Roster Thread (2023-2024 Season)
- Thread starter MOGlLNY
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Need to have some 'been there done that' guys. Not guys who necessarily have a ring, but guys who know what winning looks like. And I realize it's not Zemgus's fault
But he's simply seen a lot of losing. A lot. New voices, guys whose resumes command some respect.
Gus does everything you'd want a fourth liner to do, and he is versatile.
The knock I have on him is that he is too nice.
This team needs Gus' evil twin. A guy that has the exact same skill set as Gus, but who plays with more of an edge.
MarkusKetterer
Shoulda got one game in
Exactly. I like Zem and the value he brings to a team. If he was on any of the other 31 teams he’d be a player I’d want the Sabres to acquire. But at this point, he’s the last vestige of the tank teams, and I’d prefer everyone from then to be gone. That includes anyone on the hockey ops side.
I wish people would stop using Peterka as a trade chip! It'd take a lot to pry him from me. Likely him and Cozens are the two who you don't ask about.
Doug Prishpreed
Registered User
He needs to learn how to hit and play physical fro me to not keep doing that. He literally almost never lays a hit.
2 hits in the first 25 games. Let that sink in.
Old Navy Goat
Registered User
I'm more upset with zero back checking and his lack of defensive awareness
It's his second year. He's more tenacious than 95% of Sabres.I'd think what he offers keeps opposition from being overly aggressive. . It's not always the obvious! My point of view only
When he tries to backcheck, it's so noticeable. He did it tonight in the third - tracked and stripped an Islander, turned the puck back on the attack. Now, can he bring that out of himself more consistently? That's the growth area for his game, for sure.
Exactly this. It's fine not to throw many hits, especially if that means you already have the puck. Hitting is only one avenue towards gaining possession, and usually not the best one.
Someone had called Benson a sniper in one of the threads that I had intended to reply to but lost it. If you see this, umm what? Did you say the wrong name?
MOGlLNY
Hotel Cuck Chair Adams
- Jan 5, 2008
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Jim Bob
RIP RJ
Both Adams and Granato have been loyal so far. I hope that they realize they need to improve their PP system for next season. But, I will not be shocked at all if they run it back again with the coaching staff regardless of what the fans and media feel is best.
Meh.
How did that work with EJ this year? Ability to play trumps a new voice by a wide margin. They need some quality vets that are better than the guys they are replacing and not just new voices.
Yep! What stands out is his compete level. Maybe not a fair comparison below because they are different players, but JJ gets to high speed more than any Saber. Top speeds are similar here between he and Skinner, just JJ shows that compete several times in a game. He is tenacious. He will continue to evolve (more speed bursts than anyone on the team)
MOGlLNY
Hotel Cuck Chair Adams
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Luuk & Byram talk - 26 minutes
Matt Ress
Don't sleep on me
To Chain's point, we saw last night that when he backchecks he can turn the puck up ice very quickly and get back to catch a lot of guys from behind when he's putting in that effort. Hopefully he is seeing how he can create more chances for himself by being more engaging on the back end.
Keep coaching and building strength and stamina. Could very well be an impact player if he chooses to be.
The vet thing is ridiculously overrated because what it means too often is guys whose skill set has diminished to the point that a younger, faster and less experienced player can overcome mistakes provide a better performance.
When it comes to vets, you really need to be very careful on the post-32 or even post-30 players. The NHL is a crazy good league with global talent, and sentiment will cost you. What the Sabres need is more like guys from the 2005-2006 era. That was a team that brought in guys like Mike Grier who could steal play at 31. Jochen Hecht at 28. Numminen was 37 but Buffalo clearly did its homework and he could still skate. By 2007-2008, emotion seeped into way many Sabres decisions. Teppo was done. The second coming of Grier was stale.
My point is that just being veteran doesn't mean much if you can't play and Erik Johnson was a pretty prime example.
Jim Bob
RIP RJ
Being a vet isn't enough.
Being "skilled" isn't enough.
You need the right blend of experience and skill that has been missing with the Sabres lately, IMO.
Doug Prishpreed
Registered User
Speed does not equal compete to me. That said, he had a solid game last night. Previous game too.
Doug Prishpreed
Registered User
Dubi Doo
Registered User
- Aug 27, 2008
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Seems to me that Byram has been that guy to show them how to play winning hockey. A lot less reaching and swinging at the puck and a whole lot more standing teams up at the blueline, boxing players out, and playing physical in the dirty areas.
Jim Bob
RIP RJ
I think that is placing way too much on that one move.
It could be a bunch of different things. And Byram isn't the guy that screams to me that he is getting the rest of the roster to be better at the details of the game. For instance, subtracting Okposo and EJ and letting guys like Cozens step up more as leaders may be a bigger part of the details being better.
I think the biggest impact that Byram has brought is that he has them playing on their toes more and they are getting a bit more of their 2022-23 game going with the addition of another elite skating D that can jump up into the play on the offensive end.
Dubi Doo
Registered User
- Aug 27, 2008
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Oh yeah, for sure. I think Byram played a role, but there's also Girgs sticking around, Adams handing the leadership over to the younger players, UPL calming the nerves of the D etc... Byram is just a piece of the puzzle, but I singled him out due to context of the conversation.
All those ingredients + them HAVING to play do or die hockey has probably led to much better efforts and attention to details. Then again, before Byram arrived- I probably saw 2 or 3 games in the few weeks leading up to the trade.
"I am the eldest boy!"
Just got there.
Fredo vibes.
Seriously though, Luukkonen was not great at the start of the season. We don't know if he comes to the place he's been at since the start of this calendar year if he's that guy from day 1. I haven't finished the bit about Byram yet.
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