mjd1001

How positive or negative we are as fans also has to do with what type of fans of the team we are. There are some people that want to win. Do what it takes to be one of the top teams. Someone isn't doing the job, make a change. Over a decade without playoffs means that more drastic changes have to be made. A lot (most) of us are like that. Then there are others, who view the Sabres as just entertainment. (I used to be the above, now I've become one of these.) I WANT them to win of course, but just entertain me. Score some goals. Win more than you lose. Thats all I want now. Honestly I sometimes like the discussion about the team on these forums more than liking the games, and I'm OK with that. Some people don't understand this, and that is OK....but for me (and a FEW others), we can see the positives more becasue we have lower expectations. We WANT a cup, we WANT them to be the best team in the league, but we don't EXPECT that, we just expect to be entertained. Sometimes I think I might get MORE frustrated than those with higher expectations..I think...I have lower expecations, and you STILL can't do that...but in the end, they lose, I post on here, but I look forward to the next game.

ON the Adams vs Beane thing....Maybe the moves they make, not only are the run by Pegula, but they are dependant on where they are/think they are with the team. They both "cleaned out the old core". Once the Bills had Allen, I'm going to 'assume' they knew he would be good a little sooner than we did (they see him in practice, they see how he quickly he picks up on things, etc" So once they had Allen, Beane was given the green light to start taking those risks...... On the SABRES however, Pegula was burned many times with 'false starts". Erhoff and Leino would get to be more than just a 'playoff team'. Eichel and Reinhart would turn the team around right away. Trading futures for Leino and Kane would put them on the right path....there are many other things. It could just be that Pegula is WILLING to allow adams to make those changes, but he wants to see (or be convinced) that this team is READY for major moves before he allows it.

It is a small sample size, but since the turn of the calendar to 2024, I think the forwards have gotten a LOT better in this regard. Like a night and day difference. From one of the worst teams I have ever seen, to recently playing above average in their own end. Now if only they could have Tage catch fire like he did last year scoring.... If you want to be positive, there are things there to be positive about, just you have to look through the 'fog of the results' of the season to see them. Goaltending looks really good. Overall Defensive play (D-men and forwards in their own zone) has taken a drastic turn up recently...and they are allowing less goals and shots overall compared to last year. Quinn (when he plays) looks really good. Peterka looks REALLY good. Tuch has taken a step back due to injuries, but even with those injuries he has shown/proven he is more of a 20-25 (maybe 30) goal scorer for you than a guy who will only get in the teens. To be a playoff team/force in the league, I think this team is a single LEGIT top 4 D-man (not a guy you have to convnice you is a top 4 guy, but a legit one), a season without major injury problems, and one more player developing into a 'feared' nhl level goal scorer that isn't there yet. That along with every single game the young D-corp geting more experience is all I think this team may need. I don't think you need to 'blow up the roster', you don't need to fire Adams and the entire coaching staff...etc. MAYBE trading some prospects for a top 9 guy who is 'hard to pay against' would help too, but there is a lot here to work with.

If your job is to do other things then it certainly can be. If your job is to forecheck, keep the puck in other zone, then it sure can be. If you are tying up players on the other team on the boards while linemates control he puck, then it can be. If you are told that you are to go out there, tire out the other team, chase them around with a relentless forcheck, while your team's goal scorers are getting a breather on the bench, it can be. I guess the only reason it is not 'playing the right way' is if that is one of the things that you want to use to support your argument. Why would you just 'waive' a player to send a message, until you find out just what his value is on the open market anyway?

BINGO! and that is exactly what you are doing also by responding this way. I said a nickname was dumb, and I explained clearly I felt that way because that player already has a nickame that is widely used. It rubs you that wrong way that I said that? You are and Hank are SO thin skinned that you continue this converstation? I moved on from in a week ago, the only reason I keep on posting things like this is because of people bringining it up again after I left it behind. Telling someone that while you are doing it yourself....CLASSIC example of what you are doing by continuing to bring it up. And I said I don't like a nickanme for a player pushed by a poster (or a couple) when the player already has a widely used nickname. First time I saw it on here, I legit didn't know who the heck was being talked about until I opened the thread and read a bit. For you to call me out is a joke, I have had a lot more people respond to things I said and called them a LOT worse things than what I said. This is why this forum at times, and SOME posts can be a joke. I am generally more civil to other posters than they are to me many, MANY times, and the one time I express that I legit think something is there that I don't like I get called out on it? That is a joke, as is the back and forth about this topic that for some reason I am choosing to engage in.

I'm sorry I don't evaluate how good a player is based on their statistics for a half season of play... And certainly I don't cherry pick statistics to only support my argument. That worked maybe in the 1980s when you were building your team in strat-o-matic hockey, but that's not the way player evaluation should work If we moved on from a player every single time some of their stats go down for just a portion of one particular season... And not actually watching them play and see they are still effective at skating, at forchecking, and don't cause problems in your own zone.... Well, then you'd have a lot worse of a team than you have now. But hey... If picking a whipping boy... And hammering away on him and hammering away at any single person who responds to you who disagrees makes you feel better, I guess have at it.

Playoff teams aren't looking primarily to increase their scoring from their fourth line. Playoff teams are looking for a fourth liner that will play hard... That will kill penalties... And that will not hurt them when they're on the ice. Basically... Go out there and eat up 8 to 12 minutes a game without allowing any goals... While our top two lines can get a breather on the bench. In a lot of cases, that is exactly what playoff teams are looking for. I don't get how some people can look at this in such a linear way. If your roster is top heavy and you rely on your top 6 to 8 guys to score... Your bottom guys don't have to score that much. They have to be part of a fourth line unit that doesn't allow a lot of goals to be scored against you.... They can pin the other team in their own zone... While the guys you rely on to score are getting that rest on the bench. On my fourth line... I will gladly give up five goals per year that someone can score.... If they play hard and they play well in most other aspects of the game and they aren't the liability causing me to make up even more than five goals per year the other way.

He skates hard. He's probably the second best forchecker on the team next to Tuch. And his scoring per 60 minutes... Which is the way that you evaluate someone with limited ice time... Isn't that much different than a typical fourth liner around the league. He's also probably in your top five penalty killing in terms of forwards over his career. He hasn't really lost a step in skating. Is he worth 2.5 million per year? No, but you're not up against the cap. For the role he serves. He's perfectly fine. I really do not understand the hate that some people have for him and the rush to get him off of the team. You're not changing this team's fortunes by changing up a fourth line Winger, certainly not one who actually doesn't cause you major problems day in and day out. Personally, as long as the team isn't up against the salary cap, I'd like him back next year if you want to still be here.

13 goals gets them to be a positive in goal differential. I posted this in a previous thread, but every team that was a positive in the goal differential in the east has made the playoffs the past couple of years, and every team that has been a negative in goal differential has missed the playoffs In the west it's not 100% but it's usually one team away from being 100%. So yeah, we don't know where those 13 goals could be sprinkled around but... If history is any guide, being positive and goal differential put you in the playoffs or right on the edge of it so it definitely could make the difference.

Ok, another way to look at this....with the conclusion that MOST of this team is better than last year except for Cozens and Tage. -Last year Cozens and Tage combined accounted for 0.95 goals per game. This year .49 (.0.46 less per game) -The REST of the team besides (Tage and Cozens) last year accounted for 2.62 goals per game. This year 2.44 (only 0.18 less). Account for Tuch, Quinn, and Skinner being some of your top goal producers and the games they missed due to injury compared to last year, and that may account for that entire difference. Defense? -In terms of Goals allowed per game, the team this year is allowing 3.07 vs 3.62 last year (0.55 per game) So, besides Tage and Cozens, the team has taken a slight hit in offense, but is doing better on defense by a greater margin. OVERALL the entire team (besides those 2 guys) is doing BETTER than last year in terms of goals scored versus goals allowed. Also The goals per game allowed are down quite a bit, but its not just goaltending. They are also allowing less shots per game than last year. UPL is allowing less behind him, but in part that is because the goalies are facing less shots. Either way, they are allowing a lot less goals than last year. A common complaint is the team has focused on defense but at the expense of offense. True on the surface, but again, the vast majority of that offensive shortfall is just 2 players. The rest of the team as a whole has made big strides defensively without really hurting their offensive game much. How about the Power Play? -Cozens and Tage LAST year accounted for goals scored on 9.3% of Power plays with between just those 2. This year? 3.8% (a 5.3% drop) The team as a whole besides those two went from 14.1% to 10.8%, (a 3.3% drop). Cozens and Tage combined account for a greater drop in PP production than the rest of the team combined. -PK. Last year 73%. The team has lost 3.3% on the power play, but has made up 6.8% on the PK. Net-net an improvement on the roster as a whole minus Tage and Cozens In MOST metrics (including the big ones listed above) this team is performing better in many ways compared to last year besides Cozens and Tage. That doesn't mean the team doesn't have flaws, or didn't last year. But something to think about. Fix those 2 guys and you likely have a better team than that you had last year. Maybe Granato needs to go, after all he does coach the entire team INCLUDING Tage and Cozens so he is responsible for them too. But when you look at the numbers....again, Net-Net the team is better in goals scored/goals allowed overall besides those 2 guys. Blowing the whole team up, Firing Granato and Adams....If that is what it takes to get Tage and Cozens going again then fine. But I don't think its the best idea overall. This team needs SERIOUS surgery with a Scalpel, doesn't need the sledgehammer to the head in light of all the info above.

2013-14 team would probably have to be the one in recent history. Yeah, the start of the tank I get it, but that team was dreadful to watch. In a full season, your leading point producers had in the low 40s, those were your offensive STARS. You had a total of 4 players with double digit goals. 65 points out of the division lead. The team scored UNDER TWO goals per game. Looking up and down the roster, no-one I really liked. This current team isn't even close to that team for me.

Its not that the Fan salue is a big deal, its not that its needed in anyway. BUT, once you start doing it, it becomes noticable by its absense.

To me this isn't a huge deal, but it is an issue. Why? To me there are 2 main reasons to be a fan or enjoy being a fan of a team, 2 things that make watching a team enjoyable: 1.) They win the championship. 2.) If they don't win the championship, the at least show improvement from the previous season, giving the fans entertainment AND hope that they are on the WAY to winning the championship sometime in the near future. I think that is 90%+ of what makes a season enjoyable. Well, this team isn't doing any of those 2 things, So they ONLY think they have to fall back on is.....for some fans...are they "likeable". Its not much, but if you aren't doing the first 2, being 'likeable' to many fans is all they can hold onto. Well, this team ISN'T doing the first 2, and a story like this coming out sure doesn't make them very likeable. The are hockey players, but lets be honest....they are not so much paid to pay hockey as they are to ENTERTAIN by playing hockey. The Customer who pays their salary is the fans. As an Enterainer, they players (the organization) should realize all of the above.

See, even as fans we totally disagree on the problem. For me, the reason this team has take a step back has to do with: Tage and Cozens lack of production, injuries, Power being vastly over-rated at this point in his career, and whatever assistant is in charge of the day to day of the PP. To me all of those things I listed rank WAY above any that you have listed in terms of what is wrong/needs to change with the team.

It comes down to...the fans can do what they want/boo when they want/chant what they want....and the players can choose to respond the way they are. Its all in each person's right to do so. HOWEVER, what do the players expect from the fans? Some of them spending a good portion of their monthly entertainment dollar to see that effort/result, which by the way its pretty direct that the money the fans spend is what pays the players salary....and when the fans witness that effort, do the players expect the fans to cheer for them and wish they better luck next time so their feelings aren't hurt? You would think that any chant the Fans have..."Fire Donny", "Fire Adams", "Pegula S**ks"....anything should right away be translated in the players heads to a simple "do better".

I don't mind Bryson and Clifton THAT much as a #3 pair getting 13-14 minutes in a game. Its an issue when they are the #2 guys and getting about 20 minutes in a game.

And the loss to Florida maybe doesn't look as bad as they are winning 9-1 right now half way through the 3rd against Tampa.

I really hate games like this. I'd rather see a sloppy five to five game than a 0-0 goaltenders battle. But. . It's not just UPL.... Since the beginning of the year, the defenseman and even the forwards in their own zone have been playing better, a lot better. Are they perfect? No, but the amount of plays where they're out of position or the blatant awful turnovers.... They are way down. Now only if someone can score.

It seems to me that last year they started to cover him the same way that... But he used a little skating and quickness to side step some of the players and if he didn't get off the one timer, he got off another good shot. I don't see that at all from him this year.

Not only do Thompson's one-timers seem to have a little bit less on them this year.... He seems to be lining up and taking them from deeper in the zone.. on a little bit worse of an angle.

First of all, the ads on the boards they can change digitally and I'm seeing ads targeted towards Western New York.... But that key bank logo on the inside of the blue lines... Had me doing a double take as to whether this game was in Minnesota or Buffalo.

Those uniforms Minnesota is wearing with the yellow.... Definitely brings me back to my childhood watching the North Stars. Now if only the Quebec Nordiques could be back in the league... I hated them so much that I miss it

Is the Powerplay bad because of Tage? or is Tage bad because of the Power play? Is the Power play bad because Tage only has 4 PP goals this year, while last year he had 20? Is the reason the PP is awful not because its run bad...but simply he simply isn't producing on it? OR.... Is Tage a lot worse this year because he isn't getting those PP goals, and its not his fault so much as it is the fault of the way the Power Play is run?

Buffalo is 14.38 on the PP this season. Median this year has been around 22-23% for most of the season. Last year they were at 23.42. Lets target 23%. Slightly worse than last year, maybe close to 10th-15th in the league this year. Where does that get them? That gives them 13 more goals. With no other changes, that gives them a positive goal differential this year (I think a +4). How does that equate to the standings? In the East last year, EVERY team that was good enough to have a positive goal differential made the playoffs. Every team that had a negative missed the playoffs. The correlation was 100%. In the West EVERY team that had a negative missed also, 8 or the 9 teams with a positive made it. In the East, 2 years ago EVERY team that had a positive goal differential made the playoffs, EVERY team with a negative goal differential missed. Its not a guarantee (the West has a couple teams every so often on the bubble that don't fit the 'rule') but for the most part, the SINGLE best metric (other than points) that determine whether you are good enough to make the playoffs or miss the playoffs is overall goal differential. Change NOTHING other than the powerplay (make them league average or close to last year) and this team has a positive goal differential. Or think of it this way...sprinkle around those 13 extra goals...and quite a few of them probably turn losses into wins and you can get your point total up that way. 3 years ago Buffalo was 12th in the league at 21%. 2 years ago they were 16th at 21.2%. Last year they were 9th in the league at 23.4%. This year they are 28th in the league at 14.3%. Did the players change? Not really. Did the head coach change? No. Did the assistants change? YES. So, where you have a huge drop off in performance in one key aspect of your game, I just don't think you 'blow things up' or make huge changes until you change what is the problem. Its like Surgery....you have an infection on your arm, you don't just cut the whole arm off, you first TRY to get rid of the infection locally.

I see a drastic improvement but only in the past few weeks.