Forecheck

Olofsson with 2, Mittelstadt with 1 and Eichel with 3 assists through 40 minutes. Meanwhile the Sabres struggle to score 1 goal per game. Lol Yep sounds about right.

Forgot Olofsson was in Vegas. Nice early goal for him. He will probably score 25-30 fairly easily on that team.

Well at least the guys got a European vacation paid for by the team and got lots of great pictures. I’m sure we will be told there was lots of team bonding that will carry them through the season.

86 points NO playoffs for the 14th straight year

Can count on Levi playing tomorrow

You’re welcome

This game was lost in the first period when Ullmark made 3-4 point blank stops. Amerks/Sabres should have had at least a 4-1 lead after the first.

Every team is going to test them physically this year to see if they’ve really changed or grown. It’ll be up to the Sabres to prove to the league they won’t be pushed around. But they need to realize they are probably going to have to prove it for months. Not just a couple times.

He also won the cup with Pittsburgh. In fact he took every team he was with(Blues, Habs, Pens, Red Wings, Black Hawks to the Stanley Cup Finals multiple times, except one, you guessed it, our beloved Sabres.

Would have rather packaged Joki as part of a larger trade, but happy it’s for just 1 year, slight overpay, but we have the cap room to comfortably deal with it as it’s just one more year. Joki could be moved at the deadline if we are sellers this year.

McLeod likely becomes the Sabres best face off man since O’Reilly was traded away. Also greatly adds to team speed. Much needed.

Possibly a directive from higher up

Yep same here. Was at this game in our families season ticket spot, last row of the upper blues. Great view of the ice but zero view of the scoreboard, oranges and above. Lol Sabres had shut out the Habs in games 1 and 2 in Montreal and completed the sweep here in game 3 to win the opening round series 3-0 before heading to the second round for that epic 7 game series with the Bruins that ended in heartbreak with Brad Park in OT in game 7.

Yeah that’s one of the hardest things about being a Sabres fan, especially the past 13 years, the dreams and fantasies never quite live up to the reality.

Stamkos will be looking to sign with a contender, not Buffalo. He’s made plenty of money in his career, big bucks here won’t sway him. I’m guessing he’s pretty used to winning after his years in Tampa, he will be looking at a chance for the cup. If for some reason, none of the top 10 teams in the league want him, maybe at that point we’d have a slight chance, but I wouldn’t hold my breath on that no matter what we offer. Buffalo would have had a better chance at Kane than Stamkos you’d think, and Kane shunned us two years in a row to sign with Detroit. If Kane doesn’t want to be here, I have a very hard time believing Stamkos would be interested at all.

Yep. I’ve been happy for all the guys that escape this organization and actually get to play meaningful hockey. Except maybe Okposo this year.

Playoff hockey, the Florida game last night and tonight’s Rangers game 10000x better than any of the crap we’ve suffered through the past 13 years. God I miss real hockey.

Watching a game like this just reminds us all just how far away the Sabres are from ever being a dominant, successful playoff team. They may make the playoffs next year or year after, but to actually be tough and succeed in the playoffs I just don’t see it with the makeup of most of the roster.

Islanders are done. You blow a game like that, they will be golfing after game 4

Lol Crosby is golfing because his GM decided to be a seller at the deadline over Crosby’s objections. And Crosby was the Pens best player the final six weeks. So not sure your point.

Well I’d agree that even a Drury type player won’t change the culture in Buffalo anymore. In the past 13 years there have been several iteration's of rosters or mini eras and none of them knew how to win. So I’m not expecting any savior to come in and save this franchise at this point. The product on the ice the past 13 years is FAR more than the quality of players on the roster. We’ve had talent here and it hasn’t mattered. The real change needs to come from above from the head coach, GM etc Maybe one of these days we will find the right combination. Done holding my breath waiting on it though. Will be happy whenever it finally happens.

None of your “leaders” mentioned know how to win, Tuch with some experience with Vegas. I strongly believe they need a vet or two with winning experience that can actually contribute to the product on the ice. Erik Johnson wasn’t that guy. We have plenty of guys with experience now. We don’t have enough guys with experience winning games. There is a difference. Chris Drury changed the culture in the locker room years ago, THATS the kind of leader they need to bring in. But with no move clauses being what they are these days, I don’t think there is another Drury type that will ever agree to a trade to Buffalo sadly.

It is more than plausible that both the GM and the head coach sucked this past year. Granted, Adams didn’t do much to help Granato this past year other than running it back with mostly the same roster. But also according to almost every player exit interview, Granato wasn’t doing nearly enough. I’m glad Granato is gone, would be pleased if they moved on from Adams, but that’s not happening apparently. Adams has one more season to save his butt or he will follow Granato out the door in 12 months.

He’s definitely my top choice. I wouldn’t mind Berube, but I’m hopeful we can nab Gallant. Wanted him years ago too when we had one of our numerous openings.

Dahlin, Thompson and Tuch all mentioned the players needed to be pushed more, more accountability etc. Those are three of the biggest “leaders” on this team now and going forward all admitting motivation and accountability wasn’t there this year. Something a lot of posters all mentioned and complained about frequently. Quite an indictment of the players and coaching staff indeed. Certainly sounds like a disciplinarian coach is incoming and is sorely needed.