mjd1001

Looking more into this...If you look at how former players are doing with their current teams this year...versus what they did under RK's system here last year...most are playing the same or even worse with their current teams than they did with Sabres last year. I'm not saying RK is great, but THIS is not the argument to make that he is bad, if anything it shows it is more the problem of the players than the coach...because they do just as bad, if not worse, when they leave Buffalo. Marcus Johansson is producing worse this year than with the Sabres last year Vesey and Sheary are putting up less points, and not many more goals, than last year with the Sabres. Larsson has 3 goals and 1 assist in 22 games this year, less production than with the Sabres last year. Again, Krueger isn't good for this team, we know that...but if anything this supports the players are just as much at fault because they simply aren't that good. they are not doing much better once they leave his system.

Bringing up those 2 players really isn't a point to make...its better to just say the players on the Sabres are playing great. Vesey and Sheary aren't really playing all that well. Both of them have 5 goals, but it is in 26 and 21 games for both of them...both have only 2 assists, and both aren't looked at as being key pieces to their team. Vesey is scoring 1 goal every 5 games (he did 1 goal in every 6.5 games or so with the Sabres) and is actually putting up less assists than he did here. Sheary is putting up 1 goal every 4-5 games...and in Buffalo he put up 1 goal per 5.75 games..and he too is putting up a lot less assist when he did here. They really aren't doing much, if any better than they did here...and a case can be made with such low assist totals and only a slightly higher goal rate, they are overall doing the same if not a tad worse.

I'm not sure if this has been brought up before... It looks like there is a chance the Leafs might be playing some of their playoff games in Buffalo, espeically if they get to the final 4. If Canada still has their 14 day quarantine and exceptions are not made (doesn't look right now like they will), there has been talk in the final 4, 3 of the teams would be from the USA so it would serve Toronto best to play in an American City, Buffalo being the most convenient. So, if that were to happen, how many people would want to go/pay in person to see the Leafs play in a conference finals series at the Key Bank center as their home?

Where does this come from? Why do people keep repeating it, and can everyone stop saying it because it is untrue. -Ralph played hundreds of hockey games in Europe when he was younger, and well as many in international competition. -He was a HOCKEY coach in Europe for most of the 1990s (at least 5 seasons). -From 1998 to about 2010, he was the head coach of the Swiss national team(hockey), many international competitions including the olympics. -He was a scout in the NHL, he was an assistant coach in the NHL, he was a head coach for the Oilers in the NHL. -He was an advisor/consultant for Canadian Hockey helping them with their 2014 Olympic hockey team. -He coached Team Europe in the NHL/Hockey world cup. -He was an executive for a couple years, not a coach, but an EXECUTIVE for a soccer club. So, how is he even close to a soccer coach? He played hundred of hockey games as a player, he has been an NHL scout, and NHL assistant coach, and an NHL head coach (combined for many years and hundreds of games). He coached hundreds of games in the European hockey league, and has been a coach of hockey for years and years in international competition. You may not like him as the Sabres coach, but he has spent decades and hundreds (if not well over a thousand) games playing, scouting, and coaching hockey at a high level..and to my knowledge ZERO as a coach in soccer.

Florida has finished 10, 10 and 34 points better than the Sabres in the last 3 years. They have had a much better base of talent to work with. Also, they usually have a couple million dollars more roster flexibility to work with. Those 2 things make it a lot easier for a team like FL than Buf.

The thing is..if Sam wants to go, you may not get what you want for him. I said in an earlier thread, he is a restricted FA, but if the guy wants to go out west and really thinks his career is wasting away here...there is a very good chance he has privately told Adams he wants out...and in the offseason resigning him here is going to be a tough sell. If that is the case (and, my opinioin, it seems very logical) you might just be looking for a 'good enough' trade because you don't have many other options.

If its true, it doesn't surprise me about Reinhart... -He is a restricted FA again. Maybe part of the reason he didn't sign a longer term deal is HE didn't want to commit here for long term. Remember, hes been with this organization for longer than Jack...hes now in the prime is his career and hasn't even sniffed a single playoff game. -We have always heard rumblings that he would prefer to play someplace out west, closer to 'home'. Doesn't he still live in Western Canada in the offseason? I can picture this as a situation where recently, he had one of those 'conversations' with Adams saying he'd be OK with being dealt...maybe even subtly ask for it. Not a trade demand, nothing public, but something where he put it out there to Sabres management that hes ready to move on. Anyway, I'm fine with this. I think this roster is vastly overrated in terms of talent. Too many people have taken a players 'best' season and projected it to what they should be every year....or are holding too much stock in their draft status. The talent on this team is what it is....many of these players have been through a few coaches on this team, a few systems...and after years we see the core of this team just isn't that great. The roster needs an overhaul if you want to be a top 10 team. This roster won't cut it.

I'm not saying anything new (for me) that I haven't said before, but as far as Jack goes: -I think he is playing hurt and it is impacting his game. Super talented players are so good because they are just 1 step faster than everyone else, 1 inch more accurate with their shots and passes..that is what separates them from the masses. An 'annoying' injury can be just enough to take away that edge. -I also think that Jack is a great player, but maybe 1 step behind what we all want him to be, even at his best. Last year was his best year ever, it was nothing like we have seen out of a Sabre in long, long time...At times he was able to carry this team to a win. But guess what? That doesn't make him a top 3-5 player in the NHL, there are about 20 guys that can do that for stretches. He was 10th in points last year, in his best year ever...and since he has been drafted there are 23 other players that have more points than him. Again, he is very good, maybe great, but he is not the mega-superstar-MVP guy that many think he should be year after year...not when your production in your BEST year and in every other year of your career is in line with about 10-15 other guys. You want Jack to be able to carry this team for stretches of 3-6 games at a time? You want him to take over and win a game for you once or twice a month? He can and should do that when he is healthy. But we have to stop thinking of him as a top 5 player in this league and expect results (stats and wins) in line with that. Now into his 6th season, he HAS proven he is an All-star player, but he also has proven over that time he isn't more than that.

Just what do we all know Hall can do? He is not a difference maker in the league anymore. He is now in his 12th year in his career, in 11 of those he hasn't even hit 30 goals. Since his mvp year, 3 years has gone by and one major knee surgery. He is at an age where production for forwards starts to go down. Since that MVP season, most of it has not been with the Sabres and he is doing 19.9 goals and 50.3 assist per 82 games....and as his age goes up, his production per game has gone down every season as he gets older. That to me is no longer a 'difference maker' and someone I don't want to pay 7.5 per year to...certainly not over 5 years.

I feel the opposite. This team is worse...because with the tank, you knew (and were reminded over and over) of just how many high draft picks the Sabres would have, and you had hope and optimism of the possibilities of several young stars soon to be playing for your team. With the current team, you don't have visions of top pick generational players soon to be here, and the top picks you have now...to me they certainly aren't generational and are getting harder and harder to root for as every game passes.

Sabres now have 34 games left. 68 possible points. Philly is in 4th currently on the pace for a fraction over 72 points. To get to 73 points, the Sabres would need 85.3% of all available points (The best teams in the league now are getting about 77%, Last season boston led the league with about 71%) If you think someone in the division falls a bit and the Sabres could get in with 70 points...they still need about 81% of available points. Basically, from this point forward they have to be the best team in the league, and go on a streak over 30 games that would be epic and almost unprecedented in recent memory by anyone...to get that 4th and final divisional playoff spot.

I think Reinhart might be your most tradeable player now. He is scoring, even on this team, so his 'services' would be appreciated/in demand by other teams. He is still young, another team can think of him not just as a rental but as a long term fit if they want. He is 'only' making 5.2 million this year...thats not nothing..but much easier for other teams to fit under the cap..or find a piece to send back to the Sabres to make fit under the cap..and someone making a lot more. His contract is up after this year, and he is still restricted...so he just can't walk from another team. You still may not get what you want if you trade him, but he just might be the part of this team that you get maximum value back for.

I know what you are saying..and if you 'blow it up', it may/will take 5 years before you might be really good again. Its just I don't think this team has the talent to be really good, almost ever with this core. That Skinner deal is going to be an anchor around this team for a while. Eichel is in is peak years now (most forwards/scorers have their peak production years between the ages of 24 and 28). I guess I don't see much of a future with this core, and honestly I don't really like watching them play. I'd get more enjoyment out of a lot of new talent, thinking and 'hoping' what they can turn into while losing...than watching this core already into their 'peak' years losing.

Blow the team up, start at the top and work your way down. I know, I know, the coach is bad. But we have seen this team (this core) for years now not being good. You get the best coach in the league, and is this team, this core, good enough to challenge for the cup and be an exciting team to watch score a lot of goals? I don't think so. They made too many mistakes in the tank, their talent pipeline is pretty empty coming up from Rochester....I just don't like watching these players anymore. If you aren't going to be good, be entertaining (the Leafs, for example, for most of the past 15 years). This team isn't even close to that. Blow it up so at least I can have hope again that MAYBE the future will be a lot brighter. This team can be a little better, but I don't see a bright future for it. Changing the coach and tweaking a few players so you can contend for that last playoff spot year after year isn't good enough for me. Might as well just be bad if you can't be great.

Improve the goaltending? While if you had ANY position on this team being better, including goaltending, then the team of course would be a bit better, but Ullmark has not been the problem. This team is getting close to being historically bad at putting the puck in the net. They are 3rd worst in goals per game overall. They are last in the league in evenstrength goals. In the past 15 years, only the 2 worst tank teams had fewer goals per game. Ullmark has played well enough that the team doesn't have to focus on him, they can play a 'normal' offensive game and not fear he will be awful if they don't play 100% defense either. With him in net, they have had scoring chances they just aren't good enough to put in the net. I'd love to have an all star goaltender on this team...but this team isn't even sniffing the playoffs until they get a LOT more scoring.

To me, the issue I have with Adams is not just with the coach, but the players. Do I want him to have the power to fire the coach? sure, but what about moving players, even 'star' players if you have a good offer on the table. This team doesn't just need a coach, it needs a LOT of player turnover, and not just at the bottom.

Optimism is great, but the math just doesn't work. I posted the math in a different thread, but here is the bottom line...right now the last playoff spot in this division is on pace for about 76 points. If the Sabres get hot, they will take some points away from those teams, but it still is likely you will need at LEAST 70 points. With the number of remaining games, the Sabres would have to basically be the best team in the league for the rest of the year. They have to gain points at a pace over the next 30 games slightly better than anyone has so far through the first part of the season. And even then, that will only get them to about 70 points and it may not be enough. The hole is too big.

Kinda agree. Unless Adams is a GM with total power (which he likely isn't), then this is just putting him out there to take the arrows. Whoever is the ultimate decision maker needs to be there taking questions

How about the media asking him for availability at a set, scheduled time at least once per week?

They are not getting back in the playoff race, no way. Right now Philly and boston are tied for the last spot... 4th place in the division, on a 75-76 point pace. If the Sabres got hot and took away points from those teams...and managed to get into the playoffs with 70 points (once again, not likely in this division, but for the sake of argument), that means the Sabres would need 55 points in 35 games...or 78.6% of available points the rest of the year. How hard is that? That is better than the best teams in the league are doing so far this year. They basically have to become the best team in the league for the rest of the year for a chance at the last playoff spot in this division.

Well, that is what this message board is for...to give opinions. As far as the same arguments? Well, there isn't much else to talk about with this team other than the same things over and over.

I had no problem with 'the tank', I was all for it and I would be again. The reason it didn't work well was a series of factors: -You got Eichel, not McDavid. Eichel is very good, but hes not generational..he's not even semi-generational. Just a very good all star. -Reinhart is who you got with our other '2nd pick'. Again, hes good, but probably less than you would hope from a 2nd overall pick. -This is the big one...you missed on SO MANY other draft picks during the tank. As a reminder to everyone (including myself) there is a list of all the players the Sabres drafted in the first 3 rounds since Eichel/Reinhgart: Lemieux, Cornel, Karabacek, Johanson, Martin, Guhle, Nylander, Asplund, Pu, Fitzgerald, Mittlestadt, Davidson, Lukkonen, Laaksonen, Dahlin, Samuelson, Cozens, Johnson, Portillo. You need to hit on MORE of those, especially the ones that are in their mid 20's by now. -Draft part 2: How did you do on the later round picks from those drafts? Here is a list of ALL the players who even played any games for the Sabres drafted in rounds 4-7 of all of those drafts (22 players drafted in late rounds, not even counting last year): Olofsson, Borgen. 2 guys. -Of course in terms of trades...I won't go over all of them but the Sabres have, for the most part, made pretty bad trades and free agent signings. So yeah, their current coaching staff doesn't look that good, but the Tank didn't fail because it was a bad idea in concept..it failed because of a little bad luck and a LOT of bad, terrible, awful decisions on talent (on ice)

Sabres should just have everyone on a one year contract...and I don't mean the players...the coaches...scouts..gm... Its not like you are likely to lose them to another franchise, who wants anyone that they Sabres can get now? If everyone was on a one year deal, maybe they would DO SOMETHING or DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT to save their jobs....not just sit on their hands because they had job security (or at least financial security)

Except that 65 is probably not going to do it. In our division, Philly is in 4th currently getting almost 66% of available points (almost a 74 point pace). Even if the Sabres got hot and took some points away from the rest of the division in doing so...it looks like you are going to need at least 70 points to be 'likely' to get that last spot. For the Sabres..that means playing the rest of the season getting about 78% - 79% of available points...which means they have to play the entire rest of the season as the best team in the NHL.

I'm sure he wants another opportunity, but do you really think any coach with past success wants to take over this team....that looks like it might take YEARS to get to the poing of being a cup contender? I think most of the 'bigger names' would rather just sit out..relax..do tv and radio work....and wait for a better job to open up.