PerreaultForever

I owe nobody anything. Sabres fans are clearly all mentally challenged or insane (myself included). No sane person would put up with this crap for 11 years.

That's what we thought/hoped, but so far that's not who he is or what he does. He did get in front of the net that helped us get a goal but overall, he's not playing like a big aggressive forward.

BUT, they aren't any closer and won't get any closer without making the additions discussed above including the heavier forwards. They could have made some of those moves this year and been in contention. I have zero faith that they'll make those moves this off season.

So Hart's beaten us twice this year but ya, he's crap. Best we stick with the plan of old men and rookies.

It's probably a good thing we don't make the playoffs. Style we play is NOT playoff hockey and no matter who we played we'd go out in 4, 5 games at the most.

and we didn't do this time either.

Better than talking about this game (just another example of the same problems we've had since day 1)

This is kind of like the Washington game but they have even less talent so the PK might survive. They will play simple hockey, plodding along, slowing it down as much as possible, controlling the wall and clogging the middle. If we play their style we lose. If we try to skate up the middle all the time we will have trouble like we did last time we played them. Use our speed, shoot it in and forecheck their D and they will crumble. It's Risto remember.

I think the expectations of instant success are pretty lofty and unreasonable but it'll be fun to see what he has at the NHL level. If the plan is to go with 2 young guys next year the pressure is really on the goaltending coaching. Is it adequate? UPL doesn't seem to be improving so idk. Goalies take time and have big ups and downs so the development process here is critical. Anyway, no need to worry yet. Just glad all the panic over him possibly not signing is over. Helps with the team's image as an up and comer too. Might help with future signings if the word out there is bright future for the team.

I get what you're saying but "borderline" and "legitimate" seem to sort of cancel each other out. He has looked better than he was, but I would say he's a legitimate 5-6 and a borderline 4. Ideally, I'd like to see a better (solid, stable, reliable and preferably physical) partner for Power who would also allow Power to be a little more offensively aggressive and pair Jokiharju in the 3rd pairing.

You know, if this franchise was run well, a prospect goalie signing or not signing wouldn't and shouldn't generate this much interest and panic. Adams needs to trade for a goalie whether Levi signs or not. We should never be in a situation where a prospect is this important.

I always thought of Briere as a dedicated, focused, hard working kind of guy. Somehow it seems he failed to pass those ethics down to his kid who seems to be a spoiled brat a-hole. Kid looks a lot like Danny, but I guess that's where the DNA stops.

Exactly my point. The guy isn't really good at anything.

Been this way for a long long time. We aren't getting any better at defending the front of the net area or the slot or any of the dangerous areas that most goals are scored from. management blew this season. Yes, I know, there's a "plan"

perhaps our goaltending coach isn't as good as people think he is. UPL certainly doesn't seem to be progressing.

and Clifton. There are decent UFA D men to chose from. Hope he gets one or even two. After the Washington game I'd say goaltender is still the #1 priority.

But we don't need more big guys who play soft. We have our scorers on the roster and in the prospect pool. We need some big guys who play like big guys. I said this earlier and I hold to it now. Greenway is exactly like Bailey was. maybe just slower.

Pretty typical Sabres loss really. Game they could have and should have won but they took the foot off the gas and let them back in, got bad goaltending, bad D, and were horrible in terms of net front presence. Pretty much the same things that were wrong with this team when the season started.

Well we beat them before and also before they traded away some good players so no reason we can't beat them again. We are fast, they are slow, keep skating for 60 minutes to have success. If they suck us into playing their slow plodding physical game we are sunk.

Okay, well we disagree on the bolded. No point in going over that again and again. In a few years we will know the answer and which of us is right. I'd love to discuss other trades for sure. I'd love to hear other people's ideas. Hart was my first because I saw the tweet about him possibly being available. Besides Saros, who would you trade for and what would you give to get him?

Florida has a tie breaker on us I think, which is why I said "almost". We can go ahead of the isles if we keep winning though, that is correct.

I just don't get your point though. Pushed to be more offensive sure, but what coach tells a big guy to "lay off the physicality"? That would be insane imo.

Almost control our own destiny again.

maybe not a better bet than Levi, but definitely a more immediate one. Hart seems to me (from what I've seen) to be a solid bet to make an Ullmark like surge upwards really soon. As such I see this as a Hasek like moment (not saying he will be as good as Hasek, but I do think he could be much much better than he appears to be now). I'd take a Demko trade over what we have now. It would still be better imo than just sticking with what we have and staying the course waiting for Levi. Also, I wouldn't give up Kulich either. He is the prospect I'm most high on. The rest, if we can get a decent goalie, I couldn't care less.

maybe, but I don't see why that would prevent him from throwing some weight around now.