GDT: Vancouver Canucks at Buffalo Sabres, Jan. 13, 2024; 4:00 pm EST - CHECK THE WEATHER

[Tatanka]

Stay safe you locals. Temp is dropping like a rock in Chicago wind is freshening and I think it is headed your way.

 

[sabremike]

Think of the mess the Canucks were last year and look at them this year. It's possible to make some improvements just by changing the staff.

It also helps that they fleeced Hronek off the Wings.

I just think of Tavares playing on the island under absolute clowns Gordon and Fred Flinstone and thinking how much better he could've ended up becoming if he had played for actual NHL quality coaches. The same thing is happening here, any sane person can see it except the people in a position to do something about it.

 

[Ehran]

I napped through most of the 3rd period. Doesn't sound like I missed much.

 

[Tatanka]

I will also give props to Allvin for his frequent minor tinkering moves to his depth. Blueger, Lafferty, Beauvellier, shuffling Studnicka out to help their pro depth... there are more but I would have to look them up. That's since July.

And getting Z for essentially peanuts. Built a team to beat its competition in the division and conference.

 

[HaNotsri]

Saddest part is, they'll go through the rest of the season like this, maybe winning two in a row a couple more times, but finish behind where they were last time.

Adams will give nothing but excuses, injuries, blah, blah, blah, meanwhile announcing his complete trust in all the players and coaches. He'll mention he'll take the offseason to look to see about "acquiring players who want to be here" spending between $750K and $1.2M for a couple no names.

Rinse, repeat. 13, 14, 15 years without playoffs.

he'll pay those 1.2 mill players between 1.7-2.5 mill since they want to be here so badly.

 

[Ralonzo]

Think of the mess the Canucks were last year and look at them this year. It's possible to make some improvements just by changing the staff.

It also helps that they fleeced Hronek off the Wings.

NGL I thought Detroit made out on that initially. There was a game against the Sabres last year where Detroit lost 6-x and Hronek was like a -8. Might be the worst NHL level defenseman game I can remember seeing in this decade, and that includes some statement games from the likes Casey Fitzgerald, Will Butcher, and Jacob Bryson.

 

[Chainshot]

And getting Z for essentially peanuts. Built a team to beat its competition in the division and conference.

Yep, Zadorov for peanuts is another one. Moved Beauvillier to clear the cap, then filled a need.

I forgot that Bleuger and Suter were UFA signings. Allvin is doing a very good job.

 

[dortt]

You've made a bunch of posts about "not producing". He isn't putting up points, yes. And yet he is regularly one of their best forwards. I get it, people don't always see the game the same way, but repeating that comment every now and then in different threads doesn't mean that Benson has been poor.

He is a fan fav because he puts out effort (I'd say that is more of a damning indictment against the rest of the team that they are being outworked by such a large degree by an 18 year old rookie)

However, he's hit the wall production wise. If our leaders were actually putting out some effort, Benson would not be standing out to the degree he is

 

[OkimLom]

Didn’t hate the game from Buffalo, but we Should be expecting positive results not positive feelings at game #43 of the season.

 

[slip]

Both Mittelstadt and Peterka had 2 excellent looks and didn't score.

Also, Matt Ellis should be assigned to the salt mines.

They’d produce no salt.

 

[Chainshot]

He is a fan fav because he puts out effort (I'd say that is more of a damning indictment against the rest of the team that they are being outworked by such a large degree by an 18 year old rookie)

However, he's hit the wall production wise. If our leaders were actually putting out some effort, Benson would not be standing out to the degree he is

He puts in effort and plays the right way. His stick detail and positioning are yet again amazing. He does the little things that win games. He would still be doing those things and still be part of this team doing that because there is no way they have 12 other players that capable to ice on a nightly basis. Yes, he does things most of the rest of the roster doesn't do. That's why some of us were so high on him going into the draft - it was clear from watching him in Winnipeg that he was going to be like that at the next level. He does things that win at the NHL level - draws contact, initiates contact, uses his stick to contest pucks. Those things aren't things most NHLers do all together all the time and he's doing them at 18 already.

 

[Chainshot]

They’d produce no salt.

But it would be far from the Sabres PP and forwards. I would think he had input in sitting Benson out in the third as part of tonight's wheel of fail.

 

[Zman5778]

I know TOI is janky today due to *points at the 2nd period as a whole*.......

But RJ leading the Sabres in 5v5 TOI and looking good while doing it is impressive.


On the other side:

Benson with a team-low 8:44 5v5 TOI when he was CLEARLY feeling it is a fireable offense.

 

[dortt]

He puts in effort and plays the right way. His stick detail and positioning are yet again amazing. He does the little things that win games. He would still be doing those things and still be part of this team doing that because there is no way they have 12 other players that capable to ice on a nightly basis. Yes, he does things most of the rest of the roster doesn't do. That's why some of us were so high on him going into the draft - it was clear from watching him in Winnipeg that he was going to be like that at the next level. He does things that win at the NHL level - draws contact, initiates contact, uses his stick to contest pucks. Those things aren't things most NHLers do all together all the time and he's doing them at 18 already.

Nobody is saying Benson does not put in the effort and play the game the right way. He's just a bit overmatched at the moment

Ideally, he should be in the AHL to develop a bit more as he is good enough for the professional game, but not producing at the NHL level. We just cannot send him there

 

[slip]

But it would be far from the Sabres PP and forwards. I would think he had input in sitting Benson out in the third as part of tonight's wheel of fail.

if he ran a funeral parlor, nobody would die.

 

[SundherDome]

Not Benson. Maybe that’s why Granato benched him for most of the 3rd?

The shine for Benson is wearing off on me tbh. He is going to these areas but gets muscled off easily.

 

[Chainshot]

Nobody is saying Benson does not put in the effort and play the game the right way. He's just a bit overmatched at the moment

Ideally, he should be in the AHL to develop a bit more as he is good enough for the professional game, but not producing at the NHL level. We just cannot send him there

You have made a bunch of posts that he shouldn't be playing because of point production. Everything he is doing is going to produce points and wins. He isn't overmatched.

 

[slip]

The shine for Benson is wearing off on me tbh. He is going to these areas but gets muscled off easily.

But he goes.

 

[Chainshot]

if he ran a funeral parlor, nobody would die.

The line in the old Night Court episode with Death - "If nobody died... where would we park?"

 

[Zman5778]

Nobody is saying Benson does not put in the effort and play the game the right way. He's just a bit overmatched at the moment

If he was overmatched, he wouldn't be winning the board battles he does. Does he lose some because he's not quite mature physically? Sure. But he sure wins his fair share.

 

[SundherDome]

But he goes.

That he does

 

[slip]

If he was overmatched, he wouldn't be winning the board battles he does. Does he lose some because he's not quite mature physically? Sure. But he sure wins his fair share.

Kid is a f***ing warrior. He’s the last player any of us should be fretting about in this lost season.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Good game against the most potent offense in the league. Zero puck luck on the Tuch and Cozens crossbars in the 3rd. Liked the pushback once the game started to get chippy, but the team really isn't built for that.

UPL solid again. And lookie here!

 

[Mattilaus]

Stay safe you locals. Temp is dropping like a rock in Chicago wind is freshening and I think it is headed your way.

I hope you all have block heaters. Up here they come standard.

 

[Dubi Doo]

I know TOI is janky today due to *points at the 2nd period as a whole*.......

But RJ leading the Sabres in 5v5 TOI and looking good while doing it is impressive.


On the other side:

Benson with a team-low 8:44 5v5 TOI when he was CLEARLY feeling it is a fireable offense.

I feel like Granato has got away with a few of these this year.