Want to know why Buffalo Sabres fans are walking around depressed?
Their Sabres have lost 101-man games to injury this season. Phil Houlsey’s patchwork quilt of a blue line has contributed to 66 of the man games lost injuries.
I repeat:
Unofficially, 66 of Buffalo’s 101-man games-lost-to-injury have come from his D corps.
How can the Hockey Hall of Famer and defensemen whisperer fully and completely install his 5-man attack offense when there are 3-4 AHL defenders in his lineup every game?
Housley’s system is predicated on the defensemen jumping up and supporting the three forwards in the o-zone. When executed perfectly, Housley’s system requires the D to smash the walls, hold onto pucks and create offense by driving deep below the faceoff circles. The third man will cover the D as they attack deep in the enemy zone.
Serious injuries to key defenders continues to undermine Housley’s best intentions to install a will, attack style.
Rasmus Ristolainen is listed as week-to-week and has missed the past 6 games.
Friday night will mark 19 games and counting since Zach Bogosian was lost with an undisclosed injury. When will he return? (Insert shoulder shrugs, palms facing skyward here).
On November 11, Josh Gorges was activated from IR after sitting out 12 games due to injury.
Nathan Beaulieu missed 11 games due to injury, but returned to the lineup on 11/10.
Housley can’t coach guys while they are sitting in the press box. He has learned to dance with who brought him to the dance.
You can't help the club while you're in the tub. Trainer's tub, that is.
At this alarming rate, Housley’s defensemen are falling faster than the drummers of heavy metal gods Spinal Tap have spontaneously combusted over the past few decades.
It’s beyond out of control.
It’s downright debilitating.
Now you know why the Sabres find themselves in the Eastern Conference cellar just one week before U.S. Thanksgiving.
On Thursday, more hits to the Buffalo blue line were announced. Sabres GM Jason Botterill placed defensemen Taylor Fedun and Matt Tennyson on injured reserve. Botterill then called up youngster Casey Nelson from the Rochester Americans. Nelson has scored four points (1G, 3a) in 14 games with Rochester in 2017-18. Nelson has totaled four assists and 12 penalty minutes in 18 career NHL games with Buffalo.
When puck drops on the Sabres-Red Wings game on Friday night, Buffalo will have played with 11 different defensemen in their lineup in the first 19 games of the season.
Yes, I said "11".
"11" is one more than "10", innit?
To add insult to injury, the Sabres have yet to get a goal from his blue liners.
*Parental Discretion Advised*
Casey Nelson is Buffalo’s 11th Defensemen to play in first 19 games of season.
It's very, very, very uncharacteristic for a Housley coached team be without out a goal from a rear guard at the 19 games of the season juncture.
Only Jake McCabe and Marco Scandella have perfect attendance among their D peer group. Both veteran D-men have played in all 18 games this season. McCabe and Scandella will play in Detroit.
With all of the injuries, why hasn’t Botterill called up his best young defensive prospect Brendan Guhle to help stop the chronic bleeding?
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