GDT/ Buffalo Sabres @ Edmonton Oilers Thurs. 3/21- 9pm MSG, ESPN+ and WGR Radio

[Scottysabres]

Teams have these blow out losses from time to time. I'm not overly concerned about it. After all, we've known for a good portion of this season what this team was.

I guess the focus I have, or at least the question I'd like answered is when does this actually end? Over dozen years and counting, really quite amazing it appears to have no end in sight as of now.

[apuszczalowski]

1 minute ago, KC Scouts said:

I was writing a huge rant and then..... I just stopped and erased it. It has all been said before. 

Thanks for nothing Terry.....

But maybe next year will be different and all those propsect will finally develop into the dnasty that everyone said they would be if they tanked all those years ago and made sure there werent any good players in the lineup to block the development of the guys in the AHL.......

And Terry is giving us all a new roof, so theres that!

[jad1]

1 minute ago, ... said:

You know, there could be hope in the new COO. He could basically take some charts to Pegula's Florida compound and say "you know, Terry, if we put a good hockey team on the ice we could actually make money..."

I'm going to go against the grain and say that Pegula does clean house after the season.

Both of his previous GM firings were a surprise, and before he canned Krueger, some were lining him up for an executive job.  But Terry swung the ax.  He's actually good at firing people.  Sucks at hiring them, but excels at firing them.

As for the new COO, hopefully he's contemplating WWJD (what would Jordan do).

[Believer]

Appreciate JJ… but other than his goals, I was not entertained tonight… How about you, Adams?… Pegula, did you even watch?

[Thorner]

[KC Scouts]

1 minute ago, Thorny said:

Absolutely an incompetent regime....

[Second Line Center]

Skinner (9 million per) played 11 minutes. 
 

We’re not winning anything or going anywhere so long as he is on the roster.  
 

One of your most skilled and highest paid players cannot be one of your laziest.  
 

He doesn’t deserve to be singled out - but this dynamic is such a massive problem imo.  

[...]

4 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

As the Playoffs Approaches.

Can this franchise does anything right?

Of course they can. They set up the punchline in that Tweet perfectly.

[K-9]

28 minutes ago, Thorny said:

We had 74 points last year after 71 games, this year we have 71.

We also won 8 of our last 11 last year, so 

I appreciate the perspective, but it just seems we are just so much worse than last season. That’s what happens under the weight of raised expectations when players just can’t handle it. Raised expectations should fuel a team though. Remember the syrupy letter to the fans by Okposo before the season. The one where he said the guys are embracing the pressure? It’s laughable now.

[Thorner]

Just now, K-9 said:

I appreciate the perspective, but it just seems we are just so much worse than last season. That’s what happens under the weight of raised expectations when players just can’t handle it. Raised expectations should fuel a team though. Remember the syrupy letter to the fans by Okposo before the season. The one where he said the guys are embracing the pressure? It’s laughable now.

It wasn’t so much perspective on this season as perspective on last, imo. We weren’t that good, and the 8 in 11 stretch to end clouded judgment, fans and GM. This year we are even worse than not good and it’s double as bad because it’s year 4, but we absolutely absolutely can’t fall for a run it back trick this time 

[SwampD]

2 minutes ago, K-9 said:

I appreciate the perspective, but it just seems we are just so much worse than last season. That’s what happens under the weight of raised expectations when players just can’t handle it. Raised expectations should fuel a team though. Remember the syrupy letter to the fans by Okposo before the season. The one where he said the guys are embracing the pressure? It’s laughable now.

That's what happens when you see starting goal tenders because of last year.

1 minute ago, Thorny said:

It wasn’t so much perspective on this season as perspective on last, imo. We weren’t that good, and the 8 in 11 stretch to end clouded judgment, fans and GM. This year we are even worse than not good and it’s double as bad because it’s year 4, but we absolutely absolutely can’t fall for a run it back trick this time 

ugh.

[SabresVet]

Just now, jad1 said:

I'm going to go against the grain and say that Pegula does clean house after the season.

Both of his previous GM firings were a surprise, and before he canned Krueger, some were lining him up for an executive job.  But Terry swung the ax.  He's actually good at firing people.  Sucks at hiring them, but excels at firing them.

As for the new COO, hopefully he's contemplating WWJD (what would Jordan do).

Botterill was fired because he refused to cut staff. Murray because he didn’t build a team aligned with his HC’s scheme. Regier because he had lots of money and still couldn’t get it done during TPegs’ early years. 

Terry wouldn’t have to fire so many people if he could find better GMs.  That would necessitate he admit he doesn’t know his a** from a hole in the ground about the NHL.  Which would, of course, allow Buffalo to attract a qualified GM to get this team into the playoffs.  I don’t think Terry has a plan if Kevyn keeps failing.  Not many eager to have thay guy second-guesssing a GM or meddling in personnel. 

[KC Scouts]

Donnie 

"We made mistakes, Forward didn't support the D, Guys were frustrated"

How do you explain the third?  "Didn't play as a 5 man unit, things we haven't done in awhile happened"

How should the leaders have handled this? He really doesn't answer the question....

[Goldseatsaud]

Still getting paid he says

[SABRES 0311]

2 minutes ago, SabresVet said:

Botterill was fired because he refused to cut staff. Murray because he didn’t build a team aligned with his HC’s scheme. Regier because he had lots of money and still couldn’t get it done during TPegs’ early years. 

Terry wouldn’t have to fire so many people if he could find better GMs.  That would necessitate he admit he doesn’t know his a** from a hole in the ground about the NHL.  Which would, of course, allow Buffalo to attract a qualified GM to get this team into the playoffs.  I don’t think Terry has a plan if Kevyn keeps failing.  Not many eager to have thay guy second-guesssing a GM or meddling in personnel. 

I still don’t understand why we keep hiring unproven GMs and coaches. A team in this phase needs experience all around.

[Believer]

May be time for the League to step in and insist Pegula make a change… Give him a short list of GM candidates…

Unless they want Buffalo to fail so Pegula sells the team and the Sabres are moved.

Edited March 22 by Believer

[Turbo44]

Many have been fired for doing a lot better. UPL has progressed but the regression of tage, Tuch, skinner and cozens is inexcusable. Utterly amazing Granato is still the coach.

2 minutes ago, Believer said:

May be time for the League to step in and insist Pegula make a change… Give him a short list of GM candidates…

Has the league ever done this? Nope and they never will.

[...]

5 minutes ago, SABRES 0311 said:

I still don’t understand why we keep hiring unproven GMs and coaches. A team in this phase needs experience all around.

Bah, who needs a proven coach? So overrated.

[Believer]

1 minute ago, Turbo44 said:

Many have been fired for doing a lot better. UPL has progressed but the regression of tage, Tuch, skinner and cozens is inexcusable. Utterly amazing Granato is still the coach.

Has the league ever done this? Nope and they never will.

Someone correct me if my recollection is off, but didn’t the League suggest Scotty Bowman to the Knox Family?

[Gatorman0519]

38 minutes ago, Buffalo Super Fan said:

If Don Granato is the head coach next season for the Buffalo Sabres the playoff drought will continue for the Sabres next season. I see no way that Terry Pegula is parting ways with Don Granato so the Sabres playoff drought will most likely continue. Again I hope I am wrong in my opinion. Go Sabres! Let’s Go Buffalo 

There is not a single other franchise that would bring him back. Casey’s comments in Colorado say everything. He babies them. And their softness is evident to all. 

[PerreaultForever]

27 minutes ago, Second Line Center said:

Skinner (9 million per) played 11 minutes. 
 

We’re not winning anything or going anywhere so long as he is on the roster.  
 

One of your most skilled and highest paid players cannot be one of your laziest.  
 

He doesn’t deserve to be singled out - but this dynamic is such a massive problem imo.  

Granato finally realizing what has been evident for years. It was 9 minutes too many. 

UPL joins Dahlin and Eichel in the Sabres honor roll of stick smashers. Well done. 

They fell apart, but really, as predicted, it was net front that killed them. Oilers battle for pucks in front like any good veteran team does. Also noticed that Byram is quickly learning Sabres D, chasing behind the net and getting caught as the forwards don't cover. Didn't take long for him to get with the program. 

I thought they'd be better tonight. I really did. 

[Stoner]

30 minutes ago, Thorny said:

It wasn’t so much perspective on this season as perspective on last, imo. We weren’t that good, and the 8 in 11 stretch to end clouded judgment, fans and GM. This year we are even worse than not good and it’s double as bad because it’s year 4, but we absolutely absolutely can’t fall for a run it back trick this time 

I certainly hope you don't think we're in the midst of a run it back trick. Not to go all nfreeman, but they are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games.

[PerreaultForever]

36 minutes ago, SABRES 0311 said:

I still don’t understand why we keep hiring unproven GMs and coaches. A team in this phase needs experience all around.

Probably because they are cheap (relatively speaking) and they are the only ones who will take the job (because the experienced ones want autonomy from the owner in terms of their decision making). So we get inexperienced yes men who ultimately fail. 

[Gatorman0519]

30 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Probably because they are cheap (relatively speaking) and they are the only ones who will take the job (because the experienced ones want autonomy from the owner in terms of their decision making). So we get inexperienced yes men who ultimately fail. 

You hit it.  And considering we have record playoff drought for hockey with no end in sight, the owner is clearly doing something wrong. Really wrong. Unprecedented wrong. 

[Kristian]

2 hours ago, Thorny said:

Failure rate : 100%.

Flawless failure.