Point taken. Perhaps the watkins parallel was a good one?
- Michael Pachla

It could be

But Watkins was almost always hurt

You're also missing the part where McDermott went against his usual ground and pound run and stop the run theory and let his players do what they do best...

But sure go on
- Stripes77

The Bills didn't just let the players do what they do best. They went out and got players who do the exact opposite of the ground and pound game best.

You're also missing the part where McDermott went against his usual ground and pound run and stop the run theory and let his players do what they do best...

But sure go on
- Stripes77

The trust the process of don't play the system hockey system that Jack seems to be able to play, VO, can play, Hall is I am assuming able to play but we will see, Staal, Risto who plays the most minutes so I am assuming he is playing the system and philosophy? Sam I assume can do what the coach wants but poor, poor 9 million Skinner can't. Maybe he is just stupid and can't learn a system and has to play his own figure skating way? Just a bit slow? Maybe we should give him a break.

In a normal year I wouldn’t think a scrimmage could seal anyones fate but this year isn’t normal. The coaching staff really needed to stress this year that the game scrimmages would be used to address how the team would look. I think all the players would have known that and simply put Skinner was outplayed by Tage, Olaf and others. Giving Skinner a free ride into the top six would be a loud message to those who are working harder. If Skinner doesn’t get that himself I don’t see how Ralph can justify anything but bottom six until he gets it.
- Camel

Ralph said post scrimmage that they wanted to increase the competitiveness but not to the point of inviting injury into the equation. He said as the week progressed towards Thursday, they'd amp up the intensity.

As for comparing a goal-scorer who's averaged 25 goals a season with a guy who was sent down last year?

Really?

The Bills didn't just let the players do what they do best. They went out and got players who do the exact opposite of the ground and pound game best.
- buffalofan19

The one thing that I am most impressed with is McDermott let's them be themselves.

They don't try to mold them to "Be a Buffalo Bill" they have personalities and McDermott hasn't tried to curb that.

Even after Allen's taunting penalty he went over said if you do that again you'll be thrown out...but I love the swagger.

For me what Ralph is trying to do with Skinner was the same thing Rex tried doing with the entire defense when he took over.

The were 4-3 and built for that but he tried to make them into his system, which obviously didn't work.

Ralph is doing the same thing here

It could be

But Watkins was almost always hurt
- Stripes77

If that's the parallel we are going to use, then the Sabres need to find a way to move him. Obviously a $9 million price tag makes it more difficult, but competent teams find a way.

The trust the process of don't play the system hockey system that Jack seems to be able to play, VO, can play, Hall is I am assuming able to play but we will see, Staal, Risto who plays the most minutes so I am assuming he is playing the system and philosophy? Sam I assume can do what the coach wants but poor, poor 9 million Skinner can't. Maybe he is just stupid and can't learn a system and has to play his own figure skating way? Just a bit slow? Maybe we should give him a break.
- GilPerreault11

Jack-the best player on the team, does whatever he wants to do when he has the puck
Hall-is known for playing his own game
Risto-is awful and this coach still plays him 23 minutes a game
Staal-plays center it is important for him to understand where he should be to set up his wingers for success
VO-is a PP specialist

LOTS of players on waivers today

Jack-the best player on the team, does whatever he wants to do when he has the puck
Hall-is known for playing his own game
Risto-is awful and this coach still plays him 23 minutes a game
Staal-plays center it is important for him to understand where he should be to set up his wingers for success
VO-is a PP specialist
- Stripes77

The ones who have been here have been buying into the system whether they do it really well or not that is debatable among each player. Jack plays the center position and he does do it positionally and use his skills; Risto plays D and he may make mistakes but he is not awful as the common simple man narrative says on sites like this preaches as do idiots on Twitter. VO showed he is more than a PP specialist. You are really surprising me in this discussion because I thought you were hockey wiser than this.

LOTS of players on waivers today
- Stripes77

Zac Dalpe, anyone?

The ones who have been here have been buying into the system whether they do it really well or not that is debatable among each player. Jack plays the center position and he does do it positionally and use his skills; Risto plays D and he may make mistakes but he is not awful as the common simple man narrative says on sites like this preaches as do idiots on Twitter. VO showed he is more than a PP specialist. You are really surprising me in this discussion because I thought you were hockey wiser than this.
- GilPerreault11

What does Ristolainen do well?

What does Ristolainen do well?
- kingcong39

Elite resemblance to Frylock

The ones who have been here have been buying into the system whether they do it really well or not that is debatable among each player. Jack plays the center position and he does do it positionally and use his skills; Risto plays D and he may make mistakes but he is not awful as the common simple man narrative says on sites like this preaches as does idiots on Twitter. VO showed he is more than a PP specialist. You are really surprising me in this discussion because I thought you were hockey wiser than this.
- GilPerreault11

Risto is in fact terrible, all the skills in the world but doesn't have it upstairs, he continues to make the same boneheaded plays over and over again. He is not a top pairing D man

VO scored half of his points on the PP last season, with his 68% o-zone start when 5 on 5. His 2 mins a game he averaged playing the PP (18 mins overall) he scored half of his points...he is a PP specialist that happened to pick up the occasional even strength point playing on the first line.

Now I like VO, there for sure is a place for him on this roster especially on the PP, he has a deadly shot (45 shots on the PP 11 went in 25%).

But he is not a top line player

Tyler Johnson on waivers yet again

What does Ristolainen do well?
- kingcong39

flip tires

Risto is in fact terrible, all the skills in the world but doesn't have it upstairs, he continues to make the same boneheaded plays over and over again. He is not a top pairing D man

VO scored half of his points on the PP last season, with his 68% o-zone start when 5 on 5. His 2 mins a game he averaged playing the PP (18 mins overall) he scored half of his points...he is a PP specialist that happened to pick up the occasional even strength point playing on the first line.

Now I like VO, there for sure is a place for him on this roster especially on the PP, he has a deadly shot (45 shots on the PP 11 went in 25%).

But he is not a top line player
- Stripes77

It's worth remembering that he was a rookie. Yeah he's older than Eichel but I dont think we've seen his ceiling yet

It's worth remembering that he was a rookie. Yeah he's older than Eichel but I dont think we've seen his ceiling yet
- jcragcrumple

I could agree to that, but at age 25 how many players suddenly become "good to great".

Again I feel like I am knocking VO which I am really not. I am however showing how Jeff SKinner is a MUCH better 5 on 5 player than VO and will probably be his entire career.

I could agree to that, but at age 25 how many players suddenly become "good to great".

Again I feel like I am knocking VO which I am really not. I am however showing how Jeff SKinner is a MUCH better 5 on 5 player than VO and will probably be his entire career.
- Stripes77

altough he may get better i don't think he is going to all of the sudden become a top line scoring winger.

altough he may get better i don't think he is going to all of the sudden become a top line scoring winger.
- SabresFaninIndiana

Agreed

A lot of interesting names on waivers today.

A lot of players that would be upgrades in the bottom 6

Risto is in fact terrible, all the skills in the world but doesn't have it upstairs, he continues to make the same boneheaded plays over and over again. He is not a top pairing D man

VO scored half of his points on the PP last season, with his 68% o-zone start when 5 on 5. His 2 mins a game he averaged playing the PP (18 mins overall) he scored half of his points...he is a PP specialist that happened to pick up the occasional even strength point playing on the first line.

Now I like VO, there for sure is a place for him on this roster especially on the PP, he has a deadly shot (45 shots on the PP 11 went in 25%).

But he is not a top line player
- Stripes77

Olofsson scored at an alarmingly low rate for Eichel’s line mate

And before someone compares that to Reinhart 4 years ago.....Eichel was in his 2nd season and not a superstar yet.

I’m still so confused as to what the point even is?

Keep all the bad players like Risto because they “buy in”?

I could agree to that, but at age 25 how many players suddenly become "good to great".

Again I feel like I am knocking VO which I am really not. I am however showing how Jeff SKinner is a MUCH better 5 on 5 player than VO and will probably be his entire career.
- Stripes77

63 point pace over 82 last year. Even relatively minor improvement over that gets him to a 70 point player which is firmly a 1st line player.

We all know he has the shot, but it's not a surprise to see a rookie struggle at even strength. I definitely want to see an uptick in that area, but I'm also not ready to write him off as a PP specialist based on one year of NHL data

Risto is in fact terrible, all the skills in the world but doesn't have it upstairs, he continues to make the same boneheaded plays over and over again. He is not a top pairing D man

VO scored half of his points on the PP last season, with his 68% o-zone start when 5 on 5. His 2 mins a game he averaged playing the PP (18 mins overall) he scored half of his points...he is a PP specialist that happened to pick up the occasional even strength point playing on the first line.

Now I like VO, there for sure is a place for him on this roster especially on the PP, he has a deadly shot (45 shots on the PP 11 went in 25%).

But he is not a top line player
- Stripes77

VO had 42 pts in 54 games, he would have approached 60+ pts in an 82 game season in his 1st season, whether he is a 1st line player or not those would not have been all PP pts and the ones he got were not all PP pts.

People who are stuck on Skinner have an issue with VO because he took the messiah's place on the 1st line.

A lot of interesting names on waivers today.

A lot of players that would be upgrades in the bottom 6
- Pegullaville

Usually the good boy old club nhl gms dont really claim those players

I could agree to that, but at age 25 how many players suddenly become "good to great".

Again I feel like I am knocking VO which I am really not. I am however showing how Jeff SKinner is a MUCH better 5 on 5 player than VO and will probably be his entire career.
- Stripes77

Skinner can't pass, or play D he can have a good season, then a down season, then a good season, then a down season so the one trick pony is only a one trick pony every other year, give or take.