eman

Amen brother! Totally agree.

Also, he is one of the few Sabres who will go to the front of the net and actually try to screen the goalie or tip one in (and he is not a big guy) In fact, I wish he'd do it more often. Why Phil never tried putting Tage there for a bit (in front of the opposing goalie that is) is beyond me. At least use his size and reach for something. Garbage goals all count!

Kypreos questioned it Saturday night after the early games concluded on Sportsnet and no one stuck up for Phil on the panel. They seemed saddened by what had transpired in Buffalo but no one questioned that the club had quit on Phil.

and did he not win "NHL Coach of the Year"?

You know I'm all in as far as a coaching change goes! I do still believe we have some talent here though.

I'm not sure why there are some posters arguing against this? It is incredibly noticeable that they've given up. Hamilton is calling it and Nick Kypreos called it last night on Sportsnet. You can hate on those guys if you want but they're not wrong. Look at Ottawa and Detroit. They could opt for the higher draft slot but they are going out with effort- perhaps because it may mean jobs on the club for next year? What's the Sabres excuse?

They gave up a these past 2 weeks. The effort on the ice is noticeable for its lack of effort. Especially against the teams beneath us in the standings.

I agree. I want a new coach in there to prove me wrong on that. I think there is talent here that is capable of much more than we got this season.

Nothing that a harder coach couldn't solve.

They've given up. Aside from Columbus they have been owned by clubs beneath them in the standings (NJ/even Detroit- and we'll see them 1 more time) The tproverbial tent has been folded.

and Hamilton is absolutely correct. Phil has lost this team and unfortunately, for that, he must go.

I don't find Ottawa's style of hockey boring. I think Melnyk gave him the Gallant treatment and his players worked hard but there was dissension in Ottawa's locker room. I'll take him easily over Phil, not even a question to me. Melnyk may be a worse ownership disaster than TPegs. At least Melnyk had a talented roster that blew apart with the Karlsson issue and Boucher got a raw deal due to the divided locker room.

They've tuned out Phil. Jack is being politically correct. In other words, he's lying.

It's only a slow process in Buffalo.

Joel Quenneville, Guy Boucher & Alain Vigneault, take your pick! I'll take any one of them thank you! This folding the tent crap and going through the motions to close out this season crap needs to stop.

I think Skinner may walk if some other team shows interest (and that team has made the playoffs this year) regardless of what JBots throws at him. I can't say I would blame him. He's going to make good money wherever he lands and playing for a team that wins more than it loses would be a nice change. We'll see where he lands but I am really doubtful he's going to re-up in Buffalo the way this season has ended.

Same here. Wow! I wasn't pro tank but I saw it as a tactic that may work. I regret it all now. For the Buffalo Sabres, that tactic failed and I never want to see it here again. Build via good scouting and drafting. We need some decent hockey people to run this mess.

and to start games on time. We saw glimpses of that early on but that disappeared after Christmas as well.

Seriously, to those who defended keeping Phil, I truly cannot understand that. #### the optics! He has definitely lost this team. You have to seriously question keeping him after season's end. They will not or cannot play for him and you can't scrub all the players. Sorry it didn't work out Phil but you've got to go. Wow this is a ####show of a club now. They're going to run the table to close out the season, only not in a good way.

I am totally cool with that hiring. Reel him in TPegs! (and JBots) More talent on this roster than gets credit. Especially if we can't bring in any free agents (any big names anyhow) to improve this roster. We have some solid young talent that needs proper coaching and development and someone who may be a little tougher on the players. I'm good with this should it transpire.

Defense wins Championships and I won't give up on Risto yet. With the right coach, I bet he will blossom. The man has skill and size. Under Phil and assistants, the entire defense is butter soft. (Except perhaps Bogo and McCabe) All I see is stick checking and never removing bodies from in front of our goaltender. Under Quenneville, at least that would change.

stay tuned, I'm sure it won't be a boring off season anyhow!

Hopefully, Jbots has a fruitful off season. I'm not sold on free agents actually wanting to come here right now, because of the mess this franchise has been in. I know some people don't want to hear that, but Antonio Brown was a great example with the Bills franchise (this Sabres franchise is no different right now than the Bills) As you have stated, the playoffs may still be 1 to 2 years away so I cannot see a decent name player making a move here. Skinner is from Southern Ontario and I guess he figured Carolina was going to suck. He was wrong and we'll see if he stays here in the end. Not sure who they will target or if they'll be successful, so to me, the better option is a difference in philosophy by changing the coach yet again. It's going to be interesting.

Yup, they stick check opposing forwards and hardly touch the body. Weak and out of position. I saw the Ottawa goals. Brutal D. Did you watch? Our goaltenders can only hold us in for so long. by the way, I though our goal scoring was up this season according to certain posters on here? (an area of improvement no less from posters here) Are we now scoring challenged?

Again, all we can do is sit on the sidelines for another off season and see what transpires (or doesn't) and watch some playoff hockey that does not include the Buffalo Sabres. Going to be interesting to see who (if anyone picks up Guy Boucher and/or Joel Quenneville and will they make a difference to the club they coach?)