PerreaultForever

You know the saddest thing is with the Rags crashing and burning, the Bruins falling, Detroit still sucking, Ottawa not doing much, there was a very real opportunity this season and yet Adams won't do anything to try to seize it.

Good teams find a way to win close games, bad teams find a way to lose. Really is there much more to say? maybe just that Cozens shouldn't fight. He's really bad at it.

Hockey Guy with a nice little summary of the Sabres. #1 on the misery index.

Caps are way better than the Sabres right now so naturally, this one will be a Sabres win.

Some interesting comments I basically agree with from these guys. Sabres stuff starts around the 35:30 mark.

I saw an interview with Michkov the other day. He speaks through a translator. He was asked about his feistiness and I found his answer interesting. (not an exact quote) He says "that's hockey. I know that every player on this team has my back and will support me and I will defend every one of them. That's what a team is." Now, I know they say they have a good locker room and they are all friends supposedly but when was the last time a Sabre said anything like that? It may have happened, but I honestly don't remember it, it would be a long time ago. Anyway, they don't know how to build a solid hockey culture here, and with Pegula as owner they probably never will.

Well I can see the Leafs maybe wanting him that's for sure. Don't see how they'd make the cap work on it but that might happen. I doubt we see anybody of note come here.

It's possible. I won't argue that. I just think a soft D man like him won't be in demand for the playoffs. Don't worry though, we will get a middle level pick for Clifton next year 🙂

Correct. I've seen him put his stick in front of a player and glide in towards the net with him, but he doesn't use his body to move the guy out or use his stick to stop the other guy's stick either if that guy keeps driving. He's very passive.

I think that's a reasonable critique. I know people hate this sort of comment but I think he's not very bright. He is thinking too much, but thinking slowly, rather than instinctively reacting, gets confused with the new system and makes poor decisions, sometimes in panic mode. The speed of the NHL game requires instinctive play and quick decision making and he just can't do that. It's a big problem when you are expecting him to be the leader of the line. I guarantee you he will thrive if slotted in between 2 solid smart veterans on another team. You slap him in between Marchand and Pasternak for example and he's going to end up putting up a point a game or more after a short adjustment. He will be just like Reinhart and the rest.

Now why would you think Calgary would want to give him up? Unlike us, maybe they value some veteran leadership for their rebuild.

Correct on all fronts. He does have offensive stats but he is horrible defensively. Literally does not seem all that interested in defending at all. Very passive around his own net and very often a spectator.

Ya, but that's what I'm saying. Cozens should be much better and what he's lacking is that tenacity and spunk that Benson has. He doesn't have to be a perfect shooter. He can be a very effective player in many ways. There's just no reason the young 19 year old should look like more of an NHL player than any of these guys, but he does. That's just how bad they are.

It was depressing watching a Detroit broadcast of the Detroit Philly game and they brought up Risto's plus minus and Redmond goes "how'd he ever get that bad?" and the other guy goes "spent some time in Buffalo" and they both busted out laughing hysterically.. Yes, we are the joke of the league, even to the garbage teams.

pound for pound Benson is much stronger than Cozens.

I just don't see him being in high demand. Not the kind of guy teams load up on for the playoffs so why trade for a guy who will be a free agent if he's not a playoff guy?

Only if we eat salary and I doubt we do that. More likely we just let him walk end of the year. Just like VO.

Just wondering, but compared to typical NHL players does Cozens (who has a big frame to build on) not look lanky and skinny to you, relatively speaking? Now also consider this. When you watch a game, why do you notice little Benson so much? Why is he never hard to find? Why is he always near the net (where goals are scored) and why is he always getting into it with the opposing players? Meanwhile, why do you often have to look hard to find Quinn, or Peterka or Cozens and others? Why do some games go by and some people have to check to see if they even played? Just think about that a little.

It's not just drafting (although the type of player drafted generally has been similar and hasn't been overly successful) it's about not having a veteran/rookie balance. Leaders to teach the talented kids and a Rochester development model that teaches them how to be complete NHL players. The other side of this is having this giant war chest of offensive prospects with only one NHL roster for them to play on. We have been sold on the idea that this is a wealth of trade capital but it's only been exercised once (Savoie - McLeod) and the trade capital means nothing if you don't spend some of it when you need it. Having a big pipeline doesn't help the NHL roster. For the draft, to really evaluate it you'd have to go deeper and look at each draft and see who they passed on for what they took. For example Cozens. Who is substantially better drafted later? Broberg? Caufield? Newhook? Certainly not Zegras. Krebs? Maybe Boldy. I don't see a glaring error there in terms of what was available. There are glaring errors (like Nylander) but some drafts don't deliver the wealth they advertise going in to them. many many busts or mediocre talents. This is part of the folly of just draft draft draft. Some years are supposed to be great and then end up being much less than that. Look at 2022. We had 3 firsts. Kulich, the lowest of the three might be the best but there's a bunch of mediocre busts in that list. Slafkovky's not what they thought. Wright's still struggling. The whole thing isn't the great draft it was marketed as. A good NHL roster needs 6 skilled offensive players, 3 solid 2 way players with some offensive skill and shutdown abilities and 3 physical energy guys that are defensively solid. A good goalie and a competent back up, 2 shut down D men, 2 puck moving D men and 2 more solid veteran D men who you can rely on to fill out the roster and clear the net area. That's always been the model and it's still the model and it's NOT THAT COMPLICATED but the Sabres know better.

Nashville is an interesting case on how hard it is to get good when you're not. They over achieved last year and fooled themselves into thinking they were a few veterans away and then this year a bunch of those over achievers trailed off and the old guys are over the hill and many things fell apart at once. They over stepped and rushed it and blew it. However, since they added these guys as free agents if they can tear it down and flip them for picks and prospects they could accelerate a rebuild with their plan B. What they do from this year to next will be interesting to see. I'm more interested in Philly. Last year it looked like the teardown Torts kicks everybody out of town plan was going to crash and burn. They also had the Carter Hart thing to deal with and had no goaltending. This year with the addition of their superstar things look like they are changing. Still have issues, but the core structure looks solid. I wouldn't be surprised if they make the playoffs before the Sabres.

Well that's why he can be called up but he didn't have to play. Honestly I think I'd rather go with Clague.

True. There are multiple candidates who are not performing up to their contracts and since we don't have a wealth of veterans or NHL ready replacements in Rochester there are few viable options.

the general sentiment is something has to be done now. Pegula might not agree.

I doubt they beat the Caps unless the Caps have a really off night and play their back up etc. It happens. It won't shock me if they score big against the Leafs though. They seem to have the ability to suck the Leafs into wide open run and gun games and often come out on top, even when they sucked against everybody else.

So the Rangers clearly suck. Sabres suck more though. Anemic start, mediocre middle, too little too late. Imagine if Tage had Benson's tenacity and fortitude? Now that would be something. Not to question Lindy too much but Krebs is our best face off man for a pulled goalie situation? Really? The Bills lineman seemed to be enjoying himself. Not sure the guy sitting behind him felt the same way.