Carmel Corn

JB was dealt a crap hand and IMHO made many more good moves vs. bad ones. Let's not fool ourselves into thinking other teams were interested in overpaying for our junk. He did not sign Moulson and moved him off the roster because "Moulson was no longer an NHL player". He signed some other FA's with very minimal term so as to not have to carry mediocre talent more than one season (ex. Pouliot). Goaltending was not a strength either and so two years later, we have new goaltenders. He had to build a roster with what was available in the market and did so without locking in any of the so-so guys for a long term commitment.....smart in my opinion. Sure, we can beat up the ROR deal, but that story is still not over yet. As far as HCPH, time will tell there too, but how many other good head coach candidates were available at the time?

Agree: we absolutely need players like Skinner because that is what helps elevate teams from the last place to being a playoff contender. I get that he is not the most defensively responsible guy, but I will gladly take his speed, goal scoring and tenacity any day. Skinner plays "bigger" than many of his teammates who have more size than him. Sets a good example. Disagree: it is not about fan entertainment at all for me, but rather you need players who can do other things that Skinner cannot. You need physical players who will initiate checks, knock other players off the puck to gain control in the offensive zone. Guys who can also create turnovers with muscle and then feed it to guys like Skinner. Guys who can also send a message to the other team when one is needed. We have more skill guys than we have seen for years and the team is doing better as a result. What I am saying is that adding some grit and size to the roster can further help this team.

So are you saying you don't want a player like this on our team....what's your point? I am saying this is the type of player the Sabres need (among other gaps, like a 2C)

Why not? Big, mean, has some scoring ability and is cheaper than either Okposo or Pominville with several years of term left on his deal.

Custodian or Janitor, different things to different people. I've got news for you, a lot of the players are not focused on doing their jobs on the ice anyway...otherwise they might be winning a few more battles and games. I for one would love to have a Tom WIlson type player on this team.

True, but I don't see that combination with any of our forwards. To me, physical is going to the hard areas PLUS: dishing out checks (vs. avoiding them), getting into the other team's faces after the whistle blows (vs. heading straight to the sanctuary of the bench), going after the other team if they cheap shot your teammate. Someone the other team knows is willing and able to drop the gloves when needed. If you are a defenseman on the Sabres, do you pay attention when someone like Tom Wilson is on the ice?

Agree, the pipeline is NOT where it needs to be after just two seasons under the new regime. Yes there is more talent now, but it is simply not proven yet...so you have to keep adding more. I would also argue we need to stock the cupboard with guys who love to play a physical game vs. high skill/finesse types...you need both in the playoffs. Staal is having a good year, but I would hate to see the team burn a first rounder to get him. Making the playoffs should not be the priority in 2019....but ABSOLUTELY in 2020. Losing a 1st round series against a team like Tampa is not much of a return (ex. Bills losing to Jacksonville) vs. adding more critical pieces for the future.

The ROR trade is done, so the only question now is whether JB chooses to do something else with the assets he acquired there. The talent pool is still weak from GMTM's reign and the draft picks from STL and SJ should not be wasted on rentals or short-term fixes. Focus on getting Skinner signed and improving the powerplay via strengthening the coaching staff with a PP expert. Reduce minutes or scratch players who are hurting more than helping (ex. Scandella) and acquire some inexpensive toughness to the roster. Fish or cut bait with some of the prospects already in the system (Nylander, Guhle). No doubt that adding a strong 2C is a real need, but not likely to happen until the off-season IMHO. Nice to dream about quick fixes happening, but we're several players away from having a team that can WIN in the playoffs (not just get into them). It's going to take more time, patience and possibly a different head coach.

There are a few valid points in Harrington's article about certain players and team numbers, so I'll give him that. I don't agree with him that it's all about making the playoffs. I am also not advocating another tank year either, as this team is clearly better than last year's squad. The keys moves needed however will not happen until the off-season. More and different types of players are needed to make Buffalo a serious contender. A good 2C right now may help get us into the playoffs, but I seriously doubt this team's very SOFT makeup will compete well during a playoff grind. The team lacks toughness in addition to some of the other deficiencies noted. This team will not make significant changes before the deadline and we will fall short of Harrington's objective.

Some good points here. However, part of me thinks that JBOT's plan included a productive Berglund in the mix. Bringing in a 2C would not necessarily be a vote against Mittelstadt, but rather to replace another asset he thought would be in the lineup this year. That being said, I truly want Mittelstadt to be successful, but fear he may end up being another Grigorenko in the Sabres' long history of so-so 1st rounders.

Sure....go ahead and trade Risto then. This already soft Sabres team goes from 80% to now a 100% "Wussified" group of primarily 6" or taller players who collectively play like they don't want to get their Sunday church clothes wrinkled. See how far that goes if this team ever makes the playoffs.

Consolation prizes have been part of our problem over the years.... McDavid > Eichel Stamkos > Okposo Babcock > Blysma

McCabe may be wondering how the hell he can avoid catching whatever disease is affecting the rest of the D-Corp tonight.

Maybe ditch the name Sabres and change it to the Buffalo "Snowflakes"

IT feels like a weird game....you see some strange things from Alberta.

Dahlin is all over the ice...maybe he's trying to remind everybody that Buffalo also has a #1 overall in this game.

Hutton just seems to be a magnet for fluky goals....who's got the whammy weenie on him???

IMHO, I don't see a scenario where the PP improves without a constant net front presence and more shooting. Whether it is Sam or somebody else, maintaining the space in front helps to open up the rest of the ice. This team struggles with quick and accurate passing on the PP and ultimately their reluctance to shoot plays right into the opponent's PK efforts.

We're not going to get their 1st round pick this next draft. They have ROR on their team = lottery.

It was not a cheap shot by Eichel, but McDonaugh and other Tampa players came after Jack like it was. Now compare that to the reaction of the Sabres players after Sergachev hit Larsson with a clear cheap shot to the face. Anybody from the Sabres go after Sergachev????? Zip, Nada, Squat as usual. The Sabres may act like a more unified team less some of the castoffs from last year, but they don't act like it when one of their own gets clearly abused by the other team....pathetic (but nothing new with Buffalo)!

Agree that the roster is not a perfect match for the system and it will take more work for JB to fill the gaps. I also don't believe you make a HC change just for the sake of change and unless you have a strong sense that you have a better coach lined up, you proceed with caution (ex. Coach Q is not a given). That being said, I believe it is fair to judge Housley on the PP effectiveness. It has struggled in the bottom half or third of the league since he took over from his predecessor. An "offensive" minded coach should be accountable for at least showing improvement in the PP, but I feel in our case coach Phil has failed. He has the tools to work with here and it is fair game to be critical of the team's performance here.

The teams current prospect pool of forwards (ex. Oloffson, Nylander, Asplund) may or may not develop at the NHL level. Even if some do, I do not see a lot of center depth which causes me to still think trade or FA is the best route. That being said, I see another gap in personnel that also has no prospects in the system....and that is toughness. Don't just build a team to make the playoffs, but also to win in the playoffs. For the playoff grind, a team needs to have guys who can hit and nasty to play against. Guys who cause the other team to look behind their backs. Guys who help prevent the other team's tough guys from taking cheap shots on your skill guys, etc. I see very little to none of this on the team now and in the system. Teams built with some pieces like this tend to help deter other tough guys so its about playing the game vs. intimidation. The Sabres still have a lot of work to do here to get the right pieces to contend for a cup.

But he lowered himself down to the level of Jack's elbow. Granted his back was somewhat to Jack, but IMHO it was simply a collision where his was bent over and Jack was not. Incidental contact is all that it looked like to me and I do think there was some acting...he acted like it was a cheap shot and it was nothing like it.

I'll take the game tying one

Whichever ref made that call must have had a car accident where the telephone pole jumped out in front of his car.