msw2112

I had the game on in the background while doing other things, so I didn't really focus on it. At one point, I was actually picked up and started reading a book, as it was more interesting than the game. What might happen in Chapter 32 was more interesting than the 3rd period. It's the middle ground before I get to the point of not watching at all, which I'm very close to....As such, I did not see this particular play, but based on what I did see, I'm not surprised and it's pretty sad.

I agree that the drop pass on the PP rush seems ridiculous. That said, in the last few years, every single NHL and major college hockey team that I've watched uses it. It's certainly not a Sabres thing.

I have no inside knowledge, but I believe that the team would have been willing to spend on some veteran free agents, but those players were not interested in playing for Buffalo. Not because of palm trees or taxes, but because of the teams lengthy and ongoing lack of success. The same may apply to trades for veterans who have no-trade clauses/lists in their contracts. I don't think that's a false narrative being pushed by Adams. I also think that Adams and the team are a bit guy-shy about trading away young, talented, (presumably) ascending players. They're concerned about getting low value in exchange for young guys who will blossom and succeed elsewhere, as Reinhart and Eichel have. Part of the reason that Reinhart and Eichel have succeeded where they are is because of the veteran players/leaders that were already on those teams, who took the pressure off of them and allowed them to blend in and grow and develop their games. So it's a conundrum - trade away the young talent to bring in the veterans to help steer the ship while they (those who remain) develop and lose out on the upside that you've cultivated for several years or hang onto the young talent, but potentially see it never develop because of the lack of leadership/mentorship - but one of the Sabres' own making. By way of example, I believe that Dylan Cozens will be a very good NHL player and a productive top-6 forward. I don't know if it will happen in Buffalo. In order to acquire talented veterans to push Cozens down to the 3rd line where he belongs and can properly develop (with the benefit of their mentorship), you have to trade players LIKE Cozens.

I don't see it that way. Lindy is a veteran coach and he has a struggling team. Rather than going through the ordinary routine (which does not seem to be working), he's trying a different approach. Will it work? Who knows, but at least Lindy recognizes there's a problem and is trying to do something about it. Maybe he's showing the players video and breaking it down to show them where they need to improve, tearing them new ones as he does. Maybe they're under so much pressure to break the losing streak that they're wound too tightly and they're going to go bowling and have a pizza party to take their minds off of things so they can play looser. I don't know. What I do know is that the regular routine was not working, so trying something different is a good idea. I don't see anything cowardly about it. While he might be protecting his young players from public scrutiny, Lindy Ruff is not afraid of the media. He's not dodging the media because he's scared. He's simply trying to find some new and different buttons to push to get his team out of a rut.

I thought Johnson played pretty well when he was with the Sabres. Even though he was a rookie, he held his own and didn't look out of place. I think he's in Rochester right now because they wanted to go with veterans players with a physical presence (Clifton and Gilbert) and because he can, as far as I know, go up and down without having to clear waivers. Rather than being the 7th defenseman in Buffalo, he's better off getting a lot of playing time and development time in Rochester. I could see him as a trade asset, given the acquisition of Byram, whose skill set is somewhat similar to Johnson's. They already also have young puck-moving defensemen in Dahlin and Power as well. I could also see the team moving on from Jokihairu and Johnson filling that slot. Bryson has also been somewhat of a pleasant surprise since the later part of last season, and after being left for dead, also giving them the "luxury" of developing Johnson in the AHL. Truth be told, I don't follow the Amerks very much, so I don't know how Johnson has played there, but he played pretty well in Buffalo.

I think we are agreeing more than you think. My post praised Zucker and also the Savoie for McLeod trade. What I said was that I didn't want to see the team make a "major deal" like trading off regular players like Cozens, Quinn, etc. I also said that I'd be comfortable trading a 2nd round pick and/or additional lower picks to acquire some veteran players. What I don't want to see is Adams blowing up the roster, now that we've FINALLY started to see some progress. Other than Quinn (who may be coming along and still has a lot of upside), most of the younger players have improved this season and they seem to be getting used to Lindy's system. Adding a couple of quality veterans for "prospects, picks or fringe players and not for key roster pieces" is fine, although I'd rather trade picks (and fringe players) than prospects. The prospect pipeline is looking pretty good right now, so picks might be more valuable to a team that doesn't have a very deep prospect pool and could be flipped for veteran assets. I think that the current team, with Lindy as coach, and with Thompson and Greenway coming back, is in a better position to MAKE the playoffs by a point or two rather the MISS by a point or two. That said, success is fragile. Despite a great game by Reimer the other night, if UPL goes down with a significant injury, a lot of this changes. Levi will be sharper and better after playing regularly in Rochester, but I'm not sure that he and Reimer could get the job done. One more thing to add is that the trade deadline is a long ways away. We'll have a much better picture of what the team looks like by then. Will they be buyers or sellers? I don't know, but I'd like to see the current roster marinate with the new Ruff system for a little bit longer before shaking things up. Bring in a veteran for a 2nd round pick? Sure. Blow it up by dealing major roster pieces - not what I want to see.

That would be a reasonable trade. The Sabres have three great young puck-moving defensemen (Dahlin, Power, Byrum). Some teams don't, and need that type of player. Maybe another team has a surplus of stay-at-home defensemen. I'd be fine with swapping Joki for a player of similar value that was more of a stay-at-home type of defensive defenseman. Joki is a former first-round pick with some good skating ability and a lot of NHL experience, so he has some value in the league, but he's not what the Sabres need right now. That's the kind of trade that could help improve the current roster without a huge cost and without mortgaging any future assets.

I may be in the minority, but I'm not that interested in the Sabres making a major deal. We've "suffered" so long with a young team, but with Lindy at the helm, they're finally starting to come along and take shape. I'd actually like to see how things play out. I'm fine with trading a 2nd round draft pick, or that plus other lower picks, to pick up another veteran or two. Maybe the "RHD" version of Zucker, or another veteran forward of Zucker's caliber. Definitely players OVER the age of 25. There's more than enough youth on the team. I just get the sense that if they trade one of their younger players - Krebs, Quinn, Kulich, Power, etc. that the player will develop into a star on someone else's roster and the guy we acquire won't be a longer-term asset. Lindy has gotten the power play going. The PK has been terrific. The goaltending is rounding into form. The in-zone defense is a work in progress, but I think Lindy will address that next. Note that I liked the Savoie trade. He could develop into a star in Edmonton, but I'm not sure he will, and McLeod has been a great addition. Both Benson and Savoie got early chances with the team and despite being similar in size and coming from the same Junior team, Benson was far more effective. Savoie didn't seem to have the "it" factor that Benson had/has. Savoie may turn into Tyler Ennis and have a nice NHL career, but Benson could be more of a Brad Marchand type. McLeod is helping the team now with his speed and grit, along with some timely goal scoring. He also was great for Edmonton in the playoffs last season and could be the type of guy that could really benefit the Sabres if and when they finally make the playoffs.

Hats off to the Reimer. He played extremely well and was a difference maker in the game. I was wrong. Hats off to Lindy and the coaching staff for pushing the right buttons.

While this would not be a terrible time to play Reimer, given the 4-day break after the game (which I was not aware of), play UPL and go get those last 2 points. Give UPL a couple of days off from practice after that, if needed.

Like most Sabres fans, I'm frustrated with Power's lack of physical play on the defensive side, but he's a young guy with tons of talent. He does some things extremely well now (as this post sheds light on) and he'll improve in other areas. He still has the upside to be a star player in the future.

I'm out west and welcome the late start. In the age of cell phones, smart watches, TVs in every gym, bar, and restaurant, satellite radio in the car, and the internet on my desk at work, It's a challenge to avoid spoilers when the game starts at 4:00 PM and I can't watch for several hours.

I'm 6'2" and my dad used to have season tickets in the perfect spot - about 20 rows up at center ice. I remember having to sit almost sideways in order to fit in the seat. I never had a problem at the Aud in his seats there, before the current building opened. That said, I've sat in other places in the building and have not noticed an issue, so I think it's dependent on the row/seat. In any event, the place isn't a state-of-the-art arena, but if the product on the ice is good, the building is more than adequate. They have food, beer, and bathrooms. The sight lines aren't bad. I have not seen the new scoreboard yet, but I'm sure it's an upgrade. I can't speak to much to the acoustics, but they don't need to be anything special for hockey. If the product on the ice improves to a good one, and the team can be consistently good for a number of years, the place will be full for most games, revenue will be up, and that would be a good time to pour some money into the place. Today, if you feel cramped, you can just spill over into the seat next to you, as it's likely empty.

I really like Lindy's honest approach and I think the players like it too. I liked Granato, but I don't think he had the gravitas to fully speak his mind and comment honestly, for fear of losing the room. Lindy does not have that problem.

And he's had that nickname for decades.