlayer*]

Every second he spends trying to be a winger is a second he's not getting better at defense.

He will never ever be a $6,000,000 forward in the NHL.

His options are Defensemen or not on the team.



There is a reason nobody does this.

It hasn't happened often but it has happened, Red Kelly in the 60's was a top defenceman for Detroit, when traded to Toronto they turned him into a center. I wasn't around so not sure why it was done.

I was around when the Leafs drafted Wendel Clark first overall as a defenceman and turned him into a winger where he played his entire career.

Myers if the experiment were ever tried would have to be a center.

I'm not concerned about Myers, I think he's going to be something close to what we hoped he'd become. He does need to dedicate himself to taking care of and developing his body. He'll be a force by his mid to late 20's. He'll never be a mean player unfortunately.

 

[RazielMoshman]

Myers was standing in front of the net for the game winner on the PP, I'm just saying


He also looked terrible after coming out the box and trying to play a shift as a forward

He looked good there, on the GWG. The D seemed to want to keep him under control and left Ott to score. Good teamwork, a joy to see (when we actually pull it off!)

 

[Duddy]

Imagine the confusion:

Miller - Enroth - Myers
Ehrhoff - Pysyk - Leopold
Regehr - Weber - McNabb
Knapp - Leggio - Pardy

Ott - Hecht
Ennis - Vanek
Pominville - Leino

Stafford
Hodgson

 

[Slapshot85]

I'm not concerned about Myers, I think he's going to be something close to what we hoped he'd become. He does need to dedicate himself to taking care of and developing his body. He'll be a force by his mid to late 20's. He'll never be a mean player unfortunately.

I think the next coach (if Rolston isn't it) will be vital to Myer's future. A good, smart coach who understands where Myers' strengths are, but can also help him develop just a touch of nastiness, could really help.

 

[Sabres Fan UK]

I'm not concerned about Myers, I think he's going to be something close to what we hoped he'd become. He does need to dedicate himself to taking care of and developing his body. He'll be a force by his mid to late 20's. He'll never be a mean player unfortunately.

I agree, whilst he is frustrating to watch right now, it is not uncommon for 23 year old d-men to struggle whilst they mature; not to mention a 6'8' one. Panic trading Myers to fit some "blow everything up" ethos could prove to be a huge mistake. If he still sucks 7 years from now; we took a risk and got a serviceable player.

 

[Sabres Fan UK]

Imagine the confusion:

Miller - Enroth - Myers
Ehrhoff - Pysyk - Leopold
Regehr - Weber - McNabb
Knapp - Leggio - Pardy

Ott - Hecht
Ennis - Vanek
Pominville - Leino

Stafford
Hodgson

Nathan Gerbe would be in net.