Marvin

Just thinking: who are the coaches who have interviewed for the Buffalo job? I want to see if there is any hope for improvement based on that list; i.e., has anyone competent besides Lindy Ruff interviewed here in the past decade plus?

Sad, but true. But even then, you can overpay a little bit for guys like Greenway to fill out the bottom 6 or overpay a bit in a trade. If the stable of prospects is that all-fired good, IMHO, we should overpay a bit to get the guys we need.

I really needed that. I was starting to wonder what kind of mental illness caused that kind of masochism. Thanks a lot.

"...currently sentenced Sabre....". Awesome. 🤣

Good question. Filling the cupboard really should only be a means to an end. My perception is that GMKA is too enamoured with his prospects to make a necessary mood. What is frustrating is that he seems to be aware of the flaws in the team, so why did he not make the moves in the summer?

We can always swap out from excesses of strengths (fast, skilled forwards) to shore up weaknesses (stay-at-home 1-2 RHD, grittier forwards, veterans overall). For instance, there was no need for Botterill to trade Ryan O'Reilly to alter locker room chemistry; just shipping out Bogosian and Kane was enough.

What does it mean when I would rather watch bad Sabres hockey over another second of 2024 election news? I used to follow both with some intensity. Now, the Sabres are sometimes borderline unbearable -- but I find it preferable to just the news, especially the election.

If memory serves, @Brawndo said that it is hard to get anyone to come to Buffalo at the best of times, be they players or coaches. Am I correct? In any event, what would need to be offered said quality, established coaches for them to come here? I suspect that said conditions would be a very rude awakening for management.

One issue that puzzles me. We have effectively season-long slumps from our top 4 forwards (Thompson, Skinner, Tuch, Cozens) and our top 3 defencemen (Dahlin, Samuelsson, and Power). Yes, some of their problems are injury-related, but finding an answer to this question would help in deciding what to do. For instance, maybe they just over-achieved the last couple of seasons, in which case we should sell high on at least a couple of them. Maybe it just happens (e.g., there is an abbreviated Buffalo-Winnipeg game on YouTube from 1985-6 where the HNIC announcers mention that the Winnipeg Jets were plunging in the standings because their top 3 marksmen, Hawerchuk, McLean, and Steen, all had an off-year), in which case a new voice gives a new positive vibe (head coach). Maybe the lack of different skills on the team has been exploited by the other coaches. I place the initial responsibility on the assistant coaches. The next comes with a mix of the head coach, players, and general manager. I would attack this problem in that order if possible.

Mentally worn down.

Note to self: avoid political talking heads at all cost. I forgot that today was the New Hampshire primary and watched something worse than watching the Sabres.

Until GMKA makes some moves to improve the team in the short term, I think that it is best for my sanity that I take it easy until my health improves.

How about "Big Pekka"?

Something quasi-positive. I have a few friends from grad school at Michigan State (you probably know it as "the other university in Michigan") who have suffered through the ignominy of an 0-16 season (after a 5-0 preseason, no less). They remind me of us in the late 1980's or after the Bills' drought. Their innocence is kind of fun to me.

I just wanted to say that I hate that this thread is relevant before even the All Star Break. I have been growing more and more resentful of The Tank each year. And it hurts more so this year because last year ended with such promise.

I was wondering when the defencive injuries would catch up to us. Add in the short week with us tiring somewhat and here we are.

Aside from the odd Facebook post, this is the only social media I use. I like the comparative sanity here.

I see why we are easy to play against. We do nothing well. Even though we have fast players, we don't play fast. We don't hit. We don't defend well. We are not positionally sound. Ouch.

One. Two. We want three!

Moreover, actual reporters were hearing from GMs that O'Reilly was available before that season's trade deadline.

They view it as the ripoff of the century. They unloaded two pieces of dead weight for a 1C without giving up anything significant. Tage Thompson getting good now still does not change the fact that dumping O'Reilly was an idiotic move that lead to more years of sub-mediocrity.

Your memory is how Blues fans view the ROR trade.

Not at all. As designed, the power play has few variations in configurations, set-ups, modes of attack, and targets. If even I can figure it out and dream up schemes to disrupt it, surely a pro coach can do better. Until it evolves or the Sabres create new variations to run, I expect the power play to underperform.

I thought Tay Tay (to quote the Swifty YouTuber Dr. Becky Smethurst) turned down the Super Bowl because she would not get paid. Am I misinformed?

I think Kurashev was nailed to the bench for the last few minutes.