DFITZ1

It's like watching the tank years. Mazaros-Benoit all over again.

Typical Sabres shift: 1. Chase puck in the defensive zone for 30 sec. - 2. get puck off rebound - 3. flip puck outside offensive zone 4. Change lines (unless icing is called) 5. Sit back and let opposition carry puck into Sabres defensive zone. 6. Repeat steps 1-5. Is this DB's system? Awful.

It's only 1-0. Good thing Schaller didn't shoot at the lower corner.

Seeing that Pat La brought in the likes of Linus Omark and one other that I've already forgotten, I have more confidence in TM at personnel decisions (a least Patty didn't sign them to multi year contracts). My guess is Patty saw that his work was effectively done and his input was no longer needed in hockey personnel decisions. He bought in the people that can bring respect back to the franchise by themselves. His position became redundant.

Just hope he can stay around longer than 2 years.

I may have missed it in this thread, but Nolan did a good job bringing the Islanders back to the playoffs, and had them play well against a stronger Sabre team in 2006-'07. He has the ability to make a bad team good. What remains to be seen is can he make them champions.

On top of that, getting one superstar isn't enough. You have to get a supporting cast as well. Perreault needed Martin and Robert to be elite (he was already real good). Gretsky needed Messier, Crosby needed Malkin. Lafontaine and Mogilny were at there best when they came together. Jordan needed Pippin (NBA crossover). A common mistake some GM's make is they pay big for a superskater and then 10 cents for their wingers and the results are below expectations. I don't believe Darcy is capable of seeing that, and will likely fail to rebuild this team for that reason. Tank or no tank, if Darcy is GM, more failure will follow.

How about the owners, coaches amd players from Buffalo, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Detroit reform their teams and organizations and offer to play in the KHL starting in January. In a sense, have a North American Division. The teams play each other as well as go overseas to play KHL teams and vice versa. That way fans in hockey culture cities get to see decent pro hockey again, and yes have, something to play for, even if just continental pride. The puts arenas back in business, fans in the seats, players on the ice (at a lower but healthy salary), hotels/restaurants regaining lost business. It might even open the NHL to the fact that they are not the only league in town and can be replaced. Seeing Bettman and Fehr's smug looks with nothing to negotiate for would be my Christmas present. This idea may be outlandish and stupid, but not nearly as much so as the corporate suicide being undertaken by the NHL and NHLPA.

Since campaign 2012 rhetoric started in November 2008, I have tossed all of it out (Dem and Rep) and will make my decision based on the head to head debates where what is said is largely up to the candidates only, rather than campaign strategists, and their anti-"the other guy comments" are no longer valid. It is amazing how in 4 years, few people remember the the world wide (not just USA) economic downfall was caused by banking institutions abroad and in the USA (and those in the USA under the less than watchful eye of the party that thinks it is better suited to bring economic recovery). Many voters expect the issues of the economy and healthcare (what I see as the 2 most important) should be solved without pain to themselves. Sorry, it won't happen. The economy and the deficit will have to be paid for by those not responsible for the mess. It may be a year or two of high taxes (or fees, if in NYS) and low services. Healthcare, whether Obamacare, RomnetCare, HarpoCare or GrouchoCare) will be costly to ALL one way or another until the billed costs are lowered. Ever look at a hospital bill? There are charges that are highly questionable that insurance and/or Medicare/Caid pay with little scrutiny. Lower the billed cost, and any plan will work. Right now, any plan you will pay a lot for be it taxes, out of pocket, insurance, lower employee wages, and price of goods and services. Plans that address insurance cost but not billed costs are useless.

The best way to speed along these negotiations is for fans to stop buying merchandise, stop accessing nhl.com, their team's official websites, buying single game tickets, NHL TV etc. until they reach a deal. That way Bettman knows that hockey has the greatest and smartest fans in the world. Start taking money from them, and they will listen to us instead of themselves.

Darned if I know. That's the font size that came up (something else to complain about). I still hope someone can tell me why wasn't last nights game on MSG in Albany NY? Damn frustrating when the guide say "Sabres at Ducks and what you get is Dan Patrick looking at SI swimsuit models. I can see them on computer or in print just fine without his help.

Why wasn't last nights game on MSG in Albany NY?

Bottle of Wine by the Firebirds. Dates back a while.

Players have gotten bigger and quicker (both football and hockey) and the equipment and rules haven't done enough to keep up. You wonder if divine intervention is taking form in the rash of concussions that have hit both sports. Speaking of coming back from concussions, we have a neighbor up the street that got a concussion a few years back intervening in a spat at the local high school (student suddenly swung at another he hit our neighbor in the skull, may have fallen also). She had dizzy spells, memory lapses and headaches for nearly a year. You wonder what happens to guys like Miller and Edwards who were back taking hits in less than a month.

Not only the players (lack of) reaction after the collision, but the hockey world in general afterward. These guys got labled patsies, weaklings, whatever and probably had to put with a lot of (deserved) on ice abuse as well as media, not to mention the NHL not suspending Lucic. That's a sure starter for locker room finger pointing and dissention.

Agreed. I wonder if concussions have had an irreversible on the reaction time of Miller, Connelly and Bills QB Trent Edwards. It seems like Miller has lost a split second reaction time which results in those goals over his post side shoulder (glove or blocker too late). I wish I could remember Connelly before that wicked concussion that knocked him out for almost a year; when he came back he still had fine puck carrying skills but hesitated a split second too long choosing between passing or shooting which resulted in giveaways. Trent was always prone to the short pass, but after his knockdown in Arizona, he showed more panic in the pocket than before. What's bad is 2 of these 3 got run out of town, and the other is under heavy criticism, and it may be due to something they can't control.

Yeah, I'd say last night's game, though a win, didn't show us breaking out of the funk. Still 2 goals or less in scoring production, and by accounts on the GDT, just boring, likely uninspired play. Luckily, Miller came through in the end. I'm hoping some move is made during the all-star break.

Yeah, finally figured it out. Never really noticed before. I was blinded too much by the ever smiling Connelly. Guess I'll have to change my avatar.

It must only be seen by me. It says "Warn Status" right below my "Connelly" avatar. Maybe I'm being warned to change avatars. Nice to see (or in my case read) that the Sabres won tonite. I'm still tired of game after game unable to score more than 2 goals. You won't go far with that no matter who's in the net.

I got the "Warn Status" and would love to know who gave it to me and what for. I can figure out the reason (though I don't agree) but I'd like to see the "warner" make themselves known. Heck, I've taken flamings on TSW where my restraint of "in kind" response should've won me the Nobel Peace Prize.

Just checked the score, 1-0 in the first, 1-1 after the 2nd, standard operating procedure for loss#6. You're right about Roy. He seems to be taking a cue from his old mate Max Afinogenov and seems to free-wheel too much around the ice which is a recipe for a great goal surrounded by several dumb penalties and giveaways. He could be on the trading block, but who wants a giveaway artist (besides the Leafs). No one wanting to defend Miller is a double whammy since it breaks the code of always defend your goaltender, and it puts guys at odds in the locker room from that point on. I still remember when the team stood up for Drury when Chris Neal laid'em out. There was no question that if the refs weren't going to do anything, the team would. I still remember, all the skaters dropped the gloves at once, then Biron battled the Ottawa goaltender. Next thing you expected would've been Jeanerret and the Sens announcers battling it out in the press box. Not that I advocate mass hysteria, but the players stood up for one another. In Boston they didn't. Even after the incident, they had 2 periods to start laying Bruins out to dry. When I think of us fans not knowing the story, I think of the Flutie/Johnson debacle. The stories now show a locker room more badly divided than the US congress. Ruff seems to have reached the point where he can't do anymore with the situation. This is where Darcy has to step in and make the change. Pegula seems like a guy that will take action directed at the root cause, not change for changes sake. Perhaps Rodney King can help us and give his "Why can't we just get along!" remark.

My own feeling is Pegula is going to try to find the root of the problem, which means if its players, he's going to move players first. Replacing the GM and coach, and keeping a dysfunctional locker room, won't change the result on the ice. My feeling is Miller may be the one that has to go, because the Lucic incident revolves around him. What we don't know, because no player or coach will ever say it, is if Miller is upset with the players and has made it known to them in such a way that there is a pro-Miller and anti-Miller faction in the locker room. When he goes, they can start rebuilding. My hope is that if he's traded, it's for a bonafide goal scorer. This team actually moves the puck well, and then gets stone hands. I cringe at all the juicy rebounds left for naught of rebounds and such shot wide or over the crossbar. Also, Vanek needs an equal calibre partner just like when LaFontaine and Mogilny teamed up nearly 20 years ago, and of course the French Connection. I am at least old enough to watch that line start from #11 and work its way up to #14, and you could see Perrwaults and Martins production improve as they got equal calibre linemates (and also drop when they were split up). I've always seen that a single star skater isn't enough. Getting 2 is essential and if Vanek can be teamed up with a player of equal or better skill, the goals will start coming. Some of the soft players might be traded, perhaps for draft choices in favor or tougher players in Rochester. If Pegula pulls the trigger it will be both, considering the other might be a viewed as a lame duck. Anyways, I think it will be players first, as I suspect its a split or dysfunctional locker room, and solve that you have to change the players. Unfortunately, it might be Miller who has goes (not that he deserves it). As for the other guys, I wasn't letting them get to me too much, but it's bothered me on both this and the TSW board that a few posters who think they run the show are ruining the boards. I wanted to just hear fans thoughts, instead I'm getting berated on something silly like starting a thread or not, and others join in and the thread goes to crap after that. Fortunately it picked up overnight and during the day. For a thread that shouldn't have been started it sure got a lot of postings (and eventually most had to do with the original topic).

LTS - thank you for expressing my thoughts on new vs current thread so logically. Also, thank you to several posters here restored my faith that the majority of Buffalo fans are good people who enjoy cheering, jeering or talking about our teams in whatever medium is handy. The sad part is Korab Rules and D4rksabre also proved that there is a vocal few who ruin it for others. You guys read me and my intentions so wrong its laughable. As one poster correctly noted I've been on this board as DFITZ1 since 2009. I've actually been on long under a similar name. Also, if you checked on my activity, as proudly as you tout your search capabilities, you would see that I rarely start threads. As LTS said, I did not want to bury this in another thread, just hoping for a little discussion that EVERY MEMBER OF THIS FORUM IS ENTITLED TO. Your rude comments detracted from it, and ruined it for me. No big loss, I have more important things to do in my life. YOU DO NOT RUN THIS BOARD, AND I WILL START A NEW THREAD ANYTIME I FEEL LIKE IT JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE CAN. I DON'T NEED YOUR PERMISSION. BTW - I've been watching Buffalo hockey since 1966 (Bisons vs Pittsburgh Hornets). I am no newbie and know more than enough about the game to contribute to this forum, new thread or not. Now go enjoy the game (I'm not - I've got Time Warner).

Thank you for showing common sense. Unfortunately the others probably won't get the message because they're so in love with themselves. The observations that seem so weird is how other teams, team reps or smart media (aka the BN sports editors) felt that this team was emotionally down rather than talent (though there is some debate about that). It has to point to something else and the Lucic hit exposed a problem that the players couldn't face.

D4rksabre - you have read me so wrong that you are more pathetic than this team is. I didn't call attention to myself as I have nothing to gain from it. It was just discussion pure and simple and I'm tired of diving in and out of threads to see who what has been discussed. I actually do much more with my time than read sports posts. There are still some good posters here but I've seen these boards get just as pathetic as the teams have. Moderator - if you want to delete this thread go ahead. I have no reason to follow this board or this team for that matter.