7+6=13

I just don't think we have the type of players to execute that effectively.

Crap

Do you guys like how the camera views? I personally find it difficult to follow.

I largely agree with True Blue but I'll add you made him sound like a malcontent. The whole team has a had a crappy attitude and IMO, they should. Not because they all suck and don't try because losing sucks, especially when it caught you by surprise. In hindsight we should have seen that the likelihood of us being a playoff contender was an overshot but I think the players felt optimistic too - then they crashed. In addition, he wasn't playing like ####, things were off and it pissed him off. Did he handle it correctly?, no. Did he handle it like a 21 year old?, yes. For me, I just felt the losing was going to be hardest on him and I expected negative effects. I also know he'll still get his, because he's just too good and driven. Jack shows it when he's pissed - let's pick someone else like O'Reilly who doesn't. O'reilly tells everyone how bad he's playing and how terrible he feels about it in an interview - maybe makes him seem more mature and endearing about the hardship. I kind of want him to stop talking like that and show the emotion on the ice (i.e. Jack). JMO

With all due respect this is way way too harsh of an assessment.

Jack is an elite talent - lets just get that out of the way. He's trying to figure himself out at 21 years old on a putrid team. I think him being "streaky" is perfectly acceptable especially given the lines have changed a dozen times or so (guessing). As to his recent surge it could be a myriad of different things as you all have mentioned above. I'll add to the list and say it could be his conditioning kicking in. He works hard int he off season and at nearing the half way point - having youth and work ethic at his back could be helping him wear down opponents.

I love how he anticipated the play developing back at the blue line. Kept coming hard and beat the defense to the spot. This is something our current NHL roster does not do often enough - yet is done to us consistently. Nice to see from the young kid.

Lehner is an extremely emotional guy. It's actually too much for my tastes. I think he sounds like an absolute nut case when he speaks to the media. Even when he's calm - I get the feeling, this guy is ready to blow a gasket. I think his emotions hurt him much more than they help him in the net. I'm almost positive they never help him outside of the net. I think this is one of the main reasons the fans don't connect with Lehner.

Kane isn't our most talented player - that's obviously Jack. Kane is playing the best and hardest (playing hard never an issue with Kane). I think you'd agree if he's not being signed during the season - you trade him, right?

Such a tough call. If the stage is set that we aren't giving him an extension during the season - or he doesn't want to sign an extension - then I think you have to trade him, there's little choice. Keeping him and not signing him although it would cause a massive void on our team would be a huge missed opportunity for the future. I wouldn't keep him to just show good will towards him for signing him in the off season - that's just a simple conversation with his agent - otherwise you sign him now. If the Sabres want to sign him but his agent is saying we are open to signing back with Buffalo but my client does want to take advantage of seeing the open market - then obviously that decision is already made for the Sabres and you trade.

Jim Kelly - Deniro - Michael Jackson - Mike Tyson

They've been doing that with everyone though. I haven't seen the same lines for 3 games in a row. This is what leads me to believe this is a "see what we have" season and build the team from there. I do think they've made an effort to put Sam in position to see where he can succeed and IMO hasn't shown where or who he should be playing with.

Not being smart but what do you mean by jerking Sam around?

Right, but I just cannot imagine a scenario where they keep him and just let him go to ufa.

By "he's not going anywhere" the source must mean he's getting an extension?

I have a slightly different take. I think this team is built for an outdated style of NHL hockey. It would look better in Bylsma's system or at least the one he chose (may have been because of our teams make up of players). Housley is of the new style - speed and puck possession. It's what wins today but we're no where near set up for that. While the league is addressing some of the things holding offenses back i.e. the slashing rule being enforced - there is still a lot of interference allowed. This is why you need a handful of players that are hard to catch, difficult to interfere and get your body on. They beat you in and out of the corners. Twitchy players that can posses the puck so well the defense plays in an area instead of trying to come towards the player. There's always the need for big strong guys - don't get me wrong but offensively and defensively we need a handful of players that can just go. I think this team would "look better" if we could immediately defer back to last years system - but that doesn't mean that's what we should do. I surmise that the theory of this being a "take a look" at what we have deploying the system we will play to likely be correct .

That was not the question.

Opportunity to play with Jack - who's elevated him from a good player to a guy on the leader boards.

It's been a rough stretch for sure but I'm not calling Jack Eichel rotten.

We have 3 offensive players worth a crap and I find it comical that somehow they're the rotten ones. You cannot be competitive when that's all you have.

Last nights game is an indication that what you suggest isn't the right thing to do. Kane was rendered ineffective with O'Reilly and Sam. As soon as he got back with Jack everything clicked. Kane and Eichel should be on the same line from here on and I also think Kane needs to be signed to keep them together. It's working.

Sadly I agree with everything you've said.

Do you really think we're desperate for puck moving dman? Watching the games it doesn't seem like that's our issue(s).

He's made a few mistakes turning the puck over or trying to do a little too much - but overall he is playing fantastic, IMO. He gives us a handful of very real opportunities to score each game. He's no where near needing to sit. We aren't winning, he's pissed, so what.

Our hands aren't tied - we just don't have trade type players outside of Kane. That's basically the position of most teams.