apuszczalowski

The thing with alot of those teams is that they have either had some of the best talent but were underachieving (Pittsburgh), or the team tried other thing first to make changes before changing the coach. I don't think theres anyone here that will say that the Sabres are in the Pittsburgh situation and are underachieving with talent the level of Staal, Malkin and Crosby or that they have tried making some big roster changes like LA did last year getting Carter and Richards, or the Blues getting Halak

Exactly, you had to give up something good to get something good, I think the basis of most people arguements here is that Regier (or is it Ruff who is taking all the Regier blame now that Quinns gone?) shouldn't have this team in a position where it has to give up Kassian to try and get this team a Centre. The Sabres were desperate for a Centre and because of it, the only choice was to deal away something of top quality to get something of top quality.

If Ruff is responsible for the Vanek of today, i would say that its well worth it, Vanek is finally looking like an elite NHL talent now

well, I wouldn't put him in the role of GM or player evaluation/scouting, but he knows the game and what goes on with running a team and the business side of hockey. I consider him a "hockey guy" because he understands teh game and follows it, and he has been around it doing this job prior to being here. He isn't Quinn, or just some guy who has never been part of the head off of an NHL team before

Or you can tell that guy that you just extended to get to work and make this team better. I know, the easier move is to use the coach as the scape goat, fire him and hope that something magical happens and guys like Stafford turn into NHL players.

I'm not saying that either, if its working and your bringing in players through the draft while making moves to improve your team elsewhere thats fine, the issue I have is with constantly sticking with guys because you drafted them and not changing over the roster when it isn't working. The last tiem Regier made a move to bring in a top 6 forward to this team would have been Briere and Drury, every since they left (no fault of Regier though) its been lets let the guys here replace them.

Sorry, yes, thats what i meant, that was a typo How many teams truly have a "hockey Guy" in charge of the stuff Ted Black is doing? I really don't think Black is doing a bad job and with his previous experience I would say he is a hockey guy

I never said that, I have been saying for years that the problem has been the guy in charge of assembling the roster, but everyone always has an excuse for him (Handcuffed by Quinn/TG, Ruff has just as much input on the roster, give him time to let the young guys develop). 2 moves were made to change the roster this offseason (3 if you count making an 18 year old rookie your saviour) and those were signing a goon/fighter and trading away a guy who was your #1 centre for a gritty 3rd liner.

How many players on this team have come from another team? 5 of the top 6 forwards on this team have come from elsewhere (Hodgson - Vanek, Pomminstein, Ennis, Foligno and Stafford), about 50% of the defencemen have come from outside (Regher, Leopold, Ehrhoff, Sulzer - Myers, Sekera, Weber, Brennan). They only changes from the outside over the years have come to the bottom 6 forwards

Thats part of the System.........

How, Is he going to lace them up again for the Sabres? That might be an improvement over a couple of them........ Aside from the majority of the players on this team............This is the typical Buffalo thinking. Just look at the Bills, they haven't sucked because of the talent or coaching, ralph has been here teh whole time so he has to be the problem! yeah, cause player mutinys to get coaches fired always work out great, hows everything going in Washington with the Capitals? Wasn't Ovie part of the mutiny for a new coach?The last thing I would want is a group of players on a team that would rather tank a season or part of it to get rid of a coach. Even if you disagree with the coach, one would hope that as a pro making millions of dollars a year to play a game, you would have enough pride to still want to go out an play your best and win, even if you don't see eye to eye with your coach. I also highly doubt that the 2 players who have probably been playing the best for your team are leading the charge to get the coach fired. Its more likely they are the ones trying to save his job. You have a better arguement saying guys like Myers, Stafford, and leopold are leading the Mutiny..........

Whats that, NHL Goal #2?Anyone know how they are planning on adding him to the staute with the French Connection?

But Tyler won the Calder which means he should be an amazing player thats only gonna get better, no player has ever won an award and never panned out afterwards!He is also tall which means he is Chara 2.0! Its all Ruffs fault, fire him and everythign will be sunshine and rainbows and regier will be unshackled from the burden of Ruff to make moves of his own

Wait, I thought Regier was an amazing GM, but it was Larry Quinn and Golisanos fault, and now Lindy Ruffs fault that the team is bad? Its always the coaches fault and his head should roll when a teams bad, atleast according to the highly educated fans because you can't fire all the players. Its the easiest move to make therefore it always has to be the right move

You know, the Leafs are really making it hard for me to hate them right now.......Was I the only one to see the clip during that game where it looked like they panned the camera by Marchand after the injury and it looked like he was crying/screaming in pain?

Until the next game when we find out that the players on this team are still mediocre, the defence is still incompetent, and Regier still does nothing to fix them unless "Saint Pegula" makes teh deal and flys out to beg the player to accept a trade here...............

He was out of position on it because he had to make a save on the one side of the net where the original shot came from. Very few goalies are going to be able to make the save on a play like that, but yeah. lets blame him for missing that one............. Theres plenty of blame going on this site for Miller all the time, but he has hardly been a problem this season.

I guess I just see it differently, but I don't see what was wrong with what Stafford did. It looks more like he was bracing to take a hit and then put his arm out to push hamilton away and Hamilton dove making it look like he was just shot by a high caliber rifle. Stafford looked more like he was trying to push off Hamilton then throw a hit/elbow to me.

I think that one will come in mini statue form... You think they should give away Balls? Like Buffalo Sabres "Truck Nuts" give away night? Just imagine that tradition, During the Caruba Collision of the night, everyone throws truck nuts onto the ice if its a good hit...........

Exactly (although Shanny and the NHL seemed to think it was ok), I would have no issue if it was a photo of Lucic hitting someone legally and clean, but is there a photo of that actually existing? Fixed it

Thats cause the Chiefs have class...........And who would buy it when most people already have that image saved on their computers as their desktop wallpaper................

Well Toronto (Raptors) got Gay this weekMy favorite was watching Sportsnets sport show that night and they had a photo of the player and underneath it just said "Gay Acquired"

I never said Hodgson isn't good, or that Luke was better, but for those that want to argue that Vanek and Pomminstein aren't possibly making Hodgson look much better, Up until around this many games last season, Luke was looking really impressive and when taken away from Vanek and Pomminstein, he can't get out of the AHL......... I think its stupid how fans constantly have to argue every trade to try and prove their team "won" it. This is one of those trades were both teams "won". The Sabres had to give up something good in order to get something good back. I hated the idea that they had to give up Kassian, but theres no way they get anything good for their garbage. The Canucks had a surplus of Centres, and Cody was stuck being a 3rd liner because of the great players ahead of him at that position. The Canucks needed toughness as they were being considered even softer then the Sabres. The Sabres get a young kid with the potential to be a solid #1 Centre who would have never achieved this in Vancouver due to the logjam they had ahead of him. The Canucks get a young "gritty" forward who had the potential to be tough with offensive upside. Both look to be beginning to live up to their potential and its looking like a great move for both teams.

Wow, talk about classless But then again, thats what Boston is best known for, from the Patriots and classy Belicheck on down............ Anyone know if the Sabres are going to have one of Scott standing over Thorton? Maybe instead of game used net they could include a couple of Thortons teeth? Maybe his testicules? If I wa TP, I would buy that and bring it out every time the Sabres are about to play the Bruins and tell them to remember this and remind the Sabres just how classy the Bruins are. Looking at Lucic's face, sure looks like he didn't see Miller and had not intended to hit him :rolleyes:

What is up with the the Long Island Waivers (aka the New York islanders)?