mjd1001

You are downgrading in raw talent, but it may not be much of a downgrade in on-ice play. When I say Cozens is a negative player for the sabres I don't mean just stats like plus-minus. He makes more mistakes out there and his positioning in the neutral zone and defensive zone is questionable, but even worse he takes himself out of plays with dumb decisions. A less talented player that doesn't do those things is actually better for the team than someone like Cozens who's mental 'thinking' part of the game cause more problems than this talent can make up for. Of course, if his talent eventually overtakes his mistakes, he'll be a better play...but....waiting...still waiting.....

If you look at his metrics, the biggest reason for his drop-off in offensive production is that he is not going to, nor getting shots off close to the net. He is playing the most perimeter game of any forward on the team, and that was not the case last year or the year before. He simply is not going to the 'tougher' areas on the ice in the offensive zone, and when he does, he is more or less 'skating through' and not staying there. I posted his shots on goal taken this year vs last year and the year before in another thread, the numbers are startling to say the least.

I honestly think this year Cozens has been a net negative player. He is making more mistakes and causing more problems that he is help with. Kozak, If he hardly scores but hardly makes any costly mistakes, would be better than Cozens at this point, regardless of what each is getting paid. Now, if the theory is Cozens is so much more talented and its just a matter of time before he starts scoring and will learn to play better without the puck, that is different. But as of right now, Cozens (and Quinn) have hurt this team when they have been on the ice this year.

Serious question, and I'm not being sarcastic because I truly don't know if this is the case.... What records did Quinn set for his age in the AHL?

I think Terry cannot, or if he does it will be with terrible results... I think Adams, with Pegula's input, will get us to the same spot we have been. Adams along, with Terry removing himself from the process? I have no idea if the results would be good or bad. I'd be willing to give it a try, because as the above posters have stated, and as the BF article states also...This organization is being run as Terry Pegula's fantasy team and he has no idea what he is doing and he does not let those below him make decisions without his MAJOR input.

Nope, its a sign people still care. I'm sure pegula wouldn't want to see something like that, but you know what is worse? No one talking about the team anymore. Now, if someone knows when he does come to Buffalo, where is his office, where does he stay...is it possible to put up some kind of sign that he is forced to look at everytime he looks out the window..... Pegula seems like the type of guy that things like that would annoy.

I agree with almost your entire post except for the last line. If Jokiharju is that bad then just don't play him. If you have someone better than him play him. If he is bad but you don't have someone better, then waiving him to make a statement only makes you worse. And if you did wave Jokiharju....what kind of statement would that make? I think you would get a collective shrug of the shoulders from the team, its not really sending a message. You want to make a statement...to send a message...then Trade Cozens. Doing anything with Jokiharju would probably be made a joke of by the fans more than it would accomplish anything.

Another fun way to look at this... In LESS THAN 2 WEEKS, this team went from above .500, with a positive goal differential, and holding down a playoff spot both by points and point percentage, and having a legit look at 3rd in the division. Less than 2 weeks later...15th out of 16th in the conference. 1 single point away from last in the entire conference. Here is the sad part....they should have won tonight. They should have won against Colorado. There was on epic collapse, and another that was pretty bad. The outplayed Winnipeg for parts of that game. One luck bounce. One goal against where a player does nothing but puts forth more effort. One shot that is slightly more accurate and they could, maybe SHOULD have 4 more points across those 3 games. 4 more points right now and the Sabres are in a playoff position. If the Sabres would not have blown tonights game, they would be a TWO points out of a playoff spot with a game upcoming vs one of the teams you are chasing. I guess in the grand scheme of things they aren't out of it. Look at the standings and yes, some teams ahead of them have games in hand, but even now they are only 3-4 points out of it. Maybe a healthy Dahlin back in the lineup changes some of these losses to wins and they CAN get back into it. It just feels so far away right now though.

2024-25 Krebs is better than 2023-24 Krebs.

Just as there is no reason to assume that Adams might not do much better without Pegula at his side, with Pegula allowing the purse strings to be open up more than they obvoiusly have been through most of his tenure.

I expected them to likely lose to New Jersey. I expected a slow start. In no way did I expect a 7 game losing streak, 6 at home, at this point in the season to many of the teams they have lost to. By the way, a little pet peeve. Its a 7 game losing streak. OT loss, shootout loss, regulation loss...they are all losses. I have heard a few times on the broadcast them calling it a 7 game winless streak. There are no ties, its not just a 'winless' streak, its a 7 game LOSING streak.

I think Lindy is fine. I think he still knows hockey. I think he communicates well. I think that almost any coach you would bring into this situation now would fail. There are issues all around that have little to do with this coach. Or the last coach. Or the one before that. Or the one before that.

And who do you want to give that power to? Forton? Karmanos? Guys who are currently instrumental in putting together the current roster and probably have almost as much input as Adams? A new hire from the outside that Terry tells he has to have those same guys underneath him and likely get the same input? Adams not being allowed to make trades. Adams getting fired. MEANS NOTHING unless the entire front office/hockey department is fired also, AND is replaced with all new guys outside of the organization, AND/OR Pegula changes the structure of how the hockey department is run. If Pegula announces tomorrow that Adams was fired and someone is promoted from within, OR a new guy is brought in but most of the rest of the hockey department stays, that is a worse day than today, because that would be Terry's way of doing the minimum required to appease the fanbase while the team would still be run pretty much the same way. Doesn't the old Hyatt downtown (or maybe its another hotel I am mistaking for it) have live Palm trees growing in the Atrium, right here in the city limits of Buffalo? Maybe the Sabres need to plant some in the lobby of the hotel in Harborcenter and bring free agents there when trying to pitch them on coming here.

I liked Krebs game (for it being Krebs, certainly not a star player) and his stats back it up: 2 assists, +2, credited with 3 hits, and 16:14 minutes of ice time in regulation..which is 3 seconds away from being the most he has gotten in a game this year.

I know the league had less teams in the past and it was easier to make the playoff (14 out of 21 making it at one point was kinda a joke) but before Pegula, it wasn't always that easy...they expanded and it became harder before he took over. With that in mind... The Sabres Franchise: Started 40 years under owners other than Terry Pegula, made the playoffs 29 times, they missed the playoffs 11 times in those 40 years. Since the first full season Pegula took over: Its looking like 14 out of 14 years with no playoffs. They already exceed the the total time, in the history of the franchise they missed the playoffs, since the first season pegula was owner. 11 out of 14 years (including this) they got 50% of points of less, and that means a losing record as you now get points for ot losses. Only 1 other time in the history of this franchise did they miss the playoffs for more than 2 years in a row....that was the time they missed it 3 years in a row when the Owners of the team were arrested and the league took over running the team. The Gm was practically not even Allowed to make moves for part of that time. Basically, they practically had NO owner the only time in their history they missed 3 times in a row. Now they are heading for 14 in a row. There is no doubt in my mind...the Terry Pegula ownership of the Sabres is the worst period of ownership of any major north american sport in modern history. And at this point I don't think its even close. MAYBE the Saints from the 1960's to the 1980's? But in the NFL, it was harder to make the playoffs than even now in the NHL.

Not until Pegula fires everyone in the hockey department and has a press conference saying the next guy gets control and only has to answer to Pegula for contracts, not any other hockey moves. A lot of those guys in leadership have their opinions heard and input into the decisions on the current roster. I'd rather Adams stay on and things get worse and worse until Pegula totally cleans house. Firing adams and bringing in someone else with the rest of the hockey Department staying the same and Pegula sitting next to the new GM at practices.....that does nothing but prevents the structural moves that are need and just gives Terry more time to be Terry. Everytime I see a "fire adams" post, I am not totally against it, but I AM against it without the other changes. If Adams were fired tomorrow, but even half of the remaining front office remain, it does little than perpetuate and extend the futility. Without sweeping change, firing Adams is a bad move because it changes little.

A lot of comments recently about people paying nothing and how much of a waste it is to watch it from home for free.

How many guys get interviewed after the game and just put their head down...say something like "we need to get better" or "they wanted it more" or "we made too many mistakes"....all with a minimum of emotion?

And the feeling i get from some fans, its not even cheering for losses to get a high draft pick. Its just....lets be the best at SOMETHING! Maybe they can get the longest winless/losing streak!

They certainly are the worst team at the moment...MAYBE Nashville can make an argument, but Buffalo is toward the bottom.

Longest losing streak in the NHL this year is 9 by the Sharks and its over so its not getting any longer. Chance the Sabres tie it or beat it? The thing with the Sharks is, 6 of those losses were on the road, including losses at Vegas, at Winnipeg, and at Dallas. I think Buffalo's current streak is worse overall than San Jose's.

Informal poll if anyone wants to answer... Other than those spending money and going to the game....how many people really really want them to win next game? vs how many actually at this point are indifferent or worse?

I have noticed as the shootout has progressed over the years..it seems like guys want to slow down and 'deke' rather than just pick a corner and shoot. Picking a corner and shooting seems to be more effective.

Here is the problem with no Dahlin. You have 2 other potentially great D-men. Byram and Power. Bryam gets skated into the ground because there seems to be a 60% chance he has a good game and a 40% chance he doesn't. If you play Power too much, its 50%-50% you are getting "good" Power, and if you don't get "good" power, the bad version makes some really really bad plays.

So a shootout....if you lose it, its 7 losses in row...including 6 in a row at home. They better win this.