SABRES 0311

Agreed. Bottom six got what it needed a year too late. Next year should be at least two of the top six (Tuch and Cozens) and two of the D (Muel and Joker). Krebs as well. Need a top pair shutdown Dman, legitimate 1C, and 2W. Absolutely not banking on Kulich or anyone else in the pipeline. Peterka TBD Quinn Benson TT TBD Greenway McLeod TBD Same or mostly same fourth line Dahlin TBD Power Byram Clifton Johnson/similar It’s a heavy price to fill those holes. Bye Kulich.

Sell em, move em, wait a couple years, get an expansion team, hire the VGK architects and entice Bettman to look the other way. In all seriousness things may be too far gone. Arizona got out of hand and couldn’t dig themselves out. Nobody likes that thought but it is a possibility. If this season goes like the first two games you have to at least look at another rebuild that says goodbye to a couple guys. Now I bunker down and wait for the response.

🤣🤣 Bills Mafia about to figure out what Sabres fans did years ago.

Overreaction. Not saying he’s a bad player just not a first liner. First liners to me improvise and have high offensive IQ. He is often disengaged in finding open ice or anticipating how the play would/could develop. His big wide circles I mentioned keep him moving to react instead of knowing where to go to generate offense. He needs the structure I think comes more with a middle six role.

He made meaningful trades for the bottom six. Problem is they should’ve happened a year ago. This year should have been upgrading Joker, Tuch or Cozens, and Muel.

Nah, only two minutes. Dillon lowered the bar.

Not like he does much very well.

Power

The idea it’s only been two games is incorrect. A lot of these guys, specifically most of the top six, have been together for a few years. They get the ice time and PPs and look what has been. They will do good against mediocre teams, struggle against bubble teams, and get dominated by top ten teams.

No. Lack of talent and hockey IQ in the top six. No viable option for a defense partner for Dahlin unless you break up Byram and Power, our best pairing.

The coach won’t make players tougher. They’ve been this way their entire lives. Only way to inject toughness is to acquire those players. It’s too late to make any of these players except Benson into something they’re not. Same with most players in any sport. The point is to put a team together of the right types of players with the right differing skill levels. Not hoping to turn existing players into something they’re not. Team is built wrong. Too much hope in young guys having big ceilings and locking up that hoped potential with big money.The TT, Cozens, Muel, and Tuch you see is what they will be until age causes them to degrade. Jury is still out on Quinn but the only top six we have are TT and Peterka. Only top three guy is Peterka. Tuch, Benson, and Cozens are middle six. Cozens possibly bottom six depending on what team he’s on.

And that would be fine on a team that can compensate with actual high end players. Not saying he is a terrible player but he isn’t what the team needs in terms of consistency. Dare I say putting a letter on him doesn’t send a positive message.

Tuch is a floater. He skates big wide circles and only has an impact for the few seconds he’s on the PK. I think Lindy should’ve used the fourth line to send a message but Tuch is playing outside where he should, third line.

To anyone talking about how good NJD are, do you expect only competitive games against mediocre teams? No, you expect to be competitive no matter who they’re playing. After all the coaches and GMs the past decade it’s the same old. Maybe because we use the same old players. The only bright spot has been the fourth line’s physicality and occasional scoring chance that line generates. Power and Byram also pair well together. Almost like that pairing and the fourth line have an idea of their role. IMO this is what happens when you put guys outside their capability. Joker, TT, Tuch, Cozens as an example. Muel’s purpose and contract are a mystery to me.

More than 14 years as we will see.

I think it’s time to look for a replacement at 1RW. I’ve said before, Tuch isn’t a first liner on most teams. TT I do believe would make for a good 2C. Of the three, only one I like on the top line is the one concussed. Cozens is a 3C in terms of skill. Based on what we see of him and Tuch on the PK, they could make for a good shut down third line with Benson as 3LW. That would mean the team needs a real 1C, 1RW, 2C, and 2LW. This could explain why the offense and PP are so bad. Four of our top six are woefully out of their depth. To be clear, TT is not a 1C just because of a salary and flash in the pan 1 1/2 seasons.

I’m pretty sure it should read “Tuch tried to stand up for Peterka. Dillon made him answer for it.”

The Sabres PP is the Mat Ellis of PPs.

Two games in a row the PP gives up a breakaway on a center ice turnover.

Yeah I don’t see how you send a message benching the youngest player. Sit TT or Tuch.

TT, Tuch, Dahlin, and some others need to do something. The second pair, third, and fourth lines are setting a better example than the guys with letters.

They showed up 3/4 of the way through the first. Better than 10 minutes into the second.

Never thought I’d say it but I like Power. He and Byram are our best pair.