All Activity

Yes, I get that you think the Sabres didn't need to reset in in March of 2021 because: The 25th-place 81-point (prorated from 69 games) 2020 team was pretty good and trending upward. The Sabres 31st-place 54-point (prorated from 56 games) 2021 team was a mirage because Jack Eichel was hurt and COVID I get that you think that team had enough pieces that it could have become a playoff team relatively quickly with the right tweaks. And that you think Adams has pushed that possibility back when he did not have to. The point I was trying to make was simply that it is not typical for a really bad team to turn into playoff regular in 2 or 3 years. I didn't even mention Adams, let alone the hyperbole-filled bold. That's all you. If you want to discuss whether the reset itself was prudent, sure. When I check my 'real world context' from March of 2021 I see: a franchise player whose health will probably make him unavailable for the coming season an owner who is unwilling to give that player the surgery he wants a roster and a failing season unlikely to keep Eichel happy, or deter him from a trade request, no matter what new offseason promises I make my best healthy player, Sam Reinhart, saying he would not be signing a long-term contract with us my $9M winger coming off miserable 14- and 7-goal seasons my $6M big free agent acquisition unlikely to stay, or bring back a big haul in a trade half my defence corps — Montour, Ristolainen and McCabe — headed toward free agency and not wanting to talk contract uncertainty as to whether or not I can re-sign my starting goalie an owner who may or may not back off on the austerity program he launched during COVID a dressing room that had grown 'toxic' due mostly to the wear of years of constant losing a reputation among players and agents as a place to avoid These are issues I can't ignore. Even if I do accept handwaving the 2021 disaster as just the product of an unhealthy Jack and the bubble, I don't think an 81-point team can withstand all that, let alone a 54-point team. And I don't handwave 2021. Every team was in a bubble. Every team has injuries — you've said it yourself several times. And whether you accept it as representative or not, the Sabres literally did morph into a .330 team. My take in that moment is that I don't see this mix becoming a playoff team relatively quickly with the right tweaks Regardless of how we got there, or what we've done since — I guess I need to stress this is not about Adams' overall performance as a GM — I think a reset at that time was absolutely the right move. I respect your take, I just see it differently.

He will since he's still playing. Tied with Coyle at the moment with 59. Which is a pretty high total as they are only half way through. Gudas had the most hits last year for the full playoffs with 91. Much more hitting in the East this year than the West overall. Vancouver has the most hits by a Western team though by a fair bit. https://www.statmuse.com/nhl/ask/nhl-hits-leaders-2024-playoffs

I just bought Fontaines DC tickets the other day for September. Also Johnny Marr and James .

That was my view before this season started. We missed the playoffs by one point and rather than make a concerted effort to take a leap forward and make them his attitude seemed to be "oh 1 point that's nothing, we are fine. All I need is Conor Clifton"

Goalposts are heavy. Put them down. Stop lying as well. It's not a good look.

Yes, that was hyperbole.

Well, the 4 seasons ending in 20-21 included 2 seasons below .400, which is the mendoza line that was cited in dudacek's original theory, one at .463 and one at .493. That is a pretty pathetic 4-season run -- at the end of which their best player demanded a trade (and I'm not sure why you think we could've kept him at that point -- it's pretty clear that he was done playing here at that point). And the best player coming back in that trade, Tuch, missed 32 games in his first season for the Sabres, 21-22. So, again, the 50 games was not a non-indicative small sample size but rather was entirely reflective of how atrocious the state of the team was when we arrived at the summer of 2021, as well as the beginning of the 2021-22 season. Now this is a fair criticism.

Suzy Bogguss was outstanding tonight. Every song was great. It was just her on vocals and rhythm acoustic guitar, and a stand-up bass player and lead guitar who both provided backup vocals. The sound was great. This pic is from the last row (the venue only has about 200 seats).

I will straddle the fence here. I think Adams took over a disastrous situation, did a good getting things turned in the right direction, and then messed up by not approaching last off-season with enough urgency. Now we see if he can do what he should have tried to do last off-season.

Much like Andersen in Carolina, I have no trust in Skinner as the Oilers goalie in the playoffs

I am guessing Keefe ends up in NJ if he wants it or his buddy Dubas brings him to Pittsburgh and cuts Sullivan loose who ends up in NJ.

Rod needs to get himself a legitimate goalie if he’s going to take the next step in Carolina.

Disagree. of course it supports my point - it’s not fair to look at a 50 game output and claim it’s fairly reflective - a look at the 3 previous seasons in combination would present a far more accurate sample size PARTICULARLY because of Covid related anomalies. Jack Eichel was apart of our talent base - trading him or not he was still an asset that wasn’t reflected due to injury in the 21 season to the extend we knew he had value to the team and we could have a) kept him and B) the trade accounts for Tuch who we didn’t have in 2021 and is a much better output than hurt for 21 games Jack

First bolded: I don't think this supports your point. Yes, Eichel missed most of the season, which certainly contributed to that being a .330 team. He also played 0 games for the Sabres the following season, which increased the magnitude of the required rebuild. This is @dudacek's point -- i.e. the Sabres had an enormous mountain to climb -- a mountain that historically the vast majority of NHL teams have failed to climb in the period you are insisting KA climb it in. Second/Third bolded -- do you or do you not count 2020-21 against Adams? You seem to be taking both sides here. In any case, I think Krueger had at least as much say as KA that season, so I'm inclined not to really count KA's tenure until the summer of 2001. I appreciate that YMMV.

Canucks looked like garbage tonight. Don't see either team beating Dallas. The level of hockey played in the other 3 series is/was much better.

"sick" seems a little extreme but I understand your point as a Sabres fan. I would think however that Lucic made you sicker. He should have. I was trying to think of the guys I've really hated. I think Darcy Tucker fit that bill. He was very Marchandesque and he played for Toronto so how could I not hate that? Ken Linesman was really hateable. I personally think he was much dirtier than Marchand. Of course at least half the 70s Flyers team would also be in that category. None of them made me "sick" though. It was just good healthy hate.

But it's not 2-3 years, it's 13.

That was fun.

Yaaaaaa!!!! Back to back champions!! Game was pretty much never in doubt...Albany got it close a few times but Bandits responded like true champions and widened it back to 6 goals late in the game and it was pretty much done at that point... Love this team...they are special...4 straight times to the Finals winning the last 2...too bad the Bills couldn't have taken a page from that book...

From the point I tuned in, Albany outscored Buffalo 5-1. Fortunately, the Bandits had a big enough lead to come out on top.

The biggest slap to the NLL from ESPN is they ran a regular season UFL game instead of the NLL Championship.

Back to back has a nice ring to it