WTF is wrong with this team?

[GASabresIUFAN]

We have lost recently to two teams with less talent, who are slower with new coaches and new system.

Those teams are 5-1 LV and 3-3-1 Van. Why are they able to succeed with their new coaches and systems and in LV’s case with none of these guys have played together before, and we can’t?

 

The problem is either Housley’s system and coaching or the effort and attitude of the players. Both could be contributing to the slow start, but I think most of the blame lies with the roster.

[Crusader1969]

As I said talent and lack of depth are the real issues for this team

 

Why is depth a problem? Since 2010, the only 2nd round or later pick that has made any contribution at all to the Sabres is McCabe. Justin Bailey will hopefully become the 2nd.

 

That's just brutal drafting!

[matter2003]

This is an easy one :

 

Lack of talent - plain and simple

 

Bottom 2 lines are terrible. 4th line is consistently stuck in their own end, 3rd line brings absolutely nothing.

On D - Tennyson is an AHLer, Beaulieu is constantly making bad decisions or turning the puck over

The team has zero depth. Guys who should be in press box are in the line-up, there isn't competition for jobs

 

I don't think it's lack of effort , it's they just aren't good enough especially to play housleys system

Bylsmas ultra conservative system would probably be better for the current roster but long term the team will be better off with Phil behind the bench. He just needs to horses to play

 

Bottom line: long and frustrating season ahead.

 

Right...I'm sure the Vegas Golden Knights have more talent than us.  

 

No...this team has enough quality players they should be a fringe playoff team, not once again sitting at or near the bottom.

Edited October 21, 2017 by matter2003

[ubkev]

Right...I'm sure the Vegas Golden Knights have more talent than us.

 

No...this team has enough quality players they should be a fringe playoff team, not once again sitting at or near the bottom.

Evidently not though.

[matter2003]

To me this is a ridiculous post and a lack of effort or maturity on your part.  The team played hard last night. 

 

They make a few critical errors each game and it has cost them games.  They've gotten beaten bad in 2 games but they've been right there in the rest and those errors cost them.

 

They make errors from start to finish most games...the little things that they can't even do right are what are really killing them...when was the last time you saw a quality tape to tape pass from the D coming out of their zone?  Time and time again you see the forwards having to slam on the brakes and turn around to get the puck allowing the other team to basically smack them into the boards and take the puck away in the neutral zone, or at best, only allow the forward to dump the puck in instead of actually maybe making something happen if it was simply a quality pass where he could take it in stride and keep skating forward.

 

It's like EJ was in football...was the pass complete? Sure...the guy dove and caught the pass for a 4 yard gain with nobody around them...problem is, if the pass would have simply been a basic pass every QB in the league makes, it would have hit him in stride and he would have gained 10 or 15 yards and gotten a first down...same concept...the team looks completely disjointed because they have no flow to the game.  They have no flow to the game because their passes are all over the place and not where they need to be, even when they complete the pass to the forward.

Edited October 21, 2017 by matter2003

[Pokey Jones]

Move the legs and give effort on every shift. That's what they need, that's what we don't get for 60 minutes every night.  

[Doohicksie]

Move the legs and give effort on every shift. That's what they need, that's what we don't get for 60 minutes every night.  

 

To be fair, few teams do.  The Bruins didn't; they faded at the end.  The Hurricanes started out slow like the Sabres and went down 4-0 to the Stars tonight.  But like the Sabres they found their game and dominated the third while the Stars faded.  (The Canes fell just short, losing 4-3.) 

 

Yes I agree the Sabres need to move their legs more, but it's a tough sport to do that all night long.  I think they need to move their legs a bit more, and take better note of positioning, both the opponents and themselves, so when they aren't operating at 123% efficiency they're at least not allowing goals.

Bailey is playing with a lot of confidence, letting it all hang out, not worrying about failure, just focusing on success.  More players need to do that; maybe sending him down put his head in the right spot, and maybe bringing him back up, his confidence will be infectious.

[Pokey Jones]

I agree about Bailey. I think he should stay on Jack's wing for now, even if Pommer might score more goals, I think just by being there and creating a disturbance now and again the rest of that line will be better. In general, this team doesn't get down and dirty enough in front of the net. Too many long shot one shot chances and not enough rebounds and hacked in goals. We get in front more (and not like Reinhart just standing there letting someone else do the work) and then the rest of the ice opens up more for Jack to work magic. 

[Eleven]

Not throwing old posts in people's faces? What fun is that?! I looked at one other thread you linked. I'm not even sure saber61 was a real person. The post seemed bot-ish. So you did seem to cherrypick some bad ones. Maybe I'm tired. I don't see what the point of criticizing fellow fans' negativity is, in the context of another bad season in stretch of many bad seasons in a row.

 

It's like how Terry on the day he took over criticized the News for not being more positive, because he thought part of the reason that team was quitting (it wasn't) was coming from the paper's negativity, and if only they would be more positive, the team would do better. Harrington told Terry to his face how it works. When you're winning, you get good press. He cited the example of the playoff runs of 06 and 07 which saw the News printing whole sections, player posters etc.

 

Thank you for finally admitting, even if sideways, that the team wasn't quitting.  Because I was told by you, and about 3/4 of the rest of the board, that it was.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Some bad news from down on the farm. The Amerks have lost 3 straight and both Ullmark and Wilcox haven’t farred very well. No production from Baptiste and Fasching so far. Not a surprise given the lack of any center talent in the organization outside of the Top 2 in the NHL.

[qwksndmonster]

I think it's weird that people are focusing on the tank when talking about why this team sucks so bad. (There's been some talk about bad drafting outside round 1, which is much more legit)

 

Maybe the lesson is get a real coach to teach your young team how to win and not a robot who's never done anything but luck into a cup.

[Thorner]

Some bad news from down on the farm. The Amerks have lost 3 straight and both Ullmark and Wilcox haven’t farred very well. No production from Baptiste and Fasching so far. Not a surprise given the lack of any center talent in the organization outside of the Top 2 in the NHL.

 

 

Well, Mittelstadt and Asplund are in the organization. But at the pro level, definitely see your point on centres.

 

I think it's weird that people are focusing on the tank when talking about why this team sucks so bad. (There's been some talk about bad drafting outside round 1, which is much more legit)

Maybe the lesson is get a real coach to teach your young team how to win and not a robot who's never done anything but luck into a cup.

When a team completely cleans house on their roster, shipping out any and all talent possible, there are more spots to fill, and it's all the more crucial to hit on draft picks. It comes down to drafting, but the likelihood of being able to draft well enough to fit all the holes created by a tank would be tough even for a good drafting team.

 

It's both: the tank contributes, as does poor drafting. It's not black and white, though. On the other side of the coin, Jack Eichel is a reward for years to come.

[Pokey Jones]

Yes, Rochester roster is thin and that is the problem. Not the tank, but what they did or rather didn't do with all the draft picks and options that got them. 

 

I've asked this before, does anyone know, did JBot replace the Murray scouting staff? imo they all should have been fired. 

[French Collection]

Yes, Rochester roster is thin and that is the problem. Not the tank, but what they did or rather didn't do with all the draft picks and options that got them. 

 

I've asked this before, does anyone know, did JBot replace the Murray scouting staff? imo they all should have been fired.

 

I believe he kept them all for the draft. I can't recall if any have been let go since then.

[GASabresIUFAN]

The Sabres have only 6 drafted prospects on the Amerks (Baptiste, Cornel, Malone, Guhle, Ullmark and Nylander).  Nelson and Smith are college FAs and Fasching was acquired in trade.  That's it for "prospects" in Rochester.  Ullmark and Nelson aren't really "prospects" anymore because they are on their 2nd contracts.  That's a horrible draft and development performance.  Basically about 30% of our top developmental team are developmental players.

 

Sadly our ECHL team has nearly as many drafted prospects as the Amerks in Florentino, Stephens, Johnasson, Martin and Karabacek.  

 

The Sabres have made huge changes in the scouting staff.  First they fired Greg Royce and Rob Murphy in April who were the Directors of Pro and Amateur scouting.

Now the Hockey Dept is as follows:

General Manager......................................................Jason Botterill (new)

Assistant General Manager (and Amerks GM).........................................Randy Sexton (New)

Assistant General Manager ........................................ Steve Greeley (New)

VP of Hockey Administration ..................................Mark Jakubowski (Demoted from Asst GM)

Director of Amateur Scouting....................................Ryan Jankowski  (NEW HIRE)

Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting................................ Jeff Crisp (was Head Amateur scout) 

Head of Collegiate Scouting.......................................... Jerry Forton (was Asst Director of scouting)

Pro Scouts............Jeremiah Crowe (new), Mark Mowers, (new),  John Van Boxmeer (retained) 

Pro Scouting Coordinator.......................................Graham Beamish  (retained)

Amateur Scouts.......... Jan Axel-Alavaara (retained), Cory Banika (new), Kevin Devine (demoted from Director of Player Personnel), Scott Halpenny (new), Frank Musil (new), Teemu Numminen (retained), Tom O’Connor (new), Ron Pyette (new), Rob Riley (new), Mike Rooney (retained), Matt Tiesling (new)  - (I count 8 amateur scouts from 2016-17 let go and replaced with 7 new scouts and a demoted Devine.) 

Amateur Scouting Coordinator..................................... Austin Dunne (retained) 

Edited October 22, 2017 by GASabresIUFAN

[Pokey Jones]

Ok good, that is encouraging. Thanks for posting that. 

[LTS]

Damn GA.  Is that posted somewhere or did you just compile it all?  I mean either way it's an impressive post but if you compiled all of it then it's just that much more impressive.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Damn GA.  Is that posted somewhere or did you just compile it all?  I mean either way it's an impressive post but if you compiled all of it then it's just that much more impressive.

I cut and pasted from this year’s media guide. Then I looked at last year’s media guide and added the status for each member of the hockey department.

[LTS]

I cut and pasted from this year’s media guide. Then I looked at last year’s media guide and added the status for each member of the hockey department.

 

:beer:

 

Being resourceful is sometimes just as good as being knowledgeable.  Good jorb.

[GASabresIUFAN]

:beer:

 

Being resourceful is sometimes just as good as being knowledgeable.  Good jorb.

Thanks! The best thing is to know that changes were made, which I did, and then having the ability to track down the specifics. 

[Pokey Jones]

Jankowski worked for Hockey Canada so that is an interesting choice. Not a lot of NHL experience but lots with the worlds and under 17s. I am optimistic over that hire. 

[3putt]

Jankowski worked for Hockey Canada so that is an interesting choice. Not a lot of NHL experience but lots with the worlds and under 17s. I am optimistic over that hire.

 

Interesting discussion about him on HF boards. The majority find him lacking in identifying talent. He is a jock sniffer and doesn’t put in the work to find the gems. He likes front runners and media darlings. I don’t know him and couldn’t verify any of the accusations but many north of the border were glad to see him leave hockey Canada.

[GASabresIUFAN]

But is the Director of Amateur Scouting a scout and talent evaluator or simply an administrator handing out scouting assignments?

 

I don’t know the answer, but jbot and Sexton are extremely experienced at running scouts and making decisions on their reports. If they didn’t think Jankowski was a fit for the job they wouldn’t have hired him.

 

Our neighbors to the North are just pissed that, at least at the World Jr level, the US is beating them on a consistent basis.

Edited October 24, 2017 by GASabresIUFAN

[dudacek]

But is the Director of Amateur Scouting a scout and talent evaluator or simply an administrator handing out scouting assignments?

 

I don’t know the answer, but jbot and Sexton are extremely experienced at running scouts and making decisions on their reports. If they didn’t think Jankowski was a fit for the job they wouldn’t have hired him.

 

Our neighbors to the North are just pissed that, at least at the World Jr level, the US is beating them.

 

Haven't read what Thorny is referring to and have no idea about the credibility, but the bold is definitely true.

Edited October 24, 2017 by dudacek

[GASabresIUFAN]

It probably doesn’t help that the two of the three franchise players to enter the NHL recently are US born (Eichel and Matthews).