Shutdown Pair

Tag: Buffalo

  • Preseason Leafs Smackdown Thoughts

    I went to the Sabres’ 3-1 win over the Leafs on Saturday, and have a few thoughts on what I saw (my phone was out of commission so no pictures, sorry):

    1. Kassian is a beast.  Too bad there won’t likely be a roster spot for him.
    2. Vanek glove-punching a guy was great.
    3. Ennis is going to be good, could be a good addition to the top 6.
    4. Stafford didn’t look out of place on the top 6 either, though, he had some physical plays.
    5. Gerbe knocked down Luca Caputi.  He gives up 9 inches to him (save your ‘That’s what SHE said’ jokes, please).
    6. Guy who whistled like a bird all game:  no one likes you.
    7. To the Leafs fan who whined that we had to use our ‘regular lineup’ to beat their rookies:  HA-HA!  I actually gave Toronto more of a chance with some of those guys in, since they weren’t corrupted by the pre-Burke/Wilson Leafs organization.

    If I can manage to find the game on TV tonight, I’ll be watching from home.  Probably.  Here’s the lineup for this game, courtesy of the Buffalo News.  Maybe that Leafs whiner will be happy, since they will have a more ‘regular’ lineup for tonight.

  • Question: How do you pick your favorite player?

    Always kind of curious about this, as I’ve come into liking my favorite players in a few different ways.  I’ve come up with a few ways that people seem to decide on a guy, see if any of these types fit you:

    1. The best player on your favorite team:  You probably like Ryan Miller or Thomas Vanek.  It’s a great feeling to be watching someone who is going for a major trophy, or is starring in commercials, though some people will label you as a bandwagonner.
    2. Heart and soul guys:  You probably like Paul Gaustad or Mike Grier.  You know that goal scorers come and go, but the real glue of a team are the guys who bang bodies, go to the net, kill penalties, wear letters.  They might have gray in their beards.  These fans will talk about a player for years after they are gone, even if they only spent a year or two in town (say, Guerin in Pittsburgh).
    3. Eligible Bachelors:  I get the feeling that the younger puck bunnies go for (ugh) Derek Roy or Jason Pominville, while the non-teenager ones are more about the graybeard heart and soul guys mentioned above.  They have signs (and sometimes wear wedding dresses) for their favorites.  There may be some hockey knowledge, but it’s more about the guys.
    4. Fighters:  Most likely a fan of George Laraque, or Colton Orr, or even better, a fighter from the 70s or 80s that they obsess about.  They like MMA too, with the Tapout shirt and way out of date barbed wire tattoo giving them away.  Often these fans are unaware or at least uninterested in other aspects of hockey.
    5. Pity Party:  You like Drew Stafford, or Patrick Lalime.  Sometimes you just take a liking to the guy that’s getting kicked while he’s down.  You might very well do a doubletake if you see someone wearing their jersey.  Maybe this fan followed the player in college, or watched them tear up the AHL, and haven’t forgotten the glory days.

    I think that covers most situations.  Any disagreements?  Another category I missed?

  • Sabres Camp Details

    The Buffalo Sabres training camp opens Saturday with Puck Drop (which I’m still maybe attending!), and if you still need the dates and times of the open practices and scrimmages, here ya go:

    • Friday, September 17 – 1 p.m. scrimmage – Rookies only (HSBC Arena)
    • Saturday, September 18 – 9:45 a.m. practice; 11:45 a.m. scrimmage (HSBC Arena)
    • Sunday, September 19 – 9:45 a.m. practice; 11:45 a.m. scrimmage (HSBC Arena)
    • Monday, September 20 – 9:45 a.m. practice; 11:45 a.m. scrimmage (HSBC Arena)
    • Tuesday, September 21 – 9:45 a.m. practice; 11:45 a.m. scrimmage (Amherst Center)
    • Wednesday, September 22 – 9:30 a.m. practice (HSBC Arena)
    • Thursday, September 23 – 9:30 a.m. practice (HSBC Arena)
    • Friday, September 24 – 9:30 a.m. practice (HSBC Arena)
    • Saturday, September 25 – Toronto at Buffalo, 7 p.m. (HSBC Arena)
    • Monday, September 27 – Buffalo at Toronto, 7 p.m. (Air Canada Centre)
    • Tuesday, September 28 – Buffalo at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m. (Dundas, Ontario)
    • Thursday, September 30 – Buffalo at Montreal, 7:30 p.m. (Bell Centre)
    • Friday, October 1 – Buffalo at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. (Wachovia Center)
    • Sunday, October 3 – Philadelphia at Buffalo, 6 p.m. (HSBC Arena)

    The camp roster is here, no surprises there.  IT’S ALMOST HERE FOLKS.

  • New Feature: Prediction Watch

    Just a heads-up that there is a new feature linked at the top of this page:  Prediction Watch.  We all read the preseason predictions levied by the various sportswriters and blog networks out there, but we hardly ever remember who was right or wrong.  So, I’m going to compile a list of predictions of where the Sabres will finish here, and we can see who had the right idea at the end of the season.  I need your help, though.  I don’t get every magazine or spot every article, so if you see one I don’t have, let me know!  Comment on this article, send me an email (thetick at shutdownpair dot com) or send me a tweet.

  • Top 10 Goalies of the Northeast Division

    We looked at the defensemen, so let’s follow that up with a look at the goalies of the Northeast division.  The goaltender situation in the Northeast is interesting, with surprising changes (Halak out) and a whole mess of veterans running out of time to regain form.  All stats are from last season.

    10.  Pascal Leclaire, Ottawa Senators (3.07 GAA .877 SP)

    Leclaire was brought in by Ottawa to compete for a starting job with Brian Elliott, but inconsistent play and some hard luck injuries have relegated him to the bench.  Even the bench wasn’t safe for poor Pascal, as a stray puck nailed him in the jaw while he was chatting idly.  At least he had a sense of humor about having surgery for it:

    “I don’t know I might try to get calf implants or abs or something. We’ll see what the prices are.”

    9.  Alex Auld, Montreal Canadiens (2.96 GAA .895 SP)

    Auld was brought in to back up Carey Price after Client Jaroslav Halak moved on to the Blues.  Auld is a journeyman who is not a threat to take Price’s job, which is good for him, I guess.  He’s played well for short stretchs but has never been able to turn in a season that could win him a job.  If he sees significant time this year, Montreal is in trouble.

    8.  Patrick Lalime, Buffalo Sabres (2.81 GAA .907 SP)

    Ryan Miller was pushing for Lalime to be back as his backup, and he got his wish.  He’s a great guy, and Miller likes him, which is good enough for me.  He hasn’t always gotten goal-scoring and defensive support the way Miller has, but Lalime plays better with more playing time.  I would expect a few appearances by Jhonas Enroth, and if Miller were to go down, I bet they’d split time.

    7.  Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Toronto Maple Leafs (2.85 GAA .907 SP)

    Giguere is basically in a dead heat with his partner, both are solid goalies on a team that was bad last year.  Improved play around them could see one of the two jump up the list, though I give the edge to Gustavsson because of his youth.

    6.  Jonas Gustavsson, Toronto Maple Leafs (2.87 GAA .902 SP)

    See the above, I guess.  Jiggy has the name recognition, but Gustavsson should get a solid shot at being the goalie of the future.

    5.  Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens (2.77 GAA .912 SP)

    The former Jesus Price lost playing time to Jaroslav Halak last year, before getting handed the starting gig by default for this one.  He only won 1/3 of his games last year, on a team that went on a decent playoff run.  Pretty shaky situation for a team under a ton of scrutiny.

    4.  Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins (2.56 GAA .915 SP)

    His unorthodox style and the wild saves that come with it make for some fun video, Tim Thomas gained popularity quickly once he finally earned a starting job in Boston.  It comes as quickly as it goes, though, with Tuukka Rask taking over from the former Vezina winner and starting every playoff game.  Still, he can make plays and can rebound if Rask falters under the heavier load of a full season.

    3.  Brian Elliott, Ottawa Senators (2.57 GAA .909 SP)

    This guy absolutely KILLS the Sabres, going 4-0 with a 1.81 GAA against our hometown club last year.  He also went 4-0 against the Sabres the year before that.  He never seems to be playing that well, just always well enough to win versus Buffalo.  It’s good enough to put him below the top two.

    2.  Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins (1.97 GAA .931 SP)

    As I mentioned above, Rask took the reins and the Bruins rode his success into the playoffs and past the Buffalo Sabres.  I’d want to see him in for 60+ games but he was great for a team that dropped off offensively from the previous season (Boston was the only team to score fewer than 200 goals).

    1.  Ryan Miller, Buffalo Sabres (2.22 GAA, .929 SP)

    Did you have any doubt that I would put the reigning Vezina champ (and Olympic Silver Medalist) at the top of this list?  Sabres fans will again sound like a broken record in asking for Miller to not play quite so many games, but he dealt with an intense workload last year and threw down his best numbers.  Though he can flash the leather when needed, Miller is at his best when the saves look routine, relying on excellent positioning, rebound control and anticipation to be in the right place at the right time.

    There you have it.  Agree?  Disagree?  I’m a nutjub?  Fire away!

  • Can You Feel It?

    It’s hockey, and it’s here.  You can watch the first ‘classic game’ from last year tonight on MSG (the Tyler Myers shootout winner game), and Puck Drop is ten days away.  I’ll actually be able to attend it with my son now that plans have changed, so I hope to see all of you there.

  • Top 10 Defensemen of the Northeast Division

    Japers’ Rink has a list of the top 10 D-men in the Southeast, and I was curious about who we would have on a similar list here the Northeast, so I decided the best way to find out was to compile the list myself.  All stats unless otherwise noted are for last season.  I also reference GVT (explained beginning here) which is a decent way to compare the dropoff from a particular guy to an average replacement.

    10.  Jordan Leopold, Buffalo Sabres (11G 15A 26pts -2 21:55 TOI)

    The newest Buffalo Sabre split time between Florida and Pittsburgh last season, tagging along with the Pens into the second round of the playoffs.  He played against top competition for them in his short stint in Pitt.  Leopold has never seemed to take hold in a city, despite quality if not spectacular offensive numbers.  Is there something we’re missing on him?  Aside from the usual ‘doesn’t like contact’ rap that big-ish puck movers get.  Easily off the list if he goes for 3 goals this season.

    9.  Mike Komisarek, Toronto Maple Leafs (0G 4A 4pts -9 19:56 TOI)

    Komisarek missed the second half of the season with shoulder surgery, but you wouldn’t expect too much from his offensive numbers.  He’s a bruising stay-at-home defenseman who can block shots.  It ain’t pretty, but the job gets done.

    8.  Jaroslav Spacek, Montreal Canadiens (3G 18A 21pts +9 21:47 TOI)

    Former Sabre Jaroslav Spacek is still my favorite square-headed defenseman, who I wish we still had if only for his epic accent during interviews.  Also, he likes to throw the occasional hip-check which is old-school and awesome.  He contributes at both ends of the ice, and is a good power play point man.

    7.  Francois Beauchemin, Toronto Maple Leafs (5G 21A 26pts -13 25:27 TOI)

    A cup winner in Anaheim, Toronto imported him in last season to add a little ‘truculence’.  Noted for an excellent shot, he used it often, piling up 170 of them.  He generates scoring chances quite well.  Francois will be a good example for the youngsters the Leafs are rolling with, especially if he can reduce the turnovers.  A goalie that can bail you out helps with that too, though.

    6.  Andrei Markov, Montreal Canadiens (6G 28A 34pts +11 23:48 TOI)

    Markov’s numbers are solid considering he only played 45 games.  He’s had double-digit goals four times, and his Defensive GVT of 4.1 shows he cares behind his own blueline.  Gets dinged for not using his size more, but he does well against the best competition.

    5.  Chris Phillips, Ottawa Senators (8G 16A 24pts +8 22:20 TOI)

    Solid performer, if in the second tier of defensemen in the Northeast.  8 goals is nothing to sneeze at, with 2 game-winners.  With Volchenkov gone, he’s the only D-man on the Sens who had a positive plus/minus last season.

    4.  Sergei Gonchar, Ottawa Senators (11G 39A 50pts -4 24:23 TOI)

    While on the downslope of his career at age 36, Gonchar still gave the Penguins great offensive production, 6th in points amongst D despite only playing 62 games.  Injuries will be an ongoing concern, his power play prowess.

    3.  Tomas Kaberle, Toronto Maple Leafs (7G 42A 49pts -19 22:21 TOI)

    Kaberle is a consistent, high-level performer for Toronto, so of course he’s been the target of trade rumors for years.  But he’s still there, and chugging along.  He was second on the Leafs in points to Phil Kessel’s 55.

    2.  Tyler Myers, Buffalo Sabres (11G 37A 48pts +13 23:44 TOI)

    Trying not to be a homer here, but those numbers don’t lie.  He and Hank played against the best competition as the top D pair, and Myers still managed a Defensive GVT of 6.9.  He’s a great skater that can push the play offensively and yet still get back to cover if that play fizzles.  Tyler is working on getting stronger this offseason, which might just improve his ranking.

    1.  Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins (7G 37A 44pts +19 25:22 TOI)

    An off year for Chara goal scoring-wise, nevertheless big Z stands tall at the top of this list (pun intended).  He’s a beast to play against behind the net and along the boards, where his massive frame (and ‘incidental’ elbows) often stop smaller forwards in their tracks, if they don’t end up on their asses.  His defensive GVT is 8.9, matched only by Chris Pronger.

    Well, there you have it.  I’m sure there are some slotting changes, and if I’m lucky I just offended the rest of the Northeast, and maybe even some Sabres fans.  It was hard to make, but I feel like I learned a bit more about the enemy.  Guys who just missed the list:

    Dion Phaneuf, Toronto Maple Leafs (2G 8A 10pts -2 26:21 TOI)

    The above numbers don’t count Dion’s contributions in Calgary (10G 12A 22pts +3), but it remains to be seen whether or not he can continue with those types of numbers as Captain of the Leafs.  I waffled on him making the list, but his goal totals have been declining, not increasing (20, 17, 17, 11, 12).  A rebound year can put him right back in.

    Roman Hamrlik, Montreal Canadiens (6G 20A 26pts -2 23:26 TOI)

    I edged him out in a comparison with Spacek – who I feel gives you a bit more on the defensive side.

    And a special note for Steve Montador, who doesn’t show up on the scoresheet or the advanced stats, but who played well with Lindy’s musical partners.  We noticed you, Steve, and appreciate it.

    One final thing:  I get the feeling this list is WAY different next year.  Kaberle is probably out, Gonchar is an injury away from falling off, probably at least one or two new guys via trade, and some young players who will be pushing.  Especially in Toronto, where things have been bad long enough that no job is safe.  Let me know how I screwed up, and if you make a strong case, I’m down with changing it up.

  • Matt Ellis? Yeah, Sure, Why Not…

    The Sabres re-signed Matt Ellis yesterday, and according to Capgeek.com it’s a two-way deal.  It’s a one-year deal, $625,000 while in the NHL and just over 100k while in the AHL.  Not a bad example for the kids in Portland, as he works hard every night despite not being the most skilled guy in the league.  The move gives Buffalo a trusted forward to call up in case of injury.  They shouldn’t ask much more than that of him.

  • Hockey Bloggers and Access

    The big discussion point today (thanks to this article over at Puck Daddy amongst other things) is credentials and access for hockey bloggers.  The sticking point raised on the reference conference call is actually valid (why should someone have access to our locker room on the road when they are not welcome at home?), and that I don’t have a problem with.  Where things break down, though, is where the line is drawn now between bloggers and pro sportswriters.  There are bloggers doing fantastic work, both independently and under the umbrella of a larger media network (such as SBNation).  I see no reason why they (if they want it) shouldn’t be accomodated with full access.  Individual teams (such as the Rangers) disagree, though.

    Let’s look at an example, the Buffalo News’s own Mike Harrington.  He works for a newspaper, and writes columns that get published on actual paper along with his twitter account and the paper’s Sabres Edge blog.  But he has no problem blasting Darcy or Lindy when it’s warranted, which apparently would be enough to keep him out of the visiting room at MSG, without the get out of jail free card that is his News byline.

    Let’s face it:  there should be a way to be a blogger and be credentialed with full access in every city.  The NHL itself has all sorts of social media connections, and should be able to assist teams that need it in fostering them as well.  Bloggers that want access (not all of us do) should be able to request it, and then have their site looked over by the team’s communications team.  If the person can deliver coherent thoughts and doesn’t sound like a moron, step two would be a quick phone ‘interview’ to ensure they aren’t intimidated talking to people and wouldn’t be out of place in a media scrum.  I’d also have no problem with teams having a measuring stick of some type (how long your blog has existed+monthly pageviews+Twitter follower count or somesuch) to weed out people just looking for a free seat in the arena and a chance at getting autographs.

    For my part, I’ve never really looked into the possibility here in Buffalo.  I get the feeling it’s not something that would happen, and anyway I don’t have the confidence in a group to speak up and ask questions.  It would be nice to be in the press box and able to listen in directly to the press conferences and locker room interviews, but really it wouldn’t have a huge effect on what I actually do.  Still, access done right would be a benefit to teams, as the media climate continues to shift towards a mix of ‘new’ and ‘old’ media.

  • Buffalo Sabres: A Look At The Depth Chart

    With training camp less than a month away, and the Buffalo Sabres roster looking pretty much set, I thought now would be a good time to investigate the lines and defense pairings for the coming season.  Starting up front:

    Ennis – Connolly – Pominville
    Vanek – Roy – Stafford/McCormick?
    Gerbe – Gaustad – Kaleta
    Hecht – Niedermayer – Grier

    It’s an odd mix of diminutive players and size/grit, to be sure.  Zack Kassian could make things interesting when he’s off his time-out from GMDR and gets to sign.  I’m not sure what happens if McCormick gets one of the RW spots, Stafford really is the only one that can come out.  I don’t think you play anybody out of position to try and keep him in the lineup.  Gerbe, I suppose, could end up on the fourth line if Lindy wants to keep Hecht up on the third, though my hope is with cagey vets like Grier and Niedermayer taking over the fourth line will get more than 6 minutes a night.  It’s a lineup that has some scoring potential, but should help out the revamped defense core quite a bit as well.  Speaking of:

    Myers (RH) – Morrisonn (LH)
    Montador (RH) – Leopold (LH)
    Rivet (RH) – Sekera (LH)

    Butler (LH)

    Obviously Myers is the top dog, and I slotted Morrisonn next to him as he’s another more stay at home type as Tallinder was for Tyler last year.  You get a similar Off/Def pair with Montador/Leopold, leaving Rivet and his bad shoulder to mentor Sekera and Butler in the third pair.  This keeps the left hand/right hand balance, and keeps Rivet healthier so he can bulldoze some guys in front of Miller.  If Leopold can chip in points to balance the Myers pairing, the offense from the backend will be right where it needs to be.  Now, Morrisonn may not fit in as a first pair guy which blows all this up but I think this works the best.

    I don’t HAVE to go over the goalies, do I?  Miller gets more work than we like (without the Olympics thankfully), especially considering the TWENTY TWO back to back game situations.  Does Lalime get 15 games?  Lalime and Enroth combined for 14 starts last year, I’d like to see that at 20 with all the back to backs but I can’t predict it.

    Look, it’s not the wholesale changes in the top 6 we were looking for, but as we’ve investigated before, there aren’t a lot of guys available who are a for-sure improvement.  Stempniak might be a one-hit wonder, and there’s that self-imposed cap…