GDT: Ottawa Senators @ Buffalo Sabres 3/27 7PM MSG and Radio

[Flashsabre]

You can’t have an ECHL quality coaching staff and expect to be successful in the NHL.

For the first time under Pegula they need to hire a seasoned NHL staff top to bottom that demands accountability. 

Edited March 28 by Flashsabre

[Carmel Corn]

5 hours ago, sabremike said:

Exhibit A:

 

He (Byrum) looked like a difference maker his first two games, but now he has caught the Sabres "inept" disease and looks as bad as the rest of the team....Good players come to Buffalo to die a meaningless death.  Good Buffalo players go on to achieve greatness when they leave.

[Stoner]

Hey ey ey ey, let's stop questioning Terry's motivation.

[#freejame]

9 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Hey ey ey ey, let's stop questioning Terry's motivation.

[inkman]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

It’s an appreciating asset. Maybe his goal was just to make money and not win Stanley Cups. Although you could argue the team does any make money, the value of the franchises always goes up.  

 

33 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Hey ey ey ey, let's stop questioning Terry's motivation.

I’m not sure there is much to question 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Is UPL a little worn out at this point? 

[inkman]

9 hours ago, Goldseatsaud said:

Why did Pegula buy the franchise? He seems not to care 

14 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Is UPL a little worn out at this point? 

Perhaps it’s been lugging around his 6 k

[phil_soisson]

13 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

They are so off tonight

Crossbar

They suck!

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

 

I’m not sure there is much to question 

I think a lot of people fail to appreciate the deviousness of Cliff Benson.

[MISabresFan]

12 hours ago, Believer said:

Only takes one perfect word to describe the Sabres effort tonight… From coaches to players…

Inept. 

More inept than listening to or watching in the past Rob Ray score goals

[Gatorman0519]

This team never got more than a 3 game winning streak. That should speak volumes.  There is no consistency or progress. A clear sign of a staff over their heads. 

[Drag0nDan]

I was in the tunnel as they came out - and wow.  There is like 0 enthusiasm.  The lady told us to be loud so we were going nuts and they came out just stunned that anyone at all seemed to care.  

3 minutes ago, MISabresFan said:

More inept than listening to or watching in the past Rob Ray score goals

Rob ray was actually very sweet with a couple little girls before the game in that same line 😄

[Doohicksie]

12 hours ago, ... said:

Thompson is a bust. He turns over the puck nearly as much as Power. Both need to be traded if we're going to be anywhere close to a serious team.

I seriously think it might be as simple as trying a new curve on his stick.  Last two years he was one of the best danglers in the league, but right now he's lost it.  I also notice that in situations where he used to assertively drive into the zone, he's hesitating or peeling off towards the boards.  I suspect he's dealing with an injury that doesn't keep him out of the lineup but hampers his skating.

[Gatorman0519]

Just now, Doohickie said:

I seriously think it might be as simple as trying a new curve on his stick.  Last two years he was one of the best danglers in the league, but right now he's lost it.  I also notice that in situations where he used to assertively drive into the zone, he's hesitating or peeling off towards the boards.  I suspect he's dealing with an injury that doesn't keep him out of the lineup but hampers his skating.

If it’s something that needs addressing, they should pull him out of the lineup now and look to getting healthy for next year. 

[Pimlach]

This is what I see lately:   

1.   UPL is looking tired, slower, and less sharp.  We might as well give Levi more games and let UPL stabilize and not loose his mind.  Adams better remember this for next year.  UPL cannot play a 60+ game pace next year.  He cannot hold the pace.  We need ~30+ games from the backup, not Comrie and maybe not Levi either.  

2.  Byram is looking like a Sabre now, he waits for the play and he has slowed down his game. Defensively he is just like the rest of them.  He gets paid $4.6M next year and after that he is an RFA.  Adams seems committed to him so we will have another big investment on the blue line.  Joker is an RFA this off- season, so he could leave at anytime with nothing in return.  

3.  No player on this team ever owns anything.  All I ever hear is how the problem is something else, whatever happens they always have something to say except "I need to be better".   Just recently I heard lame excuses from Tuch, Cozens, and now Dahlin.   They don't even know they are doing it, these guys have been infected by the bad culture.   

4.  Adams won't own the drought, so no one on this team will.  Adams allegedly talks to Beane. He had McDermott come out to the prospect camp last year and talk.  Is this all for show?  Does he listen and try to do what these guys do every day?  I don't think so.  

5.  Future salary structure was a key reason that Adams would not bring in "blockers".   We still are going to have some serious cap decisions to make this year (Joker, Krebs, UPL) and  next year (Byram, Quinn, Peterka).   

6.  For a team that drafted 3 centers in the first round just two years ago they are really hurting up the middle.  The departure of Mitts will have to be filled in with someone not named Krebs if this team is going to get better and going to handle normal injuries next season.  They need to bring in a 2/3C and 3/4C - but salary space is almost gone with Power getting $8M next year and other guys on deck.  

7.  They could have made a better environment for the kids to come up and play in, and still have these same cap decisions.  We should have been better - I am still not sure Adams knows what to do once the money constraints are lifted (if they ever are).   

8.  Coaching is a problem.  This staff has reached their limits and they are overmatched on gameday.   The entire staff needs a friendly handshake and a good bye after this season.   The search for a coach is my only hope for next season.  

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, Drag0nDan said:

I was in the tunnel as they came out - and wow.  There is like 0 enthusiasm.  The lady told us to be loud so we were going nuts and they came out just stunned that anyone at all seemed to care.  

 

Was this before the first period started?   If so then it really says a lot about the coaches getting these guys ready and about the team leadership, or lack of.   

Especially when Cozens talks to the press about winning over the fans.  I hated to hear him talk about their side and the fans side.   It should never get to that.  

[R_Dudley]

23 hours ago, R_Dudley said:

The beginning of the end, last 10 game segment for the season. 

Let's go Buffalo, show us what you got.

Interested to see how they handle it. 

Muddy Water, a spring thing.

 

Well after seeing the score and reading the game blog this am I'm glad to not have been able to watch that. I guess they showed us who a few of us thought they are, too bad it's a bunch of losers.

So sad to see this from my favorite team. I am headed into town tomorrow for Easter and thought about possibly checking out one of the 2 games but not with this ***** show. Sabers are like a box of chocolates, never know what you're going to get with this group.  

Being in Buffalo for both games this weekend on TV will bring me closer to the misery all the longtime fans here have been living. I plan to raise a drink or three during both games to commiserate with my fellow Sabre fans. 

Long live the dream of Sabre playoff hockey!

Edited March 28 by R_Dudley

[#freejame]

This might be the longest GDT of 2024 

[Doohicksie]

5 hours ago, Carmel Corn said:

He (Byrum) looked like a difference maker his first two games, but now he has caught the Sabres "inept" disease and looks as bad as the rest of the team....Good players come to Buffalo to die a meaningless death.  Good Buffalo players go on to achieve greatness when they leave.

This captures exactly why it's coaching and not the players.

[Believer]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

3.  No player on this team ever owns anything.  All I ever hear is how the problem is something else, whatever happens they always have something to say except "I need to be better".   Just recently I heard lame excuses from Tuch, Cozens, and now Dahlin.   They don't even know they are doing it, these guys have been infected by the bad culture.   

Heard all three of them and Thompson say “I (or We) need to be better.” It has become a reflex response with no meaning. It is offered thoughtlessly.

The Sabres should ban reporters from the locker room for the remainder of the season. No more postgame interviews. They are embarrassing themselves. Leave reporters home on remaining road trips. If there is some contractual obligation with MSG or the NHL, refuse and pay the fines. Use the time to do some individual and collective soul searching with guidance from a professional interventionist. Adams should have done this months ago.

Edited March 28 by Believer

[Indabuff]

24 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

This captures exactly why it's coaching and not the players.

New profile pic?  Is that the black hole this fan base cannot escape from?

[Drag0nDan]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Was this before the first period started?   If so then it really says a lot about the coaches getting these guys ready and about the team leadership, or lack of.   

Especially when Cozens talks to the press about winning over the fans.  I hated to hear him talk about their side and the fans side.   It should never get to that.  

Before the first period.  Me and my 3 buddies were yelling and cheering and they came out and just side eyed us.  Dahlin gave me a nod at least?  Like I get wanting to have some level of focus but it felt like there was nobody who remotely cared. 

[Mr Peabody]

49 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

This captures exactly why it's coaching and not the players.

We also don’t have a MacKinnon

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, #freejame said:

This might be the longest GDT of 2024 

Because it's awesome. It really is. This is the only fun we're allowed to have. Any presser after the season to announce DG's geschphinctoing will be our STANley Cup parade.

[...]

As much as Meatballs has exceeded his stay as coach, Adams is to blame for this (as a proxy for Pegula, ultimately). Adams should be on the block with Meatballs IMHO.