Buffalo Sabres and NHL: 2019/20: Sabres season officially over. Draft lottery June 26th

[BillsFan4]

If the Sabres don’t get back in the win column against freaking Ottawa, a team that’s in the midst of a full tear down rebuild, I swear.... 

23 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

Asplund coming up...what follows?

I’m wondering if Johan Larsson might be hurt. Paul Hamilton said he wasn’t available post-game because he was in the trainers room.  

[plenzmd1]

6 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

If the Sabres don’t get back in the win column against freaking Ottawa, a team that’s in the midst of a full tear down rebuild, I swear.... 

I’m wondering if Johan Larsson might be hurt. Paul Hamilton said he wasn’t available post-game because he was in the trainers room.  

argh..i betcha you right...but he did play in OT correct?

 

Maybe swelling day after ????

 

BTW, i keep reading the Sabres have 9 D..i think they have 10 in Pilut. Still cant believe that dude is gunna wallow away in the A all season

Edited November 15, 2019 by plenzmd1

[K-9]

1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said:

If the Sabres don’t get back in the win column against freaking Ottawa, a team that’s in the midst of a full tear down rebuild, I swear.... 

I’m wondering if Johan Larsson might be hurt. Paul Hamilton said he wasn’t available post-game because he was in the trainers room.  

I was amazed Angry Larry could still stand after the axe chop he took to the back of the legs just we before we tied it up. Can’t believe the refs missed that obvious call. Then again, given the sorry state of NHL refereeing, I’m not surprised at all.

Edited November 15, 2019 by K-9

[K-9]

2 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

Asplund coming up...what follows?

This is great news for no other reason than the call up of Asplund gives us a true and FULLY FORMED Rasmati. Finally! The Rasmati is a formidable force on the ice. 

[JohnC]

3 hours ago, K-9 said:

If we don’t churn players, how else do we improve the roster? 

Plez has been calling for a blow up of the roster. I with no malice say that he is crazy. No one is arguing against making deals and bringing up players from the system. The mix of players is a big problem. There are too many perimeter players and not enough players who are either incapable or don't have the desire to pay the price to work around the net. Being smart and judicious regarding personnel moves is a far different from dramatically churning the roster. 

[JohnC]

3 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

@JohnC, what more do you need than 1-6-1...that's a last place team..an improving team does not go on streaks like that. If they don't go at least 2-0-1 next three, last place here we come!

I guess Jbotts is so enamored with surplus of D, he is talking about dressing 7 on a team that cant score! Yay!!!!

You are too quick to panic. You need to maintain your composure during challenging times. Within the 1-6-1 segment there were games in which we actually did play well, or at least not bad. The Islander game is an example of that. We lost a 1-0 game in which we played a very good team evenly. They scored on a very fluke game. Even in the Sweden games against one of the most talented teams in league we were not outclassed. The play of the specialty teams did us in. You need to look beyond the record and seek reasonable solutions to your deficiencies. Acting out of frustration and exasperation is not only self-defeating but it is foolish. 

[K-9]

Just now, JohnC said:

Plez has been calling for a blow up of the roster. I with no malice say that he is crazy. No one is arguing against making deals and bringing up players from the system. The mix of players is a big problem. There are too many perimeter players and not enough players who are either incapable or don't have the desire to pay the price to work around the net. Being smart and judicious regarding personnel moves is a far different from dramatically churning the roster. 

Well, until we churn the roster and rid it of those players who lack capability and/or desire, then we shouldn’t expect the improvement having those players would provide. Botts can’t be expected to be a miracle worker, but he’s into his third season with those types of players inhabiting our roster.
 

I can understand wanting to see if Krueger could coach those missing traits into those players, but I think the spots on those leopards ain’t gonna change. 

[JohnC]

Just now, K-9 said:

Well, until we churn the roster and rid it of those players who lack capability and/or desire, then we shouldn’t expect the improvement having those players would provide. Botts can’t be expected to be a miracle worker, but he’s into his third season with those types of players inhabiting our roster.
 

I can understand wanting to see if Krueger could coach those missing traits into those players, but I think the spots on those leopards ain’t gonna change. 

I very much agree with you that the deficient traits that some players have are not going to change. You are who you are. However, getting rid of players is the easy part. The issue is what can you get in return? The players you see with deficiencies are the same players that other organizations see. 

 

In general, I believe that Botts is doing a good job. He took over an organization that had little other than mish mash. As he has stated he used his first year to thoroughly assess what he had in the system. So there wasn't a lot of GM action in his first year. I consider that a smart and analytical way to do business. Talent is steadily being added. The Skinner, Mongtour and Joki deals were good deals that cost us little. In general, the talent level has increased over the past couple of years. My position has stayed the same. If the organization has the fortitude to stay on its current course things will work out. 

 

Two years ago the Sabres earned 62 points. Last year the Sabres earned 76 points. My estimate is that the Sabres will earn around 88 points this year and stay in the playoff hunt right up to the end of the season, or near the end of the season. I usually receive a deluge of snickers when I say this but the trajectory is clearly up. 

[plenzmd1]

3 minutes ago, JohnC said:

 

 

Two years ago the Sabres earned 62 points. Last year the Sabres earned 76 points. My estimate is that the Sabres will earn around 88 points this year and stay in the playoff hunt right up to the end of the season, or near the end of the season. I usually receive a deluge of snickers when I say this but the trajectory is clearly up. 

and the year before BOTS got here, the year that got GMTM fired, Sabres earned 78 points...and he is improving the team how?

[K-9]

3 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I very much agree with you that the deficient traits that some players have are not going to change. You are who you are. However, getting rid of players is the easy part. The issue is what can you get in return? The players you see with deficiencies are the same players that other organizations see. 

 

In general, I believe that Botts is doing a good job. He took over an organization that had little other than mish mash. As he has stated he used his first year to thoroughly assess what he had in the system. So there wasn't a lot of GM action in his first year. I consider that a smart and analytical way to do business. Talent is steadily being added. The Skinner, Mongtour and Joki deals were good deals that cost us little. In general, the talent level has increased over the past couple of years. My position has stayed the same. If the organization has the fortitude to stay on its current course things will work out. 

 

Two years ago the Sabres earned 62 points. Last year the Sabres earned 76 points. My estimate is that the Sabres will earn around 88 points this year and stay in the playoff hunt right up to the end of the season, or near the end of the season. I usually receive a deluge of snickers when I say this but the trajectory is clearly up. 

I agree that, in general,  Botts is doing a good job; at least the best he can. And that our trash is gonna be trash to other teams as well. There are no quick fixes, but it’s amazing that after sucking for so long and having so many higher draft picks, that we are still treading water with these same types of players. 
 

I won’t snicker at your predictions, but I don’t share the same optimism after seeing the rapid regression since our hot start. Something needs to click, and soon, or it will be a repeat of last season, given the roster of floaters currently assembled. 

[JohnC]

7 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

and the year before BOTS got here, the year that got GMTM fired, Sabres earned 78 points...and he is improving the team how?

You are missing the point. It's not about the points. It's about how good is your roster against your foes. You can be a 78 point squad that in the near term or longer term is not built to compete for anything serious. The roster that he inherited is going through reconstruction. As I have told you before it is not a quick process. It's going to take time. 

[K-9]

1 minute ago, JohnC said:

You are missing the point. It's not about the points. It's about how good is your roster against your foes. You can be a 78 point squad that in the near term or longer term is not built to compete for anything serious. The roster that he inherited is going through reconstruction. As I have told you before it is not a quick process. It's going to take time. 

Concerning that ongoing roster construction, it’s not unfair to say that Bott’s efforts in that regard haven’t been very good overall, given the performance of the players he’s brought in since taking over. 

[JohnC]

4 minutes ago, K-9 said:

I agree that, in general,  Botts is doing a good job; at least the best he can. And that our trash is gonna be trash to other teams as well. There are no quick fixes, but it’s amazing that after sucking for so long and having so many higher draft picks, that we are still treading water with these same types of players. 
 

I won’t snicker at your predictions, but I don’t share the same optimism after seeing the rapid regression since our hot start. Something needs to click, and soon, or it will be a repeat of last season, given the roster of floaters currently assembled. 

I believe that there will be some roster changes this season. Changing the mix from too many perimeter players to adding more stout inside warriors will happen. It's not going to happen right away. Don't bet against more Rochester call ups to demonstrate to some members of the current roster that this finesse style of play isn't going to be tolerated so much. 

 

This team is in good cap shape after this season because we have a number of players on expiring contracts. I truly believe that next year will be our bump up year. I don't think that the GM is going to panic and jeopardize the good situation he is in for next year for a short term gain. He's got a plan and he is following it.  

7 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Concerning that ongoing roster construction, it’s not unfair to say that Bott’s efforts in that regard haven’t been very good overall, given the performance of the players he’s brought in since taking over. 

I agree that not all of his player transactions have worked out as well as he would have wanted. Sheary is a good example of that. But hockey is a sport, maybe more than most, where there are a lot of transactions made. Overall, there are more plusses than minuses. 

[Nextmanup]

If we could only devise a machine which converts every word JohnC writes in defense of this team/organization into Sabres goals, we would be unstoppable.

 

They could start engraving the Sabres' names on the Cup right now.

 

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, Nextmanup said:

If we could only devise a machine which converts every word JohnC writes in defense of this team/organization into Sabres goals, we would be unstoppable.

 

They could start engraving the Sabres' names on the Cup right now.

 

Is Plenzmd1 your brother? If so your family has depression issues that call for happy pills to remedy the problem.

[shrader]

3 hours ago, K-9 said:

I agree that, in general,  Botts is doing a good job; at least the best he can. And that our trash is gonna be trash to other teams as well. There are no quick fixes, but it’s amazing that after sucking for so long and having so many higher draft picks, that we are still treading water with these same types of players. 
 

I won’t snicker at your predictions, but I don’t share the same optimism after seeing the rapid regression since our hot start. Something needs to click, and soon, or it will be a repeat of last season, given the roster of floaters currently assembled. 

 

I hesitate to call it a regression since we saw the same exact thing last year.  It may even be a slightly worse version of what happened last year.  We won't know that for sure until this current stretch of suck ends (IF).  So when you say a regression, you're talking in season, but this one could in fact be a season-to-season regression.  How's that one for a scary thought?

[4merper4mer]

4 hours ago, JohnC said:

You are too quick to panic. You need to maintain your composure during challenging times. Within the 1-6-1 segment there were games in which we actually did play well, or at least not bad. The Islander game is an example of that. We lost a 1-0 game in which we played a very good team evenly. They scored on a very fluke game. Even in the Sweden games against one of the most talented teams in league we were not outclassed. The play of the specialty teams did us in. You need to look beyond the record and seek reasonable solutions to your deficiencies. Acting out of frustration and exasperation is not only self-defeating but it is foolish. 

You're right.  He should wait at least 8 years to panic.

 

Oh, wait.

3 hours ago, JohnC said:

I believe that there will be some roster changes this season. Changing the mix from too many perimeter players to adding more stout inside warriors will happen. It's not going to happen right away. Don't bet against more Rochester call ups to demonstrate to some members of the current roster that this finesse style of play isn't going to be tolerated so much. 

 

This team is in good cap shape after this season because we have a number of players on expiring contracts. I truly believe that next year will be our bump up year. I don't think that the GM is going to panic and jeopardize the good situation he is in for next year for a short term gain. He's got a plan and he is following it.  

I agree that not all of his player transactions have worked out as well as he would have wanted. Sheary is a good example of that. But hockey is a sport, maybe more than most, where there are a lot of transactions made. Overall, there are more plusses than minuses. 

When you say Botts has more pluses than minuses are you talking about more bogeys than birdies?  Because otherwise it makes no sense.

[K-9]

2 hours ago, shrader said:

 

I hesitate to call it a regression since we saw the same exact thing last year.  It may even be a slightly worse version of what happened last year.  We won't know that for sure until this current stretch of suck ends (IF).  So when you say a regression, you're talking in season, but this one could in fact be a season-to-season regression.  How's that one for a scary thought?

Scary enough that I’m actually comforted by an in season regression by comparison.

[BillsFan4]

With the Ottawa Senators win tonight, they’ve won 4 of their last 6, and 6 of their last 9 games. I didn’t realize the Sens had been winning games... I saw that 8-2 blowout loss to Carolina the other night and just assumed they stunk. 

 

I still think its a game the sabres should win, but it may not be an easy win (not that wins are ever easy for buffalo teams anyway...). 

[thebug]

8 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

If we could only devise a machine which converts every word JohnC writes in defense of this team/organization into Sabres goals, we would be unstoppable.

 

They could start engraving the Sabres' names on the Cup right now.

 

??? Goal records never to be broken!!!! 

[plenzmd1]

19 hours ago, JohnC said:

You are missing the point. It's not about the points.

no, you are missing the point...points( winning) are the ONLY thing the NHL is about....they are not in existence to develop good christian young men that see their game grow and have a nice close team, they are in existence to WIN...and they have not done that for almost a decade now.

 

And when i mentioned Pilut..its so good to see JBOTS sit on his arse while this is going on down in the A cause we got to many useless bodies up in the NHL

 

 

[JohnC]

3 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

no, you are missing the point...points( winning) are the ONLY thing the NHL is about....they are not in existence to develop good christian young men that see their game grow and have a nice close team, they are in existence to WIN...and they have not done that for almost a decade now.

 

And when i mentioned Pilut..its so good to see JBOTS sit on his arse while this is going on down in the A cause we got to many useless bodies up in the NHL

 

 

Pilut will be called up sometime this season. He is getting extensive playing time that will make him a better player when called up. The same process applies to Tage Thompson. He will be better prepared for the NHL because of his extensive playing time in the AHL.

 

Of course winning is the object of the game. Stop with your silliness. The issue is how do you get there? If you think that the right approach to take is by making short-term foolish deals due to frustration you are grossly wrong. There is no quick fix other than to stay the course, develop your players and make good deals when opportunities arise. You don't think that the GM's Skinner, Joki and Montour deals were good deals? 

 

What are you suggesting to do? Get rid of the GM? Trade off your assets for immediate help? Talking and fretting about weaknesses are easy to do but accomplish nothing other than ventilation. How do you know that the GM isn't already working on a number of deals that will help this team? Of course he is doing that as is every GM in the league is doing that. 

 

If you got some recommendations then make them. If not, then stop with your incessant whining. 

[plenzmd1]

42 minutes ago, JohnC said:

 

 

If you got some recommendations then make them. If not, then stop with your incessant whining. 

Lose a trade...need to move people and shake this thing up. Yes, sending a message that another season like last year is not accpetable needs to be sent.

SEnd Risto to Winnipeg for WHATEVER they will give you..Risto is Risto..he is not worth what Bots thinks he is...so take less..take a bottom 6 guy

Trade Miller if you are going to sit him...again lose the trade

Move Olufson the hell of the top line. He is playing with Jack freaking Eichel and has 1..count it 1, freaking goal in 18 games 5v5..unacceptable to go 1-6-1 and have a guy playing with one of the best playmakers in league and have 1 goal.

Get Pilut up here in any way, shape or form you need to get it done. I dont want to hear they have too many guys NHL ready...waive them and get nothing, addition by subtraction..Yes i am talking BOGO and Sobotka....

 

And i look at teams like Carolina, Vancouver , the Islanders and Arizona who were all thought to be well behind the Sabres in terms of talent and system when JBOTS took over, hell we all thought  the Canadians were dead in the water with the Price contract and really goofed up in the Weber trade.. and yet all those teams seem to be well ahead of the Sabres now. Hell, you even parised the Sabres for playing a "good game" against the mighty Islanders, even though they lost ....and lo and behold we thought it a victory the other night we got a point form the mighty Hurricanes. 

 

Speaking of Carolina...how did they make out in the Skinner trade? You know who cares about that in Carolina right now? No one. They needed a change and made it, they had a GM who had some nads and some sense of urgency..not a five year plan to hopefully compete for a playoff spot.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

1 hour ago, plenzmd1 said:

no, you are missing the point...points( winning) are the ONLY thing the NHL is about....they are not in existence to develop good christian young men that see their game grow and have a nice close team, they are in existence to WIN...and they have not done that for almost a decade now.

 

And when i mentioned Pilut..its so good to see JBOTS sit on his arse while this is going on down in the A cause we got to many useless bodies up in the NHL

 

 

 

 

...head scratcher how we go from the penthouse to outhouse so quickly, last year and this year with current streak......why?....sure it's scoring and I'm an old fart guy spoiled by the prolific Gretzky, etc years....BUT...the Sabres had their share of snipers that found the net......how do we continue to starve?..

[JohnC]

3 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

Lose a trade...need to move people and shake this thing up. Yes, sending a message that another season like last year is not accpetable needs to be sent.

SEnd Risto to Winnipeg for WHATEVER they will give you..Risto is Risto..he is not worth what Bots thinks he is...so take less..take a bottom 6 guy

Trade Miller if you are going to sit him...again lose the trade

Move Olufson the hell of the top line. He is playing with Jack freaking Eichel and has 1..count it 1, freaking goal in 18 games 5v5..unacceptable to go 1-6-1 and have a guy playing with one of the best playmakers in league and have 1 goal.

Get Pilut up here in any way, shape or form you need to get it done. I dont want to hear they have too many guys NHL ready...waive them and get nothing, addition by subtraction..Yes i am talking BOGO and Sobotka....

 

And i look at teams like Carolina, Vancouver , the Islanders and Arizona who were all thought to be well behind the Sabres in terms of talent and system when JBOTS took over, hell we all thought  the Canadians were dead in the water with the Price contract and really goofed up in the Weber trade.. and yet all those teams seem to be well ahead of the Sabres now. Hell, you even parised the Sabres for playing a "good game" against the mighty Islanders, even though they lost ....and lo and behold we thought it a victory the other night we got a point form the mighty Hurricanes. 

 

Speaking of Carolina...how did they make out in the Skinner trade? You know who cares about that in Carolina right now? No one. They needed a change and made it, they had a GM who had some nads and some sense of urgency..not a five year plan to hopefully compete for a playoff spot.

How do you know that deals aren't being worked on now? And what do you think is the return on a Risto deal (that might happen this season)? I'm not trading Risto if the return isn't at least of an equal value. You are characterizing this team as if it is continuing to bottoming out and descending even more. I'm simply don't see it with the same dire view as you do. 

 

We are on different parallel universes and we will never meet. Your worldview is different from mine. That in itself gives me confidence. 

 

 

[Cripple Creek]

4 hours ago, JohnC said:

If not, then stop with your incessant whining. 

Incessant whining or incessant professions of faith. Is there a reason why one is allowed and the other is not?

[BillsFan4]

I could not disagree more with the idea of taking any crap offer for Ristolainen, like a bottom 6 player. 

 

Like him or not, Ristolainen is a top 4 defenseman that adds value to the Sabres lineup. There’s a reason every coach that comes in plays him in a top pairing role (it’s not because he sucks...). I’m not saying he’s perfect by any means, and I’m not against trading him for a good young top 6 player that fits the team long term. 

 

Trading him for a bottom 6 easily replaceable plug sounds just like the ROR trade all over again and that has worked out awful for the Sabres so far. That was making a change for the sake of change and it did no good at all. All it did is create a gaping hole in our top 6 that has still yet to be addressed well enough. 

 

Trades made out of desperation seem to end pretty poorly for the desperate team. 

 

I feel like Ristolainen is the last big trade chip left. So, be patient and wait for the right trade. Take advantage of a desperate GM instead of being taken advantage of. 

 

Next year change will come come no matter what. Numerous roster spots and a good chunk of cap space open up. I want the Sabres to win now, but I’d rather wait until next year for big changes than make terrible trades just for the sake of change (if those were my only 2 choices, anyway...lol). 

 

I agree with the general idea idea of a shake up though. But it has to be done right, in a calculated, thought out manner. 

[BillsFan4]

https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/sabres-larsson-wont-be-able-play-saturday

 

Asplund is playing tonight. He seems really excited. I’m happy for him and excited to see what he can do. Hopefully he can keep his nerves in check and have some type of positive impact tonight. Glad he’s getting some NHL experience either way. 

[plenzmd1]

4 hours ago, JohnC said:

 

We are on different parallel universes and we will never meet. Your worldview is different from mine. That in itself gives me confidence. 

 

 

as it does I. You get enamored with plans and guys who talk the talk, i am enamored with results and guys who walk the walk. Every GM and coach in the world would desire you as an owner, as results matter not to you. You are convinced Botts is a great GM, despite overwhelming evidence the team has gone backwards under his stewardship, and plenty oif teams that were deemed in much worse shape when he took over have cleary passed the Sabres..but he talks about plans, and building, and that has you sold..as you sold on GMTM no nonsense approach mind you

2 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

I could not disagree more with the idea of taking any crap offer for Ristolainen, like a bottom 6 player. 

 

Like him or not, Ristolainen is a top 4 defenseman that adds value to the Sabres lineup. There’s a reason every coach that comes in plays him in a top pairing role (it’s not because he sucks...). I’m not saying he’s perfect by any means, and I’m not against trading him for a good young top 6 player that fits the team long term. 

 

Trading him for a bottom 6 easily replaceable plug sounds just like the ROR trade all over again and that has worked out awful for the Sabres so far. That was making a change for the sake of change and it did no good at all. All it did is create a gaping hole in our top 6 that has still yet to be addressed well enough. 

 

Trades made out of desperation seem to end pretty poorly for the desperate team. 

 

I feel like Ristolainen is the last big trade chip left. So, be patient and wait for the right trade. Take advantage of a desperate GM instead of being taken advantage of. 

 

Next year change will come come no matter what. Numerous roster spots and a good chunk of cap space open up. I want the Sabres to win now, but I’d rather wait until next year for big changes than make terrible trades just for the sake of change (if those were my only 2 choices, anyway...lol). 

 

I agree with the general idea idea of a shake up though. But it has to be done right, in a calculated, thought out manner. 

Lots of areas we disagree here. I don't think Risto is a top 4 based on his play, i think he is a Top 4 based on reputation. No one is trading a good young top 6 player for him, if they were it would have already been done. You  trade Sammy for him for instance? no way. So why would someone else trade a player of Sammy's abilities for a turnover machine? I think JBots and Buffalo fans have to just look at how Risto plays, and ask themselves are they better without him in the lineup? Would they be better with a puck moving D man who dictates possession and drives positive numbers for expected GF and has positive numbers for dangerous shots for vs agaisnt as Pilut did last year? 

 

Easy answer to me, but Bots is too worried about the return..he too is enamored with the occasional great play vs the night in night out numbers.

 

And who really cares a whole bunch bout caproom in the NHL? I guess maybe Tavares has made an impact in the last couple of years, but we all know ya cant build off old dudes on inflated contracts..just doesn't work out very often in the NHL. Add in the fact JBotts fumbled the Sammy deal, has Dahlin and Mittlestat( dont even get me started on burning his first year under JBots) coming up....

 

I am rooting hard for them, always will. But they dont get at a minimum 4 pts these next 3 games and a blow up needs to happen...he cannot go another year of just sitting on his hands and doing nothing

Edited November 16, 2019 by plenzmd1

[Doc Brown]

Krueger should just tell Eichel to do that every night.

[K-9]

I don’t think the Senators are as bad as they were supposed to be. 
 

The Eichsnipe was en fuego tonight. 
 

And Asplund looked like he belonged all evening. 
 

Dahlin benched for most of the third after Ennis’s goal. Hmm.

The lack of secondary scoring continues to be an issue. 
 

At least the Blackhawks have to travel tonight as well after their game in Nashville. 

[JohnC]

4 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

 

 

Easy answer to me, but Bots is too worried about the return..he too is enamored with the occasional great play vs the night in night out numbers.

 

 

If the GM isn't worried about the return in a Risto trade or any trade then he should be fired for malfeasance. As BillsFan4 stated Risto is without a doubt a top four defenseman. In addition,  he is a rugged physical player on a team that mostly has puck moving defensemen. He adds a trait on a unit that doesn't possess much of it. Although you might not see it there is a reason why Krueger puts Risto on the ice more than any player on the team.  

 

By the way I never said that Botts was a great GM. That is one of your typical fabrications and exaggerations. I do believe that he is a good GM. I consider Yzerman to be an exceptional GM as reflected in his work in building Cup teams in Detroit and Tampa. Now he is back with Detroit. In time he will have that franchise back to being a top tier team. I don't consider Botts in that lofty category. 

Edited November 17, 2019 by JohnC

[JohnC]

10 minutes ago, K-9 said:

I don’t think the Senators are as bad as they were supposed to be. 
 

The Eichsnipe was en fuego tonight. 
 

And Asplund looked like he belonged all evening. 
 

Dahlin benched for most of the third after Ennis’s goal. Hmm.

The lack of secondary scoring continues to be an issue. 
 

At least the Blackhawks have to travel tonight as well after their game in Nashville. 

It seems that the coach got his message across to shoot the freaking puck instead of trying to make the perfect pass.

 

Jack was certainly the first star, and I thought that Ullmark made some terrific stops to keep us in the game. He made some nice anticipation stops in this game. 

 

I'm not giving up on Mittelstadt but he has been a big disappointment. Right now he's invisible with no impact out there. He's not hurting us but he is not helping us either. 

 

I agree with you that the Senators are much more competitive team than originally thought of. They played a basic game and played hard throughout the game. 

[plenzmd1]

Couple of notes

 

Man, i am not sure what they are doing to  Dahlin's head, but they are messing with it pretty good. The one play where he fanned  twice on attempted passes was hard to watch. I know a long way off, but I listened to Rick Ankiel on PMT the other day, literally one bad pitch, followed with two that he felt his regular catcher could get..and he was done  as a pitcher, the yips were permanent. Brain is a funny thing, and man they are messing with that young mans psyche pretty hard now.

 

I hope Okposo is okay, this is scary considering his past

 

Okay boys, lets act like butter and get on a roll tonight!

 

Both teams had to travel last night, Lehner had a good game from all accounts last night, curious if they play him in back to back situation considering his history.

[plenzmd1]

Tage called up, here is hoping Kyle is okay. I feel really bad for him. Certainly no intent and just an unfortunate hit. 

[Cripple Creek]

5 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

Tage called up, here is hoping Kyle is okay. I feel really bad for him. Certainly no intent and just an unfortunate hit. 

That was hardly a hit, eh? Have to be worried for the kid.

[plenzmd1]

8 minutes ago, Cripple Creek said:

That was hardly a hit, eh? Have to be worried for the kid.

Think the shoulder hits him in the head... agree not meant to be a hit, just an unfortunate accident

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, plenzmd1 said:

Couple of notes

 

Man, i am not sure what they are doing to  Dahlin's head, but they are messing with it pretty good. The one play where he fanned  twice on attempted passes was hard to watch. I know a long way off, but I listened to Rick Ankiel on PMT the other day, literally one bad pitch, followed with two that he felt his regular catcher could get..and he was done  as a pitcher, the yips were permanent. Brain is a funny thing, and man they are messing with that young mans psyche pretty hard now.

 

I hope Okposo is okay, this is scary considering his past

 

Okay boys, lets act like butter and get on a roll tonight!

 

Both teams had to travel last night, Lehner had a good game from all accounts last night, curious if they play him in back to back situation considering his history.

One player I am not worrying about is Dahlin. Teams have learned not to give this scintillating talent room. As soon as he gets the puck they press him so he will give up the puck. It's evident that he is struggling but that shouldn't be a surprise for a young player. 

 

In the defensive zone he isn't always well positioned, and because he isn't fully matured physically he has trouble holding his space. So it shouldn't be surprising that at the end of the game when the opposition is making that this smart coach has him on the bench. The pairing that is more relied up at the end of the game are Risto/McCabe. They simply are the most physical and stronger pair for these end of the game situations.

 

I, like you, worry about Okposo's hits. The accumulation of hits may be coming into play here.  

[GG]

11 hours ago, K-9 said:

 

Dahlin benched for most of the third after Ennis’s goal. Hmm.

 

 

I thought it was mostly due to his weak effort at the puck in the corner which led to a scoring chance.

 

Agree with all on Okposo.  If that’s the hit that put him out, then he should seriously consider hanging them up.

[JohnC]

The attached link are the post game comments of Krueger on WGR. He made some interesting comments about Asplund. He also explained his reasoning regarding Dahlin's playing time. This a 3 minute segment. 

 

https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/11-16-ralph-krueger-post-game

 

This is a five minute link of Jack's post game comments. He made comments about Dahlin and Asplund. 

 

https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/11-16-jack-eichel-post-game

Edited November 17, 2019 by JohnC