Marvin

Addendum: those who improve offence and defence from one season to the next make historic jumps in winning percentage. For instance, the #10 team since WWII increased their GF from about 200 to 257 and decreased their GA from almost 300 to 219. Meet your 1972-3 Buffalo Sabres.

I pointed it out a couple of times. Over the history of the NHL going back to WWII, when a team rises from the bottom of the barrel with a massive change to youth and minimal additions from outside, they normally improve the offence in one year and the defence the next. You often see the GA stay about the same the first year, which includes a minor rise in the standings. The second season, when the youth learn a commitment to defence, is when the team rises significantly in the standings. Most young players who get to the top end of offence learn team defence after they learn to play in the NHL unless the coaching staff and management push a defencive emphasis throughout the organisation from day 1. Most hockey people think teaching young players defence first at least partially stunts their offencive growth permanently. Moreover, most talented players learn team defence only after a few years.

The reason I go easy on Samuelsson and Power is because they are a sophomore and rookie. They play well enough consistently enough that I can't think of a good reason to worry about the. When I get upset at one of their gaffes, I tell myself that they are still learning and improving.

Besides #4D and #1G, the most important changes for next year must be the introduction of a full defencive structure rather than the loose pursuit thing the Sabres play now. That will cure a lot of our defencive woes from this season.

Yes.

Remember what I said about teams who rise from the depths with a lot of youth. Typically, they improve in 2 steps: offence in the first year with a mild improvement in the standings followed by defence in the second year with a marked improvement in the standings. There are exceptions, but this is far and away the rule. IMHO, defence will not be emphasised by the coaching staff until next year.

IMHO, if a team like, say, Nashville goes into a rebuild this off-season, the Sabres should check out their goalkeepers.

Goalkeepers tend to not come into their own until they are 25. UPL still has some development time. Addendum: that means we need a reliable bridge to him and Levi.

Most lopsided home loss is 7 goals to Montreal in 1976-7.

Sabrespace II: The Wrath of Scott. Does that make being a Sabres fan our Kobayashi Maru test? If so, how can we reprogram the simulation?

Just as long as we win a playoff series over a western conference team, I will be happy. Correct.

No, you want Ken Dryden. Trust me: he backstopped the Habs against the 1971 Bruins in impressive fashion.

I think they expect Krebs to grow into the 3C if not one of Kulich, Östlund, or Savoie.

Quoting "Black Sunday": Kick Dallass.

It is too late to complain about this season. We do have issues in the lack of defencive picks and the lack of depth signings. However, we do have hope that GMKA sees what we all see as the deficiencies in our defence. Signing Lyubushkin showed that he knew that we needed his type of game in our defence. Trading for Stillman implies that Adams wants to increase defencive toughness. The attempted trade for Chychrun gives me hope that Adams sees the overall lack of quality in our system. But he has to make it work. No more excuses. Aside 1: on other boards, people have been sharply critical of Adams for not offering up both Savoie and Kulich to get a deal done for Chychrun. I hope Adams does not get too antsy to make a deal. Just because we can overpay in prospects for a trade does not mean that we should overpay in prospects for a trade. Aside 2: I really want guys who do all the boring stuff right for our 4-8 D, our bottom 6 F, and our goalkeeping. I don't care about names.

You obviously don't remember Hank Bullough taking the "sails out of our winds."

Welcome back! And great post.

I hope with a more structured defencive system, some added clutch-and-grab, erm, grit and active defence, and improved goaltending that any offencive backsliding will be compensated for.

Did you see him laugh in disbelief when they overturned the call?

This is not 2005-6. Well, we had at least 1 year of seeing how hockey should be officiated.

Playoff hockey. It is game mismanagement.

They need to learn that this is playoff officiating and need to fight through it.

I don't see that. I see a player who is trying to figure out what he should be doing.

Bills are a small market, so **** the Bills too. And I noticed that Fasching did not believe the call

They should repeal the rule then.