Why are the Sabres struggling? - Most of their highest paid players aren’t producing!

[GASabresIUFAN]

Dahlin - $11,000,000 - 0g - 1a 

Power - $8,350,000 - 1g - 0a 

Thompson - $7,142,857 - 3g - 0a

Cozens - $7,100,000 - 0g - 0a   -5

Zucker - $5,000,000 - 0g - 3a

Tuch - $4,750,000 - 2g -4a

UPL - $4,750,000 - 0-2-1, 3.69 gaa & .874 save %

Samuelsson - $4,285,714 - 1g - 0a -2

Besides Tuch and to a lesser extent Zucker, which of our highest paid players are actually playing to their contract level?  Sure Tage has 3g, but the 0 assists?  He is supposed to be a 1pt a game plus player, not a 48 pt player.  The rest have been not garbage this season.  UPL is back to where he was two years ago and has been outplayed by Levi by a wide margin (as predicted).  The 3 big D have basically not helped at either end of the ice, although Power has been ok defensively. 

Until most if not all of these guys start playing to their alleged potential, this team is stuck in neutral. 

[mjd1001]

15 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Dahlin - $11,000,000 - 0g - 1a 

Power - $8,350,000 - 1g - 0a 

Thompson - $7,142,857 - 3g - 0a

Cozens - $7,100,000 - 0g - 0a   -5

Zucker - $5,000,000 - 0g - 3a

Tuch - $4,750,000 - 2g -4a

UPL - $4,750,000 - 0-2-1, 3.69 gaa & .874 save %

Samuelsson - $4,285,714 - 1g - 0a -2

Besides Tuch and to a lesser extent Zucker, which of our highest paid players are actually playing to their contract level?  Sure Tage has 3g, but the 0 assists?  He is supposed to be a 1pt a game plus player, not a 48 pt player.  The rest have been not garbage this season.  UPL is back to where he was two years ago and has been outplayed by Levi by a wide margin (as predicted).  The 3 big D have basically not helped at either end of the ice, although Power has been ok defensively. 

Until most if not all of these guys start playing to their alleged potential, this team is stuck in neutral. 

Dahlin something is up with. He is playing all the minutes, but just looks 'decent' out there. You are paying and expecting borderline elite.

Power, no big deal to me. I always view him as a 10 goal, 40-50 point guy who has a balanced game. Other than one terrible pass, I think he has played 'good enough'

Thompson, he is showing signs of being the best player on the team, controlling the puck.  Again, no assists but he is putting the puck in the net. I'm paying him $7m, not $10m. Lets see the next few games.  I don't think i 'need' him to be a 1pt per game player. I can take 60 points if 40 of those are goals.

Cozens. Awful. Awful with the puck , Awful without the puck.  Yeah, just...whatever.

Tuch. Hes fine. 

UPL, I'd like better numbers and I want him to steal a game for me, but he hasn't played 'awful'. Very few of the goals he allowed I said to myself "thats totally on him" or "I need him to make THAT save".  same with Tuch, not upset, but lets see where it goes over the next couple weeks.

Samuelsson. He has made 2 really bad plays, but other than that,I like his game. Hes not going to produce much, but he has been solid in his own end...overall...to me.

To me this slow start is on Cozens, Dahlin, and Quinn. Those are the 3 guys that are either hurting you, or not helping you, enough.

Edited October 17 by mjd1001

[Pimlach]

Lots of $$$ tied up in that crew, add in Skinners cap hit, and we are still fielding a team under the cap.  An example of terrible cap management without ever going over the cap.  

Power and Cozens are the most painful ones at $15.45M  (ouch, it really hurts to say that since their combined number would be $8M to $9M if we had a real GM).  Zucker is a just one year signing (at the expense of trading our best center in Mitts).  

Right now our best players in terms of who is showing up to play are JJP, Greenway, and possibly Byram - and all need to be signed next season.  <LOL  then SMH>

Kevin Adyms is working his magic.   Are they any more players entering their prime to trade away?   

[Pimlach]

16 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

Dahlin something is up with. He is playing all the minutes, but just looks 'decent' out there. You are paying and expecting borderline elite.

Power, no big deal to me. I always view him as a 10 goal, 40-50 point guy who has a balanced game. Other than one terrible pass, I think he has played 'good enough'

Thompson, he is showing signs of being the best player on the team, controlling the puck.  Again, no assists but he is putting the puck in the net. I'm paying him $7m, not $10m. Lets see the next few games.  I don't think i 'need' him to be a 1pt per game player. I can take 60 points if 40 of those are goals.

Cozens. Awful. Awful with the puck , Awful without the puck.  Yeah, just...whatever.

Tuch. Hes fine. 

UPL, I'd like better numbers and I want him to steal a game for me, but he hasn't played 'awful'. Very few of the goals he allowed I said to myself "thats totally on him" or "I need him to make THAT save".  same with Tuch, not upset, but lets see where it goes over the next couple weeks.

Samuelsson. He has made 2 really bad plays, but other than that,I like his game. Hes not going to produce much, but he has been solid in his own end...overall...to me.

To me this slow start is on Cozens, Dahlin, and Quinn. Those are the 3 guys that are either hurting you, or not helping you, enough.

Power needs to do more than not make mistakes.  We need him to make impactful plays back there.   Power failed to tie up his man which led to the game tying goal last night.  He was right there but he was watching.  If Power makes that play UPL covers the puck and we win.   Power looks bigger and stronger this season but he still plays like a weakling.  Crosby roughed him up in the first period too.   He is still a soft boy.  

Edited October 17 by Pimlach

[mjd1001]

Does anyone think the fight last year Cozens got beat down in is a big deal in terms of his production?  

-They brought him back after missing just a couple games and said he would be OK.  He had the entire offseason to 'heal up' form anything lingering.

I would think, any concussion symptoms, would have cleared up by now.

But...the numbers tell a story:

-In the first month of the season before the fight plus the previous season: 90 games played, 34 goals on 220 shots (15.5% shooting percentage)

-Since the game of the fight: 75 games played, 15 goals on 199 shots (7.5% shooting percentage, less than half of the above)

He is getting about the same shots per game as before the fight. He is going to the 'tough areas' and getting shots off about from the same places as before. He is just scoring less than 1/2 as much since the fight.

[GASabresIUFAN]

27 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

Dahlin something is up with. He is playing all the minutes, but just looks 'decent' out there. You are paying and expecting borderline elite.

Power, no big deal to me. I always view him as a 10 goal, 40-50 point guy who has a balanced game. Other than one terrible pass, I think he has played 'good enough'

Thompson, he is showing signs of being the best player on the team, controlling the puck.  Again, no assists but he is putting the puck in the net. I'm paying him $7m, not $10m. Lets see the next few games.  I don't think i 'need' him to be a 1pt per game player. I can take 60 points if 40 of those are goals.

Cozens. Awful. Awful with the puck , Awful without the puck.  Yeah, just...whatever.

Tuch. Hes fine. 

UPL, I'd like better numbers and I want him to steal a game for me, but he hasn't played 'awful'. Very few of the goals he allowed I said to myself "thats totally on him" or "I need him to make THAT save".  same with Tuch, not upset, but lets see where it goes over the next couple weeks.

Samuelsson. He has made 2 really bad plays, but other than that,I like his game. Hes not going to produce much, but he has been solid in his own end...overall...to me.

To me this slow start is on Cozens, Dahlin, and Quinn. Those are the 3 guys that are either hurting you, or not helping you, enough.

Power hasn’t even been close to good enough. He is paid to be a top 2 D and is soft, adds little offense, continues to make bad mistakes on defense.  A FA playing like he is gets 3 mill or less. 

Samuelsson is supposed to be a shutdown D.  He isn’t.  He doesn’t add offense and if he doesn’t play shutdown D he is useless. 

Dahlin’s problem is Joki.  Dahlin needs to play the right side.  He is more comfortable there and getting the most out of Dahlin should be Ruff’s no 1. priority on D.  
 

 

[JP51]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Power needs to do more than not make mistakes.  We need him to make impactful plays back there.   Power failed to tie up his man which led to the game tying goal last night.  He was right there but he was watching.  If Power makes that play UPL covers the puck and we win.   Power looks bigger and stronger this season but he still plays like a weakling.  Crosby roughed him up in the first period too.   He is still a soft boy.  

Soft team. 

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Dahlin - $11,000,000 - 0g - 1a 

Power - $8,350,000 - 1g - 0a 

Thompson - $7,142,857 - 3g - 0a

Cozens - $7,100,000 - 0g - 0a   -5

Zucker - $5,000,000 - 0g - 3a

Tuch - $4,750,000 - 2g -4a

UPL - $4,750,000 - 0-2-1, 3.69 gaa & .874 save %

Samuelsson - $4,285,714 - 1g - 0a -2

Besides Tuch and to a lesser extent Zucker, which of our highest paid players are actually playing to their contract level?  Sure Tage has 3g, but the 0 assists?  He is supposed to be a 1pt a game plus player, not a 48 pt player.  The rest have been not garbage this season.  UPL is back to where he was two years ago and has been outplayed by Levi by a wide margin (as predicted).  The 3 big D have basically not helped at either end of the ice, although Power has been ok defensively. 

Until most if not all of these guys start playing to their alleged potential, this team is stuck in neutral. 

I would also say those people that they signed to change the complexion and culture of the team have done zero.  Horrific signings by an incompetent GM at this point.

[R_Dudley]

19 minutes ago, JP51 said:

Soft team. 

I would also say those people that they signed to change the complexion and culture of the team have done zero.  Horrific signings by an incompetent GM at this point.

if it walks and quacks like a duck then .......

[thewookie1]

Dahlin looks off but is still playing passable as well as playing solid in his own zone

Power has been fine; he's even using his body occasionally but because he isn't a bruiser or putting up 2pts a night, he's a bust...

Thompson has looked good in spurts and he ramps up like every year; Tuch has been playing hot

Quinn seems to have lost all semblance of the player from last year and I'm unsure why

Cozens lost something after his fight with Hatheway, he lost his ability to think quickly and has had to have his magic sucked out of him

[inkman]

2 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

Dahlin something is up with. He is playing all the minutes, but just looks 'decent' out there. You are paying and expecting borderline elite.

Power, no big deal to me. I always view him as a 10 goal, 40-50 point guy who has a balanced game. Other than one terrible pass, I think he has played 'good enough'

Thompson, he is showing signs of being the best player on the team, controlling the puck.  Again, no assists but he is putting the puck in the net. I'm paying him $7m, not $10m. Lets see the next few games.  I don't think i 'need' him to be a 1pt per game player. I can take 60 points if 40 of those are goals.

Cozens. Awful. Awful with the puck , Awful without the puck.  Yeah, just...whatever.

Tuch. Hes fine. 

UPL, I'd like better numbers and I want him to steal a game for me, but he hasn't played 'awful'. Very few of the goals he allowed I said to myself "thats totally on him" or "I need him to make THAT save".  same with Tuch, not upset, but lets see where it goes over the next couple weeks.

Samuelsson. He has made 2 really bad plays, but other than that,I like his game. Hes not going to produce much, but he has been solid in his own end...overall...to me.

To me this slow start is on Cozens, Dahlin, and Quinn. Those are the 3 guys that are either hurting you, or not helping you, enough.

 

6 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

Dahlin looks off but is still playing passable as well as playing solid in his own zone

Power has been fine; he's even using his body occasionally but because he isn't a bruiser or putting up 2pts a night, he's a bust...

Thompson has looked good in spurts and he ramps up like every year; Tuch has been playing hot

Quinn seems to have lost all semblance of the player from last year and I'm unsure why

Cozens lost something after his fight with Hatheway, he lost his ability to think quickly and has had to have his magic sucked out of him

I have not seen anything from Dahlin to suggest he is “ok”.  He looks tentative, indecisive, not engaged.  If Samuelsson wasn’t on the team, Rasmus would be firmly cemented as playing the worst on the backend this season.  Thats not even considering what he got paid or the fact that he’s the newly anointed Captain.  I’m very leery of his comfort in a leadership role. 

[Jorcus]

2 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

Does anyone think the fight last year Cozens got beat down in is a big deal in terms of his production?  

-They brought him back after missing just a couple games and said he would be OK.  He had the entire offseason to 'heal up' form anything lingering.

I would think, any concussion symptoms, would have cleared up by now.

But...the numbers tell a story:

-In the first month of the season before the fight plus the previous season: 90 games played, 34 goals on 220 shots (15.5% shooting percentage)

-Since the game of the fight: 75 games played, 15 goals on 199 shots (7.5% shooting percentage, less than half of the above)

He is getting about the same shots per game as before the fight. He is going to the 'tough areas' and getting shots off about from the same places as before. He is just scoring less than 1/2 as much since the fight.

 

At this point I would lean to other factors. He thrived in the all out early Granato system. Offence first, gambling defense. He scored a lot of goals playing that way. When it came to playing clamp down hockey post injury is when things started going south. The thing is he is still getting a lot of good chances but he is going to have to play more of a system game. Ruff alluded in post game comments, too much one on one hockey. Whatever happens to that line they have to get better established in the O zone. I don't every remember Benson playing well with Cozens. Quinn drifting around does not help. That is odd because they have played well together before. For now I would go back to Quinn and Juri with Cozens. I don't know what you do with Benson right now. He is not taking JJ's spot. I know people are going to freak out but he may be the odd player out for a few games.   

[Big Guava]

5 games into a new season with new coaches and a new system.

Some of you are nonsensical with your panic levels.

The easiest answer is they are still figuring things out on an individual level as to what they are being asked to do night in and night out.

Could take another few weeks. Could take a month.

Depends on the player. The fact their offense has come back in a big way the last two games is a step on the right direction.

[PerreaultForever]

Dahlin shouldn't have been named captain. There's too much pressure for a change in culture here and they should have just let him be his best self rather than adding that. That's my belief. It's affecting his play. Consider how when Eichel went to Vegas he wasn't captain any more and his rise to his former self (or better) was rapid. Captaincy is added pressure and this 13 year drought is a pressured environment. 

If you measure performance with cost, Cozens is our worst player, Dahlin is second worst, as expectations for them are higher. Peterka would be our best player by the same standard. 

Zucker, we knew he was being overpaid to come here, but he hasn't been terrible lately. That's arguably our best line. 

idk what the deal is with Cozens but obviously he should have been bridged rather than getting the deal he got. 
 

[DarthEbriate]

4 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Dahlin - $11,000,000 - 0g - 1a 

Power - $8,350,000 - 1g - 0a 

Thompson - $7,142,857 - 3g - 0a

Cozens - $7,100,000 - 0g - 0a   -5

Zucker - $5,000,000 - 0g - 3a

Tuch - $4,750,000 - 2g -4a

UPL - $4,750,000 - 0-2-1, 3.69 gaa & .874 save %

Samuelsson - $4,285,714 - 1g - 0a -2

Besides Tuch and to a lesser extent Zucker, which of our highest paid players are actually playing to their contract level?  Sure Tage has 3g, but the 0 assists?  He is supposed to be a 1pt a game plus player, not a 48 pt player.  The rest have been not garbage this season.  UPL is back to where he was two years ago and has been outplayed by Levi by a wide margin (as predicted).  The 3 big D have basically not helped at either end of the ice, although Power has been ok defensively. 

Until most if not all of these guys start playing to their alleged potential, this team is stuck in neutral. 

But they want to be here, so it's alright.

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

Dahlin looks off but is still playing passable as well as playing solid in his own zone

Power has been fine; he's even using his body occasionally but because he isn't a bruiser or putting up 2pts a night, he's a bust...

Thompson has looked good in spurts and he ramps up like every year; Tuch has been playing hot

Quinn seems to have lost all semblance of the player from last year and I'm unsure why

Cozens lost something after his fight with Hatheway, he lost his ability to think quickly and has had to have his magic sucked out of him

Power is not using his body nearly enough.  He plays a position that requires that he does.  If he ties up Rackel we win in regulation.  That is all there is to it.  

Cozens was lost last year before Hathaway pummeled him.  It was the entire reason he even engaged in that fight, a childish reaction.   I saw him break two sticks after the Kings scored the empty netter.  He needs to grow up and work harder.   I really think he needs to play less minutes, and no special teams,  and hopefully he will do less wrong and build up some confidence.  

[mjd1001]

Again with Cozens... And I realize we now have three active threads talking about him. The offensive side of the game can be fixed pretty quickly. 

For all we know something as simple as a puck going off of him on the power play and deflecting into the net, a secondary assist, and an empty net goal. And now he has a three-point night and two goals on the season. That basically would put him back onto a 27 goal pace. 

As you said, his maturity is an issue. Yeah he's young but he was named an assistant alternate captain and he's now in his fifth year in the league. He's not a rookie or a second year guy.

Also, if you want to be a top two center in this league, he has to step up his game considerably when he doesn't have the puck. 

But baby steps right? Let's get him on the scoreboard first and then go from there.

[LabattBlue]

3 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

Power has been fine; he's even using his body occasionally but because he isn't a bruiser or putting up 2pts a night, he's a bust

I am tired of reading this from multiple posters.  No one is saying he needs to be the 2nd coming of Scott Stevens, but if he won’t play the man along the boards or in front of the net, then GTFO. 

 

This is not some women’s no checking league where only stick checking is legal. 
 

The long term contracts are going to haunt this trainwreck of a franchise if some of these 20 something multi-millionaires don’t get their act together. 

[Mr Peabody]

These contracts are why I’m fine (this year) of KA not spending to the cap.   If we fail this year I’ve got to believe we’ll have a POHO to evaluate everyone. 

[SabresBillsFan]

Would have never given Power that contract, way too soft and isn’t a dynamic defenseman. Zucker got more than he deserves. Did Dahlin work out last summer? He doesn’t seem as fast. Cozens is a mystery to me. If the losing continues something has to give.

Edited October 17 by SabresBillsFan

[LabattBlue]

41 minutes ago, SabresBillsFan said:

Would have never given Power that contract, way too soft and isn’t a dynamic defenseman. Zucker got more than he deserves. Did Dahlin work out last summer? He doesn’t seem as fast. Cozens is a mystery to me. If the losing continues something has to give.

I’ve always been skeptical of the Dahlin hype and continue to be.  Factoring in his cap hit, very overrated. 

[Goldseatsaud]

A trade is needed

[DarthEbriate]

1 hour ago, Mr Peabody said:

These contracts are why I’m fine (this year) of KA not spending to the cap.   If we fail this year I’ve got to believe we’ll have a POHO to evaluate everyone. 

But Darth Pegulas would only make GM Sheevyn the POHO. Outside help isn't coming.

[Archie Lee]

This might actually be a bit of a silver-lining. Dahlin, Cozens, and UPL have had bad to terrible starts. It is not likely that Dahlin ends the year with 26 points, Cozens with 14, UPL with a sub .880 save %. Along with Quinn and Benson, they will almost certainly start to play better (if not necessarily to levels hoped). I’m looking for something to hold onto, and “it can only get better from here” is all I’ve got. 

[Sidc3000]

16 hours ago, Big Guava said:

5 games into a new season with new coaches and a new system.

Some of you are nonsensical with your panic levels.

The easiest answer is they are still figuring things out on an individual level as to what they are being asked to do night in and night out.

Could take another few weeks. Could take a month.

Depends on the player. The fact their offense has come back in a big way the last two games is a step on the right direction.

 

 

13 hours ago, Mr Peabody said:

These contracts are why I’m fine (this year) of KA not spending to the cap.   If we fail this year I’ve got to believe we’ll have a POHO to evaluate everyone. 

What makes you believe that the Pegula’s would consider a POHO? What in the 10 years they have owned the Sabres is a sign? 

[nucci]

16 hours ago, Big Guava said:

5 games into a new season with new coaches and a new system.

Some of you are nonsensical with your panic levels.

The easiest answer is they are still figuring things out on an individual level as to what they are being asked to do night in and night out.

Could take another few weeks. Could take a month.

Depends on the player. The fact their offense has come back in a big way the last two games is a step on the right direction.

 

 

it's hockey. It's not complicated