R_Dudley

An interesting fact for this discussion. According to some studies the male brain doesn’t fully mature until age 24 to 27. I too have watched this team too long without quarterback at center and the kid is only 21. I just hope we have the right coaching.

Upon further review (after the fact viewing the recorded game) I liked his game. He did exactly what they brought him in for. Played with speed, Played the body finished checks. Went to the net. Meshed well with ERod and Oko on the 3rd line and Was instrumental in McCabe's goal screening the goalie in front breaking the Dmens goal drought. Definitely an upgrade for Matty Mo.

The sabres to my recollection have played the Hawks pretty competitively the last few times. I too am interested to see if the Mo effect is still in play for them.

I'm guessing an honest Freudian slip based on Doohickee's ice girls start of the thread. I will watch. Win or lose I want to see if the team can put 2 solid efforts together yet back to back. That will tell me if the Moulson effect has staying power or was a sham

I'm In

Well watched some of the first period and they didn't look terrible and see they won. Yeah.. Now can they continue to play this way and get even better still. Maybe we have some line and pairing combinations that can stick together for more than a few periods. whats the current betting line on count down of games before injury to Bogo? I'm going to go with 4.

I dunno we gotta see pics of you in a bikini before we vote. Double dog dare ya...

Based on this teams performance Jbot has his work cut out for him. I didn't realize there was that many potential openings and I would not at all be surprised to see him turn almost everyone of those over. At least we have that to look forward too.

Of course not. I just don't see Jbot paying him with the long term contract that Kane thinks he's worth when the team is still 2-3 years away from truly being more than a 1 and done playoff round contender. Even if you think Kane might be willing to stay do you take the risk he just says no thanks and wants to test FA and the market price his agent tells him he's worth and risk losing him for nothing. Last I am not sure Kane's reputation and potential influence on the younger players on team (jack, Reino, whoever else is hanging together) is exactly the dynamic they are looking for..

Yeah that's what I like about this as well. I agree with Dark this is just the beginning of the makeover. I made my picks in the whose the next out door thread.... I am interested to see what he can get for Reino and Kane, they have the best return potential...

I voted Reino, Kane, Lehner in that order. Reino and Jack as bicycle buddies with the way are playing irks me. Kane is the the stirrer that mixes the drinks and Lehner cant stop be trusted to stop a shootout or breakaway... 3 XGMTM guys

Hmmm, looks like roster fillers. Who was it in the Moulson thread that said XGMTM should have done short contracts and RFA's for the tank years. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck is it going the way of another makeover ? Now I am interested to see what else JBOT is going to do. Hell the hockey isn't entertaining so stay tuned for the next episode of "As the Sabres turn".

Well that's interesting. So is this the beginning of no more Mr. Nice Guy or more akin to reshuffling deck chairs on the Titanic? Seems like a lot of you are looking at this as the tip of the iceberg for additional moves coming. I guess it's only logical to assume it took this long because they were shopping him and even offered to eat salary as I read in one of the links on this thread. I am not so sure anything else is imminent. It took them this long to even make this one move. If we somehow start to look better and not lose everyone of the next 4 games i see nothing happening till next year. If we do still look as bad and continue to lose then i agree more moves have been discussed and are queued up waiting to happen and maybe one more before the 12/19 holiday roster freeze.. Do we start another betting thread on the whose next? it Sux that unless they figure out how and start playing some real hockey this seems like that's all we have to talk about up to the trading deadline.

Well I was at the game. I will say that at least they were competing and looked more like a hockey team. Not a total embarrassment. They still had their lapses and against the Pens they ended up in the net. It still befuddles me how they can look so lost one night and reasonably competitive the next. That is definitely on the players however I still think they need a coach that holds them accountable game to game shift to shift. The Sabres are getting no respect from any of the teams they face. They are considered fragile and easy to rattle into making mistakes and that is exactly what we have seen. The players are the ones that need to flip that script by being harder to play against and not so easily exploited. Until then teams will just continue to play them that aggressively taking away time and space with no fear this team can make them pay for that aggressive style. I think that's my last in person game till this team starts play consistently and competes on a regularly.

You lucky dogs. For shame, i have misspent money that could have been better used for xmas and soon this evening time with tickets to tonight's exhibition game here in PGH at PPG place. Yes i said exhibition because these sabres don't hockey.. Was a competitive game that I could at least share some playful banter with my co-workers and Pens fans here too much to ask, alas I see it was a fools blue and gold I had hoped for. I will be there but I never have felt this uninspired to go watch and root for a team I grew up loving... Thank you and may I NOT have another, not for this collection of so called hockey players...

Start playing on your toes more than your heels. Fail fabulously trying.. Play with effort and show some energy, Play with enthusiasm, Play the body not the stick check whiffs we have seen, Practice "to their arms fall off" passing till you can finally hit the tape over 50% of the time, Practice " " shots hitting the net Practice " " One timers instead of always trying to settle the puck before shooting. Practice " " moving up the ice as one unit with multiple options for the basic forecheck systems most teams use. Set your lines and let them play together for more than one game minimum of 5 games or even the 7 game blocks Phil said he broke the season into. Find another goalie....

Yeah that caught my eye to this morning and I also thought WTF is he doing anywhere near this team. shouldn't the coach or Jbot be teh ones talking to certain players. This belongs under PA's whats wrong with Dad thread, if uncle Russ is butting in his 2 cents saying things to just certain players whats that all about. Does jack have a direct pipeline to ownership, sure smells fishy. We keep hearing players talking about accountability but if management is coddling certain players I think this is not lost on the team. If your Stars paid the most are allowed to coast why should others paid less feel like they should do more. Yeah something is rotten and its at the core and that is definitely some core still there lurking in shadows...

Ok told you so doley noted. I am inclined to agree because this positive bs pablum being dished out doesn't cut it for me anymore either.

I have been following this team since 1975, ok not always real closely all those years but enough to know how they were playing. This is without a doubt historically the worst Sabres team in my 42 years of following this team. This is the bottom as far as I am concerned.

Well then let's play Sherlock here and if that's not the problem and can eliminate the other obvious nots whatever is left is the problem?

That makes sense and I do think the system change requires more hockey instincts like seeing the whole ice, processing and picking the smart play. They are not doing that and it is now real obvious.

Yes but how did some get dumber over the last season? If that's the case then they are not thr right guys for Housley's system. So back to ground zero who goes players or coach? Round and round she goes where she stops nobody knows.

Coaching has to take some of the heat here. If you got lemons you have to make lemonade. If you do not have the players to execute your system and they aren't getting it you have to tailor it down to what they can do. These guys look horrible and so out of sync, no hockey sense at all horrible passes. They were actually better last year. Not sure how that can be

Pittsburgh panned Jbot up in the box. Said some nice things about how he helped the Pens and deserved this chance but had his work cut out for him. Jbot looked very frustrated. We know he he can't be happy.

Wow this team wouldn't beat their own farm team. I would place my money on the Amerks