BillsFan4 Posted October 23, 2019 Author Share Posted October 23, 2019 Good article on Sobotka: https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/sabres-sobotka-making-good-impression-his-team He really has improved so far this season. He’s playing like the guy I used to watch in STL before he left for the KHL. I remember when he left, saying “ah man that sucks for St. Louis”. I hope he continues to play like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 5 minutes ago, Nextmanup said: Yes and no. For example, Hutton has played in 6 of our game and has an outstanding .943 save percentage. That's not typical of his performance and that will almost certainl drop of, just as it did last year. One of the biggest reasons for our "tale of 2 teams" last year was the goaltending leading up to the new year, and after. After January 1st, we had one of the worst goaltending duos in the league. Ullmark's % after 4 games is much more realistic at .913. If things cool off, I think we'll see that both goaltender's save percentages have dropped. Fair point about our goaltending regressing. But, unlike during the streak last year, we aren’t relying solely on other worldly goaltending to rack up wins so far this year. Even in games where Hutton and Ullmark have stood on their heads and made great saves this season, our other analytics, like 5x5 goal differential for instance, indicate huge improvement over last year. We just couldn’t say that during the streak last year when it was obvious that we were largely being outplayed. All that said, I expect a rough patch given the compacted schedule coming up after the trip to Sweden. It’s asking too much to a tired team to keep up this pace. 8 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said: “Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) Tweeted: "The way our bench erupted when Casey backchecked...it was crazy." Coach Krueger reacts to the in-game bench vibe: https://t.co/QYTDK1xdec https://t.co/j46TtoDI49 The play John + k9 are talking about ^ Like I said, that was Casey’s best play since he’s been here. So great to see it rewarded with Eichel’s game winner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snafu Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 18 minutes ago, Nextmanup said: Yes and no. For example, Hutton has played in 6 of our game and has an outstanding .943 save percentage. That's not typical of his performance and that will almost certainl drop of, just as it did last year. One of the biggest reasons for our "tale of 2 teams" last year was the goaltending leading up to the new year, and after. After January 1st, we had one of the worst goaltending duos in the league. Ullmark's % after 4 games is much more realistic at .913. If things cool off, I think we'll see that both goaltender's save percentages have dropped. There's a team high danger scoring chance stat. I wonder if there's a high danger scoring chance AGAINST stat? In my opinion, save percentage isn't really the whole story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said: Good article on Sobotka: https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/sabres-sobotka-making-good-impression-his-team He really has improved so far this season. He’s playing like the guy I used to watch in STL before he left for the KHL. I remember when he left, saying “ah man that sucks for St. Louis”. I hope he continues to play like this. Consider the perception entering the season that Sobotka, Okposo, Scandella and to an extent Girgs and Larsson were viewed as dead weight and fading players. Many thought (including me) that more than a few of these players were going to be jettisoned. What Krueger brilliantly did is slot each of these players with the right complementary players and the right roles for each of them to succeed. The Okposo-Larsson-Gergs line is the most consistent line on this team. It would not be unfair to say that they more than any other line or pairing successfully fulfill their roles. Scandella was derided by many. As a third pairing defenseman he and his partner have played to an unexpected level where there is not much of a drop off with the higher pairs. And on top of that he is a sage mentor to Joki, an unexpected (to me) emerging talent. Who among us would have thought that Sobotka would have revived his damaged career as a second line forward? Certainly, not I. The Sabres are a better team due to added talent and more importantly due to internal improvement of the players already on hand. That's what good coaching does. And kudos need to be directed toward the GM who had the conviction and fortitude to stick with the players he already had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said: “Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) Tweeted: "The way our bench erupted when Casey backchecked...it was crazy." Coach Krueger reacts to the in-game bench vibe: https://t.co/QYTDK1xdec https://t.co/j46TtoDI49 The play John + k9 are talking about ^ That particular game winning play has gotten a lot of attention. But it should be noted that he has all season long (albeit a small sample size) exhibited a determination to play responsibly without the puck. I also believe that playing on a line with Vesey who is a max effort player without the puck has helped Casey play a more well-rounded game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan4 Posted October 24, 2019 Author Share Posted October 24, 2019 https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/31-thoughts-pressure-mounting-toronto-maple-leafs/ some interesting buffalo related stuff. Like this - Quote He’s made other changes. Hutton says he doesn’t think the Sabres have used their video room once. Meetings are in the dressing room, “short and sweet.” Smaller groups, not necessarily everyone. “We’ve got a lot of younger players, and it is not as easy for a 19-year-old to speak up in front of everyone. They think they are stepping on toes.” This makes it more comfortable for them, as does the arrival of 600-game veteran Marcus Johansson — especially for the Sabres’ Swedes. “He is their voice breaking that ice. (Rasmus Ristolainen) is not as outgoing, he just likes to focus on playing. Plus, he’s a Finn. Marcus has become the leader of that group. He’s been huge for us.” He also mentions that Buffalo is looking to move Scandella now - Quote With Buffalo tight to the ceiling and Ristolainen seeming very happy, the talk has turned to Marco Scandella. He’s in the final season of his contract, playing 17:51 per night. Cap hit is $4 million. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChevyVanMiller Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Dale Hawerchuk battling stomach cancer. https://www.tsn.ca/fighting-stomach-cancer-dale-hawerchuk-wants-to-live-to-tell-the-story-1.1384658?fbclid=IwAR2n_QRqWxOtWtVy1SUkXJY2zEsyaT*****1enIjml1OWNwvmpPqEh9aZqu8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Not sure if this was posted? "The Krueger Effect" https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/27905088/the-krueger-effect-how-new-buffalo-sabres-coach-led-turnaround 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 It sure is all sunshine and roses right now...really hope we're not just enjoying fool's gold and this change is going to stick. At this point Krueger appears to have been the right guy at the right time for the right team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 2 hours ago, eball said: It sure is all sunshine and roses right now...really hope we're not just enjoying fool's gold and this change is going to stick. At this point Krueger appears to have been the right guy at the right time for the right team. The current stunning winning rate is predictably going to come back down to a more realistic rate. However, there is a visible difference between last year's team and this year's team. Without even resorting to analytics, which do indicate a difference, you can see the difference in consistent and not intermittent effort. And because of better coaching you can see the unity in play among the lines and defensive pairings. What's not going to happen this year when this team deals with adversity (as it will) is its spirit will not be broken becoming a season long malaise like last year. We have added some talent to the roster and the roster is functioning at its potential because of the wise guidance of the coach. This team will slide down to a more realistic level. What it won't do is become fragile and slump for extended periods of time. Our premier coach will not allow that to happen. This team's makeup is much stronger than last year's team's makeup. The coach sets the tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 12 minutes ago, JohnC said: The current stunning winning rate is predictably going to come back down to a more realistic rate. However, there is a visible difference between last year's team and this year's team. Without even resorting to analytics, which do indicate a difference, you can see the difference in consistent and not intermittent effort. And because of better coaching you can see the unity in play among the lines and defensive pairings. What's not going to happen this year when this team deals with adversity (as it will) is its spirit will not be broken becoming a season long malaise like last year. We have added some talent to the roster and the roster is functioning at its potential because of the wise guidance of the coach. This team will slide down to a more realistic level. What it won't do is become fragile and slump for extended periods of time. Our premier coach will not allow that to happen. This team's makeup is much stronger than last year's team's makeup. The coach sets the tone. Yes, obviously, anyone would be a fool to expect the Sabres to continue to win 80% of their games; that's not what I meant (and I'm sure you knew that). I am hopeful that the energy, enthusiasm, and effort are not a flash in the pan. The team has turned a complete 180 from last year's squad. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 16 hours ago, JohnC said: That particular game winning play has gotten a lot of attention. But it should be noted that he has all season long (albeit a small sample size) exhibited a determination to play responsibly without the puck. I also believe that playing on a line with Vesey who is a max effort player without the puck has helped Casey play a more well-rounded game. Another indicator that Kreuger is making the difference as Vesey had no rep for being that kind of player with the Rangers previously. Rangers fans I know thought the opposite, actually. 3 hours ago, eball said: It sure is all sunshine and roses right now...really hope we're not just enjoying fool's gold and this change is going to stick. At this point Krueger appears to have been the right guy at the right time for the right team. They are definitely going to hit a slump sooner or later. The test will be how quickly they can respond before it festers and they fold like they did under Housley, who had zero answers when things weren’t working. Kreuger strikes me as a coach who finds answers, so I’d be surprised if we went on a 40 game slump like last year. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Rangers swooning at a perfect time. Tickets are very reasonable for tonight 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan4 Posted October 24, 2019 Author Share Posted October 24, 2019 (edited) NHL.com biggest early season surprises - https://www.nhl.com/news/biggest-early-season-surprise-roundtable/c-310400634?tid=277548856 NHL.com super 16 rankings (best 16 teams) - https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-power-rankings-super-16-october-24/c-310414776?tid=278386388 Team sustainability rankings (it’s the video at the top of the article)- https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-news-and-notes-october-24/c-310440716 Buffalo’s hot start (starts at 3min mark) - https://nhl.nbcsports.com/2019/10/24/our-line-starts-podcast-sabres-scorching-start-turmoil-in-toronto/ People starting to talk about what’s going on with Krueger and the Sabres. Edited October 24, 2019 by BillsFan4 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Jeremy Roenick was on WGR's Instigator show. This is a 17 minute segment. He had some interesting comments about Jack as a star and how he is handled by the coach and organization. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/10-24-nbc-sports-jeremy-roenick-instigators-0 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan4 Posted October 24, 2019 Author Share Posted October 24, 2019 Not the best start for Buffalo. They need to capitalize on this power play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snafu Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Okay. They can dig out of this hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T&C Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 4 minutes ago, snafu said: Okay. They can dig out of this hole. I hope you are right... we are getting schooled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suorangefan4 Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 (edited) 48 minutes ago, T&C said: I hope you are right... we are getting schooled. I wouldn't say they're getting schooled. The Sabres have given up only 14 shots on goal but 4 of them ended up in the back of the net. The Sabres have 22 shots. Edited October 25, 2019 by suorangefan4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Oh that beautiful no look backhand pass at the line ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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