...

This. I think the last few preseason games and against the Bruins Dahlin has been "held back". Not sure if it's coaching or if it's Dahlin himself surveying the league. I recall seeing him go toward the Bruin's net once during that game. His defensive decisions are solid, it seems, except when he makes an error with the puck. I think some of it has to do with ice surface and Dahlin needing to get used to it. There's one analysis of his game I read or saw, can't remember, where it was noted that after he gets the puck, he doesn't look at it. I wonder if the smaller surface combined with the more aggressive play of the league chews up the ice surface and this is getting in the way of what Dahlin is used to doing.

Interesting post. I don't disagree that the Sabres didn't look out-matched so much as they looked ill-prepared. The beginning of the first and then there were several solid minutes in the latter half of the second where, I thought, they looked solid. As I posted earlier, I really think you can summarize the game as: Eichel wasn't ready, KO is over-rated, and coaching was still on vacation. There were several good things going on and some aspects of their game were clearly improved. I think the disappointment in the leadership group, under-rating the Bruins skill/experience, and the score have combined to make it probably seem worse than it was.

Rick was awful last night. So was Ray. Their interactions were...uncomfortable.

Seriously, that was a game last night that Boston "should have" won, and they did, especially coming in off the loss. No surprise there, is it? Were we expecting Dahlin's stick to glow at one end and sparks to fly where ever he skated? No. It looked like a roster full of brand new players, most of them pretty new to the NHL who weren't prepared, or used, properly. It looked like a veteran corps that completely over-estimated their ability to play hockey and under-estimated/forgot how easy it is for any NHL team to punish an opponent who is slacking off. I thought Mitts looked pretty good, probably the only light spot on offense, except for...wait for it...Girgensons, who proved why he was on the team just by being on the PK, but he was actually gritty 5x5 like few other Sabres were. Sobotka was a stand-out because he actually played with some grit, too. On that note, I actually kind of missed Bogo because although he's made of glass, he brings the nasty when he plays. Skinner was invisible and I hope to God he doesn't live up to the impression I now have of Cody Hodgson mk II. If anyone is concerned the team won't impress him enough to stay here...f**k that, he's gotta establish, first, that he's worth being here, let alone worrying about if he'll stay. Eichel sucked. My God. Turnovers, passes to no one. No grit. KO sucked, too. Never been a fan and now that he's "better" there is no excuse for it. The fanbase way over-rates that guy if this board is any measure of the general fan base. What is with the little-kid like leaning away from the player you're supposed to be engaging, and just using the stick to try and poke the puck away? WTF is that? It's like they're scared to engage individual players...afraid of being hit. Just like they're obviously scared to GO TO THE NET. GO. TO. THE. NET. HCPH, why not just tell them: hit your opponent. Go to the net. Shoot the puck at the net (not at the goalie's chest or wide). Stop with the fancy passes, they don't work. I also get the impression HCPH has told Dahlin not to travel with the puck. Dahlin did not carry the puck as much as I expected. This is just a suspicion. I understand it could be that Dahlin himself wasn't feeling up to it, being his first NHL game and all. The NHL is not the elegant European game. Now, all of that said, the kids looked good. I saw lots of things that were better from last season, as others have noted in the thread. Faster, yup. Didn't get hemmed in their zone. Break outs looked more competent. I like Hutton except when he travels far for the puck. So, there were positives. You could clearly see a very battle-hardened Bruins team out there against a bunch of new recruits. I would have loved to have been surprised, but will have to be happy seeing some small steps. I'm also happy to have noted that HCPH just simply doesn't know how to manage a game - that cat is out of the bag.

I'm wondering if what we're watching is coaching.

I want to see what this team is like in 10 games. I want to see what Housley does with them.

I hate to be "that guy" but I'm not turned off yet by what I'm seeing.

These past few minutes have been better. And I like that Mitts took the shot.

I agree with this, especially the lacking urgency part. That is something that goes way back for this team.

The Sabres look small.

You should feel lucky. I wish one of my kids would try and talk me into season tix.

My prediction for tonight's game:

This thread, lately, makes me feel...

Aww!

LIGHT 'EM UP! STANLEY'S CUP HERE WE COME!!

He keeps getting injured, which means a built-in excuse for rotating alternates.

Will you all quiet down, now? Yeesh. Like ladies at bingo.

DAMN! It's amazing Hutton's head is still on his body after hitting the ice like that. His neck must be quite limber.

It's about time. Let's play some hockey and win.

If I remember correctly, it's pretty clear, but an enviable stream, and a lengthy pour.

I said it better. ?

So...this is page 69 of this thread. I'm just here to say I'm in.

I can't think of a more miserable way to begin the season than to feel the dark shadow of expectations once again seeping into the locker room. As I mentioned earlier today, with the buzz word being "culture", another practice when the schedule is so tight early will suck the fun out of it for the boys. I think one of the priorities of the team is to try and somehow allow the players to have fun with what they're doing and re-capture the loose-ness of the game from their youth that made it special for them. As Stephen King once wrote "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

I guess that was not Sun Tzu, but Michael Corleone.

Maybe JBott is a disciple of Sun Tzu: "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."