SabresBillsFan

Believe me Vegas is good. Think what you want they roll 4 lines and the second line might be better than their first. Their defense is young and fast and both their goaltenders are solid. They work hard and hustle and that can beat skill on any given night. I can thank Florida for giving us a coach and two excellent players in Smith and Marchessault. This is a true team. This is the most excited I’ve been watching hockey. This team is just damn exciting. I know because most of us transplants that live in Vegas now see firsthand how good this team is.

Besides shootouts lehner isn’t the problem in Buffalo.

Well as a season seat holder and someone that grew up in Buffalo I can tell you this much. This is a very well managed team. At the start of the season the talk was most of the unrestricted players were going to be moved for young prospects and picks. But now with them being as good as they are things have changed. Nobody really knows what McPhee has in mind but I’m hoping they resign most of these players. This team has great chemistry and it shows. At the start of the season the big question was where the goals are gonna come from. Well I have to say they are coming from all lines. All 4 lines are solid. Perron and Haula have been unreal on the first line, and no need to talk about Neal he just keeps doing what he does. The second line is just as good or better than the first line with Karlsson, Smith and Marchessault. I can’t believe how Florida could not protect either player. Both are really good players. Plus Karlsson watching him practice and play this guy can skate and he has been getting ice time and blossoming. Now onto the 3rd and fourth lines. Minnesota trading Alex Tuch to us for practically nothing is just goes to show you how many GM’s really have no clue to what they are doing. Since rookie development camp he has made an impact and has been getting better and better. All preseason he was making stuff happen almost every shift. He’s been very underrated as far as rookies go. Ain’t no one talking about him and he just keeps on being effective. Cody Eakin and Brendan Leipsic work hard and have had tons of chances to score. Now on to I think the best fourth line in hockey. Pierre-Édouard Bellemare is just a great great player. I say that because he takes a lot of the major defensive faceoffs, he is on the penalty killing squad, he is a shut down player and really good at it. I think he is the most underrated offensive defensive player in the league. He’s not gonna wow you with scoring because he more of a defensive player but he does have some skill offensively. Nosek, Carrier and Lindbergh have been great especially Carrier when healthy. Him and Nosek are a force on the forecheck and along the boards. Lindbergh has been on the third and fourth lines but has played well at times for this team. Now onto the defense. I think our defense 1-7 know their roles and all have been solid. Schmidt, McNabb, Thoedore, Miller, Sbisa, Engelland, Merrill and Hunt. Schmidt, Miller and Theodore have been playing unreal. Miller and Schmidt have cannons of shots especially Miller and both can really skate. Theodore started in the minors to start the season because of all the one way contracts but since his callup he had a rough first two weeks adjusting but the last two months he’s getting better and better each game. Now to the goaltenders. Everyone knows about Fluery but the unsung hero here is the goaltending coach. He’s been awesome and all 5 goalies used when we had those injury issues have said nothing but great things about him. Here was an interesting thing to start the season. Before the preseason Calvin Pickard had a mask contest designed by the fans. He played like during preseason and was let go for Subban in which a lot of the things we heard was he was no good but very athletic. Well I have to say he’s become a fan favorite and is a very good young goalie plus with Fleury being a mentor the sky’s the limit. I was like most of you before the season and said they would win 20-30 games but not be the worst team in the league. But watching practice and the games this team is for real they are playing with chips on their shoulders, they like playing here and all have meshed well together off the ice. This is just a fun team to watch, how far they will go no one knows. But they play a fast paced exciting brand of hockey and they work hard.

I would say no but he’ll no to that. Pittsburgh would win that deal in a landslide I could see something like these deals but until this team gets some decent scouts then I don’t really want more picks. With as much money as Pegula has he should have solid scouting and scouts everywhere. More than any other team. I think Buffalo needs players that can skate and work hard. They seem slow compared to most teams.

If these scouts can’t find anyone past the 1st round that can make an impact it will be the same year in and year out. They need better scouts that can find players that can be impact players. Right now it hasn’t happened. Even their 1st rounders are just so so. It’s an absolute joke what this team has become. I don’t blame Pegula he has spent the money but I think now he really has to hire a solid scouting staff. Sad thing about that is Girgensens hasn’t gotten worse. I thought he was playing his best when Nolan coached. Grigorenko and Zadorov were both rushed and were really never that great to begin with. I like Risto but he hasn’t looked good this year. Reinhart was the guy I wanted in his draft year but never really improved much after. He lacks speed. Nylander looks like he has a ton of skill but needs some time.

Mittelstadt is the player I wanted for the Sabres. I thought he played well.

I'm still a Sabres fan but they are no longer my #1 since I no longer live there plus this organization is turning out to be like the Cleveland Browns of hockey. I grew up in Buffalo watching since the early 80's. But like most of the people that moved from Buffalo to Las Vegas we are slowly turning into Knights fans now that we have our own team. I still like the Sabres as I went to Anaheim to watch before they came here to Vegas. I was fortunate enough to get a selfie with Eichel, Reinhart and O'Reilly when they were walking thru the plaza of T-Mobile Arena. But I know most can't wait for the Knights to fall but being a season seat holder I will tell you that this team is pretty exciting to watch. They Skate and work hard. That's my biggest issue with the Sabres right now. I don't mind if you lose and players are working hard but I seen Eichel coast for the first 20 games before he seemed like it was time to turn it on. Sad because he can be a dominating player once he realizes that if he skates hard he can be tough to play against.

Just got back from the Knights game. Speed and hardwork isn’t this teams problem. We have a solid team here. This team is fun to watch. We have fast mobile defenseman. Solid goaltending and 4 solid lines. I know people are waiting for this team to fall but they actually have a really good team here. If you guys plan a trip to watch Buffalo elsewhere this is the place to watch them in Vegas. Just don’t buy merchandise at the game. Way cheaper online.

This Sabres team is a joke. And then all the talk about trading the one guy that, skates, hits and scores. If anything they need more players like Kane. Team is an absolute mess.

What a game tonight in Vegas against Tampa. Theodore with the blast with less than 3 seconds to go. At least this team works and works hard. Much more exciting to watch than Buffalo right now. I like our defensive squad here with the Knights. These guys can skate and Colin Miller has got a blast.

See previous post Was at the Knights game tonight. What a night for this squad. This team just keeps surprising people. Watching this team since training camp this team is pretty solidly built. Game plan with this squad was to trade almost all of the unrestricted free agents for prospects and picks but I’m guessing that plan is about to change. I think a piece that is unrated about this team is the defense. Colin Miller, Nate Schmidt, and Shea Theodore have been playing real well. This team just works and works hard and have solid goaltending. I’m shocked by both players that came from Florida Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault. Watching these guys I just can’t believe you let both go. Yeah I know they felt Smith was overpaid and how do you give up a 30 goal guy in Jonathan? Those are the type of moves I expect from a Sabres GM. I’m Impressed by both. The other surprise is from rookie camp with Alex Tuch. He’s a rookie who is flying under the radar. He’s a big guy that can skate and he goes in the corners and usually comes out with the puck. Almost every game he has played he had quality opportunities or set up his teammates. He has 15 points this season but for a team like Minnesota to trade him to us is just crazy because I can’t believe you give up on a player like that. For a team that most thought would have trouble scoring goals that isn’t the case.

Was at the Knights game tonight. What a night for this squad. This team just keeps surprising people. Watching this team since training camp this team is pretty solidly built. Game plan with this squad was to trade almost all of the unrestricted free agents for prospects and picks but I’m guessing that plan is about to change. I think a piece that is unrated about this team is the defense. Colin Miller, Nate Schmidt, and Shea Theodore have been playing real well. This team just works and works hard and have solid goaltending. I’m shocked by both players that came from Florida Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault. Watching these guys I just can’t believe you let both go. Yeah I know they felt Smith was overpaid and how do you give up a 30 goal guy in Jonathan? Those are the type of moves I expect from a Sabres GM. I’m Impressed by both. The other surprise is from rookie camp with Alex Tuch. He’s a rookie who is flying under the radar. He’s a big guy that can skate and he goes in the corners and usually comes out with the puck. Almost every game he has played he had quality opportunities or set up his teammates. He has 15 points this season but for a team like Minnesota to trade him to us is just crazy because I can’t believe you give up on a player like that. For a team that most thought would have trouble scoring goals that isn’t the case. Anybody ever come to Vegas and want to meet up and talk Sabres-Knights hockey hit me up.

I thought Chris only wanted to stay if Danny was coming back. That whole offseason was a show. All 3 should have been signed a lot sooner.

This is why I'm saying that Buffalo has a problem with their amateur scouting. With as big as scouting staff as they are supposed to have they sure don't hit on many picks. The last few years almost any one of us could have picked their first round pick. This is unacceptable and the reason why this team is in bad shape.

I agree. But then again they don’t need another high priced player making some serious cash with little results. Just look at ROR, Matty Mo, Bogo who can’t stay healthy. It’s like they need to blow it up again and start over. It’s gonna be years before this team is actually decent. I think Buffalo should look at their scouting staff and actually get scouts who can find players past the first round.

Once Jason trades some of these players they will start producing on their new teams. City of Buffalo must be cursed.

I don’t even watch them anymore because it’s like throwing 2 and a half hours away of your life watching a god aweful effort. All my years watching this team I thought it was bad when they started the tank but after the picks and some free agents what’s going on this year is totally unacceptable. I just can’t believe he handed Jack an 80 million dollar contract. He’s not worth that kind of money. Jason Botterill has got a total mess to fix

It’s obvious their scouting department isn’t good either. Any of us could have made these picks in the first round the last few years. I don’t see much in the pipeline besides maybe 3 players. This team is an absolute mess. I didn’t think it would get worse from last year but this team is just as bad as when the tank started. Crazy because they have some players that can play. They just look so unmotivated when you watch them. Kinda wondering if these players don’t like Housley’s system or they just aren’t good enough for it.

Ive been a fan since I lived there. We moved in the late 80’s and I was still a diehard fan but now that we have a team here in Vegas my love for the Sabres is fading plus how many more years do we have to go thru seasons like this before they finally get it right. They have become a joke. I think the scouting department needs some serious help. You have to hit on players in other rounds in order to be successful and maybe they have recently but we won’t know for a least a couple of more seasons. But to me this is unexceptable. I don’t mind losing if the effort is there but you can’t tell me these guys skated their off. Plus every loss is the same excuse from this team. And then at the end of the season the first overall pick still won’t be won by Buffalo.

I don’t get that either with the lines. It looks like Housley is in over his head. Plus Okposo looks like whatever affect him last year he is definitely not the same player.

Another team that is going nowhere. Jets had the game plan to beat them and did. Saints did the same thing and destroyed them at home. These other teams will use that same plan for Buffalo. At least management and coach wise seemed to have it figured out. I don’t really watch much of the National Felons League anymore anyways.

This team is a joke and for anybody that wants Kane traded he’s the only guy playing hard.

That is exactly what I have seen from him. Yes we know he only finishes some of the time but at least he works his @ss off compared to a lot of the players on this squad. The problem with giving 2 players big money is if your a player making less and playing better then you feel you deserve that same type of money. Lets face it Jack isn't worth 10 million right now or even going forward. As much as I like O'Reilly he isn't even worth the money they are paying him. This team is a disaster right now. Top 3 pick here we come unless they finally figure it out way too late like always.

Me too. Starts from the top. But I look at 2 major spots for both squads. The GM, and the scouting department. If you have good scouts you can find the talent and then if you have a good GM who can make the moves to acquire these players. Yes I know I left off the coaching department which plays an important role of this as well.

Totally agree with this