Pokey Jones

Could be psychological. Maybe just needs his confidence back.

That was just a bad trade period. If you don't make the trade for Hodgson you don't need to bring in Ott or Scott. Kassian had big issues, but if he had been developed properly he might still be here. Was it possible? maybe not. Guy was an immature f-up at the time but Hodgson was a bust in one way and Kassian was a bust in another so it was just two GMs trying to salvage something albeit with different reasons/motives.

Well it sounds like he's going to get a shot to show what he can still do with Jack so we will see how that goes. Jack makes all his linemates better so maybe this gets him going again.

Ya, I have hope for Rodrigues. He definitely has the wheels and it would be great if he could click with Jack. Lacked finish last year but fingers crossed he'll take a step up this year when he comes back.

I dunno. Maybe. Hope so. Who can say. He's stinking the joint up in London this year but who knows.

See I was right. Chickenhead just proved it. Pity he won't see this now cause I'm on his ignore list. but he will, cause I won't be cause it's the internet and he just wont' be able to help himself. My money's on him to be the guy who fake quits in disgust. lolz.

They also have to be looking at who is adapting/responding better to the new system and as such who has upside and who is perhaps struggling with it.

Jankowski worked for Hockey Canada so that is an interesting choice. Not a lot of NHL experience but lots with the worlds and under 17s. I am optimistic over that hire.

I don't think we are even close to having a large enough sample size. One thing is clear to me, the fear that there would be a steep learning curve and perhaps a step backwards before a leap forwards seems quite possible. Not certain, but likely. Way too much line juggling now and some injury subs and so forth so they are still tinkering and finding roles. If we can start stringing wins together or even winning 2 of 3 then you can start looking at the state of the union more clearly I think (alternatively stringing losses would tell us too but let's be optimistic). PP is a real issue imo. We need to get that back if we hope to have any chance. Not sure why its dropped so badly, but I think to some extent teams have decided to try and take away Jack as their PK focus and so our coaches need to look at that in depth. Honestly I think you need about 20 games to really know so mid November.

Lots of people post the same thing in different threads. Lots of people go off topic in a thread. Only newer people get called on it. Its no big deal. This board is fine but its not any different to any other. All kinds of people some knowledgeable some not some who played the game some who just read books. Any time a newer voice shows up to any board and changes the familiar dynamic in any way it annoys some old time posters. If the old guard doesn't successfully chase them away and the new voice starts arguing with them enough it'll get ugly and then some veteran will grandstand a (temporary) exit saying something like "this place isn't what it used to be" hoping to make the inferences clear and gain backroom support to force the guy out. Its all very boring really and hardly new. Seen this happen to lots of people in lots of places. So let's drop it ok? I'm not going to be a victim but after years of team futility I am a cranky old bastard and I'm not going to stop bitching until they start winning. Love my posts, hate my posts, ignore my posts, whatever you prefer as an individual but if you just want to talk about me or make sarcastic comments etc. it says more about you than me. I really don't give a flying f... So, let's just talk hockey ok?

No the recipe is obviously pay everyone from last year's roster handsomely, I mean why mess with success? I think you have to clear off as much cap space as possible to be able to manage the team in the future when Mittlestadts or whoever (presuming some good JBot drafts) need money and to be able to sign a few mid priced FAs who fit the system. Too early for me to look at the UFA lists but I am sure JBot is. It really comes down to one question - do you think/trust Kane to be a consistent top goal scorer year in year out? If you do, you pay him, I don't so I wouldn't. I think Jack has elevated Kane and I think he can elevate some cheaper fast skating players just as well.

Poor Casey Mittelstadt..........expectations are just way out of reality but back to Kane, I just don't trust him so it ain't worth the risk. Not to mention I don't see how they make the numbers work until they have some of those overpaid contracts run their course cause trading them will be difficult to impossible. If you could somehow move Moulson and Okposo off the roster then maybe, but otherwise its not workable long term.

Just for the record, what i said after the game is no different than what Lehner and O'Reilly are saying right here: http://buffalonews.com/2017/10/22/showing-pulse-sabres-know-need-come-life/ So I guess they aren't fans either :)

well the Ottawa Senators logo does have me wonderin'........

I wonder if L.A. would give us a good D man for him? They have a bunch of them and lack scoring so........................

No, it's pointed at me. And its BS. The reality is newer people on sports boards always get the ire if they don't post popular agreement and they often leave as a result. If they stick around over time they get accepted more as long time members start to understand their style and tone more. It's just the usual internet crap. I've seen that from both sides it's no big deal. I'm too old to give a toss either way. As for "superior tone" I see that all over - especially from people who think their tone is superior enough to identify the superior tone of others. Being here for a long time doesn't make you dumber, doesn't make you smarter, it just makes you more accepted. Again, it's just the internet, a colossal waste of time. I'd rather talk about the team but if anyone prefers to talk about tones and personalities and whatever enjoy yourselves I will ignore it for the most part. None of it matters.

Well they gave him a standing o................ but has he done much since? Not really.

No, you definitely build a good team via the draft especially in a salary cap era. Free agents should only be for short term hole filling. High profile free agents are almost always over priced and you lose in the long run with only a handful of exceptions to that rule. Build through the draft. You fail in the draft and you fail, and you become exceptional if you score in the later rounds of drafts. Exceptions to this rule (Hasek for example) are very rare.

or we get Calgary to take Sam............

McCabe's hit was really nice. Thing about Nolan, his best (and maybe only big) hit was in L.A. and he clearly did that for the L.A. fans who loved him. Probably wanted people to go "man I miss him, why'd they let him go?" He has been ok, but not sure he has the same level of committment/interest for this team. We shall see.

Ok good, that is encouraging. Thanks for posting that.

Nah, I'm not doing what you claim. I've just been burned too many times by this team showing a brief flash and then crashing back to reality I can't do that any more. String a few good efforts in a row together and then we can talk seriously about turning a corner.

Yes, Rochester roster is thin and that is the problem. Not the tank, but what they did or rather didn't do with all the draft picks and options that got them. I've asked this before, does anyone know, did JBot replace the Murray scouting staff? imo they all should have been fired.

Okposo/Reinhart/Moulson - line needs a nickname. In honour of the season starting tonight I dub them TSD - The Skating Dead.

Really like the O'Reilly article talking about getting "mad" and playing with emotion. This is what was missing in that Vancouver game where they all looked like stiffs on the bench. It took time to turn Nashville's D into a force and they only became dominant with Subbhan's arrival. JBot improved the weakest link on the team as best he could without giving up anything substantial, it's a good start but has a long way to go. Give it time. The problem imo is what to do with the scrub line of Okposo/Reinhart/Moulson.