Shutdown Pair

Tag: Drew Stafford

  • You Just Don’t Know

    Really, you just can’t know how a team, any team, will respond to an injury to a key player.  Many of us wrote off the season after Roy got hurt (myself included), but all the Sabres have done since then is go on a run.  Since the 5-2 loss in Calgary, Buffalo has gone 4-0-1, including a 7-6 barnburner highlighted by a Drew Stafford hat trick, and a 3-0 real shutout of San Jose, and a 2-1 win against the Coyotes, games in which the Vezina quality Ryan Miller made appearances.

    Players and coaches will always throw out the ‘other guys need to step up’ cliche when an injury like this happens, but it really is true, and it’s happened here.  EX:

    “Since Derek’s (Roy) gone, there’s a chance for a lot of guys to step up and play some extra minutes. Guys are trying to take advantage of that.”  Jochen Hecht

    Stafford is on a tear (in addition to the hatty he had an OT game-winner in Phoenix), Jordan Leopold has 10 goals, Shaone Morrisonn has brought an increased physical presence, Mike Weber has too (in addition to a few goals!) and there have been goals by Jochen Hecht, Luke Adam, and Jason Pominville, all guys who are in that ‘needs to step up’ category.

    Looking at the standings, Buffalo is currently 10th, 8 points behind Boston and Montreal (catching both would jump them all the way into 3rd).  The schedule for the month means Lalime will be keeping the bench warm quite a bit, as there is only 1 back to back set of games as part of a 3 in 4, with two of them against the Isles.  Gotta get him in once there, I’d think.  There’s a game each against the teams they are chasing in the Northeast, how successful January is probably turns on how they do there.  It’s a tough lead to make up, but a team that plays the way they have in the past few games can do it.  They are making it interesting, at least.

  • In my experience, there’s no such thing as luck

    Tyler Ennis did what he was supposed to do.

    He went to the net, created traffic, but unfortunately instead of deflecting a goal in, he stopped it.  Of course, some still think it went in, but doesn’t show as such because of the angle of the camera above the net.  Until we have cameras IN the goalposts, there’ll never be a better angle, so we live with it.  Unfortunately for the Tiny Tyler, he followed up that ‘save’ with a high-sticking penalty in OT, and the Avs capitalized for the game-winner (4-3).  Both Budaj and Miller had stretches of spectacular saves, sandwiched around a goal or two that made you roll your eyes.

    The game was definitely a spiritual successor to the Bruins game from the other night, defense optional.  I don’t think there was one d-man that was really any good, Montador got a goal from a bad angle thanks to Budaj brain-farting on the shot.  Thomas Vanek scored on a 4-min power play (yay!), but then the team gave it right back by allowing a shorty after that (boo!).  Hecht scored, Vanek had 1G, 1A, and Drew Stafford had 2 assists.

    Buffalo travels to San Jose for a game tomorrow, a painful 10:30pm start.

  • Burned to a Crisp

    Hey, I’m making a Flames joke after that game, OK?  What utter crap.  If there was any doubt that the Sabres are done for the year, I think it’s gone.  Here is another game where they the opponent is supposedly just as bad, but the team didn’t show up.  Miller wasn’t great, the power play went 0-fer, and Ales Kotalik and Olli Jokinen both scored on them.  Kind of embarrassing, really.  Love that Drew Stafford scored (might he finally figure things out?) and of course, the Kaleta.  They turn right back around tonight in Edmonton (another 9pm game).

    By the way, lay off Mark Jeanneret, guys.  He’s filling in for a legend, who is also his dad, and the biggest problem (volume) should’ve had a technical fix.  Let’s give him time.

  • Tradeable Assets

    Yes, I think it’s time to look at who has value to ‘sell’, after that effort this weekend.  There is still time to recover, but it’s growing short.  49 games left, but only 30 points in the standings in the first 33.  It took 88 to make 8th last year in the East, but that was unusually low.  It will probably take a few more than that, which seems problematic for this current cast of characters.  So that means changes, and the decision to be a buyer or a seller.

    For the purposes of this post, we are looking at ‘selling’.  I covered ‘untouchable‘ players before the year, thought I am taking Goose off the list.  I might even put Leopold and Roy on, considering their performances so far.  Either way, here’s what i’m looking at for tradeable assets:

    1. Tim Connolly – He’s always going to top the list for a lot of people, and it’s understandable.  We are tired of the injuries, the streaks, potential that never gets realized.  He would have value, maybe, and his contract isn’t terrible closer to the deadline.  He has to be healthy to move though, which is the biggest problem.  By the way, shouldn’t they be putting in a steel honker for Timmy?  Anyway, I don’t know anyone that would complain about him being gone, and most would be happy for whatever they get for him.
    2. Drew Stafford – This would be a case of selling high, as Angry Eyebrows is on a very favorable contract ($1.9mil expiring this year, RFA) for his production so far.  Trading Drew would potentially open a wing spot for Zack Kassian next year while getting some return for another guy who has shown potential here but never really put it all together for any length of time.
    3. Craig Rivet – It honestly makes more sense for him then the team, you know he wants to play but just doesn’t seem likely to get back in barring a run of injuries.  $3.5mil prorated would still be tough for a team to swallow for a d-man in the twilight of his career (who’s not cracking THIS lineup).
    4. Jochen Hecht – Has the complicating factor of another year left on a fairly hefty deal for a two-way forward who is underperforming.  Seems more likely to go if the Sabres are trading for a player with salary coming back.
    5. Chris Butler – Sekera has to be safe, in my mind, as Myers’s new partner.  I get the feeling Butler is on borrowed time, if there was someone that was trusted more to slide into his spot (which is not Rivet).

    I’m honestly not sure what to do about Enroth, as no one would want Lalime, and anyone else that left would be a spare part for spare part deal, not any sort of change that would fix the culture/shake up the incumbents.  Same thing for trading prospects – there may be fantastic deals to be made, but that doesn’t fix the team next year.  All of this also assumes the long-term deal guys stay, which I find extremely likely (Miller, Vanek, Pominville, and probably Myers after this year).

    There are two things that could shift the focus from selling players for picks/prospects.  One would be the Sabres going on a big-time winning streak…and the other is Terry Pegula.  He is the wild card, no doubt about it.  He could complete the sale and decide to set a bomb off in the locker room, wiping out coaches, GMs, players, the whole nine yards.  I know some of you are hoping for that, and to be honest I wouldn’t get upset if it happened.  What that would mean, though is giving up on this year AND next, unless you think the young players and newly acquired talent would mesh immediately with a potential new coach.

    I still have hope that this team figures it out and makes these rambling thoughts moot.  The rational part of me has serious doubts.

  • Beachcombers

    It’s one of the yearly Florida road trips for the Sabres, facing the Florida Panthers tonight and the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow.  The Panthers, thanks to injuries and also being the Panthers, have a cast of characters you mostly haven’t heard of, save only their goalie (Vokoun).  Tampa Bay, on the other hand, has Steven Stamkos and other stars up front, but horrible goaltending in the form of Dan Ellis and Mike Smith (matching .880 save percentages).

    The Sabres, of course, come in off a win against the Bruins, where Drew ‘Angry Eyebrows’ Stafford provided all 3 goals.  It might help if someone else scores, especially against Tampa.  I feel kind of bad not having more to say about these teams, especially Tampa, but they just don’t come up except when we’re playing them.  A playoff run by one of them would help.

  • Stafford Beats Bruins

    Stafford upped his season goal total to 8 (in 16 games) as he single-handedly beat the Bruins last night at the Arena.  Perhaps Stafford is going to sit out all of his bad games, and only play in his good games.  Would be a nice change.  Good job, Angry Eyebrows.

    I love the Bruins fan in the background there.  Regulation wins against division and conference opponents are huge right now, and this one puts the Sabres 6 back of 8th place Boston in the East.  There aren’t any teams at the top of the list, save the slumping Caps, who are playing poorly.  It’s up to Buffalo to do the damage themselves by winning games.

  • Fins to the Left

    We get a visit from the San Jose Sharks tonight, who apparently managed a come from behind win last night against the Flyers.  It was 4-1 Philly when my wife got home, so good on the Sharks for coming back.  A Flyers loss is always a good thing.

    Buffalo has done quite well against the Sharks here at the Arena, owning a 13-1 record against them.  Pretty solid.  The Sabres will most likely be without Drew Stafford and Shaone Morrisonn, along with Tim Connolly.  Coach has Mike Weber’s back too.

    I have been dealing with a huge amount of stuff lately (sick little girl, cub scout party last night, etc.) so I haven’t been able to post much.  Should get things back up and running right soon.

  • Gameday 2010-2011 – Penguins at Sabres

    The Thanksgiving Eve special may feature quite a different lineup than the last few games.  Ryan Miller practiced Monday but couldn’t commit 100% to playing against the Pens, after missing Saturday’s game.  Tim Connolly started practice but didn’t finish it with a groin injury.  Jochen Hecht skated on his own after practice but is expected to play Wednesday.  Drew Stafford isn’t quite there yet, still no contact.  Rob Niedermayer had his knee scoped and is on the shelf for a couple of weeks.  This has prompted the Sabres to proactively call up Luke Adam and Colin Stuart from Portland.

    The prevailing thought is, if Miller can’t go against the Pens, Enroth comes back up and plays.  Hard not to blame Lindy after Lalime’s gaffe, but when you only score one goal there’s not much margin for error.

    Might actually end up attending this one.

  • The Sabres in October

    October record:  3-7-2

    Overall record:  3-7-2

    Buffalo came into the season with some expectations, as a playoff team from the year before with it’s ‘core’ intact (for better or worse).  I felt that the changes that were made should at least be even swaps.

    So what happened?  Unfortunately, there’s quite a few things that have gone wrong:

    • Jason Pominville’s injury.  He still hasn’t passed his test to get back on the ice.  Perhaps someone should send him Brain Age and a DS to work his brain out a bit.
    • The power play.  6 for 46, 13% won’t cut it.  With the close games they’ve been playing, one extra goal here or there makes all the difference.
    • Tyler Myers has struggled.  He hasn’t been the difference maker he was last year, though I think he might be coming around.  He’s still scoring, including having 2 of the 6 PPG.
    • Ryan Miller has been uneven.  He’s currently sporting a pedestrian .903 save percentage.  He’s bookended starts where he sparkled with games where he…hasn’t.  Not much help in front but some stolen games could be all they need to get on a roll.
    • Craig Rivet, benched.  Not good when you have to bench your captain.

    There is reason for hope, and some positive things to build on however:

    • Derek Roy.  He’s a point per game, with 6 goals (3 on the PP), and tied the recent Atlanta game with 8 seconds left to at least get the team a loser point.
    • Steve Montador is +9, which is part his good play, and part the competition he faces.  Still, he’s been solid since last year, so it’s good to see him getting some recognition.
    • Tyler Ennis and Drew Stafford have been at or above my expectations, combining for 5 goals and 14 points.  Both are solidly plus players.

    In reality, the Sabres still only sit 2 games out of a playoff spot, with 70 more to play.  They have a goalie that has yet to play his best, and injured players that will be coming back.  The leash is short, though, before a ‘shake-up’ change begins to be something that I’d agitate for.  Still looking at you, Timmy…

  • Buffalo Sabres: The Week Ahead

    The Sabres currently have a dismal 1-4-1 record, 5th in the NE, and the panic button is being mashed by some people.  It’s still way too early to do it, though.  Their schedule is busy, some of the parts have changed, so there are some expected hiccups.  This lull from Sunday to Wednesday is the first time they’ll really have some practices where they can work on their issues.  And they do have issues, no doubt.

    Things to try:

    • Play Vanek on the PK.  He’s responded well for stretches with the extra responsibility in the past, and his defense hasn’t been bad.  Might keep his spirits up a bit to feel like more of a contributor.  Worth a shot.
    • Myers needs to just stop thinking and shoot.  I don’t know what the coaches said the to kid, but he’s falling into the ‘look for a play’ trap.  Half of his goals last year came from just saying “screw it” and shooting when he got the puck.  He needs to get back to it.
    • Sit Tim Connolly for a game.  I call this move the Stafford.  Timmy has been rough out there at times, and it’s time to make an example of him.  Roll seven d-men if you have to, or just put Pominville back in once he’s back.

    You can go ahead and add in all the stuff the coaches say duringa slump, like ‘simplify their game’, ‘crash the net’, ‘get shots through’, ‘play the system’ (Lindy approved).  You guys know all that already, though.  Anything else you think they should try?