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Thinking about this today I now feel like this is the kind of thing you say when you know overall you aren’t good enough - but you can’t say that. But that’s the truth. They aren’t good enough. It isn’t effort. Great teams can coast 20 percent of the time and win easily. And it happens all the time. We can’t do that. That’s a talent problem and that’s why when these guys skate at that 20 percent like every other team does in October and November, if the other team plays well - they lose.

Yea it felt to me like in his head he wanted to trash their effort without actually trashing their effort and this is what came out. I don’t know. I’d have rather him just say “we can’t play defense worth a ***t.”

See now I don’t think they played lazy tonight They just aren’t good enough. See my previous post. Patrick Kane’s existence on that team immediately makes them better than us. Players like him do all the little things right that make a different bc he’s a Hall of Famer. Our best winger is Alex Tuch. That’s all you need to know. We’re a perennial 85 point team until real legit hall of fame management, scouting, and most importantly players come here or get developed here. The Caps turned it around so quick bc not just the culture - but because of a culture that was built by OV all they need to do his watch real greatness prepare and play everyday. We just aren’t and never will be at every playoff contender’s level bc we have ZERO players that make everyone around them better. We have ZERO players that all are elite. None. Not Dahlin. Not Thompson. Not anyone. They’re just very good. And that’s 2 guys. Power ain’t that dude yet and it might take a few more YEARS.

A couple border line all stars. Maybe 3. Absolutely no one remotely on a Hall of Fame track. Zero toughness - not that it matters in 2024 everyone is built the same looking for the same type of player. We just suck at finding the elite versions of them if they aren’t top 10 picks put in our lap. Why everyone is better then us, simplified. Your Buffalo Sabres explained.

And predictable

This team is infuriating

Good start.

If the Capitals are for real (they are) and finishing in the top 3 in the Atlantic is probably not going to happen then this season is going to go south real quick if we don’t get it together by Thanksgiving. And that’s a little over 3 weeks away. Wins against teams like this are a must.

I'd probably want to take that trade back if we could. That said… Casey has 8 of his points at 5 on 5. He has 5 points on the PP. He’s playing 20 minutes a night. Colorado is 5-6 with a minus 8 goal differential. Casey is a minus 6. Cozens has 3 points at 5 on 5 and is a minus 2 playing 18 minutes a night. Make of all this what you will at the moment. But I’m not reaching any conclusions on this trade yet. And I don’t think Byram has been bad. He’s been …. Ok. We still have a lot of “figuring out” going on. It’s coming tho. They’re getting close - need the goaltending to be better.

Stunned how empty the arena is.

Skinner is on pace for 30 goals and 60 plus points. Scored again tonight. Casey has 3 goals in 4 games. Dylan Cozens has ONE point in 6 games. WTH is going on???

It can’t be both goalies. Our D commitment by everyone just sucks.

Or 3 out of 10 points to start the season 2 of which Florida was missing their 2 best players.

Soft team after the game: ”We won 5 v 5 5-2!”

Oh UPL stone………nope.

We don’t have that dude that plays defensive defenseman.

Give me Levi indefinitely please.

He has to be elite for this team to be serious.

Tage being a minus 4 to start the season is just…..picking up where he left off..

Why is Greenway getting so much ice time? Is it the injury to JJ?

Sabres Have Most Overrated Prospect System in NHL Looking at their current group, this has to be the most overrated one in the NHL. Tony Ferrari of The Hockey News, DobberProspects, and The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler are all high on their system. Wheeler even ranked the Sabres number one in his 2024 prospect group rankings. There is talent in the Sabres’ pipeline, there’s no use denying that. Are they a top-5 prospect system in the league? Absolutely not. The reality is that they are barely top-10. To the Sabres’ credit, they are developing several prospects well. Kulich and Devon Levi are still top prospects in the NHL. Zach Benson graduated to the NHL as many anticipated. He’s only 19, but he should be a mainstay in Buffalo for the next few seasons, so he’s no longer deserving of the prospect moniker. After that, the outlook is less encouraging. They have several players with NHL upside, but not with the potential of Savoie, Benson, Kulich, or Levi. Isak Rosen and Noah Östlund are call-up candidates this season, but they project as bottom-six forwards at the NHL level. Maxim Strbak is the team’s top defensive prospect. He had a terrific freshman season with Michigan State University. At the NHL level, he will most likely be a bottom-pairing defender who makes a living killing penalties and blocking shots. The Sabres have talent in their system, but looking at who is on the way, it’s hard to determine who the difference maker will be. They have pieces to be better, sure, but not the elite talent so many believe. Benson has the potential to be elite, but can he carry the Sabres to the postseason? Can Devon Levi surpass Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as the starting netminder? Can Konsta Helenius, Jiri Kulich, or Isak Rosen force their way into the top-six? Unfortunately for the Sabres, contenders don’t have this many unanswered questions. The potential, talent, and reason for hope are endless in Buffalo, but that doesn’t change that their prospect group is the most overrated in the league. https://www.si.com/onsi/breakaway/prospects-feed/posts/buffalo-sabres-most-overrated-prospect-system-nhl My issues: Not calling Benson a prospect isn’t fair. Or Power. What other - give us 3 or 4 teams - that are better and why? Can't argue we’ve been hearing this for years and it hasn’t led to anything tho.

Yes yes - I know. I was not posting those as some indictment of him. We know what Edmonton was doing. McDavid had to play almost the whole 3rd period. I mean you read the rest of what I said right?

Find an elite LW for the top 6 - Benson on the 3rd line for now is ideal - and that’s a playoff team.

McCleod only played 9 minutes in game 7 and was a minus 2. Buuuuuuut had a goal, was plus 1 and had 10 PIM in game 6. OA averaged 13 minutes of ice time during their STANLEY CUP FINAL run was a minus 7 and had 4 goals, playing in defensive role. Not great not terrible. Did I mention we got a guy that was just in the SCF - something this team really needs to have in the locker room.

Only way to fix this is a reputable Team President respected around the league. Or, we become a 110 point team this season. Until then, my hopes of anyone of significance coming here are absolutely zero.