Michael Pachla: Traverse City results should matter for Sabres GM and coach

Michael Pachla: Traverse City results should matter for Sabres GM and coach
- Michael Pachla

But what does this have to do with the Bills?

They would if we won . We are all brushing them off as meaningless since we stunk.

But what does this have to do with the Bills?
- jochfr

good point

They would if we won . We are all brushing them off as meaningless since we stunk.


- Maximum Signal

you could say that

I feel my influence in this blog.


Mostly just in the use of the word "shellacking."

They would if we won . We are all brushing them off as meaningless since we stunk.


- Maximum Signal

Yep I agree.

I feel my influence in this blog.


Mostly just in the use of marty Feldman as my avatar
- BINGO!

fixed

fixed
- Michael Pachla

I'm not all up in arms that they can't win but it raises a concern on why they are getting blown out. Also raises some eyebrows about Cassidy as a coach.

Remember that many of the top prospects arent at the tournament. Nobody from Europe or the NCAA. So thats no Fasching, Compher, Hurley, Possler, or Florentino. And the top Goalie prospects, Ullmark, Petersen, or Johansson. And Baptiste was out and he is someone I was really looking forward to seeing. I cant help but think that things could have been different if all the prospects had been there.

I would guess that Zadorov getting benched will help tone down the cry for him to be in the NHL this year.

I've always maintained that he needs more time in Jr and some AHL time before he'll be ready to make the jump. I think this tournament helps to back that up.

I've had my share of lumps as a kid . Yeah I deserved it. A lot of kids don't understand or comprehend that if you do something wrong on purpose, there can be consequences . Accidents can and will happen but still need to be addressed.

Years ago, the first thought a kid had before he did something wrong was.. " I get caught and pops is gonna kick my ass" How many kids these days have ever thought that ?
- cabin

You have to know your father in order to have that fear.............

You have to know your father in order to have that fear.............
- dadeadhead

Good point

You have to know your father in order to have that fear.............
- dadeadhead

... also that's a terribly sad thought.

I'm not all up in arms that they can't win but it raises a concern on why they are getting blown out. Also raises some eyebrows about Cassidy as a coach.
- jaumiller

Cassidy is a good coach. He only had these kids for what, a matter of days?

Cassidy is a good coach. He only had these kids for what, a matter of days?
- sippyd

If I'm not mistaken, he coached for this tournament last year too.

If I'm not mistaken, he coached for this tournament last year too.
- HonkFortheGoose

Obviously you need to fire him and trade us Reinhart for a 2nd rounder before he's completely valueless.

Obviously you need to fire him and trade us Reinhart for a 2nd rounder before he's completely valueless.
- BINGO!

Sekera has sick trade value.

Cassidy is a good coach. He only had these kids for what, a matter of days?
- sippyd

Yeah that's a good point, I forgot about that.

Great blog as always.

I'm thinking the issues lie in one of a few things:

- Lack of chemistry. We have a lot of talented players, which could be puck hogs, leading to not knowing how to work with the other guys on their lines. Having 10 first and second rounders means that these guys are talented and likely the best players on their teams. Having to play a lesser role can be a difficult transition as well.

- Over confidence. The media has made a huge deal about how great they are. Maybe they had too much confidence and fell into a rut as soon as problems started.

- Penalty Kill. I wonder how many of these players play on the PK regularly, let alone with new players with different tendencies.

- Lack of playing time. The development camp was a few weeks ago and everyone goes to train with their own personal group. It leads back to the chemistry thing.

I am not too worried about it, other than the Zadorov benching. The key there could have been to send a message to the rest of the team. If you aren't going to live up to the level we want you at, you're not too far from being benched. I am taking it as more of a message that no player is safe from benching, which seemed to be the mentality of the last regime.


TL;DR: I am not worried about it.

Although we did have a number of high draft picks playing, would't age make a big difference, especially in a tournament like this? While other teams may not have the high-end picks playing that we did, maybe they have prospects that are older, more developed, and have a more complete game at this stage. I haven't actually looked to see if that's the case but one or two years makes a big difference for a young hockey player.

Sekera has sick trade value.
- dadeadhead

A hell of a lot more than he had last season.

For those who were speculating on why Yost left HB,


He works for TSN now. Covers analytics for them.

Well no wonder no one is writing on the old thread...