How Is Everyone Doing?

[JustOneParade]

1 hour ago, Night Train said:

I'm not even blinking for another month.

A far better team beat the Sabres, who are in a major transition. I will watch. 

I will as well @Night Train. And will continue to do so regardless. Fandom is like some sort of strange addiction. It was a tough weekend for fans of Buffalo sports, that’s for sure.

[HOUSE]

I expected to lose both games, the Sabres do this to make us feel comfortable.  WE ARE 😬

.

Edited October 8 by Shoot da Puck

[ska-T Palmtown]

I think of it this way, from another sport to help detach a little emotion from the situation (while begrudgingly acknowledging that for fans, sports is almost pure emotion) - If a "playoff hopeful" team in football were to play a team favored to make a deep playoff run in week one and get handled fairly easily - the playoff hopeful football team would not be that down. As I said in another thread and others have mentioned - this is not last year's NJ team - this is far far far closer to the 112 point team from 2 years ago ... with better tendies.

It sucks we lost, but it does not really matter for our playoff hopes other than the lost 4 points.

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, French Collection said:

I didn’t like that two former Devils dropped the pucks on both days.

So I'd say did they ask Hasek and he said no thanks? 

[Thorner]

Hockey isn’t really about who you play, it’s when you play them. The top teams lose all the time, so I don’t really buy that excuse at all.

I do however buy the idea you can’t predict the overall acumen of the team based on 2 games, therefore agree that as far as playoffs goes, the only thing that matters here is the 4 lost points 

[zow2]

It never occurred to me that the Sabres would lose both games to NJ in regulation. I figured at worse a split.  I am shock and awed. And watching Florida tonight i realize we are a million miles from being a playoff team. Brutal.

[Indabuff]

Personally it's whatever for me at this point.  I've been fortunate to see this team at a lot of peaks.  What pisses me off is that my son has no interest in the Sabres.  Their decade plus of ineptitude has probably severely damaged a new fan base generation.

[Porous Five Hole]

12 minutes ago, Indabuff said:

Personally it's whatever for me at this point.  I've been fortunate to see this team at a lot of peaks.  What pisses me off is that my son has no interest in the Sabres.  Their decade plus of ineptitude has probably severely damaged a new fan base generation.

Yea I get that.
My only thought/response is that fans are scarred given 13 years.  But that’s not on the 24-25 team. It’s early. Let’s see how Thursday goes.  
I truly believe Lindy will make a difference here over the first 20-25 games.  And if I’m wrong, this team is screwed and everyone is losing their jobs.  
I’m not ready to consider THAT damage until I have to.  Let’s see what happens over the next week.   

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, zow2 said:

It never occurred to me that the Sabres would lose both games to NJ in regulation. I figured at worse a split.  I am shock and awed. And watching Florida tonight i realize we are a million miles from being a playoff team. Brutal.

Well, this is pretty much the same Devils team (plus Pesce and the 2nd Hughes and Markstrom) that finished with 112 points 2 years ago.  And Florida is the defending Champion.

They're not a SC contender right now.  But can they beat out 6 of Tampa, Detroit, Ottawa, Washington, Filly, Pittsburgh, and the Aisles?  Can they?  Yes.  Will they?  Remains to be seen but if they get their heads out of their bippies at home and wake the #### up when on the power play they have a legit chance to do so.

[Pimlach]

 

[Stoner]

And I feel fine.

[bob_sauve28]

19 minutes ago, Stoner said:

And I feel fine.

 

[JohnC]

15 hours ago, Taro T said:

Well, this is pretty much the same Devils team (plus Pesce and the 2nd Hughes and Markstrom) that finished with 112 points 2 years ago.  And Florida is the defending Champion.

They're not a SC contender right now.  But can they beat out 6 of Tampa, Detroit, Ottawa, Washington, Filly, Pittsburgh, and the Aisles?  Can they?  Yes.  Will they?  Remains to be seen but if they get their heads out of their bippies at home and wake the #### up when on the power play they have a legit chance to do so.

Pesce and Markstrom were two excellent pickups for this team. Their GM outplayed our GM this offseason. We had room to bring in an impact player for our second line that would have also had the effect of improving our third line. Our GM didn't act with urgency while another organization's GM did. I can see New Jersey being an under the radar SC contender.  

[Pimlach]

18 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Pesce and Markstrom were two excellent pickups for this team. Their GM outplayed our GM this offseason. We had room to bring in an impact player for our second line that would have also had the effect of improving our third line. Our GM didn't act with urgency while another organization's GM did. I can see New Jersey being an under the radar SC contender.  

Well yes, he moved out on Skinner and still had cap room to improve that position.   He didn't do it unless Kulich can score 35 goal this year.  

Kulich + Zucker + McLeod still might not get us 35.  

[DarthEbriate]

45 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Pesce and Markstrom were two excellent pickups for this team. Their GM outplayed our GM this offseason. We had room to bring in an impact player for our second line that would have also had the effect of improving our third line. Our GM didn't act with urgency while another organization's GM did. I can see New Jersey being an under the radar SC contender.  

GM Sheevyn would say he didn't need to get a top-4 defensive stalwart like Pesce this offseason because he'd already gotten Byram at the trade deadline. Top 4 complete!

But in 2023 offseason, the Devils lost Graves and Severson, then had Hamilton get injured and their goaltending fall apart. Pesce resolidifies the D-corps (with Nemec/Hughes a year older, etc.). And Markstrom is a good add. Established and fairly consistent except one poor year with Calgary.

[mjd1001]

A lot of talk about the PP..and yes deserved.

Just interesting who are the 2 most productive goal scorers on the Power play the last few years?  Well, if you look at last year....or the last 2 years combined, or the last 3 years combined, the last 4 years combined, even the last 5 years combined, it the same 2 players who lead the league in PP goals over those time periods:

McDavid? Nope. Matthews? No.  Pastrnak? No

-Leon Draisaitl and Sam Reinhart

One guy the Sabres had, and the other the guy the Sabres COULD have drafted (instead)

Edited October 9 by mjd1001

[JohnC]

5 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Well yes, he moved out on Skinner and still had cap room to improve that position.   He didn't do it unless Kulich can score 35 goal this year.  

Kulich + Zucker + McLeod still might not get us 35.  

I don't care if Kulich scores 30+ goals. If the GM would have added a second line winger to the roster, this team would be a deeper team with more line flexibility. The GM has this cruising along approach to his job and is resistant to making consequential moves. As you point out, with the dispatching of Skinner, the organization had the wherewithal $$$ to improve this team and excite the fanbase. There is little creativity and an unwillingness to demonstrate a degree of urgency from the front office. This is a dull franchise being run by mediocre people. 

[PerreaultForever]

4 hours ago, JohnC said:

I don't care if Kulich scores 30+ goals. If the GM would have added a second line winger to the roster, this team would be a deeper team with more line flexibility. The GM has this cruising along approach to his job and is resistant to making consequential moves. As you point out, with the dispatching of Skinner, the organization had the wherewithal $$$ to improve this team and excite the fanbase. There is little creativity and an unwillingness to demonstrate a degree of urgency from the front office. This is a dull franchise being run by mediocre people. 

One explanation (which no one will want to accept or believe) would be that very few players want to come here and so they can only attract marginal free agents with big overpays (like 5 million to Zucker) and thus they have no alternative but to run with prospects and drafted players of their own. They have created this mess with their ineptitude but getting out of it is likely getting harder and harder to do. 

[JohnC]

6 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

One explanation (which no one will want to accept or believe) would be that very few players want to come here and so they can only attract marginal free agents with big overpays (like 5 million to Zucker) and thus they have no alternative but to run with prospects and drafted players of their own. They have created this mess with their ineptitude but getting out of it is likely getting harder and harder to do. 

You make a good point but I don't fully buy your argument that there aren't players to be acquired through trades or free agency that could improve the roster. No question that the pool of players willing to come here is shallower than for other teams. No one is demanding a major roster overhaul here from transactions. What is expected is that a couple to few consequential moves be made when there was cap room to do it. The bottom line is that the Sabres have become an outlier franchise because of their historical ineptitude. (As you point out.) 

[Jorcus]

17 hours ago, JohnC said:

Pesce and Markstrom were two excellent pickups for this team. Their GM outplayed our GM this offseason. We had room to bring in an impact player for our second line that would have also had the effect of improving our third line. Our GM didn't act with urgency while another organization's GM did. I can see New Jersey being an under the radar SC contender.  

New Jersey is far from being an under the radar contender for the cup. In betting pools they are just behind the Oilers and Panthers in wagering, tied with the Avalanche and the Stars on Fan duel. On some sites they are tied for second with the Panthers. They are a very good team. 

Edited October 10 by Jorcus

[Thorner]

20 hours ago, JohnC said:

Pesce and Markstrom were two excellent pickups for this team. Their GM outplayed our GM this offseason. We had room to bring in an impact player for our second line that would have also had the effect of improving our third line. Our GM didn't act with urgency while another organization's GM did. I can see New Jersey being an under the radar SC contender.  

The fact a team with a way better setup acted with more urgency than us in the offseason is the rub

Edited October 10 by Thorner

[JohnC]

51 minutes ago, Thorner said:

The fact a team with a way better setup acted with more urgency than us in the offseason is the rub

It's a disgrace that a franchise that has been stuck in the muck of mediocrity for nearly a generation can't come up with the resolve to get better and become a serious franchise. This owner who presides at the head of this middling franchise has become too comfortable with this embarrassing inconsequential status. Where is the pride? 

 

[PerreaultForever]

7 hours ago, JohnC said:

You make a good point but I don't fully buy your argument that there aren't players to be acquired through trades or free agency that could improve the roster. No question that the pool of players willing to come here is shallower than for other teams. No one is demanding a major roster overhaul here from transactions. What is expected is that a couple to few consequential moves be made when there was cap room to do it. The bottom line is that the Sabres have become an outlier franchise because of their historical ineptitude. (As you point out.) 

I'm not disagreeing with you, and I've been pretty consistent on spending to the cap and using some prospects/picks at this stage as assets to be traded for veteran on the roster players. I'm just suggesting Adams might be trying to do a lot more than we think but is failing not for trying but for no move clauses and similar related things. 

3 hours ago, Thorner said:

The fact a team with a way better setup acted with more urgency than us in the offseason is the rub

You need to stop rubbing. 

[ska-T Palmtown]

18 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

I'm not disagreeing with you, and I've been pretty consistent on spending to the cap and using some prospects/picks at this stage as assets to be traded for veteran on the roster players. I'm just suggesting Adams might be trying to do a lot more than we think but is failing not for trying but for no move clauses and similar related things. 

You need to stop rubbing. 

For the sake of conversation (slow day at work) - any thoughts on GMKA hesitating to make trades out of fear of not being able to resign players? I have no real reason to suspect this. Just looking at his cautious approach to things and thinking maybe he thinks "gosh if I give up Rosen, then can't resign the guy I get back, that would be bad". Obviously NOT defending it, if that is the case - but curious for opinions.

[PerreaultForever]

8 hours ago, ska-T Chitown said:

For the sake of conversation (slow day at work) - any thoughts on GMKA hesitating to make trades out of fear of not being able to resign players? I have no real reason to suspect this. Just looking at his cautious approach to things and thinking maybe he thinks "gosh if I give up Rosen, then can't resign the guy I get back, that would be bad". Obviously NOT defending it, if that is the case - but curious for opinions.

Self fulfilling prophecy then if that's the case. You either want to win or you don't. Every year you really should be trying to make your team the best team possible and not really worrying too much about contracts down the line and too much future planning. If you don't start winning you don't create an environment players will want to come to. 

Now nobody says trade away all your picks and prospects, but leaving holes and thinking about next year and the next year just leads to more losing.