mjd1001

No, they haven't been good this year yet. Lost 2 out of their first 3 by a combined 7 goals. Tkachuk is out. Cozens analytics with Ottawa might be worse than they were with Buffalo. They are playing their backup goalie. Yet so far they are dominating the Sabres this game.

I thought Krebs was pretty good last year, but this year both McLeod and Krebs have had an awful...awful start to the season.

He got the goal, but even strength in the firts period, Quinn's Corsi was 2 for, 10 against. No even strength scoring chances for, but 5 allowed when he was on the ice (the worst differntial on the team in the 1st period and truly awful numbers for just one period of play)

The other 2 were by a D-man (Dahlin) on the PP. No forward SOG other than the bank shot (which was actually a missed shot on goal)

No up to date to the moment, but as of about 6 minutes left in the period, even strength it was Ottawa 7 shots, Sabres 0. Ottawa 12 scoring chances, Sabres 2. Ottawa 2 high dange chances, Sabres 0. Team expected goals (xGa %) is Ottawa 80.71, Buffalo 19.29 Even strength the Sabres are getting utterly dominated.

On the negative side of things....Quinn boucing the puck off of the back of the goalie on the PP is the ONLY shot on goal by a forward almost 15 minutes into the game.

It was a pretty bad shot by Quinn that got him that goal, pure luck. But on the bright side, he took it from the front of the net. Yes it was on the PP, but he went to the front of the net which is the biggest thing he needs to do in the offensive zone.

Jack Quinn played well against Ottawa last year, 3 goals in 4 games last year. For his career vs Ottawa, 10 games 3 goals (all last year), 2 asissts, -5. (full season that would project out to 25 goals, 16 assists, and a -41)

That is the best case scenario for me. If they win by multiple goals AND control play, I'll at least have a shred of hope again they have a chance of turning this around quick.

I understand the concept, but to many people you're just rooting for the Jersey to a large extent. If the players aren't good enough, and some people legitimately don't like the management, or the ownership, or both, then it's not really your "team" to them, but rather some unlikable imposters that are temporarily filling in that role. I guess that's a long way of saying the team to some people isn't just the name or the Jersey, it's everything and everybody that encompasses it... And if you don't like a large part of that, I could see not rooting for it or them. Especially if you have a strong opinion that those people temporarily failing allows the organization to hire other people to make your team better. The reason I thought this was a good time for a poll... It seems like there's a lot of people that are openly rooting for chaos. I'm not 100% there yet, but I could thoroughly understand wanting massive change to this team being more important than a win to move you to 1-3 on the season. If someone feels that way I don't find it embarrassing at all.

Changed it to just win and lose. If people want to explain the reasons why, I guess they can do so in the thread by posting.

To answer my own poll, I'd say I want them to win tonight, but tonight's game might be the biggest swing game of the season in getting me to change my vote. If they lose tonight, it's going to be really hard to look anything positive at this season at all. But let's say they win tonight, by multiple goals, and look really good doing it. I'll be able to convince myself, at least temporarily, yeah, they can turn this around.

I'm just curious where everyone is on this right now. Ultimately most of us want the team to win but... I can understand some people wanting as many losses in a row right now, because they think that this team will never be good without major changes, and we need to get to those changes quicker. Can't see themselves to ever root for a loss ever. I just thought a poll might be interesting to see where we are right now.

I haven't watched the games live, but I did watch them on replay, so take this for what you will...just my opinion. I think through 3 games Tuch is playing like he normally does, with ONE exception. He's staying away from the net on the offensive zone. Everything I saw when watching him, his skating, his forcheck, seems the same...the one thing that stood out is he is just keeping to the perimeter on the offensive zone a lot more than he did last year. He doesn't have many shots yet, but if you look at a heat map of where he has taken them from, it backs this up.

I'm not sure why people still think Cozen is good. Even some of the people in Ottawa (some, not all) are starting to think he's not as good as they hoped. I posted this in a thread the other day, but since he got to Ottawa, he's played 30 games, has 7 goals and 13 assists and is a -10(including playoffs, not preseason of course). Thats an 82 game pace of 19 goals, 35 assists, and a -27. Yes, a -27 on a team that made the playoffs last year. And I'm not sure what the numbers look like this year, but some of his deeper dive analytics....the guys he played with in Ottawa last year had their numbres get worse after Cozens started playing with them. Batherson is the guy that they put with Cozens the most. Batherson's Corsi% is down 4 whole percentage points with Cozens vs without him. Fenwick down almost 5 points. Shots down 3, expected goals down 8! Scoring chances down 5, High danger down 3. Maybe tomorrow Cozens will have a good game. Maybe after tomorrow he will turn the corner and become a good player. But right now he is a bad player. Teammates get WORSE when he is with them vs when they are with anyone else. There are plenty of things to criticize the Sabres for that are legit. Some people just don't do the work.

That 2011 year is the year he took over the team. Tehcnically he was owner during those playoffs, but he came on board that season when the coaching staff, roster, everyting was set before he bought them. He had very little if any input to any part of that team. Once he started having input and makign decisions, that is when the drought started. Since his first full season where he actually started making decisions, that is when they haven't made the playoffs since. So the team hasn't played a full season that he has been in controll and made the playoffs.

Adams time is up, but you are putting way too much of this on just one person.

That would be the worst case scenario for me also. I've gone from last year and even this summer. Hoping for an Alex Tuch extension... To about a month ago. Thinking... I'm on the fence about it.. to now today thinking I'd rather have them not extend him unless it's the most team-friendly deal ever. With the way this franchise works... That's probably going to trigger them to give him the biggest extended contract in franchise history... At the exact time they shouldn't. You also have to remember that we have a lot of arguments on this board as to who is the bigger problem... Adams... Or the owner.... But remember if they do sign him to an extension that's absolutely ridiculous and crazy that that it doesn't get done without The owner's approval and blessing.

I'm thinking... There might be a good general manager out there that would love to take the Buffalo job with certain conditions. Why? There might just be some people out there who enjoy the rebuild. Also, you do have assets on this team that are very good or can be used to bring in other assets to help with the rebuild. Now what are those conditions and how come they haven't happened yet? The top of the list for me would be to sign a contract and have it written that this person has total control over the hockey department.0 They can hire and fire coaches and staff and front office members at will, and they don't have to run trades or draft picks by the owner. I just don't think our current owner will allow that to happen or anything even close to it.

For the last few years I have thought their O-line is overrated. We hear from many places it is one of the best in the league. I haven't seen it. The analytics say they are good at pass blocking, but what I see is a QB who isn't as mobile as Josh would be sacked at least 2 times per game more than him. I also see the OL in the run game sometimes open some holes vs bad run defenses who are tired AND playing guys off the line to defend against the pass...but I don't see them doing much at all against any run defense that is above average or is actually trying to stop the run.

Isn't that what was supposed to happen 2 years ago when they took all the 'cap hits'? Wasn't this year supposed to be the first year they were able to have more flexibility, to build the roster without one hand tied behind their back (with regard to the cap?) I have a feeling you have a top 5 player in Josh Allen, and the rest of the team is average-to-below average. (meaning they would struggle to be .500 with a middle of the road QB). -They should have lost to the Ravens (they were outplayed most of the game) and apparently they are the only team that can't tackle Derrick Henry and have holes blown through their D-line by the Ravens -They blew out a terrible Jets team -They let a pretty bad Dolphins team stick around way too long at home. -They were outplayed at times and honestly needed a few breaks to beat a bad Saints team at home. -Lost to the Pats at home -Last nights loss to the Falcons. They are not a good team. Even with Josh Allen, they have a 'good' record but don't look all that great. They need to look at some coaching stuff and make some changes in the bye week, and hope some of the injured guys returning and guys coming off of suspension are real difference makers.

The high danger area is right in front of the net according to NHL edge stats. 0 (ZERO) of Alex Tuchs shots this year through 3 games were taken from high danger areas in front of the net. Last year he had 68 taken from right in front of the net, and another 13 taken from the side of the net but very close to it. Tage Thompson, This year he also has 0 (ZERO) shots taken from right in front of the net, where last year he had 41 on the season. Your 2 best scorers are not going to, or at least not getting off shots from the front of the net. As for the team as a whole, those 'high danger' areas right in front of the net...last year they had 520 shots from that area (or 6.34 per game). This year they only have 7 total among the whole team, or 2.33 per game. Last year, 22.83% of the teams shots were from in front of the net. This year, its only 11.86%. I know its only 3 games, but this team is not going to the net, the entire forward group has seemingly turned into perimter players. (also a side not, so far through 3 games they have ZERO speed burts of skating recorded over 22mph...last in the league. Last year they weren't great, but they had 61)

When that other guy plays, he is better than Cozens. When that other guy doesn't play, the question becomes is Cozens better than the guy that replaces that other guy? Its not really 'one' guy replacing Norris, as the minutes are split up. You could say Kulich moves up the lineup, and at this point I'd take Kulich over Cozens as he makes far less mistakes. If you go by the theory of the minutes are split, I'd still take 1/3 McLeod (despite him playing awful the first 3 games), 1/3 Kulich, and 1/3 whoever else. That combo doesn't bring that much less offense than Cozens did the last few years, but they still make a ton less mistakes. I don't know if we have short memories or not, but Dylan Cozens in some cases single handedly ruined games for the team with blind passes, turnovers, and mostly being totally out of position allowing goals in close games for the Sabres last year that they lost by 1 or 2. Cozens needed to go, he wasn't going to contribute here. If he turns it around in Ottawa, good for him (by the way, he's not turning it around yet in Ottawa. He's played 30 games there now, 7 goals, 13 assists, and a -10...and 82 game pace of 19 goals, 35 assists and a staggering but famaliar -27 on an Ottawa team that has been better than Buffalo) In other words, he is still who he has been. The real question is, should the Sabres have taken 'futures' for Cozens instead of Norris? A mid-to-late 1st rounder and/or a prospect?

As I said before, most things with Pegula after the first year or two of ownership have been about (or a combination of) being a.) Cheap b.) a shortcut c.) about nostalgia d.) about him not hiring anyone that will talk back to him

With a lot of other advantages in Florida that do not exist in Buffalo. Not all... For many of the mistakes his franchises made since pegula has taken over was because of shortcuts... Rushing things... Doing things for nostalgic reasons... Doing things because they're cheap... Or convenient. Most failed moves had at least one of those qualities... If not multiple ones.