woods-racer

I really like this line up. I'm really hoping to see this tonight, because if I do, Dan is gone.

I don't disagree necessarily, but... If we don't lose out, we won't lose out on a chance to a generational player. Picking 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 is meh, it's not a great draft and it's just splitting hairs. No way we go on a 10-2 run, so I see no chance in drafting 14th. I'm basically saying, unlike the past few years I will not be openly rooting for a loss, I will openly be rooting for a win. There is just so little to gain from a losing streak. In GMTM I trust. The drums of this being his last season as the Sabres head coach appear to get louder across the interwebs daily.

The average deployment in WWII was death/dismemberment or the end of the war, which ever came first. That averaged to 16 months for millions of GIs. Apples and oranges as compared to today's service personnel. There are plenty of stories of GIs landing on the beaches of Normandy and 4 years later fighting to the finish in Berlin, hoping they wouldn't get shipped off to the Pacific theater next. That practice changed and tours of duty where introduced for Korea and Vietnam. They where/are the greatest generation for a reason.

The fact that Murray is looking everywhere and open to every option to have the best training camp battle for D we've seen in a many years is wonderful to hear and read about.

A lot of chasing by d men which leaves open areas on the ice to be covered by forwards that, due to the nature of the game, wind up being a step behind the attacking player. It's hard to determine who is in the wrong, D or forward, because it's hard to tell who has responsibility for a zone or a man. It's also the reason when a team sets up and starts to cycle in our zone why we look like a dog chasing it's tail.

I want them to win now, things are just too different from a few seasons ago. There is nothing to gain by losing the rest of the way.

I think you're very close. Right after Dan is gone TP will concede the hiring duties to his GM. At that point GMTM will have full control of hockey operations.The only duty by TP will be final approval for the coach/big trades, like I assume most clubs are run.

By not playing Dan's system?

Your big assumption is GMTM hired Dan. If you throw that assumption out, all you're left with is a GM not throwing is owner hired coach and said coach under the big wheeled hockey bus. Where the wheels go round-n-round :P

It ain't Dan's first run in with talented players. Did Crosby/Malkin drive Dan out of town?

Jack's shenanigans remind of Crosby/Malkin when Dan was coaching there. Is it that all really good/great hockey players are high maintenance drama queens? I think yes, yes they are. Do we have a really good coach in Dan that can motivate and get them to excel? I think not. We now have 2.8 years of Dan's fully implemented system to look at between Pittsburgh and Buffalo. His run has been not good and heading towards down right bad.

I liked your original premise better.

Got to believe Girgensons is on the Anti-Dan band wagon. Every nail in the coffin helps, even if it's a finishing nail.

The more the merrier. Let there be some competition and may the best 6 be on the ice come mid October.

Thank you for this! I really did laugh out loud. And PA, please keep up the good work. Not every thread that gets started to be thought provoking has to provoke happy thoughts. This one may be slicing it way to thick, but you can't win them all. I'm not going to give you a trophy for trying, but I hope you never stop trying. This also comes with the assumption you can handle the heat in your own kitchen. :thumbsup:

It's a trick question that has no right answer and any answer given can be used against you. You youngins are more familiar with the term *troll* or *trolling*. Same basic principle.

Marty B talked about that on GR I believe the other day. Think he to a look back to when the Sabres came back from break at goals scored on Lehner. Had the same opinion. He's more concerned that coaches haven't *fixed it*.

I'll bet he just doesn't have option *B*. I'll bet there is a coach he really wants but is under contract till May/June. So, no reason to go all *Bills* coaching carousel mid season and have to have the Pegulas make a public statement. Cause, you know, their PR department is so good that would never result in a disaster. If he somewhat uses fancy stats the team must have a *bio* on Dan. Love to see that.

I still don't think our defense is as bad as they play. They are just asked to play a hybrid zone/man scheme that forces them to leave their zone responsibilities and cover forwards high in the d-zone. If you watch closes you'll also see our D chasing forwards behind our own net. It was a failure in Pittsburgh, and is a disaster here with slower skater on the 2nd and 3rd pairing than what Dan had in Pitt. If this season had some top level draft picks coming in I would say we got something out of Dan, but as it is we just threw a season out the window.

I would really be into this game if Dan wasn't the coach for the Sabres tonight.

Should have been done at the all star break. This team might win 2 games over the next month. Bring in a coach and let the healing process of being Dan'd for 2 years begin now. Look at the next month as the preseason for 17-18 season.

I think the kicking of rebounds is coached. They are very prominent kicks meant to get the puck to go as far away from the goal crease as he can get them.

That's true fandom!

Smell, that belongs in the awesome thread! I understand. Philthy is .. that much farther down the ladder of team hatred from the Leafs for me. I despise them both! My morality is considered questionable. So, being on par with my standards might be aiming a bit low for you! :P

And 4 points. If we average it out in points per game he looks a lot better than most of our defense-men.