Buffalo Sabres head coach Phil Housley isn't kidding when he says he wants his defenseman to be involved in each and every rush up the ice.
Gone are the days where Buffalo defenseman are going to attempt to execute their break out passed and hang back in their zone and at center ice to defend the fortress. Housley is shifting the paradigm from Dan Bylsma’s ultra-conservative, low risk defensive to an aggressive, uptempo, five man attack.
When training camp opening Thursday, Housley won't be asking his D to join the party. He will be demanding it of his D corps. Housley will be constantly imploring Rasmus Ristolainen, Marco Scandella, Jake McCabe, Zach Bogosian, Nathan Beaulieu, Viktor Antipin, Brendan Guhle, Josh Gorges, Taylor Fedun, Matt Tennyson and others to push the pace and drive the puck to the streaking forwards.
The shackles have been unfastened from the ankles of Buffalo defensemen. Housley wants his defensemen to hold themselves and the forward accountable. No kore suicide passes up the gut of the ice. No more hope plays up the walls. No more throwing pucks away when all hell is breaking loose in the D zone. If you can't skate, make quick plays, support the rush, walk the line, shoot, and if think the game, you can't play defense for Housley.
Housley’s system is predicated on the D making the first tape to tape pass to the forward, then jumping-joining the forwards on the attack. If the first pass is not available then the D are given the green light to lug the mail. In this scenario, the high forward has to cover the point vacated by the galloping D. Communication and trust are imperative.
Beginning Thursday morning, Housley will be practicing what he has been preaching in his sermons since he was hired by Jason Botterill in June.
Housley wants his team to own the puck. Not rent the puck. Not lease the puck. But OWN the biscuit. Puck possession is Housley’s end game. His Sabres can’t play offense for sustained periods of time in the attack zone unless the forwards and D have the puck on their sticks. Housley will be demanding that his D slam all walls in order to win battles and create turnovers that will result in more scoring chances for his team.
Earlier this week, fresh off of watching his top prospects participate against Boston, Pittsburgh and New Jersey’s kids in the annual Prospects Challenge, Housley was on the radio with former Sabres Andrew Peters, Craig Rivet and Marty Biron. Housley told “The Instigators” he will be holding his defensemen accountable in Buffalo just like he had four his four seasons in Nashville.
Housley was asked to describe his system. “It's a five man attack”. It can be as simple as three forwards and two defensemen in the rush, holding one another accountable at every moment inside the game. Housley used the back-to-back Stanley Cup winning Pittsburgh Penguins as an example of his philosophy. Housley cited the efficiency and awareness of Ron Hainsey and Olli Maattaa as role models for his Buffalo D-men to learn from. Hainsey, now a Toronto Maple Leaf and Maattaa, are not the most offensively gifted defenders, however, both D are versatile and intuitive. Each defensemen propels the puck north to the open man on the move and then fill in behind them to support the puck through the neutral zone and offensive end of the rink. Hainsey and Maatta then flush the walls and win puck battles to sustain zone time and increase pressure on the opponent in their end of the rink.
Housley mentioned his admiration for Buffalo’s top D prospect Brendan Guhle. If ever the Sabres had a defenseman who was crafted from the same mold as Housley during his NHL playing days, it is Guhle. The former second round draft choice reminds me of LA Kings D Drew Doughty in so many ways. Like Doughty and Erik Karlsson of the Sens, Guhle plays like a fourth skilled forward on the ice every shift. His speed, vision, hands, defensive zone acumen and shot are par excellence. The kid is cooler than the other side of the pillow. Nothing seems to phase him.
"Our system is going to be that we're going to play fast, we're going to play with speed," he said. "I know those are old clichés, but we really need to have a five-man attack because in today's game, your D have to be mobile. We're going to try and implement that in training camp and I think guys are going to really like when they grasp it."
In three games played against the Devils, Bruins and Penguins last weekend, Guhle munched heavy minutes and contributed six points on two balls and four assists. Guhle's hands, feet and brain worked in unison and yielded tremendous results. Gihle was my choice for Sabres MVP at the Prospects challenge. Guhle manufactured back-to-back three point games against Boston and Pittsburgh.
Guhle has “it”. Housley loves Guhle’s “it” factor.
"Brendan Guhle's a terrific skater. His mobility is really incredible," Housley said. "His skating, and you talk about offensively, that can be used defensively as well: closing gaps, getting the stick on the puck and being aggressive in that area."
Jason Botterill said Monday night and Housley later reiterated that all young kids will be given the opportunity to make the opening night roster. How bad do they want it? Bad enough to spill their guts on the ice during exhibition games and in training camp scrimmages? Guhle is ready for prime time. He wants to be a full time NHLer so bad he can taste it, on Thursday, the youngster has to go take a job away from a veteran NHLer. Housley, Sabres new D coach Chris Hajt and Botterill will be watching Guhle’s every move on the ice during practices, scrimmages and exhibition games.
Having seen Guhle with my own two eyes at development camp and again at the Prospect Challenge tourney, I can testify that Guhle has been investing the necessary time working out this summer. He's noticeably more muscular.
Check out his crazy vertical leap!
In July, Guhle tweeted out this impressive video of him scaling a 5 foot tower of gym equipment. Dude has wings on his skates! Guhle stands 6'3" and has added serious muscle mass to his body this summer. Guhle played at 185 lbs. last season. He weighed in at nearly 195 lbs. at July's development camp on Buffalo. He will enter training camp at 195 lbs.
Guhle showed me he was ready for prime time when he was an emergency recall to the Sabres from juniors. Guhle averaged 16:21 TOI against three outstanding opponents in Washington, Edmonton and Boston. He was +1 and landed 4 shots on goal in his first three NHL games. Albeit a small sample size, Guhle acquitted himself well against offensive game breakers Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Alex Ovechkin, Nick Backstrom, TJ Oshie, David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, and Patrice Bergeron.
In six games with the Rochester Amerks in April, Guhle skated north of 18 minutes TOI per game. He scored a goal and an assist and made a positive impression with his mature-beyond-his-years efforts.
Sabres head coach Phil Houlsey must be drooling at the prospect of coaching Guhle in the NHL.
Guhle is the poster child for Housley's aggressive, 5-man attacking offensive style that we've seen in Nashville the past couple of seasons.
Guhle skates like the wind, loves joining the rush, can back check like a Lamborghini, has a bomb for a shot, loves to play a physical style and is smart beyond words.
Guhle is ear marked to start this season in AHL Rochester, however, he can earn himself Buffalo Sabres roster spot if he performs well in exhibition games and if he has himself a productive, error free training camp.
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