JohnC

There is another aspect to this systemic failure that I worry about: the persistent losing and being a part of an irrelevant team (from a player's perspective) having a demoralizing effect. I see it in the periodic spiritless play of Tuch, Dahlin and Tage and others. Players are not stupid. They can recognize what a quality organization is compared to a what a mediocre franchise is in the hockey business they work in. Unless they are stupendously obtuse (and they are not), they can recognize that they are stuck in a mediocre organization. You don't think that when they are watching the playoffs on their couches and see players they know participating in meaningful playoff games, they ask themselves: I would love to be on a team and be part of that playoff experience? I recognize that I often, to the understandable irritation of many, repeatedly blame this unreachable owner for the failure of this franchise during his ownership tenure. However, when a franchise has never gotten on a serious track yet continues to do what it has been doing without meaningfully attempting to get on another course, then that it is outright stupid and outrageous. This silent owner makes me angry. We deserve better.

Tage is not a center. He needs space to be effective. The problem isn't that the players are unfamiliar with each other as it is a bad fit. The Sabres needed to add another top 6 player to the roster. The scrawny GM didn't do it. He's a small-minded staffer who's an incrementalist in a big picture position. In other words, he's a typical Pegula bizarre bad hire who he is comfortable with. Hiring him for the position was bad enough. But keeping him on after five plus years is an inexcusable malfeasance by the owner who appears to simply not care. The Ruff coaching era should have concluded with his Jersey stint. He had a good career that ran its course. This was a nostalgic hire made in a fraudulent search process by the impenetrable owner. It's bad enough that the owner makes bad decisions, but it goes beyond that to the point of making weird decisions. That's where we are at. The Sabres have a third-rate owner with a third-rate GM (being kind) with a third-rate coaching staff. This bozo hockey brain-trust has put together an ill-fitting roster. And no matter how you manipulate it will not be suitable fit. That's where we are at.

Where I only disagree with your post is the unfairness of earning a point for an OT and SO loss. What’s so unfair with a format that applies to all teams? What I do find unfair and aggravating is the arbitrary way the goalie interference rule is applied by the referees. (As noted by a previous poster.)

Just googled. Absolutely, LFGFFS!!!

I'm a troglodyte. What does LFGFFS mean? I know that the first three letters translate to Let's freaking (sanitized word) go but the FFS letters have me puzzled.

I recognize that I'm in the minority here but 3v3 in OT is terrific/fun to watch. And to antagonize the members even more is that the shootouts are not only dramatic but also entertaining. It's to our advantage to get to the shootouts because we have players who excel in that format.

Sometimes the eye test is more informative than the analytics. And sometimes who you are playing with influences the analytics ascribed to you. Stats can be useful and also not reflective of actual performance.

I mixed up the games. It was 5-0 home loss to Jersey I should have referred to. I thought the Sabres actually played well in the loss.

Samuelsson is play at a first pairing level. I would rather have Tage and Norris playing as centers. I don't care which is first or second line center. I consider Tuch more of a second line forward but acceptable playing on the first line. Benson is capable of playing as a first line forward. He will get better.

I thought that Buffalo kept up with Minnesota. They had scoring chances but couldn't capitalize. At the end of the game, the Sabres forced it on offense that made them vulnerable on defense. From a skating and pace perspective, I thought they played the way they needed to.

When the Sabres pace is quick and they are swarming, they do well. (As you point out.) When they get sloppy with the puck and don't play with energy, they become a mediocre team. In a long season, you will have some flat games. But the key for success is skating with pace and effort on the defensive end. In the last few games, even in the Minnesota loss, I thought the energy and skating pace was good.

You make a keen observation that not only are the defensemen player better defense but so are the forwards. The improvement in team defensive play can be attributed as much to the more responsible two-way play of the forwards. With respect to the blueline unit, I marvel at the exceptional and consistent play of Samuelsson. From strictly a defensive standpoint, I would say that he has been our best defenseman. His play is better than I could ever have imagined coming into the season. Another example of the improved attention to more responsible two-way play is the play of Quinn. He's far from being a stout defender, but you can see that he is giving an effort to be better in the defensive zone. I credit his experienced linemates for influencing his more mature play. I would even go as far to say that putting Quinn on a line with Zucker and McCleod was one of Ruff's best coaching decisions this season.

I want to see UPL based on his play establish himself. A decision should soon be made on which two of the goalies will be retained. However, I'm not going to be too disturbed when one of them is sent somewhere else. The goalie I will be watching to see how he reacts is Levi.

He's really fast and has good hands. He's a genuine one or two C. I would rather have Tage be either the first or second C on another line.

Is your nickname Mr. Sunshine? 🤣