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ska-T Chitown

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Posts posted by ska-T Chitown

  1. GDT / Buffalo Sabres @ Calgary Flames Sunday 3/24 9pm ESPN + MSG & WGR Radio

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    4 hours ago, JohnC said:

    I only watched the first period so I'm not going to comment on the full game. What I saw was that the Sabres played a hard and simple game. For the most part, the players shot the puck when the opportunity presented itself instead of making the extra pass for the cute play. What was also noticeably was that our defense was positionally sound and allowed UPL to mostly to obstructively see the oncoming shot. (Was noted on the broadcast.)

    There is no question that this has been a disappointing season, especially with the reasonable expectations entering into it. But if you put things in perspective, the difference between having a playoff qualifying season and not having it is small. If only we would have won a few more games against the lesser teams and have a little better record at home or salvaged a few more loser points in this season. I'm not making excuses because your record is your record. 

    There are many who out of frustration from how this season has transpired and the accumulated failed seasons strenuously argue to blow things up or to a large extent significantly change the rosters. That would be a mistake made out of frustration instead of a fair-minded assessment. It wasn't that long ago that some frustrated members were zealously arguing to trade UPL for a retread veteran goalie. That would have been a stupendous mistake. And there were many members who argued that Mitts was another failed draft. That was glaringly wrong. He improved with more experience and became one of our better players. Ultimately, because his value increased, he was traded in a good hockey for a young top pair blueliner. There has also been calls to move on from Power. That makes no sense to me. He's solid now and going to be a stud defenseman for a long time.

    Even when acknowledging the failed results there are still some major takeaways from this season. The obvious one is that UPL appears to be a good #1 goalie. And Levi is ready or close to being ready to make a quality tandem at that position. That's a dramatic change considering the caliber of netminding that we have been subjected to. In addition, our blueline has not only been upgraded but it has talent in reserve. Maybe next year, Ryan Johnson will be moved up. Our blueline used to be an area of weakness, now it has the potential to be one of the best units in the league. 

    Next year, Samuelsson and Quinn will hopefully be restored to full health and make this team better. Young players such as Power, Benson, JJ etc. should be better. Make no mistake, I'm not arguing to keep the status quo. I'm not advocating or desiring a blockbuster deal that will strip our team of some of our promising young players. This team will have cap space, an abundance of prospects in the system and players on the roster that can be parlayed for good players who better balance out this roster. What I'm saying is that for the most part I'm advocating that we should stay the course. 

     

    Not for nothing - but also not really for anything 'cuz we will likely miss ye olde playoffs again, but at least there was not an 8-game (or more) losing streak this year? ...yet.

  5. Casey Mittelstadt traded for Bowen Byram

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    11 minutes ago, ... said:

    I said:

    "This is what happens when you hire milquetoast people who have never played in the NHL.

    Meatballs will never understand what it takes to compete at the NHL or even AHL level because he's never experienced it."

    Are those other coaches "milquetoast people"?

    No. I singled out Meatballs.

    You're bent out of shape over your strawman. Ira faxit stultitiam.

    I wanted to say "but you can't hire a milquetoast with NHL experience" ... then I remembered who coaches our vaunted PP. If that was your point all along, I formally withdraw my objection.

  6. Casey Mittelstadt traded for Bowen Byram

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    18 minutes ago, ... said:

    I've answered these attempts to level the field several times already. I am speaking about Granato.

    These other people figured it out by having the personal attributes that allowed them to figure it out. Granato is no match for Bowman's acumen. Not smart enough, not creative enough. Granato has shown absolutely no progress or aptitude as a NHL coach beyond what we have already seen.

    I don't necessarily disagree that DM might not have what it takes to be a successful NHL coach - but the "he didn't play high level hockey" argument is a strange hill to die on when other posters have provided contradicting examples at a 2 or 3 to 1 rate.

    As an aside:

    Not to detract from "Bowman's acumen" - but other than his early success with the expansion Blues; he took over the defending SC champion Montreal team. With only slight hyperbole, I feel like I could lead a team with Henri Richard, Guy Lafleur, Steve Shutt, Larry Robinson, and Ken Dryden to many victories. No cups were won in Buffalo while he was there. Again, in Pittsburgh took over a defending SC champion team. And coaching the early 1990's Pens to any kind of success probably required 5 active brain cells. 

    Then he went to mid 1990's - early 2000's Detroit - lol. Osgood and eventually Hasek in net. Fedorov, Konstantinov, Kozlov, Lidstrom, Fetisov, (a few other "ovs"), Shanahan, Holmstrom, Cheap-shot-Chelie, Luc Robitaille, Datsyuk ... yes, I can see how great of a hockey mind you must need to win with that group, lol.

  8. GDT/ Buffalo Sabres @ Edmonton Oilers Thurs. 3/21- 9pm MSG, ESPN+ and WGR Radio

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    3 minutes ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

    To be fair... I honestly have no clue what the rumors or speculation are about him. I'm fairly hermit like when it comes to a lot of these things. SS is basically my only social media aside from tidbits I hear from nurses at work 😂. 

    Life is better this way 

    the last jedi GIF by Star Wars

    haha, yeah - totally get that. It can be tough to keep up with everything with the 100's of options to follow. I was just having some fun on a particularly slow WFH home day while I wait for our suppliers to actually do things so I can do my job 🙂

  12. GDT/ Buffalo Sabres @ Edmonton Oilers Thurs. 3/21- 9pm MSG, ESPN+ and WGR Radio

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    55 minutes ago, sabrefanday1 said:

    Totally agree that this "comning close" every year is only serving the purpose of give false hope to all of us and gives KA more reason to keep meatballs and his coaching staff.  Yep we have players that apparently want to be here but as noted are we any better?  

    Personally, the only false hope I get from it is for maybe a playoff berth this year, becoming mediocre this year does not change my perception that to really compete for a ship, hard choices need to be made.

    • Like (+1) 1

  13. Chris simon passed

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    15 minutes ago, JoeSchmoe said:

    I said in the NHL thread... Until I see football players going at the same rate as NHL enforcers, I'll be convinced it's primarily the drugs and alcohol and not the CTE.

    NHL enforcers have historically been party boys and it sounds like Simon was no different. No question the CTE doesn't help and would be responsible for a lot of other long term health impacts, but we're seriously kidding ourselves if we think it's not the drugs and alcohol ultimately knocking these guys off.

    Your premise is that NHL enforcers die at a higher rate and at a younger age than the average NFL player? I have not facts to refute your hunch, but that stat from Buffalonill sorta leads me to believe your hunch might not be as spot on as you think?

    (And also what Weave said about using substances to cope)

    (But also not the part where Weave disagrees with the CTE stat thingy) 🙂

  14. GDT/ Buffalo Sabres @ Vancouver Canucks Tuesday 10pm 3/19, ESPN+ MSG & WGR Radio

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    35 minutes ago, Getpucksdeep said:

    I respect this point of view and enthusiasm. 

    During the middle of winter as our playoff chances died Dahlin to his credit ate a ton of ice time, however he was also like a -15 or something (while Quinn was a +20 and leading his team to the playoffs).  The difference was not talent, skill, and try-hard, it was decisions he made with the puck on his stick.  I know it's not one guy it's the team, so blaming the +/- and losses solely on him is not fair. But for a guy being paid (next year) basically as the highest paid defensemen in the league, it's just not acceptable.  He needs to tip the ice in our favor every single shift, and not make mistakes that cost us goals that are then erased by his solid offensive stats.

    I agree that he will be the next captain, but for me (and I don't know who else to pick tbh) I wish there was another option.  Someone like Crosby or Drury who ooozes a "***** around find out" presence to both his teammates and the opponent.  They demand excellence of themselves and the people they are leading.  Does Dahlin give that vibe? Or is he just another super skilled hard working player that really really wants to win?

     

    22 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

    He's been in the league for 6 years and all I hear is " Learning " "Developing" 

    And yet you all want him to be captain ? 

    That just has disaster written all over it " Too much pressure" " Losing focus" 

    Let's someone else take on the pressure then 

    I can't necessarily say that any of that is wrong, but I disagree with the general sentiment(s) for two reasons.

    First, regardless of how long he has been in the league, he will barely be 24 by the time this regular season wraps up. Given the disarray he is generally surrounded with, I still find Dahlin to be better defensively than most other D-man that perform at his offensive level. Quinn Hughes is listed at 5'10" and 180 lbs. Every last member of the "dirt and grit" brigade here would be all over him every time he got pushed off the puck. Last night, mega hit on Olaf not withstanding, I saw him get bumped off of plenty of pucks in his own zone. (yeah, I know I sorta mixed up two parts of the thread, but I like that point so I am gonna leave it)

    Second, we have no idea what Dahlin is like in practice, in the locker room, or outside the rink. There are many different types of leaders, even in sports. Maybe players that lazily drop the puck back on that stupid PP puck drop play give Dahls a wide berth in the locker room after games as he sits and seethes and stares them down with his icy blue Nordic eyes. We don't know. Maybe he is the guy in practice who yells "AGAIN!" when the drill does not go right. Or he quietly skates back to the starting point, motions the offender over and says "now do it right". Unless someone has been sitting in practice watching - my hypothesis is just as good as any other.

    The Dahlin won't be a good enough captain debate is just PTSD from this team being so under-achieving for so long. Sure, Sid is a top 20 (or higher) all-time player, eats the broken dreams of his opponents, drinks thawed rink ice, and shits pucks ... but there was so much talent and cohesion on those SC champ teams, the equipment manager probably could have been the captain. The captain does not need to be perfect if the team is well constructed.

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  15. GDT/ Buffalo Sabres @ Vancouver Canucks Tuesday 10pm 3/19, ESPN+ MSG & WGR Radio

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    3 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

    I personally think he lacks a work ethic and it rubs off on the rest of the locker room. We need some hard "subtractions" like Philly did to start their rebuild. 

    Skinner is simply too inconsistent and he plays like an individual. He is, as has been said in the past, uncoachable. He will quit on a play at any time, he will be out of position at any moment, and most of all he will giveaway the puck at the worst moments. I have said it before and I hold to it. We will not win until Skinner is gone. 

    I don't disagree with your argument much.

    I am probably falling victim to home town and recency (any wordies out there know why "recency" is not a word?) bias, but I was saying *IF* somehow he played like he did last night for a majority of games, he would no longer be in the liability category that he generally seems to reside in.

  16. GDT/ Buffalo Sabres @ Vancouver Canucks Tuesday 10pm 3/19, ESPN+ MSG & WGR Radio

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    3 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

    This is definitely possible but that's why I said 2 years not 1 (like Tochet has done). Skinner fits that bill no question. After him, I think the surrounding atmosphere may bring some of the others to where they need to be. It's optimistic, but I think many of them are young enough to be able to be turned around in the right climate. 

    You look at the departures. Eichel, Reinhart, now Mitts. Their competitive edge is there in their new competitive environments. It may take less than you think here. 

    I may be deluded, but I have to believe that.

    I agree with the macro view of Skinner. But I watched most of the first two periods last night and I thought he was actually pretty hard on the puck last night. He made a few bonehead passes, and did lose some puck battles, but he was forechecking (fore-pestering?) pretty hard and I actually noticed him zipping around in the D-zone at least trying to cover players and/or areas.

    Maybe I was drunk or delirious from lack of sleep and by no means does this mean he is getting a selke - but I think if he played that way consistently, we could leave him alone until we buy him out?

  17. GDT/ Buffalo Sabres @ Vancouver Canucks Tuesday 10pm 3/19, ESPN+ MSG & WGR Radio

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    7 minutes ago, French Collection said:

    Send Comrie to the moon and tell the team to get over it or they can join him.

    I've played on beer league teams where you are like "I know Steve sucks, but he's a helluva guy and his wife just left him and he tries, we can't kick him off." Hell, I have probably been 'Steve' (minus the wife leaving part 🤞) on a few teams.

    But that has no place on a professional sports team. No one in that locker room should be able to say with a straight face that Comrie makes the team better unless they are a pathological liar.

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  18. GDT/ Buffalo Sabres @ Vancouver Canucks Tuesday 10pm 3/19, ESPN+ MSG & WGR Radio

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    43 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

    Dahlin is still growing/learning/getting better. BUT, I think his play gets better and he gets more recoginition if/when he is on a team that is doing a lot better.  If the Sabres were to be a 100+ point team next year and fighting for a division title, he may very well get attention as one of the best in the league.

    Erik Karlsssssson won the Norris by playing ZERO defense for a bottom team, so it is not required. Regardless of whether or not he should have won it, he did.

  21. GDT/ Buffalo Sabres @ Vancouver Canucks Tuesday 10pm 3/19, ESPN+ MSG & WGR Radio

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    Just now, Thorny said:

    “Why aren’t we consistent? The sabres are an enigma.”

    Not really that complicated. You are consistent when your baseline is higher. We always seem to measure exclusively by what these guys CAN do. What we should be asking is: what is the AVERAGE of what they do? I’m not sure why we don’t focus on that much. Not as provocative a question? Maybe we are so hardwired by this point to focus on potential, because we’ve put results aside so long, that we by nature see the upside in focus

    The bold. 1000% is what I was thinking, but you worded so much more betterly.

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  22. GDT/ Buffalo Sabres @ Vancouver Canucks Tuesday 10pm 3/19, ESPN+ MSG & WGR Radio

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    40 minutes ago, Thorny said:

    No, they are better. We are thinking, switch coaches, we are Vancouver and they are the sabres? We finish top 5? I’d say this is a wild take but, I can’t keep up anymore lol 

    The Sabres have some really good players. Overall, more than they have had at any one time in a long time. When I look around the league, though - there are so many elite players out there. As much as I love Dahls, he is our only player close to elite and I don't quite think he is there. Thompson thought about it last year, but for whatever reason this year he is barely even really good. Last year even opposing arenas would buzz when he touched the puck. 

    Every home fanbase overvalues the players with whom they are familiar because we see every play and think "gosh with a little luck that guy would be scoring as much as kucherov", but I bet if you watch all the TB games, you would see "all the little plays" Kucherov makes that don't result in points and realize nearly every Sabre does not make even half as many little plays.

    I think the confusion is that the Sabres have the talent to be a playoff team, they do not have the overall talent to consistently beat the 1-4 seeds in a playoff series. I wish it wasn't true, but I think it is. The only outlier would be if UPL went on an absolute heater and carried the team for 8-10 games.

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