"I haven't got a set rotation now. My main focus has been to have both goaltenders contribute. I really want to get Ryan going. If he's feeling comfortable, playing well and not tired, I'm going to try to play him a little more and see if that helps him. Obviously Jhonas (Enroth), before last game, went through a real tough stretch too. It was good to see that both guys can help us put points on the board. Really my main focus, and I know we've got a lot of hockey coming up here, would be to try to get Ryan on a run and let him run with it."
is anyone really surprised by this? Miller is the franchise and Ruff believes in him more than any other player so he will ride Miller until the wheels come off.
is anyone really surprised by this? Miller is the franchise and Ruff believes in him more than any other player so he will ride Miller until the wheels come off.
Look at Enroth's numbers in his last two starts in Raleigh. Then look at the schedule and see a back-to-back on Friday and Saturday. Then look at the standings and see that Saturday's game is against a team you're in direct competition with for a playoff spot, so you could have a rested Miller for that more important game.
Then look at Lindy Ruff being an obstinent a-hole.
"I haven't got a set rotation now. My main focus has been to have both goaltenders contribute. I really want to get Ryan going. If he's feeling comfortable, playing well and not tired, I'm going to try to play him a little more and see if that helps him. Obviously Marty (Biron), before last game, went through a real tough stretch too. It was good to see that both guys can help us put points on the board. Really my main focus, and I know we've got a lot of hockey coming up here, would be to try to get Ryan on a run and let him run with it."
January 2006 & January 2007
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruff on WGR550
"I haven't got a set rotation now. My main focus has been to have both goaltenders contribute. I really want to get Ryan going. If he's feeling comfortable, playing well and not tired, I'm going to try to play him a little more and see if that helps him. Obviously Jocelyn (Thibault), before last game, went through a real tough stretch too. It was good to see that both guys can help us put points on the board. Really my main focus, and I know we've got a lot of hockey coming up here, would be to try to get Ryan on a run and let him run with it."
January 2008
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruff on WGR550
"I haven't got a set rotation now. My main focus has been to have both goaltenders contribute. I really want to get Ryan going. If he's feeling comfortable, playing well and not tired, I'm going to try to play him a little more and see if that helps him. Obviously Patty (Lalime), before last game, went through a real tough stretch too. It was good to see that both guys can help us put points on the board. Really my main focus, and I know we've got a lot of hockey coming up here, would be to try to get Ryan on a run and let him run with it."
January 2009 & January 2010
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruff on WGR550
"I haven't got a set rotation now. My main focus has been to have both goaltenders contribute. I really want to get Ryan going. If he's feeling comfortable, playing well and not tired, I'm going to try to play him a little more and see if that helps him. Obviously Jhonas (Enroth), before last game, went through a real tough stretch too. It was good to see that both guys can help us put points on the board. Really my main focus, and I know we've got a lot of hockey coming up here, would be to try to get Ryan on a run and let him run with it."
January 2011
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruff on WGR550
"I haven't got a set rotation now. My main focus has been to have both goaltenders contribute. I really want to get Ryan going. If he's feeling comfortable, playing well and not tired, I'm going to try to play him a little more and see if that helps him. Obviously both Jhonas (Enroth) and Ryan, before last game, went through a real tough stretch too. It was good to see that both guys can help us put points on the board. Really my main focus, and I know we've got a lot of hockey coming up here, would be to try to trade Ryan, and let Jonas Hiller run with it."
is anyone really surprised by this? Miller is the franchise and Ruff believes in him more than any other player so he will ride Miller until the wheels come off.
Yup - the same formula that's worked so well for the Sabres for the past 5 years.
But, hey, why not try it again? Burning out Miller to make the playoffs, only to become roadkill in the 1st round, at least puts an end to the media questions about who's starting from game to game, right?.
- The Sabres to make the playoffs and have a chance.
OR
- The Sabres miss the playoffs and have a rested goaltender.
No matter what Ruff does here, people are going to complain about it.
I want:
-the Sabres to play better team defense so that both goalies have a better shot at winning whenever they play.
-Enroth to close his 5-hole better.
-Miller to protect the high corners better.
- The Sabres to make the playoffs and have a chance.
OR
- The Sabres miss the playoffs and have a rested goaltender.
No matter what Ruff does here, people are going to complain about it.
I want Ruff to use the backup goaltender who has played well when he hasn't had to string together several starts in a row, especially when we're playing back-to-backs. I want Ruff to look at things like how players have performed against certain teams and in certain buildings.
Neither is a significant sample size, but that's what you have to work with. Who knows why Carolina has struggled in two games against Enroth. Maybe Jhonas sees the puck well in that building. Maybe Carolina struggles with his unconventional style. Whatever it is, it's worked in two starts, so stick with it. Heading into a back-to-back, why not ride Enroth's white hot play in that building and then come back with a rested Miller against Winnipeg? Makes sense to me.
Past performance does not guarantee future results. Just because a particular player has performed well in the past in a given building in the past doesn't mean that player will continue to do so.
The book is out on Enroth. He played well against Ottawa, but didn't get the win. I'd like to say he deserved it, but nobody gives Miller the same consideration when the team doesn't show up for him, so I'm not going to now.
This hockey team is playing like trash right now. Neither goalie can stop this slide on his own, so Ruff is betting that the one with the larger body of work is going to give him the best chance to win games. I have no problem with that.
Past performance does not guarantee future results. Just because a particular player has performed well in the past in a given building in the past doesn't mean that player will continue to do so.
I agree with all that. At the same time, why not say to Carolina that we're going to play him against you until you can beat him, at least in the regular season? Maybe he's in their head a little bit. But he's succeeded there, and I'm a firm believer in playing certain matchups when you have them, especially when it makes sense in a back-to-back context.
Look, it's a back-to-back. Most every team now plays both goaltenders in their back-to-backs, especially when they have a strong backup, which Enroth is.
If Miller starts every beck to back from here on out, I think it's dumb, and Ruff should rightly be criticized.
Until that happens, this is just a tempest in a teapot, and premptive Lindy bashing. Lindy is saying he wants to get Miller going. He's that franchise goalie. That's what he SHOULD be doing. If Enroth is stapled to the pine for 15 games, then people should be jumping on Ruff. Not now.
I want:
-the Sabres to play better team defense so that both goalies have a better shot at winning whenever they play.
-Enroth to close his 5-hole better.
-Miller to protect the high corners better.
This. Really bad turnovers in their own zone and on top of that both goalies always letting in softies.
I wouldn't mind seeing Miller traded personally hes being paid nearly 5x that of Enroth to show hes no better than him, if not worse this year. Its gotten to the point where I joke around because Miller hasn't let in at least 3 goals yet in a game.
is anyone really surprised by this? Miller is the franchise and Ruff believes in him more than any other player so he will ride Miller until the wheels come off.
Makes sense to me. The Sabres can't do any damage in the playoffs if they don't get there and I don't see it happening unless they get Miller going. He's only played in 23 of the first 39 games. Fatigue should be a non-factor at this point.
- The Sabres to make the playoffs and have a chance.
OR
- The Sabres miss the playoffs and have a rested goaltender.
No matter what Ruff does here, people are going to complain about it.
Those aren't the only options. Playing Miller 3 out of every 4, which is what most of us want/wanted anyway, could get you in the playoffs with a non-exhausted goalie. And there are other options beyond that, too.
Past performance does not guarantee future results. Just because a particular player has performed well in the past in a given building in the past doesn't mean that player will continue to do so.
The book is out on Enroth. He played well against Ottawa, but didn't get the win. I'd like to say he deserved it, but nobody gives Miller the same consideration when the team doesn't show up for him, so I'm not going to now.
This hockey team is playing like trash right now. Neither goalie can stop this slide on his own, so Ruff is betting that the one with the larger body of work is going to give him the best chance to win games. I have no problem with that.
You do realize he made 44 saves on 46 shots right? If that was Miller most people would probably say "See that's why hes our starter."
