GDT: 1/15/21 7pm ET Washington @ Buffalo - FREE GAME ON NHL.com

[Pimlach]

2 minutes ago, #freejame said:

Murray was fine and we would been in the playoffs by now if he were still at the helm. Terry and Kim didn't like him so they canned him at the expense of the organization. Ralph Wilson hated Lou Saban and kept him around to win two AFL championships. 

Not quite sure I would categorize Murray as fine.  
 

Ralph never hated Lou Saban.  Quite the contrary he loved him and was upset that Saban walked out on him twice for no reason other than his own restlessness.  Saban pretty much ran everything in the early days, Ralph did not “keep him around” and he never wanted him to leave.  He rehired Saban again in the 70’s only to see him walk away from a team on the rise.  Why would he rehire someone he did not like?   In his later years Ralph refused to put Saban on the stadium wall because he claimed Lou was not loyal.  Ralph was forever pissed at Lou, not sure that translates to hate.  
 

Loyalty was highly valued by Ralph and Lou has a history of leaving unfinished work behind him.  

[Radar]

4 hours ago, #freejame said:

We have a head coach who isn't a hockey coach who should have surrounded himself with the top hockey assistants Terry's money could buy and did not. We have an inexperienced GM who should have surrounded himself with the top hockey minds Terry's money could buy and did not. We have a team that is a conglomeration of 3 GMs over six years with no cohesion, no moxie, no will, no identity, no culture, and no idea what it takes to win. I'm tired of the platitudes from Ralph. I don't care if every game is a hard fought game if we lose them all. His quote last night was a spit in the face. This franchise is so far from being a winning franchise, and it has been so long since we have seen a winning franchise that too many people forgot what it looks like. It isn't this and it was evident long before the season started. I'll eat my words if I'm wrong but I'd be shocked if that were the case. 

This is response to my post? Or just a chance rant? One, I haven't forgot what a winning franchise !looks like. Actually some look different than others but let's not go deep into that. Second, I myself would have preferred more experience with both coaches and GM but that again was not the subject of my post. Many if not most posters on here have talked about the two areas I mentioned. Two games into the season we are two losses to a very good team. Our power play was terrible and that cost us not getting a split. I share much of your frustration but getting back to my post. Carry on.

1 hour ago, nucci said:

we hear this every year.

Yes. And it's still true.

[Thorner]

2 hours ago, Kristian said:

Are they still playing the one-trick pony umbrella PP that was figured out by every team in the league by mid November 2019?

My first thought when I woke up today was the weight of powerplay disappointment, when there's no reason it shouldn't be lights out with a little strategy. 

Oh, I absolutely need help 

[spndnchz]

20 hours ago, inkman said:

They were the worst forwards on the ice not named Staal. 

They played? 

[Broken Ankles]

8 hours ago, #freejame said:

This is what I keep wondering. There has been so much unwarranted optimism around here. We're still the exact same team.

There was always a reason for optimism.   While you are correct this is mostly the same team, in addition to Hall there was the prospect of a true second line Center with better RW/forward options than Vlad.  There was also supposed to be giant steps by Rasmus, Tage and Joki.  The introduction of Dylan.  Special teams was supposed to be given a boost with a PK specialist or two, and there was a belief the Goaltending could improve.  So far most of this has not manifested in a positive way. But if we don’t maintain optimism after a 300 day offseason then we are all wasting untold hours.  My rankings in order of disappointment after only two games:

1.) Regression/Slow start by Defense (Miller and Risto excluded).  Especially Dahlin. 

2.) 1/8 on PP.  Need to make hay here.  Too much talent. 

3.) Goaltending not addressed in offseason, and not sold on Hutton whatsoever. 

4.) PK - only two chances but currently 50% and it looks bad.  Finishing in the basement probably warranted a change in coaching of special teams. 

5.) Staal - Given complimentary players and nothing to show after two games.  More probable than not he warms up, but time is not on his side. 

[#freejame]

3 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Not quite sure I would categorize Murray as fine.  
 

Ralph never hated Lou Saban.  Quite the contrary he loved him and was upset that Saban walked out on him twice for no reason other than his own restlessness.  Saban pretty much ran everything in the early days, Ralph did not “keep him around” and he never wanted him to leave.  He rehired Saban again in the 70’s only to see him walk away from a team on the rise.  Why would he rehire someone he did not like?   In his later years Ralph refused to put Saban on the stadium wall because he claimed Lou was not loyal.  Ralph was forever pissed at Lou, not sure that translates to hate.  
 

Loyalty was highly valued by Ralph and Lou has a history of leaving unfinished work behind him.  

I’ll take your word and stand corrected. 

3 hours ago, Radar said:

This is response to my post? Or just a chance rant? One, I haven't forgot what a winning franchise !looks like. Actually some look different than others but let's not go deep into that. Second, I myself would have preferred more experience with both coaches and GM but that again was not the subject of my post. Many if not most posters on here have talked about the two areas I mentioned. Two games into the season we are two losses to a very good team. Our power play was terrible and that cost us not getting a split. I share much of your frustration but getting back to my post. Carry on.

Yes. And it's still true.

Chance rant, more or less unrelated to your post. Mostly brought on from my earlier post. Sometimes all it takes is a reply to get the rant cogs turning. 

Edited January 16, 2021 by #freejame

[Pimlach]

On 1/16/2021 at 6:28 AM, #freejame said:

We have a head coach who isn't a hockey coach who should have surrounded himself with the top hockey assistants Terry's money could buy and did not. We have an inexperienced GM who should have surrounded himself with the top hockey minds Terry's money could buy and did not. We have a team that is a conglomeration of 3 GMs over six years with no cohesion, no moxie, no will, no identity, no culture, and no idea what it takes to win. I'm tired of the platitudes from Ralph. I don't care if every game is a hard fought game if we lose them all. His quote last night was a spit in the face. This franchise is so far from being a winning franchise, and it has been so long since we have seen a winning franchise that too many people forgot what it looks like. It isn't this and it was evident long before the season started. I'll eat my words if I'm wrong but I'd be shocked if that were the case. 

I like a lot of what you say here.  I don’t think Terry was going to spend too many $$$ on assistant GMs and coaches and I doubt they would want to come here if they are that good.  

The conglomeration of 3 GMs in recent years is a problem.   I give you Okposso, brought in by Murray to a silly contract.   I give you Skinner, who Bots liked enough to give a big contract, then he hires a Coach that has been out of the NHL for a long time and all of a sudden Skinner does not fit.   Adams inherits this mess.  We can mention all the players  that left and are thriving elsewhere.  Now we have Adams trying to be competitive in a very difficult environment.  
 

What is common is all of these guys were rookie GMs.  If I am an owner I do what Seymour Knox did. I hire an experienced winner at GM and let him find the talent and put a product on the ice that is at least accountable and fun to watch.  Seattle, like Vegas, has an advantage starting from scratch and not having to deal with bad contracts and bad chemistry.  
 

 Still, I am not so sure that we are super far away.  A great goalie can fix a lot of ills (see St Louis).  We need a 2C (the Staal experiment is underway), and a few tough players who can possess the puck and make the other team on edge.  I suspect you can add head coach to the list too but I do think RK’s value is more strategic and administrative than it is behind the bench.  

Edited January 17, 2021 by Pimlach

[nucci]

16 hours ago, Radar said:

Yes. And it's still true.

and it never happens

[Thorner]

On 1/15/2021 at 9:36 PM, dudacek said:

I think you’re having a different discussion than I am.

My point is if Ralph doesn’t play Skinner more after the first two games he’s a bad coach.

Yours (as best as I can tell) is that because Ralph didn’t play Skinner more in the first two games he’s a bad coach.

The two positions aren’t at odds with each other.

Danger, danger will Robinson!