R_Dudley

Good points. We have to also consider that what we were obviously doing how many available bona fide leaders were willing to sigh on for that ride.

Speed or no speed, new coach old coach, entitlement or not, it all starts with each individuals comittment to their craft. Now it’s correct many on this team are acting like JAG’s but Sam I am is not the same Sam he was. He has not shown the same level of effort that he has previously shown and he certainly has not come into the season in better shape or appearing to have tried to improve. He certainly is not playing like the player you hope you get with a top pick. I hope the new management is looking to build a team that is committed to its craft because that’s what it takes to win a championship. Yeah this is his chance to show he belongs in the top six. If the effort and attitude is not there than I expect he will not be here and I will trust that will be why because management has made that clear and decided Sam I am is Sam is gone.

Yep, Yep and Yep. I posted in another that Sam was playing much more effectively as a rookie. It was touted he was staying after practice working with O'Reilly who used to be the hardest working Sabre. In Before everyone else last one off the ice long after formal practice ended and Sam was staying after working his craft. Given the current state of this team I have nothing, nothing like that is occurring in any news or from anywhere.. If that's true than here is where Phil needs to take more time and longer practices(unless there is a limit he can do) and force them to practice things they are still not doing well.. Passing and Finishing scoring plays are 2 that come to mind,, Add in one timers because this team is horrible and almost always has to settle a puck before shooting allowing goalie and sticks to get in the lane.

Bruins played last night and won 7-2 or something ludicrous like that. Lets hope that got all that scoring out of their system and the home team comes out strong. A small Christmas party after work and them home for the 2nd period. Please don't let me tune into a game that they are already behind like Carolina game although that did turn into quite the tease late... Lets go Buffalo, poke the damn bear and do it often and please at least 1 or 2 Carruba collisions for the Marchand

I saw the article and found it quite interesting. It does imply they definitely hang out together and obviously know the mans tastes that include drinking. It makes me wonder if Sam maybe into a little too much drinking at his age and not prepping/practicing.. I believe I recall as a rookie reading he was one of last players off the ice with O' Reilly staying late after practices. We don't here anything like that anymore about that type of commitment from any of the players staying late after practice. Ryan is too busy getting home getting ready for his baby and playing guitars and music man instead of the rigorous training and after practice work. I guess after getting the big contract and settling into Buffalo it was all just hype. Looks like no one else has picked up that leadership model either. I am curious what one of the contributing posters to many of the 30 pages of the " Good whiskey/whiskey" thread and influences for my expanded tastes in fine whiskeys thinks of Louis XIII ? I just can't fathom that a bottle of cognac could be really that good its worth 3000 but of course I don't have that disposable income either.

Well interested which Sabres we will get tonight. I am hoping for the ones that went 2-0-2 in the last 4 games and played good hockey. Thank you team and may I have another, Go Sabres.

Lets add Wilson to that as well even though it was trade. He plays to the whistle, finishes checks, places himself in the right spots following plays and is hard to play against. When Jacobsen is cleared Reinhart should see the pine and be given the Moulson treatment to contemplate his Hockey sins and potential fate. Great observation and supports the analogy that it is not as far a distance from the Penthouse to the Outhouse as people often think.

That was a well played game to watch. Add in the previous 3 game trip and maybe just maybe we are seeing the worm turn. I do agree Sam is is still one of the the most under achieving players still not benched. It helped girgensons game to sit maybe when Jacobsen is ready Sam should sit to get a different perspective on how the games played. Though I am not sure you can teach tenacity and his game sure lacks that. If they continue to play like this they are very watchable. We shall see with the run of Eastern conference games coming with the holidays. Thank you Sabres may I have another.

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...