JohnC

You are far more knowledgeable about the players in Rochester. So, I will defer in Rochester player rankings. But what I can say is that when he has played in Buffalo I didn't see him as a liability. I thought he was a good lower pairing puck moving defenseman who played within his talents.

I think you are expecting too much offensive production from Johnson. As you correctly describe, he is a good skater and can carry the puck out of the zone. But offensively he is not going to match Byram and Power from a point production standpoint. Johnson is who he is as a player. Expecting more beyond his boundary of talents is a recipe for having a negative view of his play. In my mind, I see him as a solid third or fourth pairing blueliner who is smart enough to play within his limitations. I like him.

We don't have elite goaltending. That's a fanciful aspiration that likely won't be met any time soon. That's not a surprise because 90% of the teams also don't have elite goaltending. What we need to get is consistently solid net play. Do any of our goaltenders on the team or in the system meet the elite standard? I would say no. But that doesn't mean that we can't get the caliber of goaltending that will allow this team to be competitive. Another way of getting more effective net play is improving the play around the goalie, as @PromoTheRobot noted.

My sense is that Lindy isn't enamored with Ryan Johnson. Why? I don't know. Maybe it is a style of play that doesn't fit with his concept how a defenseman should play. When I watch him play it seems that he's comfortable playing against NHL players and is more of a blend in player than a thumper at the position. (As you described.) It just seems to me that Ruff has an opinion of him and isn't receptive to changing it. Sometimes old-style coaches are not as adaptable as they need to be. It won't be surprising that there will soon be murmurs that he wants to be dealt to another organization.

Who disagrees with the notion that young players who are still physically developing should continue to work at getting stronger? With respect to predicting injuries, as you well know, in many sports, especially crash sports, it’s a feature of the game.

You seem to be suggesting that the Sabre players are less fit than most other players in the league and it is a factor for the number of injuries. I doubt that is the case. There is no question that the Sabres have had a series of injuries that has thinned out the roster. That's just the way it works out. Players being injured by the puck is uncontrollable. What makes the number of injuries even more noticeable is that this roster is thinner than most and has less capability to absorb injuries to front line players. Hockey is obviously a very physical sport, and injuries are an issue that all teams have to contend with. It just so happens that we have been subjected more than the usual number of injuries. It happens and can't be controlled.

There are a variety of leadership styles that can be successful in all fields of endeavor. You don't necessarily have to be an outwardly forceful or loud leader to lead a franchise. A good leader surrounds himself/herself with quality people and empowers them to do their jobs. I have been a harsh critic of TP. I really don't know what the freak he is doing and where his head is at right now. As a new owner I was willing to give him more time to learn how to navigate in new waters. My patience has been exhausted. I'm tired of him and his incompetency. I'm not demoralized to the point of giving up on the team. I strongly believe that with the right person at the helm who is capable of making some judicious moves that this floundering franchise can get back on course. Is Jarma that type of person? I don't know. What I do know is that he would be better than what we got. The owner's stubbornness is not only self-sabotaging but as a fan is tough to take.

I agree with you that technically the too many on the ice call was correct. But from a discretionary judgment call I thought it was a bad call. And as you point out, with the Tompson/DeBrincat engagement both of them were battling, so the judgment of a no-call was the right call. Although, if that type of throw down happened in the middle of the game, a penalty would likely be called. As you note, the calls evened out.

You don't have to be an organizational analyst to recognize organizational instability. Never ending turmoil from constant changing of staff shouldn't be a surprise. The leadership standard in any organization is set by the top of the pyramid. In this case, from the owner and the lackeys he has hired. When you are in a competitive endeavor it isn't a surprise that long-term failure creates a stress filled environment. It is evident with the players and even with the fans. The Sabres have been an unstable franchise since Terry P bought it. Lurching from one approach to another. What's the solution? It's not something magical. It's a basic concept that is evident to anyone who has a flicker of intelligence: hire the right people and empower them to do the job. If it doesn't work, then you hold them accountable for their performance and replace them with people who might be better options. There are no guarantees that the next option will work. However, you are guaranteed to fail when you continue on with failures. Common sense 101.

Too many beers intensify one's reactions.

The play of the game was McCleod’s shorthanded goal. It kept us in the game and was the pivot point for the win. Tage played like his life depended on the outcome. He showed a lot of intensity and emotion. I have been waiting for Kesserling being paired with Power. Can’t make any judgement off of this game. Can this team hang on until we get some players back? I’m not talking playoffs as I am respectability. It would have been easy to quit in this game when the score was 4-1. They didn’t. That’s a tribute to their character. Dahlin’s play was flat but understandable. His presence alone considering what he has going on in his life should be inspirational to his mates. He chose to be with his teammates when he could have been back home. He definitely cares. There have been a lot more downs than ups in this disappointing season. For the moment, this is a game I will appreciate. The ending took me by surprise.

In general, we are in accord. Roster construction is inextricably linked to the culture on the team. As you point out, it is not simply about accumulating talent as it is getting the right talent/people in the room. In any line of work, getting the wrong mix of people can become detrimental to the atmosphere that also takes away from the production of the right people in the room. Having the right mix also applies to the staffing within the organization. If not, you are going to have internal conflict that affects the output of the franchise. There will be too much push/pull instead of everyone understanding the necessity of moving in the same direction. The problem with the Sabres is that it is headed by a third-rate owner who put together a third-rate organization. Until the organization is properly staffed with the right people, it will continue to falter. It isn't about luck or unluck ---- it's about competency. There should be no surprise that a hollowed-out organization staffed by feebly talented people results in failure. It starts with the owner!

The problem with the Sabres revolves around talent and roster construction. The origin of those deficiencies has to do with the GM and staffing in general. The caliber of the facilities has nothing to do with this failed franchise. Pervasive organizational ineptitude, starting with the non- talking owner , is the sole reason why this franchise has been sunk for a generation. It should be noted that the players who worked their way out of this sad-sack franchise cited a chance to win and not the quality of the facilities as the reason to get out of dodge.

What’s worse than his poor public speaking is his self-sabotaging hockey decisions. In any business recognizing what you don’t know and finding the right support staff to help you is critical. It’s not his non-talking that has crippled this forlorn franchise, it is his inexplicable hockey decisions, mostly pertaining to staffing, that has left us with this hockey carcass. It is so stupid and inexcusable!

Losing is corrosive. The players who have been here are dispirited. Playing for the Sabres has sucked the joy out of playing a sport that they love. You can see it in their play when dealing with adversity. I’m hoping that the young players don’t get contaminated with this pervasive negativity. It’s so sad how a fool owner has destroyed this franchise with his horrendous staffing decisions. What’s the solution to getting out of this deep rut? Before there can be a roster shakeup there has to be a major shakeup in the front office and coaching staff, and then give them the ability to make the personnel decisions with a fresh perspective. The Sabres are a mocked and irrelevant franchise. I mostly blame the fool and stubborn owner. There are a cadre of people who reflexively cite excuses for this lame franchise. I’m not one of them. This fiasco of a franchise is of its own doing. The motto of this franchise seems to be : Stupid in leads to stupid out.