JJFIVEOH

I am more impatient with Houlsey's approach. He is soft and a wimp. Regardless of our weak coach, we shouldn't have expected playoffs this year. I didn't. Of course it's going to be unfortunate that we're going to be the second team in NHL history to have a 10 game winning streak and not make the playoffs. I'm not going to judge JBotts just yet. But I have lost my patience with Housley and would love to have Q-Ville or Nolan behind the bench.

I grew up in East Aurora and saw some days in the minus single digits. Last year saw several days here in the positive single digits. I can't imagine -68 wind chill. Unless you live in Alaska or northern Canada and are prepared for it, that could be deadly.

You all in the northern midwest, and in Buffalo take care. We have a winter storm warning here, but we're not going to see ANYTHING like you're all gonna get. I've seen highs predicted in many areas that are in negative numbers. I even saw predictions of wind chills as low a -68. What's gonna suck here is we're going to get our snow when it's borderline freezing so everything will be coated in ice.......... again. But highs in the negative digits, and all time record low predicted in so many areas......... take the day off, start a fire and watch some hockey. Even places like Buffalo can't expect people to work in what they're expecting.

That's a fair point, waiting until the offseason when players can be had for cheaper. It's unfortunate we have to wait until next year to become a playoff team. But, I think it's inevitable.

I can see holding on to first round picks if you only have one of them, like every team does. You need to build your depth. But, if you're a team like the Sabres who might possibly have three of them this year, use one or two of them to get immediate secondary scoring and still have one or two left to plan for the future. This team in unlikely to make the playoffs this year, but if you can get immediate secondary scoring and make them a playoff team next year, and still have enough draft picks to only make them stronger in a couple of years, do it! The trade deadline and offseason is going to Bots defining moment. This is where we see if he is worth it.

Jerk. ?

Playing Ullmark back to back on nights when there aren't back to back games isn't what Housley does. I wonder if he's actually grown some balls, or he thinks his job might be on the line. Noting against Hutton, just like to see it.

Can you believe after this just two months ago that Trochek is a game time decision tonight?

I'm not going to pretend to think the Sabres were going to make the playoffs this year. But if you're lucky enough to have a 10 game win streak, you'd better have a good enough coach to get you there. He's soft, doesn't stick up for his team and sits back takes it. I'm fed up with him. The Sabres have consistently hired coaches who were labeled as "teachers". The last time we had a coach that had some balls and made the team show up night after night was Ted Nolan. Hire somebody with Balls. Goober didn't have any. Rolston didn't have any. Housley doesn't have any.

It's no secret that Housley is the biggest ***** in the NHL. But, why in the hell is Hutton still the starter?

Don't give them that much credit. I'd say they are more Barnum & Bailey.

Housley has to go. I'm sorry, no support for his team to criticize the officials after this fiasco is unacceptable. I've been criticizing him for being soft ever since he came to Buffalo. He proved it even more tonight. It wouldn't have made a difference in the outcome because refs rarely reverse their calls, but at least have the balls to call them out and show your players you have their side. It used to be when teams had two assistant coaches, now it's closer to four and five. They should be the ones to set up strategy and the head coach is the cheerleader. Where is Ted Nolan?

After getting completely hosed this game by the officials, Housley just sat back and took it. At some point a coach needs to stop being a ***** and stand up for his team. I'm losing my patience with him.

Is that Frank Reich or Mandy Pantinkin?

It's all starting to even out. They got to this point with many good bounces. When they were winning games, they were barely doing it. Rarely did they dominate anybody, and now odds are starting to come into play.

Here's the problem. I never expected the Sabres to make the playoffs this year. Then again, I never expected them to win 10 straight. Now, they may become only the 2nd team in NHL history to have a 10 game win streak and not make the playoffs................ Now that's embarrassing.

Neither can the rest of the team.

I didn't realize he was playing.

Hutton is 2-6-2 in his last 10. Ullmark has two regulation losses all season. Can somebody tell me why Hutton keeps getting the majority of the starts?

The O'Reilly deal was worth it. The Ennis deal could have been worth it if it weren't for his concussion issues. Hodgson lead the team in points at least once that I know of. And Ehrhoff was fairly young when they signed him so $4mil/year was worth it at the time. Tavares carried Moulson and Okposo on his back. They apparently weren't as talented as most thought. Those were bad deals. Leino......... that was the worst of them all. Skinner has proven himself year after year to be a pure goal scorer and he's still young. Leino was signed to his massive deal because of one good post-season. That was stupid.

Fair point. He could just be in a slump and his head issues really aren't a problem. I'd like to see him turn it around and he very might. Only problem I have is he is probably a great leader. Unfortunately a very expensive leader with long term. He ain't going anywhere because nobody will take on that contract. So we're going to have to give him the benefit of the doubt. I haven't looked at the buyout calculator, but it might be much more beneficial if they can wait one more year. Which would give time to find out if he is in a slump or if his career really is done.

Thank you. I think P-Ville would be a great veteran presence despite his declining stats. Ville was brought in to actually make a difference offensively..

The Devils just put Cory Schneider on IR, claiming he was injured. To me it's rather suspicious considering he's had 1 win in his last 21 regular season games and he has a $6million cap hit for the next four years. I hate to find loopholes in rules, but if others are doing it why can't we? With Okposo's recent head issues, what's to say they can't put him on IR and free up cap space?

I'm guessing 8.75 mil for 8 years. Considering he's already getting close to 6 million, with Moulson's contract coming of next year, there won't be much of a loss. That's also including P-Ville's close to 6 million. Even if he re-signs, it won't be for close to 6 million. Might be a one or two year deal for 2 million per year.

I don't think they dropped down the rankings because of them. I think they got lucky, and very fortunate, to have that win streak. The problem isn't them, it's the lack of secondary scoring. Nice to see Pilut and CJ get their first goal last game, hence the win. They will have secondary scoring soon. But you can't break up what might be the best line in the NHL in hopes of creating more secondary scoring. You just have to wait for the secondary scorers to mature and provide, It will happen. I'm going to hate it when they don't make the playoffs, but this is a serious turnaround from what we've been watching. I expect to be a contender very soon, but at this point I'm just happy to be entertained. Sabres and Panthers are my 1A and 1B teams, what I'm seeing out of the Sabres now is what I saw out of the Panthers the second half of last year. Now, what I'm seeing out of the Panthers is just garbage. But, that's a different story for another day. Probably better for it to be in around the NHL.