GDT: Toronto Maple Leafs @ Buffalo Sabres Tuesday 4/15 7pm ESPN+ & MSG

[Believer]

10 hours ago, Believer said:

Simply overwhelmed. 

UPL kept it close.

Our boys got a firsthand look at how a top team gets it done.

 

 

 

 

And Ruff got a firsthand look at how a Coach gets a team pumped for the playoffs.

And Adams got a firsthand look at how a GM builds a playoff roster.

And Pegula got a firsthand look at how an Owner supports a perennial playoff bound NHL franchise.

[Gatorman0519]

They are going to roll it all back next year. Exactly what we all knew all along. Totally dysfunctional franchise. Year 15 is all but guaranteed. 

Edited April 16 by Gatorman0519

[CallawaySabres]

Leafs Sens and Tampa Florida in first round?! Yes please!!!! Finally some real hockey I can watch, can’t wait

[phil_soisson]

9 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Who is S&B ? 

Sadism and Bitch-slapping

[phil_soisson]

8 hours ago, clink said:

Terry really DGAF about this club 

 

He's just like the LA Clippers owner from the 80s/90s. It's just a luxury item to him....

 

Have some mercy, Terry and SELL SELL SELL!!!!! 

Why give a douchebag owner like that your loyalty and hard earned money? I wish he'd go sink himself in another well.

[phil_soisson]

12 hours ago, Gatorman0519 said:

Will they have Lindy doing phone calls to season ticket holders this summer? 

Only if he does a triple lindy first.

[That Aud Smell]

I went to the game last night. I thought the Sabres played reasonably well. I thought the Leafs goalie was just terrific - great positioning, totally in control. 

That said, I also thought it was a fairly friendly affair. A few hits, but, in general, not a lot of heaviness to the game. I guess that's to be expected -- the Sabres are out of it, the Leafs are probably tapering as they approach the playoffs.

The thing I enjoyed most: Watching how smart Benson plays the game. That guy's hockey IQ is probably the highest on the team. That said, he's not a regular top-6 forward (at this point in his career) on a playoff hockey team.

[Pimlach]

5 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

I went to the game last night. I thought the Sabres played reasonably well. I thought the Leafs goalie was just terrific - great positioning, totally in control. 

That said, I also thought it was a fairly friendly affair. A few hits, but, in general, not a lot of heaviness to the game. I guess that's to be expected -- the Sabres are out of it, the Leafs are probably tapering as they approach the playoffs.

The thing I enjoyed most: Watching how smart Benson plays the game. That guy's hockey IQ is probably the highest on the team. That said, he's not a regular top-6 forward (at this point in his career) on a playoff hockey team.

Glad you enjoyed it, as much as possible anyway. 

What was the ratio of Leaves fans to Sabres? 

[Pimlach]

On 4/15/2025 at 9:48 PM, Goldseatsaud said:

I talked to Don Luce at Firehouse subs on Transit. Nice guy. 

Last time I saw Lucey was when he was working for the Flyers, it was still early Pegula years, he was at HSBC for a game (or whatever it is/was called back then).  

Way back then he  would have welcomed a chance to come back to the Sabres.   At that time the Sabres FO structure was confusing and was filled with Pegula loyalists.   No place for guys like Luce and Dudley to help out making this team credible.   As we talked about this other threads, most GMs have support from consulting executives in the FO to help shape strategy, weigh-in on needs, players, coaches, and what is going on in the league.  

According to the Lance interview (post palm trees), Adams does not have ithat kind of help, or want it.  

This offseason is going to interesting.  Adams should be let go and the new GM should be given free reign on his staff, coaches, players.   

Not gonna happen.  

 

Edited April 17 by Pimlach

[That Aud Smell]

34 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Glad you enjoyed it, as much as possible anyway. 

What was the ratio of Leaves fans to Sabres? 

I think it was a roughly even split? It's hard to say, though, because the Sabres were shut out. It's the scoring of a goal that gives you a sense of who's there supporting one team or the other.

Those in our group were laughing at ourselves, as we all agreed that we were engaged in a covert mission of international diplomacy -- smiling and being friendly with those who appeared to have crossed the border to see the Leafs play.

[7+6=13]

2 hours ago, Believer said:

And Ruff got a firsthand look at how a Coach gets a team pumped for the playoffs.

And Adams got a firsthand look at how a GM builds a playoff roster.

And Pegula got a firsthand look at how an Owner supports a perennial playoff bound NHL franchise.

I thought we played Toronto.

[7+6=13]

2 hours ago, Gatorman0519 said:

They are going to roll it all back next year. Exactly what we all knew all along. Totally dysfunctional franchise. Year 15 is all but guaranteed. 

Do you mean like we rolled it back with the same line up this year as the previous year?  

[Drag0nDan]

50 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

I went to the game last night. I thought the Sabres played reasonably well. I thought the Leafs goalie was just terrific - great positioning, totally in control. 

That said, I also thought it was a fairly friendly affair. A few hits, but, in general, not a lot of heaviness to the game. I guess that's to be expected -- the Sabres are out of it, the Leafs are probably tapering as they approach the playoffs.

The thing I enjoyed most: Watching how smart Benson plays the game. That guy's hockey IQ is probably the highest on the team. That said, he's not a regular top-6 forward (at this point in his career) on a playoff hockey team.

I've also noticed a lot better hockey IQ with benson.  He seems to be finding himself in good areas, creating space, and putting pucks where they should go.  He's still only 19 which hopefully means his best hockey is in front of him.  

[That Aud Smell]

14 minutes ago, Drag0nDan said:

I've also noticed a lot better hockey IQ with benson.  He seems to be finding himself in good areas, creating space, and putting pucks where they should go.  He's still only 19 which hopefully means his best hockey is in front of him.  

At some point, I stopped counting the plays where he just did some small thing that showed good anticipation.

He's gonna be one of those guys -- steady throughout the year and then coming through big in big moments.  I just hope that happens with the Sabres.

On the other hand, seeing Samuelsson play live? Woof. With him too, I stopped counting the forced, panicked dumb-dumb plays.

(Same goes for Bryson, but, given his term and salary, that's not as big a problem.) 

[rickshaw]

3 hours ago, Believer said:

And Ruff got a firsthand look at how a Coach gets a team pumped for the playoffs.

And Adams got a firsthand look at how a GM builds a playoff roster.

And Pegula got a firsthand look at how an Owner supports a perennial playoff bound NHL franchise.

And Sabres fans got a firsthand look at all those Canadian fans boycotting the US, oh wait. 

[Taro T]

On 4/16/2025 at 10:23 AM, That Aud Smell said:

I think it was a roughly even split? It's hard to say, though, because the Sabres were shut out. It's the scoring of a goal that gives you a sense of who's there supporting one team or the other.

Those in our group were laughing at ourselves, as we all agreed that we were engaged in a covert mission of international diplomacy -- smiling and being friendly with those who appeared to have crossed the border to see the Leafs play.

 

Wadr, don't believe it was anywhere close to 50-50.  Would say it was 3 or 4 -1  Loafs fans to Sabres fans.  Though it was interesting to see ~1,500 or so empty seats.  Not sure if it was because it was a Tuesday and folks had to work the next day so didn't want to drive down or some other reason; but it seemed to be the most empty the barn was for Sabres - Loafs in years.  (And, its been a while since this kid's been to a weeknight Loafs game; so maybe it was a standard issue crowd.  Always go to the ones on the weekend; and those are fully packed.)

As for the "covert mission of ... diplomacy" am quite convinced everybody in our section was (at least all the Yanks were) definitely part of it as there was a grandfather, father, and 7 year old kid that were doing their darnedess to let the kid cause all their arses to be kicked but that didn't happen.  The kid's screaming non-stop at the top of his lungs in a voice that was only about 2 octaves higher than Victoria Jackson's SNL personas for his team was annoying, but nothing out of the norm.  (And hey, you have a ticket, cheer away.)  BUT his spending the better part of the second 1/2 of the game screaming "Buffalo you suck" repetitively was starting to get a wee bit annoying by the end.  Not surprising the dad was wearing the same Loafs jammies as sonny boy.  Just shocked he wasn't wearing a hockey helmet up in the 300's to go with the jammies.