GDT: Blackhawks @ Sabres 2/1/2019, 7PM EST

[thewookie1]

 

4 minutes ago, JustOutsideChicago said:

It sounds like the Hawks may look to unload Duncan Keith. Not sure if it would be a bad idea to get a veteran that has won some cups and brings leadership to the room. Would rather have him then Scandella

 

I'd be willing to deal with his slow decent into mediocrity just for the 3 rings of experience and his dirty play is just a bonus.

Who better to mentor Dahlin than a Conn Smythe winner who was incredible in his prime. 

[jame]

14 minutes ago, Ogre said:

This is nothing more than conjecture.

 

So Pommers, Elie and Nelson are respectable upgrades?? 

The 10 game run seems to have clouded too many fans minds....A good unbiased look at this roster shows a lot of weaknesses. There’s a lot more to do.

I’m not sure my opinion needed to be clarified as an opinion....

well, Pommer and Nelson were hear last year and the upgrades we made this year pushed them down the roster.

last year Kane, Poms, Pouliot, and Okposo were top 6 wingers to start the year. This year we upgraded Kane to Skinner, Okposo to Reinhart, Pouliot to Sheary, Okposo to Erod.... but of course we downgraded ROR to ***** Sobotka...

last year we suffered Seth Griffith as 3rd center behind Eichel and ROR, this year we could’ve had Mittelstadt as the 3rd center behind them.

last year our top 4 was Risto, Scandella, Beaulieu, Falk/Tennyson... this year it’s Dahlin, Bogo, Risto, Pilut (with actual NHL depth of McCabe, Scandella, Beaulieu, Nelson)

the weakness of this roster is the absence of ROR and horrible coaching...if we had done this right:

Skinner-Eichel-Xxxxx

Xxxx-ROR-Reinhart

xxxx-Mittelstadt-Xxxxx

xxxx-Larsson-Girgs

xxxx = Sheary, Erod, Okposo, Poms with Olofsson, Nylander, Smith, Wilson, pushing 

Dahlin-Bogo

Pilut-Risto

Scandella/Mccabe/Beaulieu/Nelson/Hunwick

 

Edited February 2, 2019 by jame

[Scottysabres]

3 minutes ago, Carmel Corn said:

I would take him if they take Okposo's contract in return.....I know...not going to happen.

If I'm a player of any age in the NHL, I say NO to Buffalo. We are in that much trouble right now.

[jame]

26 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

I respectfully disagree. Going on a 10 game, win it in OT or shootout majority of games run isn't exactly the proof we need that this team is still bottom 5 to 10, with such young studs as Eichel, Reinhart, Risto, Dahlin and great pick ups as Tage Thompson or how about those FA signings or those trades for upgrades?

Jame, you and I both know this team isn't going anywhere, anytime soon, until serious changes are made, both on the roster as well as the coaching staff.

I won't go in to the GM position yet. But there is definitely a larger problem than just the roster in Buffalo, you and I can both agree on that I assume.

I don’t think this years team is much better than last years... but the issues are different

last year the issue was beyond Eichel-ROR-Reinhart we lacked Core pieces, competent goaltending, an NHL caliber top 4, AND depth.

this year we added 2 core pieces, upgraded D and Goal, AND depth and speed...but subtracted the 2nd best player/core piece and lineup anchor.

and of course, Housley is an issue in both cases 

Edited February 2, 2019 by jame

[PerreaultForever]

Stick a fork in them, they're done.

You will not make the playoffs if you do not dispatch bottom feeders like Chicago so I think it's time to become sellers rather than buyers. I don't like it, but it is reality.

What the hell has happened to Hutton, that's my question???????????????

[inkman]

So I ubered during tonight's game.  What did I miss?

[Carmel Corn]

8 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

If I'm a player of any age in the NHL, I say NO to Buffalo. We are in that much trouble right now.

Things are not good for sure, but I don't think the sky has completely fallen.  We clearly lack certain types of character players and depth at center for sure.  However, we have a talented young core, 4 1st round picks, and salary cap relief coming.   If I was  a player on another team, I would be wondering about the head coach situation.

[...]

It was very clear to me at the game that these guys were not mentally sharp...at all. I actually think that the roster as it is has enough talent to make it into the playoffs. Just by seeing the few moments where they were focused in the offensive zone. However nearly every one of them was a space cadet.

You could have easily added 10 more shots to the shot tally if they would have taken advantage of their position and motion in the offensive zone and just shot it instead of attempting a pass.  Unbelievable, really.  This team could actually be really good as is.  We've seen that.

As this season has wore on something has taken away the focus they had around the period of the 10 game streak.

[jame]

2 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Stick a fork in them, they're done.

You will not make the playoffs if you do not dispatch bottom feeders like Chicago so I think it's time to become sellers rather than buyers. I don't like it, but it is reality.

What the hell has happened to Hutton, that's my question???????????????

Tonight Hutton was hung out to dry... hard to compete when your home ice matchup allow you the choice of putting Eichel-Skinner out vs Toews-Kane, or you avoid that matchup and go with what... a replacement level Sobotka line? 

[PerreaultForever]

3 minutes ago, jame said:

Tonight Hutton was hung out to dry... hard to compete when your home ice matchup allow you the choice of putting Eichel-Skinner out vs Toews-Kane, or you avoid that matchup and go with what... a replacement level Sobotka line? 

Disagree totally. His rebound control was awful. He simply drops the puck a lot lately and shots are going through him that he should stop. He was outstanding in the 10 game streak, but since then he has been a hack. 

 

[...]

6 minutes ago, jame said:

Tonight Hutton was hung out to dry... hard to compete when your home ice matchup allow you the choice of putting Eichel-Skinner out vs Toews-Kane, or you avoid that matchup and go with what... a replacement level Sobotka line? 

Dude, Hutton looked horrible. Like something happened at home and he couldn't shake it. 

[JJFIVEOH]

1 hour ago, TrueBlueGED said:

And Enroth isn't even in the league anymore. I know you loved him, but we'd gain nothing by making that swap. 

We sure as hell didn't lose anything. Enroth set the NHL record for shootout stops. Lehner is leading the league in GAA and save percentage. 

And we're putting all our pieces on a 33 year old goaltender who has never been a starter?

[jame]

11 minutes ago, ... said:

Dude, Hutton looked horrible. Like something happened at home and he couldn't shake it. 

Eh... Kane is gonna Kane the short side snipe, Caggiula all alone in front, Saad with a bar down beauty... yea, I want the goalie to make big saves, but none of those were softies.

im missing one... but yea... Hutton’s has a two handfuls of stinkers worse than tonight 

edit: oh the 3rd, ***** rebound, definitely a sofie. But even worse on Risto not finishing the play 

 

Edited February 2, 2019 by jame

[JJFIVEOH]

Did I mention Hutton only has 3 wins in his last 13 games and Ullmark only has 5 regulation losses in 19 games?

Trade Okposo and Hutton for a bag of pucks. 

[...]

You know who else looked horrible, and I hate to say this, but Dahlin was not sharp at all.  Add Samson.  Samson was nearly ghastly.  I'm this -> <- close to starting the Trade-Samson-While-He-Still-Has-Perceived-Value train again.

Eichel needs to be stripped of the C.  Leading this team is clearly above his ability.  He needs to be left alone to be Eichel and nothing else.

[Carmel Corn]

11 minutes ago, JJFIVEOH said:

Did I mention Hutton only has 3 wins in his last 13 games and Ullmark only has 5 regulation losses in 19 games?

Trade Okposo and Hutton for a bag of pucks. 

I'd love to see Okposo gone....but seriously who in the heck will take him....even for nothing in return?  I don't see a GM stupid enough in this league to take that awful contract.

[jame]

16 minutes ago, ... said:

You know who else looked horrible, and I hate to say this, but Dahlin was not sharp at all.  Add Samson.  Samson was nearly ghastly.  I'm this -> <- close to starting the Trade-Samson-While-He-Still-Has-Perceived-Value train again.

Eichel needs to be stripped of the C.  Leading this team is clearly above his ability.  He needs to be left alone to be Eichel and nothing else.

Dahlin has a rough game... I can count how many times I’ve  said that this year on one hand

Reinhart had a god awful turnover, and a very up/down game for sure

Yikes, you thought that Reinhart wasn’t legit before? 

Doesnt matter what we think, the C is etched in 8 years/80 million...

[jame]

11 minutes ago, Carmel Corn said:

I'd love to see Okposo gone....but seriously who in the heck will take him....even for nothing in return?  I don't see a GM stupid enough in this league to take that awful contract.

Nope. No one is taking Okposo.

our best bet, is paying Seattle to take the last 2 years in 2021 expansion draft... and yes, that means we have 2 MORE seasons after this one... hope he likes Rochester.

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

1 hour ago, jame said:

I’m not sure my opinion needed to be clarified as an opinion....

well, Pommer and Nelson were hear last year and the upgrades we made this year pushed them down the roster.

last year Kane, Poms, Pouliot, and Okposo were top 6 wingers to start the year. This year we upgraded Kane to Skinner, Okposo to Reinhart, Pouliot to Sheary, Okposo to Erod.... but of course we downgraded ROR to ***** Sobotka...

last year we suffered Seth Griffith as 3rd center behind Eichel and ROR, this year we could’ve had Mittelstadt as the 3rd center behind them.

last year our top 4 was Risto, Scandella, Beaulieu, Falk/Tennyson... this year it’s Dahlin, Bogo, Risto, Pilut (with actual NHL depth of McCabe, Scandella, Beaulieu, Nelson)

the weakness of this roster is the absence of ROR and horrible coaching...if we had done this right:

Skinner-Eichel-Xxxxx

Xxxx-ROR-Reinhart

xxxx-Mittelstadt-Xxxxx

xxxx-Larsson-Girgs

xxxx = Sheary, Erod, Okposo, Poms with Olofsson, Nylander, Smith, Wilson, pushing 

Dahlin-Bogo

Pilut-Risto

Scandella/Mccabe/Beaulieu/Nelson/Hunwick

 

I don't want to argue about the roster last year being worse because it was and you are right about that. 

However, I know you're just throwing names out there who were actually on the roster, but I think your point could be better argued with examples other than some you are using.

The 1st bolded....looks like you're saying Griffith was our 3C last year when in reality he only played 21 games (barely 1/4 season).

The 2nd bolded....Tennyson only played 15 games. You mention Falk who played 46g but don't mention Antipin who played 47g (I know it's only 1g but it's 32 more than Tenny). Antipin also had as many points as Nelson, Falk, and Tennyson combined.

Another person you mention quite a bit is Moulson....only played in 14 games.

I'm not arguing your point and actually agree, just think you could easily better support your position.

Hope the rest of your evening is better than the game you watched.  

[North Buffalo]

I got nothing... bad defense... score some goals.... pathetic

[Kruppstahl]

There's no point in talking Xs and Os with this team when they continue to not bother showing up, play with toughness and desperation, or refuse to play as hard as they can for 3 periods.

I'm not a big believer in things like "culture" in sports, but in this case, I have to wonder.

I assume there is an attitude in the room that says "just ok is good enough."

When we were on the W streak I really thought all that crap was behind us, but clearly it wasn't.

How you fix this, I don't know.

 

 

 

[JJFIVEOH]

1 hour ago, Carmel Corn said:

I'd love to see Okposo gone....but seriously who in the heck will take him....even for nothing in return?  I don't see a GM stupid enough in this league to take that awful contract.

Nobody will take him. And the buyout penalty hurts too. The term is too long. 

I have to give Tavarez credit, he made Okposo and Moulson look like stars when in actuality, they suck. 

[matter2003]

That was disgraceful. This team should be embarrassed by that performamce against a cellar dweller.

[jame]

45 minutes ago, MakeSabresGrr8Again said:

I don't want to argue about the roster last year being worse because it was and you are right about that. 

However, I know you're just throwing names out there who were actually on the roster, but I think your point could be better argued with examples other than some you are using.

The 1st bolded....looks like you're saying Griffith was our 3C last year when in reality he only played 21 games (barely 1/4 season).

The 2nd bolded....Tennyson only played 15 games. You mention Falk who played 46g but don't mention Antipin who played 47g (I know it's only 1g but it's 32 more than Tenny). Antipin also had as many points as Nelson, Falk, and Tennyson combined.

Another person you mention quite a bit is Moulson....only played in 14 games.

I'm not arguing your point and actually agree, just think you could easily better support your position.

Hope the rest of your evening is better than the game you watched.  

 

maybe an simpler synopsis is a list of players who played more than 10 games last year... and are not in the NHL today:

Pouliot, Nolan, Wilson, Antipin, Falk, Josefson, Johnson, Gorges, Baptiste, Griffith, Guhle, Tennyson, Moulson and Bailey.

14 of 30 players

Botts did a terrible job last year and we were besieged with injuries... this years roster is significantly better. But Botss cratered it’s effectiveness with the ROR.

 

[steveoath]

Oh my gosh. I wake up to carnage. Is it time to order Phil an Uber out of buffalo?