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Nailed it again Pokey- we lost production once Briere & Drury left. We haven't been the same since attack-wise.

They play for Babcock. See Kadri. Wilson didn't like Naz and I think Naz wasn't crazy about Wilson or maybe Carlyle. He plays for Babcock and plays well. We unfortunately have the crappy Nylander (mark my words on this one) Even freakin Zack Hyman made a beauty play on Conner Brown's goal in St. Lou. Who are those guys? We aren't even seeing an effort anymore.Leaf players are playing with effort at least. Their lineup isn't that great save for a few but the effort and speed with which they play the game keeps them in games and makes them dangerous if you're not on your game. St. Louis owned them last night but the moment they took their foot off the pedal, the Leafs started to claw their way back into it. They don't quit.

Totally agree with your post. Eventually it will have to come from Rochester. I also believe this because there is no way any decent free agent will want to sign with this current mess of an organization. Honest, why would you sign here over another club? To play with Jack? Jack hasn't shown me near enough for his pick status or salary.........yet. Leadership is currently not his forte.We will have to draft wisely and build the farm club correctly. Right now, neither has flourished.

You see it in Toronto. Babcock doesn't tolerate "lack of effort". That translates into: You're sitting the next 1 or 2 games or you're going to The Marlies to "find your game". You saw it in them last night being down 6-2 to St. Louis. They made it close at 6-4 but kept playing hard because they knew what was coming off the ice. Hell, he moved Bozak to the 4th line to "find his game". We need a coach that makes things uncomfortable for this group. They look completely disinterested on the ice right now.

Nope, we'll be completely out of it by month's end. )Again!) Hockey heaven ladies and gentlemen!

You can give him the year if you like. I see nothing in this squad that indicates to me that in 3 months "the lights will come on" and they will be much better. What you're seeing is what we have. Regardless of our injuries at D. I watched the Leafs last night and St. Lou handed it to them early and were up 6-2. The thing with the Leafs I noticed was that they never quit. They continued to play hard and made it respectable. I believe the reason for that was that they had to go back into the dressing room and face an irate Babcock who would be sitting guys next game or 2 or outright shipping some to the Marlies. You have to play hard at the very least for him which puts you back into a game you have no business being in. St. Louis was faster then the Leafs and their forecheck was relentless. When the Leafs started to come back, St. Lou;s coach Yeo called a timeout and read the riot act to his crew. Not seeing anything like that in Phil. We'll be completely out of it by the end of this month.

Somewhere Bylsma is smiling saying aloud "See, I told ya it wasn't me!" and counting the money.

I fear, that you also, are correct sir. The thing I love about Gallant is: No way Matt Moulson gets in a game with Gallant as our coach. Also, he would blister in the locker room after performances like tonight and the Vancouver game. I don;t see that in Phil. Hell, even Torts would wring a few necks with the kind of efforts we are seeing on a too common basis. Sorry, but we need a coach who isn't tolerating ?#### efforts. need to be sat and bring up so,e rookies, how much worse can it get The Boogeyman as well. Boughner was not the most talented but seeing what I see now, i sure as hell miss him or anyone who plays like he did. Clen the front of the crease please!!! Hit someone for God's sake. Don't make things easy.

Softest Sabre D in my memory, with or without Risto. Soft as Wonderbread.

I believe you will be correct sir. I just hope we get something decent in return but I fear it just may be the coach as well (again) Man Gallant would have looked good behind our bench! I wonder how Jack will be after this one? You know I had high hopes for Phil and I kind of feel bad for him.

Right as usual Pokey. What terrifies me even more is that a fast team like Toronto (and yes, they are noticeably faster then we are) is getting it's ass handed to them by an even faster St.Louis Blues club tonight. Stand ready folks, there will be seriously more pain coming as this season progresses. Man I have to be thinking, Arizona is one seriously bad hockey club.

And by ugly, I don't just mean this game. This season. Supposedly according to TSN, if you're out of a playoff spot by US Thanksgiving, it is almost impossible to make it in after that. The odds get seriously stacked against you from that point on.

If even for a fleeting moment, anyone thought this club may not be so bad because of a win at Arizona, or in Boston, rest assured, this club is as bad as feared. When we play the big boys (read: contenders) they are woefully exposed for what they are. Slow, and yes, they are slow compared with a host of other clubs and a defense, even with poor Risto, that just seems completely out to lunch. Robin was the reason we even beat Arizona. he came up huge on a few occasions. we have not dominated anyone in all honesty. This is going to get ugly folks, be prepared.

You're right on the mark as usual Pokey. I had high hopes for Phil. I no longer do. Trouble is, these guys have shown so little, who really wants any of them on their team? The return would be crap and you can't blame the other teams for not antying up. The tank teams were actually better and showed more effort then what we're currently seeing. Something is seriously wrong in the dressing room. No heart, no leadership.

Man, we are going to get really owned by the Leafs this season. It will be ugly and they put Curtis McIlhenney in goal for all them. Not sure what the hell happened with this crew. I wouldn't mind another fire sale as we just are not progressing with this current squad. You can burn it down. The season is early but it is a continuation of what we saw in the preseason. Only now we can't say, "Oh well, it's only preseason". I call it now, they will miss the playoffs for another consecutive year. Also, if this squad remains intact, we will miss it again next year as well.

Nolan did.

Exactly, they aren't attacking the puck. They take a wait and see approach. No desperation on this club. As previous posts have noted here. Vancouver looks ripe for the picking yet the Sabres lay back. The power play scares the hell out of me. You could see that shorty coming from a mile away. not sure what Phil is doing in his coaching. 6 shorties in the first 8 games. Just brutal!

From what I've seen, the Sabres defense is softer then Wonderbread. Disheartening. Johnson has kept this one close.

Pokey. love you man! I have been reading your posts and I could not agree more with almost everything you post. You are a realist, not just a fan. I love this team, but I just cannot fathom the #### show this club has become. I can only hope that one day we acquire decent management and coaching that returns this club to some glory. I cannot believe we are wasting Jack Eichel right now like we are. I am not getting my hopes up after 1 victory over Anaheim. They may have taken the Sabres too lightly. Lets see what happens in Vegas. Keep up the great posts!

Thank you sir! You nailed it as well. My sentiments exactly. Be prepared to defend them however as I have found out. I trusted Pat's vision even though they claim he was responsible for Tim Murray's appointment. Pat saw something he didn't like and walked. I think he made the right move. Not sure if it was involvement of the Pegula's that made him decide to leave or that he was not on board with the tank or the combo of both. When he walked I sensed there was trouble within the organization.

I went to Sabre pre season games when Kadri was a rookie and he had some great hands. Don Cherry liked the kid and so did I. I kept telling my friends who were Leaf fans: "Hey, if you don't want him, I'll gladly take him". Look at him now. A pest who has a decent set of hands and skills. I just hope our young guys learn to finish around the net. They may be fast and maybe they got too excited in their short stints with the big club. But the Sabre achilles heel is scoring and has been for quite some time and we will need secondary scoring as the opposition will focus on Jack's line first and foremost. Here's to being optimistic over our next head coach!

Nailed it sir! The organization needs stability at this point. (not to mention a decent coach and GM)

My question again comes to "Why did we not have much?" Ask yourself that? That goes to my point that if that was indeed the case, then Sabres management was inept, as was scouting to not draft and stockpile good young talent. That si their job and they have failed. Yes, I see some good players in our core lineup but we will need a coach that can develop a system (or already has one that allows them to excel. Not to mention teach the youngsters like Babcock does. Listen, the Leaf defence isn't all that strong but they know their assignments and they have Andersen to bail them out when they screw up. Until we make the playoffs and can remain competitive in that round (and the Leafs are playing Washington man for man, they are staying right with them-and the Caps were the Presidents Trophy winners) The Leafs may lose that series but the experience those youngsters gained is invaluable, as is their confidence. Plus the speed of those teams is immeasurably faster then what I am seeing in this current Sabre club. It all point to management. Again. And this is with Torts as coach. Whom no one wanted to see behind the Sabres bench on these blogs.

Exactly! Thank you for that. The Amerks sucked plain and simple and that is our feeder system. The Marlies did not. So excuse me fro not being all that optimistic about our "future stars". Again, is it our scouting or minor league coaching or both? As for Baptiste, Fasching, Carrier and all these future stars and how fast they are. You know what I didn' t see in their short stints in the lineup? Finish around the net. The Sabres achilles heel in far too many seasons. They look like the same old same old. You don't have to like what I am saying and I get that. But I have seen this show far too many times. You have to score in this league to win. Those shootout points are far too valuable to piss away as well. Net finish is important as is speed.

Nope, my rant is my rant. Hate it or love it, Tired of excuse after excuse from this organization. Time to put up or shut up. Columbus did not tank and Torts is a better coach then he is given credit for, hence the improvement in points in Columbus. I still dispute the fact on how fast the Sabres are compared to the competition aside from Jack. As for watching mediocre hockey, what do you think you just watched this season? In fact it was worse then mediocre with Dan's boring system. As for unrealistic expectations? Who on this board did not think the Sabres would actually challenge for a playoff spot this season? Most of us did, myself included. Go back and read old posts to start this season. Don't give me that "now we were being unrealistic" Monday morning QB stuff. Crusader, I wish I still had your optimism, but at my age now I will take the definite wait and see attitude with this club. I have heard "How sweet it will be" far too many times now when it comes to this hockey club. I bitch because I care, probably way too much in actuality but the results are the results. Bottom line is this: I hope you guys are all absolutely correct in your assessment of this club and I am wrong. I love the Sabres but I am not blinded as a fan. Way too many disappointments in my tenure as a fan and way too many inept managerial decisions in my opinion. I love Jack Eichel, he is the best thing that came out of this tank and for him I am grateful. He is not happy right now and I hope you can all see that. He said what he said because he gives a and even at only 20 years old, he will bolt the moment he is able to if things don't start to really turn around. We have had 6 years of no playoffs going on 7. Remember they finished 17 points out. 17!!! That is not easy to make up and maybe even surpass to make it next season. Believe me, if they don't make it next season Jack's frustration will increase as will mine and I will read on here that the following season will be the one once again. God bless you guys for keeping the faith but this past season and the way it ended was seriously troubling with the current roster and should give all of us reasons to be wary. The coach decision is so important coming up as is the new GM. Maybe one of the most important in the history of this club as we do not need to approach a decade of playoff absences like the Bills. That is a disgrace. Remember, we used to laugh at the Leaf fans and their organization. End of rant.