Jävə Keith

We are at our family cottage between the Bell Tower & Prendergast Point! We should do a Chautauqua SabreSpace meet-up sometime. CHQ Cheers. Happy Independence Day!

Last Game of the Year Cheers! Praying this is not RJ's last. Eternally hopeful for next season. Love to all of you fellow forever fan kin here at SabreSpace Aud Club Go Sabres!

OK, I have to share some DJ-Keith 80's inspiration. (Yes, I was a radio & club DJ back in the glory days) This song goes out to the current Buffalo Sabres roster as you take on the Bruins tonight! I'm so excited to see Will Borgen back in action alongside Bryson, Samuelsson, Dahlin, Joker D-Corps. Our future Captain, Dylan Cozens. The emergence of the Middlestadt, Tage "Giraffe" Thompson, Rasmus line. Maybe even the long awaited debut of UPL in net! Go get 'em kids!!!!! Perhaps this song should be considered for our new Goal Song to replace that wretched one we have now and reminds everyone of a losing culture. This live video version even ends with him saying "Let's raise the roof and make some noise!" https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg9dhr7h6yI&feature=share

I'm with you brother curmudgeon! Leadership has been wanting - actually vapid on our beloved team. I believe that is the problem with Jack as our Captain. He has shown zero leadership skill sets. Elite hockey skill sets, but that does not a leader make. My biggest desire for the offseason is for management to bring in a proven LEADER of a team who can wear the C for a year or two and mentor those precious skill sets in our next Captain (Probably Cozens). That is why I could live with an Eichel trade (assuming a solid return on asset). If he stays on the team, but gets his C taken away to give to a new vet leader we bring in, how could it not sour his already questionable attitude. It would take an extremely mature man to handle that well. (But that's probably a topic for another thread) Go Sabres!

I was impressed with his size & strength for being so young. A solid dude who will clear anyone who tries to get in front of the net. Yes, I was also impressed with his calm/not panicked play. Looked mature beyond his babyness. Excited to see his future unfold. He and Borgen will be solid "stay at home" yet excellent puck-moving defensemen (especially that first pass out of the zone). Bright days ahead.

Congrats to Tokarski's 1st win. What an enjoyable game against a top NHL team. Keep it up kids!

Agree on Exposing Olofsson over Borgen. Specifically because of the Identity GMKA keeps talking about wanting Sabres to possess. Olofsson is a one-trick pony with his elite shot, but spends ALL of his time skating around the perimeter. Does he even know how to hit? How to out-compete the guy across from him? He is useless in 5 on 5 because of this. And is why all of his goals come on the power play (which are also trending down as most teams have figured him out). Borgen on the other hand is a solid reliable D-man with some jam & is a real compliment to be lined up with the more offensive D-men. I see more compete & a stronger future role in Borgen than Olofsson. (I still like VO, just see him as more expendable/replaceable)

Nope, just generally agree/align with your takes on our Swordsmen. But since you brought it up, can I get your autograph! 🤩

I was listening too and actually yelled out loud for them to stop! Mike Schopp is OBSESSED with Fantasy sports. With Bulldog out, Sneaky Joe is another bigtime Fantasy guy. Not a hate on them thing, just factual description. All the NFL draft talk was primarily in regards to impact on Fantasy & Betting on the Draft. Agree totally that this was excruciatingly painful to sit through as I tuned in specifically at 3pm (after Tasker/Brown Bills Show) to hear discussion of such a major & long-term impactful SABRES news day. Unless you are a Fantasy geek, Schopp has become unlistenable IMHO. So much for the Sabres Flagship Radio Station.

Samson played a very passive game tonight. Instead of driving to net when he had chance he made drop pass. 1 Shot on net in 3rd P (not counting the other with goalie pulled) is beyond unacceptable. HCDG better rip these guys a new one. It's a tall order to expect a win against the Caps tomorrow night, but I want to see our boys come out of the gate blazing with some piss & vinegar in their game.

1st EVER RASTRICK in NHL History!!!!

Ivan Drago with the empty netter!!!

Never go Full Death Star.

Whoever wins tonight, I have really enjoyed watching this game. Good, enjoyable hockey... I almost forgot my love.

Woman's Tee: "My Ideal Weight is Matt Ellis on top of me" -Serious Puck Bunny

Part of me wants to see Kevin Adams step in for a game as HC while the official interim coach (or perhaps perm coach) is put in place. Kevin could get some front line time both hearing any catharsis from players, but even more importantly, he could instill the fear of God in them as to their lack of passion & compete. Make it the most miserable practice they have ever had to endure.

Thanks for the clarification on the diaper reference. I originally thought he was referencing having to wear a "face diaper" - in response to Gov Cuomo's deceit and lies surrounding covid/wuhan-virus.

I think the historic nature of how bad we are and how long the Head Coach has maintained his job regardless has something to do with the fact that FANS are NOT ALLOWED at the games. Kevin Adams would have been forced to fire Kruger long ago if there were fans in the stands. Can you imagine the volume of boooooooo's night after night after night from the fans. Even T-Pegs would have to step in and stop this madness. I am really looking forward to that first game with fans in the stands. I actually hope Ralph is still the coach so he (and our GM/Ownership) can hear the boos. If they fire Ralph before letting fans into games, it will feel like we were cheated out of making our voices literally heard.

On a positive note, it is amazing to listen to the Hall of Fame talents of RJ call this game. Listening to the excitement and tone in his voice on the play by play, shows his superhuman ability to make this horrible hockey game sound exciting. Just this past minute he sounded like he was about to jump out of his seat calling a Jeff Skinner breakaway and shooting it wide of the net. Epic Talent, RJ. I hope you get to call a good team some day soon before we lose you.

On a positive note, it is amazing to listen to the Hall of Fame talents of RJ call this game. Listening to the excitement and tone in his voice on the play by play, shows his superhuman ability to make this horrible hockey game sound exciting. Just this past minute he sounded like he was about to jump out of his seat calling a Jeff Skinner breakaway and shooting it wide of the net. Epic Talent, RJ. I hope you get to call a good team some day soon before we lose you.

The net result of trades for our assets (including Jack) is to get at least one player with PROVEN leadership skill sets that can be our Captain to lead the turnaround and reset/establish a new appropriate culture. Yes, we need the best return of hockey talent and the right kind of players that fit that new culture. Also, obviously a new coach (i.e. Boudreau) to actually coach that talent. But bringing in a leader who can not only be our Captain, but also with the intentional priority of mentoring/developing the next Captain following his retirement (i.e. Dylan Cozens).

Read this and ask yourself if Jack Eichel should be Captain & The Leader of this team any further.

Sorry, my bad. it's been a while since I watched the child star Matthew Broderick in War Games. 😉 Would you like to play a game?....

It is all about leadership, and less about hockey skills. The source of our failed chemistry, passion, battle and subsequent failure in our ability to consistently win and make the playoffs is, as much as it grieves me to say, our team's "Leader", our Captain, our chosen one, our Jack Eichel. Leadership is proven in adversity, not when times are good. Jack has been the consistent factor across 3 GM's and Coaches. He is an elite talent. That is not in question. Elite talent does not equate to leadership skill sets. Jack's attitude, failure to be a leader of men in battle, not holding teammates accountable when lack of passion/fight/grit in the face of adversity is the cancer that has metastasized. Jack has failed us as a leader, but I don't think the blame solely rests on him. We set him up for failure when the C was given to him before he proved leadership skills and earned that C. Too many coaches/organizations in the NHL choose their C based solely on talent. Give me an adequate talent with elite leadership skills/abilities as a Captain any day, over an elite talent at hockey skills but poor/vapid leadership skills. Sadly, Jack has been ruined for a future on the Sabres. I would love for him to remain a Sabre for life, if he was no longer Captain and be removed from having the profound mantle of leadership so he could just focus on being an elite hockey player and a good teammate. We cannot take the C from him now at this point - it would be embarrassing to him and make his attitude and our poisonous culture worse. It would take a rare human being with the maturity level off the charts to be self-aware enough to do that successfully. As has been stated in other threads, the best path forward to right this rotten sinking ship of a team: 1) Fire HCRK immediately. He has proven his inability to coach. Signal immediately sent to the remaining players. 2) Trade several "assets" by the deadline - either where valuable returns can be made, or depending on the player - addition by subraction (getting rid of players that have given up or don't have the fight in them). 3) In offseason, make the biggest move of them all - Trade your #1 asset and elite hockey talent, Captain Jack. We need to trade him before his NTC clause kicks in the following year. Trading him in the offseason will remove emotion from the decision-making and will give us the most options for finding the best trade partner - when Cap questions & team finances will be clearer for all NHL franchises operating in the post-pandemic era. If we are to maximize our Return on Asset/Return on Investment, this offseason is the time. 4) GMKA's goal should be to eliminate & replace the players without passion & compete as he said in his recent Zoom press conference: "Competitiveness and passion are a really important part of being a successful team," Adams said. "At the end of the day, it’s about out-competing the guy across from you, and if you have that in the DNA of your team then a lot of good things can happen. But you’re right, it all hasn’t been good enough. The passion hasn’t been good enough, the compete hasn’t been good enough, and you have to fix it.” 5) The next player selected to be Captain, must be chosen because he has PROVEN leadership skills. For speed sake, this unfortunately rare quality of genuine leadership, will most-likely have to be brought in from another team. The longer-term ideal would to be mentor and develop leadership skills with a player internally for that role of Captain. The good news is I believe we already have a strong candidate on our team in the kid from the Yukon Territory with maturity beyond his years. We can't ruin Dylan Cozens by crushing him with that leadership mantle at such a young age and before he has EARNED it. So I propose we bring in a "Bridge Captain" who has proven his leadership but is on the tail end of his career hockey-skills wise. This guy would be given the primary responsibility of mentoring leadership in Dylan for a couple years out and the bridge captain retires. Sorry for the novella of a post, but we are at DEFCON 5 and we urgently need a wise, well-planned solution to our beloved Buffalo Sabres Hockey Club. I say it happens primarily through removing the cancer of a Captain with failed leadership you have built your team & culture around, bring in a seasoned & successful Head Coach, ID a bridge C from the outside that will mentor Dylan Cozens or a player yet to be identified as our future leader. What say you fellow Sabres fans for life? - Let's GO Buff-a-lo!

I think GMKA should take full advantage of gaining wise counsel from his peer over at One Bills Drive. Bills GMBB has been successful under the same parent ownership as the Sabres. I would also recommend GMKA spend time with Bills HCSM in discussing what to look for in a Head Coach. Ultimately, the greatest Coaching & Leadership principles are transcendent across all sports/organizations.