Pimlach

It’s early and it’s one game, but yes we need this game.

Close - Das ist gut.

Nice to get the lead. 77 is impressing with speed. Gets his own rebound.

UPL with big saves. He needs to control and cover up those rebounds. Skinner once again showing some life. Fast pace. We need to shoot when it’s there, this Lanche team pressures the puck in their zone, they don’t wait around. Their goalie lost his stick and we never got another shot because of their pressure.

That was our checking line with Bryson getting dominated. UPL better cover everything, he extended the play on that shift.

Good afternoon Teammates,Punch checking in. Go Sabres. Big game. Home game. Goat heads. Young Kids in the building for a Sunday matinee game. Win today. MUSCLE WEIGHT

I thought the Bruins matched our offer for Ulmark and he took it without letting Adams counter? Either way, add this to Adams record on goaltender management since he could have re-sign him prior to that anyway and he waited. He was in love with Levi. Every goaltending statistic out there tells you Vanecek is better than Comrie. By any measure he was more experienced and reliable and way more durable. But he cost $1M more and and extra year - he met the definition of Blocker. Last year Vanecek played 53 games and led his team to the playoffs. He is limited, he is not a true 1, but he is a solid 1B/2 that can bail you out if your goalie goes down. He and Levi would be a better combo than Levi and UPL/Comrie. Adam’s is learning how fragile Comrie is. He played 40+ professional games once - in AHL. There is no defense for Adams handling of our goaltending. He failed his team last year and this year is starting out rough with the same trio.

I agree with some of this, but not all I disagree with your opinion that he didn’t earn the job. First, he literally has coached at every level and has had success at every level. He was an NHL assistant for 3+ years. He took on the interim head coaching position and he clearly did improve the teams level of play enough to get earn a shot. He had a NHL trail period and he passed. I contend that most first time HC’s have far less experience. Lindy Ruff had four years as an assistant in the NHL, then Buffalo took a chance on him as HC. Did he earn it more than Granato? His first full season he had to deal with the dismantling of the team, the trading of his best players. Eichel, Reinhart, Risto, Montour all gone. Adam’s got rid of anyone who doesn’t want to be here - they did a massive cultural change and that’s hard for a coach, yet he built a new Core very quickly, a better Core. He was instrumental in bringing Dahlin out of a funk, resurrecting Skinner, resurrecting Mitts, and in developing Tage. We are seeing a new Greenway. Many young players on this team have learned from him (Cozens, Quinn, JJP, Joker, Muel …) His 2nd full season, with terrible goaltenders, he got them over DeLuca 0.500 and one point from playoffs. So here we are, his 3rd full season. Adam’s says they are all in on playoffs. He brings in Clifton, EJohnson, and a rookie goalie. It is all up to Granato to make the playoffs in a highly competitive conference. Most coaches, and many other hockey people, will say you didn’t do enough Mr GM. Granato operates under the constraints of Pegula’s fairy tale EEE long term hockey strategy. The team has been so bad for so long that they have zero home ice advantage. These little things limit opportunities to plug holes. Players still avoid coming here. My big complaint about DG is when he talks about teaching defense after teaching offense. In the NHL you have 3-4 years to win, if that. You need to get your entire system in immediately. I just don’t understand where he comes from on this. Granato could get fired after this year, or next. Either way he will most certainly have left it better than he found it. This team is a few players away from being very good. It’s really up to the GM to someday finish the rebuild.

He was been out for 10 days and counting. General soreness after 4 games in 9 days to begin the season has me worried. The thought of him playing 50+ as a rookie is just not a smart plan. We shall see.

Sabres replace Bills for Sunday afternoon sports entertainment. I just want a W. It is time for this team to pick it up. Gotta score goals for UPL. Sabres 6 Lanche 4

Hey JohnC, sorry to the hear news and welcome back.

Bringing him in on a team full of young guns and shooters, and putting him on PP1 may be a bit unorthodox. Fourth line minutes usually require hard and gritty work on the defensive side of the game, can he handle it at 19? Kulich has to earn a spot. He didn’t do that in camp or in preseason games. Benson was more of a presence and is still in his evaluation. I prefer we leave Kulich down and let him dominate and build his strength and his game. We don’t need another teenager right now.

Lots of minutes indeed. Maybe we can build a 5-0 lead in the first and then coast to a 6-5 OT win?

I just realized @JohnC has not posted in awhile. Looks like last post was Oct 8th. Anyone know if he is doing ok?

Huh - Who are the four forwards you replace this season to play Kulich, Savoie, Rosen and Benson? How do you replace them? Waivers? Trades?

Well ..... Cam Ward took over the #1 role in his rookie season and he won the Cup for them by having a monster playoff. After that, he had a long career and fine career. He was a legit #1, and he was a workhorse. In 14 seasons he played over 50 games 8 times, over 60 games 5 times, over 70 games 1 time. That is exactly what a #1 is. Career stats: 2.78 GAA; 0.908 Sv %; in 701 NHL games ---> pretty darn good. His teams only made the playoff twice and they won one (grrrrr). His stats in 41 playoff games are also exemplary. The Sabres did not get a shot at that Cup because of injuries to our defense AND Cam Ward.

UPL already does that.

Sure, and given the coaching differences and the lack of emphasis on defense (until now of course), any goalie is better on Boston than on Buffalo. But would Ulmark's 2.7'ish GAA and his 0.915'ish SV% (his stats in Buffalo) be better that what we got from Toker, Dell, Comrie, and UPL? Yes, for sure. We have playing with minor league goaltending for the past few seasons and this needs fixing.

Bummer. I wanted him back for the Flyers on Wednesday.

Benson actually made the team out of preseason. He may not stay here, but he has made it very hard to get sent back to Juniors. If they send him back I am ok with it too. Benson will get stronger and he will be fine. Right now I prefer him over VO. Johnson looked good in preseason. I understand he is doing ok in Rochester so far, but not their best defensemen yet. He might get called because he is waiver exempt.

I hear this type of comment a lot. Mostly it is a defeatist, never ever works for us, type of comment. But given the difference in coaching between Ruff and Granato, I give it some credence. I will also note that Vanecek is a year younger and has much better resume (i.e. NHL stat line).

All Vanecek cost NJ was a swap of 2's and NJ added a 3. I think NJ won that one no matter what he does after that.