GASabresIUFAN

they did. The good news is that they are finding ways to not lose in regulation, but for some reason don't seem to handle the pressure of OT very well.

I don't know why people are upset about this result. Utah is the better hockey team and the Sabres have no idea how to win in the NHL.

I’d suggest re-watching the games. He is supposed to be a driver of offense and in his 4 games he created nothing (12 games including last year). Ruff skated him 10:50 a game with zero to show for it.

Do we have any forwards left? The Sabres are down to 8 NHL forwards - Thompson, Tuch, Quinn, Doan, McLeod, Greenway, Krebs and Malenstyn. The next guys are AHL callup Rosen, 4th line roster filler in Dunne and Geertsen. Next men up are Östlund (who looked lost in his callup), Helenius, who hasn’t played in the NHL and maybe Jake Leschyshyn?

The Sabres don’t seem to be inclined to give Komarov or Novikov much of an opportunity in the NHL. Novikov has been the Amerks best defensive for the last 2 seasons plus and hasn’t sniffed the NHL. I know his skating is a concern, but to keep playing Bryson or Johnson or Jones or Metsa and not give this guy a chance doesn’t make much sense at this point. S As to Wahlberg, are we seeing any progress? 2 goals (and only 2 pts) in 8 AHL games ytd isn’t a great start to his sophomore NA prop campaign, but he is only 20. As to Poltapov, I doubted he’d come to NA when drafted and nothing has happened to alter that opinion. Richard and Neuchev are my sleepers. Both seem to be improving each season.

Now that we are into the season, which prospects do you consider future NHL players. I think this is a pretty good list of who in our system has a chance (some more than others) of becoming an everyday NHL player. That said, who do you think will actually make it. I'm feeling better about Rosen and Levi. Mrtka looks like a future star, and I like Kozak as a long-term depth NHLer. Anyone else? Goalies? Levi, Ratzlaff, Leenders, Leinonen Defense? Mrtka, Novikiov, Komarov, Strbak, Kleber, Osburn. McCarthy, Bedkowski? Forwards? Kozak, Rosen, Östlund, Helenius, Wahlberg, Zeimer, Neuchev. Richard

I think he is trying to say if the Sabres win 5 out of every 9 games they play, they'll have 45 wins. That should be more than enough to make the playoffs. The Sabres have won 5 of the last night, but only 5 of 12 for the season.

If you look at the last 3 games you see a team that is playing harder but is still finding ways to lose. Stupid penalties at in opportune times. Losing control of the puck leading to two of the three OT losses. Coughing up 2 3rd period leads. So until this team stops being stupid, they will remain on the outside looking in.

Have any of the Adams drafted Russians even come close to playing a shift in the NHL? Novikov, Komarov, Kisakov, Poltapov, Sardarian or Neuchev, none are even on the radar. Even the two big Russian D, seem to be behind Metsa, Jones and Johnson on the depth chart. Soon they’ll be passed by Mtrka. Good thing Adams spent 2 2nds and 2 3rds on the Russian forwards.

Actually they probably wouldn't. I have a few friends in the specialty insurance business and they said he is uninsurable.

Y'all are assuming that the contract is insurable. Given his history, I doubt even Lloyds would write the policy.

I'd send Östlund down, bring up Helenius to play center and move Greenway to the 4th line where he belongs.

The Sabres are 4-4-2 this season so far They started 0-3 Won 4 of the next 5, thus 4-4 and now have lost two straight on OT, thus 0-0-2

4-4-2 10pts

I'd like to revise my earlier response. Given what I've seen over the last 2 games, no this team isn't real yet. Good team find away to win with leads in the 3rd period.

Where are all the Power defenders now?

If Doan and McLeod are in your top 6, you aren’t a championship caliber team.

Apparently Ruff and I are on the same wave length.

Peterka has 9 pts in 10 game, a 72 pt pace. All his points are at EV. Doan has 3 EV pts in 9 game. His other 3 pts are on the PP. He is on about 49 pts pace. Doan adds a compete motor we need in the bottom 6, but he doesn’t drive offense like JJP. Frankly I wish we had found another way to acquire Doan, but he is not a better hockey player than JJP.

If we are in a playoff position on Dec 1 you can start to hope.

Why ? This is a very fair question and it’s reasonable to keep the best D first pair together since it’s working. The reason I reworked the pairs was to help Dahlin and Power defensively. Both have struggled so far this season in our zone (not a surprise w Power, but shocking with Dahlin) and I wanted to get them someone to help defensively.

…. and behind the Sabres lousy defense. That illustrates why UPL isn’t good enough. We are getting good play from Lyon. Let him run with it if he can.

What you’re saying is UPL is the best of an all time terrible lot featuring Comrie, Anderson, Tokarski, Dell, Reimer, Subban, Hutton, Houser, Johansson, and Levi. His xGSA is also buoyed by his one good season. What’s his xGSA without that season. -25, -30, worse? UPL is a below average goalie who needs to be moved so management can see if Ellis or Levi is the longterm answer in net.

Kesselring may be ready for action with Metsa being sent down Dahlin Samuelsson Power Timmins Byram Kesselring Maybe 3 evenish pairs?

What's his GSAx for his NHL career and his AHL career? My guess is that those numbers are piss poor as well.