GASabresIUFAN

Dahlin - As I wrote in thread title.

Who's on first.

Let's say for argument's sake that the Sabres have it in them to make a run for a playoff spot. With 52 games remaining the Sabres will need to earn at least 68 points to get to 95 points and a possible playoff spot. That is a 32-16-4 record the rest of the way. The 2010-11 Sabres were 12-14-4 after 30 games and finished 43-29-10 for 96 points. Their record for the last 52 games was 31-15-6. So obviously it's possible to make such a run. What has to happen for the Sabres to turn it around? 1) Levi and UPL must be consistently good to excellent every night. While unlikely, especially given our flat starts and lousy D so far this season, it's not out of the realm of possibility. Levi has had a .913 or better save % in his last 3 starts. UPL, despite 2 awful starts vs STL and Colorado (he received zero help in this game), has had a .923 save % or better in 6 of his last 8 appearances. 2) The forward group needs to get healthy and start scoring. Skinner hitting the IR doesn't help this cause, but Tuch and TNT are back in the lineup and Quinn and Greenway seem very near to returning. Adding them should allow DG to play 4 full lines for the first time this season. It might look something like this Benson TNT Tuch JJP Mitts Quinn Greenway Cozens VO Robinson Krebs KO 3) The defense must be better. They need to cut down on mistakes, simplify their games, and just clear the zone. The quicker they clear the zone the quicker we transition to offense. Ryan Johnson should be playing nightly. Whoever isn't carrying their weight needs to sit. 4) KA needs to make a few bold moves to reinvigorate the team. The moves could be firing a coach (or 2). Trading out someone who needs a change of scenery (Joki or VO) and bringing in a least one center to at worst replace Krebs or who will push Cozens to the wing if he doesn't find his game. We also still need to find a top 4 D to pair with Power. Joki was on my trade list this summer and nothing this season has changed my opinion. 5) Last but not least is fixing the PP. Maybe it rights itself with the return of guys like Quinn, TNT, and Tuch. However, I doubt it. I'll say this, if they don't fix the PP, the first 4 steps probably won't be enough to get this team to the playoffs. On average we'll need to score at least once a game on the PP for this run to happen.

No question the "stars" aren't performing to expectations. However, I'm not singling out KO because he is a 4th line player. I'm singling out KO for what he represents as the Captain of the team and one of the 3 pieces of the failed leadership triangle in Buffalo. IMHO KO is part of the complacency of this team and needs to go. Under his leadership winning is not the standard. This is not to say that changes shouldn't be made elsewhere, but you have to start somewhere.

Trades. Not every player has an NTC/NMC. If you can't get players to sign here until you prove you are a winning organization, then KA is going to have to take a risk or 3 and trade a precious prospect or draft picks or both to fill his roster holes. The biggest issue here is our pro scouting staff. So far the players they are recommending to KA haven't exactly elevated the team.

I don't buy that at all. The team's average age is about 25.5, or in other words, a team entering their prime. We have 7 players 28 to 35. We have 3 players who are at or near 1000 NHL games (KO, EJ, and Skinner). Girgensons is near 650. Dahlin, Mitts, TNT, Tuch, Joki, Jost, and Greenway, the team's "young core," all have 300 to 450 games under their belts. This is a team that should be blossoming into a contender now. Coaching is certainly an issue. Roster construction (not enough good players) is certainly an issue. The raw goaltending, the only area without real experience, is certainly an issue. However, KO's leadership is also an issue. Back when the TM rebuild failed, we discussed whether having a depth forward or D as the captain was a good idea. Sure he might be respected in the locker room as a person, but his on-ice contributions were limited. We also discussed giving Eichel the C way too soon. There is a balance somewhere in there. We need a respected player in the locker room, who also contributes on the ice. Back in the day, Drury, Briere, and Teppo were the leaders. They demanded winning and they played to that level. They lead by words and deeds if you will. KO can't do that. He is a great person and has created a united bunch, but he can't elevate his play enough to carry the team forward and that is part of what this team needs.

Tuch, Greenway, Clifton and EJ all came from winning teams. EJ won a Cup in Colorado. Tuch made 3 deep runs with LV. All add grit and competitiveness. None of them have really changed the direction of the franchise. LV swaps Eichel for Tuch and Eichel wins a Cup. LV built a winning culture in one off-season as an expansion team. Boston sees Bergeron, Krejci, Clifton and others leave and they continue to excel. What are we missing? Accountability! On those teams you are expected to win. No such expectation here since the tank. There has been a 3 headed leadership monster here since KA became the GM in Adams, DG and Okposo. The funny thing is Adams won a Cup as a player yet doesn’t have a clue how to build a winning culture. It’s time to change the dynamic. Since I doubt TP is moving on from his yes men KA and DG (yet), the first change needs to be KO.

I’m not being dismissive. How do you distill 50-100 player and coach interviews since camp began to one sound bite? However, after listening to these interviews one comes away with a distinct impression that the guys on the team look to Dahlin for leadership.

All you have to do is listen to the interviews with other players and coaches.

I don’t think that is going to be the case. He’ll be re-signed. He is an RFA and is very close to Dahlin and DC who aren’t going anywhere. We also lack centers without retaining him. The biggest issue facing the Sabres is paying the core without having proven success on the ice. TNT, DC, Dahlin and Power are all getting paid, but we are still miles from being a true contender. Paying Mitts on a long term deal is just another similar contract for a player who has had individual success without team success. By the way, I still think 100k per point is a good rule of thumb. More if the player is a proven goal scorer or a very strong 2 way player. If he goes for 60 + points this season he’ll get over 6 mill per season. So where is the money going to come for the next RFA wave of JJP and Quinn? Can’t keep everyone.

Sorry, it's not nonsense. He is clearly playing out the string. He was MIA for the first 20+ games, and under his leadership the team has accomplished nothing. He doesn’t hold his teammates or himself accountable for bad play and the team reflects that attitude.

I think there is a good core here, it's just not coached or supplemented correctly. G: Levi - The upside potential is obvious. He's a rookie, but he is the future in net. 😧 Dahlin & Power - Dahlin is a true superstar. Power received a stupid contract and I don't think he is the next great thing, but he certainly has Sergachev type potential and will be a solid 2nd pair anchor behind Dahlin (Like Sergachev to Hedman in TB) F: Centers: TNT, Mitts & Cozens - This is a much better spine than we had with Eichel. Sadly we have no one behind them and Cozens needs a reset F: Wingers: JJP, Quinn, Benson, and Tuch. That's a great place to start. This is a salvageable core. The question is now do we elevate them and help them achieve their potential? I honestly don't know the answer.

Get rid of him as well. The team

That loyalty is part of the problem. If KO would rather play out the string than try to win, I think that's a huge indictment of his leadership.

He doesn't have an NTC/NMC, but I agree KA would discuss it with him before making a trade. I do think there is a market for KO. Playoff teams are looking for vets who can add some depth scoring. His recent scoring should help. I also think KO is well respected in the league and someone will want him in their locker room. However, if I were KA I'd make the move sooner than later. He needs to change the dynamic here and that would be a great start.

Appert

???? What does this mean? You would think that the youngest team in the NHL that gave their coach maximum effort last year would do the same this year. What changed? The coaches are the same. The majority of the roster is the same (They brought back all the same forwards, all the same goalies, and 6/8 of the same D). All they did was add two veteran D and an 18-year-old rookie forward who plays hard every shift. The only real change is that all the big contracts. Cozens, Power, TNT, and Dahlin now all have big $ and the only one making an effort to earn those $ is Dahlin. As to who is going to make the changes, it's going to be KA until TP fires him, which sadly I don't see happening this season or even next. KA is TP's yes man.

There have been 4 players all season who have played with effort every night. Their names are Dahlin, Mittelstadt, Benson and Peterka. Injuries have slowed a few key guys (TNT, Cozens and Tuch), but their efforts have been lacking many nights when they are in the lineup. Outside Dahlin, the other D have been consistently inconsistent. It's time to make a change in the leadership. Time to trade KO and let him hook up with a team heading to the playoffs. It's also now time to make this Dahlin's team. He is the team's best player, most consistent contributor, and toughest competitor.

It's an age thing.

Did Robinson play last night?

Of course, I care about the team. I wouldn't post here otherwise. Maybe the better question is whether someone is going to take a more passive approach to the team going forward until they actually make an effort to justify our interest. Most fans are completely fed up with the entire organization from the owner to the players and they should be fed up. What makes this so strange is DG had them playing hard nearly every game last season win or lose. They were entertaining, fun to watch, and had a never-say-die attitude. This season, with basically the same coaches and personnel, they play like they are going through the motions and collecting their checks. Why? I watched the KO 1000 game video and it struck me that KO has been focused on creating a family atmosphere inside the Sabres locker room and that has created a very unified bunch. One thing lacking in the video was any emphasis on winning on a KO lead team. Sure it was a hype video, but that struck me as odd. Family atmosphere is great. The unified locker room is also great. No accountability for not winning, not so great and I think this is where the franchise is. As I wrote previously, this season is done from a playoff perspective. It's time for KA to make serious changes. Until that's done, I'll keep an eye on the score, maybe watch some highlights, but the Sabres are firmly moving to the back burner.

The real question facing this team is why they simply don’t care to put in the effort needed to win. Here you have a team coming off 3 good performances with the return of 3 key players in Mule, Tuch and UPL plus a big night for FA signee EJ against his old team, a team we beat 4-0 last time we played them. Add their coaches family situation and the team should have come flying out of the dressing room. Instead they slept for the 1st 17 minutes of the game and were consequently blown out. Given the number of flat starts and that the few times they come to play follow being embarrassed (like the 2nd period), I’m rapidly moving to the fire DG camp. Enough.

But they scored on 3 of them.

Sandman from Santa Clause 3 puts Colorado team to sleep.