GDT: 3/24/2021: Sabres at Pittsburgh Penguins 8pm NBCSN

[Randall Flagg]

21 minutes ago, sabremike said:

Here's where I disagree with blow everything up: the last Sabres coach who you could even claim is an actual NHL coach was Dan Bylsma (who is pretty bad, as evidenced by him not getting a HC gig since). Since then we had two seasons of a bad high school coach and a season and a half of a slick talking con man who was in way over his head. You could take as much good young talent as you wish, throw them into that viper's nest of incompetence and the result would always be spectacular failure. So rather than blow it all up and hire another entry level trashbag coach in way over his head how about hiring an honest to God proven quality head coach with a track record of success a mile long. If that doesn't happen in a few years time we will be having this same exact conversation only the names will be Cozens, Quinn, Samuelson and whatever poor godforsaken bastard who has the horrible misfortune to be selected by us 3rd overall in the 2021 draft.

I'm not as down on Housley as I was towards the end of his tenure. I don't think he was a bad coach. Maybe not the right coach at the right time for that team, but I think it's more than that. I understand the reservation against trading these guys considering our recent history with trades like that. We need to see much better GMing for it to work. For some reason I think Kevyn can do it.

[Randall Flagg]

There have been suggestions of getting old players back in town to talk to the team, show them what it was like, show them buffalo's history, stemming from Hamilton's comments about players having "no respect" for the team's history. I don't think that addresses the big on-ice problems obviously, but I do like the idea of out-of-the box things like that which attempt to spark/foster something again, helping to patch the soul of the franchise back together a bit. 

[sabremike]

1 minute ago, Randall Flagg said:

I'm not as down on Housley as I was towards the end of his tenure. I don't think he was a bad coach. Maybe not the right coach at the right time for that team, but I think it's more than that. I understand the reservation against trading these guys considering our recent history with trades like that. We need to see much better GMing for it to work. For some reason I think Kevyn can do it.

I think it's a case that's best exemplified by what Ole Anderson once told Jim Cornette: " Jim, I used to think you were a dumb***** but so many other dumb*****s have come along since that you've moved up the ladder without even trying!"

[thewookie1]

19 minutes ago, In The Buff said:

I just finished watching the game. I took a screenshot of the stream i was watching, right as the buzzer sounded to end the game.

Really speaks a thousand words

 

Thank the Gods Reinhart when he went down wasn't seriously hurt too, bcuz we would've had another: "Lowest Moment to be a Sabres fan" after the one last week

 

Montour: Well that just happened yet again, I hope I'll be traded.

Dahlin: Internalized Anger, similar to many fans he just wants answers dammit

Cozens: Literally looks like he's balling his eyes out

 

 

[sabremike]

[Zamboni]

22 minutes ago, In The Buff said:

 

 

 

Montour: I’m in the mood for pizza when I get back to the hotel. 

Dahlin: If this is what I’m in for in the coming years, maybe I should just request a trade this summer and get it over with. 

Cozens: Vancouver or Calgary would be nice right about now. 

[SwampD]

25 minutes ago, In The Buff said:

I just finished watching the game. I took a screenshot of the stream i was watching, right as the buzzer sounded to end the game.

Really speaks a thousand words

 

Thank the Gods Reinhart when he went down wasn't seriously hurt too, bcuz we would've had another: "Lowest Moment to be a Sabres fan" after the one last week

These poor guys. I truly feel sorry for them. They are internalizing the collective ennui that has been built up over more than a decade, by hundreds of thousands of Sabres fans. 

Deer Sabres. I don't care if you win. Just enjoy the game and have fun and entertain me.

[Randall Flagg]

Can anyone remember the last time the Sabres turned a 3 on 2 into a non-embarrassing shot on goal, let alone a goal?

[SwampD]

Just now, Randall Flagg said:

Can anyone remember the last time the Sabres turned a 3 on 2 into a non-embarrassing shot on goal, let alone a goal?

no

 

[Randall Flagg]

12 minutes ago, SwampD said:

no

 

What does it mean? Why can't Sam Reinhart and Taylor Hall create 3 on 2s and get shots on goal? 

[dudacek]

32 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

What does it mean? Why can't Sam Reinhart and Taylor Hall create 3 on 2s and get shots on goal? 

They're lost and they're broken.

They went all in on Ralph with the little bit of faith they had left and it crumbled like old cheese.

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, bunomatic said:

There’s been no pride in wearing my Sabres Jersey or any of my hats for a decade. I got tired of defending this sad sack organization to complete strangers. Its a joke and its on us fans. TP and KP are the only ones capable of turning this around. But that would take some deep cleansing of their souls I’m afraid. Or sell the friggin team ya hosers. **** I hate this org.

Fair enough. No argument. I meant pride in the players wearing the jersey but your point is totally valid. 

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, Randall Flagg said:

There have been suggestions of getting old players back in town to talk to the team, show them what it was like, show them buffalo's history, stemming from Hamilton's comments about players having "no respect" for the team's history. I don't think that addresses the big on-ice problems obviously, but I do like the idea of out-of-the box things like that which attempt to spark/foster something again, helping to patch the soul of the franchise back together a bit. 

I seem to remember talk like that when they first bought the team. Alumni involvement. and then they just spelt their names wrong on cheapo jerseys. 

[gilbert11]

I had set the game to record, sat down to watch it and it wasn’t there. History said “Recording cancelled due to error”. WTF?

Damn Directv.  When the NFL takes Sunday Ticket from them, I’m done.

Guess I didn’t miss much with another 3 goal loss.
 

 So what is Granato doing different that they’re giving up so many shots on goal?

[MODO Hockey]

24 minutes ago, gilbert11 said:

I had set the game to record, sat down to watch it and it wasn’t there. History said “Recording cancelled due to error”. WTF?

Damn Directv.  When the NFL takes Sunday Ticket from them, I’m done.

Guess I didn’t miss much with another 3 goal loss.
 

 So what is Granato doing different that they’re giving up so many shots on goal?

Not his fault. Their souls are way to shattered to be restored this quick. I think last 10 games of this season will show.

[bunomatic]

40 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Fair enough. No argument. I meant pride in the players wearing the jersey but your point is totally valid. 

Yeah your post got me thinking about times as a kid when I could proudly wear Sabres gear without being cut down for it because they were a good franchise and had had a measure of success. Its going to take many years of compete to ever get the stench of this decade off of this team. 

[Kruppstahl]

2 hours ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

IMHO, you are right.  The only thing that has a chance --and it may not work anyway -- is hiring a top notch, well-established, accomplished coach.

It is going to get worse before it gets better, and it's pretty bad now.

This team is so poorly constructed there is just not much there.

It's going to take a period of years for the changes we make--assuming they are all made correctly--to show up on the ice in Sabres games.

We have no choice but to sink into a sustained "rebuild".  There is nothing here that can be done other than to build again.

Hard to overstate how messed up this entire process has gone.

See the thread I started on Sabres Dysfunction. 

Should be a good listen to tomorrow afternoon. 

 

[Kruppstahl]

2 hours ago, Gatorman0519 said:

Gallant

Boudreau

Julian

those are my top 3 in order and nobody else should be considered that’s available. Don’t want a college coach. 

Those are the 3 names I think all Sabres fans want to see considered.

My exact order is  bit different than yours, but it doesn't really matter.

Here's the thing: none of those 3 are going to come in here, mix up some lines, and turn this into anything close to a solidly constructed team.

We have to rebuild.  The thing that sickens me is we are really no closer to having arrived than we were when we took Eichel in the draft.  

It will takes years for everything to trickle down to an on-ice product that is substantially better than what we have now, and that assumes a whole bunch of key decisions are made correctly in the months/years ahead.

And the guy we have entrusted to the process has no experience as a GM in the NHL.

It will get worse before it gets better.

 

 

 

[nucci]

4 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

I don’t think there is a single move this team can make in the off-season to save the STH base.  There will be a huge cancellation rate, and one I’m sure the team will try and hide.  

and ticket prices will probably increase

4 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

There have been suggestions of getting old players back in town to talk to the team, show them what it was like, show them buffalo's history, stemming from Hamilton's comments about players having "no respect" for the team's history. I don't think that addresses the big on-ice problems obviously, but I do like the idea of out-of-the box things like that which attempt to spark/foster something again, helping to patch the soul of the franchise back together a bit. 

you first have to get a quality, experienced GM that knows how to build a team

[LGR4GM]

If I were Adams, I would be picking the forwards that will continue with this team and be prepared to trade the rest between now and next summer. I'd also find a vet for Dahlin or at least a friend, poor kid is a shell of his rookie self. 

[Pimlach]

9 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

The Buffalo Sabres (not their fans) deserve this, honestly. You reap what you sow. We made a mockery of the game for two years, and weren't smart enough to figure out a way to right the ship afterwards. This is entirely because of decisions made in top positions within the organization, and the fallout will continue until something changes up there.

I am ready to move on from Jack, from Sam, and from Dahlin. Not because everything is tainted and we need an exorcism, but the symbolism there is a compelling narrative to bring along with it. Put these guys on organizations that can show them the right way, and then let's build one ourselves right here.

In doing so, the same mistakes as before cannot be made. There will be a lot of younger pieces coming back in these deals. Some of them, along with other assets and cap space, will need to be spent on identifying proper veteran players. Dylan Cozens has a lot of excellent instincts. He "plays the game the right way." We need vets who do the same thing, and have found success in this league doing so, that can show him how to use those instincts to win hockey games. We need to fight, scratch and claw to find the right players to do this. And we need the right coach to lead them out. If we go this path, given Gallant's story in Vegas, I wonder if he wouldn't be the perfect fit. 

I'm ready for it. We can't continue down the path we started in 2015, or 2018, or 2020. These players can't handle it anymore, and neither can the fans.

I feel the same way with a slight change.   The people that made the poor decisions at the top are all gone.  Regier, Murray, Botterill are gone and their staffers are all gone too.  Only the Pegula’s remain with few hold overs like Adams.  
 

What is left are the tainted players of a bad culture - they are still here.  The veterans and the core of the team come from Regier and Murray and Bots.  They are the culture that we complain about.  Fair or unfair Risto, Jack and Sam (and others) are todays culture.  Ever wonder why new players start promising and then fade?  They accept losing, they stop fighting, they develop bad habits.  

The problem is who should reshuffle the deck and rebuild?  Who can be trusted to turn the roster and build an environment of accountability and pride?  Will Pegula find that person and let them go to work?  

Culturally there is nothing left from the eras of Imlach, Bowman, Meehan, and Muckler.  Only memories, some banners and pictures remain.  The culture we hate is the recent one.  I don’t think this group of core veterans are ever going to win.  Gallant might last 2-3 years with this group.  Ralph and Phil both had ten game winning streaks only to see the players fold and quit.
 

Does anyone really think that Jack Eichel is going to come back this season and carry this team to play even respectable .500 hockey for the remaining games?  He doesn’t have the ability to inspire and elevate a team.  He can improve the stats of the people on his line, but that is not what I mean.  

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, Pimlach said:

Does anyone really think that Jack Eichel is going to come back this season and carry this team to play even respectable .500 hockey for the remaining games?  He doesn’t have the ability to inspire and elevate a team.  He can improve the stats of the people on his line, but that is not what I mean.  

Well they certainly were a hell of a lot better with him in lineup. Trading Eichel is a mistake. 

[Pimlach]

8 hours ago, Gatorman0519 said:

Gallant

Boudreau

Julian

those are my top 3 in order and nobody else should be considered that’s available. Don’t want a college coach. 

All are proven Hickey coaches but will they want more control than Pegula’s are willing to give?  Will they “communicate” to their satisfaction ?   They are all crusty throwbacks to another era.  Not sure that the Pegula’s are into that.  

[Pimlach]

32 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Well they certainly were a hell of a lot better with him in lineup. Trading Eichel is a mistake. 

They were much better on the PP.  Other than that there is not much difference at all.    
 

Trading Eichel would be a mistake because we don’t have the right people running the team, not because he is untouchable.   We dont need a knee jerk move. We need someone with a plan.  
 

Like the LaFontaine - Turgeon trade, it probably needs to be a package deal.  
 

Believe me, I wish I was not even thinking about it. I want him to be a superstar that leads us to the Cup.  

Edited March 25, 2021 by Pimlach

[LabattBlue]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Trading Eichel would be a mistake because we don’t have the right people running the team, not because he is untouchable.  

Bravo!  100% agree.