Postgame Sound 12/2

[Porous Five Hole]

Cozens sounded emotional and upset. He’s right, the Sabres need more “eff you” in their game. 
 

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/dylan-cozens-postgame-at-car-6342273792112

 

I like Granato and I want him to be the head coach.  But this sounds like a guy who doesn’t have any answers right now.  
 

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/don-granato-postgame-at-car-6342273713112

 

I would have been okay if he lit his team up to the media tonight. Not that I would want that at my job if I had a few bad days, but I’m not working in professional sports.  
That’s not his style and I’m an emotional fan…he’s a professional head coach.  He knows better than me.  

But I’m sick of hearing about how the team’s compete level needs to be better.
 

In a way, perhaps it isn’t a bad thing that they’ve got another game tomorrow. 

[HumanSlinky39]

I think this team's gone as far as it can under Granato. Thanks for pointing the ship in the right direction, but it needs a new captain.

[Porous Five Hole]

3 minutes ago, HumanSlinky39 said:

I think this team's gone as far as it can under Granato. Thanks for pointing the ship in the right direction, but it needs a new captain.

The thing I keep coming back to is it wasn’t his call to ice the youngest team in hockey (again) and not have an NHL goaltender on the roster.  

[HumanSlinky39]

5 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

The thing I keep coming back to is it wasn’t his call to ice the youngest team in hockey (again) and not have an NHL goaltender on the roster.  

He's not 100% to blame, but a lot of these recurring issues are coachable. Pretty much this same team was playing great hockey in March/April, now they can't string 2 wins in a row together. I still believe in this roster (with some help in nets), but it needs a new approach.

[Porous Five Hole]

1 minute ago, HumanSlinky39 said:

He's not 100% to blame, but a lot of these recurring issues are coachable. Pretty much this same team was playing great hockey in March/April, now they can't string 2 wins in a row together. I still believe in this roster (with some help in nets), but it needs a new approach.

I think you’re onto something with roster approach, but to me that’s the GM. KA appears to not have made one good offseason acquisition (re-sign Girgs and KO, sign Cliffy and EJ, rely on Levi and possibly luck into UPL being NHL average).
Some might say EJ has had a positive impact. I don’t dive too deeply into advanced stats, but they’re saying he hasn’t been good.

With all of that said, if Granato cannot get this team’s “compete level” consistently better by Christmas, I agree with you that it is curtains for Meatballs.  

[HumanSlinky39]

4 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

I think you’re onto something with roster approach, but to me that’s the GM. KA appears to not have made one good offseason acquisition (re-sign Girgs and KO, sign Cliffy and EJ, rely on Levi and possibly luck into UPL being NHL average).
Some might say EJ has had a positive impact. I don’t dive too deeply into advanced stats, but they’re saying he hasn’t been good.

With all of that said, if Granato cannot get this team’s “compete level” consistently better by Christmas, I agree with you that it is curtains for Meatballs.  

I get and agree with KA's overall strategy to build from within/through the draft, and early returns (i.e. the end of last season) seemed to justify it. He's playing the long game, which I can appreciate, but this fanbase has been wandering in the desert for 12 long years. There's not going to be a lot of patience. He probably bit too hard on the team's success as last year wound down and decided to run it back with only minor tweaks. That approach clearly ain't working in the short term and more veteran help is needed. There is a glut of prospects in the system. It is stocked. Deal one or two of them and don't be miserly with the draft picks to go get these guys some friggin' help.

[Goldseatsaud]

Their regressing like the Bills

[Porous Five Hole]

4 minutes ago, Goldseatsaud said:

Their regressing like the Bills

I think the Sabres situation and the Bills situation are a little different.  

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, Goldseatsaud said:

Their regressing like the Bills

I don't follow the Bills but I am wondering something. With the Sabres it comes up now and again about it being "a country club atmosphere" or "the inmates are running the asylum", the idea the players are pampered and catered to and thus they are all positive when talking about each other but they lack a work ethic as a result of this.  

Are there similar critiques of the Bills or is their shall we say "less than expected" performance an entirely different thing? 

You know why I'm asking I'm sure. 

[Second Line Center]

Team needs a coach that reflects Cozens - he’s the soul of this team I truly believe this.  
 

So we have a soft as charmin HC that gets good results with developing but when it comes to winning that’s a totally different animal.  
 

Ideally, DG is an assistant coach and a guy that does exactly what Cozens wants to see is the HC.  
 

And I guarantee you Cozens isn’t alone.  These kids need a HC with more of a ***k you to him.  

Edited December 3, 2023 by Second Line Center

[PerreaultForever]

Interesting that even the Buffalo News article quoted on the site here has finally used the word "soft". Perhaps this will wake up management (and ownership) although I doubt it. 

[phil_soisson]

8 hours ago, Porous Five Hole said:

Cozens sounded emotional and upset. He’s right, the Sabres need more “eff you” in their game. 
 

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/dylan-cozens-postgame-at-car-6342273792112

 

I like Granato and I want him to be the head coach.  But this sounds like a guy who doesn’t have any answers right now.  
 

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/don-granato-postgame-at-car-6342273713112

 

I would have been okay if he lit his team up to the media tonight. Not that I would want that at my job if I had a few bad days, but I’m not working in professional sports.  
That’s not his style and I’m an emotional fan…he’s a professional head coach.  He knows better than me.  

But I’m sick of hearing about how the team’s compete level needs to be better.
 

In a way, perhaps it isn’t a bad thing that they’ve got another game tomorrow. 

You lost me at "...I want him to be coach".  Can you imagine Imlach, Bowman, or Ruff putting up with this crap show? They need an experienced, respected NHL coach to light a fire, who will not tolerate playing soft, and not being ready to play at game time. A competent power play architect, assistant coach would go a long way too.

[phil_soisson]

5 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I don't follow the Bills but I am wondering something. With the Sabres it comes up now and again about it being "a country club atmosphere" or "the inmates are running the asylum", the idea the players are pampered and catered to and thus they are all positive when talking about each other but they lack a work ethic as a result of this.  

Are there similar critiques of the Bills or is their shall we say "less than expected" performance an entirely different thing? 

You know why I'm asking I'm sure. 

I'm telling you, that Taj Mahal locker room screams "pampered". Could help explain why their home record is atrocious. This is not a workman blue collar team, or organization.

[Mango]

8 hours ago, HumanSlinky39 said:

I get and agree with KA's overall strategy to build from within/through the draft, and early returns (i.e. the end of last season) seemed to justify it. He's playing the long game, which I can appreciate, but this fanbase has been wandering in the desert for 12 long years. There's not going to be a lot of patience. He probably bit too hard on the team's success as last year wound down and decided to run it back with only minor tweaks. That approach clearly ain't working in the short term and more veteran help is needed. There is a glut of prospects in the system. It is stocked. Deal one or two of them and don't be miserly with the draft picks to go get these guys some friggin' help.

Not a lot of patience?

The Sabres hold the NHL drought record at 12 years. The next longest active drought is 7 years. If the KA misses the playoffs for a 4th time, he’ll be starting his tenure risking a 5th year. 5 years would be 4th longest active drought in the league. 

The NHL isn’t the NFL. I get it. There is no magic wand (QB). But the league isn’t some magic 5 year process either. This is as much a KA process issue as it is a roster construction and coaching issue. 

 

[North Buffalo]

If a Sabre falls in the woods does its break in two from being brittle?

Edited December 3, 2023 by North Buffalo

[Goldseatsaud]

8 hours ago, Porous Five Hole said:

I think the Sabres situation and the Bills situation are a little different.  

Explain

[Carmel Corn]

1 hour ago, phil_soisson said:

You lost me at "...I want him to be coach".  Can you imagine Imlach, Bowman, or Ruff putting up with this crap show? They need an experienced, respected NHL coach to light a fire, who will not tolerate playing soft, and not being ready to play at game time. A competent power play architect, assistant coach would go a long way too.

Unfortunately, we have Mister Rogers as our head coach, dumb and dumber as our GM and Owner.  

[Carmel Corn]

5 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Interesting that even the Buffalo News article quoted on the site here has finally used the word "soft". Perhaps this will wake up management (and ownership) although I doubt it. 

Kind of takes me back to 1986.  The team was also considered to be too "soft" from the 85-86 season, and so they tried to "toughen up" by acquiring Clark Gilles and Wilf Paiement during the off-season. 

[Pimlach]

11 hours ago, HumanSlinky39 said:

I think this team's gone as far as it can under Granato. Thanks for pointing the ship in the right direction, but it needs a new captain.

I am leaning this way right now.  I’m not one to make changes quickly either.  But DG messages are not being heard   He actually did a good job pulling them out of Krueger funk while losing the core of the team   

Cozens said it all.  He even blamed himself on the faceoff. 

The difference between the Sabres this year and the last year is a lot of little things.  Sure you can point to injuries but the biggest problem are the many mistakes, and unforced errors.  If the coaches cannot correct it then the old saying is you can’t fire 23 players.  
 

Additionally, they both talked about Carolina being a hard place to play in.  How about the team, as in the players, fix that and make Buffalo a hard place to play in?   They can make that happen.  

Edited December 3, 2023 by Pimlach

[zow2]

They should have broken the drought last season. it was their time. But some weak goaltending, defense and terrible PK was the fine line that cost them some career goal scoring years. Oh well. back to square one. In the NHL if you’re not gonna get in the tournament you might as well finish at the bottom.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

*boys.  too many boys*

 

[Archie Lee]

4 hours ago, phil_soisson said:

You lost me at "...I want him to be coach".  Can you imagine Imlach, Bowman, or Ruff putting up with this crap show? They need an experienced, respected NHL coach to light a fire, who will not tolerate playing soft, and not being ready to play at game time. A competent power play architect, assistant coach would go a long way too.

I understand this sentiment.  But Bowman and Ruff had many stretches as coaches of the Sabres where their anger and outrage and efforts to light fires got them nothing.  It's just not that simple.

Edited December 3, 2023 by Archie Lee

[Porous Five Hole]

16 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

I'm understand this sentiment.  But Bowman and Ruff had many stretches as coaches of the Sabres where their anger and outrage and efforts to light fires got them nothing.  It's just not that simple.

Good point. And not only that, but the Sabres were Lindy’s first head coaching gig. Granato has been a coach at every level of hockey and has routinely gotten winning results.  

[mjd1001]

12 hours ago, Porous Five Hole said:

Cozens sounded emotional and upset. He’s right, the Sabres need more “eff you” in their game. 
 

I think I found a new hill to die on.

If Cozens thinks that, he is a bigger problem that I even thought. 

Do most of us want this team to be tougher, of course. But the problem is just being awful in their own zone. This team leave guys to wide open. The forwards don't cover their man. They have often times little hustle getting back to help the D out.

Toughness, being hard to play against, the 'eff you' is not the biggest problem. Cozens is probably the best example of someone who is just clueless in terms of where he should be and who he should cover in the D-zone. If he thinks the solution is not to fix that but to be 'tougher', he is then one of the bigger problems on this team now.

Is it just so ingrained in hockey players heads...and in our heads as fans, the the solution is more toughness? more hitting?  When I watch the goals scored against, I see players who don't know where to be. I see opponents taking wide open shots from prime scoring areas more often that not. Hitting more doesn't fix that.

You know what team is hard to play against? Not the team that throws one or two more hits..or the team that pushes and shoves more after the whistle. The team no one wants to play against is one that frustrates the crap out of you by giving you nothing, giving you no open ice, being in every single passing lane because they are sound positionally. THAT is the team that is the one you hate playing against.

The guys on this team like Cozens don't get that. And many of us as fans who think more toughness fixes the issue don't get it either.

Edited December 3, 2023 by mjd1001

[Pimlach]

10 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I don't follow the Bills but I am wondering something. With the Sabres it comes up now and again about it being "a country club atmosphere" or "the inmates are running the asylum", the idea the players are pampered and catered to and thus they are all positive when talking about each other but they lack a work ethic as a result of this.  

Are there similar critiques of the Bills or is their shall we say "less than expected" performance an entirely different thing? 

You know why I'm asking I'm sure. 

Bills culture under McDermott is totally different and much better.  
 

 The biggest thing hurting the Bills has been game day coaching.  McD is a very good coach, you have to be a bit better to win it all and when he had the opportunity on game day, he did not deliver (13 seconds is a great example).  Winning those 13 seconds gives him a home game to get to the Super Bowl.