All Aboard Lindy's Carousel o' Juggled Lines

by Kristopher Settle on Nov 20, 2011 3:00 PM EST

As we approach the heart of the holiday season, the Sabres will be receiving two presents back from the infirmary as forwards Jochen Hecht and Tyler Ennis have both practiced in full-contact drills this week and should be ready to go in the nest few days. Despite a solid call-up performance by Corey Tropp and the gritty resolve of Matty Ellis, both appear to be the odd men out and will make the trek back down the I-90 to Rochester for the time being.

So the question remains; where do the Sabres put Ennis and Hecht to infuse a shot of energy in the near future? These are the lines Lindy Ruff rolled out last night against the Hurricanes -

Vanek-Roy-Pominville

Leino-Boyes-Stafford

Gerbe-Gaustad-Tropp

Ellis-Adam-Kaleta

A lot of questions will need to be answered. It's hard to imagine Lindy breaking up anybody in the top 6 with the effort that was put in Friday night against the Hurricanes. Brad Boyes and Ville Leino have started to make strides in developing chemistry on the second line, while Pominville and Vanek have been lights out all year. The only sore thumb that I saw yesterday was Drew Stafford, who is still working hard and getting chances with his linemates but he's having a hell of a time finishing off opportunities. Does Lindy Ruff decide to give Ennis a shot with Leino and Boyes? It's quite possible.

With that said, do the Sabres shift Adam back to the wing to make room for Hecht? Maybe an Adam-Hecht-Stafford line is formed if they choose to bring Ennis up with Leino and Boyes? Adam has already had time playing left wing on the same line as Stafford around the beginning of the month, even if it didn't last long. This variation would also reunite Gerbe, Goose, and Kaleta, a trio that worked together in Buffalo over the summer. That would create this scenario (and this is how I see it shaking out) -

Vanek-Roy-Pominville

Leino-Boyes-Ennis

Adam-Hecht-Stafford or Hecht-Adam-Stafford, whichever

Gerbe-Gaustad-Kaleta

Not too shabby to say the least. The other wild card is the status of Cody McCormick moving into the future. I think he has earned the right to expect a roster spot when he can return from his concu...*cough* upper-body injury. So where does he fit into the mix? For all we know, somebody else will be hurt by then and the line carousel will continue.

The moral of the story is that this team is still working on building chemistry this season and it's natural to tinker. The additions of Hecht and Ennis *will* improve the skill level of our squad and the fact that we're improving on a 12 win team is all too reassuring.

So let's all just kick back, relax, and enjoy a shortened work week with Turkey day to soon follow. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from my neck of the suburbs.

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I like Ennis up with Boyes an Leino, and kaleta, gaustad, and gerbe is my favorite line to watch.

Thank you UFC fans. My name Stun Gun. I want GSP

by crinow on Nov 20, 2011 4:38 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions

Nice piece here Kris

Not gonna lie here – I’ve missed a bunch of games, more than I’d like. So please take my opinions and questions with a grain of salt here…

I know Hecht & Ennis are close to returning, but how close? From what I’ve heard and read, I’m not going to be optimistic, especially with Hecht. But when/if the time comes that they are both healthy and able, they make the team better.

I’d love to see Adam return with Vanek and Pominville, and I’m sure he would too.

I didn’t see the chemistry between Boyes and Leino. And I’m not high on Boyes as a center either. Maybe I’m wrong here.

I do like keeping that Gerbe-Goose-Kaleta line together. I think that line is underrated defensively.

So now I’m at two lines. And once Ennis comes back, I wouldn’t mind seeing a line of him, Roy, and Stafford. And that brings me then to pairing up Leino with Hecht and Boyes, which I don’t think is a bad 3A/3B line in itself.

My guesses here are just that – guesses. Lindy is gonna throw us all for a loop anyway,

by krytime on Nov 20, 2011 9:54 PM EST reply actions

tough call

I hate to see LIndy still experimenting a quarter of the way into the season, but I guess its necessary. Can’t complain about the top line, they have delivered, other than Roy’s giveaways at the point on the powerplay. Leino and Stafford have found some chemistry, that is to say they went from bad to merely mediocre. Ill back off them when they start lightin the lamp, remember Stafford scored 30 last season. As always, I love Gerbe’s toughness, but he to has to start taking advantage of opportunities. Kaleta is the only one looking solid on the forecheck on every shift. Is he the only one who can throw a body check on a regular basis? Gaustad has been good in the faceoff circle but not anywhere else. Luke Adam shows flashes of brilliance, then flashes of incompetence, if he can get consistent, he will be dangerous.
Overall, the forecheck has been weak. They have been losing 65-70 percent of the battles for the pucks in the corners on both offense and defense. We are lucky to have 12 wins. Maybe chemistry fixes thi,s maybe it doesnt. But remember, this team has to be held to a higher standard now and they haven’t met that standard yet. Wednesday night is huge when The Weasel and the Skid Marks come to Buffalo. What Sabre team shows up on Wednesday will tell us a lot about whether they are contenders or pretenders. Don’t underestimate the importance of this game. We will see how much heart they have.

by seamlessvoid on Nov 20, 2011 10:29 PM EST reply actions

well said seamless

I’m pretty sure Weasel and the Skid Marks had a hit album in the 70s – I think it was called ‘If You Have Streaks, I’ll Be Your Windex’ …just sayin

But honestly I cannot disagree one bit about the forecheck not being up to par as a team. This year’s team is a lot like last year’s, they underperform to their talent level too frequently. They should be downright dominant on defense…we see flashes of it but not over extended periods of time..several games..

With that said, I think we need to focus on not pressing any kind of alarm until we see this team by all-star weekend, maybe even into February….or until we drop into some 0-6-2 kind of funk. The truth of the matter is this team is still well above .500, fortunate or not, and they’ll need to be able to figure out how to straighten up their game at home. If they can’t do that by playoff crunch time then we may need to reevaluate our squad again. And in my opinion, heart would be a key component in what I would improve upon..

..But the best feeling about the Pegula era is that they won’t accept a team that isn’t putting points up in the standings..and they have the scratch (and the stones) to pay for pieces to the puzzle that we need. I haven’t felt the panic and the eventual let down of acquiring Bob Corkum or Dominic Moore at the trade deadline (jury’s still out on Boyes) …or the often told story of a little man who went by Danny or the guy who wore 23 before Leino with all the intangibles setting sail for greener pastures. I strongly doubt that we need to have that level of concern in the near future….and that’s a pretty good feeling.

In the meantime..the team just needs to keep improving the skills that need work and to keep it in-house.

by Kristopher Settle on Nov 20, 2011 11:59 PM EST up reply actions

Healthy Hecht

Great – trade him while he is healthy!

by Jay Blanchard on Nov 21, 2011 6:10 AM EST reply actions

Good point.

This team clearly has no use for a versatile, consistent, strong forechecking two-way forward.

by lgbfromoregon on Nov 21, 2011 1:01 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs

I would love to see

Vanek-Adam-Pominville
Leino-Roy-Ennis
Boyes-Hecht-Stafford
Gerbe-Gaustad-Kaleta

by tpsabres on Nov 21, 2011 8:59 AM EST reply actions

Leino-Roy-Ennis….no grit there. There’s plenty of sandpaper on the bottom two lines there to mix it up a little if you ask me.

"Starting today, the Buffalo Sabres' reason for existence will be to win a Stanley Cup" - Terry Pegula

by willgarr15 on Nov 21, 2011 10:18 AM EST up reply actions

Or switch Roy and Adam out – Luke adds a little size there, and grit if he puts his mind to it.

I like:
Vanek-Roy-Pommer
Leino-Adam-Staff
Gerbe-Goose-Kaleta
Hecht-Boyes-Ennis

Start Jochen out at wing while he gets back into the swing – he played his best at LW back with Danny and Pommer IMO. Not sure about Ennis on the right side, but hopefully they all start giving a better effort regardless of what lines are rolled. Tenacity and energy can and will beat out chemistry.

by BuffaloRepresent on Nov 21, 2011 12:21 PM EST up reply actions

I wouldn’t mind Roy and Adam switching, but I think Adam on the first line offers more balanced scoring. In my opinion Ennis needs to be on a top line and have creativity around him to succeed. Same with Leino, as he played his best with Briere last year. I feel like those two, combined with Roy, could be a really exciting line to watch. I prefer Hecht at center over Boyes mostly because I don’t want Boyes at center. However, playing center gives Hecht more defensive responsibilities, which is where I think he excels. But that might be what you’re trying to avoid when you say you want to get him back in the swing of things. Either way, I’m excited to see how the lines turn out now.

by tpsabres on Nov 21, 2011 1:32 PM EST up reply actions

I know I'll be in the small minority, if not by my self..

But if I’m Lindy, I’m having a hard time justifying the benching of Matt Ellis.

Everytime that line is on the ice, they are in the offensive zone, they are pushing the other team, and they are wearing that team down.

I know he isn’t scoring, but he gives +100% every shift, and brings intangibles to the team.

That said…you have to have Ennis in the lineup, so I’m not to sure who I’d have sit instead…Probably Hecht, I guess.

K-1 Level Predictions Team

by Fedorable on Nov 21, 2011 9:17 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

While I agree with you about Ellis, he simply is not good enough to warrant playing him over a healthy Ennis or Hecht, or pretty much anyone else. If everyone played as hard as Ellis every night, we’d be slaughtering teams. Too bad a guy who works as hard as Ellis isn’t more talented, because that guy wants it every second of every shift of every game. Great guy to have around, but just isn’t good enough to stick with a fully healthy squad.

"Starting today, the Buffalo Sabres' reason for existence will be to win a Stanley Cup" - Terry Pegula

by willgarr15 on Nov 21, 2011 10:20 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs

What about McCormick?

Once he, and Hecht and Ennis are healthy, who sits??

by joeysimms on Nov 21, 2011 10:47 AM EST reply actions

Your guess is good as mine. My feeling is that these things tend to work themselves out, i.e. someone else will be injured by the time we or Lindy have to deal with that scenario.

"Starting today, the Buffalo Sabres' reason for existence will be to win a Stanley Cup" - Terry Pegula

by willgarr15 on Nov 21, 2011 11:30 AM EST up reply actions

Depends on the team we play – I think Cody’s in there only if we may need to get rough. As in, Wednesday vs. Boston. He’s the scratch if everyone else is healthy. Regehr, Pat and Goose will have to provide the toughness if needed.

by BuffaloRepresent on Nov 21, 2011 12:24 PM EST up reply actions

Wild idea:

Stafford at center.

If he could learn some face-off skills from Goose, it might work. Might fit better with Boyes and Leino that way. He’s been a set-up man much more than he’s been a finisher this season.

by lassathrax on Nov 21, 2011 1:58 PM EST reply actions