Sabres at Flyers, 1pm, 1/7/18. MSG and KB1520 and NOT WGR.

[LTS]

Babcock would have fixed it. In fact, with Babcock, it wouldn't have started. Perhaps with Gallant as well. Too late now.......

 

What proof is there of this?  I think there is a lot of wishful thinking in those statements.  I think Babcock and Gallant are great coaches but I don't think there's a coach that is fixing whatever is going on in that locker room.

[Thorner]

I'm really getting to the same opinion. Reinhart being a disappointment is not totally on coaching. He's a okay player but not close to what you would expect from that high a pick. His trade value is quite low I would imagine so unless he's part of a package deal I think we're stuck with him as he is.

I trade him for picks. Addition by subtraction, shake up the core. The draft picks will contribute this season about as much as he has. Honestly believe he’ll be out of the league in a few seasons, he’s not built for today’s game and doesn’t appear to have the temperament or ability to adapt. So there’s no such thing as “selling low” with him, in my view. His value is only getting lower.

 

If I’m wrong, I’m wrong, I’d be more than happy to eat a flip flop if he turns it around, but he’s been brutal this season in general, never mind when you view him through the lens of being a 2nd overall pick. Hasn’t even done anything when paired with Eichel. Okposo is having a terrible season, and he’s still outstripping Reinhart. I think this is what we get from Sam going forward.

 

Trade him, Botterill.

Edited January 7, 2018 by Bjorn Borg

[eman]

What proof is there of this?  I think there is a lot of wishful thinking in those statements.  I think Babcock and Gallant are great coaches but I don't think there's a coach that is fixing whatever is going on in that locker room.

Your kidding me right? Look, even with Bylsma (who likes like a genius now) this group played much better. There are many nights so far that this team has quit (Jack looked like it huge this afternoon, did you watch?) That crap never sat with Babcock and players go to the press box (see Bozak, Conner Carrick) they go to the Marlies or they are released outright. No way he would have tolerated this crap. 

 

Gallant has a temper and he has molded a "rag tag" group of players (all who came from different coached systems} into a cohesive entertaining competitive unit. I'm not sure where wishful thinking comes in. Look at Risto's regression. He was a great D-man and looks like an AHLer now. Phil is garbage. Call me back when he starts winning.

 

Everyone seems to like "Nice guy Phil" and wants to play for him. Funny, it sure as hell isn't translating on the ice. We may well be watching the worst Sabres club ever.

[bunomatic]

I trade him for picks. Addition by subtraction, shake up the core. The draft picks will contribute this season about as much as he has. Honestly believe he’ll be out of the league in a few seasons, he’s not built for today’s game and doesn’t appear to have the temperament or ability to adapt. So there’s no such thing as “selling low” with him, in my view. His value is only getting lower.

 

If I’m wrong, I’m wrong, I’d be more than happy to eat a flip flop if he turns it around, but he’s been brutal this season in general, never mind when you view him through the lens of being a 2nd overall pick. Hasn’t even done anything when paired with Eichel. Okposo is having a terrible season, and he’s still outstripping Reinhart. I think this is what we get from Sam going forward.

 

Trade him, Botterill.

I'm with you on Sam as well. He obviously has NHL pedigree what with his dad , brothers etc. but with that comes a certain amount of entitlement also. Things come a little bit easier in many ways for hockey brats in that they get the best of everything when it comes to the sport. He comes across as someone that has talent but maybe didn't have to work for it. There's some sort of disconnect there when I watch him. I wish I was wrong but nothing he's done to date makes me think he'll ever be much more than what we're seeing now. Even if he ups his play to the point he was at his peak in the NHL is it enough ?

[CallawaySabres]

So by the looks of it, some people actually watched this game?!

[Stoner]

So by the looks of it, some people actually watched this game?!

It wasn't a bad game to watch for awhile. The Sabres had jump, but Philly slowly took over in the second. It never felt like the Sabres were going to tie it up. And for a Sabres-Flyers game there was zero animosity (then again, when was the last time these two teams hated each other?). Even the crowd was asleep. Still, better than a 10-3 NFL infomercial.

[LTS]

Your kidding me right? Look, even with Bylsma (who likes like a genius now) this group played much better. There are many nights so far that this team has quit (Jack looked like it huge this afternoon, did you watch?) That crap never sat with Babcock and players go to the press box (see Bozak, Conner Carrick) they go to the Marlies or they are released outright. No way he would have tolerated this crap. 

 

Gallant has a temper and he has molded a "rag tag" group of players (all who came from different coached systems} into a cohesive entertaining competitive unit. I'm not sure where wishful thinking comes in. Look at Risto's regression. He was a great D-man and looks like an AHLer now. Phil is garbage. Call me back when he starts winning.

 

Everyone seems to like "Nice guy Phil" and wants to play for him. Funny, it sure as hell isn't translating on the ice. We may well be watching the worst Sabres club ever.

 

Just because crap doesn't sit with a coach doesn't mean that the player will change.  There are completely different dynamics at play here.  The Sabres front office is not the same as the Leafs front office.  The ownership is not the same.  The Leafs did not face a situation where a player the star player was accused of saying get rid of the coach or I don't sign an extension.  You can say that's because of Babcock but we don't know.  This is why I asked for what proof you had.

 

Because these conversations get you to thinking.. i went and pulled the first 42 games from last year compared to this year.  While the points are better the interesting thing is the scoring breakdown.  This years team is outscoring last years at even strength.  Last years team performed better purely because of the power play.  At this time last year they had not even reached #1 PP unit in the league, that belonged to Columbus.  Interesting coincidence, Columbus ended up at 12th overall and were #31 this season until the Sabres managed to bottom out in the past few days.  I'm not sure what coaching changes occurred in CBJ but I know Torts is still there and yet that team has seen a dramatic drop in their PP unit performance as well.  So is it just coaching?  I don't know.

 

It was good that the power play was prolific because last years team also gave up more power play goals.  I'm not sure there is a dramatic difference.  I see Even strength numbers improving but the PP failing miserably.  The assistant coach left but let's be honest, it's the same players out there doing nearly the same thing as last year but they are nowhere near as prolific.  Is this coaching or does it speak to something else going on?  

 

Stat- 2016/17 (2017/18)

 

Win- 16(10)

Loss- 17(23)

Pts - 29(41)

 

GF- 96(92)

GA- 114(142)

 

PP%-  21.3(12.4)

PK%- 74.2(79.8)

 

Shots For/GP- 29.2(30.9)

Shots Agn/GP- 32.98(32.36)

 

FOW% - 50.4(51.2)

 

Scoring Breakdown

PPGF- 29(16)

EVGF- 66(72)

SHGF- 1(4)

ENGF- 2(6)

 

PPGA- 33(26)

SHGA- 0(8)

[PromoTheRobot]

Was there a hockey game today?

[Thorner]

So by the looks of it, some people actually watched this game?!

I watch every game :) :(

[Doohicksie]

The Bills Backers bar here in Ft Worth had the Bills on all the TVs except two that had the Sabres.  It was.... disappointing.