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Sabres and NHL 2015-16


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Legwand is so smart on the defensive end. You can count the number of mistakes he's made all year on one hand.

Agreed. And he's always talking to guys, like he's another coach out there. He has the ear of every player on the bench from what I can gather, too. Even Gionta. There's a reason he is a former #2 overall pick. His hockey sense is off the charts. I hope he has one more year left in the tank. Did I just say tank?

 

GO SABRES!!!

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I keep watching the Eichel goal and the more I view it, the more I'm convinced the kid has ice water in his veins. From the moment he retrieves the puck to the time he's off in the corner celebrating the goal, he doesn't take ONE skating stride. Not one. He glided the entire way after getting the puck with time running out. I think most players would be pumping their legs and rushing things for all they're worth being more concerned about the clock than maximizing the opportunity.

 

Poise is just something you can't teach. And poise is the most important requirement in crunch time situations. Damned impressive, especially for a 19 year old rookie.

 

GO SABRES!!!

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The following opinion is an opinion that irritates eball. The Sabres will be in the playoffs before the Bills will be. When you hire a self-promoting HC you don't advance your cause---you set it back. Substance trumps style.

Perhaps, but there are those on SabreSpace (TBD's sister website) that feel Dan Bylsma is holding the team back with his boring, conservative focus on defense first.

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Legwand is so smart on the defensive end. You can count the number of mistakes he's made all year on one hand.

I'd bring him back on a vet minimum contract. I wonder if anyone will put much thought into him at this point.
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I keep watching the Eichel goal and the more I view it, the more I'm convinced the kid has ice water in his veins. From the moment he retrieves the puck to the time he's off in the corner celebrating the goal, he doesn't take ONE skating stride. Not one. He glided the entire way after getting the puck with time running out. I think most players would be pumping their legs and rushing things for all they're worth being more concerned about the clock than maximizing the opportunity.

 

Poise is just something you can't teach. And poise is the most important requirement in crunch time situations. Damned impressive, especially for a 19 year old rookie.

 

GO SABRES!!!

Agreed. I've watched it over and over too. The poise is amazing, not to mention that he was able to track that puck, peek at the game clock and make that filthy move on Ward. Impressive.

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Perhaps, but there are those on SabreSpace (TBD's sister website) that feel Dan Bylsma is holding the team back with his boring, conservative focus on defense first.

The Sabres are far from being a complete team. They are still a work in progress. Instilling a responsible two way mentality is the right approach to take for the long run. If the SabreSpace fans don't consider the Kane-Eichel-Reinhart line as being exciting to watch then they are being unreasonable.

 

I'll take a mature and cerebral Dan Bylsma over an obnoxious and bombastic Rex Ryan type coach in any circumstance and in any sport. Bull shiiiit artists don't impress me as much as people who act with maturity and competency. For me substance always trumps loud style. I can't help myself. I get pissed off just thinking about that fool!

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The added dimension that Reinhart adds to the team is that he can play well with anyone on the top two lines. I understand why Bylsma wanted O'Reilly playing with Kane or another scorer but it would have been interesting to see Kane play on the same line with Eichel and Reinhart. Not only was that line productive but you could see Kane steadily getting better at integrating with that line.

 

The Sabres should be able to improve by 20 points from last season (54 pts.). That is a major accomplishment. I remember Paul Hamilton talking about that on WGR prior to the season. At the time he felt that it was improbable because it was such a major leap forward and rarely happens. That number is now very attainable. Next year it isn't unreasonable to believe that this team should be able to improve by another 15 points or so. That should put us as a border line playoff team.

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The added dimension that Reinhart adds to the team is that he can play well with anyone on the top two lines. I understand why Bylsma wanted O'Reilly playing with Kane or another scorer but it would have been interesting to see Kane play on the same line with Eichel and Reinhart. Not only was that line productive but you could see Kane steadily getting better at integrating with that line.

 

The Sabres should be able to improve by 20 points from last season (54 pts.). That is a major accomplishment. I remember Paul Hamilton talking about that on WGR prior to the season. At the time he felt that it was improbable because it was such a major leap forward and rarely happens. That number is now very attainable. Next year it isn't unreasonable to believe that this team should be able to improve by another 15 points or so. That should put us as a border line playoff team.

If not for the loss of the 40 goals they had penciled in between Ennis and Moulson, at least half of those one-goal games would have been decided in our favor and we already would have surpassed that 20 point improvement threshold and be contending for a playoff spot. Considering we got no help from what was expected to be 1/3 of our top six, we are doing far better than expected.

 

GO SABRES!!!

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If not for the loss of the 40 goals they had penciled in between Ennis and Moulson, at least half of those one-goal games would have been decided in our favor and we already would have surpassed that 20 point improvement threshold and be contending for a playoff spot. Considering we got no help from what was expected to be 1/3 of our top six, we are doing far better than expected.

 

GO SABRES!!!

I agree that those two players not contributing were the difference from us not making the cut. But the reality for all teams in all sports is that the expectations entering the season rarely totally get fulfilled when the games are actually played.

 

Last year, Ennis was one of our best players on a team that was more of an AHL caliber of team. For the few games he played this year he struggled to fit in. With respect to Moulson he simply dropped off the cliff. When I watch him play his biggest need is not additional coaching but therapy to get his positive mind-set back. I'm sad for him and empathize with the torment he seems to be going through. Is he at the end of the line? He may be for us?

 

In my view getting a productive Ennis back next year would be a bonus. He certainly has offensive skills but you have to wonder if a change of scenery might do him some good.

 

Overall, I agree with your assessment that the Sabres have played better than anyone should have expected. I come to my assessment not so much from the jump in points but from the eye test. The quality of play isn't just better it is a quantum leap better. The core players are not only in place but they are at an age where there is still major room for growth. Next year with a positive cap situation pieces should be added that bolster the roster in general and give it enough depth to absorb injuries.

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I agree that those two players not contributing were the difference from us not making the cut. But the reality for all teams in all sports is that the expectations entering the season rarely totally get fulfilled when the games are actually played.

 

Last year, Ennis was one of our best players on a team that was more of an AHL caliber of team. For the few games he played this year he struggled to fit in. With respect to Moulson he simply dropped off the cliff. When I watch him play his biggest need is not additional coaching but therapy to get his positive mind-set back. I'm sad for him and empathize with the torment he seems to be going through. Is he at the end of the line? He may be for us?

 

In my view getting a productive Ennis back next year would be a bonus. He certainly has offensive skills but you have to wonder if a change of scenery might do him some good.

 

Overall, I agree with your assessment that the Sabres have played better than anyone should have expected. I come to my assessment not so much from the jump in points but from the eye test. The quality of play isn't just better it is a quantum leap better. The core players are not only in place but they are at an age where there is still major room for growth. Next year with a positive cap situation pieces should be added that bolster the roster in general and give it enough depth to absorb injuries.

 

I agree with you about Miulson. I think one of the craziest aspects of his story is that he has Eichel living with him.

 

Imagine how hard it must be coming home to his wife and kids, with them gushing over Jack's latest game-winning heroics, while he's mired in a season-long slump.

 

It's gotta be brutal.

Edited by ChevyVanMiller
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I agree with you about Miulson. I think one of the craziest aspects of his story is that he has Eichel living with him.

 

Imagine how hard it must be coming home to his wife and kids, with them gushing over Jack's latest game-winning heroics, while he's mired in a season-long slump.

 

It's gotta be brutal.

I remember in the beginning of the year Moulson was on the same line with Eichel. There were many occasions when Eichel would give up good shots to feed him. Eichel would have had a lot more points if he would have converted those passes, the same type of passes he converted last year.

 

As you pointed out it has to be awkward for the both of them. Not only while they are at home but also when they are driving home after games and practices.

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Last year, Ennis was one of our best players on a team that was more of an AHL caliber of team. For the few games he played this year he struggled to fit in.

 

It's a good point about Ennis. In the quarter-season he played he looked a bit lost in DD's system.

 

I also expected Girgensons to make a jump. With Jack and ROR coming to town, I know he wasn't going to get the ice time he had last year, but I though he would make a bigger impact.

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