SABRES 0311

DG doesn’t want to “punish” guys. I believe that’s what he said in a previous interview.

You can really only laugh at this point. This team is worse than last year. GM and coach are woefully out of their depth. A completely mismanaged roster.

Even if we beat a team like VGK 10-0 next game, the Sabres are pure dog ****.

0 shots after seven minutes? See ya DG.

Krebs coasting once he hits the defensive blue line. Could’ve had a better chance blocking the goal if he kept skating.

Not a must win. It’s a better ******* win!

I think playing below the goal line would be great to draw PKers below the top of the faceoff circles. Dahlin or TT sneaking into that open area with Tuch screening would be nice chance. Mitts takes it behind the goal line. PK collapses towards the net. Half wall guy takes the pass and immediately dishes it to the open man (Dahlin/TT) at the top of the circle for a one-timer. Gotta have that man in front of the net stay his ground though.

IMO, they over pass because they don’t move their feet. The point man (usually Dahlin/Power) moves with the puck but everyone else is static. Its like they are waiting for the PKers to just move out of position without giving them a reason. It doesn’t facilitate the half wall one-timer they keep trying. Move the bumper into a screening position. Shoot low from the point for a deflection. PK collapses to the net. Rebounds deflect to the corner/half walls. With a collapsed PK you have two points and maybe one winger open with space.

What bothers me about the PP is how slow puck movement is. I may be wrong but the idea is to pull the PKers out of their positions to stretch them apart. This opens passing and shooting lanes. Puck carriers tend to hold the puck a little longer allowing the PKers to shift and adjust as a unit.

I’m not saying they should tank or anything like that. I’m saying KA needs to reassess his off season actions. I believe he thought last year’s roster could make the playoffs this year which is why he didn’t make any significant moves. At present the team is not just losing, they seem fragile. When I watched the Cozens interview, the kid looked and sounded terrible. Not just because the game just ended but mentally he is drained. Another example is OP looks like he has no idea what he’s doing and is just winging it. Against Detroit I saw a forward skate the puck around the backside of our net. Three Sabres waved their sticks at him and nobody tried taking the body. Joker was one of them. This team is broken mentally. We are seeing the beginning of a new losing culture stemming from no structure and no mentorship. If this continues I think we will see another instance where players are traded for picks in order to rebuild again. Or, KA can stop falling in love with prospects, use them as currency, and bring in some meaningful pieces now to correct the ship. This means going back and doing what should’ve happened last summer. Whether it’s now or later, not all of our high end picks and top six forwards will remain.

Its more of a realization that the primary goal is less likely to be achieved because the smaller, supporting goals were not achieved. This organization needs to go back a few steps in the plan and restart there. Making the playoffs this year’s goal will draw attention away from fixing what was left to fester.

It’s not that bad. After a couple seasons of suffering, whips, chains, safe words, and leather masks replaced game day jerseys.

Was already a fan. Started paying more attention to strategy and systems since joining SS. Became somewhat more aware of stats. Not the fancy ones that involve witchcraft.

OP is directionless. I don’t know why. The kid is everywhere except where he needs to be on the ice. I’m sure there is some fancy stat that says he’s good to go. Probably something that incorporates the day of the week and a waning or waxing moon. If the coaching staff can’t/won’t reign him in then a top four experienced partner might have to. When Dahlin was out of sorts there was still something about his game you could see made him special. I don’t see it with OP but maybe others do.

Here are the goaltending tandems for each team. I would target a team with a three headed monster first. If that fails I’d talk to BOS and VGK. Those two have good tandems and good teams in front of the goalie to soften the blow. https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/ranking-every-nhl-goalie-tandem-for-2023-24/amp

Goaltending: Trading a couple prospects and future picks in a package for a real 1A has to happen. Levi doesn’t appear like he will be ready as quickly as we hoped. Levi and UPL take turns as backup. Levi goes between Roch/Buffalo. KO and Girgs. Last season with the organization. KO can retire with a Sabre send off or he can be traded along with Girgs. Comrie/VO: Trade/Package Cozens: Could be a real good 3C with ability to play in the top six, secondary scoring. Greenway/Krebs: Greenway is a bottom six guy. Unless Krebs takes a huge step, he replaces Girgs permanently as 4C. Benson: Did good with Mitts. He looked good with JJP. Put them together. A Skinner in the making. Skinner TT Tuch JJP Mitts Benson TBD Cozens Quinn Greenway Krebs TBD Acquire a real top four stay at home defenseman. OP either goes third pair with EJ or Muel pairs with OP on second pairing. Dahlin TBD Power Muel EJ/RJ Bottom line is we need: -A real 1A (Priority 1) -Middle six forward (Priority 3) -Top four defensive defenseman (Priority 2) Aside from EJ and Skinner most of the above roster is young enough where expending currency now shouldn’t screw up any window. Their replacements can be cultivated in house. Just need to draft wisely going forward. Currency: Future picks, VO, Greenway, Krebs, Clifton, Comrie, Girgs, KO?, UPL, Savoie, Rosen, Rousek, Biro. If absolutely necessary for a real 1A on term, Power or Cozens. If OP catches fire, how long will he want to play second fiddle to Dahlin as a 1st overall.

I am not only irritated by the lack of management from our GM, I am also worried any moves he makes will be garbage. We need an experienced GM Why has ownership failed to do this for so long now?

Why you would have Krebs and KO out there at the end is beyond me.

I think Cozens has an identity and confidence problem. Somehow he believed himself to be some type of tough guy who could jump into any scrap. Hathaway said hold my beer and this kid is now lost.

Only way I can see fixing this is to build from the back out. We picked some weird half assed random sprinkling of players.

Joker just standing there letting his man screen and deflect.

And if ur not down with that we got two words for ya

Sell the team. Move it to a different city. In five years make an expansion team in Buffalo. Use the VGK model. Win a cup.