Pimlach

It happens on other teams broadcasts too. Ray's credentials as a broadcaster are: he played in Buffalo a long time, and he is a popular guy. Sometimes he is funny too.

Sure. I caveat that by saying if they bring back essentially the same roster, including UPL/Comrie. Meaning, not much was done in the summer.

So you have his ceiling at a 6. That is what I saw in only 1 game. I was expecting a better skater after hearing DG's comments. Happy to see he brings some physical element.

What? You might hurt the locker room (humor intended). Serious response: Actually we can't trade them for picks because we don't have the depth to replace them. Hino is in for Tuch, and Apslund is a big step down. Plus we don't need picks, we need some of the right kind of experience to sprinkle in with the youth. Not gonna happen in the next 2 hours.

Sure. That is a common thought when you are not trying to get better right now at the deadline. So now Adams will actually have to do it this next summer. If they go into next season with essentially the same roster, including UPL/Comrie in net, then I think they will be once again be competing for a 7/8 spot - and that assumes they are healthy for most of the season and that the players that have progressed (Dahlin, Tage, Cozens) have another very good season and a few more of the young ones step forward (Quinn, Power, tbd). That all has to happen in addition to these "moves" that he makes this summer that improve the team. Florida could rebound and improve. Detroit and Ottawa are definitely getting better and they are not moving slow. Islanders are trying to retool on the fly. Montreal will be better next year. Columbus has some young talent and will get a lot of players back off of IR. Pitts and Washington could continue to drop, or not. Next year is not a given.

Probably correct. I do think DG and KA feel he has potential on the 3rd pairing.

I agree with you. The Dahlin and Tuch injuries had nothing to do with the need to add depth for a playoff push. We needed to add depth well before the Dahlin and Tuch injuries. Low cost, not mortgage the future type of depth. Every contending team in the league does it. It does not have to hurt your cap or hurt your locker room. Those sentiments are just wrong. I really like Kevyn Adams and I think he has done a fine job - but some of these guys here love to quote Adams and justify everything he does, or does not do, and it gets old. And lets face it, Adam's Teams have not accomplished anything yet so all faith in him is still blind faith right now. We had 7 defenseman on the roster before Dahlin got hurt so we needed to add one more at least. We really needed two defensemen to improve the group - if you have a chance to upgrade (such as Chyckrun being available and with term) then you take a shot at it. Adams probably did all he was willing to do and it just didn't happen. Another key acquisition could have been a solid two way forward - improve the D-zone play and we absolutely suck on the PK so adding a forward that could help would have been nice for a playoff acquisition. None of it happened. So we forge on with what got us here.

He is the 5/6. Unless he pushes Joker down to 5. Hoping he can get better as a player, he has been somewhat of a journeyman for a young guy.

Great. We have a democracy in place. Don't trade Bryson Mr. Adams, I know we can beat him in video games on our road trips. And don't trade Mitts either, he is my golf partner.

You do not think making the playoffs this year is the best way to grow the team because they will get swept? You think that getting in next year is better because somehow they wont get swept? So, we will be better next year, and make the playoffs next year, AND not get swept. Good to know. What are these new pieces you are worried about giving away and what positions will they fill next season that will make us a playoff team? I know I am not asking Adams to trade his top prospects right now or to mortgage the future, just wanting to add some depth to shore up the weak spots so we can make a serious run at a playoff spot. That's all.

It is not Tank Season. The Sabres just have to keep battling. That is all I need to see. Yesterday's final 6 minutes cannot happen again.

Why are you here then? Yes. I want to watch them in the playoffs THIS YEAR, even if they get swept. That is the best way for the team to grow, and for management to see what is needed to take the next step.

Cant really argue that in this case. Twelve years of mismanagement and turmoil continue to make it hard to build a program even today. That cannot be ignored.

Agree. They added vets prior to the season, now they are clearing people out that don't fit their plan. They are still $8M under the cap, not $17M like us but they have cap room and they stockpiled four #1's in the next 2 drafts. Detroit and Ottawa and competing with us all the way. The Eastern Conference is a bear.

Good analysis. Your summary is more O-zone time and more experienced players to improve the D-zone time. Sure, that would help. Three goals decided the game even though we gave up 7. The way the game ended was disturbing and embarrassing. Hopefully they can use that to get better versus Tampa on Saturday at home.

Olofsson and Joker are both fading away under the March madness stress. Making the playoffs is going to take a huge effort and the importance of staying in the race to the end of the season cannot be stressed enough. It will show us once and for which players cannot cut it when the NHL hits high gear. The games are different right now. It is unfortunate to lose 26 and 89 at this point in the season but we are learning about other players along the way.

I am so with you. This is (or was) a year to make big progress. Staying in the race up to the last day is progress. A March mini tank for a "better draft pick" is not progress. The only way to stop the losing is to actually stop losing. This team is $17.7M under the cap. The team closest to that is Arizona at $15.3M under, and they are tanking, not us.

!00%. That draft was loaded.

Panic? Give us a break. After 12 years we finally have a shot at the playoffs and you are ok to sit on your hands and wait another year? Trades were available out there to upgrade the roster and still not affect the long term cap. You believe the cr@p they are feeding you, that’s great. We have 14 forwards on this roster and 11 of them play the exact same game. Until Stillman, we had 7 defenseman on the roster (with Dahlin hurt) and nothing in Rochester. Name a playoff team carrying 7 defenseman? We have 3 goalies on the roster and none are a true NHL #1. Glad we didn’t waste any money on trades! Schenn is an $850k cap hit and he cost a 3rd round draft pick. He is rugged, solid, and has 2 Cups. Tell me how that hurts this team? Did you enjoy watching Joker get worked over and struggle to play extra minutes while Dahlin is out. Did you see him the last two games against big teams? How about that PK starring Lubyshkin? They cannot stop anything. The Sabres are above signing rentals I guess, they would not want to hurt the locker room or something like that. This is all about not spending Pegula money. That’s right, next year will be better. Sure. Great players will flock here. Oh Portillo. He is apparently too “intelligent” to sign with the Sabres, a team without a clear #1. Let’s see if Johnson and Levi sign soon. We can celebrate that, even though it’s commonplace for other teams to sign their picks. Don’t confuse fans being fed up with losing with panic. The Sabres front office has shown incredible patience, shall I confuse that patience as a refusal to compete? They appear paralyzed, but they call that sticking to a plan. So we will wait and play out the string, and hope that Dahlin and Tuch get back soon, and pray for goaltending, and watch them “be competitive in March”. Our new major milestone - still in it in March!!!! Be happy fan base, we are “in it in March”. That’s an accomplishment we can all rally around. So we will wait until the draft, and free agency, like good soldiers. We won’t panic or question a thing. We will wait and watch Adams finish this roster, complete with 23 players that actually deserve to be in the NHL. Because next year will be better. Next year, or maybe the year after …

New 6 when Dahlin gets back.

Cannot judge him on one game. Two things I saw are: he doesn’t back don’t from physical contact, and he does not skate all that well.

Hey All, I just got promoted to All Star at SabreSpace. Keep those cards and letters coming.

No. I wasn’t. We never had real control of the puck. The stats speak for themselves. We are a terrible team playing in front of an empty net. So do it sparingly.

This month is a gauntlet. No Tuch, Dahlin hurt, no reinforcements in trades, no #1 goalie on the team.