Team make up

[oddoublee]

If I knew going in this team would be an 80 point, .500 stagnating club...give me the gritty bruisers. At least then I have a chance to like the effort behind the losing. 

This teams currently makeup is simply immature and hard to get behind.

[Pimlach]

On 3/31/2024 at 12:46 AM, SABRES 0311 said:

I didn’t select either option because neither will get the job done. We are so focused on ending the drought but we also don’t want 10 years of getting knocked out in the first round. 

A properly constructed team IMO would include:

Peterka TBD TBD

Benson Thompson Quinn

Greenway Cozens Tuch

TBD Krebs TBD

Dahlin TBD

TBD Byram

Clifton R. Johnson

UPL

Levi

6 players away, including a 1C, a 1RW, a 2D and a 3D?  

Wow, yet you are sticking with Krebs and you are convinced that JJP is a top 3 forward?   Looks like we are 4 years away.  

[Carmel Corn]

The OP gave us two options, so I chose the gritty team vs. current one.  No doubt most everybody wants a combination of both, but that is not a survey option.

What I think the results indicate is how poorly ownership & management understand what the Buffalo fans want (or don't want).  Give us a tough, hard working team that puts in an effort every night and we'll still like our team (even when they lose).  Give us a bunch of lazy, wimpy players...we can care less, especially when they lose.

Edited April 1 by Carmel Corn

[SABRES 0311]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

6 players away, including a 1C, a 1RW, a 2D and a 3D?  

Wow, yet you are sticking with Krebs and you are convinced that JJP is a top 3 forward?   Looks like we are 4 years away.  

I am actually worried we are four years away.

[#freejame]

44 minutes ago, SABRES 0311 said:

I am actually worried we are four years away.

No team in the league is four years away from the playoffs. That’s so much time with so many assets. Any team that takes that long is either choosing to or is mismanaged. 

[SABRES 0311]

40 minutes ago, #freejame said:

No team in the league is four years away from the playoffs. That’s so much time with so many assets. Any team that takes that long is either choosing to or is mismanaged. 

We’re talking about a team who is about to go 13 straight years missing the playoffs and took a nice step back from last year. Fair to say the drought continuing is a real possibility.

[Scottysabres]

Some players have definitely taken a step back. Those players are expected to be impact players. This roster, as constructed now, will continue to struggle unless they find consistency in their play. That is on top of this threads alleged intention, skill vs grit? I'm guessing.

Case in point, Dylan Cozens. He wasn't signed to that 7 mil long term contract to be a 3rd line player. Yet, on almost any playoff contention team, his play would warrant such a title/roster position. And not to single Cozens out, another lack luster season inconsistent player is our supposed sniper, Mr. 1000'th game himself, Jeff Skinner. 9 mil a season and his disappearing act throughout the season is on display.

Yes there's more to this rosters woes than just scoring, but the stats tell the story for sure. No 30 goal scorers, only 4 over 20. You won't get far with that production.

[Night Train]

Grit and leadership. It lacks..

Go back a couple weeks. Sabres 3 points behind their opponent that night, Detroit. Lead after the first and can close the gap to 1. Then they get run over the next 2 periods. 

Since then, obvious struggles. A win here and there surrounded by a lot of bad games. Long stretches of floating and quitting. 

Find some players (several) that show up with an edge. Then find some coaching that works on some fundamentals. Puck handling, faceoffs, positioning. Quit playing to the outside and send players to the middle to battle. D-men need to clear out traffic in front of the goalie.

Opponents must see this team as soft. Running "it" back is not an option. 

[French Collection]

29 minutes ago, Night Train said:

Grit and leadership. It lacks..

Go back a couple weeks. Sabres 3 points behind their opponent that night, Detroit. Lead after the first and can close the gap to 1. Then they get run over the next 2 periods. 

Since then, obvious struggles. A win here and there surrounded by a lot of bad games. Long stretches of floating and quitting. 

Find some players (several) that show up with an edge. Then find some coaching that works on some fundamentals. Puck handling, faceoffs, positioning. Quit playing to the outside and send players to the middle to battle. D-men need to clear out traffic in front of the goalie.

Opponents must see this team as soft. Running "it" back is not an option. 

This captures the majority of their season.