Who Now Becomes The Seventh Defenseman?

by Zachary Zielonka on Oct 30, 2009 10:00 AM EDT Comment 13 comments

I can imagine that the articles about Tyler Myers are starting to get old. Hence, why this one will be the last one. When Toni Lydman and Andrej Sekera come back from their injuries, the Sabres will face another conundrum on their defense. They will have seven defensemen and will have to sit one of them.

Must Plays

Tyler Myers

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Tyler Myers	9	2	3	5	8	2	0	0	0	0	10	20.0

This doesn't need to be said but we will anyways. The Sabres are keeping him up and therefore will be playing in most of the games this season. He is a rookie and he will hit a wall at some point this season. At that point, he should be a scratch so that he isn't burnt out at the end of the season and hopefully the playoffs. At this point in his career though, he should be playing. The Sabres are doing just that with him, he is averaging twenty minutes a game which is third on the team. He is seeing 2:43/game on the power play and 1:59/game shorthanded. He is a +8 which is second only to his linemate Henrik Tallinder and he is leading the defensemen in points.

Henrik Tallinder

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Henrik Tallinder	9	0	3	3	9	12	0	0	0	0	3	0.0

Many have derided Tallinder in the past two seasons as his play had really not lived up to the $2.65 million cap hit. Last year, Tallinder had twelve points and was -2 in 66 games. This year, Tallinder already has three assists and is a +9. His defensive game has been aided with Myers on the opposite side but he is playing to prove that he should live up to the contract he signed. It is also a contract year for Tallinder. Therefore, he is going to play out of his mind to try and earn the next big payday. Tallinder is playing well with Myers and should not come out of the lineup at this point

Craig Rivet

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Craig Rivet	9	0	4	4	2	2	0	0	0	0	14	0.0

Rivet is the captain and the lifeblood of the team. As long as he is wearing the C, he will be in the lineup. Rivet has had a quiet season thus far, which for a defenseman is not necessarily a bad thing. He is second on the team in time on ice/game at 21:39/game and has four assists on the season. Rivet has played with sophomore sensation Chris Butler this season and both have played a quiet shutdown type of game.

Chris Butler

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Chris Butler	9	0	4	4	1	2	0	0	0	0	14	0.0

As I said about Rivet, the same principle applies to Butler. Lost in the fray of all of the Tyler Myers coverage is the stellar play of Chris Butler this season. Butler leads the team in total time on ice and time on ice per game. He also leads the team in shorthanded time on ice and is second in powerplay time on ice. The coaching staff has placed faith in this kid's play and he is responding with four assists, three on the powerplay.

Steve Montador

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Steve Montador	9	0	3	3	1	10	0	0	0	0	15	0.0

Montador is not coming out of the lineup just due to the fact that he really has not played bad all season. He only has three assists on the season, but he wasn't acquired for his offensive prowess. He is teaching and playing a good game on the blueline and really is no doubt that he would come out of the lineup.

Questionables

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Toni Lydman	4	0	0	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	6	0.0

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Andrej Sekera	3	0	0	0	-1	2	0	0	0	0	3	0.0

This leaves two players left where one of them will have to sit. Toni Lydman has played four out of a possible nine games this season, he missed the first three due to a hand injury and the last two due to a groin injury. In those four games, Lydman is a +1 and has no points. Andrej Sekera has only played three games this season and has struggled slightly this season. While his play has not dropped off, it really does not bump another player out of the lineup and it won't bump Lydman to the press box just due to the fact that Lydman would be another veteran presence in the lineup.

0 recs | Comment 13 comments |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

I'm relatively new to the game of hockey so can someone please help me out?

NHL teams have 4 lines. 3 scoring lines and 1 energy line most of the time. Each line has 2 defensmen. 4 times 2 = 8. Why do we only play six?

I’m assuming it’s because defensmen generally expend less energy than wingers and center thus coaches try to play your most talented 6.

What’s the deal?

by TrentEdwardsHoF2018 on Oct 30, 2009 10:09 AM EDT reply actions

Teams can only activate 20 players for each game – that’s 4 lines of forwards (3 × 4 = 12) two goalies (12 + 2 = 14) and finally 3 defensive pairings (14 + 6 = 20).

Defenders generally have longer shifts and end up with the most ice time. There is some room for taking a forward out of the lineup in order to carry 7 defenders instead of 6 – if a team feels it is really necessary, but it’s pretty rare. So once we have all our defenders healthy we’ll actually have 8 counting Myers, Tallinder, Rivet, Butler, Montador, Lydman, Sekera, and Paetsch. Paetsch will definitely sit though until there is an injury. Most teams have 7 defenders, one who spends most of his time in the press box (like Paetsch) which is what makes our situation unique.

"We want to win immediately. To say you're building is an incomplete sentence. ... You're building for a future coach and general manager."
-Marv Levy

by TEMSON on Oct 30, 2009 10:21 AM EDT up reply actions

Sit Down Toni Turnover!

by Tatunka on Oct 30, 2009 10:10 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs

couldn’t agree more.

He is easily my least favorite Sabre – he turns the puck over. Peace out Toni “The Pizza” Lydman

I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying
Trent Edwards - Backup QB until furthur notice. Care to prove me wrong Trent?

by J2 on Oct 30, 2009 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions

What about a trade?

Once Lydman and Sekera are back, we will be carrying 8 d-men (including Paetsch). Not that I’m saying the team should or shouldn’t deal anyone away, but what are the chances that Toni, Andrej or Nathan go the way of Paille? Perhaps the Isles want a new defenseman and would trade away Biron when DiPietro is able to return? (OOoo look at me trying to start trade rumors)

by The Burl 8 on Oct 30, 2009 1:52 PM EDT reply actions

Darcy won’t trade a d-man in season with the playoffs in his sights unless the other guy grossly overpays. Lydman’s not going anywhere until a great offer shows up.

Sekera’s the #7 guy right now. Lydman played better than him in his few games nursing 2 injuries all the while making Montador look/play better. Lydman/Montador is a great physical, shot-blocking pair. Not a ton of transition, and a few hand grenades will be thrown, but those guys together are minute-eaters. These two guys are the only ones on the roster who’ve been to the SCF. That experience counts.

With Myers looking so good on the point of the PP so far, I’d have to say that Rej has suddenly become the expendable one. No longer does there look to be a need for a push-rusher/PP-QB. Myers can do that AND play 22 minutes a night as he learns the game at this level. He’s looked better back there in 9 games than Rej has in 2 seasons. Sekera’s young and cheap. He’d bring a mint in trade if Regier was willing to let go of him.

Ta,

by Tom Luongo on Oct 30, 2009 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Uhm, our PP is like 27th in the league right now… it isn’t good at all, and I wouldn’t say Meyers has looked good on the point. He hasn’t looked awful I guess, but really, no one has looked good there. I would also argue that Sekera probably runs the point better than the rest, but that isn’t saying much.

I don’t have any answers or anything, but if they keep Sekera I would assume it is to help with the PP more than not. Someone needs to step up there or I suspect we will have a rougher season than it has looked so far.

by clownfat on Oct 30, 2009 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Although Lydman is not great, he was playing much better this season before his injury. Sekera has played one less game than Toni but is a minus 1 while Lydman is +1. Lydman is the best option at this time in my mind. Let Sekera sit for a little and injuries will come and go and he will find his way into the lineup

B-B-B-Byrd Byrd Byrd, Byrd is the Wyrd!"

by willgarr15 on Oct 30, 2009 2:27 PM EDT reply actions

Defensemen

I think the question of who to sit out is premature. There will very likely by at least one defenseman injured through the season so it is very likely no one will have to sit out.

by Geolover on Oct 30, 2009 2:53 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

I’d have a tough time arguing with that.

by krytime on Oct 30, 2009 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions

I’d rather have too many defensemen than too few offensive linemen. This is a great position to be in. It’s quite the motivator. I say go with Lydman for now. Injuries or poor play will give everyone an opportunity. I’m a Buffalo fan. I’m still waiting for the bottom to drop out. Things can’t go well for long for a Buffalo fan. Sorry to be so glass more than half empty, but c’mon. How did the Bills lose that first game to New England? What can go wrong, does go wrong for Buffalo (Brett Hull bastard). Till I die though. Let’s go Buffalo!

by KTyczka on Oct 30, 2009 4:01 PM EDT reply actions

I prefer Lydman in the lineup at this point, though he’ll most definitely rotate quite a bit with Sekera during the course of the season. Sekera is a guy with a bright future, but he’s still a young guy, who makes a lot of mistakes, and right now – in my opinion – we need the tougher, more stable Lydman in there.

by BillsfanfromDenmark on Oct 30, 2009 4:21 PM EDT reply actions

I’m a fan of Sekera. I think a lot of people forget how young he really is, and how long it takes for a lot of defensemen to develop. Look how long it took for Soup to develop into a star, and to me, he was/is never really a complete defensemen. Sekera is only going into his 2nd full season. Let’s not be too hard on him.

The only problem I see with getting him in the lineup is Butler and Myers. Can you really be a good team with three guys on your backline who are so green? I don’t Sekera having to beat Lydman, Hank, or Montador for a spot; I see him having to beat out one of his fellow young teammates, and right now, that isn’t happening.

Like geolover said above, it’s not out of the realm of possiblity to see one of our defensemen hurt all of the time. Assuming the pessimism in this statement proves correct (and I think it will), it’d be in teh best interests (right now) to just keep ’em all, and rotate.

Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing Rivet sit in a game or two here or there. Not because of bad play mind you, but to give an old physical guy a break in a season in which there are a lot of back to back games and 3 games in four night stretches. I also wouldn’t mind seeing Myers get a break once in awhile. For him, it might just be a case of keeping a young guy who’s never played 82 NHL in a season a chance to keep physically and mentally fresh.

Let the defensive depth help your team from now through the Olympics. See where you’re at. Then at the deadline, move Hank or Toni, even if it’s for smedge. I highly doubt either of them are resigned anyway after the season.

by krytime on Oct 30, 2009 6:44 PM EDT reply actions