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Posted
3 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

: disdainfully or skeptically humorous : derisively mocking

a sardonic comment

Did this comment touch a nerve?   Don't change, we need this, along with a good dose of your contrarian thinking.  

Most of us are so desperate for anything good that happens, however fleeting it turns out to be, that we lose sight of the real situation.  

Your skepticism is often the reality.  

Posted
1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Did this comment touch a nerve?   Don't change, we need this, along with a good dose of your contrarian thinking.  

Most of us are so desperate for anything good that happens, however fleeting it turns out to be, that we lose sight of the real situation.  

Your skepticism is often the reality.  

I don't want the job. It's basically scrawling stuff in a bathroom stall.

What I really want to be is poet laureate of the Buffalo Sabres.

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Posted
21 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

I don't want the job. It's basically scrawling stuff in a bathroom stall.

What I really want to be is poet laureate of the Buffalo Sabres.

I think you'd qualify... but would you toe the line and refrain from criticism or would you seek to obfuscate your critique within your wonderfully flowery language?

 

Posted (edited)

Right now the difference between this years team (and expectations for the most part) and last years team is Thompson, Cozens, and Tuch.

Its not D and Goaltending. They are BETTER this year, on pace to allow 15-16 less goals this year than last. Can it and should it be better? Sure, but that is not the problem compared to last year.

Offense.  3rd in the league last year, bottom 10 this year. 296 goals last, year, on pace for 239 this year.

So, if the goals allowed is BETTER...well, they are 26 goals off their pace from last year. They are scoring almost 7/10s of a goal game less this year than last.  So where are those 26 goals missing?

-Cozens had 12 goals last year on Jan 1...this year..6  There are 6 of your goals. (1 less on the PP)

-Tuch had  17 this time last year, this year he as 9   There are 8 more. (4 less on the PP)

-Tage had 27 this time last year, this year 10.  17 more (10 less on the PP)

There are 31 goals you are missing from last year.

Skinner is right on pace from last year.  Peterka is giving you more than last year, basically picking up VO's goal production from last year. Mitts is on target too.  Dahlin is on pace for less points for for more goals. 

Almost everyone is on pace for, or doing better than last year in terms of scoring (swapping Peterk and VO), AND the team is allowing less goals per game...with the exception of those 3 guys (Cozens, Tuch, and Thompson)

Can coaching be better? Sure. Do you want more from Power? Yep. Do the forward not know how to play defense in their own zone?  uh huh. Do the goaltender have bad nights? Sure do.....BUT, if you had Cozens, Tage and Tuch giving you what they did last year (or even CLOSE to it) most would look good with this team.

31 goals less from those 3 guys. Change nothing esle and you are now a +10 on goal differential for the year so far.  That makes you the 5th best team in the conference.

Thompson. Tuch. Cozens. Fix them and this is a playoff team.  They don't need to do BETTER than last year....probably not even the same...but close 60-70% of the gap between what they did last year and what they are doing this year...and you are likely in a playoffs spot now...or at least competing very closely for one.  Its not just missing Grit, its not coaching (although maybe coaching the PP is a large part for the downfall in those guys).  Its those guys taking a big step back in production. 

Edited by mjd1001
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Posted
On 12/30/2023 at 2:08 PM, PASabreFan said:

I don't want the job. It's basically scrawling stuff in a bathroom stall.

What I really want to be is poet laureate of the Buffalo Sabres.

Like our Sabres, you need a new identity… Maybe even new coaching…

Pimlach, he seems earnest… Help him.

Posted (edited)
9 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

Right now the difference between this years team (and expectations for the most part) and last years team is Thompson, Cozens, and Tuch.

Its not D and Goaltending. They are BETTER this year, on pace to allow 15-16 less goals this year than last. Can it and should it be better? Sure, but that is not the problem compared to last year.

Offense.  3rd in the league last year, bottom 10 this year. 296 goals last, year, on pace for 239 this year.

So, if the goals allowed is BETTER...well, they are 26 goals off their pace from last year. They are scoring almost 7/10s of a goal game less this year than last.  So where are those 26 goals missing?

-Cozens had 12 goals last year on Jan 1...this year..6  There are 6 of your goals. (1 less on the PP)

-Tuch had  17 this time last year, this year he as 9   There are 8 more. (4 less on the PP)

-Tage had 27 this time last year, this year 10.  17 more (10 less on the PP)

There are 31 goals you are missing from last year.

Skinner is right on pace from last year.  Peterka is giving you more than last year, basically picking up VO's goal production from last year. Mitts is on target too.  Dahlin is on pace for less points for for more goals. 

Almost everyone is on pace for, or doing better than last year in terms of scoring (swapping Peterk and VO), AND the team is allowing less goals per game...with the exception of those 3 guys (Cozens, Tuch, and Thompson)

Can coaching be better? Sure. Do you want more from Power? Yep. Do the forward not know how to play defense in their own zone?  uh huh. Do the goaltender have bad nights? Sure do.....BUT, if you had Cozens, Tage and Tuch giving you what they did last year (or even CLOSE to it) most would look good with this team.

31 goals less from those 3 guys. Change nothing esle and you are now a +10 on goal differential for the year so far.  That makes you the 5th best team in the conference.

Thompson. Tuch. Cozens. Fix them and this is a playoff team.  They don't need to do BETTER than last year....probably not even the same...but close 60-70% of the gap between what they did last year and what they are doing this year...and you are likely in a playoffs spot now...or at least competing very closely for one.  Its not just missing Grit, its not coaching (although maybe coaching the PP is a large part for the downfall in those guys).  Its those guys taking a big step back in production. 

The step back in production is in many ways tied to a supposed commitment to more defensive responsibility. It’s merely a shell game: I said this all offseason. You can not add in goal, not add enough on D, not add enough depth 2 way forwards, and find defensive improvement in current personnel: but there will be sacrifices

its not a matter of these guys just getting it back, having our cake and eating it too. KA wanted to play the shell game, too.

He got badly burned.

No, we needed better goaltending. We needed better D. We needed better forwards and we needed a more proactive GM in supplementing the roster 

Edited by Thorny
Posted
On 12/29/2023 at 11:14 PM, SwampD said:

I say yes.

I think it really is that easy.

This organization needs a visionary. I nominate you for President of Hockey Operations.

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Posted
1 hour ago, Thorny said:

 

No, we needed better goaltending. We needed better D. We needed better forwards and we needed a more proactive GM in supplementing the roster 

Essentially we're screwed 

This topic is OLD. A NEW topic should be started unless there is a VERY SPECIFIC REASON to revive this one.

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