mjd1001

I would not put Eichel on my like list either. No dislike, but not on my like list. Why? -He hasn't lived up to expectations. To me he always seemed to be billed as a 1a to McDavid. Not quite as good, but generational regardless. Top 5 guy in the NHL when he hits his peak. Year after year being discussed as a candidate for MVP. Has at least a couple of years where he would challenge for the scoring lead. He hasn't turned into that. -the teams overall performance. Is it all his fault, of course not, but when you are being billed at the best player on a team, as the team captain, and entering the peak of your career your team is literally being laughed at by the rest of the hockey world...it doesn't sit well. -Hes just not as exciting to watch as I wanted. When we heard about his speed (and YES, he is fast), I was looking forward to exactly my favorite type of player. Peter Bondra when I was a little kid, Pavel Bure, McDavid now. A guy who just gets you out of your seat when he flys up and down the ice. I have said it before, but Jack plays like the slowest fast guy I have ever seen. His end-to-end rushes are very few and far between, and sometimes he comes through the center ice zone with SOME speed, but almost every time he chooses to slow down once entering the zone and starts playing sideways. Maybe that is his style of play and what he is best at, but I was expecting north to south speed, and what I see (MOST of the time) is somone who looks like they are skating through mud as soon as the enter the Offensive zone. Does any of that make him bad? No, hes just a lot less fun to watch than what I was hoping for after reading his pre-draft hype years ago.

I'm OK with that. I argue with many people on this board, but I think much of the core (jack and Sam included) are overrated by the fanbase. That doesn't mean they aren't good players, just not as good as many here think. Oddly enough, I'll add Girgensons to the player list of not only who I think will be back but actually WANT back. The guy chips in more than an occasional even strength goal, and he is one player you can't say doesn't play hard almost all the time. Girgs wouldn't turn this team around, but his style of play, and quite honestly, his production (he was in the top 5 in even strength goals for the Sabres, over the last few years he is one of the better players on this team in even strength goals per 60 minutes) is something they need/miss.

Existing GM isn't a bad idea. In my mind, no worse than a Director of Hockey Operations. What you really need is just someone in the room that Adams feels comfortable working with, but will also have different opinions than Adams. What any good GM (or leader of any kind for that matter) needs is someone to bounce ideas off, and someone who will give you a different point of view to open your mind to other options.

I'm not disagreeing with you, but I think it is a matter of perspective. When things are going bad and the coach doesn't change lines....a certain group of people come out and say stuff like "Why are the lines always the same" or "Move things around Try anything!" If the coach does shuffle lines, then other say "they can't get any chemistry that way" or "leave a group of guys together for a while". For the most part, I think people are either in the camp of "keep lines together to develop chemistry" or "change things up as soon as they are going bad" ......and when things go bad, you hear from the group that isn't getting what they want out of the lines.

I don't think any GM has much of a right to make major decisions without running it by the owners, and if an owner doesn't like a decision I don't think the GM can just go and do it anyway. if it happens at all, it is very, very rare. In most cases, the GM can do the research, come up with the candidates, and tell the owners who the GM wants..and just hope the owners agree. Some owners might be a little more hands off (do the work and just let me know before you decide), others may be more hands on (owners sit in on the meetings and give their opinion to the GM)...I just fear that Terry is more of the 2nd kind...and he isn't great at doing it.

Its going to be close. I think the Sabres end up with 14-16 wins. Unless the Bills go deep in the playoffs this year, that will be tough to beat. It'll be close, but I'm going with the Sabres here.

I'd be OK with Ellis... They went with an older guy in Krueger, an older former player (with asst experience) in Housley, a somewhat younger cup winner in Bylsma.....none of them really worked with this roster/core. If you want to try Ellis, I'm fine.

I think there would be an initial bump in the quality of their play, but after a couple weeks they would start to play with the bad habits and bad effort that this team (and this core) has shown through the last few years and 3 coaches. It strongly appears that this coach and this team aren't meshing and RK is not a good coach for this lineup/roster, but I just think this Roster isn't that good. Whether it be a lack of effort, or overrated talent, with the best coach in the world they would at most be a middling team.

Looking more into this...If you look at how former players are doing with their current teams this year...versus what they did under RK's system here last year...most are playing the same or even worse with their current teams than they did with Sabres last year. I'm not saying RK is great, but THIS is not the argument to make that he is bad, if anything it shows it is more the problem of the players than the coach...because they do just as bad, if not worse, when they leave Buffalo. Marcus Johansson is producing worse this year than with the Sabres last year Vesey and Sheary are putting up less points, and not many more goals, than last year with the Sabres. Larsson has 3 goals and 1 assist in 22 games this year, less production than with the Sabres last year. Again, Krueger isn't good for this team, we know that...but if anything this supports the players are just as much at fault because they simply aren't that good. they are not doing much better once they leave his system.

Bringing up those 2 players really isn't a point to make...its better to just say the players on the Sabres are playing great. Vesey and Sheary aren't really playing all that well. Both of them have 5 goals, but it is in 26 and 21 games for both of them...both have only 2 assists, and both aren't looked at as being key pieces to their team. Vesey is scoring 1 goal every 5 games (he did 1 goal in every 6.5 games or so with the Sabres) and is actually putting up less assists than he did here. Sheary is putting up 1 goal every 4-5 games...and in Buffalo he put up 1 goal per 5.75 games..and he too is putting up a lot less assist when he did here. They really aren't doing much, if any better than they did here...and a case can be made with such low assist totals and only a slightly higher goal rate, they are overall doing the same if not a tad worse.

I'm not sure if this has been brought up before... It looks like there is a chance the Leafs might be playing some of their playoff games in Buffalo, espeically if they get to the final 4. If Canada still has their 14 day quarantine and exceptions are not made (doesn't look right now like they will), there has been talk in the final 4, 3 of the teams would be from the USA so it would serve Toronto best to play in an American City, Buffalo being the most convenient. So, if that were to happen, how many people would want to go/pay in person to see the Leafs play in a conference finals series at the Key Bank center as their home?

Where does this come from? Why do people keep repeating it, and can everyone stop saying it because it is untrue. -Ralph played hundreds of hockey games in Europe when he was younger, and well as many in international competition. -He was a HOCKEY coach in Europe for most of the 1990s (at least 5 seasons). -From 1998 to about 2010, he was the head coach of the Swiss national team(hockey), many international competitions including the olympics. -He was a scout in the NHL, he was an assistant coach in the NHL, he was a head coach for the Oilers in the NHL. -He was an advisor/consultant for Canadian Hockey helping them with their 2014 Olympic hockey team. -He coached Team Europe in the NHL/Hockey world cup. -He was an executive for a couple years, not a coach, but an EXECUTIVE for a soccer club. So, how is he even close to a soccer coach? He played hundred of hockey games as a player, he has been an NHL scout, and NHL assistant coach, and an NHL head coach (combined for many years and hundreds of games). He coached hundreds of games in the European hockey league, and has been a coach of hockey for years and years in international competition. You may not like him as the Sabres coach, but he has spent decades and hundreds (if not well over a thousand) games playing, scouting, and coaching hockey at a high level..and to my knowledge ZERO as a coach in soccer.

Florida has finished 10, 10 and 34 points better than the Sabres in the last 3 years. They have had a much better base of talent to work with. Also, they usually have a couple million dollars more roster flexibility to work with. Those 2 things make it a lot easier for a team like FL than Buf.

The thing is..if Sam wants to go, you may not get what you want for him. I said in an earlier thread, he is a restricted FA, but if the guy wants to go out west and really thinks his career is wasting away here...there is a very good chance he has privately told Adams he wants out...and in the offseason resigning him here is going to be a tough sell. If that is the case (and, my opinioin, it seems very logical) you might just be looking for a 'good enough' trade because you don't have many other options.

If its true, it doesn't surprise me about Reinhart... -He is a restricted FA again. Maybe part of the reason he didn't sign a longer term deal is HE didn't want to commit here for long term. Remember, hes been with this organization for longer than Jack...hes now in the prime is his career and hasn't even sniffed a single playoff game. -We have always heard rumblings that he would prefer to play someplace out west, closer to 'home'. Doesn't he still live in Western Canada in the offseason? I can picture this as a situation where recently, he had one of those 'conversations' with Adams saying he'd be OK with being dealt...maybe even subtly ask for it. Not a trade demand, nothing public, but something where he put it out there to Sabres management that hes ready to move on. Anyway, I'm fine with this. I think this roster is vastly overrated in terms of talent. Too many people have taken a players 'best' season and projected it to what they should be every year....or are holding too much stock in their draft status. The talent on this team is what it is....many of these players have been through a few coaches on this team, a few systems...and after years we see the core of this team just isn't that great. The roster needs an overhaul if you want to be a top 10 team. This roster won't cut it.

I'm not saying anything new (for me) that I haven't said before, but as far as Jack goes: -I think he is playing hurt and it is impacting his game. Super talented players are so good because they are just 1 step faster than everyone else, 1 inch more accurate with their shots and passes..that is what separates them from the masses. An 'annoying' injury can be just enough to take away that edge. -I also think that Jack is a great player, but maybe 1 step behind what we all want him to be, even at his best. Last year was his best year ever, it was nothing like we have seen out of a Sabre in long, long time...At times he was able to carry this team to a win. But guess what? That doesn't make him a top 3-5 player in the NHL, there are about 20 guys that can do that for stretches. He was 10th in points last year, in his best year ever...and since he has been drafted there are 23 other players that have more points than him. Again, he is very good, maybe great, but he is not the mega-superstar-MVP guy that many think he should be year after year...not when your production in your BEST year and in every other year of your career is in line with about 10-15 other guys. You want Jack to be able to carry this team for stretches of 3-6 games at a time? You want him to take over and win a game for you once or twice a month? He can and should do that when he is healthy. But we have to stop thinking of him as a top 5 player in this league and expect results (stats and wins) in line with that. Now into his 6th season, he HAS proven he is an All-star player, but he also has proven over that time he isn't more than that.

Just what do we all know Hall can do? He is not a difference maker in the league anymore. He is now in his 12th year in his career, in 11 of those he hasn't even hit 30 goals. Since his mvp year, 3 years has gone by and one major knee surgery. He is at an age where production for forwards starts to go down. Since that MVP season, most of it has not been with the Sabres and he is doing 19.9 goals and 50.3 assist per 82 games....and as his age goes up, his production per game has gone down every season as he gets older. That to me is no longer a 'difference maker' and someone I don't want to pay 7.5 per year to...certainly not over 5 years.

I feel the opposite. This team is worse...because with the tank, you knew (and were reminded over and over) of just how many high draft picks the Sabres would have, and you had hope and optimism of the possibilities of several young stars soon to be playing for your team. With the current team, you don't have visions of top pick generational players soon to be here, and the top picks you have now...to me they certainly aren't generational and are getting harder and harder to root for as every game passes.

Sabres now have 34 games left. 68 possible points. Philly is in 4th currently on the pace for a fraction over 72 points. To get to 73 points, the Sabres would need 85.3% of all available points (The best teams in the league now are getting about 77%, Last season boston led the league with about 71%) If you think someone in the division falls a bit and the Sabres could get in with 70 points...they still need about 81% of available points. Basically, from this point forward they have to be the best team in the league, and go on a streak over 30 games that would be epic and almost unprecedented in recent memory by anyone...to get that 4th and final divisional playoff spot.

I think Reinhart might be your most tradeable player now. He is scoring, even on this team, so his 'services' would be appreciated/in demand by other teams. He is still young, another team can think of him not just as a rental but as a long term fit if they want. He is 'only' making 5.2 million this year...thats not nothing..but much easier for other teams to fit under the cap..or find a piece to send back to the Sabres to make fit under the cap..and someone making a lot more. His contract is up after this year, and he is still restricted...so he just can't walk from another team. You still may not get what you want if you trade him, but he just might be the part of this team that you get maximum value back for.

I know what you are saying..and if you 'blow it up', it may/will take 5 years before you might be really good again. Its just I don't think this team has the talent to be really good, almost ever with this core. That Skinner deal is going to be an anchor around this team for a while. Eichel is in is peak years now (most forwards/scorers have their peak production years between the ages of 24 and 28). I guess I don't see much of a future with this core, and honestly I don't really like watching them play. I'd get more enjoyment out of a lot of new talent, thinking and 'hoping' what they can turn into while losing...than watching this core already into their 'peak' years losing.

Blow the team up, start at the top and work your way down. I know, I know, the coach is bad. But we have seen this team (this core) for years now not being good. You get the best coach in the league, and is this team, this core, good enough to challenge for the cup and be an exciting team to watch score a lot of goals? I don't think so. They made too many mistakes in the tank, their talent pipeline is pretty empty coming up from Rochester....I just don't like watching these players anymore. If you aren't going to be good, be entertaining (the Leafs, for example, for most of the past 15 years). This team isn't even close to that. Blow it up so at least I can have hope again that MAYBE the future will be a lot brighter. This team can be a little better, but I don't see a bright future for it. Changing the coach and tweaking a few players so you can contend for that last playoff spot year after year isn't good enough for me. Might as well just be bad if you can't be great.

Improve the goaltending? While if you had ANY position on this team being better, including goaltending, then the team of course would be a bit better, but Ullmark has not been the problem. This team is getting close to being historically bad at putting the puck in the net. They are 3rd worst in goals per game overall. They are last in the league in evenstrength goals. In the past 15 years, only the 2 worst tank teams had fewer goals per game. Ullmark has played well enough that the team doesn't have to focus on him, they can play a 'normal' offensive game and not fear he will be awful if they don't play 100% defense either. With him in net, they have had scoring chances they just aren't good enough to put in the net. I'd love to have an all star goaltender on this team...but this team isn't even sniffing the playoffs until they get a LOT more scoring.

To me, the issue I have with Adams is not just with the coach, but the players. Do I want him to have the power to fire the coach? sure, but what about moving players, even 'star' players if you have a good offer on the table. This team doesn't just need a coach, it needs a LOT of player turnover, and not just at the bottom.

Optimism is great, but the math just doesn't work. I posted the math in a different thread, but here is the bottom line...right now the last playoff spot in this division is on pace for about 76 points. If the Sabres get hot, they will take some points away from those teams, but it still is likely you will need at LEAST 70 points. With the number of remaining games, the Sabres would have to basically be the best team in the league for the rest of the year. They have to gain points at a pace over the next 30 games slightly better than anyone has so far through the first part of the season. And even then, that will only get them to about 70 points and it may not be enough. The hole is too big.