Pimlach

The line up I want to see. JJP TNT Zucker Benson McLeod Tuch Kozak Kulich Cozens Malenstyn Krebs KAB Power Byram Bryson Clifton Gilbert Joker UPL I thought Zucker looked good with Tage. I also saw Tuch and McLeod get some chemistry going. I think Quinn really must sit down, so Kozak gets a game. Get Cozens off of the dot and off of the power play. Let Kulich have more ice. I think Power should also sit, but Dahlin is out so he will play and he is expected to carry the backline. I think Gilbert should play, but expect that it will be Johnson instead.

Excellent. And the patch will work for a short time, until the pressure finally weakens it.

The refs won’t matter, but Benson will still get two minors for trying hard. The big goalie is going to play for Winnipeg tonight.

What exactly are the requirements for this? Why all the critique on GDTs? Last week you complained about which team was home, even though there is a schedule on the Sabrespace home page. Can you clarify all requirements for a proper GDT title.

If you could not see that the guy that plays 25 minutes a night was out, or hear it, or eventually notice the defensive pairings, then you are probably drunk, or stoned, or both, or you don’t follow the team. Which is fine by me. The team had everyone bracing for a collapse in the 3rd. The one minute “power play” set the tone.

He will play well for a game or two. Normal teams bring up prospects and get a small burst of help. But what about in a month or two when his play normalizes? Ryan is a 6 foot tall version of Bryson. He moves the puck and can pass. Plays with head up. Not particularly physical. He could pair with Clifton on third group. He could be a good player someday.

Let’s see him prove it then. Meanwhile is Gilbert still benched for taking penalties?

Huh? He missed the period that they were out shot 17-7, and out scored 4-0. It was kind of easy to see he was out.

Wondering if Ryan Johnson will play? Or will he back up the back up, like Kozak.

How is Duff a problem. Listen to a game on the radio. It’s impossible to follow. That is bad play by play. Add in that he gets more excited for big plays by the opponents. His calls on Sabres goals are usually duds.

That is not Sam Lafferty. It's Sam Lafarty. He owned on bar on Ontario Street in Riverside. On games nights he sold 50 cent Genny Cream Ale draft beers. Funny guy that LaFarty. His bar had a pool table and a pretty good jukebox.

Tage when healthy is a steal at $7M and yes, he is more of a 2C. We need a playmaker center for the PP. We are hurting up the middle, despite all the draft picks spent there. Dahlin is the best talent on the team. Better than Power Puff.

How about them? What's your point? Bandits - He didn't screw up the Bandits, that is just great for him. They were excellent when he bought them and he left them alone. He should remember that lesson. Amerks - they have won nothing under Terry. They are ok at developing the stockpiles of draft picks that he got for demanding his GM to trade star players away. Yahoo for the Amerks! As long as your asking, I think I would rather have Eichel, Reinhart, Montour and Ullmark back and return Tuch, Krebs, Östlund, Kulich, Levi and anyone else we got for these guys. How about you? His daughter - excellent player. She made the most of all the expensive tennis lessons he paid for.

I heard that too, especially the last 10 seconds when we had the puck and were setting up a shot and still booing. It was a new low. Unlike Granato, Lindy was ok with the booing, listen to his post game, he understood.

he often talks about the other teams trivia, and then he stops calling play by for long periods of time. He misses big plays by the Sabres too. He stinks at the job. He is a poster boy for the level of expectations the Sabres management sets for its employees. I get that we had Rick and Ted, and that was great, but Dan is not even average at PBP. It was not like that under the Knox's. The pride is gone but then again, everything has changed.

It probably would be best for all concerned if they could at least sell 51 percent and back away.

Supposedly Ruff has them in film sessions today. They should skate today, they have the Jets tomorrow.

You are correct - Too many young players and no way to cover for all of them when they struggle. Adams' plan is to add even more - Novikov, Helenius, Östlund, Rosen, Wahlberg ... Good luck with that. When Adams was stockpiling draft picks and not trading for veteran players some of us wondered how this was ever going to work. Why isn't he trading some of his picks for proven players? Hockey players take time to develop, they get drafted at 18 and they have ups and downs. If you can mix them in with a solid veteran group and put them in an NHL system they will grow up faster. Adams plan was to have them carry the load and bring in no blockers. It seems absurd now doesn't it? No blockers, means don't make my prospect work to hard for an NHL job. Cozens (23), Peterka (22), Quinn (23), Benson (19), Kulich (20), Power (22), and Byram (23). They have a 24 year old Captain. What teams have this much youth in so many critical roles? That is 33% of the skaters that are not full grown adults yet. Adams publicly said "no blockers", so in essence he gave NHL jobs to young players that were talented but still developing. He is still holding cap space to sign his prospects to long term deals. I have posted this before. A recent former Sabres coach told me he feels sorry for any coach that replaces Granato. He meant that because he knew what was happening with the level of coaching that RK and DG brought. Lindy has a huge job getting through to this group. We can see this. Adams is proud of the pedigree of his team. Did Byram and Power step up when Dahlin went down yesterday? No. Power was -3. The team was outshot 17-7 in the 3rd. But the biggest disappointments so far this season are Cozens and Quinn. They are a liability and they suck up 2nd line minutes with no production. Right now I have no faith in this group, I am reluctant to call them a team. I suspect Winnipeg will beat them tomorrow and a big contingent of Jets fans from Canada will leave loud and happy.

We don't have Darcy Regier to kick around anymore.

Zucker looked good with Tage last night. He had a few excellent shifts in the 2nd period after we held off the Avs first surge. I was going to comment on the things he does well that do not get on the scoresheet. Anyhow, unless the team comes together and gets consistently competitive, he will be looking to move to a cup contender at the deadline. As such, he will most likely keep his game up. Expect to lose a good vet for more draft capital.

So tomorrows game is a "must win"?

We already know that a competitive team in Buffalo, with a few legit NHL stars, equals sell out every night and a passionate venue.

Actually Club President Russ Brandon played a big part in hiring Rex. He infamously advised the Pegula's "don't let him get out of the building". McDermott was the the NFL's list of top head coaching candidates at the time. The Pegula's don't know who to listen too. Hiring McDermott was based on their interview with him, and then listening to his recommendation on Beane, was as much luck as anything else. But at least they did it without listening to someone with limited or dubious qualifications. In the hockey world they have no clue were to turn - and they had guys like Dudley and Ruff in their backyard for entire time.