Confirmed with Link: Sam Reinhart sent down to Kootenay Ice

[Ron C.]

Sending Reinhart back to juniors was the only smart option. He needs to get stronger and more mature physically. As far as Nolan, I also do not see or want him here beyond this year. It's a nice, feel-good story bringing him back after all of these years, but he is more of a motivational speaker than a NHL head coach. Offensive and defensive zone starts and line matching are important in this league and Nolan and "annie-litics" don't seem to be a good match.

 

[Royisgone]

This is the right move, the obvious move, and it's been that way for a while.

Nothing to see here.

 

[Samsonite23]

I agree with you, but I think we're in the minority here

I agree as well. But I'm not even saying that sending him down was a bad idea. The sabres look like a mess. He gets to play in the world juniors and possibly gets some AHL time. But still, would have preferred him working with our strength and conditions staff and keep learning an NHL game.

 

[Zman5778]

Am I the only one who thinks none of this matters AT ALL? He's going to be a good player for this team, he just needs to get older. Here, there, it doesn't matter. It's just a matter of time.

In the grand scheme of things, I think you're absolutely right.

This doesn't lower his ceiling nor his likelihood of reaching that ceiling. It just MIGHT POSSIBLY delay when. Maybe.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Sabres' Murray knew Reinhart had to be sent down

By Paul Hamilton - WGR

After the Sabres went out for practice, Tim Murray met with Sam Reinhart to tell him he’s going back to junior.


It seemed like it was a pretty obvious decision. One of the most obvious things in watching Reinhart play was how overmatched he was physically. Murray said, “He’s not going to learn a whole lot there on the ice, I told him I know he can go back there and be a 120 point guy in a full season playing three quarters speed, but that’s not what we want him to go back there and do.â€

 

[C Note]

Murray: "If he had been getting 2nd Line minutes...we're probably not having this conversation"

Interesting... I'm wondering what Murray's thought process was with re-hiring Nolan? You'd have to figure he can't (or at least, shouldn't) be surprised at Nolan's actions. Assuming he did his due diligence. Is it possible he went with the path of least resistance when looking for a coach, simply so he'd have a fall guy? Doesn't seem like a Murray thing to do. He's too straight forward. Maybe he simply got the decision wrong?

 

[jBuds]

The 6 forwards with the highest ATOI this season so far are:

Ennis-17:47
Girgs-17:24
Moulson-17:08
Stafford-16:42
Stewart-16:14
Gionta-16:01

I certainly think that Reinhart has shown more this season than Gionta, Moulson, and possibly Stewart

Comical to think that you'd take Reinhart in the lineup over one of Stewart, Gionta and Moulson.

You can argue you'd want Reinhart in - but not at the expense of any of those three.

 

[Tapu Coco]

Comical to think that you'd take Reinhart in the lineup over one of Stewart, Gionta and Moulson.

You can argue you'd want Reinhart in - but not at the expense of any of those three.

And why is that?

Are they better players overall? Absolutely, they're all NHL veterans compared to Reinhart's 9 games of experience. Have they earned the ice time Nolan is giving them right now? I don't think so. Has Reinhart's play warranted reduced ice time? Absolutely not, he's been good. I'm not saying to take them out of the lineup entirely. Excuse me for thinking that the guys who have been playing better should get more ice time than those that haven't, I guess

 

[Heraldic]

You thought 6 minutes with nick Deslauriers in the defensive face off dot was the right way to go?

Who's he beating out on game day? Who's the second line c right now? Torey Mitchell?

Please show me the post where I said that or stop putting words in my mouth.

Our team sucks, but he haven't played even near as good to be considered second line center. Giving him second line center spot just because our centers suck, would be doing exactly the same as Edmonton did (and are doing).

Are some people seriously thinking that Murray would have wanted to keep him, but he was forced to sent him to juniors because Nolan didn't give him the role that Murray thought Reinhart deserved? I know there are posters whose egos just can't stand the idea about being wrong, but trying to rationalize this case in "own" favor like this is pretty silly.

 

[TannedBum]

he's been good.

People see what they want to see.

 

[CatsforReinhart]

Reinhart would be perfect fit in an Amerks jersey

 

[Tapu Coco]

People see what they want to see.

Then I guess I'm not the only one. Look at the GBU's, Reinhart is often in the "G" section for multiple posters, and he's been referred to by some as our best defensive forward. Just because he's not flashy doesn't mean he's been bad. He does all the little things right and rarely makes mistakes. You shouldn't expect much more from an 18 year old at this point.

Other posters may not agree with me that he should have gotten more ice time instead of underachieving forwards I listed...but I think you'll be hard-pressed to find people who think he's been bad

 

[EichHart]

People see what they want to see.

Wrong. He hasn't been great. But he's been good for the amount of offensive zone starts he has gotten. Nolan was playing him as a defensive center type of player as an 18 year old kid. He's been good.

 

[Chad Thundercock]

Am I the only one who thinks none of this matters AT ALL? He's going to be a good player for this team, he just needs to get older. Here, there, it doesn't matter. It's just a matter of time.

No, I'm with you.

Sam just needs time to grow his body. Fully expected for an 18 year old.

We got to see some of the special talent he has while he was up here, and that he's already a smart, competent player. He should be a good player. All in all, I'm just fine with him.

 

[ZeroPT*]

People see what they want to see.

What do you expect from him? He was fine.

 

[TannedBum]

What do you expect from him? He was fine.

Nothing, not yet. Yes, he was fine in view of his age. He survived. But i wouldn't say he was good before those little things what he does right all the time translates to scoreboard.

 

[Djp]

Can buffalo assign a trainer to follow Reinhart around the rest of the season in the WHL?

 

[Samsonite23]

Nothing, not yet. Yes, he was fine in view of his age. He survived. But i wouldn't say he was good before those little things what he does right all the time translates to scoreboard.

He wasn't exactly on highly offensively minded lines. And that's putting it lightly. He had as many points as a gionta, Myers, and stewart. 1 less point than Hodgson and moulson, and that's with having no pp time and playing 2 less games. And was better defensively than all of the forwards above, while doing the little things as well.

Nobody's play was translating to the scoreboard. You have to put it in perspective.

 

[ZeroPT*]

Nothing, not yet. Yes, he was fine in view of his age. He survived. But i wouldn't say he was good before those little things what he does right all the time translates to scoreboard.

I don't even know what you're trying to say. Relative to ice time,competition,expectation and linemates, Reinhart was good. He was solid defensively, never out of position, and made good passes and good reads in all three zones.

What else could you possibly expect out of an 18 year old who's getting Nolan'd?

 

[joshjull]

Murray and nolan are on different wavelengths when it comes to development in the NHL

I'm being captain obvious here...but disconnect in the front office irks me, and leads me to believe that personnel changes will come

No they're not. It would be nice if the quote was posted in context. Though I suspect pulling it out of context to rile folks up was the intent.

Murray's comments were (Paraphrasing)

He (Reinhart) isn't strong enough, not heavy enough yet for the NHL. Thats the biggest issue for me (Murray). As things went on his (Reinhart) skating caught up to the pace of the game. But his strength was a big issue for me (Murray). The issue is not hockey sense, its not skill, its none of that, for me (Murray) the issue is strength. If he were playing 2nd line minutes we might not being having this conversation right now.

Then Murray was asked about being disappointed by what he got from Reinhart as an 18 year old. His answer …


No, not with the start we were off to. A young 18 year old player has a tendency to play to the way the team is going. If the team is successful some individual success comes to that young player. If the team is going through a rough patch, that young kid will go through a rough patch with the team. And the 18 year old is not the one that can get you out of the rough patch. He becomes part of the tide. When its high , he's high and when its low he's low. I think thats what we saw.


Seems pretty obvious he wasn't taking a shot at Nolan.

 

[joshjull]

Can buffalo assign a trainer to follow Reinhart around the rest of the season in the WHL?

Not sure about the following around part. But I'm pretty sure they have a trainer he will be checking in with throughout the year. Someone who will guide and direct his workouts.

 

[1972]

No they're not.


It would be nice if the quote was posted in context. Though I suspect pulling it out of context to rile folks up was the intent.

Murray's comments were (Paraphrasing)

He (Reinhart) isn't strong enough, not heavy enough yet for the NHL. Thats the biggest issue for me (Murray). As things went on his (Reinhart) skating caught up to the pace of the game. But his strength was a big issue for me (Murray). The issue is not hockey sense, its not skill, its none of that, for me (Murray) the issue is strength. If he were playing 2nd line minutes we might not being having this conversation right now.

Then Murray was asked about being disappointed by what he got from Reinahrt as an 18 year old. His answer …


No, not with the start we were off to. A young 18 year old player has a tendency to play to the way the team is going. If the team is successful some individual success comes to that young player. If the team is going through a rough patch, that young kid will go through a rough patch with the team. And the 18 year old is not the one that can get you out of the rough patch. He becomes part of the tide. When its high , he's high and when its low he's low. I think thats what we saw.


Seems pretty obvious he wasn't taking a shot at Nolan.

We don't know if they are on the same page or not, only Tim Murray does and he isn't going to come out and say it. He lets Nolan do what he wants and evaluates him every day.

 

[joshjull]

We don't know if they are on the same page or not, only Tim Murray does and he isn't going to come out and say it. He lets Nolan do what he wants and evaluates him every day.

The paranoid folks who see Nolan behind anything they don't like need to actually give evidence to support there pet theories. Having listened to multiple interviews with Murray there is literally nothing to suggest there is any divergence. In other words Murray has come out and said various thing since getting hired about his preferences for development and they're sync with Nolan's. Murray just sent back a kid he views as not being physically reading for the NHL. Nolan gave that kid the minutes that fit with how he was viewed by his GM.

 

[Beerz]

No they're not. It would be nice if the quote was posted in context. Though I suspect pulling it out of context to rile folks up was the intent.

Murray's comments were (Paraphrasing)

He (Reinhart) isn't strong enough, not heavy enough yet for the NHL. Thats the biggest issue for me (Murray). As things went on his (Reinhart) skating caught up to the pace of the game. But his strength was a big issue for me (Murray). The issue is not hockey sense, its not skill, its none of that, for me (Murray) the issue is strength. If he were playing 2nd line minutes we might not being having this conversation right now.

Then Murray was asked about being disappointed by what he got from Reinhart as an 18 year old. His answer …


No, not with the start we were off to. A young 18 year old player has a tendency to play to the way the team is going. If the team is successful some individual success comes to that young player. If the team is going through a rough patch, that young kid will go through a rough patch with the team. And the 18 year old is not the one that can get you out of the rough patch. He becomes part of the tide. When its high , he's high and when its low he's low. I think thats what we saw.


Seems pretty obvious he wasn't taking a shot at Nolan.

You missed the long pause and sigh before he states "If he had been playing 2nd line minutes...

 

[enthusiast]

we're gonna see what we want to see in a nebulous statement like that

if murray is the type to let a coach like nolan push him around though he's not the gm some think he is