GDT Buffalo Sabres @ Florida Panthers Sat. 4/13 5pm ESPN+ MSG & WGR Radio

[Thorner]

23 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Whispers he has better second year fancy stats than Dahlin did 

First Krueger year, right? 

Though I guess we’re in the 4th Donny year so whatever 

[DarthEbriate]

7 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Ok what does Dahlin’s Rookie Year have to do with My comparison of their second years? 

My bad. I misread that.

But Dahlin's sophomore season was HCRK trying to lose each game 1-0. And a worse roster, as well.

[Thorner]

7 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

He'll never even call Reinharts agent

Nah Reinhart called Adams to say thank you which was thoroughly detailed in that beyond blue and gold so we’re good 

[PerreaultForever]

3 minutes ago, SwampD said:

I’m not sure Quinn looks good. I mean, he looks,… okay.

Scored one, cost us one. It's a wash. Same in a few of the other games since he's returned actually. He can score, and he might become really good in the bumper PP position but he has much to improve on still. Next year will tell the true tale (assuming he's healthy). 

[Stoner]

Lance is lovin' 'em today. Terry approves.

[ExWNYer]

15 minutes ago, Stads said:

Was there talk of execution if they didn't at least get the loser point?

 

[Slack_in_MA]

This team makes me sad. Over and over and over again.

[Pimlach]

11 hours ago, SwampD said:

He had an absolutely terrible game.

He better wake the ***** up next year.

That game was a case of Florida doing just enough to win. They were never going to lose that game.

SELL. THE. TEAM!!!!

Sure looked like Florida coasted to victory. 
 

I think Adams better see and realize that Cozens is playing like an average 3C.   He better find a center to help this team get better next season.   There is a big hole to fill.  

Edited April 14 by Pimlach

[DarthEbriate]

10 minutes ago, #freejame said:

The Sabres goofed from the very beginning. We should have sold our parts before and during the shortened lockout season. Many around here said it then. We could have done a real rebuild without a tank had we not went 8-4 the last month of 2014. 

I can't ever really fault the players for winning.

[Stoner]

That was a John McKay original.

[#freejame]

Just now, DarthEbriate said:

I can't ever really fault the players for winning.

You can fault Darcy for pushing for it when the writing was on the walls. He was never making it through a rebuild. He did what was in his best interest, not in the best interest in the team. 

I agree with your sentiment, though. 

[DarthEbriate]

1 minute ago, Pimlach said:

Sure looked like Florida coasted to victory. 
 

I think Adams better see and realize that Cozens is playing like an average 3C.   He better find a center to help this team tget better next season.   There is a big hole to fill.  

Cozens had something with Quinn and JJP when the top line was on fire and drawing every opponent's attention.

But if Cozens needs Quinn that badly, in addition to an incredibly hot TNT line ahead of him, then he's not ever going to live up to that contract.

Benson-Cozens-Quinn should be given a chance next season, though (barring a top-6 forward pickup. But, I don't see that UFA/trade happening).

[Scottysabres]

4 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Sure looked like Florida coasted to victory. 
 

I think Adams better see and realize that Cozens is playing like an average 3C.   He better find a center to help this team tget better next season.   There is a big hole to fill.  

Cozens is a very big concern given the contract Adams gave him. 7 mil aav for an average 3rd liner, yikes.

[thewookie1]

The season was well summed up in this game to be honest.

Back and Forth with the other team looking dominate at times but the Sabres did counter-punch effectively.

Killed off a questionable 5min PK

Score 1 PP goal

Gave up a SHG

Power made a clutch save twice behind UPL

We had a puck 2/3rds over the line only for a Panther to use his hands to pull it out last second

Kill off another PK

Have a failed PP attempt

Screwy OT

Florida scores due to their best center stripping our 2C and passing it to our former player who's fresher than everyone else who easily skates through the Sabres and scores. 

[bunomatic]

13 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

Cozens is a very big concern given the contract Adams gave him. 7 mil aav for an average 3rd liner, yikes.

It seems everyone in this organization is in over their heads. From the top down.

[FrenchConnection44]

Is anyone else just completely fed up with Granato and his press conferences?
 

Along with his coaching, to say the least?
 

Edited April 14 by FrenchConnection44

[mjd1001]

38 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Sure looked like Florida coasted to victory. 
 

I think Adams better see and realize that Cozens is playing like an average 3C.   He better find a center to help this team tget better next season.   There is a big hole to fill.  

I was all over Cozens earlier in the year. I think as much as many complained about him, I can't imagine anyone doing more complaining than me (not just the scoring, but his 200 foot game).  A couple months ago, I thought he turned the corner, the scoring 'kinda' came back, and his overall game got better too. But now the last 2-3 weeks, I feel he has regressed almost all the way back to earlier in the year.  

I get he is only 23 years old. He had the talent to score over 30 goals as a 22 year old, so he could/might be a guy that blossoms into a 40 goals scorer when he is 25 or 26. I get that, but right now I think he hurts this team more than he helps.  I posted this elsewhere the other day, but since the Sabres beat Vegas 7-2, THAT moment was the moment they were on a roll, had the best chance of getting back into the playoff race.  The next few weeks were the make-or-break stretch for this team, who would step up and play well? Since that game, Cozens has 1 regular goal in 20 games (2 counting the empty netter the other night) only 4 assists in those 20 games, is a negative player too.  I don't think you could come up with a worse stretch of play from a top 9 forward on your team in a crucial stretch.

(for comparison sake, Thompson has played in 19 of those 20 games, has 11 goals, 21 points and is a plus 10)

So yeah, I'm legit worried about Cozens again.  I'm not going to be shocked if he gets back on track because he still is young, but he's not a good player right now.  First thing I do next year if I was coaching is move him off center and get him on the wing. I know you need Centers, but right now, he's not a good one.

Edited April 14 by mjd1001

[GASabresIUFAN]

9 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

I was all over Cozens earlier in the year. I think as much as many complained about him, I can't imagine anyone doing more complaining than me (not just the scoring, but his 200 foot game).  A couple months ago, I thought he turned the corner, the scoring 'kinda' came back, and his overall game got better too. But now the last 2-3 weeks, I feel he has regressed almost all the way back to earlier in the year.  

I get he is only 23 years old. He had the talent to score over 30 goals as a 22 year old, so he could/might be a guy that blossoms into a 40 goals scorer when he is 25 or 26. I get that, but right now I think he hurts this team more than he helps.  I posted this elsewhere the other day, but since the Sabres beat Vegas 7-2, THAT moment was the moment they were on a roll, had the best chance of getting back into the playoff race.  The next few weeks were the make-or-break stretch for this team, who would step up and play well? Since that game, Cozens has 1 regular goal in 20 games (2 counting the empty netter the other night) only 4 assists in those 20 games, is a negative player too.  I don't think you could come up with a worse stretch of play from a top 9 forward on your team in a crucial stretch.

(for comparison sake, Thompson has played in 19 of those 20 games, has 11 goals, 21 points and is a plus 10)

So yeah, I'm legit worried about Cozens again.  I'm not going to be shocked if he gets back on track because he still is young, but he's not a good player right now.  First thing I do next year if I was coaching is move him off center and get him on the wing. I know you need Centers, but right now, he's not a good one.

They should have signed Mitts and traded Cozens.  Maybe Cozens has better upside, but he certainly doesn't seem to have a decent hockeyIQ

[Stoner]

Is it fair to say Cozens has not been the same since suffering the concussion?

[Thorner]

15 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

They should have signed Mitts and traded Cozens.  Maybe Cozens has better upside, but he certainly doesn't seem to have a decent hockeyIQ

Even in Junior he was seen as a more staight-forward type player. Perhaps that pointed to a lack of IQ awareness / playmaking. He has his stretches where he excels in that area but his raw physical traits have always been his best asset 

[mjd1001]

43 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Is it fair to say Cozens has not been the same since suffering the concussion?

You may have a point, a concussion could do that to you and sometimes it takes a while to come back, like a lot of rest.  On the other hand, he wasn't exactly lighting it up on the stat sheet to that point. Through 11 games up to then, he had 3 goals and 7 points...in terms of production a step down from the year before and only a tiny bit better of a rate as he did after the concussion.

Maybe an offseason of rest will help.  I still would like to see him being a winger next year though.

[Doohicksie]

5 hours ago, Doohickie said:

I put down 8 bags of mulch before the game.  I got 9 more to do.  I guess I better get back to it.

17 bags of mulch and mowed the back lawn.  Whew!

The mulch came after several hours of weeding and pruning the roses and salvia.

Edited April 14 by Doohickie

[PromoTheRobot]

Just finished watching. I thought they were going to get run out of the building in the 1st period. But they stiffened up. But Cozens continues to disappoint, coughing up the puck in OT for the FLA win.

If not for UPL they lose 9-2

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

Is it fair to say Cozens has not been the same since suffering the concussion?

No, because he wasn't that good before it either. He hasn't been good all year. 

imo he does not see the entire ice surface well, he does not pass particularly well or at the right time, and most of all he is physically weak. You see Kulikov knock him off the puck tonight and onto his butt? He's weak. Many times he wants to play an in tight game, and he has the puck skills to do it, but he does not have the strength for it. 

I thought he'd grow more and have more muscle by now but he hasn't. He's lanky and it seems like that is how he will stay. 

[Brawndo]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Wasn't Dahlin’s second year Barf Kruger? 

 

2 hours ago, Thorny said:

First Krueger year, right? 

Though I guess we’re in the 4th Donny year so whatever 

Not a shot against Dahlin. 
 

There is a narrative on the board at times that Power isn’t good

His analytics do not support this narrative.