Speculation: In-Game Differences With New Coach?

[Zip15]

Ever since Grigs was taken off the 3rd line, it's pretty clear Ruff constructed a typical checking 3rd line around Hecht and they've been used as such. They haven't blown me away but they've done their job defensively. Don't understand why people are arguing about you with this.

Hecht looks about toast on offense but he's still doing his job defensively. I wouldn't mind if he gets bumped to the 4th line if they decide to change the construction and purpose of the 3rd line, but right now he's doing the job as specified as well as anyone else on this roster would.

Was just looking that up myself, well done. I don't see how anyone can be ripping Hecht for his defense. Offensively, sure, there's virtually nothing there right now. But the other team is rarely scoring when he's playing and it's not purely coincidence.

Edit: Rob Paxon says it better than me above.

I agree with you guys. The anti-Hecht campaign is a bit...unusual. Should he be a 4th liner? I've said so from the beginning. Is it his fault he's being used the way he is? No, he's not the GM/coach. They're icing an overwhelmed 18 yr old who should be in junior, and they were hoping a couple journeymen (Ellis, McCormick) could band-aid the 4th line.

He does look bad in the offensive zone. That said, his 5 ES pts aren't far off the ES point totals of Stafford, Ott, and Foligno (6 each). Stafford and Ott make exponentially more than Hecht, and more is expected of all three of those guys. I think blaming Hecht for what ails this team is...misguided.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Mike Grier was the last good third line depth signing, and he was only really good for half a season and the Bruins series. Why can't this team just bring in a Winnik/Gordon/Talbot/Malhotra/Icandothisforawhile?

 

[Zip15]

They should break up Vanek and Pommers for the time being. Give Pommer to Grigs.

Foligno-Hodgson-Vanek
Ott-Ennis-Stafford
Gerbe-Grigs-Poms
Hecht-Porter-Kaleta

 

[HiddenInLight]

Roy re-signs and gets 90 points

Jame really would have a stroke at that.

 

[jBuds]

Stop the lamenting about changes to this current roster and realize the bigger picture. In need of a coach who can put this together when our youth hits the big show

 

[dma0034]

They should break up Vanek and Pommers for the time being. Give Pommer to Grigs.

Foligno-Hodgson-Vanek
Ott-Ennis-Stafford
Gerbe-Grigs-Poms
Hecht-Porter-Kaleta

Not quite sure what about this doesn't make sense.

 

[cramdizzl]

BOLD AND OPTIMISTIC PREDICTIONS
by cramdizzl

-Rolston lets Brennen go to town on the PP, along with Ehrhoff. Other teams will fear our Panzers from the point!

-Rolston will spend extra 1on1 time with Grigs, and reinvigorate his development, pushing him to be the player we all want him to be. He will also be on the second PP.

-Vanek continues his torrid pace after being given more TOI with Hodgson and Grigs.

-Myers is given freedom to play his game and have fun with it, just like his rookie year. Norris discussion next year.

-Regier trades Ennis and Pysyk for Ryan O'Reilly, who slots in at 2C, and animates the team defense.

-Sabres surge to 7th seed and go to the finals, lose to Washington

 

[wshahbaz]

They should break up Vanek and Pommers for the time being. Give Pommer to Grigs.

Foligno-Hodgson-Vanek
Ott-Ennis-Stafford
Gerbe-Grigs-Poms
Hecht-Porter-Kaleta

Keeping Hodson and Vanek together should be fine and not really mess up any chemistry. Although just for the hell of it I would not mind putting Grigs on the 1st line with them.

Why not...if it doesn't work just replace him with Foligno or Pommers again.

 

[Myllz]

They should break up Vanek and Pommers for the time being. Give Pommer to Grigs.

Foligno-Hodgson-Vanek
Ott-Ennis-Stafford
Gerbe-Grigs-Poms
Hecht-Porter-Kaleta

Now that the season is in "let's see what we have" mode, splitting Vanek and Pominville makes some sense. Give Grigs some talent and let's see what he can do over 20 games or so.

 

[Eichel 9]

Ehrhoff on the first PP where he belongs.
Grigorenko given more chances to succeed.

This was one of the things that made me come to a realization that Lindy may just have no clue what the hell he is doing. Vanek and Ehrhoff are our best players on the PP, and Lindy's great idea to improve it was to separate them?

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

Grigs gets more time I hope.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

I almost want to see Vanek's ice time go down, and Grigs play on the 4th line for 4 minutes a game...just so all the people who were on the "Ruff's fault, he's ruining them!" bandwagon will freak out. It would be entertaining.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

They should break up Vanek and Pommers for the time being. Give Pommer to Grigs.

Foligno-Hodgson-Vanek
Ott-Ennis-Stafford
Gerbe-Grigs-Poms
Hecht-Porter-Kaleta

Not bad, but I'd rather leave Vanek at LW and put Ott on his RW. Spreading out to three balanced lines is not an ideal scenario or directly comparable to last season since Roy and Leino are gone, but I wouldn't mind at all trying to see what Grigorenko can do with talent on his wing. I in no way believe he's ready to be a legit NHL player but I want to give him all the ice time possible for now to get his hard knocks out of the way.


Vanek-Hodgson-Ott (Vanek has proven to be productive with/without Pominville)
Foligno-Ennis-Stafford (I think they can still produce together but Ennis needs to win faceoffs)
Hecht-Grigorenko-Pominville (Hecht can forecheck better than Gerbe and is better defensively too)
Scott/Gerbe-Porter-Kaleta (still a solid 4th line)

Rearrange the PP units and get Ehrhoff running the 1st unit. It's ridiculous that he hasn't been there already.

I think Rolston will be much better at teaching and less better at grumpy fits and yelling.

 

[schpaff]

Good Luck! New face, same **** on the ice. I'll enjoy this adventure.

 

[ryanbiggame*]

and yet, for one reason or another, teams aren't scoring with him on the ice. Perhaps there's a reason for that. Perhaps it's a wonderful coincidence. But that's what the numbers are saying.

and we all know........... Numbers don't lie!

 

[Jeremy2020]

and we all know........... Numbers don't lie!

You need and the others need to let it go. Hecht is playing well defensively against good competition. It's been show in different ways that he is succeeding in that regard. Stop digging the hole.

 

[ryanbiggame*]

You need and the others need to let it go. Hecht is playing well defensively against good competition. It's been show in different ways that he is succeeding in that regard. Stop digging the hole.

Wtf are you talking about? I'm not disagreeing with the argument goofy.

 

[Beerz]

Now that the season is in "let's see what we have" mode, splitting Vanek and Pominville makes some sense. Give Grigs some talent and let's see what he can do over 20 games or so.

While realistically the season is in "let's see what we have" mode .... Reiger mentioned today that this was done with the goal of making playoffs... I think winning will be the driving force in what will be done as opposed to just experimenting to see what we have.

Plus Rolston is going to want this job perm...so he needs to win games.