I don't get where he's considered a "a strong defensive defender"...pilut is more of an offensive-minded defenseman who loves to jump into the play...

a quick look into the stats this past season has him off to a strong start in Rochester (29 games--5g, 16a, +9 rating) which eventually earned him a recall...his sabres-stint lasted 13 games (0 points, -4 rating) and after returning to the amerks he had two points (1+1) and a -5 rating in eight games...

am getting the idea that his fade in the second half was due to lack of proper off-season training as a result of his shoulder surgery...he went under the knife in may and was expected to be out 5-6 months but came back a little early and at 5'11" 194 lbs. he needs to maximize his frame-strength which he obviously wasn't able to do in the off-season
- Michael Pachla

Honest question: did you read the article, in full, or even at all?

https://buffalonews.com/2020/06/11/when-restaurants-reopen-will-patrons-be-ready-to-dine-inside/

Part of me says "I hope not". Means less wait time for me.
- buffalofan19

well... in Indiana restaurants are opened at half capacity currently. I have ordered take out from two of them since they have opened and both times when i picked up the food every table they had open (every other table) was full. this weekend i think they are allowed to go full capacity and bars and night clubs open back up.. they are already seeing a spike in cases in the hospitals.. good luck

That is the overall most important point.

Having a left side next year of Dahlin, McCabe, and Pilut would have worked fine.

Hell, it could have allowed them to trade from their RHD depth for forward help and then dive in to the UFA market to pickup an RHD.

At the conclusion of next season, they would have known what they had in Pilut if he had played the entire season at the NHL level, and if he looked good, they could have used him the year after next as either the 3rd pair or 2nd pair LHD, at a very reasonable cost.

Further, it could have allowed Bryson one more season of AHL play, and the year after next, they could have had an LHD depth of Dahlin, Pilut, and Bryson with the latter two at quite reasonable costs.

If Pilut didn't pan out after next season, or they saw him as no more than a 3rd pair LHD and they did like Bryson better, Pilut would have been a solid asset to use in a trade.

What a cluster (frank).
- kingcong39

Good article, thanks for posting it.

It is a shame they lost him for nothing, for sure.
My impression from the eye test only was he ran around in his own zone when things became more physical. Good analysis provided though.

well... in Indiana restaurants are opened at half capacity currently. I have ordered take out from two of them since they have opened and both times when i picked up the food every table they had open (every other table) was full. this weekend i think they are allowed to go full capacity and bars and night clubs open back up.. they are already seeing a spike in cases in the hospitals.. good luck
- SabresFaninIndiana

When you end by saying "good luck" to 19,

Do you mean: good luck getting a seat, because the restaurant could be full capacity?

Or

Do you mean : good luck not coming down with the virus?

89 brought all this up a few weeks ago

but what I chuckle at is the following

"Do I want to do it forever? No," Pegula said of holding the president's title. "Who knows? I've kind of been enjoying this role. Yeah, I'm fixed in."
- homiedclown

Here is how i took the Sabres Pegula article

The Pegulas thought the Sabres would be a money making machine.
Its not. They are having to invest more in it than they initially thought.
They for some reason think they are not getting the return they thought they would and they are feeling "poor" because of it.

If they dont start turning things around (profit wise) they would consider moving the team out of buffalo.

Honest question: did you read the article, in full, or even at all?
- kingcong39

I read a good chunk of it and the big thing I got out of it was that shot-suppression was the tell-tale stat

I read a good chunk of it and the big thing I got out of it was that shot-suppression was the tell-tale stat
- Michael Pachla

Why not read all of it? It's not that long.

The video was important as well.

Did you catch how much he was deployed in the defensive zone by coach Ralph?

He had the second highest percentage of defensive zone starts of all Sabres defensemen last season.

He was deployed like a defensive defenseman by the team, and he performed well in that role.

Good article, thanks for posting it.

It is a shame they lost him for nothing, for sure.
My impression from the eye test only was he ran around in his own zone when things became more physical. Good analysis provided though.
- IonSabres

My impression from watching the games, and then looking at the numbers, was that was a totally overblown thought.

The term defense years ago meant guys like Scott Stevens, where they are constantly hammering guys, but that isn't the case anymore as the league has changed in many ways. That is not to say physicality is gone or frowned upon, just that it's more targeted and focused.

well... in Indiana restaurants are opened at half capacity currently. I have ordered take out from two of them since they have opened and both times when i picked up the food every table they had open (every other table) was full. this weekend i think they are allowed to go full capacity and bars and night clubs open back up.. they are already seeing a spike in cases in the hospitals.. good luck
- SabresFaninIndiana

Why do you say that?
https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/2393.htm
Data seems to portray an overall reduction, albeit slow in key metrics

Why do you say that?
https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/2393.htm
Data seems to portray an overall reduction, albeit slow in key metrics
- IonSabres

because my wife works for a hospital and talks to the nurses who are seeing an increase in the number of patients coming in...

EDIT: click on allen county where i live.. there is an increase there.

When you end by saying "good luck" to 19,

Do you mean: good luck getting a seat, because the restaurant could be full capacity?

Or

Do you mean : good luck not coming down with the virus?
- Boss34

both.. if you aren't stupid you shouldn't have to worry so much about the virus but its still out there. most places are by reservation only

Here is how i took the Sabres Pegula article

The Pegulas thought the Sabres would be a money making machine.
Its not. They are having to invest more in it than they initially thought.
They for some reason think they are not getting the return they thought they would and they are feeling "poor" because of it.

If they dont start turning things around (profit wise) they would consider moving the team out of buffalo.
- ImThatGuy

I believe the Purchase Agreement with Golisano stipulated the team could not be moved.
That said, I don't know the details like term, penalties, etc.

My impression from watching the games, and then looking at the numbers, was that was a totally overblown thought.

The term defense years ago meant guys like Scott Stevens, where they are constantly hammering guys, but that isn't the case anymore as the league has changed in many ways. That is not to say physicality is gone or frowned upon, just that it's more targeted and focused.
- kingcong39

Ok. Was just relaying my impression.
I'm talking about turning over the puck in his zone when rubbed out by a forward along the boards as the video called out.
But whatever.
He gone.

because my wife works for a hospital and talks to the nurses who are seeing an increase in the number of patients coming in...

EDIT: click on allen county where i live.. there is an increase there.
- SabresFaninIndiana

Localized maybe?

both.. if you aren't stupid you shouldn't have to worry so much about the virus but its still out there. most places are by reservation only
- SabresFaninIndiana

That's where I worry about fellow poster 19. 🤔

Why not read all of it? It's not that long.

The video was important as well.

Did you catch how much he was deployed in the defensive zone by coach Ralph?

He had the second highest percentage of defensive zone starts of all Sabres defensemen last season.

He was deployed like a defensive defenseman by the team, and he performed well in that role.
- kingcong39

do think there's any truth to my suggestion that he wore down the second half of the season because the lack of proper off-season training?

both.. if you aren't stupid you shouldn't have to worry so much about the virus but its still out there. most places are by reservation only
- SabresFaninIndiana

It's kinda weird in that the scientific and medical communities have issued a confusing array of proper measures to be taken, sometimes reversing their earlier recommendations to the point Where I think your "don't be stupid" is probably the best advice.
If your are at higher risk, protect yourself...whatever you feel comfortable with.
If you are at low risk, do what you feel comfortable doing, and be considerate of others.

do think there's any truth to my suggestion that he wore down the second half of the season because the lack of proper off-season training?
- Michael Pachla

The only way I would know that would be to have watched the AHL games, which I did not have access to, so aside from that, the statement is a total guess.

You not reading the article makes it seem clear where your train of thought is at.

Ok. Was just relaying my impression.
I'm talking about turning over the puck in his zone when rubbed out by a forward along the boards as the video called out.
But whatever.
He gone.
- IonSabres

All good, but the article did also say it did not happen frequently.

All good, but the article did also say it did not happen frequently.
- kingcong39

It did.
Yet only 4 games.

Like I said before, I agree it was piss poor Asset Mgmt, and he could have fit in without a doubt.
It would have been interesting to research his 33 games last season as again, the eye test for me was that he started out really strong...then teams figured him out...get close on him and apply pressure..the turnovers came to the point he became very much less productive and prone to turnovers.
They didn't analyze that though.

The only way I would know that would be to have watched the AHL games, which I did not have access to, so aside from that, the statement is a total guess.

You not reading the article makes it seem clear where your train of thought is at.
- kingcong39

you know, and have known my train of thought...

no need to get all defensive...the author posted video from four games--blues, knights, red wings, stars...all came at the beginning of his call up before his playing time began to go down...his first three games he didn't log under 17 minutes, his last 10 games he didn't log over 16:54 save for one game where he played 22:20...

I'm not sure what the point of all this is, but I will say that I believe he was handled properly, especially coming off of shoulder surgery where he seemed to be slipping as the season wore on

Localized maybe?
- IonSabres

could be.. Allen county is like the 4th highest populated county in the state and it was yet to see much of a spike. it was bound to happen

It did.
Yet only 4 games.

Like I said before, I agree it was piss poor Asset Mgmt, and he could have fit in without a doubt.
It would have been interesting to research his 33 games last season as again, the eye test for me was that he started out really strong...then teams figured him out...get close on him and apply pressure..the turnovers came to the point he became very much less productive and prone to turnovers.
They didn't analyze that though.
- IonSabres

agreed...and that happens with all young players

agreed...and that happens with all young players
- Michael Pachla

Could be as simple as pilut lacks the nhl size and strength? Maybe the "sandpaper and grit" aspect that ralph preaches.

Especially if the Sabres are moving on from risto and/or McCabe

Dahlin
Montour
Joker
Miller

Kinda soft remaining players

Could be as simple as pilut lacks the nhl size and strength? Maybe the "sandpaper and grit" aspect that ralph preaches.

Especially if the Sabres are moving on from risto and/or McCabe

Dahlin
Montour
Joker
Miller

Kinda soft remaining players
- Boss34

Jacob Bryson doesn't really have the size, but his positioning is top-notch and he has a tenacity which doesn't allow for losing many battles...the big question for him is whether or not he'll be able to continue to do what he's always done, which is overcome that lack of size, at the highest level...

I have no problems with pilut or his progression and I wouldn't have had a problem with him making the team whenever this season starts...I get the fight on social media as to whether or not he should have been in buffalo all season or a good part of the season after he had time to get up to game-speed in Rochester...but i'm not going to get into a tizzy over losing a probable third-pairing, maybe #4 d-man...

and even so, we're not even sure what the structure of his contract with the KHL is and whether or not there's an out clause...if someone does know, please pass it on