GASabresIUFAN

Y’all are laughing, but when was the last time Buffalo had a goalie with 42 starts, a 2.33 GAA and a .919 save %? Those were Samsonov’s stats from last season. In his career he has played 146 games with a 2.77 GAA and a .903 save % and that includes his tough year this season. Ullmark gave us 117 games with a 2.78 and a .912. This would be a no risk pick up, who at 26 could end up being a steal. He is a UFA after this season.

We also know the Miami D has some issues we can hopefully exploit.

Claim Samsonov.

They weren’t great last night. They drew one penalty. For a team dominating time of possession but not drawing penalties is a symptom of the year long problem of not going to the net. This is further emphasized by getting 21 long range shots blocked. The 5 on 5 offense looked like our PP. Add defensive breakdowns that led to both CBJ goals. Honestly I don’t agree that they were “good” last night.

Why the snark? Because that is a team we should dispatch with ease instead of losing to 9-4 and then only slipping by them 3-2 in OT. When you struggle to beat a clearly rebuilding team it’s clear evidence that this team is exactly what their record says they are - bad. They may even beat Ottawa tonight. However, don’t get your hopes up that this is some great catalyst for a turnaround this season. This team still doesn’t work hard enough to draw penalties and doesn’t convert on the PP when they get the chance. The goaltending is very suspect and even when we do shoot the puck it’s often right into a defender (CBJ had 21 blocks last night). The problems with this team ultimately come from the incompentent management and coaches running the team. The TBN has an article about how raw the entire Sabres organization is from the GM down to the players with no adult watching the asylum. I really wanted the DG/KA to grow into McBeane on the hockey side, but the two team’s starkly different responses to their rashes of injuries has drained my hopium for KA/DG. Beane builds OL and DL depth in the offseason and gets Douglas to solidify the injury depleted secondary. They fire an incompetent assistant coach and the competent HC and new OC get the team back on track. All this with limited cap space The Sabres’ brass does nothing. KA didn’t bring in any O or G reinforcements in the offseason, despite having nearly the worst goaltending in the NHL and a glaring need for an improved bottom 6 forwards. When the rash of injuries hit his best forwards he added a guy who couldn’t earn a permanent job on the 2nd worst team in the East. I want stability for the Sabres, but with each passing game the DG/KA duo is providing too incompetent to remain. There is too much talent on this team to perform this badly. Changes up top are overdue.

Maybe the Bills can look at how the Boys move Lamb around the formation and see if they can find a way to get Diggs back into the game plan.

This explains TNT’s performance this season. Lack of sleep.

Fixed.

Yeah the 3rd worst team in the East beat the 2nd worst team in the East in OT. What an amazing accomplishment. They should be proud. Up next the worst team in the East. Could their 2nd 2 game win streak of the season be on the horizon?

That was piss poor.

Ultimately, things will only change when the goaltending is good enough to keep us in the vast majority of games. It’s really that simple.

At least Clifton and Johnson are real NHL players even if they aren't a fit here. You can't say that about most of his acquisitions.

I just read a News article about the Jost waiver. Here is what the News wrote about who KA listens to about pro players.

….and that’s an understatement.

I’m going to take a different tack because I don’t think DG or KA are getting fired. However, TP can send them a strong message by doing the following. 1. Fire Ellis and Girardi. Replace with more experienced coaches and get a PP specialist 2. Hire a team President over Adams to help him mature as a GM and help him conduct a real evaluation of his roster. 3. Replace the entire Pro scouting dept.

And just wait until they waive Comrie. Then we’ll have $7 mill invested in players playing for the Amerks. Add the $5 mill we are paying Z and KO with nearly $8 mill in cap space and you have $20 mill that if spent wisely could have made this team a true contender.

The genius KA waives a 3rd player who he retained/re-signed who any observer of the Sabres knew should have been sent packing this off-season. The Sabres are now paying over $5 mill to Jost, Bryson and Stillman to play for the Amerks. That’s $5 mill that could have been used on players who could have improved the roster. Just further evidence that Adams has no idea how to build a championship roster. Add those three to the retention of Z and KO and you have to wonder if this team will ever turn the corner under its current leadership.

This team can't even win two in a row much less 5.

Why wait? Shake up the locker room. Trading the Captain is a great place to start.

The Sabres are -18 in the differential for the season. That means we are +4 after the 1st period. What this lets me is that the Sabres are coming out flat most nights and are almost always playing from behind. This is a leadership issue from the coaches and top players.

Hope springs eternal. Keep the faith brother.

Here is what should happen with this roster if our GM is truly serious about winning. Forwards Benson TNT Tuch JJP Cozens Quinn Mitts ???? Skinner ???? ???? Greenway Defense Dahlin ???? Power Ryan Johnson Mule Clifton Goalies Levi Veteran?? I think there are 5 slots that should be filled with outside talent: Veteran Goalie, 3rd line center, 4th line center, a 4th line winger, and a top 4 D. Admittedly bringing in that many established players would probably blow KA’s budget. In addition, at least one of top 3 forward prospects will make the team. It will be easier to incorporate one of the kids by moving Mitts to center and opening a winger slot for the rookie. I can see at least one of the 3 top forwards prospects being included in a trade to get a top 4 D.

I hope TNT and his family are ok.

Capfriendly lists our team’s average age as 25.5. Nearly all the Sabres UFAs are among the oldest players on the roster. In fact, the only Sabre under contract older than 28 is Skinner who is currently 31. Clifton is currently 28. Here are the Sabres UFAs (current age) : Okposo 35, Eric Johnson 35, Olofsson 28, Girgensons 29, Robinson 28, and Comrie 28. I’m not expecting any of them back. Here are possible internal replacements (age next season) : Kulich 20, Novikov 21, Rosen 21, Savoie 20, and Rousek 25. RFA’s who may not return (age next season) Krebs 23, Jokiharju 25, and UPL 25. Honestly, I don’t want any of them back either, but I expect at least Krebs to return. Given KA’s stubborn adherence to his “plan,” here is what the team might look like. Forwards: Skinner TNT Tuch Benson Cozens Quinn JJP Mitts Rosen Rousek Krebs Greenway Defense: Dahlin Samuelsson Power Ryan Johnson Novikov Clifton Goalies: Levi, UPL Anybody think this roster has a snowballs chance in hell of making the playoffs?

Bye-bye.