TBN: Losing takes toll on Ristolainen/wants to help change that by stepping up into leadership role

[joshjull]

Sitting on the bench?

That would certainly help get his ice time to a manageable level.

 

[joshjull]

Are you sure my answer wasn't sarcastic? I thought this would be obvious when I started the sentence with the word "presumably". If this was my opinion I would need to presume it would I?

I figured it was

 

[Chainshot]

That would certainly help get his ice time to a manageable level.

He also wouldn’t have to worry about his forwards, his defense partner, his own positioning, or any of those other things. He might have to worry about properly latching the bench door. That might be a cause of concern. Those pesky doors.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Lose their love for the game?

A defenseman's job isn't just to cover one guy the whole shift. Your post seemed to assume otherwise.

 

[joshjull]

He also wouldn’t have to worry about his forwards, his defense partner, his own positioning, or any of those other things. He might have to worry about properly latching the bench door. That might be a cause of concern. Those pesky doors.

“That’s not funny man “ Kulikov.

 

[Sabretooth]

It was also about Risto wanting to step up and help change that next year. That he is normally a guy in the background. But he feels he needs to be more vocal, put himself forward and be a leader on the team. Something we’ve never heard from him thus making his comments something new from him or to use your word unique. I’m guessing you didn’t actually read it

Joking aside, I really hope he does this. But it's a little spooky how much this sounds exactly like what ROR said right after he was traded to us:

What do you anticipate your role being with Buffalo? “I think it’s going to be a big challenge with me. I think in the past with Colorado I wasn’t really looked at as much of a leader. I think … with the Sabres I have to be a more vocal guy, be that more off-ice leader and on-ice as well.”

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Tough for a non-native speaker to take a leading role in their early 20s. I imagine he's becoming more comfortable with the area now though? He clearly swears in Finnish if you can read lips.

 

[Buffaloed]

Tough for a non-native speaker to take a leading role in their early 20s. I imagine he's becoming more comfortable with the area now though? He clearly swears in Finnish if you can read lips.

He speaks better English than Rob Ray.

 

[Chainshot]

Great, he wants to be better. Is there something wrong with this?

 

[Duddy]

Great, he wants to be better. Is there something wrong with this?

Just wait, somebody will find something.

 

[Chainshot]

Just wait, somebody will find something.

Seems they already have.

 

[Mattilaus]

Great, he wants to be better. Is there something wrong with this?

Better isn't good enough!!!

 

[joshjull]

Changed the thread title to better reflect what its getting into.

 

[joshjull]

Joking aside, I really hope he does this. But it's a little spooky how much this sounds exactly like what ROR said right after he was traded to us:

I hear you and there is certainly no guarantee it will work out. But I like that some of young stars are looking to step up like Risto, Jack. I think Sam has said things along these lines as well. We need a group to lead the team that means more guys need to feel like they have a voice in the room.

 

[Beerz]

Sorry. This is just fluff. You don't have to be a leader to not play like shit.

Blah Blah Blah.

Just be better Risto.

 

[pigpen65]

A defenseman's job isn't just to cover one guy the whole shift. Your post seemed to assume otherwise.

No it didn't.

 

[joshjull]

Sorry. This is just fluff. You don't have to be a leader to not play like ****.

Blah Blah Blah.

Just be better Risto.

Being better (whatever that means to you without context) and being a part of a leadership group are not the same thing. Though they could overlap but they’re not mutually exclusive goals either.


But the ..” just be better Risto” without specifics or laying out any context (like team construction) is fun.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

The Buffalo media is going to do one of these for every player and never look up at Phil & Botts, huh?

 

[Beerz]

Being better (whatever that means to you without context) and being a part of a leadership group are not the same thing. Though they could overlap but they’re not mutually exclusive goals either.


But the ..” just be better Risto” without specifics or laying out any context (like team construction) is fun.

I'm just going off the title... he wants to change the losing mentality by taking on a leadership role... I'm saying he doesn't need to be a leader to do his part in helping the team stop losing. He played like poop this past season and we can go around in circles talking about how he was utilized or who he played with and that's fine for some but it doesn't change the fact that he was horrible this year and how he was deployed or who he was playing with doesn't make a lick of difference when it comes to giving tape to tape passes to the other team or blowing assignments.
Take care of your own game and it will have a positive effect on the team.

 

[tsujimoto74]

He also wouldn’t have to worry about his forwards, his defense partner, his own positioning, or any of those other things. He might have to worry about properly latching the bench door. That might be a cause of concern. Those pesky doors.

That seems strenuous. Why not put him in the press box so he can just worry about keeping Antipin company?

 

[Beerz]

I just find myself not caring what players, coaches and GMs have to say... it's all scripted fluff pieces ...

Don't say... Do.

 

[Team Cozens]

Haven't seen this mentioned - Paul Hamilton replied to a
tweet last night with regards to the "un-coachable" players and
Hamilton said it starts with #55.

 

[valet]

Haven't seen this mentioned - Paul Hamilton replied to a
tweet last night with regards to the "un-coachable" players and
Hamilton said it starts with #55.

hamilton has no sources and generally doesn't break any interesting or original stories, so i doubt there's any legitimacy to a reply of his on twitter...

 

[Kyndig]

There were numerous times this season that Risto blew it in the clutch moments. This was a theme of the season and something I commented on regularly. Whether it was tipping a shot in to our own net in OT or not holding the puck in the o-zone on a late PP, I totally buy this.

People are prone to make mistakes when they're tired, Risto plays the 4th most minutes per game in the entire NHL. A lot of those tips were just bad luck when he was clearing out a screen.

Top 25 points per game among defenseman on a team that was dead last in goal scoring (out of those top 25 essentially only Dumba is younger and only by 3 months), plays a physical game and doesn't get injured unlike Brokegosian, is only 23 years old, and he hasn't exactly had the greatest of coaches while hes been here or supporting cast.

Don't understand why people want to ship out our best defenseman when that's exactly what we lack.

 

[Yatzhee]

I suspect with all the end of season reflection and decisions by certain players not to attend the worlds and so on, we are about to see a real leadership group step forward.
Can they find chemistry is my question.

Only time will tell.......