How serious do you take preseason games?

[Zamboni]

How serious 

Edited October 7, 2023 by Zamboni

[HOUSE]

Worthless piece of sheet used to sell $17 beer and $15 nachos 

[Night Train]

I hate them in all sports.

Good for some youth but cannot guage how others are playing. Did see A LOT of floating and going through the motions, which kills the warm and fuzzy outlook a bit. Watching Benson was probably the only positive. 

[Archie Lee]

I'm not entirely above getting excited or worried about a pre-season result. But I temper my excitement or worry by reminding myself that by the time we get a game or two into the regular season, the pre-season will be forgotten (if it isn't already).  If we had won 7-0 last night only to then drop our first 3 regular season games, I would not be taking solace by reminding myself that we destroyed the Pens in the final pre-season game.

Last regular season, before November ended practically every playoff team had at least one loss like the one we had last night. Many playoff teams had multiple such losses in the first 2 months of the season.  The Sabres are going to lose games like this. 

Hockey is more baseball than football.  Last night's game is far closer in relevance to a MLB team getting hammered in a split-squad game in mid-March than it is to the Bills' opening season loss to the Jets.    

[Scottysabres]

It's a combination of some of the subject matter in the poll choices as well as individual player markers.

Once training camp regimens through out the off season wind down and 3/4's of pre-season games cull the roster ranks a bit, there is a good reason why the last pre-season game or 2 get announcements by the coach or staff that it's playing the up coming roster for the season or near to it.

New roster personnel have the last 2 weeks to begin to build chemistry, focus on system, linemates/partners acclimation, assess their individual strengths and weaknesses in such a confine and begin to address the good (how to make it even better) and the bad (areas to focus on of immediate improvement need).

The first quarter of the season this process will continue as the main subjects IMHO. Does that mean the sky is falling if they don't burst out of the gate in near perfection? No, but the team is younger, they will continue to build upon what we already know they're capable of, again, IMHO.

Worried? No. Would we like them to smash every opponent in the regular season? Of course. But we have a young netminder, new personnel to incorporate and the continued development of the young returning for yet another season of chemistry building block work.

If there ever was a season to break out and cement their position as a playoff team, this, is that season. I'll cheer them on even if they have early on growth as a group pains. Oh sure, I'll bitch and whine as many will when those pains manifest themselves in individual game performances, but I have the upmost confidence that if all do their duty, as I know they will, the Sabres will be victorious in their run to a playoff spot this season.

Go Sabres!

[#freejame]

It’s a combination of choice 3 & 4. It’s an incredibly important time for a not-insignificant portion of players. For others it’s just a time to grease the wheels. 

[Claude Balls]

44 minutes ago, Shoot da Puck said:

Worthless piece of sheet used to sell $17 beer and $15 nachos 

But, do they still have fried bologna???

[Claude Balls]

Last night was hilarious. The board was melting down because of giving up the lead and getting blown out. I do think Clifton may be a big problem this year though. Goaltending too most likely. Has that ever been said before? 🤷‍♂️

[Weave]

Yesterday’s game is a little concerning.  Hopefully it was nothing more than vets not fully in game mode yet.

[Buffalonill]

I only care about the games that matter.

Zero complaints out of me yet....

[Pimlach]

40 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

I only care about the games that matter.

Zero complaints out of me yet....

Really? 

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, Claude Balls said:

Last night was hilarious. The board was melting down because of giving up the lead and getting blown out. I do think Clifton may be a big problem this year though. Goaltending too most likely. Has that ever been said before? 🤷‍♂️

Clifton will not be a problem if he is used correctly.  His ceiling is a 4, but most likely a good 3rd pairing guy with PK ability.  I seriously doubt the Bruins failed to see his true potential.  

[LabattBlue]

5 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Clifton will not be a problem if he is used correctly.  His ceiling is a 4, but most likely a good 3rd pairing guy with PK ability.  I seriously doubt the Bruins failed to see his true potential.  

If Clifton is no better than a 3rd pairing guy, than they seriously overpaid him. 

[...]

I don't see how one can get super excited over a prospect during preseason games and ignore the rest of the team when they play awful. To accept that they're meaningful to a certain group and not another is simply making excuses for deficiencies.

I think these games at the very least are indicators of the raw talent and focus of each individual player at that time. I'm particularly interested in the focus because if it's low that just means it will take more time at the beginning of the season for them to catch up - if they catch up at all. As we all know, every game in the season is meaningful when it comes to making the playoffs.

Edited October 7, 2023 by ...
The hills are alive with the sound of music.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Not at all.

[Buffalonill]

55 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Really? 

If I cared about the pre season then why am I picking buffalo to reach the stanley cup ? 

 

[Crusader1969]

Im going to laugh when Clifton lights someone up on Thursday night and how quick people change their tune on him

Simply ridiculous takes on here 

[Claude Balls]

56 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Clifton will not be a problem if he is used correctly.  His ceiling is a 4, but most likely a good 3rd pairing guy with PK ability.  I seriously doubt the Bruins failed to see his true potential.  

Duffer seems to think he is gonna be Dahlin's partner. Not so sure about that. 

[Crusader1969]

36 minutes ago, ... said:

I don't see how one can get super excited over a prospect during preseason games and ignore the rest of the team when they play awful. To accept that they're meaningful to a certain group and not another is simply making excuses for deficiencies.

I think these games at the very least are indicators of the raw talent and focus of each individual player at that time. I'm particularly interested in the focus because if it's low that just means it will take more time at the beginning of the season for them to catch up - if they catch up at all. As we all know, every game in the season is meaningful when it comes to making the playoffs.

Guys go into camp and preseason games with different agendas 

Benson has to lay it all on the line while vets are knocking off the rust and trying to get through the game unscathed 

as I asked last night.. does anyone remember the last preseason game of last season????  No one does, cause it didn’t matter in how they started the season 

[Taro T]

Just now, Claude Balls said:

Duffer seems to think he is gonna be Dahlin's partner. Not so sure about that. 

He'll almost definitely start the game against the Aisles as Dahlin's partner.  Not convinced he'll still be there when they host the Rags.

[Marvin]

One thing that all the experimenting in the preseason has done is keeping players from developing chemistry.  I saw a lot of hesitancy in the passing the last few games because players were unsure of where they should be, where they should go, and where others should be.

What worries me the most from the above is how often players got lost in their assignments.  For instance, on the first goal, it is some forward's assignment to drop back when Dahlin goes deep in the zone.  But no one did, which indicates a lack of communication or a lack of awareness.  When they executed their system at both ends, they were very good -- but there were a lot of breakdowns.

[Norcal]

I think it's good for young players to practice but the results are less important 

I'm not sure players go all out like they would in the regular season so that skus the results for me a bit.

[SwampD]

It’s been nice to have that din in the background for the past week or so, but hockey hasn’t started yet.

[Mango]

Preseason is what it is. 
 

You don’t need to be great, but unless you’re a contender you can’t really suck either. 
 

Being really good or really bad in preseason isn’t a great place to be. 

[Mango]

2 hours ago, Marvin said:

One thing that all the experimenting in the preseason has done is keeping players from developing chemistry.  I saw a lot of hesitancy in the passing the last few games because players were unsure of where they should be, where they should go, and where others should be.

What worries me the most from the above is how often players got lost in their assignments.  For instance, on the first goal, it is some forward's assignment to drop back when Dahlin goes deep in the zone.  But no one did, which indicates a lack of communication or a lack of awareness.  When they executed their system at both ends, they were very good -- but there were a lot of breakdowns.

This is one of those things you expect to get better as camp goes on.