GDT / Maple Leafs @ Buffalo Sabres Saturday March 30th, 7pm / MSG ESPN+ & WGR Radio

[Ross Rhea]

10 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

If Granato is back next year, I'm wont be. Idc if he's lost the room or not because he's lost the fans. Deservedly so. 

Yup, Dons home record since taking over is 52-57-11, that inferior of a home product is just flat unaccaptable and fans have every right to revolt and be pissed. There is no good reason not to fire Granato after this year. Just 5 more points at home last year and again this year would have been playoffs each year, Don has to go. Had enough of mediocre incompetance coaching being accptable from Pegula for both Sabres and Bills. 

[Buffalonill]

11 hours ago, Thorny said:

Here’s one good quote 

 

Counting the days till his cancun trip with the boys

[Pimlach]

The slow starts in the first period (-90 goal diff), the poor home record, the lack of a power play … all reasons to be concerned about Granato.  The team failed to improve or even to equal last years effort   

Add, “ I’ll teach defense next year, you teach offense first because it takes mores skill”.   I knew this was lunacy from the first time he said it.   Fraud.  

Finally, Don’s sensitivity about getting booed and the “fire Donny “ chants.  Donny and his captain taught the boys the wrong stuff on this one, further poisoning the culture.  

In Boston, the fans booed and their coach said “ the fans are right and they are smart”.  In Buffalo, Donny warns us that “some of these guys just signed long term contracts”.    I will never get past that.  
 

I will say it again.  Nice guy, and he did his best, and helped some players get their careers going.   He has no more to offer and this team will not advance with him and his staff at the helm.  

[Wyldnwoody44]

That was a bad game for all intents and purposes.

We made the leafs look like defensive stalwarts. 

The PP WENT 0 FOR FREAKING 6 

How?!? 

Matt Ellis is how

[JohninMinn.]

Next year will show that a new coach will probably get the same results. This team is composed of very talented overpaid pansies. We are doomed for the foreseeable future.

[WhenWillItEnd66]

What I don't get is if we are so young, Why is this team so freaking slow?? We are outskated to pucks every game.  

[CallawaySabres]

Last night is why scoreboard watching will never matter, Buffalo is totally incapable of taking advantage.

[Pimlach]

36 minutes ago, JohninMinn. said:

Next year will show that a new coach will probably get the same results. This team is composed of very talented overpaid pansies. We are doomed for the foreseeable future.

The new coach will get the same results because Pegula will go with Matt Ellis or Seth Appert or other coaches of that ilk.  Or he will try to lure Peca, which will ultimately derail his promising career.  
 

He will never even talk to Gallant or Berube.  Gallant and Berube will see through him immediately and probably shy away without a guarantee on roster construction.  

[SABRES 0311]

5 hours ago, SwampD said:

He is 21. He absolutely is a child. It’ll be at least three years, minimum, before he will only start to be what he will become. 

It can be coached into him. Again, he is 21.

I’m way more worried about resting the fate of our team on our ”#1 center” who still tries to stick handle through 4 players at 26 rather than just make a pass to an open guy. Tage can be brutal to watch.

 

If I’m wrong then I’m wrong and everyone wins in the end. 21 is not a child though. It’s old enough to be held accountable for actions to reinforce what right looks like. 

He’ll get more experience but I don’t see the top four defenseman everyone thinks he has inside him. 

[SABRES 0311]

5 hours ago, Pimlach said:

This is his second full season, do not count the year he left the ncaa to play 9 games.  

We get it, you don’t like him.  He is frustrating at times.  But he is 21 and playing a position that takes time and patience.  
 

You obviously cannot tell the difference from top 4 and 5/6/7.   So you don’t see his puck handling and passing skills?   Seriously, the entire NHL Scouting community had him at the top tier of the draft and you see him as a 3rd pair.   If he was a 3rd pair talent at 21 he would still be in Rochester.   

Trade him now, at the first year of his new contract, and you will get the absolute minimum in return,  trading him now is devaluating him.   Other GMs will line up and fleece the Sabres, it would be similar to the ROR trade.   

It’s not about liking him. This is isn’t elementary school. What puck moving does he do? One no look pass highlight last year isn’t puck moving. 

Scouts have definitely been wrong before. At this point I’d rather get a guy who is a couple years older. Use that first overall status to land a guy that is a legitimate 3 or 4 and responsible. 
 

We have Dahlin and Byram. We don’t need Power. We need someone who is an asset now, not in three years maybe.

[Pimlach]

5 minutes ago, SABRES 0311 said:

It’s not about liking him. This is isn’t elementary school. What puck moving does he do? One no look pass highlight last year isn’t puck moving. 

Scouts have definitely been wrong before. At this point I’d rather get a guy who is a couple years older. Use that first overall status to land a guy that is a legitimate 3 or 4 and responsible. 
 

We have Dahlin and Byram. We don’t need Power. We need someone who is an asset now, not in three years maybe.

I am a big advocate for acquiring a vet, a stay at home physical defenseman to pair with Power.  I wanted that last year, and I still want it.  

I don't see the cap room for highly paid Dahlin, highly paid Power, and maybe soon to be highly paid Byram, plus the TBD veteran top 4 guy, plus Muel.  

If Power is traded to keep Byram then so be it.  I don't understand that Byram trade anyway, especially given the $$$ already invested in the defense.  

Power will end up being very good for a long time somewhere else then - just like countless others.  

[SABRES 0311]

2 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I am a big advocate for acquiring a vet, a stay at home physical defenseman to pair with Power.  I wanted that last year, and I still want it.  

I don't see the cap room for highly paid Dahlin, highly paid Power, and maybe soon to be highly paid Byram, plus the TBD veteran top 4 guy, plus Muel.  

If Power is traded to keep Byram then so be it.  I don't understand that Byram trade anyway, especially given the $$$ already invested in the defense.  

Power will end up being very good for a long time somewhere else then - just like countless others.  

Can’t keep everyone. It comes down to who is the right player. Byram or Power? IMO Byram is further along in his development and more well rounded.

[Carmel Corn]

5 hours ago, WhenWillItEnd66 said:

What I don't get is if we are so young, Why is this team so freaking slow?? We are outskated to pucks every game.  

I don't know if they're physically slow, but IMHO they hesitate.  They are too timid to attach pucks aggressively.  If they played with reckless abandon, then they would get to more pucks.

[Believer]

5 hours ago, SABRES 0311 said:

Can’t keep everyone. It comes down to who is the right player. Byram or Power?

Don’t omit Samuelson from the trade conversation. He appears to be injury prone.

Dahlin will be here, but think he needs to believe he will experience the playoffs next year and be in the annual Norris conversation while playing in Buffalo. Otherwise, he could acquire an Eicheltude simply based on the sheer losing he has experienced after five years here. His no trade clause doesn’t kick in until the ‘25-‘26 season. If he requested a trade, believe Adams would oblige reluctantly.

[Pimlach]

7 hours ago, SABRES 0311 said:

Can’t keep everyone. It comes down to who is the right player. Byram or Power? IMO Byram is further along in his development and more well rounded.

I have not seen enough hockey from Byram to say that.  He is one year older, had a slower break in to the NHL on a much better championship team and under much better circumstances.  

He had an impressive first week or two.  Right now he looks like the others.  

[RETURNTOGLORY]

13 hours ago, Pimlach said:

The new coach will get the same results because Pegula will go with Matt Ellis or Seth Appert or other coaches of that ilk.  Or he will try to lure Peca, which will ultimately derail his promising career.  
 

He will never even talk to Gallant or Berube.  Gallant and Berube will see through him immediately and probably shy away without a guarantee on roster construction.  

We need to go with a new coach with NO TIES to the Sabres. Thst way he can bring in his own staff. 

[Doohicksie]

On 3/31/2024 at 1:58 PM, SABRES 0311 said:

We have Dahlin and Byram. We don’t need Power. We need someone who is an asset now, not in three years maybe.

Are you so convinced Byram is better than Power?  More dynamic, yes, but better?  After the first 2 or three games Byram has settled into Meh.

[LGR4GM]

On 4/1/2024 at 12:17 AM, RETURNTOGLORY said:

We need to go with a new coach with NO TIES to the Sabres. Thst way he can bring in his own staff. 

PREEEEEAACH! 

[RETURNTOGLORY]

4 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

PREEEEEAACH! 

WORD!

[SABRES 0311]

5 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Are you so convinced Byram is better than Power?  More dynamic, yes, but better?  After the first 2 or three games Byram has settled into Meh.

I am convinced we need a responsible second pair guy with experience. I believe either Power or Byram could get us that guy. The reason I favor Byram over Power is because I see a tenacity in Byram that I do not see in Power. I think Byram plays with more structure too. The structure piece is not completely on Power though. Dahlin was hampered under RAKRU and DG allows Dahlin to play his game which is why he has been more of an asset under DG IMO. Power, I think gets the same freedom, but I think he needs the coaching staff to impart structure. Essentially, between Dahlin and Power the pendulum went too far in opposite directions. One needed less structure and the other actually needs it. 

I do understand how I am in the minority on this subject. Different perspectives on the same players is cool. It's just when I see Byram play I feel he is more well-rounded right now than Power.  

[SABRES 0311]

On 3/31/2024 at 5:46 PM, Believer said:

Don’t omit Samuelson from the trade conversation. He appears to be injury prone.

Dahlin will be here, but think he needs to believe he will experience the playoffs next year and be in the annual Norris conversation while playing in Buffalo. Otherwise, he could acquire an Eicheltude simply based on the sheer losing he has experienced after five years here. His no trade clause doesn’t kick in until the ‘25-‘26 season. If he requested a trade, believe Adams would oblige reluctantly.

I have thought about Muel. I don't know what his market value is when taking into consideration contract and injuries. I think Dahlin is fine where he is at now, but you can't expect a guy to suffer forever. He doesn't seem to have Eichel's attitude but in any job you gotta take into account your worth and goals.