smokinandjokin Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 They're winning because they're probably the most talented team in the NHL and that's going to win you a ton of games in the regular season. But, like I said, the playoffs are a whole different thing. You're playing every other night against great teams for two months. It's a war of attrition, and I think it's a lot harder to win if you can't wear the other team down as much as they're wearing you down. But that's the point...When you're playing an 82-game season, and planning for 20+ more in the playoffs, it's absolutely impossible to bring your A-game every night, and be physical every night. Lindy can preach it all he wants, but why would the team take a physical punishment on a Wednesday night in January on Long Island, when 8 out of 10 times, they can win without bruising? Why dump into the corner and chase, and take a big hit, when you don't need to? I agree, it may not be the right way, but until you start losing, regardless of what the coach says, why would you (as a player) change? I don't worry about the playoffs. Coach Ruff has a long history of players rising up and playing out of character in the playoffs. Miro Satan used to lay body checks in May!!! Don't discount the fact that the Sabres were an easy team to look past, even just last year. Now they are the #1 squad, and are the hunted. They are Notre Dame or the Yankees right now- whether they are ready or not, they are going to take their opponent's best shot every night. I like the team we went into the playoffs with last year better than the one we have right now. The Sabres need to acquire 1-2 gritty players to add a physical element to the team again (which they're in a great position to do since so many teams covet their players) and hope Tim Connolly makes it back. Basically the powerplay sucks because they don't have Connolly around to run the thing anymore. And what that means is other teams don't think twice about hitting our players. Who cares about taking a penalty against the team with the 19th best PP in the NHL? You may have watched every game, but you certainly don't understand their situation. The team that went into the playoffs last year was picked to finish 14th in the Eastern Conference. They had a chip on their shoulder. They had a lot of good young players who were making young-player money. The players on that team earned their raises, and now the team is up against the cap. Who do you keep? McKee at $4M? Grier at $1.3M? Dumont at $3M? Sure, they would've all been nice, but it was impossible. When teams make a playoff run, it's likely that the players on the ice had a huge impact, and other teams notice that, so the value of those players goes up. If Connolly comes back, the Sabres are going to have to trade at least one, and probably two players away for minor leaguers or draft picks, just to get under the cap. They have Connolly's salary (~$2M) as a 'cap exception' right now, because he's on long-term disability. However, if he returns, that $2M is charged back against the cap. For a team that has about $40,000 to spare because of Paestch and Stafford and other call-ups filling in this year and counting against the cap, they don't have much wiggle room. So these gritty players you expect to pick up- who are they? How do the Sabres get them, fit them under the cap, and then work them into the locker room and the lineup? This is their team. Get used to it. If Connolly comes back, it's likely that Kalinin or Hecht or Kotalik or someone like that needs to be dealt, with no help for this year coming in return. Nobody was questioning this team's grit when they were coming back from two or three goals down in the 3rd period and then winning in OT. Back then, in November, the Eastern Conference was a breeze, and winning the Cup was a sure thing. Now, perhaps some doubt has started to creep in, and people realize that winning the Stanley Cup is NEVER a sure thing. It's one of the most difficult tasks in all of sports, and it takes incredible skill, talent, goaltending, coaching, hard work, and luck. While luck comes and goes, the Sabres have all of the other ingredients. You can't find one team in the NHL who wouldn't trade their organization straight up for the Sabres, yesterday, today, or the day before the playoffs start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taterhill Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 FWIW..there was some dynamite Maple Leaf Poon behind us at the game...a row of about 12 of them...much better then the week 1 Buffalo Bills Lesbos.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 I don't want to come across as a naysayer, but I have that same sick feeling in my stomach. It just doesn't seem like this team was built for the playoffs. You gave up a lot of size and grit when you let McKee, Dumont, Grier and even Pyatt walk out the door. I know that anything can happen come playoff time, so I guess I'll just keep my fingers crossed. I really enjoy watching the Sabres. But, as Ive noted earlier in the season two things concern me. I'll catch flak for the first one but they have too many euro's on D. Handle the puck well but very well could be overpowered in the playoffs. Much more physical then and believe me, teams will focus on pressuring them. McKee was a big loss. The second, losing Grier. When players start running your skill guys with the intention of intimidating(and it will happen in the playoffs) you need some muscle out there. Grier is good for that becuase he can punish when he has to. Added bonus is that he is a nice penalty killer, especially paired with Curtis Brown. Thanks for that guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinandjokin Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 FWIW..there was some dynamite Maple Leaf Poon behind us at the game...a row of about 12 of them...much better then the week 1 Buffalo Bills Lesbos.... While I find it hard to believe that they were better than Rosie and Berta at the home opener in Orchard Park, the Leafs do usually bring some premium trim down the Quewy with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverNRed Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 But that's the point...When you're playing an 82-game season, and planning for 20+ more in the playoffs, it's absolutely impossible to bring your A-game every night, and be physical every night. Lindy can preach it all he wants, but why would the team take a physical punishment on a Wednesday night in January on Long Island, when 8 out of 10 times, they can win without bruising? Why dump into the corner and chase, and take a big hit, when you don't need to? I agree, it may not be the right way, but until you start losing, regardless of what the coach says, why would you (as a player) change? I don't worry about the playoffs. Coach Ruff has a long history of players rising up and playing out of character in the playoffs. Miro Satan used to lay body checks in May!!!You are the first person I've ever seen who thought Miro Satan used to rise to the occasion at playoff time. I'm not concerned that the Sabres don't bring a physical game every night. I'm concerned that they don't even have the guys to be physical like they used to. Don't discount the fact that the Sabres were an easy team to look past, even just last year. Now they are the #1 squad, and are the hunted. They are Notre Dame or the Yankees right now- whether they are ready or not, they are going to take their opponent's best shot every night.This really has nothing to do with my issues with the team right now.You may have watched every game, but you certainly don't understand their situation. The team that went into the playoffs last year was picked to finish 14th in the Eastern Conference.Not by me.They had a chip on their shoulder.Every team says that! Ottawa had a "chip on their shoulder" last year because they were sick of everyone saying they always choked. Who cares?They had a lot of good young players who were making young-player money. The players on that team earned their raises, and now the team is up against the cap. Who do you keep? McKee at $4M? Grier at $1.3M? Dumont at $3M? Sure, they would've all been nice, but it was impossible. When teams make a playoff run, it's likely that the players on the ice had a huge impact, and other teams notice that, so the value of those players goes up.The Sabres did offer Mike Grier the same contract as the Sharks but he choose to leave. I don't know why but apparently he didn't like living here. The bottom line is that they understood how important he was to the team. They really couldn't keep McKee or Dumont at those prices, but there was (and is) the opportunity to maintain a tough team through trades. Like I said before, other teams will want our players.If Connolly comes back, the Sabres are going to have to trade at least one, and probably two players away for minor leaguers or draft picks, just to get under the cap. They have Connolly's salary (~$2M) as a 'cap exception' right now, because he's on long-term disability. However, if he returns, that $2M is charged back against the cap. For a team that has about $40,000 to spare because of Paestch and Stafford and other call-ups filling in this year and counting against the cap, they don't have much wiggle room.The Sabres signed Connolly to his contract long before the season started and I think it was factored in then. I don't think they'd be over the cap if he were to come back but I could be wrong.So these gritty players you expect to pick up- who are they? How do the Sabres get them, fit them under the cap, and then work them into the locker room and the lineup? This is their team. Get used to it. If Connolly comes back, it's likely that Kalinin or Hecht or Kotalik or someone like that needs to be dealt, with no help for this year coming in return.I don't know who is available or what other teams would want. The NHL trading deadline is still over two months away. I would be more than happy to deal Hecht or Kotalik for help though.Nobody was questioning this team's grit when they were coming back from two or three goals down in the 3rd period and then winning in OT. Back then, in November, the Eastern Conference was a breeze, and winning the Cup was a sure thing. The team has had toughness questions since last summer, when it looked like both Grier and McKee were on their way out of town. It was definitely a topic of conversation in town.Now, perhaps some doubt has started to creep in, and people realize that winning the Stanley Cup is NEVER a sure thing. It's one of the most difficult tasks in all of sports, and it takes incredible skill, talent, goaltending, coaching, hard work, and luck. While luck comes and goes, the Sabres have all of the other ingredients.No they don't! That's my point. They used to have all the ingredients but now they aren't a physical team in any way and their powerplay is below average. That definitely doesn't mean they can't win, but it looks like it's going to be harder.You can't find one team in the NHL who wouldn't trade their organization straight up for the Sabres, yesterday, today, or the day before the playoffs start.The Ducks wouldn't. But it doesn't matter, because I'm comparing this year's team to last year's, not to other NHL teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taterhill Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 can someone explain how the Sabres are not physical...they have 3 guys willing to drop at any time...Mair Gaustad and Peters...forwards willing to finish checks..Drury, Kotalik(no not a joke), Jiri, and Hecht...chippy prick forwards....Max, Briere...D that throw some helacious hits...Campbell(under-rated hitter IMO), Spacek(appears to be a prick on D), Lydman(finishes checks quite well), and a Stud forward(Vanek) that will pay the price in front of the net and get Ugly and Beautiful goals....the team is fully capable of playing a physical game..this is the regular season..they can win the way they are playing..when the playoffs come, they will be able to play with anyone...skill team or physical team..I am not worried... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinandjokin Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 You are the first person I've ever seen who thought Miro Satan used to rise to the occasion at playoff time. Not that he'd rise to the occasion...Just that Ruff was able to hammer home the importance of grinding in the playoffs, so much so that even guys like Miro Satan were finishing checks. The Sabres signed Connolly to his contract long before the season started and I think it was factored in then. I don't think they'd be over the cap if he were to come back but I could be wrong.I don't know who is available or what other teams would want. The NHL trading deadline is still over two months away. I would be more than happy to deal Hecht or Kotalik for help though. From everything I've heard and read, if Connolly does not come back this season, his salary does not count against the cap. That created about $2M worth of cushion... However, with all the players they've had to call up, who are billed against the cap at a flat "minor league rate" of $5000 or $10,000 per day that they were with the team, the Sabres have eaten up that cushion, and have less than $100,000 to spare. (I said above that Paetsch counts as a minor leaguer, but I think that's wrong...He was kept on the active roster as the 7th defensman, so his contract is already factored in...) So...If Connolly comes back, the Sabres are roughly $1.9M over the cap, and need to make some moves. Obviously, it's likely that we would have to trade Kalinin/Kotalik/Hecht/whoever for draft picks or prospects to get under the cap. If Connolly doesn't come back, we could trade (for example) Kotalik for a Grier-type player who makes the same $$ or less, and it would work within the cap. Obviously, I think Connolly returning would be welcomed by everyone...But then somebody has to go, with little immediate help in return...And Connolly is not exactly bringing toughness.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinandjokin Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 can someone explain how the Sabres are not physical...they have 3 guys willing to drop at any time...Mair Gaustad and Peters...forwards willing to finish checks..Drury, Kotalik(no not a joke), Jiri, and Hecht...chippy prick forwards....Max, Briere...D that throw some helacious hits...Campbell(under-rated hitter IMO), Spacek(appears to be a prick on D), Lydman(finishes checks quite well), and a Stud forward(Vanek) that will pay the price in front of the net and get Ugly and Beautiful goals....the team is fully capable of playing a physical game..this is the regular season..they can win the way they are playing..when the playoffs come, they will be able to play with anyone...skill team or physical team..I am not worried... No doubt. I'm not sure what I'm missing here either. Mair, Gaustad, Peters will fight in the parking lot if they need to. When another team says they need more 'grit,' I'm willing to bet my house that the following sentence is, "You know, a Chris Drury-type player." When a puck is dumped in, 9 out of 10 times Kotalik puts the defensman hard into the wall. Nobody drives harder to the net than Briere and Max. Vanek, for all his skill, scores 80% of his goals battling in front. The D is on the soft side, overall, but certainly capable. I'm not worried either, tater...Ruff knows how to light the fire come spring-time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornerville Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Wrong. The Yankees actually won championships Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 Wide Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 can someone explain how the Sabres are not physical...they have 3 guys willing to drop at any time...Mair Gaustad and Peters...forwards willing to finish checks..Drury, Kotalik(no not a joke), Jiri, and Hecht...chippy prick forwards....Max, Briere...D that throw some helacious hits...Campbell(under-rated hitter IMO), Spacek(appears to be a prick on D), Lydman(finishes checks quite well), and a Stud forward(Vanek) that will pay the price in front of the net and get Ugly and Beautiful goals....the team is fully capable of playing a physical game..this is the regular season..they can win the way they are playing..when the playoffs come, they will be able to play with anyone...skill team or physical team..I am not worried... It's not about having the guys that are willing to drop at any time ie Mair, Goose and Petey. It's about having guys who won't peel off a check. Having guys who will take the body and not poke check, and guys that make you have at least a little pit in your stomach heading into the corners. Campbell, Kalinin, Paetsch, Numminen, they all won't make you pay in the corners, they work the puck. All in all, I have no real issues with this Sabres team overall, but I don't think they can stand up to anyone physically. Watch any game, our goalies get whacked and poked after the whistle and our D looks at the players like, "dude did you hear the whistle". Derek Roy pokes the other teams goalie and he has 3 guys givin him the business after the whistle. When this team has it's legs, no one can play with them. When they don't have their legs, I'm not sure they have the capability to really win the muck it out game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevbeau Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 We sucked tonight and Marty gave up his typical soft goal, which this time killed us. The Leafs were better pretty much all night (plus they got plenty of help from the striped jokers, which they didn't need) and should have won by another couple. . I thought the tripping call on Spacek was the worst...but hey, the refs didn't beat the Sabres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taterhill Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 It's not about having the guys that are willing to drop at any time ie Mair, Goose and Petey. It's about having guys who won't peel off a check. Having guys who will take the body and not poke check, and guys that make you have at least a little pit in your stomach heading into the corners. Campbell, Kalinin, Paetsch, Numminen, they all won't make you pay in the corners, they work the puck. All in all, I have no real issues with this Sabres team overall, but I don't think they can stand up to anyone physically. Watch any game, our goalies get whacked and poked after the whistle and our D looks at the players like, "dude did you hear the whistle". Derek Roy pokes the other teams goalie and he has 3 guys givin him the business after the whistle. When this team has it's legs, no one can play with them. When they don't have their legs, I'm not sure they have the capability to really win the muck it out game. find me a team with 6 D and 12 Forwards that hit all day..there arent any...you need a good mix of skill players and people willing to play in the corners and in front of the net.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taterhill Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 I thought the tripping call on Spacek was the worst...but hey, the refs didn't beat the Sabres. that was bad, but not as bad as the INT call on Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevbeau Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 FWIW..there was some dynamite Maple Leaf Poon behind us at the game...a row of about 12 of them...much better then the week 1 Buffalo Bills Lesbos.... Moe Wanchuck would be proud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverNRed Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 find me a team with 6 D and 12 Forwards that hit all day..there arent any...you need a good mix of skill players and people willing to play in the corners and in front of the net.... Yeah, and we have less of a good mix than we used to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 Wide Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Yeah, and we have less of a good mix than we used to. Exactly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinandjokin Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Might I add that the Sabres are dangerous because they have three lines that score. Only five other teams have two 20-goal scorers. The Sabres are the only team with three, and they also have Pominville sitting on 19. Leading scorer Briere has 16, and Kotalik and Hecht are in double digits at 12 and 11. This team is dangerous because of that. You'd be sacrificing that balance by simply giving skilled players away for a grinder. Other teams have one good defensive line, and one good pair of defensmen who like to bang. People are making it sound like the Sabres can just be manhandled. Well, which line do you manhandle? I like what Grier brought, but you can't say he's missed. It's just not proven to be true. Maybe in certain people's opinion, they miss him. The team certainly don't miss him in the standings. On a 4th line, I'd rather have Novotny and Mair than Grier and Pyatt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taterhill Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Yeah, and we have less of a good mix than we used to. who do we get then...and who do we trade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinandjokin Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 who do we get then...and who do we trade? Pronger for 4-time All Star Ripper Simonek, and Lydman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 Wide Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 who do we get then...and who do we trade? I think we need to lose a guy like Kotalik or Novotny and replace them with a(n) Andrew Brunette, Shane Doan, Gary Roberts type player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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