Post-Game Talk (GBU): That one hurts

[SnuggaRUDE]

And then they both backpedaled to a ridiculous degree

*YAWN*

 

[CrazyPsycho]

*YAWN*

Aka the 2018-19 Sabres...."Been there, done that, mental midgets 2.0"

 

[CrazyPsycho]

 

[sabrebuild]

I don't have a problem with Reinhart calling people out, though it's a bit opportune now that he's really feeling himself, but pinning it on the goaltending in particular isn't fair to them. I'd argue the defense was worse.

I agree, team defense is generally a bigger problem, I would have been far more impressed if he had called out his captain for an utter trash defensive game.

But I don’t get the opportune comment? He’s been really feeling it for like a calendar year at this point.

 

[sabrebuild]

Oh none taken, I know there’s a huge difference- I guess my point is who cares? If you disagree in the locker room, that’s what matters. Maybe Ullmark feels differently, I have no way of knowing, but I just don’t see why it being public/private makes a difference- I know it’s taboo currently, and I just don’t get why. Goaltending has been bad recently, everyone knows that- the issue is if they’re not talking about it, reinhart calling a spade a spade just wouldn’t bother me personally.

Nhlers call each other out all the time. It’s what competitive people do.

This is hilariously tame and it’s a ppg star of the franchise talking about a couple of journeyman goalies. I can suspect who will win that battle.

 

[stokes84]

And then they both backpedaled to a ridiculous degree

These guys aren’t dumb. The message was sent.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

That Housley quote that everyone is outraged about is fine with the context of the question that was asked.

No, it’s not. There’s no reason to mention the GM and doing so implies fault on his part. “Of course these guys can play. I believe in them, and I don’t believe that’s a fair question to ask. Next.” Easy. That is a f***ing horrendous answer bound to raise eyebrows.

 

[sabremike]

*BuddDwyer.gif*

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

I wouldn't call "Is your D corps good enough" a critical question. I would call it a loaded question.

The PC response would've been "Our players are great, we just have some work to do in certain areas". I'm not going to complain about Housley's actual response to that question. He's correct, ultimately it is up to the GM if the players are good enough and to make changes if they are not. The talent level of this roster is not good, and there's only so much a coach can do about that.

Then you address that in house, cause that one implies the gm needs to do something AND you don’t believe in your guys. Christ, at least sam said what he meant to directly and didn’t pass the blame in the wussiest way possible.

Also, not sure how Botts has anything to do with Scandella still playing.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

The defense pitch soft dumps along the boards expecting a forward to be there to pick it up and take it out of the zone. Except, 90% of the time our forwards are getting beat by some pinching defender. We only ever exit the zones when the particularly lazy guys are out there because the defenders went off for a change. The wingers are way too passive on their breakout.

Some of that can come from not trusting your defenders, but the defenders haven't been that bad, it's been the wingers not being in position.

Yes, sometimes the center can manpower the cycle on their own, but you can't rely on your centers to do all the breakouts for you. But these chumps do.

Any team who has forechecked us hard exposes this weakness immediately.

Agree with everything you said except the defenders not being bad.

Our D is not that good. Yet.......

I could put a long laundry list of issues together that need to be addressed. I'm sure you can too. And a few others on this board like Joshjull, Chain, Old Goalie, etc.....

Dahlin will fix a lot of the problem. He'll needs some supporting cast members however. Botterill needs to address this. Last off season's roster modifications were not substantial enough.

The problem I see here is that once a player gets liked (or disliked), many (not all) posters tend to emphasize what ever incident best fits the poster's own personal agenda. All hell breaks loose for example if I criticize lets say....Pilot.... because he gets manhandled due to his physical size and the poor angles he takes to the puck. Heck, I love his skill and he's a keeper. But if he shows me hes needs improvement somewhere and I point it out, it doesn't mean I don't think he's a positive asset to the team.

 

[dortt]

isn't that a decision that would get most people committed to a mental institution?

No sane person would EVER make that decision.

Can we get a professional evaluation of Housley? Something is clearly wrong with him if he even thinks of making that change

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Aka the 2018-19 Sabres...."Been there, done that, mental midgets 2.0"

They sure folded after being down 2 goals. Much analysis, such insight.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Agree with everything you said except the defenders not being bad.

Our D is not that good. Yet.......

I could put a long laundry list of issues together that need to be addressed. I'm sure you can too. And a few others on this board like Joshjull, Chain, Old Goalie, etc.....

Dahlin will fix a lot of the problem. He'll needs some supporting cast members however. Botterill needs to address this. Last off season's roster modifications were not substantial enough.

The problem I see here is that once a player gets liked (or disliked), many (not all) posters tend to emphasize what ever incident best fits the poster's own personal agenda. All hell breaks loose for example if I criticize lets say....Pilot.... because he gets manhandled due to his physical size and the poor angles he takes to the puck. Heck, I love his skill and he's a keeper. But if he shows me hes needs improvement somewhere and I point it out, it doesn't mean I don't think he's a positive asset to the team.

I'm not sure I'd say the D is -good- but I think they're passable. They're being strung out by a terrible system which leaves them high and dry. They're not big and physical, but they shouldn't need to be. This team has the assets to employ a system that creates turnovers at the blue line. It's not '96 any more, you shouldn't game plan to plow guys out of the crease. They give the puck away because fast teams are able to threaten possession.

Could the defensive group get better? Undoubtedly, but the talent is there for a competitive NHL 6.

 

[hizzoner]

To me that means that Housley or somebody sees that we need D that will win board battles, move guys from front of the net and not take crap from the other team. Hope those 2 are capable of doing that.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

*BuddDwyer.gif*

Oh man, that’s dark. Award for the biggest laugh out loud I’ve had on these boards

 

[Tatanka]

Agree with everything you said except the defenders not being bad.

Our D is not that good. Yet.......

I could put a long laundry list of issues together that need to be addressed. I'm sure you can too. And a few others on this board like Joshjull, Chain, Old Goalie, etc.....

Dahlin will fix a lot of the problem. He'll needs some supporting cast members however. Botterill needs to address this. Last off season's roster modifications were not substantial enough.

The problem I see here is that once a player gets liked (or disliked), many (not all) posters tend to emphasize what ever incident best fits the poster's own personal agenda. All hell breaks loose for example if I criticize lets say....Pilot.... because he gets manhandled due to his physical size and the poor angles he takes to the puck. Heck, I love his skill and he's a keeper. But if he shows me hes needs improvement somewhere and I point it out, it doesn't mean I don't think he's a positive asset to the team.

I am not convinced Dahlin will fix his defensive faux pas without better coaching. He makes the same mistakes repeatedly without any consequence. He is taking more chances offensively but he is not the same safe play player he was earlier in the year. He needs a stronger hand to remind him the play he sees may not be the one his teamates see or can do. Offensively he will wow, but I want him to build good habits defensively. We were having a lot of success when he was locking things down in an admittedly pedestrian fashion. Sweet Georgia Brown I hope they don't eff this kid up. He can be otherworldly if coached properly.

 

[enthusiast]

But I don’t get the opportune comment? He’s been really feeling it for like a calendar year at this point.

He's in better form. I don't know what statistic best coveys hesitance or passes to nowhere but he's dropped that of late

 

[brian_griffin]

MSG blacked out because this was a Canes road game for my area. Very homeristic canes broadcast, somewhat uncharacteristically. Forslund and Tracy felt there could have been goalie interference on Skinners 2nd goal (I think) where the Sabre was clearly ridden into McIlheny and it was barely a brush.

As re: these media comments, the team defense has been poor for a while. The mark ups down low are routinely not happening. The switches on zone coverage must not be being communicated routinely because I regularly see Risto out for strolls without a forward taking a down-low opponent. Scandella is often in the high slot when the Sabres gain possession. Against the Wild he wasn’t even circling back to give McCabe a safety outlet on several breakouts. Sobotka prefers to play the puck into the center of the slot vs working it up the boards. McCabe has made terrible passing decisions in his d-zone. The pass to Reinhart for his Wild goal was brilliant. Why isn’t that vision there in the d-zone? Bogo is at least skating well. Dahlin needs to do a factory reset to return to his balanced offense & defense earlier in the season. Pilut is a wonderful talent - should be paired with Risto or Bogo against teams with a heavy forecheck.

The real problem though is, as others have noted, the forwards.

This is very revealing. Not a stock type answer. Pointed the finger elsewhere and said, ask Jason. HC's don't do that. The pressure is growing and the reactions to it are discerning.

The players will remember how Phil handled this one.

at a minimum, a stand-up coach would say it’s his job to have the players ready, regardless of their talent level, injury call-ups, etc.

My friend just texted me that tweet. If those lines are any indication of Housley's mindset - he clearly isn't concerned with getting his ducks in the rowyest row possbile.

Forward lines are fine given their team deficiencies: Poms, okposo, Sobotka and Thompson are the weak links / borderline NHLers, and with exception of 4th line are distributed in lineup. I actually liked okposo with Girgs and Larry but as another poster noted Would prefer Larry remain out if his injury is still nagging.

Goals were not Ullmarks fault but he wasn’t tracking the puck well early. Skaters should be ashamed allowing 2 GA on the first 8 shots and basically doubling CAR’s SOG through most the game until CAR got rolling in the 3rd.

Skinners goals were beauties and I truly love how much joy he shows playing the game. The slash call on him was pure BS - it was Bogo who hacked the Cane.

Mittelstadt is slowly improving. Can’t wait to see him stronger in two years.
Sorry if all this was in GDT. I stayed out of that this game.

Will miss Sat & Sun matinees. You die-hards have fun.

 

[sabrebuild]

He's in better form. I don't know what statistic best coveys hesitance or passes to nowhere but he's dropped that of late

Sure, definitely a little sharper.

 

[UnleashRasmus]

Also, can we please remove head coaching duties from Housley.