R_Dudley

Wow can't believe it's already here. This summer flew by for me. Baseball playoffs, Hockey starts, Basketball starting , football a 1/4 way through its officially fall. I got my annual Bills game this Sunday. Shuffling off to Buffalo road trip by way of Southern tier Brewery this Saturday, wheres a good Bar to watch the Sabres Saturday night? Jbots sure made good on his promise for changes and made for an interesting summer. I hope the coaches put the players in best positions to succeed. Its going to be neat seeing the new toy and combinations and how this team gels.

I was surprised the game was not televised here in PGH but from your summary and tracking the score last night I sure didn't miss anything. Clearly their A team is much better than our B team. I just hope the Sabres starting A team got enough practice together and is ready to play together as a team when Boston comes to town. Oh and last from your comment "Passing was dreadful and Zemgus was Zemgus a wrecking ball with no finish." I just have to say of course there's no finnish, because he plays for the Latvian team when not playing in B-lo. ?

LOL, weird how that just happened to work out... Oh and Eleven, TMI ...

Even though its pre-season I'm Curious how they will look against our closest(distance) division rival given a lot are anointing the Leafs as a cup favorite. Back to back to boot so I assume a little of an A team and B team rosters from both given the number of bodies in camp. I am hope to see a few players keep standing out..

I read a lot and listened to several video's from, teammates, friends and especially the family ones. Consistent themes persist about the person and environment that has shaped the person that gives me a confident feeling that he is genuine, humble, desires to be the best he can be and is the real deal.

Very interesting question. The best I can do is postulate an answer by equating this to my experience through my work/boss situation. The Captain obvious answer is It depends. I have had bosses that truly did and made you feel like they care, some that pretended and those that you could tell you were just a number to them. Of course some other dynamics may play into it and I think it starts with the individuals both Owner and player in question. For the player is he honest, hard working and like able or a Richard and some one hard to like. From the owners perspective, why did you buy the team, for fame, fortune, both or because you could. Are you hands off or on, do you delegate or participate and how much time do you spend within that team structure to develop the personal relationships that time spent fosters. So I think yes that some Owners can and do genuinely get to know and care about their players. Oh and I might add that when that special magic happens when a team gels and does win championships overcomes obstacles it creates a larger bond with the individuals involved including the owner commensurate with how invested he was through the process.

Well I for one could get use to watching decent competitive hockey. ok, ok i know it's the preseason but i don't care. Competent Sabre's Hockey is just something I have not seen enough of for the last few years. I'm Greedy, gimme more...

Well fudge cycles, I though I'd get to see this one but local Pgh news says TV: None (NHL Network will re-air game Wednesday, 1 a.m. and noon) MillerVaive please may I have another... Or reddit as randall says...

That's a power Pompadour if I ever saw one...

Thanks for the summary. So one solid line from tonight, any solid Defense pairings ? If tomorrows A team can give us two more solid forward lines and 1 and half to 2 good Dmen pairings, then their definitely are enough parts to make this a much better coming hockey season..

Watching the Rangers NJ devils game 2-2 since I can't watch Sabres and they are really both playing a fast paced up and down the ice game. We will find out just how much improved our speed game is when we face them again..

Thanks, I am sure we will find out soon enough how much better the back end is.

I'm curious if goal tending has been tested much tonight, who is net and does it look better?

Sounds like there's going to be some healthy competition for open spots I can't wait to see tomorrows game since I live in Pittsburgh sure to be Root sports here.... At least I am hoping so.

Yes I have read a lot of St Louis fan comments about losing him and I think he will take up a lot the slack from Ryan's departure...

I get it conservative optimism, you and many others are totally justified to feel that way based on this teams performance over the last several years. I also have been let down by them consistently for a very long time. However IKP, GA., The Dude(Duda.. thats you) have it right. As a fan given the seismic changes that have occurred and so many positive I can't help but be interested in seeing how this starts to work out. As a long time follower I know it hasn't looked this promising in a very long time. I ❤️ Hockey.

Wow, just wow i guess that locker room was really just one messed up place as some here where saying the last couple of years. I am happy to hear he is on the road to recovery and wish him and his family the best. I can't imagine how that dynamic played out with the other characters in that room and how that effected our rookies that were thrown into that under Disco Dan and Zero F's given.. This makes me even more hopeful that the broom swept the room of almost all of that and the new Dynamic based on sheer number of new bodies and new relationships forming can only go up from there...

Agreed. Thanks GA for starting this with a lot of solid reasoning around the changes that have been made. JBOT sure did not stand pat with more of the same and really went all in on his promise that change was coming. The pipeline looks flush with potential again after looking decimated just 2 years ago by TM. The area's a few of you have pointed out like goal tending, youth getting experience, coaching and how quickly they can jell as a team can take what should be good into legendary aka your braves analogy. As NS points hope Hope is a great thing and it really is easier when they provide enough reasons to have it. Take a deep breath, smell that ? its' hockey and it smells like its coming back to Buffalo... Can't wait to see what it looks like..

That's cool. Starting to really feel like Hockey is coming.... Can't wait to see how this line-up of young Pups, Grizzled vets and tweeners shakes out...

ok, ok, that last one was the dad joke, this ones a little dirty but i'll try to use appropriate adjectives..... And apologies in advance for a guy joke to all the fine ladies who frequent this site.. Please stop here if you will be offended... So a doctor is introducing a new intern to the hospital while making his rounds, As they walk through one of floors they pass a room with the door open while a nurse is furiously jacking off a patient at attention and the new Dr. is aghast. Don't worry says the veteran this is the dysfunction floor and that's one of the newest effective treatments we developed. They pass another room same therapy, same thing is going on. They pass the 3rd room, door open and this time theirs a nurse going down hard giving this at attention patient a BJ, the new physician again is flummoxed? Oh says the veteran Dr. ... That's a better Health coverage benefits plan ! I also happen to work in the health ins industry so there's that.

How do you get a one armed polish man out of a tree? Wave to him...

Love the one your with, Skinner gets my vote. Even strength scoring, fast and and High Hockey IQ, whats not to like..

Thanks. I agree with at least a bubble team and coaching is really what is going to make or break how well this comes together..

I am in camp PA on this one. He now has talent, speed, and a lot of youthful potential to show he knows how to use it. I expect to see him coach a team that puts those pieces together into a team in playoff contention.

What, No way........ I total my car in an accident last week that my daughter and I thankfully walk away from and I am on the mend with a mild concussion staying off computers and I see this. Wow This is crazy,,,.,, Just pinched myself,,,ouch, ok bump is still there though, I did have my head examined so okay I'll believe it..... I'm in now ,,, nothing but playoffs will do... Phil, you got a team with talent and speed now so you better get this right