Pimlach Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 (edited) More and better talent should lead to more consistent play, assuming the coaching is good and player effort is there. More consistent play shows what talent we really have. Right now the overall talent looks quite limited I lean toward believing the bigger problem is talent. That Tampa game showed us a lot. There are playoff contending teams and then there are the real Cup contenders. We are still not playoff contending. How far are we from Detroit? Not very far I say. Get better goaltending, some better veteran support on the blue line, and allow the young forwards develop. Let’s not forget goaltending. We are in the games when the goaltending is good, even when the rest of the team is not consistent, great goaltending can make a big difference. Edited January 14, 2022 by Pimlach 1 Quote
Hawerchuk Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 11:30 AM, Slack_in_MA said: With regard to Covid, is there a statistic somewhere out there that would demonstrate that Buffalo has been affected more adversely than most teams? Isn't everyone dealing with it to some degree? Expand Good call. Kind of like "MAN GAMES LOST" stat. 1 Quote
mjd1001 Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 No, the problem is lack of talent. 1 Quote
PromoTheRobot Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 5:36 PM, mjd1001 said: No, the problem is lack of talent. Expand Half the current roster won't be here next season. 1 2 Quote
Mustache of God Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 The Sabres aren't the only team dealing with COVID. The problem is 100% talent related. Quote
dudacek Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 4:20 PM, Slack_in_MA said: Is there a good recent analogy of another team that has successfully navigated a very similar strategy to the one we believe Adams is undertaking? How long did it take until they were a playoff contender? If there’s another thread where this has already been discussed, let me know and I’ll read through it. Expand It's a well-worn path. A lot of Stanley Cup winners since I've been watching hockey started out bad, then accumulated and developed a core of talented youngsters that grew up together, then added to it as needed, following this path. Certainly the Islanders, Oilers, two editions of the Penguins, Red Wings, Blackhawks, Kings and Lightning. The last good Sabres team did the same thing. And a lot of teams also try it and fail, like the Murray Sabres. 1 Quote
Doohicksie Posted January 14, 2022 Author Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 3:07 PM, PromoTheRobot said: It will be nice to have a consistent roster play more than 2 games in a row. Expand That's my point. On 1/14/2022 at 5:36 AM, pi2000 said: One or two solid vets is enough. Right now that's Okposo and probably Pysyk on the back-end, although I'd prefer bring in a higher quality veteran to mentor Power moving forward. A former All-Star type who's won a Cup or at least has ample playoff experience. Expand Do you consider Tuch a quality veteran? Quote
Carmel Corn Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 5:42 PM, PromoTheRobot said: Half the current roster won't be here next season. Expand To me, this seems to be the sentiment we've been hearing every year for the past several. We've been a revolving door of journeymen who have come and gone every year or so. This may not be factually true, but just seems that way. Quote
Doohicksie Posted January 14, 2022 Author Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 11:30 AM, Slack_in_MA said: With regard to Covid, is there a statistic somewhere out there that would demonstrate that Buffalo has been affected more adversely than most teams? Isn't everyone dealing with it to some degree? Expand I think all teams have been affected, but the impact of a given number of missing players has a bigger impact on a young, building team with a developing system and culture. The Sabres simply don't have the "organizational momentum" of a Pittsburgh or a Washington to keep them going in the absence of key players. 1 Quote
PromoTheRobot Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 7:05 PM, The Ghost of Yuri said: That's my point. Do you consider Tuch a quality veteran? Expand He's the best Sabre right now. 3 Quote
Doohicksie Posted January 14, 2022 Author Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 12:24 PM, nucci said: better talent would mean more consistency...if your players are not that good lack of consistency is inevitable Expand Look at ERod in Pitt. Average talent, right? But he steps into the top line and puts up career numbers. Part of that is being in a playoff race and expectations, part of that organizational momentum I mentioned. On 1/14/2022 at 3:20 PM, Dreams Burn Down said: I love your new avatar. LOL! Expand Good "catch"! 😄 1 Quote
PromoTheRobot Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 7:08 PM, Carmel Corn said: To me, this seems to be the sentiment we've been hearing every year for the past several. We've been a revolving door of journeymen who have come and gone every year or so. This may not be factually true, but just seems that way. Expand No it isn't. We weren't roster rebuilding under while Eichel was here. Not since Tim Murray flushed away our assets/prospects for Evander Kane and Robin Lehner. This is the first year we are embarking on a rebuild. 1 1 Quote
Doohicksie Posted January 14, 2022 Author Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 3:21 PM, GASabresIUFAN said: he needs to acquire good goaltending. Expand He has. It just isn't ripe yet. Quote
GASabresIUFAN Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 7:17 PM, The Ghost of Yuri said: He has. It just isn't ripe yet. Expand He needs to acquire current real NHL goaltending. 1 Quote
Doohicksie Posted January 14, 2022 Author Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 4:20 PM, Slack_in_MA said: Is there a good recent analogy of another team that has successfully navigated a very similar strategy to the one we believe Adams is undertaking? How long did it take until they were a playoff contender? If there’s another thread where this has already been discussed, let me know and I’ll read through it. Expand Detroit seems comparable. I've read hockey pundits who say they're a year ahead of us. 1 Quote
LGR4GM Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 7:08 PM, Carmel Corn said: To me, this seems to be the sentiment we've been hearing every year for the past several. We've been a revolving door of journeymen who have come and gone every year or so. This may not be factually true, but just seems that way. Expand It's the potential quality of what you are adding in Power, Quinn, Krebs, JJ, and Samuelsson Versus Hagg, Hayden, Caggiula, Bjork, and Butcher Quote
JohnC Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 6:12 PM, dudacek said: It's a well-worn path. A lot of Stanley Cup winners since I've been watching hockey started out bad, then accumulated and developed a core of talented youngsters that grew up together, then added to it as needed, following this path. Certainly the Islanders, Oilers, two editions of the Penguins, Red Wings, Blackhawks, Kings and Lightning. The last good Sabres team did the same thing. And a lot of teams also try it and fail, like the Murray Sabres. Expand At the draft a couple of years ago when Yzerman returned to Detroit to take over their hockey operation he was asked by a reporter how was he going to get the Red Wings back to the level of the glory days. He succinctly said: Draft and develop. He then walked away. 1 Quote
French Collection Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 7:15 PM, PromoTheRobot said: He's the best Sabre right now. Expand I think Dahlin is the best Sabre. Quote
dudacek Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 7:52 PM, French Collection said: I think Dahlin is the best Sabre. Expand Absolutely. Not even close, IMO. @PromoTheRobot unless, things have seriously changed in the past month or so, does not even think Dahlin is good, let alone best. Quote
Dreams Burn Down Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 8:10 PM, dudacek said: Absolutely. Not even close, IMO. @PromoTheRobot unless, things have seriously changed in the past month or so, does not even think Dahlin is good, let alone best. Expand I agree. I'll go further and say that Dahlin is only scratching the surface of his potential. RK really set the kid back. As this season has progressed, what I'm seeing is him relearning how to trust his instincts, again. 1 Quote
Thorner Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 I agree with the OP, it’s definitely talent. (I assume the title was a typo) - - - On 1/14/2022 at 7:17 PM, PromoTheRobot said: No it isn't. We weren't roster rebuilding under while Eichel was here. Not since Tim Murray flushed away our assets/prospects for Evander Kane and Robin Lehner. This is the first year we are embarking on a rebuild. Expand Not to the extent Adams is, but Botterill has his “tear it down to the studs” period, complete with bottoming out for Dahlin. On 1/14/2022 at 8:10 PM, dudacek said: Absolutely. Not even close, IMO. @PromoTheRobot unless, things have seriously changed in the past month or so, does not even think Dahlin is good, let alone best. Expand Dahlin of course, I’m not sure I’d have Tuch as one of our top 3 forwards. He’s more of a mid-6 wing, looks like I’d say Cozens and Skinner have both been more effective, Thompson too Quote
thewookie1 Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 (edited) Tuch is a Mid6 winger who is an incredible asset because he steps up his play in the playoffs. He’s the type of player you pretty much require in order to win a Stanley Cup, a Mid 6 winger who becomes a Top 6 winger in playoff competition. Edited January 14, 2022 by thewookie1 1 Quote
dudacek Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/14/2022 at 10:33 PM, thewookie1 said: Tuch is a Mid6 winger who is an incredible asset because he steps up his play in the playoffs. He’s the type of player you pretty much require in order to win a Stanley Cup, a Mid 6 winger who becomes a Top 6 winger in playoff competition. Expand I’ve made that same mistake. In Tuch’s prorated NHL seasons: 15/23/38 22/35/57 16/18/34 27/25/52 In the last full NHL season 57 points ranked 15th among right wings and 34 points ranked 44th. 27 goals ranked 12th and 16 goals ranked 41st. On stats alone, Tuch is a clear top 6 winger. And stats certainly aren’t all he brings. 1 1 Quote
DarthEbriate Posted January 14, 2022 Report Posted January 14, 2022 Tuch and Okposo returning to the lineup settled down the entire operation in Nashville. As to the thread... Talent and consistency are linked. You have a talent when you consistently do something well. This team needs talented and consistent goaltending. And it needs it soon so that the skaters have something to show for their efforts. 2 Quote
Digger Posted January 15, 2022 Report Posted January 15, 2022 (edited) I hear the talent argument and agree but I think it's more. We need our younger players that have talent and potential to reach their peak talent levels as quickly as possible. We have not seen the peak for Cozens or Dahlin yet, hopefully we haven't seen the peak for Mittelstadt or Tage yet. Quinn, Krebs, JJP, Power, Levi, etc. will take time to reach their peak years. And then there's upgrading the talent for checking and penalty kill. Filling out the D core with complementary support and mentoring with the young talent. +++ It's talent but it's overall team mix. Edited January 15, 2022 by Digger Quote
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