mjd1001

I started watching it yesterday, I only got a few minutes into it. The other guys asked Rob Ray about some players (Dahlin, Power, I think Benson, and others) and Rob had nothing but good things to say about them. When any individual person was brought up, whether the players or coach, I got the impression Ray basically said everyone was great (individually)

It's tough because what do you consider... Talent? Raw talent like pure skating speed, size, quickness of release? Those are physical abilities that some equate with talent. If we consider that talent then Dylan Cozens is a top 50 player in the league. Does talent include thinking the game? Hockey IQ? That is a little bit harder to measure. For those who remember the NHL in the '80s, a guy like Dave Andreychuk or Tim Kerr could score 50 goals in a year. They had talent in terms of good hands, but basically they stood in front of the net, took a beating, and were there with good enough hands to knock in a lot of loose pucks. They were big but they really didn't hit, they were slow skaters, not the best stick handlers or passers either. But were they any less 'talented' than someone else Who would score 5 or 10 goals less but skated up the ice as one of the fastest skaters in a league and occasionally put the puck through a defender's legs (Joey Mullen for example?)? In terms of raw skill, they checked a lot less boxes, but in terms of how they played the game, did that matter? Is how well your line mates compliment your play A talent? Is how willing you are to put effort forward at the end of your shift when you're tired a talent? Legitimate question.. The best single example for me that I can't answer this would be Jack Quinn. Just how talented is he? I think he's a pretty bad hockey player, but is it because he's not talented? Is it because his talent was overestimated? Or is he very talented but something else totally is missing?

I think the loss to Calgary 'broke me' for this season. I watched last nights game (missed most of the first period but saw the rest) Im happy they won, at least on the surface. But when they scored the game winning goal, I had almost zero emotional reaction. In my mind I could possibly muster a "yay" but it didn't feel like anything. I'm going to rewatch the replay of the game today, like I usually do when I have time. But, its just like I felt the most 'anger' this year with the team after the loss to the flames, and the most 'indifference' after a win last night. I guess this is right about the time of the year per usual they get me to that point.

I missed the first period...did something happen to Dahlin where he missed some time? I'm looking at the ice time, and he's 4th amont D-men in ice time, Well behind Samuelsson and Bryam, and a couple seconds behind Timmins too. And Power has even less than Dahlin?

Doan is on pace for 27-28 goals and 60 points. What makes that more impressive is he is doing it with only about 15.5 minutes of ice time per game, not 17, 18, or 19 like top line forwards.

I like 90% of your plan. The only thing missing on the 'out' column is Quinn. Power I can still have SOME hope he can develop. Quinn, to me that experiment is DONE.

1.) Trade UPL for the best offer. If someone is stupid and gives you a 2nd take it. Middle round pick? Take it. A practically useless 6 rounder? Take it. 2.) Play Lyon and Ellis, if one gets hot, play the heck out of them. If they both are bad and its apparent nothing is coming from them, bring up Levi and give him 6 or 7 in a row.

Last year this far into the season, the Sabres were more than half way through their 13 game losing strek....8 games into it. Even though last years team at game 29 was on an 8 game losing streak.....their record last year was 11-14-4 The record this year? 11-14-4.

Good thing the Sabres are lucky enough to have 3 great goalies to justify keeping all 3 of them and taking up that extra roster spot.

6 goals too in those 29 games. And getting bottom 6 minutes. Its only 1/3 of a season, but he's scaling to be a 20+ goal scorer eventually if/when he gets more minutes. Now, truth be told, his numbers are AWFUL when he isn't playing with Draisaitl. And they move him with Draisaitl, and all of a sudden he looks good.

The top lines on the sabres over the past couple of years, Tage and Tuch and guys like that, even strength score a goal about once every 16 to 18 minutes. If you are pressing but stay even strength, maybe it could be slightly better? Once every 15 minutes? If you go by the assumption that the average time when you're down that you pull the goalie is about 2 minutes, that would mean if you never pull the goalie but stay in that situation, you could score a goal once every 6 to 8 games. I do not believe Buffalo has scored a goal this entire year 6 on 5. They might have one 6 on 4. But to go to your original point, it might not be beyond the realm of possibility to actually say they'd be better off Just pressing really hard but not pulling the goalie. In addition to that, if you don't pull your goalie, odds are you will not get scored on by the other team with the goalie in the net... And you have that full 2 minutes to press. If you pull the goaltender though and the other team scores on you 30 seconds later, the game is basically effectively over at that point. The more I think about it as I write this post, I'd almost say... Do not pull the goalie. Go with four four words and one defenseman, have everyone press the opposing team really hard, and if the puck does go into your zone towards then that have your goalie move it up the ice really quickly. With no empty net to shoot at, you might get more icings from the other team, or if they choose to not ice the puck, they might resort to more clutching and grabbing to protect their lead, which could get you a power play. I legitimately think you might be better off doing this then pulling the goalie. Even take it one step further. If you have a goaltender that is extremely good at handling the puck, like Ellis, even if he's not starting, you put him in that so he can get the any Puck sent into your own zone back up the ice quicker.

When I say accountability from the owner, I don't mean him having very frequent long and rambling press conferences. I mean him not hiding behind the general manager When things go bad... I mean him making changes, not when it suits its pocketbook but when it's actually needed. (Which by the way, in the long term might actually be good for his pocketbook)

The problem is he has shown zero signs of changing. He wants things his way, he's probably more stubborn and less open to outside suggestions... It appears in even most other billionaire owners. And as long as he has the bills... He has one professional sports team that he can turn his head towards and look at when things are on fire with the Sabres he doesn't care. It's like... He would rather lose doing things his way with him involved in decisions... Rather than win but have to admit he's been wrong and do things where he has less control or input. The guy won't even make a public appearance, he won't even do a press conference, for years. (Not that that's the worst thing in the world seeing how he bumbles and stumbles through them) Accountability? Why should anyone in this franchise be accountable..from the coaches to the general manager to the scouts to the players... When the biggest coward with the least accountability is the guy signing the checks.

Yes but they've also had some good games. Maybe it's because he's coming off the injury, but Greenway positionally has been much much worse this year than even in the past. Maybe last year it wasn't a disaster. Putting him with types in temporarily, with this year, with how he's playing, it made zero sense... And the results last night showed. And remember, they were out there against Calgary. They're not back on their heels, playing Colorado's first line, or a healthy Panthers team. To not generate any offense... Any scoring chances at all... Versus Calgary is beyond unacceptable

A quick look at the analytics from the lines last night and a couple of things stand out... Even strength, I think it's the worst offensive performance from Tuck and Thompson all year. No official scoring chances... No official high danger chances... And that was with Greenway on their line. Other than Greenway sinking that top line last night, there were a bunch of different line combinations, but the next two worst combinations had one thing in common... Jack Quinn. Both of them were signed to extensions and that was a mistake. But right now Quinn and Greenway are back to hurting this team compared to some of the younger guys who could be playing for them. But yet keep on playing them because we have to justify those bad contracts.