Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff wants his players to show more desperation in the offensive zone, and he laid out a unique idea to make it happen.
"Stick the puck in your teeth and dive into the net headfirst," Ruff told Jourdon LaBarber of Sabres.com ahead of Monday night's road game against the Calgary Flames.
All joking aside, the longtime NHL coach is clearly growing tired of the Sabres' unwillingness to fight for space in the most dangerous areas of the ice.
"You look at the couple situations where the puck was loose in their crease in Winnipeg, I didn't think our desperation was good enough," Ruff said.
Buffalo's listless 4-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets was a perfect example as the Blue and Gold generated 35 shots on goal but you could've counted the number of truly prime scoring chances on one hand. A little more quality over quantity would go a long way for the struggling squad.
The lack of desperation is why the Sabres own last place in the Eastern Conference with 26 points (11-13-14 record). No other team in the East has less than 30 points.
It puts a lot of pressure on Ruff's group to showcase a sustained turnaround in the near future. For now, let's dive into the newest installment of our Sabres player grades series.
Few standouts as the Buffalo Sabres fail to show up in Dec. 5 loss to the Winnipeg Jets
Sabres player grades
Player | Grade (1-10) |
|---|---|
Jason Zucker | 8 |
Rasmus Dahlin | 7.5 |
Owen Power | 7 |
Mattias Samuelsson | 7 |
Jack Quinn | 6 |
Peyton Krebs | 5.5 |
Ryan McLeod | 5.5 |
Josh Norris | 5.5 |
Beck Malenstyn | 5 |
Zach Benson | 5 |
Jordan Greenway | 5 |
Tage Thompson | 4.5 |
Jacob Bryson | 4.5 |
Alex Tuch | 4 |
Conor Timmins | 4 |
Noah Ostlund | 3.5 |
Bowen Byram | 3 |
Josh Doan | 3 |
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | 2.5 |
Buffalo Player of the Game: Jason Zucker
Zucker has been on a roll since returning from injury. The veteran winger has recorded nine points (five goals and four assists) in eight games, and he's lit the lamp in each of the Sabres' past three contests, which brings his goal total to 30 in 93 appearances since joining Buffalo before last season.
It's fitting his goal against the Jets represented exactly what Ruff is seeking from his forwards. The 33-year-old California native set himself up on the top of the crease on the power play and got a few whacks on the puck before it finally found the net.
The Sabres have a few other players who've shown a willingness to attack the inner slot, namely Josh Doan and Zach Benson (though their finishing has been underwhelming), but too many players on the roster have become comfortable taking long-range, low-danger shots.
That's why Zucker is so valuable to Buffalo despite his 5-on-5 defensive shortcomings. Nobody else on the team has proven capable of finding consistent success in that net-front role.
Sabres quick hits
- Once again, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams takes the easy way out by sending Noah Ostlund to the AHL's Rochester Americans rather than clearing out the three-goalie logjam or waiving a veteran forward.
- Rasmus Dahlin continues to play at a high level, but the Sabres need some fellow defensemen to raise their offensive performance, especially Owen Power.
- Ryan McLeod hasn't been playing poorly, but Buffalo needs more from the center.
- Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen with another lackluster showing. For every strong UPL start, there are two or three that suggest he's not the Sabres' goaltender of the future.
- Faceoff between Buffalo and Calgary is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET on Monday night as the Blue and Gold continue their so far fruitless six-game road trip.