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

[North Buffalo]

In a slump all you can do is put your head down and work and pray it gets better... dont have to like it though... Each guy needs to do his part...

[nucci]

1 minute ago, North Buffalo said:

In a slump all you can do is put your head down and work and pray it gets better... dont have to like it though... Each guy needs to do his part...

I don't think praying works...kinda like when people cross their fingers. 

[DarthEbriate]

13 hours ago, inkman said:

It’s was pee wee ***** 

That may be. But it was perfectly executed and what the play needed. Contrast that with Tuch's spin and blindly fire the puck up the boards when on the PK, directly to the D holding the wall for a turnover. That's players executing the fundamentals and being situationally aware of the time and space they have/where their teammates are.

[Stoner]

30 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

In a slump all you can do is put your head down and work and pray it gets better... dont have to like it though... Each guy needs to do his part...

Slump? Are you serious?

[Taro T]

12 hours ago, French Collection said:

Frustrating to watch, another loss.
It makes it worse watching the Leafs broadcast where the Sabres bouncing goal is lucky while Tavares’ goal off of his shin pads was his bread and butter play. There are other examples but that one really p***ed me off.

Nobody was hitting the Leafs, they are soft yet outhitting the Sabres. Tage threw a few hits early in the game and Dahlin had a Forsberg hit or two but many chances were passed up to finish a check.

I try and find a positive thing or two but it’s tough tonight. Mule will help a lot but they will still have Bryson and Fitzy as 6-7. This shouHe'lkld help as a pitch to Ryan Johnson. He is not the saviour but he could help. In the meantime get an experienced Dman from somewhere.

Excellent point.  He'll definitely finish the year w/ the Sabres if he signs and will have an excellent chance to make the squad even with another vet brought in.

One more chit in the Sabres column.

[Weave]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

Slump? Are you serious?

Slumps can last a decade?

[Sabres Fan in NS]

2 minutes ago, Weave said:

Slumps can last a decade?

Yes.

[Doohicksie]

13 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

It’s more like we have too many guys who want to be top 6 and too few willing to do the dirty work

But if you watch, Tage, who is probably the Top 1, is doing a lot of the dirty work.  He outmuscled his check along the boards to set up the first goal.

14 hours ago, North Buffalo said:

Liking Peterka Quinn combo, Quinn tougher than I expected... have Cozens put some weight on I could see them growing up fast.

I said it the other day:  They will be a top line eventually.

[Doohicksie]

13 hours ago, Norcal said:

While i'm at it here.

No more tan suits Meatballs 

14 hours ago, SwampD said:

14 hours ago, Believer said:

True… They are better than an 8 game losing streak… 

You sure?

Yes.

[Doohicksie]

14 hours ago, Spoonman said:

I’m not even mad. I have a larger life - like to have fun here & vent w you all! Gone when I leave chat. 
 

Take nothing I post too seriously.

You'll be mad when the Bills lose today  😉

14 hours ago, Taro T said:

Definitely need Samuelsson back.  Hopefully it's against the Habs.  That would seem to be the most winnable game on the horizon.

And Okposo.  He's missed.

[Doohicksie]

I think it's up to the Okposo and the A's to call a team only meeting.  Not that it will fix anything but whatever Donny is feeding them doesn't seem to be working.  Time for the leadership to lead.

[Mustache of God]

12 hours ago, Billznut said:

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. 

I hope we don't have to find out!

[Digger]

Someone needs to start tracking all of Granato's quotes after the losses.    

"Boils down to compete."  "We didn't have enough early."  "100% confident that it'll be resolved with more compete."  "You don't lose your confidence you lose your determination."  "It's an unfortunate part of growing pains."  "I'm confident that we'll resolve this and be better because of it."

 

[mjd1001]

I decided to go through the game again and see if anything stood out with the goals allowed:

1st Tor goal:  Its hard to know if anyone is to blame when SH because I have no idea how they are told to play the PK, but this looks like a simple case of the D-men allowing a forward to get behind them, but it might not be their fault as the forwards were a bit slow to rotate due to good Toronto passing. The best way for this goal to have been prevented is it Tuch would have cleared the puck a few seconds before it was scored. He had more time than he thought and could have put it out of the zone but he didn't do it.

2nd toronto goal:  strange bounce behind the net, puck goes to a place Lyubushkin didn't expect. Lyubushkin doesn't recover well form that. Asplund very late getting back to cover the slot Toronto Goal.

3rd tor goal: Crazy goal, sloppy play on the boards in the offensive zone. Quinn with a giveaway, Thompson can't keep it in, Dahline can't keep it in, Toronto gets the chance.

Didn't bother with the last 2.

[Thorner]

We traded Eichel before Thompson broke out - Adams probably expected the build to be coming along even slower 

[JohnC]

5 hours ago, Weave said:

Slumps can last a decade?

It could be worse. It can end up a generation. ☠️

[PerreaultForever]

11 hours 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")

I'd go a different way. I'd offer to make Trotz the highest paid coach in the league, I'd offer him a long term deal 5 years or more and I'd agree to let him have a say in personnel. If he couldn't fix things, nobody can. 

[Spoonman]

10 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Slump? Are you serious?

My slumps, my slumps, my lovely lady slumps…..

[Spoonman]

20 hours ago, LTS said:

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.

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?

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.

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.

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."

 

What punishment did you have in mind?

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.

@Goldseatsaud , I agree with @LTS. I am in a RUSH, but I will add: If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice. My mentors, Neil & Geddy agree…..

8 hours ago, Doohickie said:

You'll be mad when the Bills lose today  😉

And Okposo.  He's missed.

@Doohickie Bills won, you HOSER! 
 

[Sidc3000]

12 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I'd go a different way. I'd offer to make Trotz the highest paid coach in the league, I'd offer him a long term deal 5 years or more and I'd agree to let him have a say in personnel. If he couldn't fix things, nobody can. 

You do realize the Sabres probably can’t afford Trotz at his going rate let alone “making him the highest paid coach”. They are still paying several GM’s & coaches. That is why Adams has been running this team on the cheap

[LabattBlue]

12 minutes ago, Sidc3000 said:

You do realize the Sabres probably can’t afford Trotz at his going rate let alone “making him the highest paid coach”. They are still paying several GM’s & coaches. That is why Adams has been running this team on the cheap

After this season, which HC & GM’s are they still paying, and for how much longer?

[Sidc3000]

14 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

After this season, which HC & GM’s are they still paying, and for how much longer?

I thought Bots & Krueger’s contracts go for another season but i see they end after this year.  I still don’t see Terry paying that money

[inkman]

19 hours ago, Digger said:

Someone needs to start tracking all of Granato's quotes after the losses.    

"Boils down to compete."  "We didn't have enough early."  "100% confident that it'll be resolved with more compete."  "You don't lose your confidence you lose your determination."  "It's an unfortunate part of growing pains."  "I'm confident that we'll resolve this and be better because of it."

 

Please tell me Granato doesn’t use the word compete this way.  I know most NHL coaches do it but it’s always sounded completely moronic to my ear. 

[Buffalonill]

19 hours ago, Thorny said:

We traded Eichel before Thompson broke out - Adams probably expected the build to be coming along even slower 

Oh im excited.. is expecting it to be much much slower now with Dahlin gone next ? 

 

 

[LGR4GM]

2 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

Oh im excited.. is expecting it to be much much slower now with Dahlin gone next ? 

 

 

Huh? What are you talking about?

I'm borderline convinced you're a troll because I don't think I've seen you post anything but sarcastic disdain for basically anything the Sabres do. If they make you so miserable why even be a fan?