DarthEbriate

They'll use the opportunity to give their taxi squad guys some time to stay fresh. We'll still get crushed if we keep on like this.

Dahlin backed down. It's 0-3. Just suck it up and start throwing punches. Backed down just like the rest of this team.

Pathetic. Fire the coach, please. This team has no guidance, leadership, or execution. Hope all y'all 'Spacers have a good week.

Go fight Dahlin! Do it! Pathetic. Farrabee whacked you in the head and was ready and willing to go. Fight him. Yes, he's going to clean your clock... but do it. Get some experience.

Maybe if Josh Allen points out that he knows what good coaching looks like, and the Sabres don't have it... something would happen.

I know Olofsson scored on a deflection in the air off the goalie and Reinhart had the backhand put back at crossbar height... but when was the last time we scored a goal on a rebound where we had to outwork or win a battle to bury said rebound goal?

Alas, no... that's a guy who went from elite prospect to retirement because he was suffering from, but not yet diagnosed with (had to look this up) malignant hyperthermia. It stinks what happened to him.

Remember when we tanked and we had to trade Enroth because he was scraping out a win or two we didn't deserve? Remember this lineup? Ennis - Girgensons - Stewart Moulson - Mitchell - Gionta Deslauriers - Flynn - Foligno Larsson - Ellis - Hodgson Benoit - Bogosian Zadorov - Ristolainen Weber - Meszaros Neuvirth (Lindback) 2/15/2015 vs. PHI. That was only a 2-1 loss because the team didn't look absolutely lost, just outclassed and talent-deficient.

Ristolainen just battled through a heinous virus that took him over 2 weeks to recover from and possibly long-term health effects on his lungs, heart, etc. He should demand a trade to a contender because life can go awry at any time.

Depends on if you enjoy the drinking and what you're drinking.

No. He's not important except as the joke that was Sabres University.

What is the likelihood anyone throws a reckless hit or tries to initiate a fight in order to wake up his teammates? You know, the kind of thing any other roster in the NHL would do when down 3-0 at home late in the 2nd and needing to send a message that the third period is going to be different.

I'm folding laundry... I need to fold as quickly as this team does so that I can stop watching.

Maybe some boos would wake them up. Or a huge euphoric roar at a hit would wake them up. They certainly can't seem to motivate themselves. Perhaps GM Sheevyn will find new ways to motivate them.

This team folds so easily. Gave up a quick goal and have had no response. One great chance and Montour did nothing with it.

I imagine the intermission speeches were something like this: HCRK - Great first period! We had energy. Gotta keep it up. AV - What the heck is going on out there? Go score some goals!

That was quick.

Uecker can manage it because it's baseball and half the point is to fill time and joke and tell stories. But he was never known for his actual calling of the game. RJ was fantastic, but hockey is hard to tell exactly who and what even for young eyes. RJ has the job as long as he's willing, but I often watch NHL TV opposing broadcasts because the calls are better and the production values are superior (save for Biron. he's solid). Sabres posts = 2 Sabres goals = 0

Lazar - verify range to goal. One ping only, please.

Mitts played well on the 4th line and Cozens missed that shot from the slot... Or just that he's a rookie and needs a rest? I would've thought Okposo or Sheahen if Skinner is back. But perhaps not.

Fight and bite time, eh?

I agree RK doubtfully starts him. But maybe if Hutton gets rocked for... what... four goals in the first period? Then maybe we'd see JJ.

Eichel is always going to be the Face of the Tank on this franchise, the consolation prize. Now, if we win a Cup in the next 5 years it could vindicated. If we need any reminding as of the latest hockey-reference update: Eichel 370 GP / 351 points, -66. McDavid 374 GP / 509 points, +46 as well as lower percentage of Ozone starts and higher Corsi in his career. When Eichel is healthy and engaged he's in the Hart conversation -- we saw it last season. And if the Sabres had been near the playoff race in 2019-20, he would have garnered several more votes. We have not seen an engaged or healthy (we think?) Eichel this season and he still has tons of PP assists and is doing well in faceoffs and hitting the goalposts. As a captain, his body language is disheartening as has been noted before, and not in a "this-guy-might-have-anger-issues, but darn it if he doesn't rally the team when he goes on a tirade" way. He doesn't lead by example in terms of exuding more effort (like a Drury) or starting a fight to get the team going (like a Nick Foligno with CMB). He leads by scoring points. If we want to blow it up -- not tank -- but rebuild quickly on the fly, then Eichel is the key. Somehow, convince Skinner to waive his NMC. Then, it's working with Seattle. We leave Eichel unprotected. Seattle takes Eichel AND they trade for Skinner, and in exchange, Buffalo gets two non-protected Seattle firsts, several other draft choices acquired from other teams in the expansion, and a cluster of players mixed-and-matched as both building blocks and veterans to fill in the current roster and that $19M in cash we just freed up. And Seattle doesn't need to name Eichel as captain as they can go the "we're a team we don't have a captain this first year" thing. They get 2/3 of a proven top line and a Hart candidate right from the first puck drop. Then, buyout Okposo in June of 2022 (one more season on the roster or in the AHL, but if you buy him out this year the savings just aren't there for next season). You're marching forward with a new core around Cozens and Dahlin and whomever else is brought in. And get in a bona fide hockey coach ASAP as well.

Philly I'll take the goals. Sabres I'll take the posts.

Aside: Hey ESPN, I know you're the "worldwide leader in sports" and therefore very busy with "people with takes" shows and all, but do you think you could update your NHL Rosters pages? It's 2021. Dalton Smith is not a Sabre. Casey Nelson is not a Sabre. And, as cool as it is... David Ayres is a Zamboni ice resurfacer driver in Toronto and not on the Carolina Hurricanes roster.