dudacek

Agree on both points. I suspect Jack doesn't want it talked about.

I really think he's at the first real juncture of his GM career: how much rope do I give a coach who I like personally, who is running a team that does not appear to be well-coached. I'd say he's at the end of that rope.

That's what I heard too.

I actually thought he showed more leadership there than I expected. Kevyn Adams the hockey player would not have tolerated the way the Sabres are playing. Kevyn Adams the GM talks the same thing. I think he genuinely feels the same way about the compete as we do. I get the impression it actually embarrasses him. It remains to be seen if he can do anything about it. We play the Islanders twice this weekend. If the team looks like it did yesterday I would be surprised it Ralph is the coach Monday morning.

Around the players every day, asking them questions. Theme is: they know it hasn't been good enough. But that's talk, it has to turn into action.

Trades? "Never do something because you are emotional, but lets be honest, we gotta get better." "We need to be grittier. Period."

"All systems work, the key is everybody is buying in."

Denies shopping Jack, won't talk about his health.

Culture: The guys are good guys, they like each other, but they aren't driven enough. We need to be a tougher team to play against.

I will never, ever have a team that makes excuses that my confidence is down, or that we've had injuries.

We need to have a better identity as a group.

Blaming lack of competitiveness, first and foremost. Not hard enough on defence or at driving the net. Goaltending has been fine. Linus was at a high level. Haven't been good enough around them.

"Jeff's a pro. He works every day. Figure out a way to get out of this."

"Continuity happens through success." Sounds like he likes Ralph as a man, but he's not going to last if he doesn't turn it around. Is that how you guys read that?

"I'm angry. I'm been empowered by Terry and Km to fix this, and that's what I'm going to do."

They're pissed because Kevyn hasnt been available. Harrington made that clear. No trade request from Jack. They talk regularly.

Coaching staff felt they were closer than they were further away. (offseason)

COmpeititiveness and passion really important, at the end of the day it's about outcompeting the other team. It hasn't been good enough.

Yes, he has full authority to remove Ralph. Direct answer and good to know.

Not exactly a vote of confidence for Ralph there

I need Adams to be a leader here: send a message that he has identified the problems and we will soon start seeing the answers. As I said on the other thread, I suspect he will not.

Never thought I'd be saying this, but based on what I've seen Mittelstadt deserves to play. IMO, Sam and Victor are the only guys that score, and Sheahan, Lazar and Rieder are working hard killing penalties and generally doing their jobs. No other veterans are even close to fulfilling their roles. It seems like Ralph has been locked into Miller, Montour, Eakin, Staal and Okposo because they are veterans and Dahlin, Risto (who looks like he just battled COVID), Skinner (benching aside) Hall and Eichel because they are Dahlin, Risto, Skinner, Hall and Eichel. The Hall Eichel Cozens unit is an interesting wrinkle, but he has kept rolling out the same basic skeleton, loss after loss.

In a perfect world, this is where the GM steps up and takes action: a statement, a move, anything to send a message that "I got this. This will not be tolerated, there is a path forward and I am taking us there." Am I alone in not expecting anything from Adams because it doesn't really feel like he is in charge?

I thought worst-case scenario was that Ullmark got hurt, it cost us 10 points in the standings and we had a pro-rated 70-point season. Best case was Ullmark took a step and we were a bubble team that squeaked in late. I just didn't foresee for a second we'd be this impotent 5-on-5, not after being decent there last year and (on paper) improving the forwards. But that was based on a prorated 25 goals each from Skinner and Hall, and 35 from Jack. These guys do that in their sleep. Four goals COMBINED after 20 games? Two at ES? Who saw that coming in their worst nightmares? It is flabbergasting. I can't explain it and I think I'm going to give up trying. Any more games like every game against the Islanders, and I may have to stop watching.

Cant, for just one night, the heavens open up and let Jack, Jeff and Taylor pot 2 each in a 9-2 blowout? They are +52, +16 and +61 respectively in shot attempts and -7, -4 and -14 in goals scored. Jack hasn’t scored in 10 games, longest drought of his career that I could find, Jeff is at 20 games and counting, almost matching the 22-game hole he wallowed in last year. Taylor is at 19 games. The worst streak I could find previously was 11 back in 2014. These are supposed to be our three best scorers! On their worst streaks at the same time!? When does that ever happen? Cant the law of averages step in? (Yes, I know a Barry Trotz team is the last team to allow that. They’ve owned us)