mjd1001

I really don't know where to go with Reinhart. He looks very limited on the ice. He isn't fast, doesn't play with great size....while OK with the puck he isn't a wizard stickhandling...and isn't steller defensively also. Basically, for a #2 overall pick I don't see him being anywhere close to dominant or ever being able to take over a game on any level. Does that mean he is bad? Of course not, it just looks like the Sabres drafted Reinhart at #2 in a year...when in most other years he might be a #5-#10 guy...and his lack of speed makes it worse with the way the NHL is going. The on the other hand...are we expecting too much production too soon? Taylor Hall has never scored 30. Ryan Johansen took 3 years to be productive. Huberdea has topped out in his career at 20 goals. Galchenyuk looks great the last 2 seaons, but it took him 4 years to hit 30. So I'm not sure how I feel about Reinhart yet. Are we expecting too much of him? Or is he just a guy that is not going to be able to ever take over any kind of game against anyone?

I will agree that this team is boring. I'm not a huge fight guy, and I'm OK with less fighting as long as we get goals and end to end action. But this team doesn't give us any of that. Not an excess of on-ice toughness. Not a really fast, end-to-end team, and of course, very few goals..even goals around the net. I'm not sure how much of a problem Bylsma is though. I don't think you are going to do much better...and I'm almost not looking for a 'better' coach, but rather a 'more exciting' coach. The thing is, I'm just not sure how good this team is. I think this team is below average now, and at best in the next 1-2 years will be slightly above average. -Goaltending is OK, not great, but OK. The save % numbers look good but that is actually a product of Bylsma having a pretty good D system, giving up shots but not a huge amount of quality ones. -D is OK also, but not great. Risto is a very good D-man, but I don't see him as a Norris trophy guy at all, just a top 15 to 20 guy (which is fine). Bogo I think is underrated by many on this forum, but he is overpayed for what he is (a good #2 or #3 guy who is not realiable/always injured). McCabe looks to be a good 2nd paring guy eventually. The best hope for this D-Core is that Guhle keeps getting better and he eventually becomes a near equal of Risto. -Forwards? All over the place here and I'm not sure how a coach (Any coach, Bylsma or anyone) can get this unit to mesh together. O'Reilly is a great system guy and works well in Bylsmas system. Eichel is great (but not maybe as great as we hope, right now he isn't a 'quarter step' behind McDavid, he is maybe 1-2 steps behind.) Girgensons and Ennis look 100% out of place in Bylsmas system. Okposo looks good in his system. Kane? I have no idea how to play him. The issue with the forward group is...half of them look to be great fits for Bylsmas system...half are awful at it. If you change coaches....you may get the second half on board with a different system, but will lose part of the first half. The talent isn't an issue with the forwards, its just a lot of them don't mesh well together. Oh, and it looks like Reinhart would be a top 20-30 forward in the NHL of 2010-2015...but as the game is speeding up...maybe now he is only a top 100.

I agree with you. I don't know WHY the captain is more important in hockey than it is in other sports....but it seesm that is the case with the players even. Its probably related to the tradition of the sport. To me the mark of a good team with 'leadership' is the one that DOESN'T have a true captain...but one where the players in the room do what is needed and say what is needed...despite who has a letter on their jersey.

21 games played so far....12 of them (over 57%) they have scored 0 or 1 goals. I think percentage would be some kid of record. For the ENTIRE SEASON so far...there is almost a 60% chance that a game we watch will see 0 or 1 goals by the Sabres.

I agree. With the injuries, and this being a young team as it is, I would be really really shocked if anything happens to him. While injuries are part of the game and every team has them, I also would want to evaluate him at the job for at least a 40 game period where most of they key players are suited up. Having 2 of your top 4 d-men hurts more than most on these forums seem to be saying. Also, the talent on this team isn't quite as good as many think. Over the past 6-7 years, how many players other than first round picks are making a meaningful contribution to this team? McCabe is the only one I can think of. This team has virtually ZERO contributing depth that is home grown. That is partly on Murray, and partly on the previous management. Since Bylsma took over the team last year, the Sabres have the LOWEST shooting percentage in the league. 7.8% over the last year and a quarter....The league average is close to 9 and the top teams are right at (or over 10). The thing is, I don't blame him for not getting the players in the right scoring positions. When I look at the shot charts of games the Sabres play, the Sabres often have less shots than the opponent, but a greater percentage of their shots come from closer to the net or in front of the net. That is not coaching...that is players not being able to put the puck in the net.

How about looking at it another way...Lets even count last season (2015-2016) when the team wasn't last in the league in goals...throw that in there: -Over that 3.25 year span: -Dallas leads the league, credited with 808 goals -Tampa is next with 780 -Calgary is right in the middle with 718. -New Jersey is 29th with 599 -The biggest gap between positions is the gap between 1st and 2nd...the 28 goals between Dallas and Tampa. From Tampa (2nd) to New Jersey (2nd last) the average drop in the number of goals between teams is right about 10. Till you get to the Sabres. The NHL credits them with 540 goals...a full 59 behind the 2nd last place team. That is a monumental lack of offense over a 3+ year period...with the last full year and a 1/4 being a time when they WERE NOT trying to be bad.

If, come deadline time, a contending team has a rash of injuries and is not scoring as many goals as they think, you MIGHT be able to get a 4th rounder for him. I think that is the only situation right now though.

did anyone see the replay of the second caps goal from another angle? It looks like Ryan O'Reilly was even with Johansson when entering the Sabres zone.....Johansson pulled away from O'Rielly, and as Johansson got the puck right before he scored, O'Rielly didn't really put much effort into backchecking him. I didn't see the goal live...or was O'Rielly just at the end of a long shift and didn't have anything left in the tank to backcheck properly?

Current season through 17 games: -- 14 points, 5 wins, 31 goals for, 45 allowed (-14) 2013-2014 season through 17 games: -- 7 points, 3 wins, 31 goals for, 53 goals allowed (-22) 2014-2015 season through 17 games: -- 8 points, 3 wins, 21 goals for, 60 allowed (-39) 2015-2016 season through 17 games: -- 17 points, 8 wins, 40 goals for, 46 allowed (-6)

I feel like that more and more with all sports. I'm watching less of them on TV, and going to more movies with the family, doing stuff outside when its nice, just reading a book or articles on the computer instead. It could just be a symptom of me getting older though..and not having much to look forward to in sports that I 'haven't seen already' As far as the Sabres and hockey...it is kinda what you said. I could deal with the team being .500 or below and watch and enjoy every game...if the Sabres and the LEAGUE had most games with 6 to 10 goals a game...think mid 1980's. Other than that, I really don't care how 'technically sound' a game is....I do NOT care for a great played defensive battle...that gets me to tune out. Maybe its also a short attention span...but if a sport gets to the point where you frequently go 15-30 minutes of 'real world' time without a goal....and that is expected...I'm just not as excited to sit down and watch it. Give me crappy goals...every goal doesn't have to be a 'thing of beauty' (as long as some of them are.) I'll take some garbage goals to go along with the good ones...I just want to see the lamp lit a LOT more often with this team...and the sport in general.

It is early in the season. There are a lot of examples of teams that played pretty awful for half the season, then got it together and made the playoffs and did very well in the playoffs. HOWEVER, when you watch this team...even during their winning streak...they just seem lifeless and lacking in talent. The bad part is....this team tanked and tanked HARD, probably more so than any other team in memory. Yet it seems like MOST of the other 'bad' teams from the last few years (Toronto, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary) are at least equal to the Sabres in overall talent (with maybe a brighter future) and they are ALL more exciting to watch.

I'm not only puzzled by this, but this team has (so far this year) become almost unwatchable for me. When I try to watch the games, I am VERY bored almost right away. So what can we hope for? -Reinhart is playing through an injury, this isn't just a long term slump and that will change as the season goes on. -Jack returns and starts playing like a guy who can get close to a point a game. -Guhle continues to develop, and he becomes a top-flight offensive D-man, hopefully starting next year. -Nylander adjusts to the professional NA game and his stats blow up in the 2nd half of the season in Rochester, and he becomes a viable offensive threat for the team next year.

The problem is..what can he do? If you are going to trade to bring someone in who will help score goals...what can the Sabres give up to possibly bring in someone good enough to make a difference??

This team is on a pace for under 160 goals for the year. I've said it before and I'll say it again and again, I WANT to win, but I'll take losing as long as I'm entertained..score some goals. The LEAFS, who the Sabres had a year or two headstart on the rebuild...are averaging more than a goal extra per game. Sure, Eichel will help, but I don't know if getting him back will make this team exciting to watch.

It is hard to predict things game to game in the NHL, but I agree with your point. There is another way of looking at where the team stands now. To make the playoffs, a reasonable goal would be to reach 95 points..which is about 1.16 points per game. That is where things stand right now. In the Eastern Conference, anyone with 15 points or more is in a current playoff position...anyone with under 15 isn't. (its 13 points in the west right now) Right now, the Sabres have 13 points in 13 games. To be on 'pace' for 95 points, they would need 15 points through 13 games. So, they are currently 2 points off the pace for 95 points.

I have warmed up a bit to Peters and Rivet on the show...I still think some of what they say is a little hard to listen to, but I'm ok with the show overall. I just think the show would be better with a professional media person running it. Slyvester was pretty good at it....the show was even better when Matt Coller was one of the guys on it to keep it on track. They really need one of the WGR guys to 'moderate' this show. Even if it is one of the younger/weekend guys...one of the daily producers...have them as part of a show to try to keep it a tad more professional and reduce the ammount of time dedicated to 'locker room talk' and stories of how things were 'back in the day when we played'.

I don't think coaching in a (the) problem. It is also too small of a sample size. Lets get to 15-20 games, then we'll have enough info to start to make a judgement. If I had to pick between coaching and the players which is a bigger weakness, I'd say the players talent. At its best, this roster 2-3 years from now should be a top 10 team...but i'm not its elite. A lot depends on how good Eichel and Sam turn out to be. If this team is going to be elite, Eichel has to be clearly a top 5 offensive talent, and Sam must be a all-star level player.

In my original post I stated it was a discussion I had before the first game was every played. It has NOTHING to do with panic at all, not even close....it is a general thought/question about how people think this team will be identified as going forward. Isn't that was discussions forums are for?

What should he do? No major moves for now. This team is not winning the cup this year...play what you have and give it time to see who steps up when the opportunity presents itself. Of course, if there is a trade out there that you really love and is a steal, make it...but do NOT force anything.

I have been thinking about this all summer....what do you think the identity of this team will be going forward? I can't think of what it will be compared to other successful teams? -Speed teams. Teams like the Flames, Hawks (to a certain extent), Montreal. Tampa. There are teams that have a LOT of speed through a large part of their lineup. The Sabres have a few fast players (Eichel, Ennis, Kane) but they don't play fast as a team, and can't skate with the elite speed teams. -Physical teams. L.A. San Jose. Teams that will punish you and wear you down. I really don't see the Sabres being this type of team. Even the guys who do hit (or fight) don't do it often or consistent enough..and there aren't many of them. -Skilled teams. Maybe not the fastest..but highly skilled..from playmakers on offense to D-men that are great at moving the puck. Think Pittsburgh here. Is this Sabres team going to be an elite, top 5 skilled team? Maybe, but I don't see it yet. -Shut down D teams. L.A. is another example..but maybe the best example has been Boston in recent years. Some of the best Defensive forwards..and an Elite guy on D. You have O'Rielly on the Sabres..but I don't see many other players filling this role. So, when or if the Sabres become good (if they become a top 5-6 team year after year), what will this roster turn into in terms of their identity? I can't seem to pick one.

Okposo out...Eichel out...O'Rielly maybe out for the opener...vs a team with Carey Price...their #1 player out. Around the league....Crosby (the best, if not one of the best...and the face of the NHL) out....all before the first game. I know some of this stuff is unrelated....but does it seem like when watching sports these days injuries and games missed are just too big of a part of it?

A lot of speculation on the timing of this injury....so that is up in the air. HOWEVER lets say he was out to January...I would MUCH rather he not be rushed back. I'll take a star player being out an extra MONTH if he comes back healthy...what I hate is when someone is out for a long period of time...then comes back but we hear he isn't playing 100% for the rest of the year.

I don't know much about Grant, or even have an opinion on him yet, he is so new with the team. Grigorenko? Unless the coaches and management are dead set on getting rid of him, or think he will never become much, I don't see the rush to get rid of him. Last year, he LOOKED to be a really hard working guy and pretty good in his own end and back-checking..and for the analytical types...I think his numbers backed up him being the best, or in the top 3 Defensive forwards on the entire team. If he even scores 10-15 goals a year eventually AND remains a top tier defensive forward, I don't see why you wouldn't LOVE to have that guy on your team. I know after 2 years ago, many of us were looking forward to him becoming a 20-25 goal, 60 point player...but if he isn't that...that doesn't mean the Sabres should be shopping him every chance they get.

Im hoping for at least 30 - 40 more goals scored this season....I dont care from who on the team they come from. I just want to feel this team is never out of a game, and I wan to feel I'm confident to see a few goals everygame. A loss is bad, but a shutout loss makes me feel I wasted my time watching the game.

Biron is pretty good. I like the show overall (the concept of it) and I do listen to it because it is mostly about the Sabres....but having an all ex-player host model that they do now..I'm not a fan of. If you are going to have ex players be on the show, great...but how about someone else to balance that? I lived it when Matt C was on the show, but he is now in Minny.