deluca67

And the question gets asked again. Why can't he play this way every night? Or, every other night? The talent is there. Is it his heart? The mental aspect? Wen he decides to play he can be a difference maker this team needs. :huh:

Say what you want to about Lindros. After 695 games and 365 goals including 50 playoff games and 24 playoff goals and add in all the injuries. His reaction on his goal was great. Despite all that has happened to him. Some self imposed and some not. It's nice to see someone of his stature enjoy the game like that.

Welcome Thomas Vanek. Where have you been?

No.

You're so negative <_< You probably don't even think Toni Lydman is a great hockey player <_< Did you know that the fans in Calgary miss him? :( By your theory? Drury would be a 5 goal scorer on another team? I mean for the year.

What's really funny is that if I mention some of the "finishers" available to the Sabres this off season? It's sets off a 100 posts on what's wrong with those players and how great the Sabres scorers are. :lol:

Did you ever notice Drury only scores in blow outs or empty nets :lol: That can't be true. Drury doesn't score goals. :lol: Lets pay him $4 million. ;)

A sad truth. They are here to stay. Wins and loses are secondary.

Don't worry. Soon Toni Lydman will be back and all will be well. I hear he is missed in Calgary.

God! I'm so sick hearing about Drury's face off%. How about his .063 shooting percentage. He gets paid $3 million to score goals not win face offs.

Anyone want to aruge that the Sabres don't need a finisher and they are a playoff team? Down 3-1. On pace to lose 6 of 7? Does this all sound familiar? Maybe they have a home and home against the Thrashers to get fans excited again. I'm sure if Toni Lydman was in the lineup they would be leading 3-1 :o

I hope so. It would be nice to see some fire in the Sabres tonight. Skate, Hit and Finish. Three simple words are the keys to winning. If not. .500 here we come. And a great start will be lost. Drury has the 'C' and the Contract. It would be nice if he stepped up once in a Sabres uniform. This team needs a leader.

It's a sad day when I am the voice of reason :o Come on guys and ladies. They lost to a solid team on a fluke goal. They were able to skate and hang with Habs. Alot of teams are going to lose to the Habs this year. All they need is one solid defensemen added and they willbe OK. It may take tradeing a player like Kotalik but Darcy needs to get it done. Also, Did anyone notice Steve Begin? What did Darcy get for him? Begin was the Player of the Day this week on NHL.com. He was wearing a Sabre uniform. Begin 9 points and a +6 Drury? 6 points and a -5. The Sabres only have one plus player on the roster. Kotalik

When was the last season the Sabres finished ahead of the Sen? The Sens are more then just good drafting. Look at the roster and look at the players they traded for. Heatley and Chara. When the Sens lose quality players they get soemthing back for them. They don't just let them walk or get nothing back for them like Regier does. If Muckler was still the GM the Sabres would be the Beast of the East instead of another pretender. How do those two games against the Habs look?

You guys are funny :lol: What did you expect. You sit two goalies for the first month of the season. Give one a token start. And then expect them to shut down the best team in hockey. Take a good look at the Sen's. They have had the same problems off the ice as Buffalo has had. They even have to deal with the currencey issue. And yet they are miles and miles ahead of the Sabres. And by the way. Who is the Sen's GM? Who traded for Heatley? OK. Come on. Start posting on how Regier is a great GM. Larry Quinn is moron. Getting rid of Muckler and signing the cheapest priced guy they could find. Muckler is building a Cup team in Ottawa just like he did in Buffalo. I doubt they will be as stupid as Quinn was and fire him before he is done. ;)

"a beating" means nothing. The Sabres should keep their pride and play their game. This is a measure game. It gives them a point of reference for the next stretch of games. They have beeen playing some bad hockey over the past couple of weeks so maybe this will knock them back in stride.

They're ONE game ahead of their pace of last season. I don't see how anyone can watch the others teams in the East and think the Sabres are a top five team. <_< Tonight's game should tell something. They're facing a good team with a back up goalie. Both teams might play back ups. It's time to go on the road and show something. It's time for Vanek and Drury to step up. It's only the tenth game. But look how fast the first ten went buy. Before you know it it will be 20-30 games.

I can't agree with that. If Briere gets hurt then this team has NO offense. The Sabres are a good goalie and Briere. What else is there? I can't think of another player the Sabres can't do without. If they had something in the ROC? Why play Campbell on the wing? Why dress Peters. Or Pyatt. The defense is weak. Teams like Toronto, with a healthy Lindros, will steamroll this defense. They miss Zhitnik real bad. Lydman will hurt you more then help. Teppo is a non factor. What else do they have until Kalinin is 100%? Nothing? The more I watch other teams? The more I know my early predictions for the Sabres are dead on.

That is why I look forward to your posts. It so much better then the "you're negative and you suck" posts. You come strong with a bunch of great points. One I have to disagree with. When you say the Sabres are scoring "a Lot" more goals. Is it possible it is an artificial inflation? Is not scoring up around the league because of the new rules? Are not other teams having the same increase in scoring? Have the Sabres gained anything? I am looking around at the rest of the Conference and it worries me. I want the Sabres to make the playoffs more then anything. More then the Bills. I see Drury with a history of pro-longed droughts and Vanek having trouble finding his touch and I worry. This defense is weak. They got knocked of the puck easily against a weak Caps team. If Miller is not rock solid and Briere doesn't score this team can't seem to win. They need to be more than that. :(

Dave, Telling me the Sabres are basically the same team as a team that couldn't make the playoffs is not a good thing, it's a bad thing. You can count the Florida game as the first "bad" game. The game against the Sens was as expected. With the Sens at 100% the Sabres are not in their league. The worst thing the Sabres, or any team, can do is ignore it's own flaws. They play in the best Division in hockey which resides in the best Conference in hockey. Their flaws will be exposed. And having a $3 million face off guy is a flaw. They need goals and points from that $3 million. 9gp 3 assists and a -2 should get you benched. Add that to his previous season in Buffalo and your looking one of the biggest Buffalo Sabre failures in team history. Both Steve Reinprecht and Steve Begin are out producing him. Your looking at a potential scale larger then Pyatt and Connolly( who is also out producing Drury). I think 85 games is time to start being concerned. :o

And they did. This game looked allot like last season. They didn't play smart or hard. It's only the ninth game. That's a bit early to start taking games off. They were at the end of a 3 in 10 stretch so fatigue was not an issue. They just tanked. This team needs finishers. You can officially take Drury off that list. You can also see Vanek starting to press a bit. The longer it goes the more pressure he'll feel. And just becuase : Satan is sitting with 7 goals after 9 games. Including 4 PP goals. Not replacing his production may be the one biggest reason that this team misses the playoffs. Also, As far as the "hardest working team in hockey". Take a look at the Preds or Habs first.

Kotalik on the PP point may be the best move this team makes this season. He could be as effective as when Miro played the point. He has good control of his shot and is not afraid to use. Drury was 16-3 on face offs. I big jump from the 14-14 last time out. I'm not sure that I like him being another Brent Peterson. He needs to bring more then face off wins. The Sabres are following a tried and true method of success. Win your games at home and split on the road. It's up to the fans now to make the HSBC a unpleasent place to play.

Florida is a good team with a great goalie. Luckily for the Sabres they are not in the division. The Sabres have 5 days to get ready for the Bruins. They should spend the whole time working on the PP. If there is a deal to be made for a PP point man I hope they make it and make it soon. There are too many good teams in the East to waste time. They lost a point last night and points like that will come back to haunt them.