mjd1001

Not sure, but doesn't that number go down quite a bit if they trade him after June 1?

It was only the first 6 games where he didn't play. Since game 7, he has started 39 of 67 games (almost 60 percent basically being the starter since then). And as far as those first 6 games, UPL wasn't playing well in the beginning of the year. Even after he was installed as the De-facto starter in late October getting the majority of the work, he had a GAA of 3.13 and save percentage of .892 through the end of the calendar year. Maybe he was battling a nagging injury, maybe the team in front of the Sabres goaltenders was playing awful Defense...but I don't think he would have made an appreciable difference in the standings if he played those first 6 games. After he did take over, he played 7 of the next 9 games, winning 3, losing 4 and having a GAA of over 3 in those starts. He, and/or the team, wasn't playing well at the beginning of the year.

After 67 games, the Sabres have 69 points this season. Last year after 67 games, they had 72 points. Last year starting at game 68, the Sabres went on a 3 game losing streak, losing those 3 games by a total score of 19-5. IF the Sabres get 3 points in the next 3 games, they will have the exact same number of points after 70 game as they did last year (and actually be better in terms of tie-breakers due to more regulation wins) Last season, the Sabres got 19 points in the final 12 games. They are now also a positive in goal differential. The last time an eastern conference team finished with a positive goal differential and did NOT make the playoffs (pre-covid, traditional playoff format) was in the 2018-2019 season.

Clifton gets Lee off the ice, their 5th best scorer, I guess thats a good trade.

Alex Nylander, 6 goals in 10 games for Columbus after scoring again tonight.

Not to say it was Okposo's fault, but when he was with the Islanders, they weren't a really good team overall for the first part of his career. Also, the Islanders were not the 'play team defense and shut down the opponents' back then they way they are now. Basically, he NEVER was part of/learned a 2-way game with them, and he certainly didn't learn it with the Sabres.

For the season.... Period 1: Opponents outscore the Sabres 78-50 Period 2: Sabres outscore opponents 67-60 Period 3: Sabres outscore opponents 76-55 Either it is the fault of coaches they start so slow because they don't have the team ready...or it is credit to the coaches for making adjustments as the game goes on to make them better at the end.

I agree with you that is not really a 'top team'. But that is almost a 97 point pace, so 'good' at least, and the thing that makes it feel better is, they have been in just about every single game. Of their 11 losses, I would say most were either 1 goal losses or 2/3 goal losses due to empty net goals. I think there really have maybe been only 3 or 4 of those 28 games that they lost 'cleanly', in contrast to the beginning of the year where they would have 'clean losses' 3 or 4 times a month at least.

Skinner goes to the boards and wins a puck battle, leading to the goal.

If he is ready/not injured anymore, I would like to see him get a least a game or two of actual competition. Again, if he doesn't have greater a chance of re-injury. Just to get him in NHL game action now, so when training camp hits its not a 'hasn't played in 6 months' type of thing with him.

I mostly agree with this, but if that is the case, I think they went too far. Yes, early this year and last year the Sabres allowed a lot of odd-man-rushes against. That would seem to be the reason for the drop in offense, you have to be a bit more conservative on offense to prevent those odd man rushes. HOWEVER... I think the Sabres could have sacrificed VERY little in terms of offense and still made the defense better by not making the changes they supposedly made, and just focused on what happens when they DID get in the D-zone. Meaning, no changes to your rush habbits, no changes to neutral zone play. Just focus on what to do once the puck is in your own zone. Many, MANY goals have been allowed in the past 2 seasons that had nothing to do with 'getting back' into the zone, but simply how aware the forwards were/are once in the zone. I'm no sure if I 100% buy into the fact that they sacrificed offense to get better defensively. I think most of their drop off in offense is due to injuries (games missed) and playing through injuries they didn't have last year (Tuch and Thompson). But if they did change their style, I would rather have them not made so many changes and instead just focus on what happens in the D-zone once the other team sets up there.

I'm strongly anti-fighting. I'm strongly anti-scrum after the whistle. I'm strongly against any stick work, cheap shots of any kind. HOWEVER, until the league is serious about elminiating those things totall (which they aren't close to yet), I really would like to see the Sabres get a guy with a big-time mean streak to RESPOND to (not instigate, but respond to) stuff like this. He doesn't have to drop the gloves at all if nothing happens to require it, but when stuff like this happens, I want them to have at least one guy (preferably a couple) who will go at it in situations like this.

Its obvious to me Power isn't a guy who likes contact. Say what you want about how accurate or not accurate 'hits' is as a stat, he has 1.59 hits per 60 minutes of play. For comparison, Zemgus has 11.17, Clifton has 9.5, even Dahlin has 5.4. Only Skinner, Peterka, and R. Johnson have less on the team. As far as the NHL goes, 184 D-men have played 40 or more games this year...He ranks 160th out of 184 in the league. Now, that is hitting. He can still play somewhat physical by using his body to shield people or deflect them in a certain direction. He can use it to win battles on the boards. I don't see him doing a LOT of that now, but he can learn those things without being a big hitter. Or, he just might be a guy who plays like a small D-man, who is a good skater, good shot, good passer...who just happens to be in a bigger body.

The Sabres ARE playing a good game, but this might be just as much the Red Wings playing bad and getting terrible goaltending. Detroit looks like the Sabres on one of their really, REALLY bad days.

Ok, 2 big games coming up....6-1....can we cut back on Dahlin and Byrams minute just a little bit?

An argument/discussion/disagreement with both of you and I'm not in it? I feel left out.

Ok, it would be great to win this game by 5 or 6....BUT, all you need is for UPL to not give up 3 or more goals i just over 2 periods and you are within 5 points of a playoff spot at the end of the night.

Granato said something basically like....when you have older guys in the room, older guys in leadership positions....the younger guys might be hesitant to say things to each other or bring things up in the room. Okposo may have been a great teamate, but him not being there just might make the other younger guys more accountable to each other.

Nope, wrong. My post is referring to the increasing number of people that want heads to roll Regardless. They've made up their mind this management and this coaching staff is bad and no matter what they do, it doesn't matter. This head coach and general manager could have this team make the playoffs next year, but to many people they don't want to give them that chance and even if this team was on their way to doing that next year, they've made up their mind, they're going to wine and complain the entire way. There have even been a couple of posts talking about the Sabres winning all three games this week and being back in the playoff hunt, and in those posts people have said they don't want that, because they would just rather have the general manager and coach be fired, rather than have this team win and get back into a playoff race, with the chance of making the playoffs this year. The post of mine new quoted, those are the posters I'm referring to. I'm all for discussion on both sides of every topic regarding the team, but when people get that negative and just complain about everything, well I'm not going to initiate it, but you're right, I'm going to hit back at those posts.

Most people have picked their position on the team, and nothing this year is going to change it. Many on here to criticize things, they are going to criticize things until what they want happens, and for many, that is Granato, Adams, and at least 1/4 of the current roster is gone. I swear that if they brought in a new GM (A GM approved on by the 'negative bunch' on this forum) and the exact same trade was made, many who not criticize it would be 'more' OK with it because someone else besides Adams made it.

I agree with you totally. I understand this is a message board, this is a place to vent, and we all (me included) can post some emotional stuff. But I wanted this team to make the playoffs this year, but I am truly happy with the direction they are going, I dont' think they need wholesale changes, a Headcoach change (maybe an assistant coach change I'd be good with), or a GM change. Frustration on this forum I get, but the name calling, hoping for failure just for change, thats not me. Now, if they go into next year, make no changes, have few injuries and they still miss the playoffs by 10 points...yeah, I'll be open to more big changes then. I think this team has legitimately LEARNED to play better in their own end (forwards especially this year) I think this team has found a 'better' long term goaltender then they had in recent years. I think Tage is playing hurt and next year he will bounce back to at LEAST a 40 goal scorer. And I think this is the youngest D-group on the league, and they will get better with each game experience they get. Those are the reasons I think they are on a 'good path' and am content...not with their current spots in the standing, but where I think they will be next year without firing/trading as many people as many on this board are calling for.

Guentzel gone, the team fading, with really no one giving them any chance at advancing in the playoffs if they do make it..... Malkin will be 37 next year, Karlson will be 34, Letang 37. All signed long term for big $$. Does Pittsburgh start to trade them away (maybe Crosby even) and try to get maximum assets for them in the offseason? They do not have much in their system coming up and don't even have a first rounder this year...

Pittsburgh has been shutout in 3 of their last 7 games, going 1W-6L (only win vs Columbus) and being outscored 30 to 10. Crosby may have hit a wall due to all the miles (yes, small sample size but), in this last 2 games/2+ weeks, he has no goals in 7 games, 4 assists, and is a minus-10...and they are giving him about a minute less per game ice time.

Thought Cozens would be getting more votes

I could go either way on it so if that is what happens, I'm fine with it. As I said in my prior post, Levi in Buffalo as the backup or Rochester as the main starter matters less to me than signing UPL. Doesn't have to be a huge long 6-7 year deal, but it better be for more than 1. Levi, in Roch or as a backup in Buffalo, will likely need more than 1 more season to become what you want him to, if he does even reach that potential.