JohnC

The issue isn't whether they should be 1-1 or 2-0 or 0-2. The meaningful issue is how they played last night. There was no passion or display of urgency in their play. It seemed as if they were going through the motions against a lesser team that played harder and cared more. Considering that the Sabres are at the bottom of their division and their wretched history of failure for a generation, that is an indictment on the whole organization. Losing isn't the issue. It's how their collective play showed no heart and passion It's pathetic and a disgrace.

The irony is that if he managed this franchise more competently and professionally, this franchise would be a moneymaker for him with the arena usually filled with a raucous full house, as it is with the Bandits. He took a stronghold hockey market that included southern Ontario, and because of his foolishness, suffocated it. The owner is a fool and his buffoon behavior is tiresome.

The owner made a nostalgic coaching hire with a charade search process. The owner hired a sycophantic GM whom no other owner in the business, sober or not, would have even considered, let alone hire. When your owner is stubborn and hideously incompetent, it shouldn’t be a surprise that he presides over a shambolic franchise. What this fool owner does’t understand is that when you fail for a generation yet continue to do what you have already done, the results will always be the same. He needs to go back to school and retake the class that he failed labeled “common sense 101”.

Let’s play hard and win. Make hockey fun and not aggravating for fans. We deserve it.

Why do you assume that Quinn is likely to walk once his contract is up?

Both players were high draft picks with Power as the first in the draft. So I'm not really factoring in their respective draft position. From a player standpoint, I prefer simply Power. In the not-too-distant future, I see him developing into an anchor Sabre defenseman. As have been mentioned by others, right now the Sabres have the luxury of staying the course with both players.

You are joining the minority club. There is plenty of room for others who are mostly seeking other accommodations. 🍺

If I had to make a choice between Power or Byram, I would definitely keep Power. There are interludes where Byram can be more dynamic offensively but there is an unevenness to his game that makes me prefer Power in the long run. In a few years, the Sabres may be facing cap tightness but with the cap going up I don't foresee it as a problem for the next few years. Dahlin is one of the best defensemen in the league. And it should be acknowledged that Samuelsson is playing as a good complementary partner in the first pairing. I'm happy with Power on the second pair and I'm more than pleased with the play of Timmons. When you add Byram and Kesserling to the mix it seems that a quality unit is emerging with even more upside expected from a relatively young unit. It's apparent that I'm more positive about Power than many here. The critics should be aware that many of them were adamant in their view that Samuelsson should be sent packing. Now I consider him to be one of our better and more consistent players on the blueline. My recommendation is to be patient and stay the course and let this unit grow together.

Players get singled out to become the symbols for the frustration (understandably) of this team. Samuelsson is a classic example of that where he became vilified and demonized. Now look at him! I would say he is playing very well and more importantly has become one of our consistent performers on the unit. I, like you, have been disappointed in Quinn relative to my expectations for him. But let's put things in context when evaluating any young Sabre. Usually, they are rushed in their roles. Instead of playing on a lower line and working their way up, they often are prematurely elevated for a higher line playing against the better players on other teams. That's a franchise failure in the handling of players. I do see Quinn getting better. It's not a grand leap but from what I have seen there is an incremental progression. I'll gladly accept that steady improvement which is more of the norm on how young players develop in comparison to the few who almost right from the start demonstrate that they are high-end players. I recommend more patience when evaluating him.

Beck Mylastyn gets the first unsung star in this game for me.

Ellis is playing well.

If your selection doesn’t work out then so be it. It happens. You move on and then do your best to make a better next selection. There’s no excuse to make a later KA selection. That hire made no sense to me. His retention made even less sense.

You are describing an owner who prefers to be surrounded by sycophants who will treat an unserious and unknowledgeable hockey owner as if he is a serious and knowledgeable hockey person.

Does anyone know what Benson’s timeline to return? Is there chance he will play tonight?

Choosing a new GM is a tough and challenging issue for every owner. Smart owners seek out advice from outside voices who are knowledgeable about the hockey business. On the other hand, a sure way to flub the critical decision is to act out whim and hire someone so patently unqualified that the no other owner would have even considered him for the job let alone selected him. And to compound this stupendously bad selection is to keep this person in his critical position after his failed extended service. It makes no freaking sense.

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.