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Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
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Author:  sabresindc [ Sat Oct 12, 2013 8:29 am ]
Post subject:  Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
Courtesy of the Buffalo News:

SABRES’ MYERS SEARCHING FOR PLUSES
CHICAGO — There are no slumped shoulders, no soft voice. Tyler Myers is meeting the questions head-on and standing tall while doing it, all 6-foot-8 of him.

But the improved body language belies what’s taking place on the ice. The former first-round draft choice is playing like a bottom-pair defenseman again, looking far too much like the confused, out-of-shape player he was during last year’s lockout-shortened season.

A full summer of physical and mental training has left Myers’ conditioning no longer in question. But improvement has been slow. The Sabres’ pop-gun offense is the main reason they’re 0-4-1 and have the worst record in the NHL.

But dissection of Myers’ play because of his size – and bloated $38.5 million contract signed in 2011 – is a daily topic in Sabreland. Poor reviews so far.

Myers was a complete spectator on Tampa Bay’s overtime winning goal Tuesday and was a minus-3 with partner Mike Weber during the first period of Buffalo’s 4-1 loss to Columbus on Thursday night. He’s already minus-7 for the season and Sabres fans everywhere are wincing at the thought of what disaster lurks tonight in the United Center, when the Sabres play the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks.

“It’s a great opportunity for us,” Myers said Friday after practice in First Niagara Center before the team flew to the Windy City. “We’re in a tough spot to start the season. To go into the defending champs’ home arena to try to get our first win is a great opportunity for us to start some real momentum. It’s going to take hard work. It’s not going to come easy. Especially against those guys, we’re going to have to compete.”

That’s for sure.

Myers talked after Thursday’s game about how he understands better in his fifth year in the league about quickly resetting after a tough night, and this schedule doesn’t allow the Sabres to fret.

After tonight’s game, they have four games next week, starting with Jason Pominville’s return Monday against Minnesota. Then a quick trip to the Nassau Coliseum for a game Tuesday night against the New York Islanders is followed by home games against Vancouver on Thursday and Colorado on Saturday.

Conversely, the Sabres hope the Hawks’ schedule is something they can take advantage of. The Hawks lost Wednesday at St. Louis, 3-2, and hosted the New York Islanders Friday night, so tonight’s game will be their third in four nights.

But that’s really grasping for straws on Buffalo’s part. The Sabres are last overall in the NHL with one point, have a league-low five goals in five games and entered Friday with New Jersey as the only teams without a win.

In the preseason, Myers looked refreshed. He played with a swagger, a confidence in carrying the puck out of his zone and making plays heading down the ice.

It’s gone away. Quickly.

In the last couple of years, he might have quibbled about such an observation. Not Friday. Myers acknowledged he “got back into old habits” against the Blue Jackets, including getting outfought at the crease for a loose puck on the visitors’ first goal and making a bad pinch that led to a two-on-one and a killer third goal in the final two minutes of the opening period.

“For me, it’s a matter of not forcing things,” said Myers. “It’s just a matter of really staying focused on letting the game come to me and that’s what I need to do going forward here. Once we start competing the way we know we can, stuff will start happening for everybody.”

“A lot of it is just in the details,” said coach Ron Rolston. “Awareness and stick position and body position. All those things are details they’ve got to do consistently and right now we just haven’t done them consistently, especially those two guys.”

Myers skated with Alexander Sulzer during Friday’s practice while Weber (minus-8) was with Nikita Zadorov, the rookie on the mend from a pinky injury.

That would seem to indicate that Weber could be a scratch tonight. Rolston would only smirk and not confirm a move with Sulzer when he was asked Friday.

“We’ll see,” Rolston said. “He’s practiced real well. He’s one of the best puck movers and passers we have. Quite possibly.”

While Myers seems to have escaped the press box this time, he could be on a short leash.

It would be easy to simply flip-flop Myers and Weber as scratches, and the Sabres still have to decide what to do with Zadorov when he’s healthy. They could give him his nine-game junior tryout before returning him to London of the OHL.

With this team’s record, anything is possible.

“It’s certainly not the start we wanted,” Myers said. “It’s a situtation we’re in and we’re going to have to work that much harder to get out of it.”
Author:  Skyline_BNR34 [ Sun Oct 13, 2013 1:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
Myers is the reason for our loss tonight.
Author:  sabretoothpick [ Sun Oct 13, 2013 6:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
The Myers discussion reminds me a lot of Stafford a few years back. Promising player with great potential but he doesn't use it, gets called soft but some people think he'll come around.

His contract makes him untradeable anyway, so we'll probably have to wait and see. I just feel he would be great in a team like Detroit.

The number of bad contracts on the Sabres team is getting bigger. Stafford, Leino, Myers.
Author:  ironyisadeadscene [ Sun Oct 13, 2013 7:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
Skyline_BNR34 wrote:
Myers is the reason for our loss tonight.


no he wasnt.
Author:  Skyline_BNR34 [ Sun Oct 13, 2013 9:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
ironyisadeadscene wrote:
Skyline_BNR34 wrote:
Myers is the reason for our loss tonight.


no he wasnt.

No shit he wasn't. He wasn't even on the ice during those goals.

But every time the Sabres lose everyone seems to blame Myers, just continuing the trend.
Author:  sabresindc [ Mon Oct 14, 2013 12:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
Skyline_BNR34 wrote:
ironyisadeadscene wrote:
Skyline_BNR34 wrote:
Myers is the reason for our loss tonight.


no he wasnt.

No shit he wasn't. He wasn't even on the ice during those goals.

But every time the Sabres lose everyone seems to blame Myers, just continuing the trend.

Um, he has the third worse +/- in the league.... Better only than Girardi and our very one Mike Weber who currently has the worse +/- in the league. I'm just amazed that Rolston is still playing either of them.

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Author:  ironyisadeadscene [ Mon Oct 14, 2013 12:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
what do you want his +/- to be when the sabres cant score either?
Author:  sabresindc [ Mon Oct 14, 2013 12:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
If that's the case, then why is Ehrhoff a +2 with a team high 25:40 TOI/G
Author:  BlueandYellow [ Mon Oct 14, 2013 1:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
Because he's on the ice when we score...
Author:  ksquier89 [ Mon Oct 14, 2013 1:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
Maybe because Christian makes plays?!
Author:  BlueandYellow [ Mon Oct 14, 2013 1:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
Lemme tell you, Girardi is such an AWFUL defensemen...
Author:  Vanek_Fanatic_26 [ Mon Oct 14, 2013 1:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
sabresindc wrote:
If that's the case, then why is Ehrhoff a +2 with a team high 25:40 TOI/G


+/- means nothing more than Christian Ehrhoff was simply on the ice when the Sabres score 5-on-5. It doesn't mean he actually had anything to do with that, it just means he was out there when that happened.
Author:  sabresindc [ Mon Oct 14, 2013 2:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
Vanek_Fanatic_26 wrote:
sabresindc wrote:
If that's the case, then why is Ehrhoff a +2 with a team high 25:40 TOI/G


+/- means nothing more than Christian Ehrhoff was simply on the ice when the Sabres score 5-on-5. It doesn't mean he actually had anything to do with that, it just means he was out there when that happened.


So he's on the ice more when the Sabres score than when score upon...

and a minus number usually means they're out there when they are scored upon.... correct?????
Author:  Vanek_Fanatic_26 [ Mon Oct 14, 2013 2:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
sabresindc wrote:
Vanek_Fanatic_26 wrote:
sabresindc wrote:
If that's the case, then why is Ehrhoff a +2 with a team high 25:40 TOI/G


+/- means nothing more than Christian Ehrhoff was simply on the ice when the Sabres score 5-on-5. It doesn't mean he actually had anything to do with that, it just means he was out there when that happened.


So he's on the ice more when the Sabres score than when score upon...

and a minus number usually means they're out there when they are scored upon.... correct?????


Yes, but that doesn't mean they had anything to do with why it happened. It's simply a stat. It's not a telling stat. A player could have simply stepped out on to the ice as the goal is scored. I don't think that's the case with Ehrhoff, but it's not a stat that can be used long-term.
Author:  ksquier89 [ Mon Oct 14, 2013 3:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
If he is a plus then that means he is helping put in more goals then let in. A pretty telling stat for a defensemen. More so then forwards. He is making plays and is playing better defense, allowing less goals, then the other defensemen.
Author:  Vanek_Fanatic_26 [ Mon Oct 14, 2013 3:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
ksquier89 wrote:
If he is a plus then that means he is helping put in more goals then let in. A pretty telling stat for a defensemen. More so then forwards. He is making plays and is playing better defense, allowing less goals, then the other defensemen.


He is simply on the ice for those goals. Doesn't mean he helped the play in any way. That's all the stat tells. It doesn't show how he did it. It's very limited because of that. It's also limited in that goals are a rare event for hockey games. As of the 2012-2013 season, the NHL averages just over 5 goals per game, which isn't a whole lot. It's too infrequent of an event for it to be telling.

His Corsi percentage in close situations (39%, 39 Corsi for, 61 Corsi against) is pretty terrible. The most egregious to me is that of his -7, six goals against have been in close-game situations. That's really bad.

Edit: Forgot to add. He's been on the ice for no goals scored in close situations. That may just be bad luck, though. His PDO is at an 81.8, suggesting he could be much better but simply hasn't had any luck in close game situations.
Author:  Skyline_BNR34 [ Mon Oct 14, 2013 4:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
sabresindc wrote:
Skyline_BNR34 wrote:
ironyisadeadscene wrote:
Skyline_BNR34 wrote:
Myers is the reason for our loss tonight.


no he wasnt.

No shit he wasn't. He wasn't even on the ice during those goals.

But every time the Sabres lose everyone seems to blame Myers, just continuing the trend.

Um, he has the third worse +/- in the league.... Better only than Girardi and our very one Mike Weber who currently has the worse +/- in the league. I'm just amazed that Rolston is still playing either of them.

I know the stats, but I said Myers was not on the ice during both of Chicago's goals, which is correct.

So he has no reason to be blamed for our loss to Chicago. I was honestly hoping the first person to respond wouldn't of been Mike, seeing how he actually knew Myers had nothing to do with the goals, I was hoping it was you because you clearly marked him once again as the Scapegoat for that game when it he was on the bench.

The game he got a negative three wasn't bad playing. Missing a reaction by a split second happens, had Myers got the puck first it wasn't a goal and would go around saying the same for the offensive player. Their second goal Myers blocked the pass from going across but it hit Weber's skate and went in, how is that his fault too? Their third, he pinched which caused a two-on-one, but Weber was back there and just got outlasted, the passer waited and waited until the right time, which is also a bad testament to the backcheck on everyone else too.

And when you're dead last in the league at goals a game, more often than not you're going to have a bad plus/minus. Especially since our goal differential is -10.
Author:  sabresindc [ Mon Oct 14, 2013 8:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
Skyline_BNR34 wrote:
sabresindc wrote:
Skyline_BNR34 wrote:
ironyisadeadscene wrote:
Skyline_BNR34 wrote:
Myers is the reason for our loss tonight.


no he wasnt.

No shit he wasn't. He wasn't even on the ice during those goals.

But every time the Sabres lose everyone seems to blame Myers, just continuing the trend.

Um, he has the third worse +/- in the league.... Better only than Girardi and our very one Mike Weber who currently has the worse +/- in the league. I'm just amazed that Rolston is still playing either of them.

I know the stats, but I said Myers was not on the ice during both of Chicago's goals, which is correct.

So he has no reason to be blamed for our loss to Chicago. I was honestly hoping the first person to respond wouldn't of been Mike, seeing how he actually knew Myers had nothing to do with the goals, I was hoping it was you because you clearly marked him once again as the Scapegoat for that game when it he was on the bench.

The game he got a negative three wasn't bad playing. Missing a reaction by a split second happens, had Myers got the puck first it wasn't a goal and would go around saying the same for the offensive player. Their second goal Myers blocked the pass from going across but it hit Weber's skate and went in, how is that his fault too? Their third, he pinched which caused a two-on-one, but Weber was back there and just got outlasted, the passer waited and waited until the right time, which is also a bad testament to the backcheck on everyone else too.

And when you're dead last in the league at goals a game, more often than not you're going to have a bad plus/minus. Especially since our goal differential is -10.

I don't know why you're cross hairs are on me right now but where did I say the Myers was the reason we lost in Chicago? I reviewed ALL my three posts on the Chicago GDT and it had NOTHING to do with Myers...... I posted an article from the Buffalo News about Myers. The reason why I keep hitting on Myers is because HE HAS SUCKED after his first year. The Sabres are paying him like he is a some great defensmen when he SUCKS....plain SUCKS. His defense down the middle is weak (mainly poke checks), his decision making is usually horrendous, and rarely uses his size. He doesn't deserve $38 million dollars.

I will give him a compliment, his skating does seem to be better.
Author:  BagBoy [ Mon Oct 14, 2013 8:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
Sky, I hate to say it, but the fact that you have had to defend Myers about 5 times a day since this season started should be a clue that Myers has actually sucked, and sucked consistently.
Author:  BlueandYellow [ Mon Oct 14, 2013 8:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sabres Myers Searching for Pluses
Nobody attacks Weber and everything being said can be applied to him. The +/-, everything. People need a scapegoat, and the fact is that while Myers hasn't been great, he isn't the reason for the Sabres' woes. He isn't *terrible*. It's the Sabres' offense, primarily.
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