GDT GDT: Sabres at Sharks, Thu 10/12/17, 10:30 PM ET

[Radar]

Blaming our previous coach for these performances is like our president always blaming the previous president. Just do your job. This team needs to just play with at least some intensity. I'm talking about our core players. Let's start blaming players not coaches, particularly former coaches.

[dudacek]

Blaming our previous coach for these performances is like our president always blaming the previous president. Just do your job. This team needs to just play with at least some intensity. I'm talking about our core players. Let's start blaming players not coaches, particularly former coaches.

 

It's not blaming the previous coach or absolving the players.

Have you ever switched jobs? It takes time to adjust to the new boss and the culture of the new workplace.

You can "just do your job" a lot better when you fully understand what that is and feel comfortabe in your role.

 

Could the Sabres show more intensity? Probably. Should they? For sure.

But saying that the sole issue is they aren't willing to do that is pretty simplistic.

Edited October 13, 2017 by dudacek

[SwampD]

I think what we saw was fear.

This was a team that was trained to play not to lose that has suddenly been told to go for it.

 

They roared into the first two games like eager, sloppy puppies and got their noses slapped.

They stepped uncertainly out of the yard in game three, another dog smelled the fear and kicked their tails.

 

Last night was their "maybe Dan was right" game. Not much trust in themselves at the moment.

Phil has a lot of work to do to get them to play his way.

It's curious too me how much playing Phil's way sounds like playing Ted's way.

[Stoner]

It's curious too me how much playing Phil's way sounds like playing Ted's way.

What's curious is why Housley is some kind of genius and Ted was a dumb-dumb. Nolan more than anyone else knows why this is.

Usual caveat about not reading the entire thread.

 

Some glimmers of hope — Girgensons was great and Housley might have something. For a game or two anyway until he puts names through the salad shooter again. Lehner was fine and made a late big save that I'm sure almost everyone was expecting to not happen. Still, this isn't squirts and effort should never be applauded. This isn't a very good hockey team.

 

I feel for anyone who watched it live. The number of faceoffs was incredible. I can't find the exact number, but it had to be well above the league average.

 

Did Rob actually say, "Ruff, Rolston, Nolson, Ballsman and Housley" when reciting recent coaches? More incredibly, does someone in the organization think the fans are so stupid to fall for the idea that patience is needed now because the current roster has played under five coaching systems since 2013? You know Rob didn't come up with that one. More like Jessie or Russ. Maybe even Battista, who knows?

There were quite a few guys standing around looking like they didn't know what to do. Nolan stood out to me after his turnover in the first. He kind of just floated around watching the play. It was strange. 

I caught that too. Like he just cut someone off on the interstate and was watching the ensuing accident in slow motion. Just like Eichel after losing that faceoff in his own end that ended up in the Sabres goal moments later.

does ROR have some disease?

It's definitely not the clap.

Edited October 13, 2017 by PASabreFan

[darksabre]

If we're going to bring Nolan into this, which I'm cool with, we have to do it while understanding that the one thing Nolan was good for is getting guys to just play. He wasn't going to devise a system that didn't lean heavily on goalies, but he didn't want to. He wanted accountability and that was it.

 

Sometimes that's where you have to start. If Housley thinks he needs to be a little more Nolan right now, then I don't blame him.

[nfreeman]

I think what we saw was fear.

This was a team that was trained to play not to lose that has suddenly been told to go for it.

 

They roared into the first two games like eager, sloppy puppies and got their noses slapped.

They stepped uncertainly out of the yard in game three, another dog smelled the fear and kicked their tails.

 

Last night was their "maybe Dan was right" game. Not much trust in themselves at the moment.

Phil has a lot of work to do to get them to play his way.

 

Yes indeedly.

[LGR4GM]

It's not blaming the previous coach or absolving the players.

Have you ever switched jobs? It takes time to adjust to the new boss and the culture of the new workplace.

You can "just do your job" a lot better when you fully understand what that is and feel comfortabe in your role.

 

Could the Sabres show more intensity? Probably. Should they? For sure.

But saying that the sole issue is they aren't willing to do that is pretty simplistic.

Yup. 

[rakish]

And I'll claim victory in the argument that Zemgus with Jack hinders his scoring.

 

What does Blue always say when he's wrong?...sample size!

 

Sample Size!

[LTS]

I find a certain sense of irony when fragile fans call out players as fragile.

 

What I see, more than anything right now, are players who are not all on the same page.

 

10 new faces in the lineup and a change in coach and system.

 

It will take time and all of the factors don't occur in a vacuum in that they can be examined independently.  Last night I saw two players going to the same place at the same time on the forecheck.  That's not good.  It's fine if you are 2-1-2 forecheck and the second guy is there to get the loose puck but last night it was two guys going to cause the puck to be broken free.

 

In the defensive zone the ability to cycle with the offense and allow coverage of a player to move from one player to another takes time.

 

It's like building an offensive line in football.  If one guy isn't sure where or what he should be doing the entire line starts to look real bad.  The Sabres are in the same boat right now.  You take that frustration and realize it begins to impact the rest of their games because they are all very knowledgeable about hockey and they all have pride in how they play. They don't want to lose (despite people on here thinking that way).  It's going to get in your head.  Professional or not, it happens to everyone.

 

There was improvement last night.  Just not enough.  There may be a long way to go.... but that's the way it goes. 

[erickompositör72]

Did anyone notice how Gorges seemed to be the only defenseman who stepped up near the blue line, to prevent an easy zone-entry? He did this a couple of times...

 

From what someone posted before, my take was that Housley's system is to not allow easy zone-entries on D. However, I didn't notice most of our defensemen doing this. I saw Gorges do it, and thought, "good, a veteran who's implementing the new coach's system and being a role-model for the younger guys."

[dudacek]

It's almost like Gorges can be OK as a penalty killler and a third-pairing partner to a younger, more mobile dman

[Doohicksie]

Could the Sabres show more intensity? Probably. Should they? For sure.

 

I kind of think that's what happened against NJ:  They tried to play fast and loose and were too loose and the Devils took advantage.  There's no doubt in my mind that they're still learning the system and having trouble processing it at game speed.  If that's the case, I'm okay with that.  If that's the case a week, a month, from now, then something's terribly wrong.

Did anyone notice how Gorges seemed to be the only defenseman who stepped up near the blue line, to prevent an easy zone-entry? He did this a couple of times...

 

From what someone posted before, my take was that Housley's system is to not allow easy zone-entries on D. However, I didn't notice most of our defensemen doing this. I saw Gorges do it, and thought, "good, a veteran who's implementing the new coach's system and being a role-model for the younger guys."

 

I thought Gorges played his best game of the year  ;) 

 

In general I think defensively the Sabres are giving up way too much gap to opponents, allowing them to move into the zone and set up.  I commented to that effect during the game.  If Gorges can demonstrate the benefit of taking away the gap and get the other D to buy in, that will be invaluable.

[Thorner]

What's curious is why Housley is some kind of genius and Ted was a dumb-dumb. Nolan more than anyone else knows why this is.

Usual caveat about not reading the entire thread.

 

Some glimmers of hope — Girgensons was great and Housley might have something. For a game or two anyway until he puts names through the salad shooter again. Lehner was fine and made a late big save that I'm sure almost everyone was expecting to not happen. Still, this isn't squirts and effort should never be applauded. This isn't a very good hockey team.

 

I feel for anyone who watched it live. The number of faceoffs was incredible. I can't find the exact number, but it had to be well above the league average.

 

Did Rob actually say, "Ruff, Rolston, Nolson, Ballsman and Housley" when reciting recent coaches? More incredibly, does someone in the organization think the fans are so stupid to fall for the idea that patience is needed now because the current roster has played under five coaching systems since 2013? You know Rob didn't come up with that one. More like Jessie or Russ. Maybe even Battista, who knows?

 

I caught that too. Like he just cut someone off on the interstate and was watching the ensuing accident in slow motion. Just like Eichel after losing that faceoff in his own end that ended up in the Sabres goal moments later.

It's definitely not the clap.

"It's going to take time" is the popular refrain of choice. And it's coming from fans too. It's not like it's even wrong. It clearly is going to take time.

 

But the Sabres got themselves into this mess, so that slogan definitely can't be positioned as an excuse.

 

It's just a disheartening fact I'm tired of hearing about.

[LGR4GM]

I keep wondering if the real failure was not getting Babcock

[Jsixspd]

I keep wondering if the real failure was not getting Babcock

So do I.

 

Some have made the argument that the players "Have to learn the new coach and the new system" .  Where have we heard this before in Buffalo?  Let's see..... Chan Gailey.  Rex Ryan.  Dan Bylsma.   In those 3 instances, it wasn't needing to learn the coach or system - it WAS the coach and the system!    

 

I wasn't expecting Stanley Cup contenders out of the gate,   but they are arguably the worst team in the NHL right now.  Statistically, in terms of the standings and goal differential, they are.  I expected 2 or 3 pts 4 games in. 

 

New coach and new system doesn't automatically guarantee last place or a horrible start.   The Flames and Kings have new coaches - and they're 9th and 11th in the standings.    

 

Is it wrong to expect or hope for 2 or 3 points out of 8  Maybe 4?  Jeebus!!!!   

 

 

[Swedesessed]

I keep wondering if the real failure was not getting Babcock

 

It was. And also of course, losing the big lottery. Eichel is an excellent consolation, but McDavid changes the entire equation 10 fold.

Edited October 13, 2017 by (E5)

[Thorner]

It was. And also of course, losing the big lottery. Eichel is an excellent consolation, but McDavid changes the entire equation 10 fold.

I just don't see "losing" the lottery as a failure. There was only what, a 20% chance we were going to win it? We got the appropriate outcome. (Leafs lucking out notwithstanding).

[LGR4GM]

I just don't see "losing" the lottery as a failure. There was only what, a 20% chance we were going to win it? We got the appropriate outcome. (Leafs lucking out notwithstanding).

That's part of my point. Forget the lottery. I think the biggest fail was losing Babcock and getting Bylsma.

[Stoner]

"It's going to take time" is the popular refrain of choice. And it's coming from fans too. It's not like it's even wrong. It clearly is going to take time.

 

But the Sabres got themselves into this mess, so that slogan definitely can't be positioned as an excuse.

 

It's just a disheartening fact I'm tired of hearing about.

And of course it's not remotely true that this roster has played under five systems since 2013. There's virtually no one left from Nolan's team, let alone Ruff and Rolston.

[Thorner]

And of course it's not remotely true that this roster has played under five systems since 2013. There's virtually no one left from Nolan's team, let alone Ruff and Rolston.

That's a good point. For most of these guys, it's just Bylsma, then Housley. I don't think it's too much to ask to not be in dead last place due to system changes. If teams that change coaches/systems routinely ended up at the bottom, that bottom wouldn't be the bottom, it'd be the middle.

[Stoner]

That's a good point. For most of these guys, it's just Bylsma, then Housley. I don't think it's too much to ask to not be in dead last place due to system changes. If teams that change coaches/systems routinely ended up at the bottom, that bottom wouldn't be the bottom, it'd be the middle.

Yep. I'm still shaking my head at the fact that someone in the organization felt the need to try and calm the fans down, and THAT is the best excuse Gibby could come up with. Uh, oh, to the BatPhone, SDS!

[SwampD]

Yep. I'm still shaking my head at the fact that someone in the organization felt the need to try and calm the fans down, and THAT is the best excuse Gibby could come up with. Uh, oh, to the BatPhone, SDS!

I thought Rob worked for MSG, not the Sabres. Wouldn't it have been a producer from MSG feeding him that take?

[Stoner]

I thought Rob worked for MSG, not the Sabres. Wouldn't it have been a producer from MSG feeding him that take?

Everyone on the broadcast crew is an employee of the Sabres. https://www.nhl.com/sabres/team/staff MSG is by no means an independent entity that "covers" the Sabres. It's just the carrier of the content.

Edited October 14, 2017 by PASabreFan

[SwampD]

Everyone on the broadcast crew is an employee of the Sabres. https://www.nhl.com/sabres/team/staffMSG is by no means an independent entity that "covers" the Sabres. It's just the carrier of the content.

Wow. I didn't know that.

[MattPie]

I keep wondering if the real failure was not getting Babcock

 

The team would certainly look better this year if we had, no doubt in my mind. Last year, too.