GDT: Sabres @ Arizona - Sat. 9 pm ET, Dec 16, 2023, MSG-B, SCRIPPS 📺 WGR 📻

[Carmel Corn]

8 hours ago, Quint said:

For a Dorsey effect, I'd like a firing. Our pp coach needs to go yesterday. 

I'd prefer to see all of the assistants go....and if DG doesn't do it, then he should be fired too.  If GMKA doesn't do it, then on to the next GM please.

[mjd1001]

I'm not one at all for making change 'just because' or 'to see what happens'.

But I'm starting to go to the point of swinging on a big trade.  Like a BIG trade. I'm not sure who would be avaiable, but a forward in their prime (24-28 years old) who is known as a hard worker, puts up consistenly 25+ goals per year, and has been on a winning team (preferably one where the forward play good Defense).  If you have to trade a Roster guy AND 2 of your top prospects, so be it. Savoi, Kulich, and Mitts or even Cozens?  go ahead.

Why? I am more and more convinced, despite the shutout last night, that this team doesn't know how to play team defense and NO coaching staff is going to get it through their heads. Vet guys like Okposo and Girgensons?  Honestly, they never were on a team where THEY were even taught how to play team defense.

Maybe you don't even need to pay that much, but how about Nazim Kadri or Lindholm from Calgary?  Both of them?

Edited December 17, 2023 by mjd1001

[WhenWillItEnd66]

I guess this is was a good week to not watch any Sabres games. I saved a total of 7+ hours of aggravation and lack of sleep afterwards being frustrated. I am thinking until some changes happen this is going to be my new norm. I am more then content not to be disappointed and pissed off and just read reaction on this site! LOL

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Bottom line is .. when your goaler gives up only 2 there is a more than reasonable expectation that any other NHL team will get 3 to win it.  Terrible.

Anyway, who's next?

[Slack_in_MA]

9 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

I'm not one at all for making change 'just because' or 'to see what happens'.

But I'm starting to go to the point of swinging on a big trade.  Like a BIG trade. I'm not sure who would be avaiable, but a forward in their prime (24-28 years old) who is known as a hard worker, puts up consistenly 25+ goals per year, and has been on a winning team (preferably one where the forward play good Defense).  If you have to trade a Roster guy AND 2 of your top prospects, so be it. Savoi, Kulich, and Mitts?  go ahead.

Why? I am more and more convinced, despite the shutout last night, that this team doesn't know how to play team defense and NO coaching staff is going to get it through their heads. Vet guys like Okposo and Girgensons?  Honestly, they never were on a team where THEY were even taught how to play team defense.

Maybe you don't even need to pay that much, but how about Nazim Kadri or Lindholm from Calgary?  Both of them?

I’d be concerned that we’d turn that hard worker into a floater/glider too, given the scheme and culture.

[Believer]

After the latest Drowsy Effort, what’s left to say, really?…

The Sabres quit on us… from KA… through DG and his staff… to the players…

And, we’re only 32 games into the season…

Lots of reasons this season went sideways right from the start… Every reason has been identified and discussed in depth on Sabrespace.

At best we will get another dozen games or so like the wins over LV, BOS, NYR et al and at least be entertained… before we get to watch other teams compete for the Cup in the playoffs again.

Brutal.

Done bitchin’ about the Quit, the Postgame Mea Culpas, the Mismanaged Contracts, and the La De Dah attitudes…

Going to accept the Given Reality… and focus on Good Plays, Good Effort, Good Results. 

Rant over.

[Scottysabres]

32 minutes ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

Bottom line is .. when your goaler gives up only 2 there is a more than reasonable expectation that any other NHL team will get 3 to win it.  Terrible.

Anyway, who's next?

Agree NS.

That first goal.....yikes! Completely unnecessary. The 2nd goal, it happens to the best of them from time to time. But our forwards had multiple prime scoring chances, at least 2 of them on completely open net and still couldn't convert, that's a big problem.

[DarthEbriate]

That certainly looked like the second night of a back-to-back (and 3rd in 4) where the first night you went up against the best team in the league, got knocked around a bunch by a physical crew, but came out victorious and were living care free the next day. 

[Weave]

1 hour ago, mjd1001 said:

I'm not one at all for making change 'just because' or 'to see what happens'.

But I'm starting to go to the point of swinging on a big trade.  Like a BIG trade. I'm not sure who would be avaiable, but a forward in their prime (24-28 years old) who is known as a hard worker, puts up consistenly 25+ goals per year, and has been on a winning team (preferably one where the forward play good Defense).  If you have to trade a Roster guy AND 2 of your top prospects, so be it. Savoi, Kulich, and Mitts?  go ahead.

Why? I am more and more convinced, despite the shutout last night, that this team doesn't know how to play team defense and NO coaching staff is going to get it through their heads. Vet guys like Okposo and Girgensons?  Honestly, they never were on a team where THEY were even taught how to play team defense.

Maybe you don't even need to pay that much, but how about Nazim Kadri or Lindholm from Calgary?  Both of them?

We needed a splash like this in the offseason.  I feel like it is REALLY needed now.

A shake up would be healthy, and there is nothing like sending a message to tue team that we are going for it.

The problem is, it’s too late for the playoffs this season.

Edited December 17, 2023 by Weave

[sabremike]

1 hour ago, mjd1001 said:

I'm not one at all for making change 'just because' or 'to see what happens'.

But I'm starting to go to the point of swinging on a big trade.  Like a BIG trade. I'm not sure who would be avaiable, but a forward in their prime (24-28 years old) who is known as a hard worker, puts up consistenly 25+ goals per year, and has been on a winning team (preferably one where the forward play good Defense).  If you have to trade a Roster guy AND 2 of your top prospects, so be it. Savoi, Kulich, and Mitts?  go ahead.

Why? I am more and more convinced, despite the shutout last night, that this team doesn't know how to play team defense and NO coaching staff is going to get it through their heads. Vet guys like Okposo and Girgensons?  Honestly, they never were on a team where THEY were even taught how to play team defense.

Maybe you don't even need to pay that much, but how about Nazim Kadri or Lindholm from Calgary?  Both of them?

I personally saw the Doug Weight Islanders, the single most defensively incompetent team I have ever seen in my life. The defensmen on those teams made ours look like the cup winning Devils ones. Then one day they hired some guy named Barry Trotz.

You'll never guess what happened next...

This coaching staff sucks and would never have been hired by any of the other 31 teams. There are numerous coaches out there with long track records of success. All that our owner needs to do is call one of them and offer them the right $ amount and everything would change overnight. It really is that simple. 

 

[Stoner]

8 hours ago, sabremike said:

Having a go at the players is a classic example of focusing on the symptom and not the cause.

I can get behind this. Apparently good players are mired in this shitshow losing culture. They look up and see TP, KA, DG and his brilliant assistants. How could you not be demoralized to finally make it to the very top of you profession and see those folks? I will go to my grave saying that KA spitting out the bit at the deadline led to the post deadline funk. And his woeful performance over the summer led to... Well, this.

We know where the change has to occur. It might happen eventually when the baton gets handed off to kids. But IMHO that happens so the kids can have a rich family plaything. And we're right back at square one. Learning curve and all that.

BTW how long did some of you say TP would need to become a good owner?

Show your ***** faces.

[Pimlach]

15 minutes ago, sabremike said:

I personally saw the Doug Weight Islanders, the single most defensively incompetent team I have ever seen in my life. The defensmen on those teams made ours look like the cup winning Devils ones. Then one day they hired some guy named Barry Trotz.

You'll never guess what happened next...

This coaching staff sucks and would never have been hired by any of the other 31 teams. There are numerous coaches out there with long track records of success. All that our owner needs to do is call one of them and offer them the right $ amount and everything would change overnight. It really is that simple. 

 

If, and only if, the new Coach can work with the GM on fixing the roster. 

[phil_soisson]

1 hour ago, mjd1001 said:

I'm not one at all for making change 'just because' or 'to see what happens'.

But I'm starting to go to the point of swinging on a big trade.  Like a BIG trade. I'm not sure who would be avaiable, but a forward in their prime (24-28 years old) who is known as a hard worker, puts up consistenly 25+ goals per year, and has been on a winning team (preferably one where the forward play good Defense).  If you have to trade a Roster guy AND 2 of your top prospects, so be it. Savoi, Kulich, and Mitts?  go ahead.

Why? I am more and more convinced, despite the shutout last night, that this team doesn't know how to play team defense and NO coaching staff is going to get it through their heads. Vet guys like Okposo and Girgensons?  Honestly, they never were on a team where THEY were even taught how to play team defense.

Maybe you don't even need to pay that much, but how about Nazim Kadri or Lindholm from Calgary?  Both of them?

The futility starts at the top, with ownership; he was meddlesome from the start, bringing in the Ted Blacks and Craig Patricks, and his picks for GM's have been dismal. Now he's awol.

[Stoner]

24 minutes ago, phil_soisson said:

The futility starts at the top, with ownership; he was meddlesome from the start, bringing in the Ted Blacks and Craig Patricks, and his picks for GM's have been dismal. Now he's awol.

Haven't thought about Craig for awhile. Wonder what the former Cup winning GM saw that he didn't like.

[SwampD]

7 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Haven't thought about Craig for awhile. Wonder what the former Cup winning GM saw that he didn't like.

Was he interviewed?

[Stoner]

12 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Was he interviewed?

I assume he was before he got hired lol.

[Pimlach]

54 minutes ago, phil_soisson said:

The futility starts at the top, with ownership; he was meddlesome from the start, bringing in the Ted Blacks and Craig Patricks, and his picks for GM's have been dismal. Now he's awol.

I remember those early Pegula guys.  “Advisors” like Ken Sawyer and Joe Battista, execs Ted Black (President)and Craig Patrick, and then there was LaFontaine (Hockey Ops) and Murray (GM).  A complete mess  

At least 6 people doing 2 jobs.   Clueless organizational management if I ever saw it.  

Today it’s scaled down to a minimal staff.   Adam’s has to run all the hockey side, and babysit Terry.   

Absentee ownership.  You never see Pegula in the owners box at the arena. 
 

 

[LGR4GM]

3 hours ago, sabremike said:

Love people pretending Donny is Al Arbor for one getting a team to the dizzying heights of 19th best in the league.

Can't find anyone around here defending Granato or the coaching staff these days. 

1 hour ago, phil_soisson said:

The futility starts at the top, with ownership; he was meddlesome from the start, bringing in the Ted Blacks and Craig Patricks, and his picks for GM's have been dismal. Now he's awol.

Thank God he's awol.

[LGR4GM]

They don't trade. You watch, Okposo is in Adams ear and so is Granato saying how great and close this group is and how they and they alone will turn this around. Adams lacks the ruthless decisiveness to save this season. I'm already looking at the top 10 players in the draft. It's more interesting than this Krueger-esque play style we're rolling out right now.

[jad1]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

If, and only if, the new Coach can work with the GM on fixing the roster. 

At this point, what experienced coach would want to work under Adams?  The three-headed goalie mess, the 11-7 game day rosters, the underwhelming and infrequent trades and signings.

An experienced coach would see Adams as an unserious GM, and wouldn't want to jeopardize his career working for him.

[MISabresFan]

If something changes, GM - Coach, I would let the new team determine the fate of the players.

[Pimlach]

7 minutes ago, jad1 said:

At this point, what experienced coach would want to work under Adams?  The three-headed goalie mess, the 11-7 game day rosters, the underwhelming and infrequent trades and signings.

An experienced coach would see Adams as an unserious GM, and wouldn't want to jeopardize his career working for him.

 

Adam’s biggest obstacle by far is the guy above him.  The man with the boastful start as a NHL Owner has followed it up with a track record of organizational confusion, historical losing, managerial incompetence, destruction of a once loyal fan base, absenteeism, and a complete lack of commitment to excellence.   

[Stoner]

12 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

 

Adam’s biggest obstacle by far is the guy above him.  The man with the boastful start as a NHL Owner has followed it up with a track record of organizational confusion, historical losing, managerial incompetence, destruction of a once loyal fan base, absenteeism, and a complete lack of commitment to excellence.   

A tiny point but someone in the GDT said Holzinger's name was mispelled in a graphic. That kind of stuff has happened throughout this error.

The presence of Dan and Rob as the color guy are bigger points of course.

Edited December 17, 2023 by PASabreFan

[Stoner]

It's worse than you think. Much.

[Radar]

3 hours ago, WhenWillItEnd66 said:

I guess this is was a good week to not watch any Sabres games. I saved a total of 7+ hours of aggravation and lack of sleep afterwards being frustrated. I am thinking until some changes happen this is going to be my new norm. I am more then content not to be disappointed and pissed off and just read reaction on this site! LOL

This.