eman

Nothing that a harder coach couldn't solve.

They've given up. Aside from Columbus they have been owned by clubs beneath them in the standings (NJ/even Detroit- and we'll see them 1 more time) The tproverbial tent has been folded.

and Hamilton is absolutely correct. Phil has lost this team and unfortunately, for that, he must go.

I don't find Ottawa's style of hockey boring. I think Melnyk gave him the Gallant treatment and his players worked hard but there was dissension in Ottawa's locker room. I'll take him easily over Phil, not even a question to me. Melnyk may be a worse ownership disaster than TPegs. At least Melnyk had a talented roster that blew apart with the Karlsson issue and Boucher got a raw deal due to the divided locker room.

They've tuned out Phil. Jack is being politically correct. In other words, he's lying.

It's only a slow process in Buffalo.

Joel Quenneville, Guy Boucher & Alain Vigneault, take your pick! I'll take any one of them thank you! This folding the tent crap and going through the motions to close out this season crap needs to stop.

I think Skinner may walk if some other team shows interest (and that team has made the playoffs this year) regardless of what JBots throws at him. I can't say I would blame him. He's going to make good money wherever he lands and playing for a team that wins more than it loses would be a nice change. We'll see where he lands but I am really doubtful he's going to re-up in Buffalo the way this season has ended.

Same here. Wow! I wasn't pro tank but I saw it as a tactic that may work. I regret it all now. For the Buffalo Sabres, that tactic failed and I never want to see it here again. Build via good scouting and drafting. We need some decent hockey people to run this mess.

and to start games on time. We saw glimpses of that early on but that disappeared after Christmas as well.

Seriously, to those who defended keeping Phil, I truly cannot understand that. #### the optics! He has definitely lost this team. You have to seriously question keeping him after season's end. They will not or cannot play for him and you can't scrub all the players. Sorry it didn't work out Phil but you've got to go. Wow this is a ####show of a club now. They're going to run the table to close out the season, only not in a good way.

I am totally cool with that hiring. Reel him in TPegs! (and JBots) More talent on this roster than gets credit. Especially if we can't bring in any free agents (any big names anyhow) to improve this roster. We have some solid young talent that needs proper coaching and development and someone who may be a little tougher on the players. I'm good with this should it transpire.

Defense wins Championships and I won't give up on Risto yet. With the right coach, I bet he will blossom. The man has skill and size. Under Phil and assistants, the entire defense is butter soft. (Except perhaps Bogo and McCabe) All I see is stick checking and never removing bodies from in front of our goaltender. Under Quenneville, at least that would change.

stay tuned, I'm sure it won't be a boring off season anyhow!

Hopefully, Jbots has a fruitful off season. I'm not sold on free agents actually wanting to come here right now, because of the mess this franchise has been in. I know some people don't want to hear that, but Antonio Brown was a great example with the Bills franchise (this Sabres franchise is no different right now than the Bills) As you have stated, the playoffs may still be 1 to 2 years away so I cannot see a decent name player making a move here. Skinner is from Southern Ontario and I guess he figured Carolina was going to suck. He was wrong and we'll see if he stays here in the end. Not sure who they will target or if they'll be successful, so to me, the better option is a difference in philosophy by changing the coach yet again. It's going to be interesting.

Yup, they stick check opposing forwards and hardly touch the body. Weak and out of position. I saw the Ottawa goals. Brutal D. Did you watch? Our goaltenders can only hold us in for so long. by the way, I though our goal scoring was up this season according to certain posters on here? (an area of improvement no less from posters here) Are we now scoring challenged?

Again, all we can do is sit on the sidelines for another off season and see what transpires (or doesn't) and watch some playoff hockey that does not include the Buffalo Sabres. Going to be interesting to see who (if anyone picks up Guy Boucher and/or Joel Quenneville and will they make a difference to the club they coach?)

Not necessarily. I do believe Quenneville would have tightened up our defense perhaps to the point where we may have gotten more points this season. Perhaps even a change in attitude. Again, staying with Phil IS NOT the answer. I even like Guy Boucher. He got short shrift from an owner perhaps more brutal than TPegs. (yet Ottawa shut us out under "old school" Marc Crawford) So you're saying: No playoffs for the 9th straight year?

Only if 1) the experience head coach cannot get improved play out of the existing group & 2) Chris Taylor is "the real deal" as a head coach in Rochester and gets that club to the Calder Cup if not winning it (or at least has Rochester playing at a high points pace every season) The jury is still out on Taylor. The jury has already convicted Phil Housley and he is guilty as charged.

The Eichel factor worries me also. We are wasting his talents and his efforts of late concern me. I am worried he will bolt the first chance he gets and light it up with some other club. He has terrific skills but I feel a seasoned coach who may be a little tough on him, may be just what the Doctor ordered to make him true Captain Material. Sure we need a talent upgrade but we need to play a more physical brand of hockey as well. We have seen glimpses of the Sabres doing this from time to time and it seems to work whenever they want to do so. This "stick checking" type of defense drives me nuts as opponents drive to our net. That needs to most definitely stop.

I think right now, I want an experienced ex-head coach also and give Taylor 1 or 2 more seasons in the A to see if he is for real. If they cannot get an ex head coach to sign here but are done with Phil, then perhaps turn to Chris and see what he can do. I truly believe this club with all its shortcomings, still had a shot at the playoffs if they would have made the coaching move at New Years. It is when the Sabres show a complete lack of compete in games and repeat 4 to 5 times a game the same mental errors that concerned me with Phil.

It would be nice to see Rochester make a deep run and give those young guys down there a taste of playoff hockey and its own type of grind. I am also cautiously optimistic that maybe, just maybe, Chris Taylor (and I know next to nothing about him really) might be our future coach who the guys will want to play for and bust some ### for. Here's hoping! It is obvious we are a tired fan base that deserves so much more.

I would love to see the Sabres in the playoffs next season. Again, all we can do now is basically sit and wait again. Lets see what Jbots and ownership can come up with for 2019-20. I honestly wish them much success. I wanted that for Phil as well. I was happy when they hired him. I'm sorry it didn't work out well. I could see this type of free fall if the team had a rash of injuries but the fact that the Sabres look like they've folded the tent against clubs who aren't fighting for a playoff spot, proves to me at least, that Phil isn't the guy.

A Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.

I would bet the farm that in 3 years there will still be no Cup in Buffalo. Maybe a playoff appearance if we're lucky but that is all.