12-4-2024: Practice and media availability canceled

[Crusader1969]

1 hour ago, Bangarang said:

 

Why not rip them a new one and have a hard practice? This team wanted accountability right?

Im thinking they are not having fun watching the video of last nights game 

hope Adams is forced to Watch along with them.    he's the one that has assembled the team and is most to blame 

 

[Bangarang]

5 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

Im thinking they are not having fun watching the video of last nights game 

hope Adams is forced to Watch along with them.    he's the one that has assembled the team and is most to blame 

 

 

I didn't have fun watching last night's game either but at least they get paid for it.

[mjd1001]

55 minutes ago, Carmel Corn said:

Yes I do!  The local media is too soft like the team.

When you have a 'soft and sensative' owner, you have to be careful.  Rip the team, or even question the owner too much (or even a little) and you might have a phone call to your employer asking/tellin you to stop, and if you don't, your press pass (or whatever they call it today) being pulled and only being re-issued to someone in your organization who will not offend Terry so much.

Now, I'm not exactly sure how that works in the NHL, but I do know that I would not put that beyond Pegula.

[JP51]

2 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

When you have a 'soft and sensative' owner, you have to be careful.  Rip the team, or even question the owner too much (or even a little) and you might have a phone call to your employer asking/tellin you to stop, and if you don't, your press pass (or whatever they call it today) being pulled and only being re-issued to someone in your organization who will not offend Terry so much.

Now, I'm not exactly sure how that works in the NHL, but I do know that I would not put that beyond Pegula.

Questioning results equates to a hostile work environment there... 

[Thorner]

They better beat the Jets. That’s now my Stanley cup 

[inkman]

1 hour ago, Carmel Corn said:

Yes I do!  The local media is too soft like the team.

If I would a player, I would laugh at the media and tell them to go on a diet. 

25 minutes ago, Thorner said:

They better beat the Jets. That’s now my Stanley cup 

Or what? 

[Pimlach]

35 minutes ago, Thorner said:

They better beat the Jets. That’s now my Stanley cup 

So tomorrows game is a "must win"?  

[Thorner]

20 minutes ago, inkman said:

If I would a player, I would laugh at the media and tell them to go on a diet. 

Or what? 

Literally nothing. One extra hit on the pipe and I’m back to bitching the next day 

what of it 

[Thorner]

10 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

So tomorrows game is a "must win"?  

I still don’t buy this logic tbh. It’s not a must win mathematically..I’d buy into the idea the franchise needs it to stop the bleeding/fan revolt or whatever but I honestly believe the next game we win, no matter when it is, will he accompanied by the usual, “we back”, “possible turning point?” tweets and posts.

how many times do we need to see it? Who just said it? People want to believe 

[Mango]

2 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

Lindy Ruff may be a good coach.

I think he is. Any doubt I had listening to him talk about hockey and I think he is.  When he talks to the media, he talks differently than Granato. He talks about what needs to change. He identifies what went wrong and how to change it. He talks about how players are playing well and what needs to be done when they aren't. He brings up things that I haven't thought about, and I haven't heard on this forum from anyone else (specifics).

I think he knows hockey, he knows how to coach, and the game has not 'passed him buy'. 

BUT...there comes a point where what do you do if you aren't getting through to the players?   What else can be done?

My impression, and this is the positive spin on Lindy....is that he identifies a problem with the team or individual players, talks to them about it, addresses it, it gets 'fixed' for a game or two, but then the players just keep falling back into the same habits in short order?  

If as a coach you address an issue, take care of it, but the players keep on doing it in the future, what else can you do?

 

And I know on this board I'm back to blasting Cozens (and Quinn) like almost never before, but they make SO many bad plays without the puck. They are so awful and bring negatives to the team when they aren't scoring (and they sure aren't doing that), that why do you keep playing them?  Why does Cozens continue to get the 3rd or 4th most ice time on the team? Why are they near the top of the team in offensive zone starts? Why does Cozens, DYLAN COZENS, lead your forwards in power play ice time? (and Quinn is 6th, being a fixture on your 2nd unit)?

I'm flabbergasted by Lindy continuing to roll those guys out there. Nothing says they are doing anything besides hurting the team. The stats  (production and plus-minus), even the advanced stats that are 'good' have to be taken with a grain of salt knowing their zone starts and their low shooting percentage. They devastate their own D-men and hang them out to dry making them look worse than they are.

All I can think is that Lindy is getting strong encouragement, if not direct orders, from above to keep playing them (Adams or Pegula or both). It doesn't make sense that Lindy would just roll them out there like he is otherwise.

I think it’s a roster construction issue. You bench the kids who are part of “the core” and you end up replacing them with even younger kids. 

At some point they have to sink or swim and given the freedom to fully sink/fail. 

In regards to Cozens, I think he needs to either very quickly become a 2C or a 1W and push Tuch to the second line. Otherwise he has no place on this roster. 

He’s my first piece to move. 

[Mango]

1 hour ago, mjd1001 said:

When you have a 'soft and sensative' owner, you have to be careful.  Rip the team, or even question the owner too much (or even a little) and you might have a phone call to your employer asking/tellin you to stop, and if you don't, your press pass (or whatever they call it today) being pulled and only being re-issued to someone in your organization who will not offend Terry so much.

Now, I'm not exactly sure how that works in the NHL, but I do know that I would not put that beyond Pegula.

Ever notice that Beane and McD are always VERY QUICK to give Pegula flowers? I’m sure they’re both incredibly grateful to him and to be here.

But they’re not dummies.

They are both united in handling Terry properly to make sure the org runs smoothly. The difference down the street is that they came into this org together, at about the same time, with a prior working relationship. 

[LTS]

I don't really have a problem with this move. As much as I have a side of me that wants to skate them until there's no ice left to skate on I don't think it makes a difference.

Let them watch video and truly tear them down. Point out every damn mistake and lack of effort. See how they respond.

Unfortunately this roster is what it is right now and despite all of our desires to make meaningful changes to it right now it's not going to happen. The NHL doesn't work that way and even if it did at least 50% of the posters here aren't sure Adams could get it done properly.

I mean, practice hasn't helped them one bit. Talking to the media won't do anything for the team. It will be the same questions as last night with a few new one's thrown in that will elicit the exact same, watered down, boring responses.  It wouldn't matter if the media asked REALLY hard questions, the answers would still be the same.

The team knows they were crap last night. I'm not going to believe they don't care. I am going to believe that until the care ENOUGH about being crap things won't change. I do believe this team can play hockey. I believe this team can play with a chip on their shoulder. What I don't understand is why they don't. I don't understand how any athlete can play a sport at that level without having had to play with that chip on their shoulder at one point.

We've seen this team have brief moments of success, so it's not like they haven't proven they can. It's psychological at this point. They need to hit "F it".

And Ruff needs to start stapling ***** to the bench or scratching them. Do whatever he can with what he has to get them to turn it around. Scratch the assistant captains, the captain, who cares. Send a message that hard work will be rewarded and playing soft and lazy will not.

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, Mango said:

I think it’s a roster construction issue. You bench the kids who are part of “the core” and you end up replacing them with even younger kids. 

At some point they have to sink or swim and given the freedom to fully sink/fail. 

In regards to Cozens, I think he needs to either very quickly become a 2C or a 1W and push Tuch to the second line. Otherwise he has no place on this roster. 

He’s my first piece to move. 

You are correct - Too many young players and no way to cover for all of them when they struggle.   Adams' plan is to add even more - Novikov, Helenius, Östlund, Rosen, Wahlberg ... Good luck with that.  

When Adams was stockpiling draft picks and not trading for veteran players some of us wondered how this was ever going to work.   Why isn't he trading some of his picks for proven players?   Hockey players take time to develop, they get drafted at 18 and they have ups and downs.  If you can mix them in with a solid veteran group and put them in an NHL system they will grow up faster.   Adams plan was to have them carry the load and bring in no blockers.  It seems absurd now doesn't it?  No blockers, means don't make my prospect work to hard for an NHL job.  

Cozens (23), Peterka (22), Quinn (23), Benson (19), Kulich (20), Power (22), and Byram (23).  They have a 24 year old Captain.  What teams have this much youth in so many critical roles?  That is 33% of the skaters that are not full grown adults yet.   Adams publicly said "no blockers", so in essence he gave NHL jobs to young players that were talented but still developing.  He is still holding cap space to sign his prospects to long term deals.  

I have posted this before.  A recent former Sabres coach told me he feels sorry for any coach that replaces Granato.   He meant that because he knew what was happening with the level of coaching that RK and DG brought.  Lindy has a huge job getting through to this group.  We can see this.  

Adams is proud of the pedigree of his team.  Did Byram and Power step up when Dahlin went down yesterday?  No.   Power was -3.  The team was outshot 17-7 in the 3rd.  

But the biggest disappointments so far this season are Cozens and Quinn.  They are a liability and they suck up 2nd line minutes with no production.  

Right now I have no faith in this group, I am reluctant to call them a team.  

I suspect Winnipeg will beat them tomorrow and a big contingent of Jets fans from Canada will leave loud and happy.  

Edited December 4 by Pimlach

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, Carmel Corn said:

Yes I do!  The local media is too soft like the team.

I think that's true. I wonder if some of them are afraid of being shut out or denied access by Pegula? I don't know if that's true or not, but they do throw marshmallows more often than not. 

The broadcast team is also a sadly apologetic and excuse riddled crew. Only Biron is occasionally tougher on them, but that's because he has another job as well. 

 

So, no practice no availability? Spa day? 

If something happens, fair enough. If nothing happens, just more Sabres country club bs. 

Mind you if that something is firing Lindy and naming Appert interim head coach I'm going to start looking for a new team to go along with the Bruins. 

[Pimlach]

3 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

I think that's true. I wonder if some of them are afraid of being shut out or denied access by Pegula? I don't know if that's true or not, but they do throw marshmallows more often than not. 

The broadcast team is also a sadly apologetic and excuse riddled crew. Only Biron is occasionally tougher on them, but that's because he has another job as well. 

 

So, no practice no availability? Spa day? 

If something happens, fair enough. If nothing happens, just more Sabres country club bs. 

Mind you if that something is firing Lindy and naming Appert interim head coach I'm going to start looking for a new team to go along with the Bruins. 

Supposedly Ruff has them in film sessions today.   They should skate today, they have the Jets tomorrow.  

[Crusader1969]

1 hour ago, Thorner said:

Literally nothing. One extra hit on the pipe and I’m back to bitching the next day 

what of it 

You will have to let me know how they do.  First time in a long time , I won't be watching or caring 

[EM88]

17 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Mind you if that something is firing Lindy and naming Appert interim head coach I'm going to start looking for a new team to go along with the Bruins. 

I am not an expert on the ins and outs of NHL hockey, but to me Lindy seems like the most competent person in the organization by far.

If he was gone, it would probably be that he spoke out against the company line, and Terry would not go for that. 

[EM88]

28 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Adams is proud of the pedigree of his team.  Did Byram and Power step up when Dahlin went down yesterday?  No.   Power was -3.  The team was outshot 17-7 in the 3rd.  

But the biggest disappointments so far this season are Cozens and Quinn.  They are a liability and they suck up 2nd line minutes with no production.  

 

Your post has listed most of the problems this team has. 

Power might be good and has some great games, but he is far too inconsistent to be a leader getting his ice time night after night.  On some nights he might equal Dahlin's overall play but that does not happen often enough. He is no where ready or able to step up and be a #1 shut down guy at all.

Quinn and Cozens are awful. Not wanting more out of them. Not playing a bit below expectations. Not playing ok but not in clutch moments. No, they are truly awful. Hurting your team when they are in the lineup awful.  Your team would be better without them awful. The level of anger and angst on this message board would be a lot less today if they didn't play level of awful.

[ska-T Palmtown]

2 hours ago, Pimlach said:

You are correct - Too many young players and no way to cover for all of them when they struggle.   Adams' plan is to add even more - Novikov, Helenius, Östlund, Rosen, Wahlberg ... Good luck with that.  

I was slicing open a package from up North and out slid a pretty cool autographed Jiri Kulich hockey card that I got at what I think of as the "Sabres discount" on ebay and I had to come back and find this post/topic. 

The fact that we have a lineup stuffed to the gills with young lads is why I get pretty agitated about keeping Kulich up any longer than necessary. And, as much as I love Benson (I really do!), a better organization would have sent him back to the WHL last year. Why? Because he would not have been able to beat out a "rostered player" definitively at camp. The way the team is playing this year - no need for Kulich to stick around and get this stank on him.

[PerreaultForever]

1 minute ago, ska-T Chitown said:

I was slicing open a package from up North and out slid a pretty cool autographed Jiri Kulich hockey card that I got at what I think of as the "Sabres discount" on ebay and I had to come back and find this post/topic. 

The fact that we have a lineup stuffed to the gills with young lads is why I get pretty agitated about keeping Kulich up any longer than necessary. And, as much as I love Benson (I really do!), a better organization would have sent him back to the WHL last year. Why? Because he would not have been able to beat out a "rostered player" definitively at camp. The way the team is playing this year - no need for Kulich to stick around and get this stank on him.

Except Kulich has been better than Quinn and you can't send him down without waivers. 

[ska-T Palmtown]

Just now, PerreaultForever said:

Except Kulich has been better than Quinn and you can't send him down without waivers. 

Agreed ... although that is a SUPER low bar - lol. And while there is little doubt that Kulich's play passes the eye-test far more than Quinn's, the score sheet is not much different for the two of them. But, as @mjd1001 was pointing out, Quinn is actively hurting us most nights, where maybe Kulich is helping a little.

Sad state of affairs, to be sure.

I think where my head is at - we have kept kids up before because they have "looked good". Cozens, Quinn, Benson, JJP (?), Power, pretty long list, really ... and it is pretty apparent most of this board thinks they are not fully NHL caliber, yet. Or at least not for what is being asked of them.

It would be WAY different if the average age (swap out an NHL game experience number, if you wish) of our forward group was 28 and someone went down and we brought Kulich up. Same on D ... 

There is something missing. I still bristle (or are my feather ruffling? 🙂 ) at "real men", "soft", "country club" and other terms that sound like old men standing on their lawn yelling at clouds ... but honestly - maybe they are right and I am just a snowflake genX/millennial cusper who is weak and soft? 🤷‍♀️

[Believer]

In my fantasy, I would have had the team watch all the video commentary by the ESPN and NHL Network crews as the game progressed and the astonishment after the 1st period, turned to criticism after the 2nd period, and ended in ridicule and belly laughs by game’s end.

Then, I would have had each player read aloud one of 25 comments pre-selected by Ruff that were posted on SabreSpace during and after the game last night.

Then, I would announce to them my resignation as Coach, and wish them the best the rest of the season.

In my fantasy, Pegula, Adams, and the rest of the front office are in attendance.

The meeting ends when Pegula announces he is selling the team.

 

[pastajoe]

6 hours ago, Carmel Corn said:

Yes I do!  The local media is too soft like the team.

Not all. Hamilton and Harrington give objective assessments of the team. Hamilton today said that the consistent issue with the team is the owner and until he makes the right moves nothing much will change.

[Stoner]

7 hours ago, inkman said:

Because media questioning is the problem?

Did you want to listen to the media brow beat the players and coaches a second time?  What’s the incessant need to hear miserable people be miserable?  

It's 2024. You are the media.

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, ska-T Chitown said:

Agreed ... although that is a SUPER low bar - lol. And while there is little doubt that Kulich's play passes the eye-test far more than Quinn's, the score sheet is not much different for the two of them. But, as @mjd1001 was pointing out, Quinn is actively hurting us most nights, where maybe Kulich is helping a little.

Sad state of affairs, to be sure.

I think where my head is at - we have kept kids up before because they have "looked good". Cozens, Quinn, Benson, JJP (?), Power, pretty long list, really ... and it is pretty apparent most of this board thinks they are not fully NHL caliber, yet. Or at least not for what is being asked of them.

It would be WAY different if the average age (swap out an NHL game experience number, if you wish) of our forward group was 28 and someone went down and we brought Kulich up. Same on D ... 

There is something missing. I still bristle (or are my feather ruffling? 🙂 ) at "real men", "soft", "country club" and other terms that sound like old men standing on their lawn yelling at clouds ... but honestly - maybe they are right and I am just a snowflake genX/millennial cusper who is weak and soft? 🤷‍♀️

Yes exactly. Kulich is playing like a rookie and makes some good plays but also makes some mistakes. As you'd expect for his age and experience. Quinn, is also playing like a young rookie and that's no acceptable for a player of his age and experience.