"It's a lineup that has no business beating division leaders"
-MP

Is this the "Vegas Effect" where hungrier players seem to overachieve/outperform more established players. Vegas will most likely have (4) 70pt players on their team...no "elite" talents amongst them.

OR

How can the Sabres resurgence be explained? I don't think anyone is of the mind that we are better without Eichel...why is it we lose our superstar and start winning more often?
- RhinoFan

1) teams don’t take us seriously
2) we’re finally all skating in the same direction
3) defense & goaltending have been better
4) actually getting some depth scoring

That’s why he was on the ice
- sbroads24

Nuh uh. It's Friday. Caant do it

1) teams don’t take us seriously
2) we’re finally all skating in the same direction
3) defense & goaltending have been better
4) actually getting some depth scoring
- jdfitz77

1a) getting lucky- like a puck going the length along the goaline and being within an inch of being a goal

But that can’t be possible

Most of his issues were related to the medicine he was taking for his concussion for what it's worth not the actual concussion
- Stripes77

How many concussions has he had now ? JW

I never said Sam was a bust .. he's a Drew Stafford
- gerbe75pts



Stafford scored 20 or more goal in a season 4 times in he's 9 seasons in Buffalo..

First 5 year's

13
16
20
14
31

If sam continues at his current pace he will have 2 in 3 seasons...


23
17
17 (2018)

And Stafford played with MUCH better players
- gordong

Drew Stafford was 24 when he got his first 20 goal season, and that was a 45 point year. Please for the love of Christ, don't compare Sam and Staff Infection. His first 50 point season was 26.
Stop being a (frank)ing hater, Gerbe. Hypocrite.

Call up nylander let's go

Drew Stafford was 24 when he got his first 20 goal season, and that was a 45 point year. Please for the love of Christ, don't compare Sam and Staff Infection. His first 50 point season was 26.
Stop being a (frank)ing hater, Gerbe. Hypocrite.
- TheSabresTaco

I was comparing when he shows up

Jc

Drew Stafford was 24 when he got his first 20 goal season, and that was a 45 point year. Please for the love of Christ, don't compare Sam and Staff Infection. His first 50 point season was 26.
Stop being a (frank)ing hater, Gerbe. Hypocrite.
- TheSabresTaco

Stafford was at a 20 goal 50+ point pace his rookie year at 21. Same the next year at 22 when he only played 60 some odd games.

Why was Stafford so awful and Reinhart so good? They are/we’re similiar caliber players

1) teams don’t take us seriously
2) we’re finally all skating in the same direction
3) defense & goaltending have been better
4) actually getting some depth scoring
- jdfitz77

5) Defense scoring

6) players actually executing the game plan

7) Housley learning his team and being the head coach

8) PP not a tire fire like the beginning of the year

Jeff Marek says we have tkachuk #2 on our list, it's already cooked


In all seriousness though id rather they fall back a bit and get boqvist/hughes. I'm all about BPA so I dont wanna see them in a position to have to pass on it again because the obvious pick is a winger.
- Sabresfan-365

BPA got us Nylander instead of Chychrun or Sergachev

That that i totally disagree with the concept...
but if the talent is close,
Then it’s ok to pick for “need”

This draft, I’ve got:

Dahlin
—————
Svechnikov/Zadina
———————————
The next 5-ish guys


So if we pick 4th,
I’m going with a defenseman over Tkachuk
Our pick just isn’t gonna help us right away

Call up nylander let's go
- gerbe75pts

I bet Fasching is next

1a) getting lucky- like a puck going the length along the goaline and being within an inch of being a goal

But that can’t be possible
- sbroads24

Lol... I’ll take it
Luck generally fades in & out over the season

Also,
playing well tends to help u get “lucky”

Lol... I’ll take it
Luck generally fades in & out over the season

Also,
playing well tends to help u get “lucky”
- jdfitz77

It tends to even itself out, most of the time.

We were probably a bit unlucky early, lucky lately, and are in 30th.

Sounds about right

5) Defense scoring

6) players actually executing the game plan

7) Housley learning his team and being the head coach

8) PP not a tire fire like the beginning of the year
- gordong

6 & 7 are pretty much what i meant by #2
But yeah, all of this as well

1) teams don’t take us seriously
2) we’re finally all skating in the same direction
3) defense & goaltending have been better
4) actually getting some depth scoring
- jdfitz77

That's what I was thinking, some blend of a number of factors. Is that the order you'd place as well?

I'm not a huge Reinhart fan but he has more talent than Stafford did and has more value than he ever did.

I'm glad Reinhart is picking up his production and hope it continues and if it does he can win me over.

1a) getting lucky- like a puck going the length along the goaline and being within an inch of being a goal

But that can’t be possible
- sbroads24

We're 5-3 in the last 8.

How many times during those eight games did the puck slide along the length of the goal line without going in? Is that number of occurences statistically significant, Mr. Corsi?

Find a new team.

Svechnikov with another 3 points last night. Glad Botts was in the house to see it. 21 goals and 17 assists on his current 19 game point streak.

In regards to Reinhart I give him a 2-3 year bridge deal in the 4-4.5M range. If someone wows the socks off of Botterill in the offseason with an offer then I move him. I think ROR is moved before Reinhart is.

It tends to even itself out, most of the time.

We were probably a bit unlucky early, lucky lately, and are in 30th.

Sounds about right
- sbroads24

I can’t believe I’m giving u this ammo right now, but...
on the “31 thoughts” podcast yesterday,
they talk about losing faceoffs in the offensive zone on purpose

Basically...
If u win the faceoff,
u have control of the puck, but since it’s at the point u need to get it past everyone on defense to get it through to the net & get a scoring chance
VS
Lose the faceoff,
and forecheck strong to create a turnover near the net & be in better position for a scoring chance

It’s an interesting theory,
but here’s my issues with it...

1) if u win the faceoff, it’s not like u have to shoot it from the point. No reason u can’t pass the puck around for a better look

2) if u lose the faceoff, what’s to say u can turn the puck over? I’d bet it gets cleared way more often then it gets turned over


I’d be interested to see if someone compiled stats to show which resulted in more scoring chances

They mentioned how one team did it for a season, and the numbers were better when u lost the faceoffs (i can’t imagine that holds up with a bigger sample size though)

And how the Ducks used to do it on purpose, but that was bc they sucked at winning faceoffs
In that case, it actually makes sense
I could see it differ from team to team

With us for example...
try to win it with ROR, since he’s good at it

But when someone like Larsson, etc is taking the faceoff & probably gonna lose it...
have him do so on purpose
That way the wingers know & can attack the defense right away knowing they’re gonna get the puck


Anyways...
i thought you’d find that interesting

We're 5-3 in the last 8.

How many times during those eight games did the puck slide along the length of the goal line without going in? Is that number of occurences statistically significant, Mr. Corsi?

Find a new team.
- Der Kaiser

It fascinates me how you can always root for what’s in the worst interest of this team long term, and tell other people to find a new team.

You like meaningless Feb/March wins, and get especially giddy over them, regardless of the fact that they actually will hurt our chances of ever being very good, or great.

You never want anyone from a 30th/31st team traded, as if this caliber of hockey actually entertains you.

And the only person you vocally advocated to be dismissed was the only coach who has experience winning championships.

It’s truly fascinating

Svechnikov with another 3 points last night. Glad Botts was in the house to see it. 21 goals and 17 assists on his current 19 game point streak.

In regards to Reinhart I give him a 2-3 year bridge deal in the 4-4.5M range. If someone wows the socks off of Botterill in the offseason with an offer then I move him. I think ROR is moved before Reinhart is.
- Pegullaville

Mittelstadt-Eichel-Svechnikov

Nasty

I was comparing Sam to Stafford for consistency when he only shows up when he wants a ( payday)

Mittelstadt-Eichel-Svechnikov

Nasty
- MCGUIZZY

Trade Sam for Lindholm and sign John Carlson

And holy poop

?-Eichel-Zadina/Svech
?-ROR-Reinhart
?-Mittelstadt-Okposo/Pominville
Girgensons-Josefson-Okposo/Pominville

Scandella-Risto
Guhle-Nelson
Beaulieu-Antipin
Bogo

Ullmark
?

Svechnikov with another 3 points last night. Glad Botts was in the house to see it. 21 goals and 17 assists on his current 19 game point streak.

In regards to Reinhart I give him a 2-3 year bridge deal in the 4-4.5M range. If someone wows the socks off of Botterill in the offseason with an offer then I move him. I think ROR is moved before Reinhart is.
- Pegullaville

A lot of ppl actually had Svechnikov #1 over Dahlin to start the season
But with the injury to Svechnikov & him missing time...
Dahlin played so well that he’s pretty much locked in at #1 now