msw2112

My father (in his 70's) always does this. I was mid-sentence telling him "The Sabres are playing tonight and I recorded it and can't wait to watch it later," but after the word "tonight" he proceeded to interject into the conversation to tell me that they won. After I get frustrated, he always tries to backtrack and say "well, I don't really know what happened" but it's too late. The horse has left the barn. I have other friends that text frequently during games to talk about them, no matter how often I remind them I live in the West and to please not do this. The only way to do it is to not answer or look at your phone for a few hours. One time, I went phones down and my neighbor was calling to tell me there was a fire at her house. I ignored the call and was quite startled when fire trucks showed up shortly thereafter! Thankfully, it was a very small fire and nobody got hurt and little to no property damage. (It pains me to tell this story, as I sound like a real a-hole - but really, I'm not. I just like to enjoy my sports.???)

Great topic. It is my life! I live in Arizona now, so I'm usually at work when Sabres games start. I also have family responsibilities when I get home from work until the kids go to bed, so I often don't get to sit down and watch a game until 8 or 9 PM Arizona time, which can be 10 or 11 in Buffalo. The game is long over. I have to live in the bubble and not look at my phone or someone will ruin it for me. Even thought I have turned off all "alerts," my friends like to text when a Buffalo team does something good or bad. Same goes for football. Bills games start at 10 or 11 am (no Daylight Savings Time here, so it varies by an hour). It's often difficult to have all of the Saturday or Sunday morning responsibilities out of the way and be ready to go by that early start time, so the DVR comes through for me. I do prefer to watch live, but with fast-forwarding, I usually catch up to live sometime in the 3rd quarter. It allows me to zip through the first half commercials and halftime. I also very much agree with the earlier post about MLB games. The DVR allows you to fast forward until the point where the game becomes interesting. I just can't spare (nor do I want to spare) 4+ hours for a baseball game, but the late innings of a close World Series game are entertaining. The DVR also (as someone else mentioned) sometimes spares some agony. I was able to fast forward through most of the Sabres-Caps game the other night. It saved me a lot of time watching a putrid game. If, during my fast forwarding, it looked like the Sabres were going to get back in the game, I could have switched back to regular speed and enjoyed it. Unfortunately there was no need.

Now that the thread title has been corrected....It will be interesting to see how the goaltending situation plays out over the next couple of years. With a capable defense in front of them, Hutton and Ullmark are both playing pretty well this year. When the defense has been poor, they have stepped up and bailed the team out. Ullmark was the reason we got a point in the Columbus game and I think that Hutton stole a game for us more recently (perhaps the LA game, which I didn't see). If these guys are able to sustain this level of play for the next couple of seasons (a big if, I understand), how and when does UPL get into the mix? After Hutton's contract expires? What if Ullmark, who is still young, becomes a bona fide NHL #1. Where does UPL fit in? This would be a good problem to have, mind you....

Based on what we've seen so far, the Sabres have the luxury of leaving him in the AHL for a while. So long as the team is performing at a high level and everyone remains healthy, there is no need to change the lineup. It also gives Pilut more development time. He got thrown into the fire pretty quickly when he got to North America, and did pretty well under the circumstances, but some time to develop at a more regulated pace might be good for him.

I have never used NHL.TV or other streaming services for sports. I live in the West, so the games are usually half over by the time I get home from work. Is it possible to start streaming the game from the beginning while the game is already in progress? In other words, if I get home 2 hours into the game, can I start streaming from the beginning (and without the app showing me the current score)? Also, can you pause and resume the feed while you are watching? Just evaluating whether to give this option a try versus going with Center Ice (on Directv). Thanks!

It's nice to have a little depth for a change. E-Rod is a competent NHL player. We're not scraping the AHL bowl for a callup. Let's hope E-Rod takes advantage of the opportunity.

We're only 2 games into this season and Krueger has a better roster than Housley had. But you can still say that Housley was bad without comparing things to this season. Housley was a great NHL player and is in the Hall of Fame. That was because of his tremendous skill. He was one of the best offensive defensemen in history and had a really long and productive career. One thing he was not, however, was a team leader. Phil never wore the "C" for the Sabres, and I can't recall whether he ever wore the "A" - but I don't think so. Some guys are skill guys, some guys are grit/glue guys and some are both. Most successful coaches that were former players had that grit/glue element to their game and were natural leaders. Phil the coach had some good systems that worked well in Nashville when he was an assistant, but he was not able to get the guys to buy in and stick to the program in Buffalo when things went south. They became disinterested and disorganized and it spiraled down. He didn't have the leadership skills to get it back on track. Housley could probably be a good assistant coach somewhere else again, if there is a strong leader as the head coach. I see he is an assistant in Arizona, with Rick Tocchet as head coach. It might work. He just doesn't have the personality to be a head coach at the NHL level.

I did not see last night's game, but I wouldn't draw too many conclusions based on one preseason game. I was pissed when we traded a 3rd round pick for the guy's rights and he signed with someone else anyway, but that is really more on the GM than the player. He was a UFA and could sign wherever he pleased and he made that known. Now that we have traded some assets for him (again - but a different GM) and he is a member of our team, I hope he succeeds. I think we all agree this guy isn't the 2nd coming of Wayne Gretzky, but let's hope he can be a solid contributor to our lineup, which has very much lacked secondary scoring in recent years.

I don't have a deep knowledge of all of the goalies in the NHL, but this seems to be a reasonable list with a little bit of evidence/explanation for each ranking. Any piece like this, unless you copy and paste a statistical chart, is going to based on a lot of opinion and possibly some bias.

I think he has the potential to be a solid NHL goalie, a quality backup for sure and possibly a decent starting goaltender. At this point, I don't see him becoming elite. I assume elite means one of the top handful of goalies in the league and/or a perennial all-star. If he remains a Sabre, I hope that I am wrong and the he does become elite!

This whole thread begs the question whether Thompson would have benefited from a full season in the AHL last year. Everyone here seems to agree that he has physical attributes that could translate to a quality NHL player and it all hinges on his development, both physically (bulking up and filling out his frame) and mentally (learning to process the game at NHL speeds). Do the Sabres take a mulligan and send him down to the "A" this season?

Living out of market, I wish the Sabres had more national games. Until the team is competing for a playoff spot, I can't justify ponying up the dough for the Center Ice package, so these national games, plus a few that sneak through on NHL Network, are all I get to see.

If ROR was disgruntled and wanted out of town, JBot's hand may have been forced. I assume he shopped around and got the best deal that he could. The same could be said on the Kane deal. That said, and we'll never know, but perhaps he waited too long and rejected superior offers, waiting for something better, then was forced to take less at the deadline because something better didn't materialize. He did very well on the Skinner trade and the Montour trade might work out well too. He's doing a good job of building organizational depth. The Housley hire turned out to be a huge bust, but Phil was the most highly regarded "hot assistant" on the market and he took a shot. He's getting a 2nd shot with Krueger. If this one fails, he's done. So, to sum it up, there's some good, some bad and time will tell. I'm in favor of giving him a conditional pass and seeing how things play out over the next 1-2 years.

E-Rod is a solid middle-6 forward with NHL caliber offensive skill. A player of that ilk is worth somewhere in the $2M per year range, which is right in between E-Rod's number and the Sabres' number. I suspect that the arbitrator will award him something around that number and everyone will be happy. Alternatively, his agent and the team will agree to it on their own prior to the hearing, and everyone will be happy. The Sabres are protecting their interests (salary cap and Pegula's checkbook) by bidding a little bit low and E-Rod is protecting his by bidding a little high (get as much as you can, when you can). It will all work out. Not much of a news story here, but it's the off-season. And I have no comments about the French, but I can verify that a pair of tickets to Hamilton on Broadway run in the same price range as E-Rod's contract. My wife and I had a bit of a spat about it last time we were in NYC. She wanted to go at all costs and I refused to pay almost $1,000 per ticket.

These 3 seem to be the most obvious ones for me too. All young guys who were drafted in the first round, with lots of upside and potential (maybe not as much with TT, but we can only hope). Imagine the scenario in about 2-3 years if both TT and Cozens develop and play on the same line - two towering, talented forwards that can intimidate with size and skill. We'd need to find another 6'5" beast to put on the other wing. The "NBA" line. Just some fun thoughts to kick off the weekend.

From everything I read and heard, he was an excellent draft pick and we were lucky that he fell to us. But that photo really makes me think he needs to hit the weight room. I realize he's just a kid, but he doesn't look anywhere near NHL ready, from a physical standpoint. He probably won't be able to do a lot of upper body lifting after having hand surgery, so it may be a while before he even gets started. I don't think anyone was realistically expecting him to make much of an impact this year anyway, so he's got some time.

I used to read and enjoy Sullivan's column back in the day. I also had a common acquaintance who said that Jerry was a pretty good guy. That said, I have to agree that Sullivan has become overly negative in recent years to the point that it is difficult to enjoy his column. I can't recall the last time he wrote anything positive. I think he takes his criticisms of the Pegulas too far. They are not perfect owners, but they have done a lot of positive things for the Buffalo sports scene. After a few years of finding themselves, they seem to have the Bills moving in the right direction and I think they will eventually find the right mix of coach and GM to get the Sabres there too. (I hope that it's Botterill and Kreuger, but we'll see.) Back to Sullivan, I can't recall a column in which he didn't use the word "dubious." Try it some time - read one of his columns and see how far you can get before you see the word "dubious."

Given Krueger's unconventional background, it's really difficult to tell how this might play out. From what I have read about him, Krueger seems to be a progressive thinker that might connect well with today's players and the organization as a whole. I've been trying to think of comparisons elsewhere in professional sports and the two that come to mind are Joe Maddon (Cubs manager who led them to first World Series title in a century plus) and Steve Kerr (who has led Golden State to multiple NBA championships). Obviously, it's a big stretch to say that Krueger would have that kind of success, but he seems to be the same kind of personality as those other two guys and there's a chance it could be really successful. It could also go down in flames (or is the term UP in flames?), but you have to give JB credit for taking a swing at it.

I'm a huge Lindy fan. I loved him as a player and also as a coach. I would love to see him get another opportunity to be a NHL head coach and be really successful. I also don't think that bringing him back would have been the right move for the franchise right now. I have no problem with him getting an interview.

Hockey is all about coaching. Yes, you need some level of talent, and the Sabres have enough talent to be competitive. It was evident in those games when they "showed up" and played a full 60 minutes - they could play with anyone on those nights. While I very much wanted to see the Housley experiment work out, it didn't. If the Sabres can hire the right coach, they will be in the playoff hunt next year. St. Louis this year, as someone mentioned above, is the perfect example. They were last overall, made a coaching change, and are now in the conference finals. For what it's worth, I would like to see the Sabres hire Sheldon Keefe. Although I have seen it said that Botterill wants to hire a coach with NHL experience and Keefe doesn't have it, he seems like the best of the available guys and a strong enough track record in the "A" the he has a chance to be really successful. Perhaps that's why the search is taking so long - they are waiting until Keefe's season is done. Since posting this a few hours ago, I see that Jacques Martin and Dave Tippett are rumored to be the leading candidates. I would be hugely disappointed if they hired Martin. He's a has-been and hiring him would be a commitment to mediocrity. I like Tippett a little more, he's coached in recent years and had some success in Dallas and Arizona. Tippett's history is getting a lot out of less-talented rosters through hard work, effort, solid defense, etc. Somewhat of the Ted Nolan model. I'm not sure that fits this group of players. The Sabres need someone who can get the most out of their skill guys, not someone to turn them in to grinders.

I'm not the best at math, but I counted 10!

It is painful to watch St. Louis and San Jose advance. Our extra 1st round pick gets worse and worse. At least it makes the one we gave up in the Montour trade less valuable.

This is my list above. As to the best of the bunch, it's really hard to pick just one. Some of my favorites (and why): Wrigley Field (the atmosphere and surrounding neighbhorhood/gameday experience) Michigan Football - the Big House - atmosphere and tradition - special place that reeks of tradition Notre Dame Stadium - same as Michigan (although not as big) Wisconsin Football - Camp Randall - great atmosphere, party scene Dodger Stadium - beautiful surroundings (mountains, etc.) Lambeau Field - unique neighborhood setting. Tailgated on some guys lawn and partied post-game in his garage (everyone welcome). Really nice people. Superdome - walking distance from Bourbon Street, great atmosphere OLD Chicago Stadium - tradition and atmosphere Arizona Cardinals Stadium in Glendale - State Farm - comfortable place to watch a football game, good sightlines for a modern stadium (and not overdone like Dallas) Tampa Bay Lightning Arena - Ameile - the surprise of the bunch. Went in with low expectations, was really impressed. Great atmosphere and LOVE the outdoor patio with multiple bars for between periods. Reminded me of the between periods vibe at the old Aud, but outdoors with views of the city lit up at night (and better looking women - and I say this hesitantly, as I don't wish to offend anyone). Rich/Ralph/New Era - tailgating, party scene, crowd and the most personal memories (and The Aud too, although I was below drinking age when it closed)

This is a tough one. I have daughters and I support girls and women being able to pursue their dreams and earn equivalent money to their male counterparts. That said, professional sports are a form of entertainment. If people like the entertainment, they will buy tickets, watch on TV, purchase merchandise. I just don't see where the market is for professional women's hockey. I'm a huge sports fan and a huge hockey fan, but I have no interest in women's hockey. I don't live in Buffalo anymore and there isn't a women's team where I live. That said, there is a WNBA franchise here and I have never once attended a game nor had any interest in doing so. I do go to an occasional NBA game and lots of other men's college and pro sports. If my daughter wanted to go to a WNBA game, I would certainly take her. The following article is about the WNBA, which has a much wider audience than women's pro hockey, losing money. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/wnba/2018/12/28/wnba-looks-for-new-president-profitability-in-2019/38809289/

This was a fun exercise. I have been around more than I thought....All stadiums are the current building unless otherwise specified: NHL (9): Buffalo (Aud and current building), Chicago (old Stadium and current building), Philadelphia, Phoenix/Arizona (old building where Suns still play, current building), Detroit (old Joe), Tampa NBA (6): Buffalo (don't forget the Braves at the Aud!), Detroit (Palace), Chicago, Phoenix, Milwaukee (Bradley Center and current building) NFL (10): Buffalo, Chicago, Arizona, New Orleans, LA Rams (Coliseum), Chargers (Qualcomm and Carson), Minnesota (old dome), Denver, Green Bay MLB (15) Toronto, Cleveland, Baltimore, Minnesota (old dome), Detroit (old Tiger Stadium), Milwaukee, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Dodger Stadium, Angels Stadium, Yankee Stadium (old and current), Arizona, Atlanta (old Fulton County Stadium), San Diego NCAA Football (11): Michigan, Notre Dame, Illinois, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Penn State, Arizona, Arizona State Stadium (for a bowl game), AZ Cardinals stadium (Fiesta Bowl), AZ Diamondbacks stadium (bowl game), Jerry World in Dallas (for college kickoff classic game) NCAA Basketball (5): Michigan, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Arizona, San Antonio Alamo Dome (Final Four) NCAA Hockey (1): Michigan