Injury Report: Hecht out "Weeks"

[Paradigm]

Originally Posted by aaronin

This is what I'm thinking too. I do not want to see Ennis playing top 2 lines during his first playoff game. I don't think he brings any of the things that we lose when Hecht is out.

and besides, Torres is a proven commodity with significant cup run experience. We need to use him tonight.

The Colorado kids did just fine last night. The energy that Ennis brings could be very contagious.

I like trying out Torres in Hecht's spot, but like my previous post, I think Kennedy could be a good fit there, too.

Line-up options:

Torres/Kennedy-Connolly-Pominville
Ennis-Roy-Vanek
Kennedy/Torres-Gaustad-Grier/Kaleta
Ellis-Mair-Kaleta/Grier

Mix and match to create some effective lines.

[Penalty Killa]

this means one thing: it's torres time, b!tches.

[Tsujimoto]

Originally Posted by Buffaloed

It's just a pinkie finger. Amputate the damn thing. This is the playoffs!

Yeah, it worked for Henrik Sedin. Look how much better he's done without that pesky fingertip!

[GrigsAndGirgs]

Originally Posted by aaronin

last year I feel like I would have been elated for him to have been out for a young guy in his place, but this is rough, he is perhaps the one forward whose style of play is the perfect example of what is required in playoff hockey.

I'm looking at Torres right now, as he is the guy I think has the best skillset to come in and replace Hecht.

Torres isn't a Hecht replacement. His game is much more physical and he does not bring the defensive game Hecht does (then again, nobody on this team save maybe Grier does that). But we need his A-game regardless.

Gaustad is going to have to take a bigger role on the PK, if he can provide solid PK'ing that will go a long way to lessening this blow. The guy who I think can really help dampen the blow from losing Hecht's offense more than Torres is Kennedy. Timmy is going to get top 6 minutes and if he can produce with it that will be huge.

[dire wolf]

Originally Posted by Jame

Torres needs to step up... I'd like to see Torres on the Connolly line

Torres-Connolly-Poms
Kennedy-Roy-Vanek
Kaleta-Goose-Grier
Mair-Ellis-Ennis

I like moving Torres up, but Mair-Ellis-Ennis seems like a pointless line to me.

[Kruschiki]

Originally Posted by Chainshot

Pretty much. Losing him is a substantial blow.

I don't agree it is substantial. He's enough of a role player where it gives someone else an opportunity to step up. It's not like Connolly or Vanek, where the skill is irreplaceable.

[Irving Zisman]

Originally Posted by Placek

I don't agree it is substantial. He's enough of a role player where it gives someone else an opportunity to step up. It's not like Connolly or Vanek, where the skill is irreplaceable.

IMO his skill set is irreplaceable. No one else brings the two-way game and puck control/cycle abilities down low and in the corners as well as he does

[Chainshot]

Originally Posted by Placek

I don't agree it is substantial. He's enough of a role player where it gives someone else an opportunity to step up. It's not like Connolly or Vanek, where the skill is irreplaceable.

And yet his ability on the forecheck to control play deep in the other team's zone, to be defensively responsible with the puck, and his playoff ability as a shadow on skilled players are all things proven and now left in unknown quantities. I'd rather have him than not.

[Corto]

Originally Posted by Placek

I don't agree it is substantial. He's enough of a role player where it gives someone else an opportunity to step up. It's not like Connolly or Vanek, where the skill is irreplaceable.

He's not just a role player, he's a glue guy.
And arguably, that glue guy's been the best forward this season, certainly the most consistent one.

It's not that he's excellent defensively, his style of play is pretty unique on this team, and there's a reason any semblance of a proper #1 line in the past 8 years in Buffalo featured Hecht on it - he compliments the more offensive guys well while still being able to chip in offensively.

It's a big loss, IMO.

And ain't it a stinker, 3 games before the playoffs.
30 games? Np np, have time to heal.
79 games healthy, then BLAM.

****.

[LegomyLeggio]

Originally Posted by Buffaloed

It's just a pinkie finger. Amputate the damn thing. This is the playoffs!

I wonder if it's his top hand or bottom hand.

If it's his bottom hand, he definitely needs to go Ronnie Lott on the pinky!