Curt

I mean, I don’t have a problem with building an all kid team and giving all the young guys a chance during a rebuild/retool, but at some point you need to bolster them with some vets when you want to compete. I fear that Adams didn’t add enough good veterans. Not that the rebuild is doomed because of it, but it may take them longer to figure it out with fewer veterans to help them along. And it might negatively impact the chances for playoffs this season.

My guess would be that Granato is trying, but he has the youngest roster in the league. I think it’s just taking some time.

I believe you. I wish they were playing better too. A season is long. Most teams go through ups and downs. I’m hopeful that they can get it turned around relatively quickly.

Take it that way? I don’t know how else it could be interpreted.

By your definition, no, definitely not. Dahlin and Thompson are closest but need more consistency. How many superstars are there in the league then, like 5? Thats fine, it’s a word without a set definition. He isn’t a superstar then, just a star.

I get it. I mostly agree when it comes to worrying about “blocking” young guys with good veterans who could improve the team, or worrying about using too much assets to acquire a good player. But when it comes to playing a high quality, more efficient style of hockey, yeah, I want them to learn to do that.

Haha, I knew you feel this way, which is why I prefaced my statement. It’s true, there is danger to thinking too long term. It’s just the next logical step in improving team performance though. It’s the next set of tactics that the team needs to become proficient in. In my opinion.

Yeah, and I’m kind of thinking slightly beyond the point of making the playoffs (dangerous, I know, but hear me out). Maybe they could squeak into the playoffs playing just like they did last season l, but we kind of know that when you are playing only good teams, and the officiating changes a bit, that style of going all out for transition offense doesn’t really work in the playoffs. This is an adjustment that they will need to make.

Agree. I wasn’t making any point regarding anything you said. I was just following up on a conversation that Perrault and I had a couple days ago.

Attendance reported in box score is 13,025.

I also heard these comments and thought they were very on the nose. Needed to be said. It’s part of why he is here. I think when he first took over, Granato’s focus was young player development, building confidence and getting the team going offensively. Now they are putting more focus on improving their team defense. At the moment it looks like they are struggling with integrating it into their game. I think they will get there. How quickly they get it together will determine whether they make the playoffs. It’s a long season and most teams go through ups and downs, they have a little time.

Brind'Amour was an NHL Assistant Coach for 7 years before becoming an NHL HC. Peca has been HC in a 2nd tier junior league for 2 years, an NHL player development coach for half a season, and an AHL Assistant Coach for 2 seasons, and now an actual NHL job as an Assistant Coach this season. Do you honestly think that those two resumes of experience look equivalent?

Elias Pettersson with 2 more points tonight. 8 points in his first 4 games. I think this guy is becoming a super duper star. Very good player? Yes. Superstar? Depends on your definition.

Are you really taking a gloating victory lap after game 4 of 82? Personally I think it’s a bit early to be trying to shove it in everyones’ face how right you are.

I’ve been there. It’s easier.

That would kind of make sense. Forton is the Director of Amateur Scouting. He is basically in charge of the draft. Of course Adams is ultimately responsible for everything, but Forton (and his scouts) is the one focusing on draft prospects year round, not Adams.

No. Matt Leblanc. Dude is so cool.

I’m not arguing with you, just talking, but I’m not sure if you can manufacture continuity where there truly isn’t any. In a similar vein, I’m not even sure how much it matters to these guys that Buffalo was unsuccessful for the past decade. These are 18-25 year olds. The here and now is what matters to them. My point of view is that the Sabres need to assemble a group of driven, high character guys who will push eachother and grow together. And supplement them with some veterans and coaches who can help guide them a bit. That group then needs to start winning. They will establish their own culture and set of internal standards in this way. The fun stuff I’m talking about is the stuff they do just for marketing purposes and the documentary type stuff they do for special events. I don’t think it really reflects the day to day much.

Why do they need to publicly push it out as marketing media? Is it really that entertaining? I think the Sabres marketing has gotten way better the past couple years when they started focusing on fun interactions between current players. I thought you wanted the alumni stuff because it helps the players? Maybe the Sabres just don’t think it makes for very good content.

I think Adams has done a good job building strong connections between these players, the organization, and the city. I understand your point about the potential benefits of having successful former Sabres around. I’m not against it, but I think having guys with more recent NHL experience/success is more relevant. Guys like E Johnson and Clifton, Anderson. I do think they could do a little better with this.

Dude, almost exactly the feelings I just expressed, phrased in a different way.

I don’t think you can “get it back” from where we are right now. If it is team culture/identity, that’s been lost. The connection is severed. There is no one on the team who has ever been part of a successful Sabres team. There is no continuity there to maintain. It can’t be gotten back, it needs to be regrown from scratch. These guys who are in the room now need to form it in their own image. Having experienced leaders around can help to guide them, but no old Sabres player is going to do it for them. The current group will build their own culture/identity. It won’t come as something handed down from the past.

Yeah, Gionta and Pommer are guys I would be happy to see become part of the Sabres organization. They both live locally, so it’s reasonable. Id say Gaustad too, but I think he lives way out west in Oregon. Tim Connolly or Jay McKee maybe?

Not everyone can be a 50% or above face off guy.

Yeah, the contract is fine. Power isn’t perfect in his own zone, but not many 20 year olds are. He’ll get better.