GDT - Sabres @ New Jersey - February 17, 2019 - 6:00 PM (EST) - MSG+; MSG-B

[Stoner]

Everyone's invited to start posting in the Panthers game thread now!

[Pimlach]

Wow.  Philly can tie us for 10th.  We are 6 back of Pittsburgh. 

AND Phil is losing the team. 

Does anyone think the the entire league didn’t know PH called this team soft?  

So what happened?   A big lunkhead on the devils shoots a puck at our goal during warm up.  Bogo engages, the lunkhead back down but jabbers away.  The Devils were in our heads before the puck dropped. 

[Gatorman0519]

4 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Everyone's invited to start posting in the Panthers game thread now!

Another 4-1 loss coming.  I live here and usually go to these games. I’m not spending money or an evening to watch this team anymore this year.  We are not much better than last year.  

[Stoner]

Bogo gives Harrington the skunk eye.

[North Buffalo]

Worst team in the league beats Sabres by 3

[Carmel Corn]

2 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Wow.  Philly can tie us for 10th.  We are 6 back of Pittsburgh. 

AND Phil is losing the team. 

Does anyone think the the entire league didn’t know PH called this team soft?  

So what happened?   A big lunkhead on the devils shoots a puck at our goal during warm up.  Bogo engages, the lunkhead back down but jabbers away.  The Devils were in our heads before the puck dropped. 

What was especially bad was when the Buffalo Beauts tweeted that the Sabres were soft......just kidding.

[dudacek]

2 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Bogo gives Harrington the skunk eye.

That was a man showing remarkable restraint.

[Samson's Flow]

6 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Wow.  Philly can tie us for 10th.  We are 6 back of Pittsburgh. 

AND Phil is losing the team. 

Does anyone think the the entire league didn’t know PH called this team soft?  

So what happened?   A big lunkhead on the devils shoots a puck at our goal during warm up.  Bogo engages, the lunkhead back down but jabbers away.  The Devils were in our heads before the puck dropped. 

Bogo is the only player on this team that will stand up consistently. He can't carry it for the whole team

2 minutes ago, dudacek said:

That was a man showing remarkable restraint.

A man amongst boys (literally)

[freester]

11 minutes ago, IrwinNelson said:

This team flat out sucks. Zero effort, zero heart. Eichel soured on the season weeks ago, he should be stripped of the C. Those who disagree have never played on a team with a real captain. It’s no fault of their own, but it’s the only logical conclusion as to how they could support him as captain. 

I think Eichel is hurt and will have major offseason surgery like a shoulder labrum or something like that. Just a guess but that is my prediction. 

[#freejame]

2 minutes ago, freester said:

I think Eichel is hurt and will have major offseason surgery like a shoulder labrum or something like that. Just a guess but that is my prediction. 

He’s always played a soft game though. If he’s that hurt he might as well just call it a season and maybe the boys will rally, but there’s no way his current attitude is good for the room. 

[Tondas]

PH on our special teams, "I thought we punted well".  At least that's what I heard.

[Billznut]

Time for Botterill to open up this roster for business. Almost everyone should be available. Maybe 3-4 players are untouchable. Everyone else can go. He won’t do it though. He’s be admitting his mistakes. Another couple years of no playoffs coming up. 

[Hoss]

I haven't been on here much but I am slightly amused that everyone got bored with calling for Housley's head so there's some looking for the extra pitchfork to take over to GMJB's residence. I'll be concerned with JB if Skinner walks. If Skinner walks all bets are off.

[PerreaultForever]

What was it they said? new Jersey had given up 17 goals in the last three games I think - and we managed 1. kind of sums up the season. Been our problem from day 1 and the team has not improved from day 1 this year. We have improved zone time and possession this year. We are faster this year. We get lots of shots, but we have absolutely no finish (outside of Skinner) and simply cannot score goals. That and an abysmal powerplay all year means it's over. Mathematically alive, but it's time for JBot to sell sell sell (if anybody wants any of it).

It's been a more entertaining year than last year, but it's over. 

[Tondas]

2 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

What was it they said? new Jersey had given up 17 goals in the last three games I think - and we managed 1. kind of sums up the season. Been our problem from day 1 and the team has not improved from day 1 this year. We have improved zone time and possession this year. We are faster this year. We get lots of shots, but we have absolutely no finish (outside of Skinner) and simply cannot score goals. That and an abysmal powerplay all year means it's over. Mathematically alive, but it's time for JBot to sell sell sell (if anybody wants any of it).

It's been a more entertaining year than last year, but it's over. 

Who really in untouchable?  I'l say Jack and Dahlin.  Reino, Risto and Linus would hurt, but not untouchable.  Skinner is a free agent so not listed.

[Pimlach]

3 minutes ago, Billznut said:

Time for Botterill to open up this roster for business. Almost everyone should be available. Maybe 3-4 players are untouchable. Everyone else can go. He won’t do it though. He’s be admitting his mistakes. Another couple years of no playoffs coming up. 

How is that admitting mistakes?  He has had 2 years and that is not enough for anyone to fix the dumpster fire he inherited   

If he can trade ROR he can trade Risto.  That guy was -19 going into today’s game.  The next highest defensemen is -6 (Scandy).  

What’s happened since January? 

Risto’s game has dropped by a mile and he is simply not good enough to play 25 minutes a game. Barring some drastic change I think he is going to grade out very poorly at the end of the season. 

[Tondas]

1 minute ago, Pimlach said:

How is that admitting mistakes?  He has had 2 years and that is not enough for anyone to fix the dumpster fire he inherited   

If he can trade ROR he can trade Risto.  That guy was -19 going into today’s game.  The next highest defensemen is -6 (Scandy).  

What’s happened since January? 

Risto’s game has dropped by a mile and he is simply not good enough to play 25 minutes a game. Barring some drastic change I think he is going to grade out very poorly at the end of the season. 

I like Risto but you're right about him.  For the last several games Dahlin has logged more minutes than Risto.

[Carmel Corn]

4 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

How is that admitting mistakes?  He has had 2 years and that is not enough for anyone to fix the dumpster fire he inherited   

If he can trade ROR he can trade Risto.  That guy was -19 going into today’s game.  The next highest defensemen is -6 (Scandy).  

What’s happened since January? 

Risto’s game has dropped by a mile and he is simply not good enough to play 25 minutes a game. Barring some drastic change I think he is going to grade out very poorly at the end of the season. 

Agree the numbers are not in his favor, but I can count the number of "non-soft" players on this team with just two or three fingers....and Risto is one of them.  I would also add that he is not the only player whose game has dropped by a considerable margin.

Edited February 18, 2019 by Carmel Corn

[Pimlach]

Just now, Tondas said:

I like Risto but you're right about him.  For the last several games Dahlin has logged more minutes than Risto.

He has been lackluster for quite awhile. Not hitting, not creating offense, and -19.  That is so much worse than the other defensemen that is says something.  

[PerreaultForever]

4 minutes ago, Tondas said:

Who really in untouchable?  I'l say Jack and Dahlin.  Reino, Risto and Linus would hurt, but not untouchable.  Skinner is a free agent so not listed.

If Skinner wants to play for a contender (no move clause) I'd move him and then try to sign him in the off season if he's interested. No idea what he wants but JBot and he should sit down face to face. 

Otherwise I would not trade Dahlin. 

I would trade anyone, even jack, if the offer was good enough (that would have to be huge obviously) but in all likelihood I would also not trade Risto, Eichel, Bogo, Mittlestadt, Pilut, Ullmark. Bogo because of his leadership and toughness, and the last 3 because they may still have upside. Anyone else can go for the right deal and some of them just take them, please, anyone, just get some of them gone.

[Pimlach]

Just now, Carmel Corn said:

Agree the numbers are not in his favor, but I can count the number of "non-soft" players on this team with just two or three fingers....and Risto is one of them.

He has been soft for two months. He stopped hitting, he has stopped everything.  

[Carmel Corn]

1 minute ago, Pimlach said:

He has been soft for two months. He stopped hitting, he has stopped everything.  

He must have got tired of be the exception and wanted to fit in with the rest of the guys.  It's kind of like working a government job, you don't want to stand out by outworking your co-workers.

[Tondas]

I'll watch all the remaining games because (being from Buffalo and a fan since 1970, I have to), but what I'd at least like to see is Rasmus pass ORR for second most points for a D-Man before 19.  I don't count Housley since he played a lot of forward in his first year.

[Brawndo]

The Amerks beat Cory Schneider twice this season 

[North Buffalo]

1 hour ago, freester said:

I think Eichel is hurt and will have major offseason surgery like a shoulder labrum or something like that. Just a guess but that is my prediction. 

Only reason other than being a panty waist because he literally avoids contact every chance he gets and at one point right before 2nd NJ goal he came off cussing, thought it was because of the bad play but yeh maybe injury. This fro a guy who once broke another guys jaw in junior during a fight.

Edited February 18, 2019 by North Buffalo