jad1

Amateur-hour head coach

It'll stop when they hire a legit NHL coach.

I would add that their Rube Goldberg-like entry plays also eat up valuable time on power play. Eichel has a high zone-entry success rate. Why do they need four drop passes to get it to him to carry it into the zone? And when they get it into the zone, they screw Eichel to the left side board, the Ovechkin-one-timer zone. But Jack never really takes that one-timer shot. The puck goes to him and the defense collapses, and Jack sends it high to the dman, who works to get it back to Jack, and the defense collapses. And the funny think is that Jack is probably better shooting from the right side than the left. The whole premise of the powerplay is to get Jack a shot that he probably won't be able to take. They'll move other guys around to get Jack his shot, Dmen go high to low, wingers dig on the boards and move to the net. The only guy who is stationary is Jack, the best skater and scorer on the team. They need to abandon this one-timer set-up mentality and let Eichel be the guy that moves. Let him play high on some attempts. Move him to the right side on others. Make it harder for the defense to find him.

I don't think they're that bad. There is no reason the power play should be this bad. Defensive coverage is a coachable thing. It's been terrible the last few weeks. Line-up choices have been iffy too. And the locker room management has been pretty terrible. What does it say that the team decides that Housley can't manage a guy like O'Reilly. A veteran coach would get more out of this team.

Housley is a John Scott away fron being the worst coach in Sabres history.

That's pretty dogmatic, and what's worse is that it assumes that you can pick and choose when you're going to compete. Whether they planned for it or not, the Sabres have one of the best lines in hockey, solid goaltending, and a decent backline. They need another center and winger to be a playoff team. And again, while some might not believe that gaining the 7th or 8th seed is worth investing in, some of the best Sabre playoff runs started in those slots. Having a plan is important, but the plan has to also be flexible enough to take advantage of current events.

This is a good point. When is it time to make that Gilmore or Stu Barnes type trade? It feels like this season is a good time to do it.

Seriously? The only thing that Buffalo teams have going for them the last two decades is that there are still people who are interested in watching and discussing them.

Right, after sticking with this team during 7 years of some of the worst hockey played in NHL history, the fans are the problem ?

Team needs to focus on eliminating mistakes and developing mental toughness. With Quennville sitting out there, they need to quickly figure out if Housley can figure this thing out.

Remaining goals for the season: Sign Skinner; Find a 2nd center; seriously evaluate the need for a veteran coach.

This refereeing is total garbage.

I get that, but the some of the best playoff runs started with the Sabres in the 8th seed. Being a Bills/Sabres fan over the last two decades, I've learned you can't pick when you're going to be good. To waste this opportunity to protect a late first round pick doesn't seem like the right move here.

Yeah, need a better understanding of 'mortgaging the future.' Trading the 28th pick in the draft and a defenseman prospect for a legit 2nd line center to salvage an Eichel-led playoff run doesn't sound like a bad idea right now.

Eichel/Skinner/Thompson were getting dominated because Thompson is a offensive zone possession time killer. Puck goes to him, possession ends. Mittlestadt with Reinhart would have been a better move, but that turns Eichel into a playmaker. Mittlestadt with Skinner and Eichel with Reinhart would create two playmaker/scorer lines. Would fill out the two top lines with ERod and Larry.

Possession is great, but Sheary an Sobotka haven't scored since Thanksgiving. You can't waste Reinhart on these two slugs when you're two goals down fighting for playoff position.

Lack of scorers and down by two goals, it's really the only answer this team has.

Carolina is playing a tight game. Reinhart needs to be moved up to the first line to help create space for Eichel and Skinner.

Jack is rusty and Thompson's game isn't at a level (yet) where he can hang with Eichel and Skinner.

Looks like another nothing game for Okposo.

That's a surprise.?

He's scrambling too much. Not set in the net.

Don't know. Need to ask our soon-to-be ex-coach.

Just pull Hutton, for his own sanity.

Nice assist by ERod.