plenzmd1 Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 so listening to game again tonight for a just a bit of the first...Gio scores huh....according to twitter Kulikov awful again...who the hell is going to trade for him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted March 1, 2017 Author Share Posted March 1, 2017 If the morning skate line combos remain intact for the game, then Bylsma has officially lost his mind and should be fired immediately for cause. Gio on the second line with Kane and Eichel. Samson on the third line with Erod and Foligno. Girgs bumped down to the fourth line with Ennis and Moulson. So, Worst performing line over the weekend remains intact. Girgs, playing his best hockey of the season, gets rewarded with a demotion. And Gio, the little engine that couldn't, replaces the player our best offensive player has the best chemistry with. Makes perfect sense. Gio looks great on that line tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 Gio looks great on that line tonight. Yeah, I'm sure it will last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackFergy Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 #buffalosports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 I don't doubt that Kulikov has been bothered by an injury all season long. However, what is obvious is about Kulikov, healthy or not, is that he has poor instincts reacting to plays. That was the criticism of him in Florida, and it is apparent that he hasn't improved in that crucial aspect of the game. You point out it was unfair to compare Pysyk to Kulikov because he was playing against third or fourth line players. What you didn't point out was that Pysyk was a rookie and that he was still going back and forth to Rochester. He was a young, developing player who was a puck carrying and passing defenseman. He was not a particularly physical player but that was not his style of play. He was a good positional player who efficiently either carried or passed the puck out of his zone. Kulikov is in his own end is just as likely to pass the puck to the opposition as he would to his own teammates. Kulikov and Pysyk are two different types of players. Kulikov is horrible at what he does and Pysyk is better at what he does. The GM created a bigger deficit on the blue line when he brought in the Russian and sent out the better player. Murray got fleeced on the deal. Pysyk played 19 games w/ Buffalo in '12-'13 & another 44 in '13-'14. In what alternative universe was he a rookie last season? Sorry, yes, butt goal was really cool. But one fluke goal does not a top 4 D-man make. For the Sabres Pysyk would be a second pairing defenseman. On a better team he is a third pairing caliber of player. I'm not attempting to puff up his talent level to make a critical point regarding the trade for Kulikov. Was Bylsma dissatisfied with Pysyk? Maybe so. But Paul Hamilton on WGR stated that it was Murray who had little regard for Pysyk and his style of play. And the GM was not afraid to discuss his assessment on him to people covering his team. (side note WGR 's Paul Hamilton had a higher regard for Pysyk.) Is the distaste for Pysyk related to style of play, as you suggested? Probably so. But it's still my judgment that Pysyk is a more effective defensman than Kulikov because he plays a steadier and more intelligent game than the Russian's. Word is out within the organization (credible or not) that the Sabres would love lose him to the expansion draft and if that doesn't happen there isn't much interest in retaining him. Pysyk is what he is and Kulikov is what he is. On defense I'll take steady play over erratic play especially on a team with little margin for error. He's a UFA. They CAN'T lose him in the Vegas draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 #buffalosports That 5-day bye really made a difference. Two two-goal leads blown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QCity Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 The first 18 minutes were really good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 this friggin team, can't believe I watched those clowns choke at the end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zevo Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 It seems the team has given up on bylsma....will terry eat this contract? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricojes Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 (edited) It seems the team has given up on bylsma....will terry eat this contract? Not even close, they actually played really hard yesterday, there was definitely no "giving up". Not saying that Bylsma isn't the issue, just that the players are grinding and playing hard. They are just not that good on D, even Risto is playing like a #3 at best. Edited March 1, 2017 by ricojes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 Pysyk played 19 games w/ Buffalo in '12-'13 & another 44 in '13-'14. In what alternative universe was he a rookie last season? Sorry, yes, butt goal was really cool. But one fluke goal does not a top 4 D-man make. He's a UFA. They CAN'T lose him in the Vegas draft. You didn't carefully read what I said about Pysyk. Pysyk is not a top four caliber defenseman. But on the current Sabres team he would be on our second pairing. And without a doubt he would be out playing Kulikov because the standard is so low. Pysyk is a third pairing type of defenseman. There is nothing wrong with that. Not all players on a roster are all-stars. On a team where defensive play has been so poor he would have been a useful player for us as opposed to being a major liability like Kulikov. If Kulikov can't be dealt for peanuts then the team will not only let him walk but will be happy to let him walk. There will be plenty of people in the organization willing to hold the exit door for him. His loss falls in the unique category of arithmetic: addition by subtraction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiberius Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 You didn't carefully read what I said about Pysyk. Pysyk is not a top four caliber defenseman. But on the current Sabres team he would be on our second pairing. And without a doubt he would be out playing Kulikov because the standard is so low. Pysyk is a third pairing type of defenseman. There is nothing wrong with that. Not all players on a roster are all-stars. On a team where defensive play has been so poor he would have been a useful player for us as opposed to being a major liability like Kulikov. If Kulikov can't be dealt for peanuts then the team will not only let him walk but will be happy to let him walk. There will be plenty of people in the organization willing to hold the exit door for him. His loss falls in the unique category of arithmetic: addition by subtraction. Not saying it will happen, but with defenseman so dear, Kulikov might land us a late first rounder. Probably not, but in a seller market who knows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 Not saying it will happen, but with defenseman so dear, Kulikov might land us a late first rounder. Probably not, but in a seller market who knows The value for erratic playing defenseman who are more adept passing to the opposition than to his own teammates isn't too high. Not a chance that a team would be foolish enough to give up a first for this guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted March 1, 2017 Author Share Posted March 1, 2017 @JSportsnet Vegas Golden Knights will officially be in the hockey business this afternoon. I's dotted...T's crossed...George McPhee can start dealing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 Just read Vegas is open for business...not quite sure what they can do..but here is my trade deadline plan. Trade Kulikov for a 2 Franson for a 3 Trade the two picks to Vegas in exchange they agree to take Bogo in the draft. Perfect day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Daddy Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 @JSportsnet Vegas Golden Knights will officially be in the hockey business this afternoon. I's dotted...T's crossed...George McPhee can start dealing. Why afternoon? Why not right now? Just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 Not even close, they actually played really hard yesterday, there was definitely no "giving up". Not saying that Bylsma isn't the issue, just that the players are grinding and playing hard. They are just not that good on D, even Risto is playing like a #3 at best. I'm a Risto fan but yesterday the Sabres were on a five on three with a defender losing his stick. Instead of passing the puck around for an opening he took a shot on net when the goalie had a clear view of his shot. That was just dumb play and a lack of awareness. I agree with you that although this team has lapses the real problem has to do with a lack of talent most notably on the blue line. There is definitely a difference in talent between the good teams and the Sabres. But the chasm isn't so great that with a few good smart transactions this team can move up the ranks. Side note: Forsburg is terrific. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 You didn't carefully read what I said about Pysyk. Pysyk is not a top four caliber defenseman. But on the current Sabres team he would be on our second pairing. And without a doubt he would be out playing Kulikov because the standard is so low. Pysyk is a third pairing type of defenseman. There is nothing wrong with that. Not all players on a roster are all-stars. On a team where defensive play has been so poor he would have been a useful player for us as opposed to being a major liability like Kulikov. If Kulikov can't be dealt for peanuts then the team will not only let him walk but will be happy to let him walk. There will be plenty of people in the organization willing to hold the exit door for him. His loss falls in the unique category of arithmetic: addition by subtraction. On paper that may be the case, but I don't get the impression that anyone within the organization believed that he was a top four d-man on this team. If they don't believe in him and won't play him in that role, the whole thing is moot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 On paper that may be the case, but I don't get the impression that anyone within the organization believed that he was a top four d-man on this team. If they don't believe in him and won't play him in that role, the whole thing is moot. I don't want to over exaggerate the importance on losing Pysyk. He is not the type of talent that you fret over when he departs. What I am basically saying in my responses on this topic is that I consider Pysyk a better player for us than was his replacement in Kulikov. Where I disagree with your response is that on this deficit riddled defense corps I consider Pysyk to be a second pairing defenseman. That is not to say that he is a second pairing caliber defenseman on most teams. But on this team I believe it to be so. The bottom line is Kulikov is a major liability as a player. Pysyk who is an average player at best was at least not a liability to the extent the Russian is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QCity Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 Not saying it will happen, but with defenseman so dear, Kulikov might land us a late first rounder. Probably not, but in a seller market who knows I'm thinking conditional 4th rounder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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