PerreaultForever

I know I know, but that's why I said it doesn't "seem right". It still appears that there's a lack of accountability and expectation on this team and without that you're not going to be successful in building that winning culture they and we have talked about. All the development talk is fine, but I still think the performance standard is far too low. After this season is over I personally don't want to hear any more about patience and trust the process. I want to hear anything less than playoffs will be considered as failure. Because it will be.

I find it strange that the Sabres had today off after that effort against Nashville. Just doesn't seem right.

So how come his bio says: After the game, Roy was sent to Sherbrooke to observe how the minor pro game was played. Sherbrooke had two netminders, and Patrick was certain he would not play, but fortune smiled on him once again. The one night he was the backup, the starter had equipment troubles early in the game. Subsequently Patrick came in and played well, and the starter never played another game the rest of the season. In the AHL playoffs, Roy established what was to be his finest attribute -- the ability to play under pressure. He led the team to a Calder Cup championship, and the next fall, he was at Montreal's training camp looking to join the club full time.

To get back on topic................... The general thesis is fault can rest on the shoulders of your players, your coaches, your upper management, or all of the above. It is the coach's job to get the maximum out of what he's given. He can't do more than that. If the team has bad players or is missing pieces he can try to cover up for that but ultimately he has little chance for success no matter who he is. If the idea is "fire Granato" that means he's not getting all he should or can from these players. I doubt that's true. I think he's been given marginal NHL goaltending, a young and thin D and few defensively minded forwards to work with. As such, he has tried to create a fast skating offensively oriented team that can out score the opposition. Go with the strengths of what you have been given and maximize that. It worked for a while when the games were more open, but most of these players don't go to the hard areas and as such it's falling apart now so the strengths are gone and the weaknesses are more apparent. Is that Granato's fault? I don't think so. I think it falls on upper management and the roster they provided him. I cannot think of a coach who could definitely fix this.

I think the board would be happy if we were failing like Ottawa. Likely will also miss the playoffs but still giving it their all every night and making it close. (if not for Ullmark they'd have beaten Boston or at least tied into OT) We seemed to be on the upward trajectory earlier in the year but now it all just looks too familiar.

he played in Sherbrooke first. AHL. I totally forgot Tom Barasshole

I can't think of anyone. There have been rookies forced into playing early because of multiple injuries on a team but they generally go back to the AHL or wherever after a stretch of games. More often than not goalies develop the slowest.

Not now but what I was saying is Pegula looked at that contract after and changed his mind on spending big money. We're going back 2 years remember for the new plan. Before Skinner's rebirth in goal scoring. (I still think he's overpaid though, it's just not as grossly overpaid as it was. He's still a defensive liability)

Ullmarki. Never heard of that guy. Sounds Russian. 🙂 I did think I was answering your question and we do agree that KA blew it with Ullmark. His analysis was dead wrong. Bruins fans were critical of Sweeney last year for that signing and now they want to give him Sainthood. GMs live and die by these decisions, it's their job. Sabres announcing "Andy's back" as if it was an accomplishment rather than a failure was kind of sad. I don't think Georgiev or Vanecek had no trade clauses but maybe they did. I doubt it though. They weren't established enough or big enough names to warrant that.

Just putting that back out there because there is talk Philly might be willing to trade him. If they plan to keep Hart and bring up Ersson full time I'd make a deal for Sandstrom. Shouldn't cost much and although he won't solve the problem, he's an upgrade from Comrie. I'd still look for a starter.

Ya, I think Levi (if he even plays) will do what rookies do. He'll have streaks and after a good one he will have a bad one and how he gets in and out of those streaks will determine his immediate value. I wouldn't be surprised if he started the year and was incredible and won several games and Sabrespace would be all second coming of Miller or Hasek and then later he'll crack and bust and the losing streak will be on. Teams have figured UPL out and his rebound control is abysmal so combined with this D he has no chance to be a good NHL starter unless he improves a lot. he should be in Rochester working every day with his goalie coach. Comrie is what he's always been. Marginal NHLer career back up and apparently injury prone. If this team plans to make Levi their #1 next year they are all insane.

They spent money, but they spent it poorly. I think it's safe to say that Skinner crapping out after signing the big contract plus Taylor Hall doing nothing made them stop and think why am I paying these guys? So the new plan was strip it all down, spend the minimum while you build and then be in good shape later. Problem is when is later? They seem to believe in extremes in this regard rather than balancing things out. No idea where it'll go in the future, but if the subtext to this thread is Pegula is a crap owner, I don't think it would get much argument.

I'm going to say the same thing I said years ago. Hire Rick Dudley as Senior Whatever you want to call it uber boss and let him fire and get rid of anybody and everybody he wants to.

I hope I am wrong, but my guess is next year's goalies will be UPL, Comrie and Levi. They might sign a scrub for Rochester, but that's about it. I really really really hope I'm wrong.

I'm with you on the goaltending and Dman depth but you lost me on the Jack Adams for Granato. Miracle you're around .500 when you have that much goal scoring talent on a team??? Miracles are how Philly isn't dead last or how Boston is so freaking far ahead. There's a long list of coaches ahead of Granato On other things, I often wonder about his line matching decisions, D combos, and most of all that not pulling the goalie thing. I guess he knows the goalies all suck idk, it's weird. He even said "you can't pull the goalie at that point" after like goal 5 or 6 the other night in the 3rd and I just scratch my head over that and wonder. But, most of all the team still lacks structure and discipline and that's on the coaching. I know a lot of people around here hate Torts, but can you imagine how many Sabres he'd have in his doghouse the way they are playing right now? He'd have almost no one to play. Point being Granato never benches top players when they are crap. There is no accountability on this team. I guess he's too nice, but that's not how you build a winning culture.

I wouldn't go that high (3rd round) every year but all your picks after the 3rd round are going to be projects or long shots or late blooming luck and goalies by and large take a longer time so they are worth the gamble, and too many goalies in your system is not a problem.

I get it, but he's looking pretty good right now isn't he. Opportunity missed.

All goalies are head cases.

Oh no, I think most everyone felt their time line was a long one but as fans a lot of us disagreed with it. After 11 years it's kind of hard to buy in to "patience". The dumb thing is sticking to a plan and not adapting and adjusting your plan to fit the realities of what occurs on the ice and in the locker room. Plans need to be fluid and adaptable and moments need to be seized. Look how fast Yzerman did a pivot from make the playoffs this year to acquire draft capital even if it means moving out popular players. KA's done what? Our FAs go for nothing and all he did was bring in Stillman to replace Fitzgerald and traded for a dud Minnesota didn't want. We were close for a moment, but I guess KA and Granato knew we didn't have what it takes so they didn't bother to try to get us there.

So many possibles where do you begin.............................. You start with Ullmark. He's the perfect example of why you draft a goalie in a late round every year. They take time to develop, you bring them along slowly and then one day they just might bloom and play like the "Flower". So we developed him and then we let him slip away for nothing and now look where he is. So, prior to the deadline you offer him a solid deal, he doesn't take it you deal him and if you can't you don't have to protect him with expansion. So that's moment one. Expansion was moment two. There were several teams with 3 goalies or 2 decent goalies and there were trade options to pick up a goalie and protect him there. HUGE missed opportunity. Vanecek would have been the primary target there imo. Easy to get I think at that moment. Currently has a .909 sv% Another big miss was Georgiev. ,920 sv% currently. Traded for a couple 3rd rounders are you kidding me? Adams couldn't beat that deal??? Vladar was traded away by Boston for a 3rd as well. Would have made that deal. I would have signed Husso over Comrie. His stats aren't great but Detroit's D isn't great either so hard to say if that would have helped. Maybe not. He'd likely have been able to start more games than Comrie has though that's for sure. Just think about it, how would things be if our goalies were Georgiev and Vanecek with UPL in Rochester and now Levi signed for the future and all we'd have given up were a handful of 3rd rounders or even 2nd rounders to beat the offers that happened. KA simply failed miserably.

Oh I totally agree with all that. The problem with it though is that was the same thing I (and others) said at the end of last season (along with Thompson having to continue to be good, Cozens maturing and the rookies - Quinn and/or Peterka being able to play NHL level hockey - contributing, those 3 things having actually happened) and if the "plan" is just to keep building from within it'll be the same thing we are talking about at the end of next season. I believe in Levi, but not instantly, and thinking he will solve everything now is like buying a lottery ticket. It's possible, but chances are you just threw your money away and would have been more satisfied just buying a cup of coffee instead and going back to work with it.

islanders control their own destiny again after that thumping of the leafs. Could be a dangerous wildcard team. meanwhile, we are not out of the Bedard sweepstakes yet. Still very possible to finish bottom 11.

Well it won't surprise you that I think we need major changes. Skinner-Thompson-Tuch Cozens Quinn Peterka Krebs and 5 forwards currently not on this roster also want 2 D men and a goalie (as well as Levi) I also know it won't happen.

Under Dan Bylsma we ended the season with 81 pts. We currently have 72 with 12 games remaining. 7-13 since the break, if we keep that pace we might win 6 which would put us 3 pts ahead of the Bylsma team come season end. PROGRESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This year would have been difficult because of the goalie situation. As a GM this year I would have made the Chychrun deal but I doubt it would have been enough without a goalie. This team simply isn't built for tough checking playoff style hockey and we are seeing the results of that.