Proposal: Time to bring back the hybrid enforcer?

[Cirris]

With the situation with Kadri and Martin pulling some nasty stuff this week to Sedin and McDavid. And the NHL looking like it's unwilling to enforce dangerous hits anymore. Is it time for the Sabres to bring in more hybrid enforcers to police your team?

I'm not talking about bringing back pure enforcers like Peters, Twist, Brashear, Ty Domi, John Scott, and Ray.

I'm talking more like getting/grooming a Shawn Thornton, Reaves type that's given green light, if a pest like Kadri starts stickworking or headhunting your star players.

Someone how can sit on your 3rd, 4th line do some good hockey work. But is also there when the team needs a message sent as a pest disposal.

Deslaurier just doesn't seem like he's going to be that McCormick replacement. I do think we need to re-address it soon. As it seems Toronto seems to want to play the nasty game and it's giving them success.

We already seen how much harder it is when our star players are out of the lineup. You cannot sit back and let what Kadri did to McDavid and Sedin happen to Eichel, ROR, Reinhart.

The Sabres are going to need to take initiative and prepare for this inevitable situation. Unless they want to watch their star players get lit up like Canucks had happen to them last night.

Click to read more...

 

[Aladyyn]

Foligno, Bogosian

 

[Myllz]

Edmonton has one in Lucic, and he did absolutely nothing when McDavid was getting roughed up. So...no.

 

[Jame]

Edmonton has one in Lucic, and he did absolutely nothing when McDavid was getting roughed up. So...no.

And he got dropped from the Mcdavid line...

I still believe you need players who will enforce. Enforcers are obsolete as a role, but the mentality needs to exist in the lineup.

Foligno and Bogo have shown that mentality in the past... I'd like to see more of it

 

[Myllz]

And he got dropped from the Mcdavid line...

I still believe you need players who will enforce. Enforcers are obsolete as a role, but the mentality needs to exist in the lineup.

Foligno and Bogo have shown that mentality in the past... I'd like to see more of it

I agree with that. Having the mentality throughout the lineup is great. Bringing in players specifically to join that role, not so much.

 

[Cirris]

Edmonton has one in Lucic, and he did absolutely nothing when McDavid was getting roughed up. So...no.

I'm well aware of that. And i wondered why nothing happened.

I get the feeling that the tone from the Coach is to not take a penalty in a tight game.

But Kadri, while was pretty nasty that game, didn't escalate it to head hunting cheap shots like Saturday.

Maybe McClellen and Lucic act differantly towards Kadri if they played again.

Who knows. I do know Bylsma coached the Penguins to the point if someone like Weber smacked Crosby, Weber was going to get run by half the team for the rest of the night.

What I think we need is to find a premium 3rd liner or two, that can answer the bell if Bylsma needs a message sent.

Foligno, Girgensons, Fasching are all big, but they're not battle ready types.

Foligno can be, the others are "too nice" in my opinion.

 

[Zman5778]

And he got dropped from the Mcdavid line...

I still believe you need players who will enforce. Enforcers are obsolete as a role, but the mentality needs to exist in the lineup.

Foligno and Bogo have shown that mentality in the past... I'd like to see more of it

If Carrier sticks, I think he'll have roughly the same mentality.

And when all else fails, we have Lehner.

 

[tsujimoto74]

I think Foligno is that guy for us already. He can play, and he can fight. Possibly Bogo, too.

 

[Gras]

We have Lehner.

 

[Onslow]

Don't forget Kane

 

[Cirris]

I think Foligno is that guy for us already. He can play, and he can fight. Possibly Bogo, too.

well, then maybe it's enough, for now.

But going forward, I'm thinking we need to make sure that when we replace Gionta, Moulson, that the players coming in fit the sandpaper toughness role.

 

[Rhett4]

When this team is healthy, they have plenty of solid sluggers that can play. Foligno is a good light heavyweight, and without the old-school heavyweights around anymore, he's capable of tackling most customers. When Bogo is angry, he's out for blood. Kane is an athletic middleweight with some power. Des isn't great, but he's a gamer. Then there's the fact that Lehner is a legitimate fighter, not just a tough-guy goalie with a big mask protecting him. Him jumping Matt Martin would be a lot different than Ryan Miller (though I give Millsie credit).

 

[Afino]

I'm not talking about bringing back pure enforcers like Peters, Twist, Brashear, Ty Domi, John Scott, and Ray.

Domi once scored 20 goals. One of those things is not like the other.

 

[Cirris]

Don't forget Kane

We need Kane scoring 25+ goals. That's his skillset.

That's what i mean by having guys to answer the call.

Eichel, Kane, ROR can handle themselves. But it's not about that. It's having guys who can step into make sure those guys can focus on what they're here for. Not spending the entire night swatting dirty pests.

Toronto pretty much shut out McDavid, because Oilers made him have to deal with getting roughed up by Kadri all night, not creating scoring chances.

This success worked for the leafs. You know when Eichel gets back, they'll probably be trying this strategy on him. As Don Cherry said on Coach's Corner. You can't have that situation. It's not good for the team. Kadri needs to be dealt with. you can't have your star players more worried about some pest sticking them all night and not about creating scoring chances.

This is a factor on top of these pests going too far and laying out your star player with a headshot blindside bodycheck. Then your losing the game, and looking for retribution, instead of winning. As the British like to say when a team is coming unhinged, "you've lost the plot". You need the type of characters role players in place and ready so you winning can be the story.

IS Foligno enough? i think we could use one or two more. I like what I'm hearing about Carrier, but is he ready?. Fasching seems too much of a gentle giant to me. Girgensons isn't much better.

I really think until Carrier, Bailey become more seasoned and ready that we should get a solid bottom six roll player.

 

[sabrebuild]

I think a guy like kane or risto is important here and now. Having a Thornton type is ok for a revenge fight ala the drury hit. But having top line players who are scary is more important because they are on the ice a lot and intimidate thru their mere presence and style of game.

As I see it with a healthy lineup, you could have a tough skilled guy one most lines.

Kane, Foligno, Bogo, Risto and even mccabe look eager to go and most of them are a concern for any fighter in the league. Excuse risto and mccabe for youth and inexperience. You still have 3 regulars who are fairly dangerous.

Fights are meh for impact, playing on the edge consitently is very effective.

 

[Icicle]

This team doesn't need it. There's balls all around

 

[threeVo]

Kane: Good fighter you would like see not fight and score instead
Foligno: Good fighter when provoked
Bogosian: Mediocre fighter but crazy as balls
Deslaurier: Better at fighting than hockey
Risto: Big but doubtful to have much fighting impact

 

[gallagt01]

I'd rather Foligno and Kane not drop the gloves often given their shoulder issues historically. Both can go, though, and opponents know that.

There was a time I thought Des could be the player you're describing. Then I watched him play hockey (and he appears reluctant to drop them now anyways, so he's pretty much useless if he's not a rah-rah locker room guy).

What's a guy like Jared Boll doing? Still a NHL-caliber player?

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

This terrible and probably biased decision about the Kadri hit will only encourage more of the same from them, and no doubt against Sabre players. Unreal after all that's been talked about. Kadri brushed across Sedin's shoulder but the majority of contact was at his head while Kadri drove upward. Blatant bias or stupidity...pick one.

 

[Sabres83]

Patrick Kaleta?

 

[Yankwood]

We have Ennis.

 

[Cirris]

Patrick Kaleta?

PAt Kaleta WAS what Kadri is right now. We need a Kaleta swatters.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Sabres have players that do this: Foligno, Kane, Bogosian, and Carrier.

 

[Ace]

We have a few guys that can do it and can play hockey. And Deslauriers who can do it.

 

[Your Boy Troy]

Brashear and Domi were effective players in their prime.

Every team in the league should employ an enforcer or two. Regardless of whether they are a deterrent or not, these fourth-line finesse players are hard to watch. They are assets both in the locker-room and in the community.