PerreaultForever

That's a reach to say the least.

Pretty even game imo. Very similar to the last time we played them. Lucky they gaffed and we netted the shorty to give us the win. It'll be interesting to see how their rebuild compares to ours next season. Right now they should not be even with us, they should be a lot worse, but they are rebuilding on a different model so it'll be interesting to see who has it more right over time. Greenway gives a little push back but it is disappointing we have nobody to go after Jack-eye (as they pronounce it, I am not looking up the spelling) when he roughs up Mitts repeatedly. You can't let that sort of intimidation go unchecked. But whatever.

Boo-hoo. That arena turns to cheers quickly when they play well. Trouble is they play bad too often, simple as that. I have no doubt it's seen as the most toxic in the league but we can't reverse cause and effect can we? That's what they are trying to do.

Lack of effort some nights. Maybe too relaxed and cozy in that fancy locker room. Bad coaching and poor line match ups other nights. Also, teams come in playing road hockey, which is tougher defensively and it frustrates their wide open style. Those same teams in their barns sometimes try to play more offensively for their fans which we do better with (sometimes). That's my explanation of it. There might be other reasons but I think those are the main ones. I still think we need a roster structured on 2 scoring lines, 1 checking line and a character line. Ideally all fast and all big, but their roles and abilities need to fit that format for success and then the coach has to utilize them properly. Right now we have 2 scoring lines (supposedly) a mish mash scoring line and a has been cast off line and it's been that way for a while, even with different names.

The problem is Adams should have already gotten the recipe. He's played. He knows. He should have brought in veteran leadership to build around. The all youngster plan was stupid. They're not protected on ice and they don't know how to handle losing as you said. Girgs and Kyle are not the right leaders for this. Girgs has always been on a loser and Kyle's just a nice guy but neither can lead them out of this.

Well Tuch said it (my choice for captain before this season started and with what is on this roster he still is) and he was right but he came in from outside this culture and he has a childhood element of Sabres pride in him. The longer he's here the more he will be subsumed by the attitude the team has imo. If you are saying the fans have gone too far I disagree entirely. If you are saying the players have given up on the fans that I would agree with, but I also think that is unacceptable.

Oh that's so weird to read. I know there are a LOT of cottages up there in reality but a good friend of mine's older sister had a cottage half hour north of Parry Sound and we had some very decadent parties up there in my youth.

To still make the playoffs TODAY: Charter planes carrying the Leafs and Habs have to crash into the Detroit airport where the debris somehow lands on the Red Wings bus unloading killing all members of all 3 teams and Florida has to get hit and submerged by a Tsunami wiping out the entire state while the Florida teams are playing home games and then......... then there's a slim chance, but we might still miss by 1 point.

Then for f's sake show it on the ice every night, every shift and work to make it happen. Don't just prance around believing your own press and expecting it to happen. If this was a low talent team that tried every night I'd be less critical than this overpaid punch of pampered divas. Sabres represent the modern culture of entitlement more than anything I can think of except maybe hollywood nepo babies.

All this current whining about being booed and not doing the stick salute and all of this as a response rather than owning it and working harder is kind of making me dislike this team more than any other. Telling the fans that they need to behave better rather than them trying to play better is a new low point.

I know you guys hate Boston, but contrast his comments with this: https://firstsportz.com/nhl-news-jim-montgomery-acknowledges-fans-booing/ The difference is part of what is fundamentally wrong with this franchise.

He is slow, I saw that. It's his weakness for sure. I doubt he's anything more than a temp fix there and he's a career AHL guy but I just like the whole story. It's total feel good and I cannot remember when we had a story like that in Buffalo. You'd think we'd be beating the bushes looking for guys out there but we don't.

you owe me an apology for that 🙂

lol, obviously, the "if anything" was a rebuttal to the original idea. But I disagree on "no one". imo Pegula needs to apologize and on many nights there are players who lacked effort that should apologize as well.

Why do we never get a story like this in Buffalo??? https://nesn.com/2024/02/jim-montgomery-bruins-thrilled-for-justin-brazeau-after-nhl-debut/

I don't think you need to apologize for negativity. How can you not be negative about this franchise and their ineptitude? If anything the positivity people need to apologize for helping perpetuate the constant "next year" philosophy we have to endure forever it seems. I honestly don't know how this team sells a single season ticket. Lots of money to burn I guess. They certainly don't get their money's worth. Clearly though, the players and owner do not listen to the fans. They "know better" after all.

Are you really asking though? cause I think you already know. Pegula hockey is not winning hockey. Funny thing is, go back to the off season threads where half this board were mocking the Yzerplan and some were even claiming he'd lost it entirely.

I said that last year and got a heap of flack and derision. Ahead of my time I guess 🙂

As bad as Girgs is at times, he still tries, AND he was better than Skinner today so why don't you waive Skinner first. I swear this team will not get good until that whiney lazy bitch is gone.

Basically the Philly plan. A few necessary "subtractions" and a few good veteran additions. Not a full rebuild, but Skinner has to go. As well as moving on from Girgs and Kyle. Thompson I'm not sure about. The new coach has to figure that one out. I think he can likely be saved but I'd have to know him in the locker room to be certain as to whether his issues can be corrected or not. Same for Mitts.

Sure, along with paisley shirts, bell bottoms, mini skirts and go go boots.

I like it, but I don't think you can do that by player's association rules. Once the season ends they are free. Unfortunately. We need a new coach and a boot camp training camp though that's for sure.

I agree but that way of playing is also on the coaching. If they demanded a different style of play not every one of them would adapt and some would have to go, but I think some of them could be changed. Eichel played 2 way hockey in the cup run. That never happened when he was here. Torts partially fixed Risto. Reinhart is having a career year. There are lesser names as well but it's not worth going over all of them. The roster is poorly constructed and we have not been well coached since they fired Ruff.

I think you are missing the point though. It's not about being coddled, it's a sign of respect. It's saying we value you, we will do our best FOR YOU. Tickets are expensive in 2024 and ordinary people have to save up and put their hard earned cash down to treat their son or even daughter and so forth and it's a reasonable expectation to see a team give an effort and earn their money. These millionaires might not actually care, but it's part of their job to at least pretend they care. But that's not even the main point. The main point is the one you aren't getting. It's not about if the salute is dumb or not, or even needed, it's about the conscious team decision to not do it. That's a F U to the fans and that is just wrong.

He just seems to roll lines every game. There's no match ups beyond the period opening. It's absurd, especially since the lines abilities are far from equal. In terms of D his only answer seems to be play Dahlin a lot and pray.