PerreaultForever

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.

Unbelievable. and yet at the same time, of course, it's the Sabres. Ducks are bad. Like really really bad, and yet they found a way to lose to them. I just shake my head in dismay. Johnson and Johnson were horrific. So many errors, missed plays and giveaways. They were a disaster. Nobody is going to want EJ at the deadline if they watched that. Maybe that's what he wants. Just horrible. On the Thompson almost goal or Gibson big save (depending on how you want to look at it) this play exemplifies one of the many things wrong with this team. Nice play, close to a goal, but there's Thompson watching and admiring his shot and pointing at it like he expects it to be in when he should be hacking and whacking at it to make sure it goes in. That puck was still loose and there was no D there. If that's a Marchand or a Tkachuk, or a plethora of others they are on that puck and hacking for it and making sure it goes in. They might get a goalie interference review and they'd get some pushing and shoving after maybe but it'd be in and in almost every instance it would count. But not Tage, oh no, skate by and point. Complain and whine maybe. What a stupid team. Benson goal. That's how you do it. The plan is an active D so give it to the D, shoot the puck, get in front and tip it. Goal. Lots of goals get scored that way. Simple basic hockey 101 but so few of them do it. Usually we pass to the outside and shoot from there to end the rush. Our best players were Peterka, Benson and Greenway. Why is it the best players on this team are most often the ones who have been here for the shortest time? (that's rhetorical, we already know the answer). Lastly, Granato cannot manage a hockey game on ice as it goes. Some of the line match ups he chose were absurd and cost us goals against. That should never happen on home ice. He is a horrible coach in terms of game management. Once again, I f'n hate this team.

and back in the day a "celly" was considered hot dogging and would get you a smack in the face. Times change. These days it's a thing teams do and deciding not to do it on purpose is the issue.

Without the fans there is no franchise. They need to realize this.

This speaks to something that many of us have talked about for a long time and that's the cultural problem in Buffalo, or perhaps better stated as the lack of a culture. This is a team of individuals who play for themselves (and this shows on ice often) and it is not a TEAM that plays with pride or makes the sacrifices and commitment that sort of culture requires. This is why it's been a disaster since Pegula took over. They tanked and gutted the team so there was no team left. But then instead of rebuilding the culture first, they tried to build a franchise around big names, bratty divas and big egos. What we see now is players who play for themselves when they need new contracts or want to reach milestones but in no way do they hate to lose. Matter of fact, I suspect most of them are quite happy to see the seasons end early so they don't have to do all that extra playoff work. Contrast this with Trotz in Nashville who is on record saying the FIRST thing he had to do was reset and rebuild the culture. I think the words were something like wins right now are nice but the main thing is to get these guys to play the right way and build a team culture to build on. Or Torts in Philly who said "first we have to subtract and then rebuild a culture and identity" and they are doing it. Or contrast it with Boston who were booed recently and the response from Montgomery was "our fans are smart, we deserved to be booed" or from Marchand who as captain said "the fans were right. We have to be better". The thought of turning on the fans does not enter into a solidly built franchise. For them, the fans are all that matters. imo we'd all think a little better of TP if he'd reacted to this action by lambasting the players and ditching whoever the leader of this decision was. You don't have to fire the coach when the fans demand it, but you do have to accept their right to say it any way they want to. In Buffalo however, the players are pampered and the fans are taken for granted

Hey long time no argue with. Good to hear from you again. I need to clarify. I didn't mean THIS season. This season is too late. I meant for the future going forward. I'm already in the mode of thinking what we need to do to have a chance next year. Have been for quite a while actually. Lowry is a game changing leader. He's not the best player on the ice, but he leads by example, plays the right way, and he can shift the flow and the dynamic of a game by himself on any shift. When we drafted him I thought Cozens might develop more in that direction but he's not that guy and never will be. We don't have that guy.

Adams, whatever it takes, get this team an Adam Lowry. Do that and I am pretty sure we are talking playoffs. https://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/n268986

Too much ice time with Skinner. He's learning the fine art of not working up a sweat and floating between offensive plays.

Well I personally am a fan of The Gaslight Anthem, so I enjoyed it.

Well if we don't have that many of those type that's on management. I think there are guys on the roster who could be that though with the right coaching and - this is the important part - if they knew they had a roster that would back them up if things got heavy. I'm watching this NJ Philly outdoor game (good game) and I see how big and mean Konecny is playing now and it's very effective. I think this is because of Hathaway and DesLauriers being on the roster. You add that snarl and then everybody else feels just a little bit bigger and tougher as well. That's what we need to add.

It seems unlikely. Even with a run, the teams above us are still picking up far too many points. Loser points too. The one thing that might come out of this though is them realizing how bad Power has been since Bryson is actually playing better (for now).

This is it right? Torts did a deep evaluation on that team last year and Laughton was one of the guys on the block but no deal worth taking apparently. idk the guy really but Flyers fans tell me his work ethic and consistency is somewhat lacking and so that would explain it and would also make me think we should NOT trade for him.

Pretty even game. Two fast teams, lots of giveaways all over on both sides. They looked like they'd win for being a little more tenacious around the goal but then we finally went to the goal and voila, there it is. OT win as well. Nice. I like Cozens on the wing better than at center. I've suggested that for a while and I think it works. That was our best line. Neither team is making the playoffs though. But I do have to say the tying goal illustrates what's usually missing and why we don't see that sort of net front effort all the time is beyond me. Team seems capable of doing it. Coaches should be demanding it. All game. Not just the final minute.