GDT: Sabres at Boston 3-27-21 1PM

[Claude Balls]

Is Don Granato Ryan's father? Those deep, narrow eyes are eerily similar.

[Marvin]

1 hour ago, stenbaro said:

Or the drunkest, been a long 45 years of suffering, out of the 45 years I think we had 4 great seasons where  I thought we would win the Cup, only to have the Cup either ripped away by BS or kicked in the jimmies by injuries. One can only take so much. The other 31 years were mostly a middle team that would do just enough to go watch them play, the last 10 have been defined as "They could leave now or whatever". I am so bitter I wasted so much of my hard earned money on them.

Dominik Hasek made me think that we always had a chance to win it all because he coyld steal a series all by himself.  Aside from 1993-4 throught 2000-1, most years when I thought we could win the Cup with "luck within the bounds of normal" for a Stanley Cup champion were following a regular season when we were a genuinely feared team.  Thus, I have 1974-5 through 1977-8, 1979-80, 1980-1, 1983-4, 1989-90, 2005-6, 2006-7, 2009-10.  Had we been healthy, 2010-1 would be on this list.

And yes, the desultory decade has even worn on me.

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, Kristian said:

Uuuuhm no, that’s the coaching staffs responsibility. The pro athlete needs to maintain a base shape at all times, that’s the extent of what he can and should do.

You think pro athletes haven’t got basic fitness trainers working with them throughout the season, in pretty much every team sport?

Well, at least the succesful teams do.

Yes they do. My point was that wasn't Kreuger's job. These guys are professionals and are supposed to be in shape. Supposed to work hard. But we have coasters who don't even know how to lift weights properly.

 

[LabattBlue]

This is so depressing.  Sooner or later they have to win one.   Make it stop. 

[Pimlach]

I spent the entire day from 9:00 am to 5:00 looking for a car with my son.  
 

I see we lost 3-2.  I’ll watch the replays.  Looks like a 3rd period collapse.  The streak has no mercy.  

Edited March 28, 2021 by Pimlach

[Kristian]

41 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Yes they do. My point was that wasn't Kreuger's job. These guys are professionals and are supposed to be in shape. Supposed to work hard. But we have coasters who don't even know how to lift weights properly.

 

I don’t disagree that this team has passengers, but I think we’re talking about two different things.

Just because you float it doesn’t mean you’re not in shape, just like being in shape doesn’t mean you work hard.

And yes, conditioning wasn’t Krueger’s job, unless of course the team was visibly out of shape. Which I’m pretty sure they are.

[gilbert11]

5 hours ago, Scottysabres said:

Leading after 2?

I am down in Franklinville today. Its a beautiful day. The Southerntier, I'll never ever get tired of this place.

I have a friend in Machias.  We went fishing in Ischua Creek a couple times.

[Kruppstahl]

I really thought the streak would be broken today.

The game had that kind of feel to it.  

Boston is playing terribly lately, Bruce Cassidy called his team out yesterday, Marchand out on the Covid list, Ullmark back in net...we got the free goal from Boston in the first and were leading most of the game...

Nope!  Boston played terribly but found a way to win.

Onto the Flyers!  

 

 

 

 

[Claude Balls]

These guys have to win at least 1 versus the Flyers, right?. That team is so lost right now. If Buffalo loses both to Philly, then I don't know what to say anymore. 

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, Claude Balls said:

These guys have to win at least 1 versus the Flyers, right?. That team is so lost right now. If Buffalo loses both to Philly, then I don't know what to say anymore. 

I recall we had a big win against Philly at the start of the season.  5-1 I think??

At the end of the 3rd someone punched Dahlin in the nose and sent him scurrying out of the game.  They beat us the next day, and every game thereafter.   

[gilbert11]

7 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

This is so depressing.  Sooner or later they have to win one.   Make it stop. 

Just like sooner or later they have to make the playoffs but they don’t.

[Kristian]

8 hours ago, gilbert11 said:

Just like sooner or later they have to make the playoffs but they don’t.

Sooner or later the team will cease to exist, if they don’t.

[Kruppstahl]

2 minutes ago, Kristian said:

Sooner or later the team will cease to exist, if they don’t.

Not likely.  It's a great little franchise for the league, very much has a regional base, and is sort of the secret 8th Canadian franchise.

It will be tough to move; it would probably already be gone if it was easier. 

What we need moved is Pegula!  This can't be fun for him...and he just turned 70.

Come on Terry, enjoy those billions and your palace in Boca with the Bills as the jewel in your sports ownership ego filled crown.  

Dump the Sabres!  Now!  They are cramping your style, and you ain't gonna live forever! 

 

 

 

[Pimlach]

2 minutes ago, Kristian said:

Sooner or later the team will cease to exist, if they don’t.

For the first time ever I am starting to worry about this.  Under Terry’s new “Effective, Efficient and Economic” mantra I fear they will never get out of this.  
 

The fix needs to be top down. 

[SwampD]

13 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

For the first time ever I am starting to worry about this.  Under Terry’s new “Effective, Efficient and Economic” mantra I fear they will never get out of this.  
 

The fix needs to be top down. 

Worry about what? The Sabres leaving Buffalo? That will never happen.

[Thorner]

14 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

For the first time ever I am starting to worry about this.  Under Terry’s new “Effective, Efficient and Economic” mantra I fear they will never get out of this.  
 

The fix needs to be top down. 

Unfortunately from all we’ve heard it seems the Pegulas are still pretty unlikely to bring in a senior management type. I don’t think Adams has the chops or experience to turn the ship around alone, so honestly at this point, as ridiculous as it is, I think our hopes are pinned on Karmanos (who we haven’t officially hired) somehow being enough of a positive influence on Adams that the two of them can turn things around. 

I hate that that’s where we are at, but it seems the most likely hope at this point. 

[Pimlach]

9 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Worry about what? The Sabres leaving Buffalo? That will never happen.

I used to think that.  Unlikely to leave .   Never say never. 

[Kristian]

36 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

Not likely.  It's a great little franchise for the league, very much has a regional base, and is sort of the secret 8th Canadian franchise.

It will be tough to move; it would probably already be gone if it was easier. 

What we need moved is Pegula!  This can't be fun for him...and he just turned 70.

Come on Terry, enjoy those billions and your palace in Boca with the Bills as the jewel in your sports ownership ego filled crown.  

Dump the Sabres!  Now!  They are cramping your style, and you ain't gonna live forever! 

 

 

 

At this point, they’re the Washington Generals.

Only, the NHL is not an exhibition league, and despite popular beliefs, I very much doubt Gary Bettman is pleased with having a team this bad around, for very long.

[Thorner]

22 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Unfortunately from all we’ve heard it seems the Pegulas are still pretty unlikely to bring in a senior management type. I don’t think Adams has the chops or experience to turn the ship around alone, so honestly at this point, as ridiculous as it is, I think our hopes are pinned on Karmanos (who we haven’t officially hired) somehow being enough of a positive influence on Adams that the two of them can turn things around. 

I hate that that’s where we are at, but it seems the most likely hope at this point. 

But maybe not, apparently 

[SwampD]

12 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I used to think that.  Unlikely to leave .   Never say never. 

Buffalo is the 51 TV market in the states. If you add Rochester it’s in the low 30s in size. And it gets the highest percentage of viewers of any market. I think the only other market it could go to and get as many eyes on it Is Toronto, but all those folk are already either Leafs or Red Wings fans.

[Pimlach]

41 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Buffalo is the 51 TV market in the states. If you add Rochester it’s in the low 30s in size. And it gets the highest percentage of viewers of any market. I think the only other market it could go to and get as many eyes on it Is Toronto, but all those folk are already either Leafs or Red Wings fans.

Yes.  I get the viability of the Buffalo market. Those conversations go back to 1966 and they have been proven true and to have gotten stronger. 

Right now we have one generation of fans that have never seen a decent team.  We are working on a second one.  Meanwhile, hockey is still in 4th place out of 4 in the major team sports popularity in the USA.  Soccer will likely pass it. 

Proximity to Ontario is a big factor.  I’m just saying another decade of poor teams and no star players could take its toll.  

Anything can happen.  Minnesota lost its team.  

[LabattBlue]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

I hate that that’s where we are at, but it seems the most likely hope at this point. 

Me too. 😞

[dudacek]

So Staal goes out and Ullmark goes in; two of the things I cringe at most disappear.

And we get one of the most watchable games of the past month or so.

Baby steps.

***

What do people think of Mittelstadt recently?

Career high 17:40 played yesterday. He's been well over 15 minutes in five of the past 6.

Edited March 28, 2021 by dudacek

[Thorner]

^he’s been just ok, vaguely disappointing. But that’s a lot of guys I suppose. 

Cozens already makes more happen 

[dudacek]

14 minutes ago, Thorny said:

^he’s been just ok, vaguely disappointing. But that’s a lot of guys I suppose. 

Cozens already makes more happen 

It's interesting Casey is getting a more prominent role between the two. I suspect it might be a development thing, where they are protecting Dylan a bit, but have decided to see what Casey can do.

Casey is definitely a better hockey player than he was a year ago. He's showing some effort and burst; he's in the play more, instead of always being behind it. Still a big question as to what kind of role he can carve for himself. He has looked better, but he hasn't produced.

Thing about Dylan for me is not so much that he's making things happen, it's just that he does the right things so often. He's actually performing like a real good bottom six player right now: speed, effort, discipline and he doesn't hurt you.

I'm not sure the skill level is there to be a top-line player, but, as we have seen many times development is hardly linear.

Edited March 28, 2021 by dudacek