GDT: Sabres at Bruins, 7 p.m. ET, 12/29/19 (MSG, ESPN+)

[Thorner]

1 minute ago, TrueBlueGED said:

Well, when you put it that way.... 

It's not actually progress, is it? lol

[Tondas]

1 minute ago, KC Scouts said:

Im convinced that JBot wrote this season off last summer. No second line center, no hope between the pipes (Ullmark is not and never will be a legit top flight goalie in the NHL) 

Can't argue.  I think JBOT used the same line of Beane and the Bills.  The second year will be to clear the cap and hope to be competitive.  But the NHL is not the NFL.  He'll be here next year and better show major progress.  I like JBOT but I'm getting very skeptical of his ability to build a team in the Buffalo mold.

[Thorner]

Just now, Tondas said:

Can't argue.  I think JBOT used the same line of Beane and the Bills.  The second year will be to clear the cap and hope to be competitive.  But the NHL is not the NFL.  He'll be here next year and better show major progress.  I like JBOT but I'm getting very skeptical of his ability to build a team in the Buffalo mold.

He's close to achieving zero, zilch, in 3 full seasons. We are 8th from the bottom already.

[SwampD]

2 minutes ago, KC Scouts said:

The 'little speedy guys" are nice if you have 1 or 2 or them not 6 or7. Way too many Euros

Connor Sheary’s a Euro?

[KC Scouts]

2 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

We played better than I expected. Bruins are starting to show their age and they struggled a little when we were skating full out (mostly 2nd period) but we don't maintain it and we don't have finishers/scorers. Can't count how many times though they simply outworked or outmuscled us for loose pucks. They aren't the big bad Bruins, but they are so so much tougher/stronger than us.

Absolutely....As I sat there at the game on Friday, I said, "They are so much bigger than us, just look at them, how does J Bot not see this?" and the guy next to me nearly choked from  laughing so hard..

[Slack_in_MA]

1 minute ago, Tondas said:

Can't argue.  I think JBOT used the same line of Beane and the Bills.  The second year will be to clear the cap and hope to be competitive.  But the NHL is not the NFL.  He'll be here next year and better show major progress.  I like JBOT but I'm getting very skeptical of his ability to build a team in the Buffalo mold.

I'm getting on board the "we need a bona fide hockey executive" bandwagon. I'm not convinced JB nor RK have what it takes in that regard.

[Tondas]

1 minute ago, Thorny said:

He's close to achieving zero, zilch, in 3 full seasons. We are 8th from the bottom already.

You're right.  Year 3.  How time flies when you're having fun.

[Slack_in_MA]

1 minute ago, SwampD said:

Connor Sheary’s a Euro?

For all intents and purposes. He can't be out of here fast enough.

[KC Scouts]

1 minute ago, SwampD said:

Connor Sheary’s a Euro?

Of course not, Too man Euros in general sense,

I can't help it if Botts fell in love with him in Pittsburgh

[Thorner]

2 minutes ago, Slack_in_MA said:

For all intents and purposes. He can't be out of here fast enough.

Well that's exactly what's wrong with the original statement then, that stereotype 

[Gatorman0519]

What exactly has Jbot done in 3 years?  His teams are abysmal with no end in sight.

[Tondas]

Well, we're on to Tampa.  These are our boys, we gotta stick with them.

[Thorner]

12 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

What exactly has Jbot done in 3 years?  His teams are abysmal with no end in sight.

Hard to say. We are now pacing for 84 points this season, a 4 win total improvement over last season. 

Since October 22, we are playing at a 66 point pace. I.e - about the pace of the last place team every year. 

Eerily similar to last year - one good stretch, with the rest being dead-last quality. At least so far. 

Edited December 30, 2019 by Thorny

[SABRES 0311]

Just now, Thorny said:

Hard to say. We are now pacing for 84 points this season, a 4 win total improvement over last season. 

Since October 22, we are playing at a 66 point pace. 

Progress

[Pimlach]

34 minutes ago, KC Scouts said:

Im convinced that JBot wrote this season off last summer. No second line center, no hope between the pipes (Ullmark is not and never will be a legit top flight goalie in the NHL) 

I’m not convinced of that.  I am getting convinced he does not know how to build an NHL team.  

[Pimlach]

38 minutes ago, Slack_in_MA said:

I think they need to start scouting the western Canada hockey leagues, with a few big guys who can skate and hit. The scorers will flourish.

Cozens -  Not sure he hits but otherwise he fits that bill. 
 

[sabremike]

 

[Kruppstahl]

So, we've now lost 6 of our last 7 and only Ottawa, NJ, and Detroit have fewer points in the East.

Skinner is gone for a month and we have a GM who doesn't do anything. 

If opposing teams can keep Eichel in check, we lose.

Our mediocre goaltending continues to be a problem.

Fun Fact: We traded Paul Gaustad to Nashville on February 27, 2012.

Pretty soon that will have been EIGHT YEARS AGO.

It's hard to believe we are where we are with this rebuild after this much time.

It's been a complete and total disaster.

Darcy's comment about Sabres fans suffering is the wisest thing anyone has ever said about this team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Scottysabres]

21 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

So, we've now lost 6 of our last 7 and only Ottawa, NJ, and Detroit have fewer points in the East.

Skinner is gone for a month and we have a GM who doesn't do anything. 

If opposing teams can keep Eichel in check, we lose.

Our mediocre goaltending continues to be a problem.

Fun Fact: We traded Paul Gaustad to Nashville on February 27, 2012.

Pretty soon that will have been EIGHT YEARS AGO.

It's hard to believe we are where we are with this rebuild after this much time.

It's been a complete and total disaster.

Darcy's comment about Sabres fans suffering is the wisest thing anyone has ever said about this team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

100% accurate.

I to, look at the Gaustad trade is the start of the tear down for the rebuild. And you are spot on, it has been a complete disaster.

The truly disgusting part of this complete fiasco in Sabres history, is that as of right now, there appears to be no plan in place to begin to right the ship and the spiraling out of control losing culture looks to continue well in to the foreseeable future, at least, as of right now, as stated.

[Broken Ankles]

What can I say, the Patriots loss and subsequent drop to #3 overall in the AFC and having to play next week has inspired positivity.

• Olafssons 5v5 play continues to improve.   He is winning battles on the boards and contributing to keeping pucks deep.  
• The Sabres outplayed this team tonight for most of the game.  Considering how strong their PP is, having only one brief lapse leaving DeBrusk open in front, the Sabres PK was good.  Refs had some questionable calls again but that’s life.  The double minor penalty was absurdity.
• Risto was a plus player, pitched in on the O-fence, and was responsible in the D zone.
• Jack stayed out with the second PP unit and they actually had shots on goal.

          Question-  Pasternak was double shifted multiple times tonight.   Why doesn’t Jack take a few shifts (5v5) with MaJo and Sam, or Sheary/Vesey? 

• The Sabres almost equaled the Bruins in Faceoffs won (25 v 26).   Not bad for a team DFL (and it’s not even close) in Face Off %.  

Edited December 30, 2019 by Broken Ankles

[PerreaultForever]

4 hours ago, SwampD said:

Connor Sheary’s a Euro?

Sheary had a good year scoring points via Sid so JBot thought he could do the same via jack I'm sure. Otherwise that was just a Pitt contract dumping and JBot needed warm bodies. The team has gone heavy Euro. The emphasis from day 1 with JBot was speed for the so called new nhl. He hasn't balanced the lineup at all and so we get pushed around on any given night.

Not all JBot's fault though. Sabres have been soft for a really long time.

[Stoner]

6 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Sheary had a good year scoring points via Sid so JBot thought he could do the same via jack I'm sure. Otherwise that was just a Pitt contract dumping and JBot needed warm bodies. The team has gone heavy Euro. The emphasis from day 1 with JBot was speed for the so called new nhl. He hasn't balanced the lineup at all and so we get pushed around on any given night.

Not all JBot's fault though. Sabres have been soft for a really long time.

Sheary started with Jack early in 18-19, right?

[rakish]

3 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Sheary started with Jack early in 18-19, right?

Sheary got the first 4 or 5 games with Eichel, then a few games near the end.

this is a chart of even strength ice time. The left axis might be too tiny, at about 30% up is 5min/game. About 2/3 up is 10 min/game. the x axis is individual games, with the blues as wins, and the reds as losses

Edited December 30, 2019 by rakish
decided it needed more