mjd1001
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Posts posted by mjd1001
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1 hour ago, PerreaultForever said:
data on what? head injuries, is that what you mean? That's up to the players isn't it? Getting hit in the head can injure your brain, no s&&t . I don't need any "data" to know that. Nobody forces anybody into physical sports. The issue is liberties will be taken if fighting is banned and that will result in MORE head injuries and for "better" players. I doubt there's data to disprove that.
If they want to get rid of fighting AND have the cheap stuff gone, they need to start fining stuff even if penalties are not called. A deliberate slash to the back of the legs behind the play but caught on camera? $1000 fine. A punch to the back of the head even with the gloves on...same thing. If you start fining all of that, guess what, guys will get sick of paying fines and it will go away. BUT, try to get the players association to agree to that much of an increase in fines....not going to happen.
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1 hour ago, Pimlach said:
Many of the players are better than last year? Uh no.
Three players have improved - JJP, UPL, and Greenway. Mitts and Z and Joker are playing about the same as last year. So many important players are playing worse- Tage, Tuch, Skinner, Power, Cozens, Dahlin, Muel, Okposo, VO - all having worse seasons.
I see only a few positives and I don't see Donny improving this group. I see a poor coaching staff with limited technical know how, the game day coaching is also very bad, and the players are too comfortable with being a poor team.
Not one player will own this drought. They can own it without taking the blame for 13 years of it. I keep seeing quotes from this team about who was not there for all of it, Dahls, Tage, Donny, Kevy - they should just own it and end it.
Mentally week from Pegula down.
Blow up the coaching staff this off season, conduct a real coaching review and and bring in someone that has won on the NHL level. Then let him work on bringing in a new staff, installing NHL systems, and allow him to influence the roster. Shut down the country club. There are coaches out there that can take the next step, and more.
Yes they are. Just because it doesn't fit your narrative doesn't make it untrue no matter how much you want it. I don't consider Tuch and Skinner as having that much worse seasons in light of their injuries and games missed. Power? He is having a lot of bad games this year...guess what? He had a lot of bad games last year but for some reason this board gave him more credit than he deserved. I think Jokiharju is having a better year than last year. I think Clifton is having a better season than the group of players that played 3rd pair roles last year. Mitts is statistically slightly better in terms of production than last year, but he is playing better in his own end by quite a bit comapred to last year (eye test AND metrics show that).
Okposo is scoring more than last year, AND he is on the ice for less goals against. How is that a worse season? If you want to say 'the eye test' shows he is slowing down, late to get back on some plays...I can agree with that. But if that is true, then HOW is he scoring more and on the ice for less goals against than last year UNLESS it is postive coaching?
The ENTIRE forward group has gotten better i their own zone the last 2 months...numbers show that..the eye test shows that...compared to what they did all of last year and the first part of this year. If an entire group playing better in an aspect of the game isn't a result of coaching...I don't know what is.
You all can just blame coaching, blame DG and say he is awful if you want to. But if you actually watch this team, if you analyze what is going on, the ONLY thing you can chalk up to being worse last year with regard to 'coaching' is the Power play. I know 'fire the coach' makes all of you feel better, but tell me specifically how the coacing is worse than last year. I see the TEAM being worse than last year for various reasons, but I just don't see how coaching has dropped off considerably. I'm waiting for examples from this board, but I'm getting very few of them, just accusations I am 'cherry picking' things to support my argument, but the ones I am getting on the other side (if I get any) don't even have any depth to them.
Pay a good, experienced assistant to fix that. MOST of the fall-off in offense is due to more injuries to key players than last year, and an decrese in shooting percentage from Tage and Cozens (they are getting about the same number of shots from last year....the number of high danger and center of the ice chance by both is about the same, they are IN POSITION like they were last year to score, they are just doing it less, coachign has them in position to take the same shots and get them from the same areas.)
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I still have no (well, a LITTLE) problem with Granato. The limit of the issue I have with him is....I THINK the PP needs a new direction/new assistant coach, and he has (or should have) the power/ability to make that change. I see a lot of positives with this team COMPARED to last year. They are better on defense. They are getting better goaltending. Many of the players are playing BETTER than last year (Mitts, Peterka, Greenway). Benson has developed. After a rough start Cliton is playing better, Jokiharju is playing much better after a slow start. Quinn came back and in a short stint looked even better than last year. The players who are playing worse (Tage and Cozens) have had injuries. The players whos production is slightly down (Skinner and Tuch) have also had injuries. The roster is still flawed, but when I look at the coaching job...I see a head coach who isn't perfect, but who wasn't perfect last year, but I still do not see one of the retreads out there that everyone who wants DG fired stepping in and doing a better job. Not at all.
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40 minutes ago, Night Train said:
Old Bills Asst. and radio loudmouth Chuck Dickerson died at age 86. Appreciate his service in the Marines but his radio work was horrid. Talked a big game prior to the Redskins SB, where we were out of the game 15 minutes after it started. Got fired and went on to talk nonsense on radio.
There was, and is a market for that. Some fans are patient. Some fans just want everyone to get along and feel good about everything. Other fans want wins, they want wins now and when the team doesn't do that they want changes. His show catered to the second group.
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March 1, my company I work for part time is doing their major 'streamlining'. Most part timers are gone as of next week. Full timers, still all there but all 'peer training' positions, all 'assistant manager' positions, any position where they could make a bit of extra money, are eliminiated and everyone goes back to the 'base' position on their level.
I'm temporarily out, but while disappointing, it was just 2 days a week PT, extra 'spending cash' that I can do without. I only worked Monday and Tuesday for a few hours. A lot of "streamlining of operations" going on out there right now.
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3 minutes ago, Weave said:
Brad May was drafted to be that guy. Didn’t work out as top 6 material unfortunately
So who was the last guy they drafted with that intent with a first rounder? Zack Kassian? Even that is going back 15 years.
COULD it be Cozens? He didn't do well taking on a heavyweight earlier this year, but isn't he 6'3" put on 10-20 lbs over the next couple years...get someone to teach him to fight? We know he is somewhat willing. I don't know, probably reaching here.
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33 minutes ago, Getpucksdeep said:
Name names por favor.
I think sure guys like McNabb or the D on Seattle that inky loves or Risto even. But here at least from my seat we're talking about an alpha-dog in the top 6. Marchand, Tkachuk, Stamkos (has presence), Ovechkin (did it years ago), Crosby, Landeskog maybe, Tavares?. Guys that the entire league respects (save Marchand) and don't want to be line-matched against. Instead we have the opposite, Jeff Skinner.The CLOSEST thing in recent memory would probably be Evander Kane. He would drop the glove, win his share of them when he did (although not an ultra-heavyweight) and put up 25-30 goals for you. Not at the same level as those other guys though.
Honestly, the more I think about it...go back 30 years..I can't think of anyone else that was even a 'moderately dangerous'/potential top 2 line player who would drop the gloves even a few times per year.
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On 2/20/2024 at 12:35 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:
My friend @Taro T once pointed out to me that I was once one of the most positive voices on the board and that over the last few years, I’ve become quite negative. For that, I apologize. I am not, in general, a negative person. I am quite the opposite.
However I looked at my posts recently and I have let my frustration and anger with Adams and the Sabres grow to the point that it’s ruined my enjoyment of watching the team. Not that the frustration is misplaced. However, it’s ruined the game for me, so it’s time to take a step back. Time to concentrate on the Braves and fantasy baseball.
All that said, the Sabres have a ton of assets to work with, but it’s time for Adams to step up and learn from Beane. This will be the 13th season without playoffs in a league where 50% of the teams make the playoffs every year. If there is a 14th year, Adams will be gone.
People are frustrated I get it. I am too, although I don't take the team, or sports, as seriously as I used to. But I wanted to re-read your original post. I'm finding out lately that its not so much being a fan of the team that is frustrating the most lately, it is the art of talking about the team. In most of my posts, I will try to not be emotional....I might disagree with someone and I'll point out where I do (at least in my original post) but I am finding more and more emotional responses, getting attacked when you disagree with someone. Worse yet, I noticed in the gameday threads...it is getting really bad. Yeah, the team is not making the playoffs this year, but since January 1, this team has been playing much better, and even most of the losses are close. Yet, play the best team in the league, lose by one goal, and there is just hatred, venom all over the boards, (I won't even mention twitter). Attacking people you don't agree with. Hatred, resentment, outright hostility in more and more posts.
Yeah, this message board is here for people to give their opinion. To vent, I get that, but things are getting over the top (at least to me)
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3 minutes ago, CallawaySabres said:
Way to lose the game coach. I hate you so much
So we have a bunch of people saying that he's too placid and showing no emotion and criticizing him for that. Then you say him showing some emotion and getting a bench minor loses the game.
Honestly, the guy probably deserves better than this fan base.
The negativity on this board is just too much sometimes.
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Please get Dahlin off of the penalty kill I don't know if he's that much better killing penalties, It doesn't take a bunch of skill to slap the puck down the ice...but whenever this penalty is over, I want him more rested for even strength.
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Of course not hockey related, but one of the coolest videos I have seen in a while....engineering a drone to follow an F1 car at full speed.
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1 hour ago, Doohickie said:
There was a tweet yesterday that showed a clip of Skinner jawing at a ref. From that 2 second clip, a podcaster (former ref Tim Peel) and Roenick went into how Skinner is always complaining and the league, including his teammates hate, him, with Peel proclaiming at the end "He was an @hole."
I replied that that's what I want players on other teams to say about players on my team, and in Skinner's case he's at his best when he's agitating.
When people talk about Skinner's value, they talk about how he's a one-way player, he's a goal scorer, he's got unique skating skills, but one thing people forget is he's one of those players that can really get under the skin of the other team and that definitely helps the Sabres in intangible ways (and tangible ways like drawing penalties).
The player that strikes me the same way is Zach Benson. He still takes too many penalties himself, but you see opponents try to put him in his place and he bounces right back up and doesn't back down. It's that same Skinnerish attitude.
Skinner's value might drop off quickly before his contract is up. I need him as a consistent 30 goal scorer to be of value. BUT, is he a 'floater' coming back to his own zone? Yes. I have seen replays of goals scored against the Sabres where on the way back he LITERALLY stopped at the blue line, doing a semi 'goal hang' instead of playing defense. HOWEVER, what I also don't see from Skinner is when he IS in the defensive zone (and he is sometimes) he doesn't give the puck away, doesn't vacate his wing leaving it wide open for other opportunities, and he actually DOES win some loose puck battles (not because of his size of course, but more because of his hands).
OVERALL he is net 'negative' in terms of D-zone play, but at 30 goals per year his offense more than makes up for that. He is one of the few players who will go to the front of the opponents net AND he has the skill/hands to put the puck in the net. As long as he is giving this team 25-30+ goals per season...and as you said, doing some 'agitating', I'm happy with him being here (I'm for sure not shipping him off for a 'bag of pucks' and in no way do I think this team gets better by him simply not being here.)
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38 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:
IF the Sabres pull off the upset tonight. Will it change your view of the team ? From firing Granato or blowing the whole thing up?
No, but that is because I do not believe in Firing Granato or blowing things up at this point. I think this team needs surgery with a scalpel, no a sledgehammer.
I DO believe in making a big trade in the offseason for a top 25 D-man in the league (multiple prospects if that is needed), having Tage, Quinn, Tuch and Cozens fully healthy starting next year (keep Cozens more at wing and keep Tage off of the PK) and hopefully bringing in a highly paid/highly effective assistant specialist to help out. This group of Defensemen is SO YOUNG that they are going to gradually get better as time (seasons) go on.
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Petterson? I'd much, much rather have him that Tkachuk. What would I give up? Quite a bit. I think he is a real top 10 player in the NHL right now and still getting better. I don't think this is happening though.
The only thing that gives me pause is the next contract. In the NHL, to win the CUP (not just be playoff-good, but to be truly competitive for the Cup year in and year out) you have to have some bargains on your team. Get enough good to great players like Toronto, you are guaranteed to be good and in the playoffs. But pay them all market value (no bargains) and you are also guaranteed to usually not go far in the playoffs and not even sniff a presidents trophy at all in your entire run.
Now, the rumors (and I know we all know what rumors are)....say they offered him 8 years at $95-$100m....and he still hasn't signed it. (just one of many sources: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nhl/canucks-have-already-made-a-massive-offer-to-re-sign-elias-pettersson/ar-BB1iN0FN).
If he hasn't signed that...then what is he really looking for? $13m? $14m per year? As good/great as he is, I'm not sure I want to trade Tage/Cozens/Power or a combo of them for a player taking up that much of my cap unless their last name starts with an "M" and ends with atthews, cdavid, or acKinnon.
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I'm not sure what it is about Florida...I just feel a lot less confident against them than any other team. Boston? the Rangers? Something gives me the feeling the Sabres would match up against them much better than Florida. A win tonight would go a long way to me thinking this team might be turning a legit corner, not just feeding off of weaker opponents.
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14 hours ago, Brawndo said:
If they are moving Tkatchuk it’s either an organizational move or player demand. The onus would be Ottawa to make the deal either way
I agree with you.
If these rumors aren't true at all, none of this matters. Move on. But, if they ARE true, then its that there are issues with him that they aren't all that happy with, so they think a potential return might be better than having them. With that said, it would likely take a lot to get him....but you ARE getting a player back that they certainly dont' think is untouchable, and has enough issues that they would move him AFTER locking him up long term. To me that means the asking/getting price would not be as high as many think.
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2 hours ago, Buffalo Super Fan said:
This is very good Buffalo Sabres news at least the Sabres are committed to staying in Buffalo. Buffalo fans know I am not a fan of Terry Pegula and I doubt I ever will be even if he finally wins a championship. Because I don’t care for his style of absentee ownership even with the Buffalo Bills it’s minimum at best so after getting that out of the way.
Buffalo Sabres fans can do whatever they want it’s a free country. I would never tell anyone what they should do with their hard earned money or how to think. But understand complaining about seating leg room and restrooms is nonsense. The Buffalo Memorial Auditorium was a dump but we still went to games as Buffalo Sabres fans. The Key Bank Center restrooms today are 5 stars compared to the old Buffalo Memorial Auditorium or Buffalo War Memorial Stadium. If you don’t like sports anymore unless the Sabres are winning or the prices are cheap that is fine. But understand there are consequences for that action it’s called the moving van. Again I am fine with Buffalo NHL or AHL hockey as long as Buffalo has some kind of hockey team. But I have a feeling that the ones complaining the most about restrooms and leg room would never go near a Buffalo AHL team replacement for the NHL Buffalo Sabres if it ever came to that. Yet howl the most about missing NHL hockey in Buffalo. I say this because Buffalo Sabres are down there NHL revenue wise today with Arizona Coyotes and Winnipeg Jets two NHL teams that are at risk for relocation.The Key Bank Center seating bowl changes only happen with public money that is the general public responsibility it’s in the Buffalo Sabres lease. The Sabres lease is coming up and we as a Western New York community are going to have a choice renew the lease with the upgrades that the Sabres want or not. I think as a Buffalo Sabres fan it comes down to just like the Buffalo Bills you either want major league sports or you don’t in Buffalo? There is a price for major league sports and there are plenty of cities that will take the Sabres off our hands if you want to do the Oakland as I call it. Which is absolutely nothing but complain and not go to games. The ticket prices are the ticket prices for major league sporting events today go or don’t go it seems pretty simple. But in sports regardless of the level you can’t guarantee winning. I wish you could but you can’t.
But I don’t want to hear complaining if the Buffalo Sabres leave town for the Buffalo AHL replacement you get what you pay for. Tickets are never coming down price wise and will always go up. When I read complaints about the restrooms and leg room in seats it tells me this may not be a major league sports town anymore sadly? You either love NHL hockey or you don’t? Seats and restrooms never entered into watching a hockey game for me. Again I am personally good either way Western New York community wants either to do the Oakland and become Rochester sports rivals keep it up.
The biggest problem with the Buffalo Sabres are that the Sabres players are too comfortable and the roster needs a major block buster trades. Eventually that is going to happen and I think it’s Alex Tuch he isn’t a clutch player and any where but Buffalo would be a try hard player on a third line. Alex Tuch isn’t ever going to be a star or a top 6 forward and too many Sabres fans can’t see that yet. Because Alex Tuch is a semi local player from Syracuse. But the reality is that Patrick Kane the Buffalo hometown player most didn’t want even at his age is a more skilled clutch player than an Alex Tuch now. But unfortunately Sabres fans don’t want to hear or accept that fact. Alex Tuch is at his ceiling he isn’t going to get better only older. Now is the time to move him while the Sabres can hopefully get a good return. I would bring in Patrick Kane in free agency and trade for John Tavares out of Toronto. Which I think John Tavares may come available in the summer after the Toronto Maple Leafs collapse in the NHL playoffs again. John Tavares would be the Sabres new captain and Patrick Kane an alternate captain. Completely remaking the culture and locker room for the current Buffalo Sabres in my opinion. Go Sabres! Let’s Go Buffalo
Wow, so much here. I'd have no idea how to respond to this post...with a like, a dislike, laughing, thanks, Eyeroll....I can 100% get besides some of your post and totally disagree with others. I have to think about this for a while...
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7 hours ago, rickshaw said:
Krebs is showing some worth as he plays with better players. Go figure.
I have not liked Krebs since he started playing with this team. Slower than I thought, not able to win puck battles, very little offense. I STILL am not sold on him, but last game he looked like a different player. He controlled the puck? When he had it and even was under a bit of pressure it looked like he had composure and waited and watched the ice before making a play. So, I still am not sure he is a legit top 9 guy in the NHL, but yesterday his play gave me hope in that for the first time in a while.
As for the team's overall play, on both ends of the ice but especially the D-zone....well, the more Cozens plays on the wing and the less he is a center, it seems the better things get. Power-ish forward, 2nd line winger, good forechecker, physical, fighting for the puck on the boards...to me he is just so much better suited on the wing.
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15 minutes ago, Broken Ankles said:
Probably. First overalls tend to be studs. But, how long is it going to take? The defense is struggling this year and will continue to do so next year. Also note when Owen’s next contract kicks in next year the Sabres will have $28m dedicated to 5 defenders (including little Johnson on his final year of ELC). And that group still has no true #2 to play alongside Dahlin. It’s OK to disagree but there is a reason no team in the league has more than $32m across 7 players on Defense. It’s about proper appropriations of the cap. I’d rather keep Joki on $4-4.5m deal, pick up a true 28-30 year old Defender (like Slavin or Peche) and strengthen the First FL#1 with that $8m cap number.
Very few D-men become great right away, it seems to take longer than forwards. Sure you have guys like Makar, but it seems Power's development is not that fast. I'd say next year he should 'bounce back' and start to play better, but MAYBE he might break that 'top 100 D-men in the league' next year, that is about it. You want a top 50 D-man in the league guy? I'd say 2-3 more years. Of course, I expect he will take gradual steps and going forward, get a little better each year.
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What would you need to get this deal done. I don't know, on the radio someone was saying Savoie, Mitts, and next years first. If, IF that is what it would take to get the deal done....rather than just do that I would take that package to the rest of the league and take offers...Adams would basically say...Savoie, Mitts, and next years first...what is the best anyone has to offer?
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I think they pedegree and the hype might influence some of our voting. I'm not saying McDavid ISN'T the best player, but sometimes I think he gets the benefit of the doubt over everyone else because we all heard he was generational. McKinnon, while VERY highly respected coming into the draft, I remember was the 'semi-generational guy' while we really wall waited a couple years for McDavid.
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12 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:
Skinner is one of the few Sabres I have 0 interest in trading.
I'm part of the way there with you. Some want him gone yesterday. And yes, he is pretty much a no-show in his own end. But you are still able to rely on him for about 30 goal seasons (the 'coaching' change to a more defensive style hasn't seemed to impact him that much), and he is one of the FEW players how is willing to head to the front of the net pretty much all the time. Is he a perfect player? Nope. Is he overpaid...maybe, probably. Is he a cause for this team being bad though....I don't think so.
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12 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:
I think you can, and more or less must, keep him under 4mil.
Between Mitts making about 7 and UPL pulling in 4 we’d not have much room to make any improvements. Anything more and we are effectively trapped hoping the present team just improves via experience
If he goes to arbitration, I think the might get more than that, and that would only be for 1 year.
If his agent is looking for 3 or 4 years at 5 mil per year, do you say no?
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So, I know that things can change..but...those people who, just a month ago... wanted to sign him/offer him 2-3 years at close to $2m per year....that might not be possible anymore.
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Sabres Have The No.1 Prospect Group - The Athletic
in The Aud Club
Posted
Ottawa is very interesting to me. I really thought they would be the team to take the biggest jump between Buffalo, Ottawa and Detroit.
-Stutzle has regressed in terms of production (Tage level regression) Was almost a 40 goal, 90 point guy last year in his 3rd season at age 20-21. This year in season 4, he is on pace for high teens/maybe 20 goals. Big drop.
-Giroux had 35 for them last year. Is on pace for about 10 less, age might be catching up with him.
-Tkachuk is just as productive (more goals, less assists) but why were there rumors of him having an issue with maturity?
-Chychrun has been a bit of a disappointment. They are getting 'good' overall play from him but I think they expected 'great' play.
-Jake Sanderson. He's playing 'good' from what I can see and what I hear, but I think they were expecting him to take a big jump to being a legit top 30 d-man in the league. He's good, but not that good.
-Chabot is a really good D-man, I don't think he gets credit for how good he is, but he has missed a lot of games for them.
Ottawa is facing a lot of the same issues Buffalo is....top star regression in terms of goals scored, young D-men not taking as big of a step as you want, and injuries to key player(s). The thing is they don't have a lot of potential high-end talent in the pipeline:
-They have had no first round picks the last 2 seasons. Every other first round pick in the past decade is either already on the team, or looks like a bust (Thompson, Boucher)
-Add to that they have big time cap issues....this is a team that TRULY needs development from within, even more than the Sabres.