Thorny

And I don’t understand the fascination with squinting at every stat we see until we convince ourselves playoffs *could* happen. The “forwards are fine” because we are mid pack in even strength differential stuff drives me nuts. We just stop there? Why don’t we aim to create a team that SHOULD make the playoffs rather than one that sort of has the chance to? Doesn’t the fan base deserve that sort of effort after 14 years? This is all so pathetic Like ya maybe if we elimate injuries for only us, with Dahlin we are pacing for high 80s. So below average. But we’d be “in the hunt” this year because the line is so unusually low, so we aren’t what our record says? why? I don’t understand what’s going on anymore

Don’t listen to this crap: Completely doesn’t understand the concept of “you are what your record says” Those things are reflections of how the team was built. You get a more accurate picture the *further* you pull back. You aren’t going around eliminating stretches for other teams: you can’t just apply that variable to buffalo Willy nilly it’s so rank

It is KINDA funny to think about all the back and forth we do in trying to predict what will happen, and after months and months when all is said and done, Adams teams averaged mid-70s before this season and this season we are going to end up…mid 70s Those predictions charts that come out that always seem to have us in the same spot..this is why. A lot of the variation we *think* we are seeing is just because we are a little too close

As for Tuch, it sucks it needs to be so one note but the answer is unfortunately the same as many of the questions lately, re: what’s “gotten into” them: it’s a function of playing out the stretch Tuch played at a 90 point pace when the calendar turned to January in 2023 until the end of the season He was back to a 65 point pace over the first two months the following season

Seasonal anti-depression

It wouldn’t bother me if he did well outside of buffalo. I wouldn’t even call people villains and tell them to leave the board, if someone gave an update on his progress since leaving..we can leave that to others The end of season parade we are throwing seems to be centrered around our joy in the players we incorrectly, unsuccessfully built a core around, being somewhat confirmed to be lacking, in other destinations. Im not sure which portion is supposed to reflect well on the GM, or the Buffalo Sabres. Don’t see the need to credit them for identifying an underperforming player, and being paid handsomely to do it, when mjd has been writing a thesis on it for free. I never put the bloom ON cozens in Ottawa. Don’t think I’ve said much beyond “wish him the best”

The sabres have no room for a .912% in Buffalo

The fans will help him along with selling that narrative as well.

If Montreal goes 5-3, we’d have to win out to miss by as few as 3.

4-4 record from Habs here on in would prevent a 10 game winning streak to wrap up getting us into the playoffs

Was it this year or last that Adams had that quote about how the team was “a little too overconfident” heading into the season? He doesn’t seem to have the pulse of things often

I provided an update last November one sentence That was my last one … LIKE A VILLAIN TWIRLING A MUSTACHE - - - this place sucks

Are you seriously kidding me? It’s the AROUND THE NHL THREAD, my lord OF COURSE I’m supposed to post those stats “seriously, this is how you want to respond”. What are you freaking talking about? I was pointing out how you did LITERALLY the exact same thing. You just don’t like *mine* cause you want to literally pick and choose who we talk about based on who hurts your little feelings - you are comparing hearing about him to hearing about an ex? Are you that afraid to hear about people doing well? That hurts you? I’m not saying your post about Lehner was bad. Why would I be? My point was that you are posting about nhl players not on the current team. OF COURSE you think I’m positing it negatively: cause you are completely projecting. I wasn’t posting stats maliciously at all. You can only assume that, eh? This place is becoming bizarro world You are crying at me like a child. Calling me “obsessive” because I bring him up occasionally? Find my last Eichel post in the thread you said it yourself: “why would anyone want to hear about” you are literally trying to dictate what we talk about And to resort to personal attacks? “Obsessive”? “Villain”??? “Vendetta against the board”???? “Go find a Vegas forum”???

429 games played out of 526 possible 67 games per 82 average for Greenway Anecdotally I think players start to “feel” injury prone when they get to around that 10-15 lost per year mark on average

And we need that info why exactly? And we need this info why exactly?

And you need that info why exactly?

Norris could get healthy and bounce back. Let me just put that out there. My point merely is that there’s a legitimate concern he’s going to struggle to play games because…he has struggled to play games. The Skinner comp wasn’t a good one, that’s all. “Legitimate concern” is too generous, really. I would not think it more likely he plays a full season I would expect the opposite most likely

He stinks There is other injury history. He’s hurt right now

Had to bring facts back after whiffing on empty net goals

He won’t be as good (he was never going to be) but in many ways the takes are worse now because we’ve seen this pattern replicate multiple times

Do the facts matter? Jeff Skinner had played 579 games out of 622 possible at the time we acquired him. Averaging 76 per 82. He had missed 3 games total the 3 seasons previous, including playing two full 82 game seasons in those 3. Norris had played 233 games out of 363 possible games… an average of 53 per 82. He had never played more than 66 in a season and only managed 60+ once. Comrie, again. the proof is in the pudding. Norris does not play the games - - - “well, it’s not the shoulder this time.” Ok, well, “not the shoulder” has Norris on track to miss, just this season, 60% of the total amount of games skinner missed, his entire career, prior to being traded to buffalo

Ya, I’ll “stay”

And there’s not one post from me calling it out your premise was that he gets ridiculed either way. Not sure what I’m missing

Eye roll all you want, I’m not just ranting or moving goalposts I’ve been talking about this for years. As seen in 2022. the relevant prism right now is building an actual team and the standings results therein. Simply adding talent isn’t the aim anymore, nay, it’s actively harmful if we aren’t adding with regard to the grander context. The proof is in the pudding: we aren’t getting any better drafting high and adding these guys to the lineup. Adams plan failed. Past tense. I can be disappointed the organization appears to potentially be forging him into a more shoot first player, rather than actively having him work on harnessing and developing his stand out skill, one we DESPERATELY need on roster. I’m sorry, does this team have a stellar developmental record? Is the roster not lacking in the area im talking about, suggesting they may have a type? I feel discussion on this is warranted given the documented statistical change in his results the past 2 seasons Hell, half the GDTs are full of “I just want the team to be entertaining.” I’ve said a million times i like the playmaking style. Instead we add Josh Norris. Worst primary assist rate among top 6 players in the nhl Jury is out on Östlund but the statistical trend bears inspection

well you aren’t trying very hard, then “We need to be better” is infinitely more palatable than “we’ve matured through adversity, we don’t give up one goal down” as if thats some sort of f*cking accomplishment no less in year 5 After they said to a man goal this year was playoffs he can get all the way out of here with that jazz