GDT: Tampa Bay Lightning at Buffalo Sabres. 12 January 2019 @ 7:00PM EST on MSG.

[Stoner]

1 minute ago, SwampD said:

You mean once he realized what happened, he didn’t then held his head in his hands like he was dazed. Why didn’t he have to go to the quite room, then. He embellished. He would even say he embellished.

The call was already made. I bet you or I would be dazed too after a hit like that.

[thewookie1]

6 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

There was no embellishment on the Eichel hit. He didn't even see Jack coming.

You are blind if that's an illegal hit. Eichel has every right to be there as much as McDonough. The Dman goes low and quite literally bumps into Eichel's elbow which is in tight to his body and not moving. (Eichel is literally against the boards as skinny as you can get) Effectively its like blaming someones mailbox for being in your way when your biking when its in the correct location. After he bumps into Eichel he goes full Oscar worthy performance to draw a penalty. McDonough should be given a suspension for that embellishment and the refs should be fired. 

Larsson shouldn't of been penalized since it wasn't going to be called until after Sergachev crosschecked him in the head. Sergachev should of been ejected for that intentional head shot.

Pilut did take a penalty but Callahan also embellished

Edited January 13, 2019 by thewookie1

[Scottysabres]

Just now, Gatorman0519 said:

Honestly what do we have in the stables?  Nylander? Oloffson?  Not seeing many game changers in our system to turn us into a contender.  JBot is going to have to go trade/FA market.  This team is a .500 type fringe organization long term if no moves are made.  It's a shame because we have a franchise center and D man and we still can't win.  

To be fair, Botterill's hands are a bit tied given the contracts on this team from the previous GM's administration. Okposo is the primary one, but there are others but they appear movable.

[Carmel Corn]

3 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

There was no embellishment on the Eichel hit. He didn't even see Jack coming.

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.

[SwampD]

Just now, PASabreFan said:

The call was already made. I bet you or I would be dazed too after a hit like that.

Why didn’t he have to go to the quite room then?

And just because the original call was already made, doesn’t mean you can’t cal the dive, which it was, after.

That was a make up call for Jack’s crosscheck the last game. Which is rediculous.

[caseydean]

3 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

Honestly what do we have in the stables?  Nylander? Oloffson?  Not seeing many game changers in our system to turn us into a contender.  JBot is going to have to go trade/FA market.  This team is a .500 type fringe organization long term if no moves are made.  It's a shame because we have a franchise center and D man and we still can't win.  

2022 is when our window opens.  Book it.

[PerreaultForever]

11 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

When will players drafted this year be ready to contribute on a contending team? How old will Eichel be by then?

2-3 years. Eichel will not be too old.

Entertaining game. They simply have more talent and scored big goals when they needed them. If we had a good PP we could have gone ahead and maybe won this game.

Sign Skinner.

Sign 1-2 forwards in free agency.

Develop our own and use our draft picks wisely, and we will be a real cup contender in that time. Given where we were, that is not unreasonable. 

[Gatorman0519]

Just now, caseydean said:

2022 is when our window opens.  Book it.

Another 3 years?  Man that is a lot of more mediocre hockey lol. 

[Scottysabres]

1 minute ago, caseydean said:

2022 is when our window opens.  Book it.

Not if Toronto, Tampa Bay, NYI or Montreal have anything to say about it. All of those teams are on the rise, and for good reason, they have speed and finishers and that is the way this league is headed.

[inkman]

2 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

2-3 years. Eichel will not be too old.

Entertaining game. They simply have more talent and scored big goals when they needed them. If we had a good PP we could have gone ahead and maybe won this game.

Sign Skinner.

Sign 1-2 forwards in free agency.

Develop our own and use our draft picks wisely, and we will be a real cup contender in that time. Given where we were, that is not unreasonable. 

Get this well reasoned non-hysterical rational post the ***** outta here. This thread is for flamboyant over reactions only. 

[SwampD]

I said it after game 1, and I’ll say it again, we still need that veteran forward stud to make this team truly SC competitive.

 

And I don’t mean Pommers.

Edited January 13, 2019 by SwampD

[Stoner]

1 minute ago, inkman said:

Get this well reasoned non-hysterical rational post the ***** outta here. This thread is for flamboyant over reactions only. 

I know, right?

[MODO Hockey]

1 minute ago, SwampD said:

I said it after game 1, and I’ll say it again, we still need that veteran forward stud to make this team truly SC competitive.

 

And I don’t mean Pommers.

Good thing u didnt, Pommers is utterly a trash player, cant even believe ge gets icetime.

[caseydean]

3 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

Not if Toronto, Tampa Bay, NYI or Montreal have anything to say about it. All of those teams are on the rise, and for good reason, they have speed and finishers and that is the way this league is headed.

2025?

[PerreaultForever]

1 minute ago, inkman said:

Get this well reasoned non-hysterical rational post the ***** outta here. This thread is for flamboyant over reactions only. 

lol. I'll try to do better. 

[Stoner]

5 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

2-3 years. Eichel will not be too old.

Entertaining game. They simply have more talent and scored big goals when they needed them. If we had a good PP we could have gone ahead and maybe won this game.

Sign Skinner.

Sign 1-2 forwards in free agency.

Develop our own and use our draft picks wisely, and we will be a real cup contender in that time. Given where we were, that is not unreasonable. 

I have to disagree with that timeline. Then again, I don't know the draft spots we'll have and I know nothing about who's out there. History says it will take longer than that, and that's if you hit on the players in the first place. A very big if.

[JJFIVEOH]

Housley has to go. I'm sorry, no support for his team to criticize the officials after this fiasco is unacceptable. 

I've been criticizing him for being soft ever since he came to Buffalo. He proved it even more tonight. 

It wouldn't have made a difference in the outcome because refs rarely reverse their calls, but at least have the balls to call them out and show your players you have their side. 

It used to be when teams had two assistant coaches, now it's closer to four and five. They should be the ones to set up strategy and the head coach is the cheerleader. 

Where is Ted Nolan?

[Jacque Richard]

24 minutes ago, Tondas said:

Agreed.  Hopefully this is our Ronnie Harmon year.

I saw him Pacific beach wearing Iowa Hawkeye hat at a bar. Lol

[Scottysabres]

7 minutes ago, SwampD said:

I said it after game 1, and I’ll say it again, we still need that veteran forward stud to make this team truly SC competitive.

 

And I don’t mean Pommers.

He's already here...………………...

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the ONE, the ONLY...…………………………………….

Kyle Okposo ?

[SwampD]

6 minutes ago, MODO Hockey said:

Good thing u didnt, Pommers is utterly a trash player, cant even believe ge gets icetime.

The fact that he does tells me that this is still a development year, as far as JBot is concerned. He’s not going to disrupt Rochester. He’s not going to bring guys up before they’re ready. He’s not going to give up picks. It all about the farm.

Someday it will be about the Sabres, but the Tank reapeth what it soweth 

[Scottysabres]

6 minutes ago, caseydean said:

2025?

Depends on management/ownership. They know better than any of us where the team is at and what the strategy is to get us to where we need to be.

Given Pegula's record as owner, I'm not particularly confident in the outcome to date.

[Scottysabres]

2 minutes ago, SwampD said:

The fact that he does tells me that this is still a development year, as far as JBot is concerned. He’s not going to disrupt Rochester. He’s not going to bring guys up before they’re ready. He’s not going to give up picks. It all about the farm.

Someday it will be about the Sabres, but the Tank reapeth what it soweth 

This post needs to be enshrined. Fast track rebuilds, trading bubble gum cards and so on, do nothing to under score the Darcy Regier now famous line...………."SUFFERING" more than this post. For all the crap we gave Darcy, he wasn't wrong on this.

[jad1]

3 minutes ago, SwampD said:

The fact that he does tells me that this is still a development year, as far as JBot is concerned. He’s not going to disrupt Rochester. He’s not going to bring guys up before they’re ready. He’s not going to give up picks. It all about the farm.

Someday it will be about the Sabres, but the Tank reapeth what it soweth 

That's pretty dogmatic, and what's worse is that it assumes that you can pick and choose when you're going to compete.

Whether they planned for it or not, the Sabres have one of the best lines in hockey, solid goaltending, and a decent backline.  They need another center and winger to be a playoff team.  And again, while some might not believe that gaining the 7th or 8th seed is worth investing in, some of the best Sabre playoff runs started in those slots.

Having a plan is important, but the plan has to also be flexible enough to take advantage of current events.  

[Taro T]

2 hours ago, bunomatic said:

This Larson line has been good

Which is why I wanted Girgensons playing with Larsson and Okposo.  On paper it should out shutdown Z- Larry -Berglund.

[Carmel Corn]

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.