msw2112

I don't know how old you are, but it's a fair point. It could take some time. A better question might be if TERRY will be alive before he is able to see it come to fruition. I believe it will happen in the next few years. Personally, I think the next administration after the Adams administration will be the right one. I believe that the league and others will advise Terry and he'll throw big money at the right guy. Maybe a POHO who steps in and hires a competent GM and coach. The cupboard is not bare. The Sabres have some good assets on the roster and more in the pipeline. They clearly need some quality veteran defensive defensemen (maybe 2) and some veteran forward with a little bit of scoring ability who play the game the right way (guys like Zucker). If Adams can't get that done, if the next guy is the right guy, he will.

Don't put words in my mouth. I never said "he is not one of the all time worst NHL owners." What I said is that IT COULD BE WORSE. The former owners of the Arizona Coyotes were worse than Pegula (several of them, in fact) and now that market has NO NHL team. For what it's worth, the new owners in Utah are reported to be terrific. But yes, keeping the team in Buffalo is a big reason I put up with Pegula as owner. There are other reasons too. Because Pegula figured it out with the Bills on his 2nd or 3rd try and owns what is now considered a "model" NFL franchise, with a few more swings of the bat, I think he can accomplish the same in the NHL. Maybe it will be on his 5th or 6th try and we, as fans, will suffer until then, but life will go on and Buffalo will still have a NHL team, even if it plays more like it belongs in the AHL. Pegula also has very deep pockets and can sustain the team until the ship is righted. He also has a background and history as a Sabres fan, so he cares about the team and doesn't simply see it as a business asset. There are two reasons, in my opinion, that he's not spending money on the Sabres: a) he's spent money in the past and did not get the intended results, so he's trying a different path to improvement (draft and develop) than simply "throwing money at the problem" and b) there is some truth to the fact that free agents don't want to come to Buffalo and veteran players don't want to waive their No-Trade clauses to come to Buffalo. And it has nothing to do with palm trees and taxes, it's because the team sucks. If I had the choice of: a) Pegula sells the team and the new owner moves it to Houston, a much larger market where it can make a whole lot more money; or b) Pegula stays on as owner and the team stays in Buffalo I would choose b. If Pegula were to sell the team to a local owner who had the assets to properly operate a NHL franchise and an iron clad promise to keep the team in Buffalo, I'd be fine with that. I'm not aware of any parties that fit that category. Can the Jacobs family (Delaware North) buy the team while still owning the Bruins? Who else is there? And is that person any more competent in professional sports than Pegula? At least Terry has a track record of figuring it out with one other professional sports franchise after a couple of swings and misses. Pegula needs to hire a competent front office and things will be fine. He's tried and failed 3 or 4 times now, but eventually he'll find the right people. It might be next year or 3 years from now. By then may be you'll be gone and I'll be the only Sabres fan left. Nobody is forcing you or me to purchase tickets or watch the games on TV. Am I happy or satisfied with the current state of affairs with my favorite hockey team? Of course not. But, other than not buying tickets or not watching, there's not much I can do about it. I'm content to live my life and when the Sabres finally get the right management in place and turn the ship around, I'll be pretty damn excited.

There's some irony to this comment. Look at the Michigan hockey roster from 1994-95, featuring a former Sabres GM as Knuble's teammate. That team also featured long-time NHL player Brendan Morrison and Mike Legg, who is famous for "the Michigan" (the circus goal from behind the net with the puck flat on the stick tucked into the top corner - ESPN did a feature story on it).

It actually could be worse. Ask the fans of the Arizona Coyotes (I mean Utah Hockey Club). I'm one of them (The 'Yotes were formerly my 2nd favorite team, after the Sabres). There are lots of cities that would love to have a NHL team, and even better if they could do it without paying an expansion fee (Houston, Kansas City, Quebec City, etc.) Salt Lake City was one of those cities. My comment isn't to say that Pegula has been a great hockey owner - the evidence is clearly to the contrary - but, yes, it could be worse. The situation in Buffalo can be fixed. See the current Buffalo Bills, who after a 17 year playoff drought, are one of the perennial favorites in the league and are considered a model franchise. Pegula needs to find the right people to run the team and then (more or less) get out of the way. After failures with the likes of Russ Brandon and Rex Ryan, he got it right with the Bills. He's had a whole lot more swings and misses on the hockey side, but eventually, he'll get it right with the Sabres. I'm not arguing that it's been a long and painful journey that is still going, but eventually, he'll get the right team in place. Maybe it's just the case of the blind squirrel finding the nut, but it will happen eventually. I understand and empathize with Sabres fans who have suffered for 14+ years (I'm one of them too) and have had enough, but the current situation is better than having an owner who cashes out and simply sells to the highest bidder or who bungles the arena situation so badly that the team has no place to play and is forced to sell by the league. This is not hyperbole, it's exactly what happened in Arizona.

I'm guessing sports hernia, as I've heard it was a MBI "middle body injury." Those can take a couple of months to recover from and are common injures among athletes, particularly hockey players.

Outside of the obvious (having a competent GM and coach and stability), I struggle to see the difference between Pegula spending on the Bills and the Sabres. If anyone watched the Bills game yesterday, you saw that Von Miller was put into the game just so that he could get one sack to achieve a bonus of $1.5M. He got that sack in the 1st quarter and then did not see the field again. The punter punted on a 4th down that was a makeable field goal, and because it was downed inside the 20 yard line, the punter got a bonus ($100K, I believe). They appeared to try and get other players their bonuses and the announcers made a big deal out of it. I assume that Pegula signed off on this approach in an otherwise meaningless game (as playoff seed was already set prior to the game). It was said that the Bills wanted to "take care of their guys" to show the rest of the league how attractive it is to play for the Buffalo Bills. What could the Sabres do with that $1.5M? Would that pay the salary of a competent assistant coach? Would it pay a portion of the salary of a veteran stay-at-home defenseman? I guess it boggles the mind that the SAME OWNER could have one of the best franchises in the business in one league and one of the worst in the other. He's willing to spend freely in one, but tightens the belt in the other. Yes, the Bills are a cash cow and the Sabres are not, but ultimately, all the money comes from the same place. Why not send more of it toward hockey? Maybe it's true that the Sabres are willing to spend on veteran players, but the refuse to come to Buffalo....Or maybe Terry sees a return on his investment in football and has been burned when he spent freely on the Sabres?

The losing streak was rough, but they certainly ended it in style. While there are certainly many negatives about the Sabres, I'd like to focus on a few positives. First, Quinn has been playing much better of late, so maybe he's worked through whatever mental issues he's been having. Second, Kulich played his best game a Sabre last night. He made several plays, showing both tenacity (which this team sorely needs) and goal scoring ability (which every team needs). His quick release and hard shot could at some point be recognized as among the best in the league, once the rest of his game rounds out. It's a rare talent and it was great to see it on display last night. I'll add a third-star to Malenstyn whose speed and determined style has finally resulted in a couple of goals in recent games. Happy Holidays to all!

Ray seems like a good guy, but honestly, I think Biron is a better color guy. My only issue with Biron (and it's a big one) is that he is not a native English speaker, so his English is highly accented and slightly hard to follow at times, but I like his analysis and his tone better than Ray's. Ray also needs to buy some new shirts and/or longer ties. Being that he's on television, the least he could do is button his top button and properly tie his tie. Alternatively, just don't wear a tie. It's 2024 (and almost 2025), so a tie is not necessarily required, but if you're going to wear one, wear it properly and don't look sloppy on camera. It shocks me that the producers of the broadcast don't say something to correct this. The Sabres are bush-league enough, no need to make it worse with something that's so easy to fix. But hey, they had a big win last night and got the monkey off their backs. Should make for a more enjoyable holiday for the team and the fans.

I did not know they were playing tonight. Then I look at Sabrespace and see the gameday thread.... Sabrespace, why do you do this to me? I cringe because I know I'm going to watch. I shouldn't, but I can't help myself. I'll be cursing myself later for wasting a couple of hours only to walk away disappointed. I guess it's become somewhat of a gawker's delight.

I had the game on in the background while doing other things, so I didn't really focus on it. At one point, I was actually picked up and started reading a book, as it was more interesting than the game. What might happen in Chapter 32 was more interesting than the 3rd period. It's the middle ground before I get to the point of not watching at all, which I'm very close to....As such, I did not see this particular play, but based on what I did see, I'm not surprised and it's pretty sad.

I agree that the drop pass on the PP rush seems ridiculous. That said, in the last few years, every single NHL and major college hockey team that I've watched uses it. It's certainly not a Sabres thing.

I have no inside knowledge, but I believe that the team would have been willing to spend on some veteran free agents, but those players were not interested in playing for Buffalo. Not because of palm trees or taxes, but because of the teams lengthy and ongoing lack of success. The same may apply to trades for veterans who have no-trade clauses/lists in their contracts. I don't think that's a false narrative being pushed by Adams. I also think that Adams and the team are a bit guy-shy about trading away young, talented, (presumably) ascending players. They're concerned about getting low value in exchange for young guys who will blossom and succeed elsewhere, as Reinhart and Eichel have. Part of the reason that Reinhart and Eichel have succeeded where they are is because of the veteran players/leaders that were already on those teams, who took the pressure off of them and allowed them to blend in and grow and develop their games. So it's a conundrum - trade away the young talent to bring in the veterans to help steer the ship while they (those who remain) develop and lose out on the upside that you've cultivated for several years or hang onto the young talent, but potentially see it never develop because of the lack of leadership/mentorship - but one of the Sabres' own making. By way of example, I believe that Dylan Cozens will be a very good NHL player and a productive top-6 forward. I don't know if it will happen in Buffalo. In order to acquire talented veterans to push Cozens down to the 3rd line where he belongs and can properly develop (with the benefit of their mentorship), you have to trade players LIKE Cozens.

I don't see it that way. Lindy is a veteran coach and he has a struggling team. Rather than going through the ordinary routine (which does not seem to be working), he's trying a different approach. Will it work? Who knows, but at least Lindy recognizes there's a problem and is trying to do something about it. Maybe he's showing the players video and breaking it down to show them where they need to improve, tearing them new ones as he does. Maybe they're under so much pressure to break the losing streak that they're wound too tightly and they're going to go bowling and have a pizza party to take their minds off of things so they can play looser. I don't know. What I do know is that the regular routine was not working, so trying something different is a good idea. I don't see anything cowardly about it. While he might be protecting his young players from public scrutiny, Lindy Ruff is not afraid of the media. He's not dodging the media because he's scared. He's simply trying to find some new and different buttons to push to get his team out of a rut.

I thought Johnson played pretty well when he was with the Sabres. Even though he was a rookie, he held his own and didn't look out of place. I think he's in Rochester right now because they wanted to go with veterans players with a physical presence (Clifton and Gilbert) and because he can, as far as I know, go up and down without having to clear waivers. Rather than being the 7th defenseman in Buffalo, he's better off getting a lot of playing time and development time in Rochester. I could see him as a trade asset, given the acquisition of Byram, whose skill set is somewhat similar to Johnson's. They already also have young puck-moving defensemen in Dahlin and Power as well. I could also see the team moving on from Jokihairu and Johnson filling that slot. Bryson has also been somewhat of a pleasant surprise since the later part of last season, and after being left for dead, also giving them the "luxury" of developing Johnson in the AHL. Truth be told, I don't follow the Amerks very much, so I don't know how Johnson has played there, but he played pretty well in Buffalo.

I think we are agreeing more than you think. My post praised Zucker and also the Savoie for McLeod trade. What I said was that I didn't want to see the team make a "major deal" like trading off regular players like Cozens, Quinn, etc. I also said that I'd be comfortable trading a 2nd round pick and/or additional lower picks to acquire some veteran players. What I don't want to see is Adams blowing up the roster, now that we've FINALLY started to see some progress. Other than Quinn (who may be coming along and still has a lot of upside), most of the younger players have improved this season and they seem to be getting used to Lindy's system. Adding a couple of quality veterans for "prospects, picks or fringe players and not for key roster pieces" is fine, although I'd rather trade picks (and fringe players) than prospects. The prospect pipeline is looking pretty good right now, so picks might be more valuable to a team that doesn't have a very deep prospect pool and could be flipped for veteran assets. I think that the current team, with Lindy as coach, and with Thompson and Greenway coming back, is in a better position to MAKE the playoffs by a point or two rather the MISS by a point or two. That said, success is fragile. Despite a great game by Reimer the other night, if UPL goes down with a significant injury, a lot of this changes. Levi will be sharper and better after playing regularly in Rochester, but I'm not sure that he and Reimer could get the job done. One more thing to add is that the trade deadline is a long ways away. We'll have a much better picture of what the team looks like by then. Will they be buyers or sellers? I don't know, but I'd like to see the current roster marinate with the new Ruff system for a little bit longer before shaking things up. Bring in a veteran for a 2nd round pick? Sure. Blow it up by dealing major roster pieces - not what I want to see.

That would be a reasonable trade. The Sabres have three great young puck-moving defensemen (Dahlin, Power, Byrum). Some teams don't, and need that type of player. Maybe another team has a surplus of stay-at-home defensemen. I'd be fine with swapping Joki for a player of similar value that was more of a stay-at-home type of defensive defenseman. Joki is a former first-round pick with some good skating ability and a lot of NHL experience, so he has some value in the league, but he's not what the Sabres need right now. That's the kind of trade that could help improve the current roster without a huge cost and without mortgaging any future assets.

I may be in the minority, but I'm not that interested in the Sabres making a major deal. We've "suffered" so long with a young team, but with Lindy at the helm, they're finally starting to come along and take shape. I'd actually like to see how things play out. I'm fine with trading a 2nd round draft pick, or that plus other lower picks, to pick up another veteran or two. Maybe the "RHD" version of Zucker, or another veteran forward of Zucker's caliber. Definitely players OVER the age of 25. There's more than enough youth on the team. I just get the sense that if they trade one of their younger players - Krebs, Quinn, Kulich, Power, etc. that the player will develop into a star on someone else's roster and the guy we acquire won't be a longer-term asset. Lindy has gotten the power play going. The PK has been terrific. The goaltending is rounding into form. The in-zone defense is a work in progress, but I think Lindy will address that next. Note that I liked the Savoie trade. He could develop into a star in Edmonton, but I'm not sure he will, and McLeod has been a great addition. Both Benson and Savoie got early chances with the team and despite being similar in size and coming from the same Junior team, Benson was far more effective. Savoie didn't seem to have the "it" factor that Benson had/has. Savoie may turn into Tyler Ennis and have a nice NHL career, but Benson could be more of a Brad Marchand type. McLeod is helping the team now with his speed and grit, along with some timely goal scoring. He also was great for Edmonton in the playoffs last season and could be the type of guy that could really benefit the Sabres if and when they finally make the playoffs.

Hats off to the Reimer. He played extremely well and was a difference maker in the game. I was wrong. Hats off to Lindy and the coaching staff for pushing the right buttons.

While this would not be a terrible time to play Reimer, given the 4-day break after the game (which I was not aware of), play UPL and go get those last 2 points. Give UPL a couple of days off from practice after that, if needed.

Like most Sabres fans, I'm frustrated with Power's lack of physical play on the defensive side, but he's a young guy with tons of talent. He does some things extremely well now (as this post sheds light on) and he'll improve in other areas. He still has the upside to be a star player in the future.

I'm out west and welcome the late start. In the age of cell phones, smart watches, TVs in every gym, bar, and restaurant, satellite radio in the car, and the internet on my desk at work, It's a challenge to avoid spoilers when the game starts at 4:00 PM and I can't watch for several hours.

I'm 6'2" and my dad used to have season tickets in the perfect spot - about 20 rows up at center ice. I remember having to sit almost sideways in order to fit in the seat. I never had a problem at the Aud in his seats there, before the current building opened. That said, I've sat in other places in the building and have not noticed an issue, so I think it's dependent on the row/seat. In any event, the place isn't a state-of-the-art arena, but if the product on the ice is good, the building is more than adequate. They have food, beer, and bathrooms. The sight lines aren't bad. I have not seen the new scoreboard yet, but I'm sure it's an upgrade. I can't speak to much to the acoustics, but they don't need to be anything special for hockey. If the product on the ice improves to a good one, and the team can be consistently good for a number of years, the place will be full for most games, revenue will be up, and that would be a good time to pour some money into the place. Today, if you feel cramped, you can just spill over into the seat next to you, as it's likely empty.

I really like Lindy's honest approach and I think the players like it too. I liked Granato, but I don't think he had the gravitas to fully speak his mind and comment honestly, for fear of losing the room. Lindy does not have that problem.

And he's had that nickname for decades.

Yes. Per Google: "Through the 1980-81 season, the Vezina was awarded to the goaltender(s) who played a minimum of 25 games for the team allowing the fewest goals during the regular season. In 1981-82, Billy Smith of the New York Islanders was named the first winner of the Vezina under the current system." In the current system, the Vezina is awarded to the goaltender deemed the best by way of a subjective vote and not by the objective number for the fewest goals against. I believe the "fewest goals against" award is now the Jennings trophy. It sort of makes sense, because the "best" goalie may not be the one who gives up the fewest goals or has the best save percentage, as teams play different styles and have different levels of defensive talent. A goalie with a .915 Save Percentage and a 2.95 GAA may be on a team with terrible defense and could be "better" than a goalie who has a .922 save percentage and 2.78 GAA. Not all shots on goal are created equal. An unobstructed shot on goal from the point is not the same as one with a bunch of traffic in front and is definitely not the same as a SOG on a breakaway or 2-on-1. (Sadly, we Sabres fans know this all too well.) I realize I'm stating the obvious, but it's the reason that the NHL changed the criteria for the Vezina and added the Jennings. The Jennings is still a good award, as the teams that give up the fewest goals should also be recognized, regardless of how they did it (great goalies, great defensemen, a good system, etc.) An interesting fact I saw via Google: 7 goalies have won BOTH the Vezina and the Jennings.