GDT: 11/17/19 Buffalo @ Chicago, 7 p.m. EST, MSG, WGR550

[nucci]

6 hours ago, Tondas said:

I'm saying that Risto and Reino are not worth $13 mil going forward.  Looks like another "rebuild" coming.  Start now.

don't we have to build something before we rebuild?

[North Buffalo]

Reino looks out of place with Eichel... he defers too much... need him on a line he can drive...

[Brawndo]

The Sabres 2-6-2 Record is the NHL’s Worst over the past ten games 

[sabremike]

8 hours ago, Broken Ankles said:

  It has been said that “adversity does not build character it reveals it.”  It does not get any easier for this team.   Only three winnable games in the next 15.   If we see a collapse like last year, God help us.  Massive changes like GM, Coach and most likely Jack for Tank 3.0.  

OK here goes: IT. IS. STUPID. AND. POINTLESS. WITH. THE. GODDAMNED. LOTTERY. TO. TANK. AND. ONLY. MADE. SENSE. IN. 2015. BECAUSE. IT. GUARANTEED. US. A. FRANCHISE. CENTER. WHO. WOULD. HAVE. BEEN. FIRST. OVERALL. IN. JUST. ABOUT. ANY. OTHER. DRAFT.

[TrueBlueGED]

9 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

Lol the stat guys on twitter still beg for Pominville 

 

9 hours ago, Thorny said:

The fact that an argument can, (and it can) be at least reasonably made that he'd be a good addition is, in fact, an issue. 

This is the point. It's laughable to want to add Pominville to an NHL roster. That it's not laughable to discuss it in the context of the Sabres? Well, that really says it all. 

9 hours ago, Tondas said:

What happened to the promise of the first 5 games?  What went wrong so quickly.

The same thing that happened to Tampa's poor start: a team's true quality may not be evident after a few games, but it will be over a longer stretch. Bad teams can play well and good teams can play poorly, but very rarely will they keep doing those things. 

[miles]

I completely forgot the sabres were playing until around 11pm. The I checked the score and was glad I missed it. 

After giving up so many goals the last week or so, maybe the sabres shouldn't trade a defenseman. Or maybe trade for a better one. I know the sabres goalies aren't top pies, but they make a lot of d blunders.  (I didn't watch this game, I'm saying in general)

Edited November 18, 2019 by miles

[Wyldnwoody44]

U. G. L. Y. 

You ain't got no alibi. 

 

Seriously, what did I watch last night, the first period looked pretty good, but then they got all sad because they weren't in the lead. It's almost like they tucked their tail between their legs and cowered the rest of the night. 

This team just doesn't have "It" whatever it is, the makeup and mix of "talent" and personality just plain sucks. They can't finish in the O zone, they don't defend well in D zone, they don't stick up for each other, there is almost no ability to get a mean steak going. 

Big changes are yet again needed, and at this point I'm not sure Jbot should be in charge of those decisions. RK I can't actually judge as he's brand new and was handed this steaming pile of garbage. 

I have tickets to tomorrow nights game, and after working an overnight tonight a big part of me doesn't even want to go, that is sad, I've always been pumped to see this team, but the doubt is creeping in quickly. 

[LGR4GM]

6 minutes ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

U. G. L. Y. 

You ain't got no alibi. 

 

Seriously, what did I watch last night, the first period looked pretty good, but then they got all sad because they weren't in the lead. It's almost like they tucked their tail between their legs and cowered the rest of the night. 

This team just doesn't have "It" whatever it is, the makeup and mix of "talent" and personality just plain sucks. They can't finish in the O zone, they don't defend well in D zone, they don't stick up for each other, there is almost no ability to get a mean steak going. 

Big changes are yet again needed, and at this point I'm not sure Jbot should be in charge of those decisions. RK I can't actually judge as he's brand new and was handed this steaming pile of garbage. 

I have tickets to tomorrow nights game, and after working an overnight tonight a big part of me doesn't even want to go, that is sad, I've always been pumped to see this team, but the doubt is creeping in quickly. 

 

[triumph_communes]

They haven't been getting run over.  They just aren't scoring.  I know the record is bad, but I think people need to take a step back and realize how much better it has been looking lately.  Last year the wins if we had them were mostly by luck.  Now, the losses are mostly coming from bad luck.  The play itself is in our favor.  We just don't have the talent to finish consistently.  Or the right line combos imho.

[Doohicksie]

11 hours ago, Ogre said:

There goes Tage’s shoulder. 

I missed this during the game.  What happened?  When?  I haven't seen anything online showing what happened.

[rakish]

37 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

I missed this during the game.  What happened?  When?  I haven't seen anything online showing what happened.

Thompson got rubbed out into the corner, normal hockey play, as they separated Tage had the reaction of someone who will be out for months.

[Eleven]

8 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

[Ogre]

49 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

I missed this during the game.  What happened?  When?  I haven't seen anything online showing what happened.

 

9 minutes ago, rakish said:

Thompson got rubbed out into the corner, normal hockey play, as they separated Tage had the reaction of someone who will be out for months.

I’d like to add that his arm on the glass side was up over his head when he got hit. I’ve been hit with my arm up high like that and it really jams your shoulder up. That’s all I got.

[Southtown Tommy]

2 hours ago, North Buffalo said:

Reino looks out of place with Eichel... he defers too much... need him on a line he can drive...

The problem with that suggestion is that Sammy is not capable of driving play - he's a nice complimentary player, that is all.  I would include him in a trade for a game changer...

[That Aud Smell]

I watched some of the game. From what I could tell, they seemed a bit unfortunate last night. The game was fairly even.

I'd felt like this squad would be a bubble team when the season started. They're charting toward being an ~85 point team.

The problem for me: I'm just not sure where the improvement is coming from in the next 1-3 years.

[darksabre]

4 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

I watched some of the game. From what I could tell, they seemed a bit unfortunate last night. The game was fairly even.

I'd felt like this squad would be a bubble team when the season started. They're charting toward being an ~85 point team.

The problem for me: I'm just not sure where the improvement is coming from in the next 1-3 years.

Assuming Cozens can make the jump he's looking like a good piece. We're pretty good on defense right now and the goalie pipeline looks good. Forwards are definitely still a concern. Botterill is going to have to do some more work in the trade and FA market, especially with some of the cap space he'll have when this season is over. He should be able to fill out some forward depth there.

[Curt]

54 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

I watched some of the game. From what I could tell, they seemed a bit unfortunate last night. The game was fairly even.

I'd felt like this squad would be a bubble team when the season started. They're charting toward being an ~85 point team.

The problem for me: I'm just not sure where the improvement is coming from in the next 1-3 years.

Improved play from all players under age 25, of which there are very many, as well as several good prospects who are on the way.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Missed this one, as I was up the country.

Looks like a good thing.

Who's next?

MUST WIN!!

GO SABRES!!

[Randall Flagg]

3 hours ago, Doohickie said:

I missed this during the game.  What happened?  When?  I haven't seen anything online showing what happened.

In addition to what rakish said, his arm was hanging really ominously. 

[Claude Balls]

Botts needs to trade for a true #1 goalie, but I'm not sure who has one as a backup, or a team that splits goalie starts. Wouldn't mind if they went after Lehner again, or maybe even Crawford. Both #1's basically. I doubt Robin would want to come back to the Buffalo dumpster fire anyhow. Ship out Risto and Hutton for someone.

Edit: I am not starting the next GDT. I was one and done.

Edited November 18, 2019 by Claude Balls

[apuszczalowski]

23 minutes ago, Claude Balls said:

Botts needs to trade for a true #1 goalie, but I'm not sure who has one as a backup, or a team that splits goalie starts. Wouldn't mind if they went after Lehner again, or maybe even Crawford. Both #1's basically. I doubt Robin would want to come back to the Buffalo dumpster fire anyhow. Ship out Risto and Hutton for someone.

Edit: I am not starting the next GDT. I was one and done.

I don't think they will go out and try for a #1 unless it's an older vet on a short term deal. They have UPL who will probably be coming up in the next couple years so I doubt they want to use alot of resources for someone else who's young. 

[Kruppstahl]

Great Tweet on Jack's consistently lazy/bad defensive play, and a big  part of why we find ourselves in the same place year after year despite the coaching changes.  

 

[Doohicksie]

15 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

Great Tweet on Jack's consistently lazy/bad defensive play, and a big  part of why we find ourselves in the same place year after year despite the coaching changes.  

 

I had precisely the same thought.  Both of those goals are on Jack Eichel.  I hope Eich sees this.  We know he's capable of playing good two-way hockey but those two plays were just terrible.  It's a different game if he skates harder and is aware of where opposing players are on the ice.

[Randall Flagg]

While Jack deserves to be lambasted for that game, and his defensive play as a whole, he doesn't play worse defense than many best-offensive-forwards on teams that win playoff series. He doesn't even play worse defense than the two best defensemen on the Sharks. 

The main answer to why, despite coach after coach, we are still a mediocre hockey team, is emphatically not Jack Eichel's defensive zone abilities and efforts.

[Doohicksie]

Not sure I agree with you.