The New Jersey Devils can do it, But not the Sabres.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

👀

[LGR4GM]

12 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Bush is in no way comparable to Marino.  Marino is an solid 2 way D who puts up 25 pts a year and play solidly in the D zone. Bush has 26 pts total in 225 career games, he is also slow and mediocre in the D zone.  He mostly brings a physical presence that consistently causes unneeded penalties.  Marino is a top 4 D and Lyubushkin is a bottom pair guy at best on a good team.

Palat has only played 6 games because of groin surgery, and Vanacek is twice the goalie that Comrie is.  I also forgot they added Erik Haula.  Here is a foreign concept, their GM actually made trades to improve the roster, instead of shopping at only the FA bargain bin.
 

 

Got it, you still wish Botterill was GM. 

FTR, I liked NJD offseason but they are succeeding because of the 3 young guys hitting their stride all at the same time. They other key is they have some defensive depth. Buffalo needs Quinn to hit his stride because Dahlin and Tage are there. Then they still need another defender, so they aren't NJD yet. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

6 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Got it, you still wish Botterill was GM. 

No I wish we’d get a competent GM. Even you must acknowledge that KA has consistently failed to bring in adequate support for his young team on defense or in goal.  Comrie was worth a shot, but to not upgrade Bryson or bring in legit depth behind him and a better player than Lyubushkin is unforgivable at this point.  Truthfully, I’m beginning to question your judgment if you think Marino is comparable to Lyubushkin.  
 

PS we have 4 young/key players hitting their stride in Dahlin, Thompson, Cozens and Samuelsson.  Power has also been solid as a rookie.  NJ is getting contributions from all 4 lines and solid defensive play because they brought in solid veteran D, like Marino (only 25), Hamilton, Smith and Graves.  

Edited November 23, 2022 by GASabresIUFAN

[LTS]

16 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

No it's not the full movie. 

Haha.. I know.. But the movie is so damned good that the "best parts" are the whole movie. 🙂

[Eleven]

Wanna win?  When Ruff leaves the Devils at the end of the season, and IF he wants to coach again, and IF he's willing to come back here, HIRE HIM.  Look at Hoppe's article about last night's game.  Ruff is the difference.  Enough with the development coaches.  Get the right guy back here.

[tom webster]

On 11/23/2022 at 10:03 AM, GASabresIUFAN said:

No I wish we’d get a competent GM. Even you must acknowledge that KA has consistently failed to bring in adequate support for his young team on defense or in goal.  Comrie was worth a shot, but to not upgrade Bryson or bring in legit depth behind him and a better player than Lyubushkin is unforgivable at this point.  Truthfully, I’m beginning to question your judgment if you think Marino is comparable to Lyubushkin.  
 

PS we have 4 young/key players hitting their stride in Dahlin, Thompson, Cozens and Samuelsson.  Power has also been solid as a rookie.  NJ is getting contributions from all 4 lines and solid defensive play because they brought in solid veteran D, like Marino (only 25), Hamilton, Smith and Graves.  

I’m sorry, I understand the impatience given what we’ve been through as fans but I don’t know how you watch that game yesterday and not feel optimistic about the future. Buffalo’s progression is about a half a year behind the Devils and Red Wings. There are no guarantees but I haven’t been this excited for the Sabres future in a long time. 

[Stoner]

20 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Wanna win?  When Ruff leaves the Devils at the end of the season, and IF he wants to coach again, and IF he's willing to come back here, HIRE HIM.  Look at Hoppe's article about last night's game.  Ruff is the difference.  Enough with the development coaches.  Get the right guy back here.

When he leaves? Does he want to? What if the Devils make a huge playoff run?

Given my suspicion that Lindy wasn't really fired in 2013 but saw the writing on the wall, I think he'd have to be convinced that the Sabres are all about winning. Why is that sea change going to occur? Just to get Lindy back?

I don't see it happen. I'd be happy if it did, not because I was wrong but bc it would necessarily mean a new tack for our beloved franchise.

 

[JohnC]

15 minutes ago, tom webster said:

I’m sorry, I understand the impatience given what we’ve been through as fans but I don’t know how you watch that game yesterday and not feel optimistic about the future. Buffalo’s progression is about a half a year behind the Devils and Red Wings. There are no guarantees but I haven’t been this excited for the Sabres future in a long time. 

Other than much of the first period when Jersey was dominating, I thought that the Sabres played them evenly. This was a good measuring stick game where both teams played with a lot of energy and at a high level in a meaningful game. It's fair to say that Jersey is a little more advanced as a team. But the difference isn't much considering I believe that the Sabres have more players with upside. Although the outcome was disappointing, this was not only a good game to watch but it was also encouraging as a Sabre fan. 

[JohnC]

32 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Wanna win?  When Ruff leaves the Devils at the end of the season, and IF he wants to coach again, and IF he's willing to come back here, HIRE HIM.  Look at Hoppe's article about last night's game.  Ruff is the difference.  Enough with the development coaches.  Get the right guy back here.

The Ruff era in Buffalo is over with. Our roster is loaded with young players. What it needs is a coach who leans toward the development side of coaching. There is a time and a place. In Buffalo it's over with. Nostalgia is nice but what is in the past is in the past. Looking backwards for solutions is not the right road to take. 

[matter2003]

4 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Other than much of the first period when Jersey was dominating, I thought that the Sabres played them evenly. This was a good measuring stick game where both teams played with a lot of energy and at a high level in a meaningful game. It's fair to say that Jersey is a little more advanced as a team. But the difference isn't much considering I believe that the Sabres have more players with upside. Although the outcome was disappointing, this was not only a good game to watch but it was also encouraging as a Sabre fan. 

They were badly out shot in the game. It's just frustrating a team that was 12!! points worse than us last year suddenly is now some world beater and we are still going through ups and downs.

[JohnC]

Just now, matter2003 said:

They were badly out shot in the game. It's just frustrating a team that was 12!! points worse than us last year suddenly is now some world beater and we are still going through ups and downs.

The quantity of shots don't always reflect the balance of play. Without question the Devils dominated the play. I thought after that the game evened out. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

3 hours ago, JohnC said:

The Ruff era in Buffalo is over with. Our roster is loaded with young players. What it needs is a coach who leans toward the development side of coaching. There is a time and a place. In Buffalo it's over with. Nostalgia is nice but what is in the past is in the past. Looking backwards for solutions is not the right road to take. 

When Ruff was named coach the team had a very young and developing core.  Peca was 24.  They had some key veterans in key positions, especially on D.  That was the 1998 season.  A semi-final playoff loss season.  The team was coached to a position above expectations.  1999 was a cup final loss season with the same young and developing core.  Again coached above what anyone expected.

Fast forward almost 10 years and the new young core was built for the post lockout era and again was coached above expectations in 2005/06 to the semi final level.  Injuries played a key role in that loss.

The next season playoff expectations were too great and the players thought they could stroll to a cup.  We all know that does not work unless you are an very stacked team.

Bottom line is ... Ruff is a fantastic coach.  If he is available and willing the Sabres have to give it serious thought.  KA is very loyal though, especially to his coach who is also a good coach.

Edited November 26, 2022 by Sabres Fan in NS

[JohnC]

18 minutes ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

When Ruff was named coach the team had a very young and developing core.  Peca was 24.  They had some key veterans in key positions, especially on D.  That was the 1998 season.  A semi-final playoff loss season.  The team was coached to a position above expectations.  1999 was a cup final loss season with the same young and developing core.  Again coached above what anyone exected.

Fast forward almost 10 years and the new young core was built for the post lockout era and again was coached above expectations in 2005/06 to the semi final level.  Injuries played a key role in that loss.

The next season playoff expectations were too great and the players thought they could stroll to a cup.  We all know that does not work unless you are an very stacked team.

Bottom line is ... Ruff is a fantastic coach.  If he is available and willing the Sabres have to give it serious thought.  KA is very loyal though, especially to his coach who is also a good coach.

Ruff is a good coach. No one is saying otherwise. It's a fanciful notion that Ruff would be back in Buffalo to coach the Sabres. Granato is the right coach for this assemblage of young players and where this team is in its rebuilding process. Nostalgia is not a solution to what the Sabres are going through. The era of Ruff in Buffalo is over with. He's moved on and the franchise has moved on. 

[Digger]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

The Ruff era in Buffalo is over with. Our roster is loaded with young players. What it needs is a coach who leans toward the development side of coaching. There is a time and a place. In Buffalo it's over with. Nostalgia is nice but what is in the past is in the past. Looking backwards for solutions is not the right road to take. 

Yes I agree that the Ruff era is over with and I don't see the Sabres bringing him back in a head coaching role.

That being said, I listened to Ruff's interviews pre and post game.  I still love to see him do well.  He was rumored to be close to being fired last season and on the short list before the Devils season started.  It's great to see him to continue to adapt his coaching skills.  Looks a bit older and wiser.  Wish him all the best..................but hoping the Sabres find a way to get a few more breaks in the next game against them.  

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, Eleven said:

Wanna win?  When Ruff leaves the Devils at the end of the season, and IF he wants to coach again, and IF he's willing to come back here, HIRE HIM.  Look at Hoppe's article about last night's game.  Ruff is the difference.  Enough with the development coaches.  Get the right guy back here.

Yup, I wanna win.   Ruff probably wont leave if his team continues to play like this and they have success in the playoffs.  Lindy is the kind of person that is highly committed to the job.   If Jersey lets him go I would be surprised.  

Would he coach in Buffalo?  He probably would  have to get a commitment to start spending toward the cap and make some moves to win right now.  He wants a Cup, not another 3-4 years of rebuild.  He just did a rebuild with Jersey.  I would rather have DG stay if we are going to continue to toil on the cap floor and wait for whatever we are waiting for.  

Lindy still lives in Clarence, NY.  He still loves Buffalo. He is a Sabre at heart.  But what is his relationship with the Pegula's?     

Another thought, would he come here someday?   Maybe as an Executive on the Hockey Operations side.   Lots of teams (but not the Pegula led Sabres) keep a few savvy old hockey guys in the organization.  

 

I am happy to see Lindy winning again and I will pull for his team in the playoffs.  

[tom webster]

18 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Yup, I wanna win.   Ruff probably wont leave if his team continues to play like this and they have success in the playoffs.  Lindy is the kind of person that is highly committed to the job.   If Jersey lets him go I would be surprised.  

Would he coach in Buffalo?  He probably would  have to get a commitment to start spending toward the cap and make some moves to win right now.  He wants a Cup, not another 3-4 years of rebuild.  He just did a rebuild with Jersey.  I would rather have DG stay if we are going to continue to toil on the cap floor and wait for whatever we are waiting for.  

Lindy still lives in Clarence, NY.  He still loves Buffalo. He is a Sabre at heart.  But what is his relationship with the Pegula's?     

Another thought, would he come here someday?   Maybe as an Executive on the Hockey Operations side.   Lots of teams (but not the Pegula led Sabres) keep a few savvy old hockey guys in the organization.  

 

I am happy to see Lindy winning again and I will pull for his team in the playoffs.  

The reason this is even a conversation is because Ruff is a lame duck coach and Andrew Brunette was forced on him by the GM. It’s hard to believe they would not resign him but stranger things have happened 

[Pimlach]

On 11/23/2022 at 9:03 AM, GASabresIUFAN said:

No I wish we’d get a competent GM. Even you must acknowledge that KA has consistently failed to bring in adequate support for his young team on defense or in goal.  Comrie was worth a shot, but to not upgrade Bryson or bring in legit depth behind him and a better player than Lyubushkin is unforgivable at this point.  Truthfully, I’m beginning to question your judgment if you think Marino is comparable to Lyubushkin.  
 

PS we have 4 young/key players hitting their stride in Dahlin, Thompson, Cozens and Samuelsson.  Power has also been solid as a rookie.  NJ is getting contributions from all 4 lines and solid defensive play because they brought in solid veteran D, like Marino (only 25), Hamilton, Smith and Graves.  

You cannot say KA is not competent just yet, he is still working it, albeit at a slow "economic and efficient" pace. 

Yes - Nice moves by Jersey to build a defense and acquire Marino (25), Hamilton (29), Smith (33), and Graves (27) to shore up their once terrible D.  Don't forget Siegenthaler (25), he is looking very solid back there.   Granato commented on how good this defense is.  It is a blend of youth and experience.  

At forward NJ has a lot of top level homegrown talent but they added Haula (31), and Palat (31) from winning programs, they added Tatar (31) too.  All solid vets that want to win now.  As these guy age out, some will likely be replaced by their prospect pool - prospects that will be beating out established vets.  I like that.  

They added Vanecek in goal, that was a great signing - I really like that.  

 

I like some of what Adams is doing but he has more to prove.  It appears he is drafting well and he is taking the correct steps to develop players.   I think he is doing the right things to establish a winning culture by his handling of young players.  He connects, he is bright.   I don't know who to credit for DG, but KA kept him on board, and DG is good for this stage of the rebuild.

Adams has to find a goalie.  Maybe UPL can consistently play like he did versus the Blues?  Maybe Comrie plays better once our defense settles?  Maybe we get lucky and Levi is ready fast?  OR, maybe he makes a move for a ready to go NHL #1?  He should have assets to do that.  

As for filling out any roster needs with key vets, heis not going to have near the scope of work that NJ had because he has significantly more young players that are ready or getting ready.   He still will need to tweak the roster with vets in some way and he has not demonstrated any major success at that yet. 

What if DG is not the man?  Adams will have to address that too, another task he has not dealt with before.  

So I would say Adams grade is still incomplete.  I do think Adams is a really a bright guy and would not doubt him at this point.  We can only hope that he can convince the Pegula's to spend money (and to stay out of the way of Hockey Operations).  

Edited November 26, 2022 by Pimlach

[Sabres Fan in NS]

2 hours ago, JohnC said:

Ruff is a good coach. No one is saying otherwise. It's a fanciful notion that Ruff would be back in Buffalo to coach the Sabres. Granato is the right coach for this assemblage of young players and where this team is in its rebuilding process. Nostalgia is not a solution to what the Sabres are going through. The era of Ruff in Buffalo is over with. He's moved on and the franchise has moved on. 

The one thing that Ruff had in his first few years was Hasek.  Hasek really was a huge factor in that teams success.

After Hasek determined his exit the team treaded water or worse until Miller arrival and his becoming a true #1 goalie.  The rest of the team developed with Miller and when Drury and Briere were added the team became gold.

All that does not take anything away from coach Ruff.

Ruff may consider returning much like Sutter did with Calgary ... to try to finish the unfinished business.

[Pimlach]

1 minute ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

The one thing that Ruff had in his first few years was Hasek.  Hasek really was a huge factor in that teams success.

After Hasek determined his exit the team treaded water or worse until Miller arrival and his becoming a true #1 goalie.  The rest of the team developed with Miller and when Drury and Briere were added the team became gold.

All that does not take anything away from coach Ruff.

Ruff may consider returning much like Sutter did with Calgary ... to try to finish the unfinished business.

You just cannot be a contending team without a very good goalie.  Getting one should always be a priority.  ALWAYS.  

[Eleven]

3 hours ago, JohnC said:

The Ruff era in Buffalo is over with. Our roster is loaded with young players. What it needs is a coach who leans toward the development side of coaching. There is a time and a place. In Buffalo it's over with. Nostalgia is nice but what is in the past is in the past. Looking backwards for solutions is not the right road to take. 

The thread title suggests that it's not looking backwards at all.

[Marvin]

On 11/23/2022 at 10:03 AM, GASabresIUFAN said:

No I wish we’d get a competent GM. Even you must acknowledge that KA has consistently failed to bring in adequate support for his young team on defense or in goal.  Comrie was worth a shot, but to not upgrade Bryson or bring in legit depth behind him and a better player than Lyubushkin is unforgivable at this point.  Truthfully, I’m beginning to question your judgment if you think Marino is comparable to Lyubushkin.  
 

PS we have 4 young/key players hitting their stride in Dahlin, Thompson, Cozens and Samuelsson.  Power has also been solid as a rookie.  NJ is getting contributions from all 4 lines and solid defensive play because they brought in solid veteran D, like Marino (only 25), Hamilton, Smith and Graves.  

On goalkeepers: IMHO, it looks like his experience from Carolina biases him.  He clearly does not value goalkeepers the way I do and it looks like moat of us do.

As for not getting some well-considered veteran forwards, he clearly looked at how many youngsters he felt belong on the team and decided he wanted them playing rather than bring in someone new.

It is on defence where I think he goofed this past season.  He really over-estimated Bryson.  He needed the analogue to Lyubushkin on the left side.

[Sidc3000]

35 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

You just cannot be a contending team without a very good goalie.  Getting one should always be a priority.  ALWAYS.  

Yes and I think we’re going to have mediocre to average goalies until levi or portillo develops which will be at least 3 years if they’re extremely lucky. That’s if they even sign with the Sabres. 
 

if they don’t, I worry that Adams hits the panic button and overpays for an average goalie. 

[pi2000]

Player development and learning how to play pro systems are not mutually exclusive.

Granato just doesn't have the ability to counter what teams are doing to slow them down.     It's frustrating to watch them try the same thing over and over and over without making any adjustments. 

It's the same response from him after every game.. "we didn't get to our game.. we have to get back to our game, etc.".   The puck pressure game is nice, but good teams can take advantage of the over aggressive attack.  Granato has no answer when teams trap them. 

[HOUSE]

Maybe the Pegulas are cheap

Some people are like that 

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, Eleven said:

The thread title suggests that it's not looking backwards at all.

For the Sabres it would be.