GASabresIUFAN

you forgot Ryan J. The skated 7 D tonight. (He played 12:20). Cozens was terrible all game. The team looked flat almost the entire game. We still aren't physical enough and we don't shoot enough. One bright spot was quicker puck movement and more attempts to try to get the PK boz moving on the PP the few times they actually got the PP set up. This is a bad hockey team right now. They really aren't putting forth the necessary effort to be a good team.

Good thing we have a 3 headed goalie monster.

Are Josh’s struggles also a case of Josh no longer doing the work to get better now that he is a celebrity?

Just think how awful it would be without them. Has Ryan Johnson officially supplanted Jokiharju?

The biggest issue with this team is actually the offense as @Believer wrote. Our PP is 29th in the NHL at 10.9%. To make matters worse we are -14 in penalties against vs penalties for. In fact, we have had the 3rd most penalties (61) called on us and only 47 (25th in the NHL) called against our opponents. These stats illustrate some fundamental issues. 1) We aren't driving play enough to get penalties called against our opponents and we are on our heals often getting penalties called against us. The PP reflects our passive approach as well. Some of these issues are roster construction. Our bottom 6 has been unable (or unwilling) or incapable of driving play. We simply can't afford two failed lines and expect to compete. Another issue is the team's inability on all lines to create consistent traffic in front of the net. While this is a very "young" team, given that they were able to do the things last year, it's not unreasonable to think they can do it again this year.

He has only played 6 games and the Sabres would have to purchase his contract, but we have plenty of cap and extra contract space to get if done.

I suggested calling up Mersch. He is a career AHL vet who is a pt a game player in the AHL but isn’t playing much because of the AHL vet rules. Why not give him a try and see if he can inject a spark into the bottom six.

This is Kreb's chance. With TNT out, the No. 3 center job is his to lose. Maybe, if he can get his family issues sorted, he can re-focus on hockey and just relax and play. Truthfully the Sabres as a team aren't relaxed. Hard to play any sport that way.

The Levi situation is the goaltender version of Mitts. Mitts signed after his college season ended and was excellent with 5 pts in 6 games. The next season Jbot threw him to the wolves and although he survived the season, it was pretty clear he wasn’t NHL ready. Levi signs after his college season and was mostly excellent in his 7 game tryout. KA anoints him the no.1 G and it’s clear now he’s not ready for the job. Like Mitts before him he should have been sent down. Let’s not make the same mistake twice. Send Levi down and let him earn his way back. It’s sad when UPL is the best option, but that’s the bed KA made for us and the team.

TP?

Sadly I don’t think there is much KA can do at this point to save the season. So what can he do now? 1. Send Levi down. KA needs to take the pressure off the kid and allow him to figure it out. Might as well give Cooley the backup role for now. 2. Call up Kulich and Rosen. What could it hurt? We are down to 5 productive forwards - Mitts, Cozens, Skinner, JJP and Greenway. Hard to make 3 capable lines out of 5 forwards. 3. Hit the phones. Find out who is available and at what cost. 4. Re-think the PP. With TnT out, we have a unique opportunity to try a whole new approach to the PP. Lets try running in through Mitts in the middle. Lets use Greenway to set up screens.

They used to have more wrist protection.

The waiting for Levi plan isn’t working. The forwards are lost and injuries continue to hamper the group. The PP is a mess. This team is teetering on oblivion after just 16 games. The Bruins proved tonight that the distance between the 2 teams is the Grand Canyon. What now? Fire coaches? Bring up Rosen and Kulich? Trade for forward help? Hope Quinn returns early somehow!

Embarassing

Yep. He is very trying.

So Boston lost their 2 top centers and we returned everyone yet the distance between the teams is as big as ever.

Lol. I’m out.

Who are u trading away and what r u getting? Are you going to acquire mid-season 4-5 new forwards, because that is what we need.

Apparently this going to be another developmental year. Might as well bring up Rosen and Kulich and see if they can add a spark.

I guess it’s movie night after all. Hope Tage is ok.

I remember when we used to score goals like that.

2-0. Way to go boys.

Oh look, Sabres give up the 1st goal. Power and Clifton get beat down by the net.

And your point is? Welcome to player no.1 on the list of players to move on from.

On the NHL pre-game on the NHL Network, they are killing the Caps PP and it looks just like ours. Slow perimeter passing, bad zone entries, dumb penalties etc…. Sound familiar? He says they are too predictable and predictable PPs are easy to defend. He suggests crashing the net, faster puck movement, and changing the look.