GASabresIUFAN

According to Natural Stat Trick, the Sabres had 43 scoring chances including 21 high danger chances. Expected goals 4.38. Actual goals - 2. Talk about lack of finish. Levi stood on his head at points this game. He was the farthest thing from an issue tonight (although I think he'd like the 2nd Montreal goal back). This loss is on the forwards' lack of finish, including but not limited to the sucky PP. Please take KO off the darn PP. Please.

When healthy what does our lineup really look like? There are 15 forwards in play for the lineup as the injuries heel. Below is what a lineup might look like when everyone is healthy. Skinner TNT Tuch JJP Mitts Quinn Benson Cozens VO Robinson Krebs Greenway (Jost, KO and Girgensons) Tuch, Girgensons, Quinn, and Greenway are still on IR. CBSsports lists Greenway, Tuch, and Girgensons as possible after Dec 13 and Quinn out until at least Jan 4, but Quinn is already skating without a non-contact jersey so maybe he'll return earlier than expected. Is this a playoff-caliber forward group? What does it need? Who are the first to be sent packing as the injured heel? Depending on what other decisions KA makes regarding goaltending and D, between 1-3 of these forward would need to be moved over the next month. Obviously, Rosen gets sent down to make room for the next returnee. After that it gets interesting. Does Levi get returned to the minors? What if he continues to play well? Does Comrie finally get waived? What about Ryan Johnson or Bryson? Bryson should be the first D let go. Ryan Johnson has earned an extended opportunity. Will they loan Benson to team Canada to avoid waiving someone like Robinson for a while? What if Robinson outplays Girgensons? Does the longest-tenured Sabres get traded finally? None of these moves honestly make the forward group really any better even with everyone back. When I look at the fully healthy lineup, I still see at least 3 forward slots in need of better players. I'd like to see another solid winger on the 4th line and a capable two way center who can play up and down the lineup. I'd also replace VO, but he has not been a huge issue of late. I still might move DC to wing and bring in two centers to replace both Krebs and Cozens in the middle. If KA can get a center very soon, I still would demote Krebs while he is waiver-exempt.

Yes, Scoring chances can still be counted if a puck is blocked by a defender or say a rebound is tipped wide. Neither results in a shot on goal, but both are excellent scoring opportunities.

Levi was also very good tonight. The Bruins, according to Natural Stat trick, had 10 high danger chances to our 8 and had an expected goals of 2.63 to our 2.35. The Bruins also lead in scoring chances 34 to 27. https://www.naturalstattrick.com/

I did say it would take a miracle performance by our goaltender. Levi stopped 29 of 30 for a .967 save %. If we got that kind of goaltending every night we'd be one of the best teams in the NHL. Sadly, that's only the 11th game this season we have received 900 or better goaltending, and not surprisingly that is only the team's 11th win.

We have 1 win against Bos in our last 20 starts. Annie is a better bet.

One of the biggest disconnects with the Sabres seems to be the quality of their Jr scouting and development and their professional scouting. They seem to do a great job finding talent in the draft and do a good job of developing players from their pipeline such as JJP, Cozens, Quinn, and even Ryan Johnson. However, their ability to identify and acquire professional players who can elevate the franchise is terrible. Outside of Tuch, I can't think of a single NHL player acquired by KA who has improved the franchise. I guess some could argue Anderson was ok, but he was only able to give us 57 games over 2 years and his goals against was 3.12 and 3.06 respectively. Not exactly NHL starter material.

At least they are going to play 12 forwards (I hope). However that is friggin pathetic bottom 6. Thank g-d I’m going to see Annie tonight at the Fox Threatre. At least it will have a happy ending.

The Sabres have almost no chance to win this game. It would take a miracle performance from either goalie and Comrie has zero chance of giving such a performance. If Dahlin’s doesn’t play the team’s chances of winning fall ever further. 5 - 2 Bruins as the Sabres fracture further under the weight of Adams’ incompetence.

You thinks correctly.

This is a garbage trade for a garbage player. At least we didn't give up a 3rd rd pick (Bloom) like we did for the great Stillman. Why does this GM always shop from the discount rack or garbage bin? This is just another acquisition of crap depth for a team desperate for a real shot in the arm and it is another in a long line of acquisitions over the last 3 seasons that failed to materially improve the team (Anderson, Dell, Subban, Comrie, Lyubushkin, Greenway, E Johnson, Clifton, Stillman, Clague, Pysyk, Butcher, Hinostroza, and Jankowski).

The answer is no. The forwards aren't good enough. TNT, Cozens, and Skinner remain allergic to backchecking. I'm also not sure Rosen and Kulich will be ready next season or Savoie for that matter. Greenway is a 4th liner next season and if I were in charge, I'd move on from all of Jost, Krebs, Z, KO, and VO. Mitts is also now the 2nd line center. I might also move Cozens to wing since he can't win a draw to save his life. If management like Rosen or Kulich's progress, maybe they can trade Skinner for center depth. Boone Jenner would look great in the 3rd center slot. Cozens TNT Tuch JJP Mitts Benson Skinner ???? Quinn Greenway ????? Rosen?

The difference is KA gave DG a long-term deal. Oops!

We probably sent a 3rd rd pick. That's what we gave up essentially for Stillman. Why should Kevyn "Bottom of the Barrel" Adams give any less this time?

I'm sorry Sabrespace. I should have made the title of this thread "Do Something Substantive Already" Edited: Title updated.

....and I thought I hated the Stillman acquisition.

Why? Another tweener. Has 1 goal (and 0 assists) in 7 games since being recalled from the AHL. How exactly does this move the needle? If KA is going to try to fix the team this season, adding the offensive equivalent of Clague or Stillman is a waste. How about dumping some of our garbage instead acquiring someone else's. How about making a bold move and upgrading a position of need instead like center or goaltending.

TP is doing his Golisano. He just extended DG, he isn’t going to pay him not to coach. The excuse for not making a change is the youth and injuries. Assuming they get healthy and the team doesn’t improve, then there may be changes this off-season. Even then, I think the odds of changes in the DG/KA partnership are small.

Generally I agree, but we have seen him succeed when backed into a corner before (Eichel trade). I think he is there right now. I do agree that there are serious questions about whether TP and Associates have a clue how to build a winning culture in the NHL.

I agree coaching is a huge concern. Why any coach puts KO’s line on near the end of the game seriously raises questions about his judgement. However he hasn’t lost the team yet. If he had, they would have coasted in the 3rd period last night but didn’t. I also agree that KA isn’t getting top value at this point. Desperate GMs in a limited market often get fleeced. However we aren’t looking for an all-star or a guy with a longterm deal. We only need to upgrade to NHL average goaltending and can afford to take on a big salary. This will help get better value. The obvious choices are guys like Jake Allen or James Reimer.

Exactly. Comrie needs to be gone.

It’s certainly a problem. However we can afford to probably trade two of Savoie, Östlund, Kulich or Rosen without really hurting the longterm depth as long we hit on a few guys drafted later like Neuchev, Kisakov, Miedma, Richards etc… The truth is is that there isn’t enough room on the AHL/NHL rosters anyway. You have to move on from some of the guys anyway, might as well use them to bolster a near now and in the near term.

As much as I bitch and complain about KA and his process, I’m not sure the team is broken (yet). They actually came back tonight when this could have easily been a 7-1 type game. KA/DG’s time to fix this mess is running out. Sadly, if he doesn’t fix the goaltending nothing else matters. The team can’t win with UPL/Comrie/Levi. I hate to say this, but KA must make a move and soon to show the team and the fans that this season is salvageable even if he overpays.

Fyi: https://www.lg.com/us/press-release/espn-app-including-espn-now-available-on-lg-smart-tvs You may need a firmware update or say screw it and get a roku. (I recently put a roku on a firestick TV).

I don’t. I had just turned 1.