I don't watch Buffalo every game, but what I've seen from Buffalo there isn't a single dman on that team I'd fully trust out there towards the end of it to defend the lead.
Sabres need players on the back end who are competent defensively, or get someone else so Dahlin can play less, as his defensive awareness being weak could be from being overplayed.
You know, it's true. When people keep saying teams are ultra talented, it just means they can put up points in free-wheeling, offensive systems with no structure.
Anaheim, Buffalo, are in the same boat. Lots of high end
offensive talent but not even close to competitive in the recent past.
I'm a Flyers fan, and we generally have the opposite problem - but Torts bangs our our defenseman (Drysdale being the latest example - literally said he doesn't know how to play D) that they have no idea 'how to check' at this level. It's alarmingly true; people complain that Torts employs a defensive system; he doesn't, actually. He is asking all his d-men to be aggressive and push the play, but when that doesn't work, know how to defend and get the puck back. Same request to the forwards.
It seems like that aspect is lost on a lot of the other organizations - akin to the 'culture' word we all hate. But I do think it plays a part here. Far be it for me to defend the Flyers and their organization, but Shaw and Torts know how to create defensemen, and a team culture of responsibility.
