Finally this season is over for me

[MODO Hockey]

Maybe it was over for you earlier than me but this was the final straw as i can see it to even have a small shot at the playoffs. 

That 3 game winning streak we had raised my hopes for a possible playoff run, but then 4 losses in a row just after that told me otherwise.

I think it would be safe to say this is the 9th season Buffalo Sabres miss the playoffs. What a blunder, what a big failure for this organisation.
I feel so sad for Jack, you can really tell on his facial expressions how hard he been trying and still this team blows. He really tries soo freggin hard, beeing this young and a captain aswell, just hope this doesnt take to hard on him.

It is now obvious that this team needs a man, a real man, as a coach. Not a ***** cupcake pzy like Ralph is, in my opinion. You may disagree and that is fine.
To me Ralph does not appear as a strong coach with carisma, maybe Ralph could make it with a very strong assistant coach, strong as in precise and full on "do this or your of of this team" ish. Strongly believe that is what this team needs now, the 9 season of losing is just to strong for these young men.

Maybe im wrong but that is what it looks to me and i cannot help thinking of the pzy coaches thats been hired last couple of seasons, really. It does not seam to fit for this team to have soft coaches and maybe they show otherwize in the locker room where i have no ***** clue whats going on, but this is what it looks like to me.

It is sooo hard trying to appear optimistic these days, i really tried but i seam to fail way more often than not. I may appear as a c-nt sometimes, screaming and cursing, can't help it. 

We have a talanted team, we do. WE JUST NEED SOME ***** BEARDED MAN TO FORM IT TO A DIAMOND. GOD HELP US

 

 

[PerreaultForever]

I wish it would be that easy - just the right coach. I think it's the players and the culture they live in. 

[MODO Hockey]

Just now, PerreaultForever said:

I wish it would be that easy - just the right coach. I think it's the players and the culture they live in. 

And to change that you need a real coach, that is the one and only that is close enough to the team and who can change these broken minds. That is what i have to believe.

[Kruppstahl]

I feel your pain, MODO, but this team is NOT particularly talented.  We have some in places, but remain 4,5 or 6 key acquisitions away from being a true contender. 

I agree Ralph doesn't impress.

There are only 3 ways a coach can treat a player: he can ignore them, kick them in the ass, or pat them on the back.

Ralph only seems to know how to pat on the back.  It's not what this group needs, and this group itself needs to get a lot better.

 

 

[Pimlach]

I stopped watching in the 2nd when it was 3-1.   
 

Eichel looks hurt so there is nothing worth seeing.  

[Claude Balls]

Didn't even watch last night. I did something much more satisfying and entertaining.....I slept. I'm done with the ***** show.

[Curt]

I can’t understand these statements about Ralph being a “soft” “cupcake pzy” (cute) “pat on the back” coach.  Has he not regularly benched players?  Cut their mins?  Demoted them?

Do people need to see a total melt down throwing things on the bench to think a guy isn’t a big pushover?

[North Buffalo]

Modo, been done for me after loss to Ottawa.. the rate Toronto is playing they wont get in either.  Sabres need more talent in middle six and more desire /grind... Dahlin is young... he cant be guy you are relying on to be tough yet.   D is less of a concern but team needs guys with the will to win and tude... not there yet

[Doohicksie]

52 minutes ago, Curt said:

Has he not regularly benched players?  Cut their mins?  Demoted them?

All with a calm demeanor. No fire in the belly.

[Randall Flagg]

I still think Ralph would be fine with a functional roster

[shrader]

5 hours ago, Kruppstahl said:

I feel your pain, MODO, but this team is NOT particularly talented.  We have some in places, but remain 4,5 or 6 key acquisitions away from being a true contender. 

I agree Ralph doesn't impress.

There are only 3 ways a coach can treat a player: he can ignore them, kick them in the ass, or pat them on the back.

Ralph only seems to know how to pat on the back.  It's not what this group needs, and this group itself needs to get a lot better.

If this view becomes more prevalent around the fanbase, we're going to see a very big push for a certain recently fired coach.  I know some may say he's black listed at this point, but I have no real feel for whether or not that's the case.

[Palm Trees And Taxes]

I agree.

Season is completely irrelevant from this point in.

Shut Jack down for the year.

Rename the area to KeyTANK center and have another Oven Mitt giveaway.

Bring on the lottery

 

[StuckinFL]

The best tool a coach has when a player isn't playing up to their potential is to bench them. This team is so shallow of talent that can be called up/moved a line up that it's impossible to replace someone as a punishment. This team is full of JAGs in Rochester and on the Sabres so the coach is completely handcuffed. Hutton underperforming? Who do you bench him in favor of? Samson coasting around? Who do you move up without it being an unmitigated disaster? Risto blowing coverage and leaning back? Who takes his spot?

The only line playing like can be benched at any moment is the GLO line. And every shift they are playing with everything they have. And anyone on that line could be replaced at any moment. They're playing for their jobs EVERY SHIFT. Everyone else on this team knows they have job security because the roster is so putrid. And nothing kills a good employee faster than tolerating a bad one. 

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, Curt said:

I can’t understand these statements about Ralph being a “soft” “cupcake pzy” (cute) “pat on the back” coach.  Has he not regularly benched players?  Cut their mins?  Demoted them?

Do people need to see a total melt down throwing things on the bench to think a guy isn’t a big pushover?

Some people do. Just the same way that every time we lose their default is to blame it on effort.

As far as the point of this thread, the veteran players are basically performing around my expectations of them, with the obvious negative exception of Jeff Skinner.

The kids haven't improved as much as we need them to except Victor, and, to a lesser extent, Linus.

The net conclusion of this season for me is that we have the wrong man in charge of getting the players. Again.

Maybe Terry will be be third time lucky.

Edited March 4, 2020 by dudacek

[Curt]

6 minutes ago, StuckinFL said:

The best tool a coach has when a player isn't playing up to their potential is to bench them. This team is so shallow of talent that can be called up/moved a line up that it's impossible to replace someone as a punishment. This team is full of JAGs in Rochester and on the Sabres so the coach is completely handcuffed. Hutton underperforming? Who do you bench him in favor of? Samson coasting around? Who do you move up without it being an unmitigated disaster? Risto blowing coverage and leaning back? Who takes his spot?

The only line playing like can be benched at any moment is the GLO line. And every shift they are playing with everything they have. And anyone on that line could be replaced at any moment. They're playing for their jobs EVERY SHIFT. Everyone else on this team knows they have job security because the roster is so putrid. And nothing kills a good employee faster than tolerating a bad one. 

But Ralph HAS benched guys, cut their ice time, demoted them down the lineup.  That’s the thing.

[Randall Flagg]

The only thing that worries me about Ralph is our offense's continued inability to join the rest of the league in complexity of play and scale of chances. But I won't blame that on him until I see it happening with a better roster. 

[StuckinFL]

2 minutes ago, Curt said:

But Ralph HAS benched guys, cut their ice time, demoted them down the lineup.  That’s the thing.

But the people being benched are just not talented enough to make any discernable difference when they are replaced. And they are demoted as a last resort, not because they played a lousy game or have a bad attitude.

Per example, who in Rochester or further down the lineup can replace Skinner if he starts acting like an ass? No one from line 2 on down can replace him on his worst day with their best day. This roster is a ghost town of talent around a few bright spots.

Ryan Miller once said during one of his losses IIRC during his Venzia year that he needed to step up and play better because he was afraid of being benched in favor of Marty by Ruff. Marty was nowhere near as talented but could perform adequately enough if he needed to and the team could STILL WIN GAMES. Talent creates a competitive atmosphere where you are auditioning for your roster spot every night. RK can't create that internal competition without enough talent on the roster.

[GoPre]

Sabres gotta be a team top draft picks are hoping to avoid.  Buffalo used to be a quality franchise.  Has turned into a team I’m sure many players have listed as one they cannot be traded to.  Every season there’s the idea things will be all set in 2 to 3 seasons.  It continues to not happen.  Getting very difficult to enjoy the Buffalo Sabres. ?

[Randall Flagg]

Just now, StuckinFL said:

But the people being benched are just not talented enough to make any discernable difference when they are replaced. And they are demoted as a last resort, not because they played a lousy game or have a bad attitude.

Per example, who in Rochester or further down the lineup can replace Skinner if he starts acting like an ass? No one from line 2 on down can replace him on his worst day with their best day. This roster is a ghost town of talent around a few bright spots.

Ryan Miller once said during one of his losses IIRC during his Venzia year that he needed to step up and play better because he was afraid of being benched in favor of Marty by Ruff. Marty was nowhere near as talented but could perform adequately enough if he needed to and the team could STILL WIN GAMES. Talent creates a competitive atmosphere where you are auditioning for your roster spot every night. RK can't create that internal competition without enough talent on the roster.

Marty left the Sabres 3 seasons before his Vezina season. His backup was Lalime 

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

All with a calm demeanor. No fire in the belly.

See Jack's comments to Barstool Sports.

So we need a beard behind the bench? What about Jeff's gf?

[Radar]

2 hours ago, Curt said:

I can’t understand these statements about Ralph being a “soft” “cupcake pzy” (cute) “pat on the back” coach.  Has he not regularly benched players?  Cut their mins?  Demoted them?

Do people need to see a total melt down throwing things on the bench to think a guy isn’t a big pushover?

Many fans do. Mad fans want to see mad rhetoric many times. It's not bad at times but most times has a short shelf life of any effectiveness.

[dudacek]

I think it's weird that lack of temper tantrums equals lack a soft touch in some people's eyes.

Ralph seems to have very exact standards for his players. For the most part, those who best meet those standards seem to play, those that don't don't play. He holds them accountable, but like men, cold-bloodedly, instead of screaming and yelling.

He'd get much better results from me than a leader who throws things.

Edited March 4, 2020 by dudacek

[Stoner]

I'll say this. The man thinks he is paid by the word.

”I did meet with some family last night but it’s just that the National Hockey League keeps you in a very unique space. You’re just taking care of your next task, getting ready for the next phase, trying to work with the lineup, trying to find something good and valuable to grow and learn from the last games. You don’t really leave the space of execution that you’re in as a coach.”‘

How about: "I had to work."

[Doohicksie]

22 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

See Jack's comments to Barstool Sports.

Link?

 

[#freejame]

31 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

I'll say this. The man thinks he is paid by the word.

”I did meet with some family last night but it’s just that the National Hockey League keeps you in a very unique space. You’re just taking care of your next task, getting ready for the next phase, trying to work with the lineup, trying to find something good and valuable to grow and learn from the last games. You don’t really leave the space of execution that you’re in as a coach.”‘

How about: "I had to work."

Yeah this kind of thing does absolutely nothing for me.