GDT: Sabres @ Maple Leafs, 11/19/22, MSG 📺 WGR 📻, 7pm

[Goldseatsaud]

So we have to continue to wait on the franchise to put a competitive team together. 

[SwampD]

4 minutes ago, Goldseatsaud said:

So we have to continue to wait on the franchise to put a competitive team together. 

That's rhetorical, right?

[Spoonman]

18 minutes ago, Sidc3000 said:

There is no punishment for these players . 

Let the beatings commence. They will continue until play & morale improves. 

[Thorner]

18 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

Okposo out

Samuelsson out

Girgensons out

Below average goaltending 

Young team 

 

no wonder they are losing … so not surprised 

 

 

 

16 minutes ago, SwampD said:

On any other team that matters, those guys being out, would not.

Exactly. The first 3 are not noteworthy avenues to mine for future success - we will always have injuries, in every year going forward, and if we suffer the amount we have, so far, on a regular basis, we should consider ourselves lucky because we are doing well league relative in this regard. 
 

The last two are willing components of roster construction. “We aren’t surprised they aren’t winning, they didn’t build a team good enough to win” isn’t the flex people think it is 

Edited November 20, 2022 by Thorny

[Sidc3000]

1 minute ago, Spoonman said:

Let the beatings commence. They will continue until play & morale improves. 

🤣

[Refuting]

9 minutes ago, Goldseatsaud said:

So we have to continue to wait on the franchise to put a competitive team together. 

No you do it 

[Thorner]

3 minutes ago, SwampD said:

That's rhetorical, right?

No. I am asking you. 

And I’d have you tell me. 

TELL ME!!!!

[SwampD]

2 minutes ago, Thorny said:

 

Exactly. The first 3 are not noteworthy avenues to mine for future success - we will always have injuries, in every year going forward, and if we suffer the amount we have, so far, on a regular basis, we should consider ourselves lucky because we are doing well league relative in this regard. 
 

The last two are willing components of roster construction. “We aren’t surprised they aren’t winning, they didn’t build a team good enough to win” isn’t the flex people think it is 

That's just a great line. You get some internet points, or something, for that.

[Goldseatsaud]

Pegula doesn’t care if this team is a loser

[SwampD]

2 minutes ago, Goldseatsaud said:

Pegula doesn’t care if this team is a loser

I've had my suspicions for a while, now. We'll know for sure next offseason.

Edited November 20, 2022 by SwampD

[Sidc3000]

13 minutes ago, grinreaper said:

I hate losing but the expectations here prior to the season was that this was a development year and predictions were a season with maybe 80 points or so. Watching the games I get the impression that many of the players are somewhat tentative up to the point when they get behind and need to throw caution to the wind in order to catch up. There is a ton of talent on this team but it is young and too inexperienced. Tage will be elite and a league wide star and far outplay his contract. Dahlin is just coming into his own and will be a perpetual Norris candidate. Power might challenge him in the future. Samuelson will be our defensive rock. We have several young forwards on the team now who will blossom and make this team a contender. We have a pipeline of players that every team in the NHL would envy. The future is bright but we can't succumb to the temptation of quick fixes. When watching the games celebrate the wins but focus on the individual player's skill and development. Losses like tonight's will be much easier to take when it becomes apparent that the Sabres are on the path to becoming a powerhouse. 

BTW, Don Granato is the coach that this team needs at this point in time. Whether or not he's the guy that could take them to the Stanley Cup is to be determined but calls for a coaching change like a Barry Trotz (who is a fine coach for a mature team that needs a firm hand) might bring about some immediate progress but in my humble opinion would keep this team from reaching its potential.   

Celebrate the wins? This seem to be far and few between right now. They’re not even making these loses fun to watch.  Are the coaching staff even teaching anything about defense or are they focusing on offense? Defense is horrendous. 
 

i get that this team is young but losing like this isn’t a positive. Eventually the young guys are going to lose their “love for the game”. See how Dahlin reacted at the end of the game? This guy sees what’s happening. He’s been through it every year he’s been in the league. It wears on them mentally and will spread like a virus in the locker room. 

[Billznut]

13 minutes ago, Goldseatsaud said:

Pegula doesn’t care if this team is a loser

I think he cares. But I also think he is incapable of putting his franchise in position to achieve winning. Eleven years of suckitude should be evidence enough of this for everyone. 

[PerreaultForever]

Absolute rubbish.

They are once again, painful to watch. I honestly don't know how much more of this I can take. 

Granato says your culture is defined by how you deal with adversity. I guess that's honest. Not what he meant maybe, but maybe the truth. 

Okposo "in no hurry" to negotiate an extension. LMFAO. The captain don't want to go down with the ship. 

We are so freakin' soft a suck like Matthews has the "courage" to take a run at us. I have no more words. 

[Billznut]

57 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

How many games in a row do they have to lose before Grants seat gets hot? 10, 12, 15?

I honestly believe if the Sabres lose 15 in a row there would still not be a coaching change. Any other team in any other sport and it would definitely happen. And most likely would happen even before 10 games. 

[LTS]

2 hours ago, Spoonman said:

I want to be clear @LTS, I am joking. I am just fine mentally & emotionally.

Beauty.  It never hurts to check. Not just you, but so many on here are letting this team get to them, even me. I almost started a thread asking why people continue to stick around. There are people on here who seemingly have problems with every facet of the franchise and yet continue to show up here every day. It can't be  good for them... and I am concerned. At some point you need to ween negativity from your life.. in the end, at least with the Sabres, its just sports.  Even if you grew up in Buffalo and are an avid sports fan, it's just sports.  I am one of those people, I let the Bills back into my world and their situation has weighed on me. I'm even more a hockey fan and thus a Sabres fan and the current stretch weighs on me.  I know I need to step away. It's for my own best interest.

2 hours ago, Believer said:

A team is a reflection of its Coach… Simple as that

No, it's really not. The coach has limits that he can go to. It's that simple. He can coach all day long but sometimes the players have to figure stuff out themselves. It's like a therapist working with a drug addiction. They can do whatever they'd like, but until the person wants to get better, not much is going to happen. The key is not giving up on them. I think Granato is an excellent coach. The team has to find a way out of its malaise.

Also, people want Tortorella as the symbol of what a no non-sense coach would be.  Yet the Flyers are also a joke with a more seasoned roster. If a team if a reflection of the coach then Torts is a joke.. right?

1 hour ago, Ross Rhea said:

Adam's was a grinder when he played, how and why is he ignoring anybody with grit while build this current bunch? He knows its needed to win so I dont understand his logic.

Grinders are JAGs.. for the most part.  I think he brings them in when he feels the talent is at the point to succeed.  7 of the top skilled players on this team are 22 and younger.  It's not going to be pretty.  Not that it excuses the lack of playing with heart and pride.

1 hour ago, Believer said:

I am… You aren’t, perhaps… I say Adams needs to rid the roster of a couple players who only know losing in Buffalo… and Granato needs to emphasize winning by keeping his lines and pairings together for more than a week and putting his best players on the ice each night… regardless of his preferred rotations… until they start winning again… 

Granato has largely kept the lines together, but Quinn was out and is back. Okposo is out now, Girgensons is out now. The D has been a revolving door. Not sure how the coach can keep lines together if the players keep getting injured.  He's putting the best he has on the ice right now. The options for scratched forward are Sheahan and Bjork... yikes.

1 hour ago, bunomatic said:

At the start of the season I said I would roll with the losses and enjoy the wins knowing this is likely another year of development but DAMN its hard not being pissed about a streak like this. S’pose its because of the way the team is currently constructed. Not having guys that will block the kids etc. The imbalance of youth and guys that could help. The lack of depth on D. The lack of capable tenders. The lack of grit. As we can see talent means squat if every other metric is lacking. Soooo I’ll try to give the losing a pass and wait for a win. What else can ya do?

This is where I am.  At the same time, my sanity dictates I tune the team out because I can't watch players play with no pride and determination. I know they are having a tough time. Where is the team that wanted to fight after the end of the game with Florida, despite losing?  I'm not saying fighting is the key, but it's that level of pride. The swagger.. the confidence in oneself that I am looking for.  Right now I see deference and desperation.  That;s not a good thing.  This is on each player to sit down and take a deep breath and realize they can, should, and NEED to play harder. Right now I think the mind says, "Why sacrifice the body, we're not going to the playoffs." And the answer the heart needs to give is "Because no matter what you have to do it. This is how you succeed. Times are tough, you get tougher."

 

1 hour ago, Sidc3000 said:

There is no punishment for these players . 

What punishment did you have in mind?

51 minutes ago, Goldseatsaud said:

So we have to continue to wait on the franchise to put a competitive team together. 

No one has to wait.  If you or anyone else chooses to do so its because you choose to do so. This is not judgment, but "having" implies that you have no choice.  You do.. even if you think you don't.. you do.

Edited November 20, 2022 by LTS

[Stoner]

Another negativity rant. I can't.

The bald faced hypocrisy.

[PerreaultForever]

19 minutes ago, LTS said:

No one has to wait.  If you or anyone else chooses to do so its because you choose to do so. This is not judgment, but "having" implies that you have no choice.  You do.. even if you think you don't.. you do.

But there is also a line, and sometimes you can get pushed over it. 

[Crusader1969]

First game I missed.   Probably a good decision and one I might make again on Tuesday vs Habs

Can not believe they’ve lost 8 in a row.  My expectations weren’t that high but seriously 8 in a row ???!!!!

[Claude Balls]

Canceled espn+. I have no desire to pay $10 a month to watch my horrible hockey team once or twice a month. I give zero f's from now on until this team does something somewhat worthwhile. Maybe hire an experienced GM, an experienced HC, I mean sign a competent #1 goalie for Christ's sakes!! I'm pretty much out for the year.

Someone wake me when they go on a 3 game win streak. 

3 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

First game I missed.   Probably a good decision and one I might make again on Tuesday vs Habs

Can not believe they’ve lost 8 in a row.  My expectations weren’t that high but seriously 8 in a row ???!!!!

Guess they're trying to break their last record breaking losing streak. What was it, 18 games maybe? This team is a porta potty. 

[Crusader1969]

Hello Tankathon. My old friend - I honestly thought oue time together had passed but here we are.  Half way through November and I’m back 

[sabrefanday1]

It is time to pursue Kane from Chicago and sign Trots as assistant coach to "help out" Granato (which of course would actually mean Trots would be coach with Granato "helping out")

[nucci]

8 hours ago, Goldseatsaud said:

Pegula doesn’t care if this team is a loser

I think Kim suffered a stroke and Terry is taking care of her so not sure who is running things. I think the Bills are lucky they have Beane who seems to know what he is doing. Sabres don't have anyone like him.

[Contempt]

7 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Absolute rubbish.

They are once again, painful to watch. I honestly don't know how much more of this I can take. 

Granato says your culture is defined by how you deal with adversity. I guess that's honest. Not what he meant maybe, but maybe the truth. 

Okposo "in no hurry" to negotiate an extension. LMFAO. The captain don't want to go down with the ship. 

We are so freakin' soft a suck like Matthews has the "courage" to take a run at us. I have no more words. 

That's fine. I'm "in no hurry" to extend him. The point of a veteran captain is to shepherd a young team through this crap and help keep the wheels on the bus. Well done Kyle. Well done.

 

36 minutes ago, sabrefanday1 said:

It is time to pursue Kane from Chicago and sign Trots as assistant coach to "help out" Granato (which of course would actually mean Trots would be coach with Granato "helping out")

Trotz wouldn't take this job. He doesn't have to. 

Edited November 20, 2022 by Contempt

[Contempt]

7 hours ago, Billznut said:

I think he cares. But I also think he is incapable of putting his franchise in position to achieve winning. Eleven years of suckitude should be evidence enough of this for everyone. 

When he spoke of Hockey Heaven I didn't think that meant he'd kill the franchise and taunt us with its ghost.

[Gatorman0519]

Granato seems lost. The post game he is now repeating himself. “They are pissed”, “they are learning”, they are young so losing doesn’t effect them the same way”, we will get back to work”, etc..  Huh? …said virtually the same thing the past 3-4 post games.