Pimlach

I agree. But the thread is “first impressions” and after 8 games that is my impression. I expected physical play. Not seeing that yet. I sure hope he becomes something next season.

No individual goals are included because Individual success must be a byproduct of team success. Not the other way around. Teams’ goal is playoffs. Simple. We know we need goaltending, better team defense, and more from the vets - I really do think different vets is part of that. The concern is that whenever player additions come up Adam’s worries about the room and/or blocking his prospects. Ullmark is gone, in part because of prospect blocking. The Stahl/ Hall additions still haunt him. These things concern me about the off season. Fixing the home record is entirely up to the players. Let’s start with Pride and bringing their lunch bucket to work.

No playoffs. Sorry. 1. Their best player is playing hurt and Muel is out. Power is running out if power. The defense is just not good enough and the “system” stresses them. 2. The league is focused on shutting down the first line. The rest of them can’t overcome it. 3. Goaltending - nothing needs to be said. Praying that Levi carries them is not realistic. 4. Coaching - he offers explanations but no answers.

After 8 games my impression is he should sit instead of Jost who sat last game. He should sit instead of JJP who was playing well and still benched. He is in the bottom 3 with Hino and VO. If VO or Hino plays then sit Greenway. I hope DG can coach him up but for now he is not adding enough to help with the long shot playoff chances. He did nothing against Boston when on the first line. He does not belong there. He is not even hitting on the forecheck and he is not defending teammates. The PK, one of his fortes, is terrible. He offers no help that we see. Adam’s, speaking of his physical play, said he brings something that we didn’t have. Where is it? Can he at least be a physical presence while DG turns him into a 20 goal scorer?

This won’t be popular but here goes: When he is out we lose because our depth - Bryson, Clagg, Fitz, and Pilut is not good Here is a novel idea. Add two really good vet defenseman and make Samuelsson earn the top pair slot with 26. He is there now because we have no one else. He is a good player but not a special player. He is solid most of the times, and at times he is even very good. He has more upside but is not consistent yet. He does not use his size to his advantage enough. Where would he slot on Boston? Off season work - Get stronger # 23. Maybe that will help with injuries too.

ONE GOAL - That goal should be playoffs. Nothing else. How they get there is debatable. Fixing the way they play at home is a must and probably key to reaching that one goal. If no playoffs next year, then I take a serious look at the coaching staff and put them on the clock.

Absolutely. I am not making excuses for them but the facts are they are not yet ready for prime time. There is a lot of work to do. Speaking of Tesm - They don’t stick up for each other nearly enough anymore either. They were doing it for awhile. Great to see Cozens take on Frederick, after Frederick went after Dahlin. Greendog had his chances to answer but he doesn’t want to be bothered.

I took some time to watch replays and the DG interview. That was dumb of me. Time to put this away. I just hope the y play hard the rest of the way. Would really like to see Tage snd Dahlin get their games back. The talk of getting a better draft pick irritates me. I want them to make one last run, start scoring and winning again to end the season. Really need to do that to make this season end on a better note.

1. Some key injuries have happened. 2. Some of the rookies and sophomores are hitting the wall. 3. Playoff type hockey is harder than what this team knows 4. Not enough veteran experience and some of the vets we do have aren’t pulling the load. 5. We have 3 goalies, meaning we don’t have a goalie.

Yup. Can’t imagine Granato sending out Greenway with the instructions “run-’em”.

Granato said he is a battler that wants to play. I believe that. I believe he does not want to leave his teammates when they are still mathematically alive.

You asked me to expand the other side of the coin on your generalization, which you applied to all sports and focus on what is harder to play. So I did that. I thought there was some good feedback in it. I have no big issue with you opinion. I started this by commenting on Granato focusing on scoring first and defense last. Not what position takes the most skill, gets drafted first, or makes the most money. Why do the Sabres have five 25+ goal scorers, no goalies, and one of the worst team GAA and PKs in the league? In hockey, scorers are considered the most talented and highest paid, but maybe we would be a better team with more balance? Especially a team on the salary cap floor. Since your generalization covered all sports, what about the MLB pitchers? Defensive position and the highest paid position in baseball by far. Maybe in all sports on average. In football the QB is the highest paid position if you are elite, followed by WR and very closely followed by defensive players -edge, DT, and CB. I will leave it at that.

Yes, I recall those posts. DG is smart and he is not going anywhere, let’s hope he adjusts. Maybe his staff could be better too.

Bruins game. I saw 2 periods. He did nothing noticeable. Played 14 minutes. 1 SOG, 2 hits. He played with Tuch and Thompson and he cannot keep up. At least he wasn’t minus. In a game with a fight and several scrums he was once again a no show on the physical stuff.

The Bruins just won a back to back and finished a road trip. They were happy and having fun. Big deal. If the Sabres don’t like it they can either play better and win more, or build thicker and better insulated walls.

Sorry to read this. It was painful to see to poor effort on TV, live and in person with tons of Bruins fans must have been really bad. I remember going to my first hockey games, Buffalo Bisons games, and it was pure energy and fun and those teams worked hard win or lose. I remember seeing the first Sabres games in 1970. The Knox’s hired the best they could and the product on the ice was fun, energetic, and promising. They got beat a lot the first few years, but they didn’t quit, and they won over the fans. I think this team has a lot to be excited about. This offseason the GM has to step up the rebuild and help the players that are long term core player. If not the past cycle will continue.

Not saying it’s harder, but I put defensive skills on par with offensive skills at the elite professional levels. One reason is because the person defending does not know the play (in hockey - the moves/passes that are coming) so they have to prepare for numerous options, anticipate, read, and react - and that is hard to do correctly, especially to be consistent at it. The difficulty is easier to describe in football The offense knows the play and the snap count - two big advantages.

Can’t say I agree with such a generalization, especially for all sports. As is stands we will have another year of DG to evaluate whether he can and will put an effective defensive component into his system. He will be back. This season is pencilled in as a successful step forward - the past 10 games will not change that.

The notion that you teach defense later in the players development never resonated with me. This was discussed by me and some of the group here in the beginning of the season. DG likes to teach run and gun offense with creative skill players but defense seemed to be an afterthought. I do not think we can ever be a good defensive team unless the system emphasizes defense - no matter who the goalie is.

His Tweets do not have an editor like his stories do.

Agree on the players only meeting. That should have happened already. Levi will get killed playing behind this team with the current defensive system in place. He might win a game or two, but once the team settles into their normal complacent level of play Levi will no better than the rest. The Granato system is flawed defensively.

They do it for games that are slaughters, massacres, and annihilations. It was less than two seconds.

Greendog is about as physical as my dead grandmother. He adds nothing. I like Stillman much more.

Only 14. Lol