Scottysabres

Listened to the presser. Read many comments, from this board and other sources. Tim Murray takes responsibility. Great, he should. But no questions were asked that were paramount to the failure we, as fans, just witnessed this season. Yes injuries had an impact, yes our depth is young or in some positions, non-existent. But in the final analysis, why did the prime roster players Murray acquired not succeed here this season? I'm talking about Bogosain, Gorges, Kulikov on defense and Moulson on offense. Also, what of the declining play of Girgensons, Ennis and Reinhart? This is your mess Murray, and while you profess to take responsibility for it, fixing it does NOT answer the questions of your talent acquisitions and re-signings that created the mess. Customers want answers, no matter how painful.

Why would I have to let you know? You will see them for yourself. But then, the attempt to address my post isn't based on that, is it? Ask yourself this........ How would you feel about rooting for the Toronto Bills, or the Hamilton Sabres. Or, insert a city name of your choosing.

I'm calling out anyone who questions the Pegula's. Period!!!!! Yes they are going through a learning curve. Yes that pain is shared by ALL Buffalo sports fans. But......GFY!!!!! Without the Pegula's vision the Buffalo region most likely would be without an NHL or NFL team! And what I am saying is power to truth. There will be ups and downs, but to question ownerships commitment to win is hogwash. Like any other human beings, they make mistakes. I won't judge their ownership based on those mistakes. Instead.......I'm greatful for there dedication and commitment to the region. So I say, Thank you Terry and Kim. I know it's a tough learning curve, but please, continue on and know you have the support of the majority not only in the region, but thousands upon thousands of WNY ex-patriots as well to stay focused on the DREAM of championships!!!

Yea, he will

Decent signing to help LW depth.

I'm at the game! Section 115 row 6 seat 16

This

Yea, givin' the attack on O'Reilly the game before and the rule ok slashing clearly stating if the slash results in injury it is an automatic 5 and game misconduct, a couple game suspension is in order. Sid's out of control lol

I started the other Murray discussion thread, specifically because of what you laid out here. I believe now Murray is in way over his head. One off season isn't going to fix the defensive mess in my opinion. He's boxed himself in and set himself up for failure. The time for excuses has passed. or get off the pot Tim!

To Terry Pegula: Buy the property in Niagara Falls owned by Millstein. Knock down the Nabisco silos, erect a 20' wall around the waste treatment plant on Buffalo Avenue and build a world class 7500 seat arena with convention center and Hotel. Cost should be around 550 million. Get it done Terry!

2 year deal, 3 mil aav. He may prove himself. Then again, he may stay flat even with a better defense and system around him. 2 years at 3 mil a season is proving time. Next season, if he's not claimed, I want Ullmark up full time, and not as a backup either. But fighting for the starter job.

Caught the 2nd and 3rd. Sloppy game by both teams. That last BJ goal, Fransy just said "look Ma, no hands, as Columbus went deep past the tonsils. Sad to watch an entire team choke on it toll the season ends.......

Hopefully Bogo rebounds enough next season that is trade value becomes net neutral. I'd be ecstatic if it was positive, but I'm not holding out hope.

I know it to be an option players have, although it's rarely utilized and never, at least to my knowledge, by such a high profile young player. That does not constitute it will not happen however. It is a possibility, even if near non-existent. And the reason I even bother to broach the subject is due to what I call the "Edmonton Effect", where lessons were learned on failed rebuilds by not only ownership, but also the players, some of whom spent up to 5 + years wasting their careers due to inept management. While Buffalo hasn't approached that level........yet. A great deal of faith had been put in Tim Murray and his plan. So far, and this is merely my view of the situation, the top 6 has 2 very good centers in Eichel and ROR. THE RW Has plenty of options, the LW is Kane and ?, and that's only if Kane is still here by end of next season. The bottom 6 is in shambles quite honestly, near 0 production offensively with little help in special teams roles (I.e. PK). The defense is 4 roster players and some depth players away from contention. The goaltending, even if the D improves and there is more stable support from the forwards with a coaching strategy shift it's becoming clear Lehner isn't as consistent as we'd like. We've already touched on the rookie injection about to occur. In short, there isn't a great deal of evidence to suggest the fortunes of this team will be much different the next couple of season.

Regardless as to how each of us feels about fixes to the roster, one thing is clear as a bell, rookies will line the forward ranks next season minus trades. If Tim Murray does not make a significant move to address defense, this team is in serious trouble, as in Eichel holding out to leave trouble.

Ad for #3, your going to get your wish, at least on Carrier, Rodriguez, Bailey and Baptiste. Hell maybe even Guhle at the rate this defense is going.

At this point I just want the individual players to gain confidence for next seasonm

So, what your saying is that it was a Mel Brooks speech.......:)

I believe Bylsma will be the coach next season. Tim Murray will be the GM. I'll leave Bylsma to his own devices. As for Tim Murray addressing the team pre-game, if it had the desired effect of last nights end result, ok, great. But is it sustainable? Did the speech go so far as to carry this team 18 more games and in to a playoff position? They are against the ropes with hope all but lost. Is there enough fire in the players to go on a home stretch run, let it all hang out and battle to the very end? Or was the inspiration a 1 or 2 off then back to complacency? Does Murray inspire ENOUGH? Was it a Herb Brooks moment? The next 38 days will tell all.

Nice win.

I digress, you are correct. I started this thread to have a conversation on Tim Murray.

I'm not specifically sighting or suggesting anything. Merely that 5he benefits exist.

I'm not so sure on that. Afterall, it was prior to the 2014 draft when Tim Murray said a rebuild doesn't have to take 5+ years. If done right, it could be done in 3 year. Well, here we are approaching 3 years, the current situation of the team and the comments he made aren't lining up. He appears to be in over his head when assessing the moved he did make to attempt to expedite the time frame. What is really concerning is some of the payments made on trade deals in that effort.

Equity is the long view, or long-term return. He doesn't plan to sell the team and has stated it will be turned over to his daughter. I am sure that tradition will continue long after I've left this world. The write offs are not less than 70%. Those losses tie in to a multi-billion dollar company, PS&E which is the parent company of both the Sabres and Bills. As such those tax write offs become substantially more valuable at the parent corporation level on both the state and federal level. For example, I'm aware of a 650 million dollar corporation that got to write off 88% of a 102 million dollar capitol loss. Political capitol is the ability to effectively move future endeavors forward with an ease not met by other entities. If you believe it does not exist, and I'm not saying you do, but if that is the case, I know first hand that it does exist. As for pointing out the expanded fan base, many Buffalo expats become successful in other parts of the nation, but the inclusion of them was to point out areas such ad south and central Florida or Phoenix hold decent size expats that still spend on the team for merchandise. I didn't state he was planning on turning the Sabres in to a cash cow. What I did say was the expenditures being touted aren't always as large as they appear.

nfreeman, you asked me in another thread if I had thought Terry Pegula made money off of the Sabres. Would you be surprised if I said yes? But others point out he's infused 100's of millions. I counter with a simple fact, and no matter how anyone attempts to side-step it, it is a fact. And that fact is this, every penny Pegula has spent falls in to 1 of 3 categories, all profitable. Equity, direct stake in a brand or physical location that appreciates over time for various reasons......check Write offs, all that cash he expended for contract buyouts, firings, etc. etc. Those are worth more than the money spent. Political capitol, when your playing at the level Pegula is where an entire regions fan base (the Buffalo Sabres and the Buffalo Bills in this case) which has a great deal of it spread nationally puts an owner of those assets in a position to move things beyond the local entertainment seen sports wise. It opens up many other venues. And while I understand he has done this from the beginning as a passion, let's not be pretentious enough to believe it's an Oprah car give away to the audience, look at it for what it is, more like a Catholic Charity, its passion and goal are well intentioned, but their are, how shall we say it delicately?, administrative costs. There is always a method behind the madness.......even philanthropy.