GBU It was mighty decent of the Sabres to show up tonight (Caps-Sabres #2)

[GrierIsGod123]

I'm basically ready to call Thompson a bust. I suppose you could try to groom him into a two way player, but he's not good enough for a 1st, 2nd and likely ever a 3rd line.

 

[joshjull]

If Okposo is back next game, where does Cozens play?

With Skinner’s play tonight and Cozens the past two games. Maybe a Skinner/Staal/Cozens line.

Put Olofsson and Tage on either side of Sheahan. Sit Lazar.

Hall/Jack/Sam
Skinner/Staal/Cozens
Rieder/Eakin/Okposo
Olofsson/Sheahan/Tage

I would hope at some point guys like Mitts or R2 get a shot centering that 4th line. I realize its not going to happen any time soon.

 

[joshjull]

I thought the part where he mentioned how "conversations between a coach and player should be kept in the room" was a shot at Krueger? Or no?

I think we’d need to hear how the conversation went with the reporter. If he was pushing Skinner for info like that then his comments makes sense.

 

[joshjull]

I'm basically ready to call Thompson a bust. I suppose you could try to groom him into a two way player, but he's not good enough for a 1st, 2nd and likely ever a 3rd line.

Ready to? Haven’t you been calling him a bust for a while no?

 

[GrierIsGod123]

Ready to? Haven’t you been calling him a bust for a while no?

Not truly until today. If he's not ready now, when will he be?

That said, I've been a harsh critic. I can't stand low hockey IQ players, and we have a lot of them.

 

[joshjull]

Not truly until today. If he's not ready now, when will he be?

That said, I've been a harsh critic. I can't stand low hockey IQ players, and we have a lot of them.

In fairness to Tage, Kruger went back on his own plans for him. Tage was supposed to be eased in according to the coach. I always assumed he would start on the 4th line and have to work his way up. Instead he was put on the top line from the get go.

I defend Tage quite a bit. But even I never thought he should be playing in the top 6 to start the year.

I think Tage and Olofsson both need to be removed from the top 6. Tage because he isn’t ready yet (and may never be) and Olofsson because his 5v5 game just isn’t good enough for it.

 

[Buffaloed]

I like this. Keep the goals simple and attainable

Krueger got to you.

 

[joshjull]

Krueger got to you.

I’m trying to be efficient

 

[sabremike]

In fairness to Tage, Kruger went back on his own plans for him. Tage was supposed to be eased in according to the coach. I always assumed he would start on the 4th line and have to work his way up. Instead he was put on the top line from the get go.

I defend Tage quite a bit. But even I never thought he should be playing in the top 6 to start the year.

I think Tage and Olofsson both need to be removed from the top 6. Tage because he isn’t ready yet (and may never be) and Olofsson because his 5v5 game just isn’t good enough for it.

Tage Was Demoted For Ralph's Sins!!!

 

[hizzoner]

Not truly until today. If he's not ready now, when will he be?

That said, I've been a harsh critic. I can't stand low hockey IQ players, and we have a lot of them.

Thompson is the least of our worries. If give aways, firing shot after shot from 30 feet and missing time after time show higher hockey IQ I am reading reading the wrong manual. Thompson may not be the best player to put with Eichel and Hall. We need someone stationed on the right wall to stop the puck flying out of the zone when his line mates shoot. Standing in front of the net to look for a pass or rebound is of course proof of IQ issues.

 

[Fezzy126]

In fairness to Tage, Kruger went back on his own plans for him. Tage was supposed to be eased in according to the coach. I always assumed he would start on the 4th line and have to work his way up. Instead he was put on the top line from the get go.

I defend Tage quite a bit. But even I never thought he should be playing in the top 6 to start the year.

I think Tage and Olofsson both need to be removed from the top 6. Tage because he isn’t ready yet (and may never be) and Olofsson because his 5v5 game just isn’t good enough for it.

For what it's worth I thought he looked better in his brief demotion to staal's line. There seems to be a bit of "I'm playing with 2 superstars don't f*** up" mentality while he's on the top line. Everything looked off today, his positioning without the puck, his puck support, and so many plays died on his stick.

Hopefully he gets back to playing with confidence in a slightly lower role.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Good: Skinner, Reinhart, Cozens, Eakin, Ullmark and Risto (Yes I typed that name in correct)

Bad: Eichel (2 Nights) I feel like he's lost his heart.

Ugly: Tage Thompson

Look I want Tage to work out but he's killing that top line, we looked so much better with Reinhart in his spot.

I would switch up the top 6 as

Hall-Eichel-Reinhart
Skinner-Staal-Oloffson

 

[stealth1]

I thought they played well for the most part. People seem to forget they added new players to the team and there was no preseason. It's going to take time for them to gel.

 

[joshjull]

For what it's worth I thought he looked better in his brief demotion to staal's line. There seems to be a bit of "I'm playing with 2 superstars don't f*** up" mentality while he's on the top line. Everything looked off today, his positioning without the puck, his puck support, and so many plays died on his stick.

Hopefully he gets back to playing with confidence in a slightly lower role.

I agree he’s overwhelmed by who he’s playing with. But his coach is doing him no favors playing him as much as he does. He’s played 15mins and 16mins at 5v5 in those games. I thought he’d be getting around 9-10mins 5v5 in the bottom 6 like Cozens is.

Tage actually led all forwards in 5v5 toi in this game. A full minute more than Eichel. Thats absolutely nuts. What is Krueger thinking?

 

[wshahbaz]

This team is never going to find success

we are cursed. Hall is going to leave at the deadline and we will finish bottom 5 in the league

our once in a generation defender is looking like he doesn’t belong in this league. Get some damn real coaches in here before the young guys are either damaged or force their way out

sick of this shit

 

[ForsbergMoDo21]

For a guy several people talk about as being more motivational speaker than coach, a lot of the players don’t look particularly motivated either (nor well coached, for that matter).

Missed most of the 2nd, but I suppose I didn’t really miss much. Skinner and Risto have their warts, but if we had other players bringing their shift to shift effort and feistiness, the team would be a whole lot better.

Regarding Dahlin, the good news is it’s a problem between the ears. We know he can and has been a lot better.

For all his mistakes, Tim Murray did one excellent thing, which was acquiring ROR to relieve pressure on a young Eichel and be a model for playing a smart, complete game. He’s still only 20 years old. He’s lost his mojo. He’s lost two mojos, actually. It would be so nice to have a calming steadying presence on the blue line.

 

[joshjull]

One thing that will get old very fast is watching Lazar and Sheahan playing 9-10 mins a night 5v5 “because they can PK”. Especially when we have some talented kids on hand on the taxi squad.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Tage actually led all forwards in 5v5 toi in this game. A full minute more than Eichel. Thats absolutely nuts. What is Krueger thinking?

It's because he got caught for an extended shift in the second. He spent a good minute in our zone after Eichel and Hall changed

 

[Buffaloed]

Mike Harrington: Sabres coach Ralph Krueger needs to make quick pivot with Jeff Skinner
It seems simple really. Monday in Philadelphia, Krueger needs to roll Hall-Eichel-Reinhart and Skinner with Eric Staal and Victor Olofsson. Don't overthink it.

Harrington is right. In a 56 game season points are precious. This is a sprint, not a marathon. Krueger has to quit trying to be the Dalai Lama and put the pedal to the metal.

 

[joshjull]

It's because he got caught for an extended shift in the second. He spent a good minute in our zone after Eichel and Hall changed

Its was 30 seconds longer than Jack.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Mike Harrington: Sabres coach Ralph Krueger needs to make quick pivot with Jeff Skinner
It seems simple really. Monday in Philadelphia, Krueger needs to roll Hall-Eichel-Reinhart and Skinner with Eric Staal and Victor Olofsson. Don't overthink it.

Harrington is right. In a 56 game season points are precious. This is a sprint, not a marathon. Krueger has to quit trying to be the Dalai Lama and put the pedal to the metal.

For once Harrington and I see eye to eye. He must have read my post.

 

[Der Jaeger]

I’m trying to be efficient

aren’t we going for authentic?

 

[joshjull]

For once Harrington and I see eye to eye. He must have read my post.

are you Harrington?

 

[joshjull]

aren’t we going for authentic?

Its about the principles

 

[Der Jaeger]

Its about the principles

my copy of the Sabres play book hasn’t come in yet.