jsb

Not to disagree with you but you didn't really think any differently even when the results were better did you?? This was always going to be a year where you hoped the team plays more inspired hockey than last year and that guys like Thompson, Asplund, Cozens, Mitts and Dahlin would continue last years uptick in productivity and development. As for a different team by Christmas, I'm going to take the kool-aid route and say the addition of Mitts-Olofsson and Tuch hopefully by then will make us more optimistic of things to come than not. I'm still taking the 🤞🤞🤞 pills.

LETS GO BUFFALO McKenzie's Whiskey I'm going to start early

ERod is also 28 do you want to wait 4 years to have R2 finally come around?? Plus it’s still early let’s see how he ends up the year and if he returns to JAGville

R2 is the equivalent of Evan Rodrigues IMO. Not terrible but nothing to really write home about.

Well that PP has gone soft the past few games

I think we are what we thought they were but that light at the end of the tunnel isn't a train coming at us again. On another note, is this the artwork of a former poster Josie?? https://notedhockey.substack.com/p/subscriber-suggestion-whats-the-deal If so she's still putting out quality work.

Which one died, Steely or Dan?? On another note, who on Utica appears to be on the fast track to playing in the NHL (Devils)? Other than Foote none of their names stick out to me.

As for Dahlin, he's what 21?? He was coached by Housley who let him do anything he wanted, Cruelger who tried to choke/stifle every bit of creativity out of the kid and now Granato who is trying to make him an all around Dman. He appears to be more physical this year and doesn't get pushed around like previously. I think he's on the right path and he's still in baby stage for a Dman. Also comparing him to some other young guys, let's not forget who he's playing with in comparison to who they're playing with. Also who would you say is mentoring the kid, McAvoy had Chara and a set system to fit into, Makar had one of the leagues best forward groups to play with and Heiskanen has a vet group he's playing with. As for Granato, who in the world would have predicted 7-6-2 with Mitts, Jokiharju basically missing the entire year so far, Anderson hurt and Olofsson missing a chunk of games and no-one so far filling the Eichel-Reinhart trade package just yet. One of the things that I think he does is improve areas of weakness such as all the goals scored from the point in the Washington game. Since then they appear to be blocking a lot more shots than I can remember them doing in a long time. He can't cure all their ills at once but he and his staff seem to be picking on them one at a time.

I laughed at this not because it was funny but what you said is so true in that this board is like my windshield wipers in a rainstorm, first they're here and then they're over there. There's almost no transition to it, they flip flop more than my goldfish out of water. If you've been paying attention you'd have noticed it's a pretty common thing going around the league especially this year with 2 and 3 goal leads disappearing in the flash of an eye. The league has changed and the Murray's are now gone and it's not quite as easy to hold a lead without a GK playing out of his mind. The team is not only playing its younger core but even the vets on the team haven't played together long enough to know how to weather the storm as a team. Too many JAGS to say if they'll get it together or not but are you not entertained during the games especially in comparison to most of last year?? The have to jump on someone's gang is now after Dahlin. Somehow you see the 1 or 2 plays he should have made an miss the 10-15 plays that the majority of players can't make.

Well according to this guy in The Athletic, we have a 1% chance of the playoffs and an 88% chance of being bottom 3 in the division as of today

Dude I'm with you, is it against the law to mail across state lines whatever these guys are smoking because if it isn't PLEASE send me some. Playoffs, OMG I just want to be entertained and see the guys that will matter in a couple of years get a great development year in. Isn't it a bit early in the day to be smoking that stuff anyway except for maybe @inkman 😀??

Do you not believe Dahlin is the most likely to move to the right side?? He already plays there part time plus it seems a bit counter productive to play guys who aren't as capable on that side and sit someone from the left??

Well Jack was hurt/below par for the entire year, Hall was a major disappointment, Cruelger's system was anti-creativity plus we had Risto on the team. It was the perfect storm. The young guys also have a bit of a chip on their shoulders for being completely overlooked under Cruelger and are accepting Granato's challenge to prove everyone wrong.

I'm a bit confused by your what appears to be stance that we could be winning at a higher pace than what we already are. This from the beginning was a rebuild year and by most pundits we were the least talented team in the league. At best most were hoping Adams and Granato were going to make this a more entertaining one to watch not some playoff contender. Are you not entertained at the very least.

My observations and takes after the game: Is Granato not only the young guy whisperer but also the old guy one to, Okposo-Zemgus and Skinner haven't played this well in a Sabres uni for quite awhile, if ever and giving the "A" to Z and Kyle was a stroke of genius If Ryan Johnson works out are we looking at that ROR trade in a totally different light than a year ago?? Lose the short term win the long one Has the light bulb turned on for Cozens in the past 2 games, if so the rebuild is well on it's way The Sabres undoubtedly play with more fire and energy at home than away, they have to find a way to turn it on when on the road Asplund and Bryson are turning into NHL players before our eyes Has the AHL-NCAA cupboard been better stocked since the early 2000's?? Has UPL turned it around or is it another short term mirage?? Who would have ever thought it possible that Thompson at C would revitalize Skinner before the season started Is our future C spine not quite as skeletal as first thought??

😀😀 Deep breaths dude, it was a joke

Oh Lordy me, the tank season begins. If they lose you will wear the jinx label and proudly. Mustache Wetter

If you're going to bring that many kids up, split them up JJP-Cozens-Tuch Big and Fast Olofsson-Mitts-Quinn 3 Goal scorers with passing ability Skinner-Thompson-Asplund Why breakup your best current line Girgs-Krebs-Okposo Let Krebs learn the ropes from the vets Samuelsson-Dahlin Power-Joki Bryson-??? It wouldn't shock me if they kept 1 of Pysyk or Miller on a short term/$ contract 2 new GKs This way the kids get to play but won't be as overwhelmed playing with guys with experience at the NHL level. Mix and match the lines as injuries occur.

Yes there is but you seem to have forgotten that Dahlin and Johnson are also on the left side, are you just going to throw them out with the bath water so Bryson can play?? And I never said that we should just give him away but use him as an secondary asset to get a legit RHD or goaltender. Much bigger needs moving forward than another LHD. I'll also add that I think with Dahlin moving back and forth on the left and right side tells me his long term future is on the right if everything else works out.

With Dahlin, Power, Samuelsson and Johnson all either here or about to be soon, I just don't see a place for him but I agree I wouldn't just throw him out. He may along with a draft pick should be able to get you a decent RHD which we are short on now and in the near future. I'm also kind of tired of the Dmen who can't move anyone out of the slot, unless someone or he gets move to the right side, I just don't see a long time future for him here.

I can't agree with you more. I'm a bit baffled by the angst in this thread, did anyone expect anything different this year?? On top of a lack of talent on the present team you take out 3 of your top 8 players and this is what you get. This is what you can expect this year until the Olympics/trade deadline is done and you'll start to see next years team with the players you mentioned plus Samuelsson and Tuch. This team isn't going to turn it around until the 23-24 season and then you start to put expectations on this franchise, until then you're just living in a fantasy world that this is a playoff team or could be if only Cozens and Dahlin would miraculously develop faster. And yes I've been watching the team the past 10 years also and for the first time I think they're finally on the correct path to redemption.

With this trade we're back to where we should have been in 2015 before we traded all our draft picks. I may be too optimistic but a future lineup of and you can mix and match them anyway you want Skinner-Cozens-Tuch Asplund-Mitts-Olofsson JJ Peterka-Krebs-Quinn Grigs-Thompson-Okposo/??? Power-Dahlin Samuelsson-Joki Johnson-??? With Rosen, the Russian kids, Weissbach, 3 1sts plus a high 2nd rounder in next years draft plus a boatload of available money to spend, the future looks pretty bright to me.

I understand your point and I agree with you, I just don't think any one game is going to be bigger than any of the 82 other games they'll play this year. It will be how the organizational refurbishing turns out in the end.

There aren't any big games for this team this year. It's strictly a developmental year.