Carmel Corn

IMHO, the GMTM rebuild failed because of OTHER bad deals and acquisitions. Okposo signing is disaster #1. Overpaying a #1 round pick for Lehner #2. Nylander pick not working out so far. Gambling a third for Vesey's rights. There may be more. The ROR deal may actually be one of the better ones he did.

It can never be, but still so tempting to imagine what could have been possible!

There is no spoon!

Yes, unfortunately this is the long standing reputation of the franchise....save the Ray, May, Barnaby years or even further back with Larry Playfair. Didn't Ron Wilson once refer to Buffalo as a chicken-sh*t team? I can only think of one high draft pick since Brad May that had a mean streak (Kassian).

Doubt it....after all, they were missing Larry tonight....how could they be expected to win???

There's the Scandella we know!

Yup, just took the sails out of our wind!

Could it be the" Linus" factor kicking in?

How does the expression go? Something like “You don’t have to run faster than the bear to get away. You just have to run faster than the guy next to you.”

Sorry, but I don't see it. I see a lot of gliding and reaching vs. skating and tenacity. IMHO, there are other players who show more effort with less talent on this team.

He would break Thompson in half....but he would still be taller than Sheary and Pilut.

BOGO is cursed tonight...did you see him nearly walk into the stick rack when leaving the ice?

I can't get this thought out of my head. Chicago is having a poor season and will not make the playoffs. In the first period, Kane gets rocked by Risto and their captain jumps in and takes on our biggest and meanest player on the ice without hesitation. Does anybody think Eichel would do that if Skinner got rocked by another team's D-man? I don't see it happening. Chicago has nothing to play for, yet their captain leads by example. Our captain was -3 until just now and looked like he didn't give a crap!

How about a shortie now to completely demoralize the Sabre nation!

Feels like another dreaded 2nd period collapse.

Top line on the ice for all 3 goals?

I like Pilut a lot! Just wish he was a little taller and 20 lbs heavier to handle things in our defensive zone.

IMHO - Stl had already started a culture of losing when they traded Stastny just before the trade deadline. They were in the thick of the playoff hunt and purposely let go of an important current player for picks and a prospect. I do not believe it was a contract year for Stastny either. Although they still had a good point total, they finished the regular season on the outside looking in while Colorado and LA got in. Stl may not be doing well this season, but I don't necessarily think it was because ROR is suddenly there and brought a culture of losing from Buffalo with him....rather they already started that feeling on their own.

I'd like to see at least one or two of those xxx's filled with an outsider who has a natural mean streak with speed.

This to me is my biggest question mark with the organization. Whether fans like Housley or not, I don't think most wanted to see him fail. That being said, he's had enough time to address some things (ex. PP) and has not done so. I personally am not agreeing with many of his decisions on who plays (vs. sits) and player combinations. IMHO, he is not the right coach to achieve the ultimate goal...the question is what will it take for the front office to agree and make a change.

Also disagree on the notion that ROR was traded to make room for CM. A good GM will keep adding cheaper young prospects to fortify the lineup for injury (ex. Eichel) or just to create competition. If ROR was still on the team as a 2C, I would still want to see CM developing and perhaps flourishing as a 3C to create 3 scoring lines. I think back to the President's cup team that I believe had Derrick Roy, Thomas Vanek and Maxim A. as the third line, which created match-up problems for other teams. We still had Drury and Briere in those days.

Regarding the weak prospect pool, thank GMTM. He gave away too many picks as trades that have not worked out (ex. Lehner). He was also not very successful with drafting talent with the picks he still had (ex. Nylander).

I don't know the numbers, but wonder if the OT losses may have something to do with a goaltender (RL) who was weak in shootouts?

Bring back John Van Boxmeer....he was the last defenseman I can remember who could shoot well from the point.

Scratches can also be coaching vs. GM decisions. I still do not get your point...what was JB supposed to do otherwise with MM? He only played 14 games and showed that he had nothing to offer in return for his GMTM salary. JB removed him from the roster, but there was nothing that could be done to move the high salary.