2014 Sabres Tank Team had more wins thru end of December than this team

[That Aud Smell]

Or maybe Dan is in handcuffs over the goalie his GM gave away a first rounder for?

Goaltending has not been among this team's biggest problems. Save for the SO and Lehner.

[Jsixspd]

Goaltending has not been among this team's biggest problems. Save for the SO and Lehner.

Yup - the team averaging ~2 goals per game, tied for 29th in the league,  is the biggest problem the team faces - and has now for 3 seasons and counting.   With the greatly improved talent the team now has vs the 2014-15 team, the Sabres should be doing MUCH better in average goals per game. That's coaching,  IMO.  

 

Goals against - the Sabres are mid-tier in the NHL (17th) at 2.6   If they could get the Goals For average per game up to a reasonable 2.5, 2.6,  which should be achievable with the talent they have,  they'd be winning a lot more games!  

Edited January 2, 2017 by Jsixspd

[Radar]

I just realized today - the last time this team was decent, finished above .500, and made the playoffs - the season began without the Pegulas as owners.

February will mark the 6th anniversary of the Pegulas ownership - and the team has stunk every complete season of the Pegulas' ownership.

We all expected great things when Terry Pegula took over;  other than keeping the team in Buffalo,  what other positives to the Pegulas' ownership?  

Similarly, the Bills have seriously declined since the Pegulas took over;  The Pegulas purchased the Bills mid-season in 2014 - the Bills finished that season 9-7, and were arguably a quarterback away from being serious playoff contenders.   Now the team seems in disarray, and is back to Dick Jauron levels of futility (7-9 season finish).

Are the Pegulas and their style of ownership = Team Kryptonite?

 

I posted on the Bills Range almost this same thing. The glow is off and fans now are starting to seriously question this ownership. What a fast fall from hero's to goats. It appears being nice,super wealthy and willing to spend is not a sure formula for winning which many Buffalo fans thought. Pegula I fear is too friendly with his employees like Doug and Russ.

[Jsixspd]

Yeah, I think they smother and kill their team with kindness, like doting, over-protective helicopter parents.  They likely very much DO want their teams to be successful and win championships - but they are utterly CLUELESS as to how to accomplish such lofty goals.  

But rather than going the Robert Kraft route -  hiring a relentless, skilled driven guy like Bill Belichick who HATES to lose,  to be czar over his product, and sit back and enjoy,   the Pegulas want to be involved, and go with the "Committee" method, where they are actively involved in every decision.  

Heck, we SAW this evidenced in one of the early Sabres videos a few months after they bought the team - they were right there in the room with Regier and company,  and Terry stated that all decisions are reviewed approved by "committee".    "Built by Committee" is usually synonymous with mediocrity.  Heck, if only we could get BACK to mediocrity -  the Sabres are now perennial basement dwellers.   

 

[Jacque Richard]

Yeah, I think they smother and kill their team with kindness, like doting, over-protective helicopter parents.  They likely very much DO want their teams to be successful and win championships - but they are utterly CLUELESS as to how to accomplish such lofty goals.  

But rather than going the Robert Kraft route -  hiring a relentless, skilled driven guy like Bill Belichick who HATES to lose,  to be czar over his product, and sit back and enjoy,   the Pegulas want to be involved, and go with the "Committee" method, where they are actively involved in every decision.  

Heck, we SAW this evidenced in one of the early Sabres videos a few months after they bought the team - they were right there in the room with Regier and company,  and Terry stated that all decisions are reviewed approved by "committee".    "Built by Committee" is usually synonymous with mediocrity.  Heck, if only we could get BACK to mediocrity -  the Sabres are now perennial basement dwellers.

 

Excellent

I posted on the Bills Range almost this same thing. The glow is off and fans now are starting to seriously question this ownership. What a fast fall from hero's to goats. It appears being nice,super wealthy and willing to spend is not a sure formula for winning which many Buffalo fans thought. Pegula I fear is too friendly with his employees like Doug and Russ.

Agree

Didn't pegula build a nice new lockeroom for the Sabres. How is that working out now.

[Stoner]

Jsix is bringing it. See also: "There's no monopoly on hockey IQ." Heck, maybe Jessie Pegula is in on things. She famously knew about the Richards situation and butt-dialed the news. Nice people, but it really has been amateur hour.

 

By the way, I am not taking TOO MUCH delight in Terry being on the hotseat. Just a little. I still think he/they could be great owners. The setup is perfect: fan owners who care and are willing to provide the resources to win. They must care more about the teams' success and less about their personal involvement. Go concentrate on the entertainment business they have. Maybe take a year and return full time to East. Focus on charitable giving.

[TheAud]

Now this year's team has played the same number of games as the prior two years had played by Dec 31st. I.e. 38 games each. 

2014-15: 31 points

2015-16: 34 points

2016-17: 37 points

 

Attached is the updated chart I had posted elsewhere a week or two ago that shows the path's of each team point totals over 82 games. 

 

Edited January 6, 2017 by Sakman

[Thorner]

So next year we'll have 40.

[Cityo'Rasmii]

wonder if zfg would signoff on that?

[TheAud]

So next year we'll have 40.

And in 10 years we'll have 67!

I am pretty sure that's how this works.