GDT: 3/3/20 Buffalo Sabres vs. Winnipeg Jets 8 pm

[Tondas]

I don't have any words to describe this.  I used to love watching the Sabres.  Now, I watch more out of obligation than entertainment.  Battle, fight, grit, push-back, represent the frickin' city you play for.  I don't feel any of that.  Trite sayings and excuses.  The Bills represent the city, why can't the Sabres?

[New Guy]

2 minutes ago, Tondas said:

I don't have any words to describe this.  I used to love watching the Sabres.  Now, I watch more out of obligation than entertainment.  Battle, fight, grit, push-back, represent the frickin' city you play for.  I don't feel any of that.  Trite sayings and excuses.  The Bills represent the city, why can't the Sabres?

It took a while for the bills, and we got really damn lucky with our front office hirings to start all this off. I was nervous from the get go with McDermott having full authority from the get go, but Terry got very lucky for it working out. Lord knows we could sure use fortune with the Sabres upcoming hirings... 

Edited March 4, 2020 by New Guy

[Mustache of God]

I'll be surprised if the Sabres can win 4 of their remaining 16 games. Looking at the schedule, there's no way they even sniff 80 points. But hey, we almost had meaningful March games, so that's progress.

[SwampD]

3 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

I'll be surprised if the Sabres can win 4 of their remaining 16 games. Looking at the schedule, there's no way they even sniff 80 points. But hey, we almost had meaningful March games, so that's progress.

I think just the opposite.

[inkman]

5 minutes ago, New Guy said:

It took a while for the bills, and we got really damn lucky with our front office hirings to start all this off. I was nervous from the get go with McDermott having full authority from the get go, but Terry got very lucky for it working out. Lord knows we could sure use fortune with the Sabres upcoming hirings... 

I think the Bills aren't going to look as good this coming season.  I'll be surprised if they are above .500.  

[SwampD]

1 minute ago, inkman said:

I think the Bills aren't going to look as good this coming season.  I'll be surprised if they are above .500.  

We heard that going into this season.

[bob_sauve28]

7 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

I'll be surprised if the Sabres can win 4 of their remaining 16 games. Looking at the schedule, there's no way they even sniff 80 points. But hey, we almost had meaningful March games, so that's progress.

I think they will play better. Teams that are totally eliminated sometimes pick it up and enjoy spoiler status 

[Gatorman0519]

The ineptitude of this organization is mindboggling.  We must be the outlier for worst case scenario.  There is nothing else to say after 9 years of it now.

[inkman]

4 minutes ago, SwampD said:

We heard that going into this season.

They played an all-time terrible schedule.  

[New Guy]

2 minutes ago, inkman said:

I think the Bills aren't going to look as good this coming season.  I'll be surprised if they are above .500.  

Hmmm... Still too many major offseason moves ahead with FA/Draft coming up with boatloads of cap space, whether it's extending the kids that deserve them or making a push for more

Playoff appearances and schedule difficulty do vary by the year, and I agree the AFC should be stronger this year (Denver and nyj in particular should improve), but I think we're set up for sustained success. The roster top to bottom is excellent on defense and the offense made significant strides despite major starter turnover 

I'm not 100% sold on Josh being an official franchise Qb just yet but it's his audition these next two years and we're going to live or die with his progress. 

[SwampD]

Just now, inkman said:

They played an all-time terrible schedule.  

So? So did NE. Or at least close.

[inkman]

Just now, New Guy said:

Hmmm... Still too many major offseason moves ahead with FA/Draft coming up with boatloads of cap space, whether it's extending the kids that deserve them or making a push for more

Playoff appearances and schedule difficulty do vary by the year, and I agree the AFC should be stronger this year (Denver and nyj in particular should improve), but I think we're set up for sustained success. The roster top to bottom is excellent on defense and the offense made significant strides despite major starter turnover 

I'm not 100% sold on Josh being an official franchise Qb just yet but it's his audition these next two years and we're going to live or die with his progress. 

I'm not sold on Josh and I'm REALLY not sold on McDermott.  His player and game management are cringe worthy.  

1 minute ago, SwampD said:

So? So did NE. Or at least close.

So they aren't going to win as many games.  ?

[inkman]

This season can't end soon enough.  I'm just waiting for the Sabres to somehow ruin the Amerks playoffs.  

[bunomatic]

What do ya all think of Ralph ? Hasn’t shown me much. To be fair things would be different with a goaltender that can stop pucks, a 2C, and a little bit of ?. I’d add a little grit as well. Ralphs a motivator. Have these guys looked motivated ? The eye test tells me its same old same old in that department. So what has he added ? 

[SwampD]

4 minutes ago, bunomatic said:

What do ya all think of Ralph ? Hasn’t shown me much. To be fair things would be different with a goaltender that can stop pucks, a 2C, and a little bit of ?. I’d add a little grit as well. Ralphs a motivator. Have these guys looked motivated ? The eye test tells me its same old same old in that department. So what has he added ? 

Not much, other than nobody has said that they have lost the love of the game,… yet.

[LTS]

10 minutes ago, bunomatic said:

What do ya all think of Ralph ? Hasn’t shown me much. To be fair things would be different with a goaltender that can stop pucks, a 2C, and a little bit of ?. I’d add a little grit as well. Ralphs a motivator. Have these guys looked motivated ? The eye test tells me its same old same old in that department. So what has he added ? 

All the pep talks in the world don't overcome the reality that you aren't making the playoffs...

[Doohicksie]

 

1 hour ago, Tondas said:

Is it talent or system?

System.  They play catch behind the net entirely too much.

Edited March 4, 2020 by Doohickie

[PerreaultForever]

23 minutes ago, bunomatic said:

What do ya all think of Ralph ? Hasn’t shown me much. To be fair things would be different with a goaltender that can stop pucks, a 2C, and a little bit of ?. I’d add a little grit as well. Ralphs a motivator. Have these guys looked motivated ? The eye test tells me its same old same old in that department. So what has he added ? 

In fairness, I think what he tries to do is more traditional, and is a step up from the mess Housley created, but there are players on this roster that simply do not get motivated and since he doesn't have the extra bodies to bench those guys best he's been able to do is what you see. I don't fault him for where this team is at. 

This game didn't surprise me. We're just lucky they took the foot off the gas after the first.

[Second Line Center]

31 minutes ago, bunomatic said:

What do ya all think of Ralph ? Hasn’t shown me much. To be fair things would be different with a goaltender that can stop pucks, a 2C, and a little bit of ?. I’d add a little grit as well. Ralphs a motivator. Have these guys looked motivated ? The eye test tells me its same old same old in that department. So what has he added ? 

 

 

Seriously, has firing Housley improved this team at all?  

The only thing of significance that has changed is Skinner and Dahlin are worse.  

That's it. 

 

J-Bott fired him and that puts the owners evaluating him (should be a team president to evaluate the GM but hey Terry likes hockey so he's qualified) bc they had to approve it and that had to mean at the time JBott was safe for more than one season----what coach takes this job knowing the GM is on the hot seat and your roster was trash?  No one worth hiring.  So he takes a huge gamble.  Ralph wants back in the league and is intrigued.  

But Ralph is out of his league and JBott is as good as gone and so will 1/3 of the roster. 

 

 

Edited March 4, 2020 by Second Line Center

[Thorner]

2 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

Eichel going for 40 goals has meaning.

Totally agreed. 

And they are going to piss that away too. It's not a bad situation because they get some things wrong. It's a bad situation because they get everything wrong.

They don't give the fans ANYTHING. They don't give us anything.  

Edited March 4, 2020 by Thorny

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, Randall Flagg said:

I missed like 20 minutes of game time but I didn't think this game was half as bad as this thread reads which is surprising considering our players dreams were just crushed while theirs are still playing for something 

The Jets are a really poor hockey team. I'm serious, they are not good. They could make the GD west final if they get to play through the laughable pacific but they are not a good hockey team this year. 

Edited March 4, 2020 by Thorny

[Indabuff]

1 hour ago, Tondas said:

I don't have any words to describe this.  I used to love watching the Sabres.  Now, I watch more out of obligation than entertainment.  Battle, fight, grit, push-back, represent the frickin' city you play for.  I don't feel any of that.  Trite sayings and excuses.  The Bills represent the city, why can't the Sabres?

At this point I watch when it's on at work.  I come here to make sure people associated with this "team" still have a goddam pulse because it sure as ***** doesn't seem most of the players and management don't.

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, Marchand'sNose said:

So we're currently pacing 82 points and trending below that. After 3 seasons, JBot may not equal EITHER season point total with Murray/Bylsma....think about that for a second. How do you NOT fire this guy??!!

I don't even know if it'll factor into their decision making process but the optics of them not reaching Murray's 81 in any of the last 3 seasons is pretty damning. 

Jack was a rookie that year. He wasn't even Jack Eichel yet. Think about it. 

We have a team with a legit Hart candidate pacing for the same amount of points as the one without. Boo!!

Edited March 4, 2020 by Thorny

[stenbaro]

Jeesh, I come on this board to check up on it, the Sabres have totally pushed me away, to the point i didnt know there waa game tonight. Good job Sabres

[Kristian]

2 hours ago, bunomatic said:

What do ya all think of Ralph ? Hasn’t shown me much. To be fair things would be different with a goaltender that can stop pucks, a 2C, and a little bit of ?. I’d add a little grit as well. Ralphs a motivator. Have these guys looked motivated ? The eye test tells me its same old same old in that department. So what has he added ? 

Not impressed.

I don’t like the general work ethic on the team, and glueing Sam to Jack on a team desperate for balanced scoring is inexcusable, IMHO.

Try it for a few games at least, for christ sake.....