PerreaultForever

That's just the key thing though isn't it? Murray destroyed whatever culture this team had left, and we haven't been able to restore yet since. The tank left us with a complete void so he needed character guys to be leaders. He didn't assess the personalities of these additions properly and guys like Eichel learned from drunks and ego centric party animals. His only good role model was a guy we shipped off to some obscure place eventually because we didn't even want him near our prospects in the ahl. Hell of a hockey culture he created and it's still not fixed.

He definitely did. Big time. But you know, at the time, I remember most people thought his plan was good at first. ROR was supposed to be a game changing 2 way 2C with McDavid (or Eichel, they were both supposed to be "generational") as the scoring 1C. It was supposed to be a Gretzky-Messier equivalent and many thought it was. Kane was supposed to be happy to be out of Winnipeg and would blossom into the ultimate sniper power forward he was supposed to be potting multi goals off McDavid/Eichel's passes. Bogo was supposed to have added tough D and Lehner was going to be the future goalie (which he sort of became for a bit, we just didn't know he had so many "issues"). A lot of it made sense at the time and it's kind of amazing how spectacularly it all went wrong.

Buffalo always seems to get so much snow. "Lake effect" or whatever it is but I remember growing up in Hamilton, just a short drive away and we'd get like half a foot and you'd get 2-3 feet for the same storm. I was always amazed at how high the snow piles were in Buffalo when we visited. I vaguely remember a story from way back (not sure which year, mid 70s maybe?) where there was a Sabres game and one of the Sabres had so much snow at his front door he couldn't get out. I think it was Jocelyn Gouvrement and he was getting a ride to the rink for the game from (I think) Lee Fogolin (maybe I have that reversed it was long ago) but he had some sort of all terrain jeep or something and so he tosses some equipment out a second story window, gets out on the roof, slides down the snow bank and wades/digs his way to the curb and off they go and make the game last minute. I'm thinking today all the members of the current team would just call in sick and go back to bed. (and I know they'd cancel the game in today's world, but still.......)

I did no such thing. My words were: "So let's say we win the lottery and draft Bedard. I mean of course we would. Anything else would be stupid." So get yer head out of the snow, and pay attention.

idk if there is interest at this point from other teams or the timing is right. I agree with the idea from a Sabres perspective, but the only thing I see teams wanting right now is salary dumps so they have cap space at deadline time. Guys like Craig Smith in Boston will be available but guys like that aren't going to help. I'd trade a forward prospect for a defensive prospect though since we didn't draft any of the upper round ones. maybe somebody would be into that. idk which teams have too many D prospects though.

I think it's the wrong way to go as well but MAYBE this is just for a few games to give Samuelsson less minutes as he works his way back into game condition. The Dahlin/Samuelsson top pairing is the only one that makes sense. A stay at home guy who hits and blocks shots with a speedy offensively skilled guy. As it should be. That 4th line just looks - wrong. Kind of hope Granato is planning on limited ice time for that one.

What's your point though? What did I say that was incorrect? Try actually responding to something instead of just taking snipes for no reason. I don't believe ANYBODY here doesn't think Bedard is an exceptional talent and the lottery winner this year will be a very happy team. Nobody has said otherwise, yet you seem to feel a need to defend Bedard against...................what? It's ridiculous.

Well there's a difference between being large and playing large but that's probably an argument for another thread. I will jut say that I really liked Peterka's first few games, but idk if you've noticed but it's kind of gone. The snarl and spunk has all but disappeared and he plays like a Sabre . The team is soft, they play soft, none of them seem to care. So let's say we win the lottery and draft Bedard. I mean of course we would. Anything else would be stupid. But what then? Your centers are now going to be Bedard, Savoie, Thompson and Cozens (4th line?) . Something will have to give. You're going to have to start moving out players like Mitts and Krebs for that grit talent you haven't drafted (or D or goal). If they think we can overwhelm everybody with 12 speedy playmakers they're absolutely nuts. I was done with 5'10" puckmovers when the first one arrived.

So Horvat signed isn't impossible to walk away from for you? If Horvat was signed as part of the deal I'd give them Krebs, Mitts and one more.

I thought this was the case using the old eye test so I looked it up. In terms of shots blocked per game we are second to last in the league with an average of 11 per game. Vegas is top with 20 per game. Also, although +/- isn't everything, it is worth noting Bryson is -12.

Sure, but can he drive his own line? 🙂

I think the way things are going this is highly possible now. There was a glimmer of interest after the run of wins and competitive games but I think the lack of entertainment has returned and the people will give up and splurge on fresh lettuce instead. Better value 🙂

Screw the advanced stats. Bad D makes goalies look bad. Everybody's on about how good Ullmark is this year. Is he that different? or is he just playing confidently knowing he can rely on his defense. He knows his D and his D knows him and they make each other look better. I will tell you what the stats don't. When a goalie can't rely on his D he knows he can't leave a rebound, he has to clear the shot. Maybe he can't see through the screen. Maybe he gets run into more or simply worries about getting run in to. Maybe the pressure of rarely playing with a lead gets to him knowing he can't let the next one in. I could go on and on. All these things add up and the goalie loses his edge, his swagger if you will, and then his advanced stats are worse. Cause that's what Ullmark has now. Watch a game. It's swagger. The one thing he didn't have in Buffalo.

Fighting is down, but it's definitely not gone from the game. You're just watching too many Sabres games. Remember this guy? https://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/n265891 Sabres definition of checking: wave your stick towards the puck, close your eyes and hope nothing happens.

It takes a true hockey genius to run a power play where everybody stays wide and all you do is move the puck around the perimeter. Possession numbers must be quite good. Analytics and all that. I am mildly amused that I am reading all these angry and negative comments about various aspects of the team that are all things I've been saying off and on for years now and have been mostly dismissed and called a pessimist and so forth. I'm not the type to say I told you so but I think maybe I do understand hockey after all. Pegula does not.

lol. That would be kind of funny. I feel it'll be tonight though. Not Bjork, but some sort of emotion has to explode on this team doesn't it?????

Totally agree. The show has been pretty much rubbish after the defeat of Negan. Horrible final seasons, aspects make no sense even in the premise of that world, and yet they have the audacity to make it a "universe" and spin off movies and sequels. I guess somebody cares. I'm seeing it out though. At least until the finale this week. I like the zombie genre though, always have. Maybe that's why I still watch the Sabres 😉

idk, I've watched every game so far this year. I see flat performances. They don't dig down when behind, they don't give extra. They basically don't break a sweat. When's the last time you saw them come off the ice sweating and exhausted? Standing around is just that, standing around, and looking for somebody else to do the work. Even Cozens, who is the least of the offenders is often trying to block shots with his stick instead of his body. So yes, they need to learn to play D, but they also have to be willing to do what it takes. Screw the players if they ignore it. That'll simply mean we have the wrong players. The players should NOT be okay with losing either.

You're reading that wrong. Lack of effort is unacceptable in Philly under Torts. I never feel that that is the case here in Buffalo. They DEFINITELY lack effort on many occasions and at some point of most games.

You still watching the Walking Dead? Negan's no Negan 🙂 idk, I've seen Ottawa look really good this year and also really bad. They are better at home than on the road though. I expect them to play us physical. Maybe we see that first fight this game? Heck, the Sabres SHOULD come out with fire and anger and want to break the losing streak, but they'll probably just be the same...........

Spot on and true. Granato said some accurate things but it still sounded like "learning opportunity" stuff to me. Torts, after a slack effort says things like "they keep playing like that and I will make their life hell". He has brought them in for a tough morning skate the day after a sucky effort. He can't fix Philly's lack of talent, but lack of effort is unacceptable there and I never feel that with Buffalo. It's always just learning and they never learn. imo they are learning to lose AGAIN. The leadership is lacking, the effort is lacking, and thus the results are also lacking. There's simply no feeling that this is improving in any way. Danny Gare? Ya, definitely. He brought it. Luce brought it. Ramsey brought it. The French Connection slacked and played soft now and again but the D was solid and tough and there were lots of grit players back then like Dudley who brought it every shift. That's why I mentioned Miles Wood with 6 goals in the discussion of New Jersey. He's no allstar, but he brings it. It's contagious. We used to have guys like that. For some reason this team feels we don't need any of them now. Makes me wonder if things would be better if Marcus Foligno was still here and perhaps even wearing the C.

I was watching a replay of the Flyers Columbus game after. First period, Flyers were bad and down 2-0. They do the bench interview with the coach thing and Torts simply answers "we suck". Second period Flyers came out completely different and made it a good game. Lost in OT but still, it was more entertaining hockey with effort. Now I'm not suggesting the Flyers are any good or have things right, they're not. They have very little actual talent and Torts will struggle to get them any wins at all BUT maybe this kind of coaching honesty is what this team needs. Time to stop talking about "learning experiences" and other bs excuses and actually trying to win some hockey games.

Won't make any difference until we bring in attitude, desire, grit and just general will to compete. This franchise is utterly clueless.

I hear Barry Trotz is open to hearing offers.