Sabres Offensive Struggles Start at the Top
by David Oleksy on Mar 8, 2010 10:37 AM EST
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PrintAnyone who has watched the Buffalo Sabres play this season realizes the offense is struggling to score goals. Finding the back of the net has become more and more difficult as each season passes.The Sabres had scored over or near three goals a game every season since the lockout and this season they are averaging just 2.67 goals per game.
| Year | Goals Per Game |
| 2005 - 2006 | 3.37 |
| 2006 - 2007 | 3.63 |
| 2007 - 2008 | 3.06 |
| 2008 - 2009 | 2.95 |
| 2009 - 2010 | 2.67 |
The Sabres came out of the lockout as a team built with speed in offense. There system worked well when the referees were calling every penalty they could find. It opened up more ice for the skilled players and the Sabres had plenty of forwards that took advantage of the extra room they were given.
As we have moved further away from the lockout the standard for penalties has dropped considerably league wide. After the loss of Danny Briere and Chris Drury, via free agency, the Sabres have adapted a much more defensive style of play.
As fans we are quick to blame the players for the lack of offense but almost every player on the team has seen a decline in their offensive statistics. At some point we have to acknowledge "the system". We have heard so much about the system over the past three seasons that it is part of our vocabulary when talking about the Sabres.
The Sabres missed the playoffs for two consecutive seasons and the post game comments from Jason Pominville and Ryan Miller read like a broken record. After every game we would hear "We didn't play the system", or "We have to do a better job playing the system" or any other variation of not playing the system. We don't hear those quotes quite as often this season and the Sabres are in first place.
Coincidence? I don't think so.
I think the Lindy Ruff system works to win hockey games but it is not always the most entertaining game for fans to watch. We all want to see the Sabres win a Stanley Cup and the players do to, that is why they finally buying into what the coach is selling. This system is not designed for individuals to break records, it is built for the team to win hockey games, and for most of the season they have.
After the jump I have listed the Sabres top forwards career stats to gie you a sense of the drop off in offensive production. Tim Connoly is the only player on the team that is averaging near his potential this season. Some players are worse than others but overall you get a sense of where this team is offensively.
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The System
You nailed it. When we lose, for the most part, I find myself saying, “We didnt play the system.” I hate when they get away from it because you see much more 1 on 1 stuff… and that surely isnt Ruffs idea. The cycle down low, the collapse infront of Miller, the quick, crisp passing, tape to tape out of the zone… thats what I like to see.
The laziness that sometimes creeps into these guys heads is what frustrates me so much. I know theyre a good team, they have been for the better part of last 5 years. But when that laziness hits, I cant help to feel frustrated.
-
Over the next 2 weeks we play teams that are all lower against us. I expect us to win 6 of the next 7. @ Detroit will be a tough game, but winnable. This team needs to keep building off these wins, Right now would be a great time to start heating up (Vanek) lol.
"Its always Miller Time
Whens it gonna be Sabres-Offense Time?"
- by Jsz on Mar 3, 2010 6:25 PM PST
i'll sacrifice exciting hockey for the sake of a playoff berth anytime
i’m thinking of writing an article to show how big of a slump each individual player is in whether it be in goal-scoring or any point production. kennedy and grier haven’t scored in a while.
That would be cool.
Yeah Grier hasnt put on in in a long time.
"Its always Miller Time
Whens it gonna be Sabres-Offense Time?"
- by Jsz on Mar 3, 2010 6:25 PM PST
He did have that awesome assist against the flyers, so i forgive him.
Not even the Toronto Maple Leafs could kill my optimism
Free Tyler Ennis!
Yeah that was a nice pass out to Mair for the goal. Im not trying to knock the way hes been playing, because I think he has been… Just wish for a goal or two here and there lol
"Its always Miller Time
Whens it gonna be Sabres-Offense Time?"
- by Jsz on Mar 3, 2010 6:25 PM PST
Plus, he saves the world every shift.
Goals are nice though, we should just get everyone to score 3 extra. That’d be nice.
Not even the Toronto Maple Leafs could kill my optimism
Free Tyler Ennis!
it sure would
"Its always Miller Time
Whens it gonna be Sabres-Offense Time?"
- by Jsz on Mar 3, 2010 6:25 PM PST
I looked at some numbers today...
One of the interesting things I found (and put up at my site!) – the Sabres take WAY too small a number of shots on the power play. 22nd in the league 5 on 4, dead last in shots on goal at 5 on 3. You can’t score if you don’t shoot.
I apologize in advance if this gives more people the idea to yell SHOOOOOOOT on the power play.
Honk if you love Justice!
"I'm betting that I'm just abnormal enough to survive. "
haha
Ahh the “Shoooooot!!!!” on the PP guy. Gotta love it. That is interesting, thanks for those numbers. Dead last in 5 on 3 is depressing…
"Its always Miller Time
Whens it gonna be Sabres-Offense Time?"
- by Jsz on Mar 3, 2010 6:25 PM PST
Yeah man. It’s a small sample size, but there’s no excuse for not shooting more 5 on 3. It’s gotta be a heck of a lot easier to get the rebound when there’s only 3 skaters out to oppose 5.
Honk if you love Justice!
"I'm betting that I'm just abnormal enough to survive. "
Exactly.
In my opinion you should be peppering the goalie with shots on a 5 on 3 since you have such a greater percentage of getting the rebound. The reason I think Buffalos 5 on 3 numbers are so low are because with that much open ice, we try to make the “pretty” play, the one too many passes (especailly at home). And it ends up hurting us by turning it over then they clear it… or we have to settle for an easy save type of shot.
"Its always Miller Time
Whens it gonna be Sabres-Offense Time?"
- by Jsz on Mar 3, 2010 6:25 PM PST
Sabres are having a hard time finding a strategy better than “Ales Kotalik pwns 5 on 3s in 30 seconds”
He may have been a terrible hockey player, but he was amazing on 5 on 3s and shootouts.
Not even the Toronto Maple Leafs could kill my optimism
Free Tyler Ennis!
Hockey, like baseball, was designed to be a defensive sport. High scoring was not the intent of originators. The problem is that there are too many fans who can’t appreciate the subties of a defensive game. For that reason, baseball has lowered the pitcher’s mound and made other rule changes to increase the number of runs per game. Similarly, hockey officials has stopped calling all but the most egegious violations which has resulted in higher scoring and more injuries do to late hits and head shots.
Like football, hockey is a gladiator sport where the fans get a vicarious thrill from the controlled violence perpetrated before them.
The problem is that there are too many fans who can’t appreciate the subties of a defensive game.
“Chicks dig the long ball”
It is unfortunate that fans cant enjoy the defenive style more, I know its boring and I think thats where the “diehards” and “casual fan” have the most difference. I know out of my friends that like the Sabres and enjoy watching hockey that Im the only one that I would say is a “diehard” I understand how and why the game is played with a defensive style… my friends, where they root for Buffalo and like to see them win, but would rather see a 6-5 win over a 2-1 win. Where in my book, A win is a win. But most of them are also “since the lockout fans” which would explain that…
"Its always Miller Time
Whens it gonna be Sabres-Offense Time?"
- by Jsz on Mar 3, 2010 6:25 PM PST
and since you were referencing the similarities between baseball and hockey...
I would rather see a low scoring, pitching duel over a 10-8 game. But unfortunately Sportscenter pumps us with the idea that we need more scoring in every sport.
And dont get me wrong, I like to see the high scoring games as well… but not all the time, that means we wouldnt have that great of a D… And defense wins championships, offense fills the seats…
"Its always Miller Time
Whens it gonna be Sabres-Offense Time?"
- by Jsz on Mar 3, 2010 6:25 PM PST
Watch goal highlights from the 90s and note the number of hooking and interference penalties per play. It’s rediculous.
Not even the Toronto Maple Leafs could kill my optimism
Free Tyler Ennis!
Very true..
"Its always Miller Time
Whens it gonna be Sabres-Offense Time?"
- by Jsz on Mar 3, 2010 6:25 PM PST
i was wondering that myself…..
We got the tools, We got the talent
by J2 on Mar 8, 2010 4:17 PM EST up reply actions
The system requires all 5 skaters on the ice to back-check and collapse to the front of the net. The object is to force the opposition to take bad shots from the outside.
It is great for Ryan Miller but you can forget about any offense from odd man rushes.
The system is one that the team can win with but goals will be tough to come by. That ia why a player like Torres is perfect for more offense, he will go in the dirty places and create offense.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
by David Oleksy on Mar 8, 2010 5:57 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I think it also requires (or hopes) the defensemen join the rush. It doesn’t really matter too much though; Lindy will change in a heartbeat to suit his players. He was a trap guy for awhile back in the day, and then emerged (imo) to a pond hockey guy for a little bit. This is the system that sort of links him to Bowman, correct? I swear – those two do remind me of each other.
So let me ask this – is the “system” to blame for the lack of scoring by those top five this year? Personally, I don’t think so. Timmy is producing to a degree, but is so streaky. Vanek is just having one of those snake bitten years, and I think his play is really affected by Roy’s, who along with Stafford just won’t do the things Ruff wants them to do. Ruff just wants them to go to the net, and put pucks on it; they like to dangle. Again, I don’t think that has much to do with a system, but rather just playing good hockey.
Pominville’s play has just been plain old meh. He is certainly not deserving of that new contract he got, at least in my opinion.
Me thinks the “system” does and will work – they can win games. But it’ll be a lot easier if a few of these guys just start playing better hockey, or maybe, just playing like “hockey players.”
Pominville’s play has just been plain old meh. He is certainly not deserving of that new contract he got, at least in my opinion.
He might be the most frustrating player on the team, even more than Vanek. Where has Pommers sniper shot gone? Because I think it left once the ink hit the paper on his deal.
"Its always Miller Time
Whens it gonna be Sabres-Offense Time?"
- by Jsz on Mar 3, 2010 6:25 PM PST
Vanek is just having one of those snake bitten years, and I think his play is really affected by Roy’s, who along with Stafford just won’t do the things Ruff wants them to do. Ruff just wants them to go to the net, and put pucks on it; they like to dangle. Again, I don’t think that has much to do with a system, but rather just playing good hockey.
You are right that Roy and Stafford aren’t willing to do the things that Ruff wants them to do. They just aren’t that type of player, it doesn’t make them better or worse than guys on other teams it just means they don’t fit the system. I feel the system is a direct reflection of the offensive output of these five players.
The Sabres play a system that wins games but doesn’t fit some of the players on the roster. Remember that these same players scored goals when the team played an offensive system and now they aren’t scoring. I don’t think it is a coincidence.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
Penalties
Well done. I have been saying this for a year or so….you can see the number of calls being ignored increasing in front of our eyes: the “crackdown” lasts only so long….no consistency year to year leads to difficult planning and we had a tough transition year back to the ugly play. But Ruff has them on the good and ugly Devils-type defensive plan now.
It’d be nice if they league had refs continue to call the game tight and players would keep playing cleaner. The game is prettier, but can still have tough hits….in my mind, the interference on dump-ins and the can-openers now being allowed on a minor level serve no purpose in the game, but making it ugly and easier on defensemen.
contradicting
You guys kind of sound contradicting in this thread of posts. On one hand you collectively state you enjoy pre lock out hockey where scoring was low. On the other hand you seem to have the attitude of frustration towards Ruff’s system, or at least the lack of offensive production from the household names. You have to realize in this system the Sabres are going to win games in low scoring fashion, ie. the last two games. Albeit, ugly wins but W’s nonetheless. Trust me, I would feel more comfortable myself if they were winning 5-1 every night as well but you have to buy into the fact that that is not going to happen…with the current “system.”
Get rid of the ugly slug.
by North Java Sabra on Mar 8, 2010 10:28 PM EST reply actions
shoooot
i have no problem with winning 2-1 games either, but i dont think the system is ENTIRELY to blame for our goals per game, because i also have no problem with anyone who screams “shoooooot!” at these guys. it also seems like anyone without the puck is a step behind. but if Ryan and defensive hockey get us the 2-4 seed, i think we should all be happy campers.
by BigRedRobbinHood on Mar 9, 2010 4:29 AM EST reply actions
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