PerreaultForever

Personally fan talk gets boring and repetitive when things are good. If things are going well there's no reason to dissect anything you just kick back and enjoy the ride. When things are going badly you argue about what the biggest issue is and how to fix it and everybody has an idea and they are not always the same idea. Far more interesting for discussion. So do not mistake silence in good times for unappreciation. We just don't get many good times here.

I love it how every year the Sabres disappoint and the fans start to turn on each other and take it out on them instead of the team. It's an annual event that usually starts around this time.

I figured that would ruffle some feathers. Consider however, that 1) he went down fast and easy with just a shoulder and 2) he did nothing and not a single Sabre on the ice did anything either. So give me more red X's if it makes you feel better about it, but it won't change it.

That is a pathetic reply.

He was warned earlier in the season. It's about time. I think he is under greater scrutiny in Edmonton than he was in Buffalo so these sort of things are just getting noticed. Long overdue imo.

I can't see that being the issue. If it was you'd notice it in his skating and his skating is fine. imo he's just a soft coward. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. Foligno knocking him flat with a shoulder sums it up. He still looks like a child playing with men and is only effective in open ice.

I will give you the definition, and it has nothing to do with fighting. Yes, gritty hard nosed players are generally tougher and more ready and willing to drop them, but it's not what determines tenacity and grit. What it is is going after a loose puck and/or hounding an opponent who has the puck. Going after it regardless of how big or tough the opponent near it is. Going for it and not giving up on going for it until there's a whistle or a goal. Moving past and through a defender who wants to use his physicality to keep you from it. Being relentless in that pursuit and taking the contact, the bumps and the bruises along the way. It's also initiating some of that contact to intimidate the opposition and have them back off, or at least throw off their timing and puck movement rather than just defending in a passive manner that only plays the puck and not the body. It's Benson. But Benson is small and young so he has limited effectiveness. If the big bodies on this team played with Benson's tenacity and grit this team would be a force, but it's not. It has speed, skill and offensive potential but it's soft as butter and will never win in the playoffs with that if it can ever even get there. It's also Greenway, but only sometimes. When he is that guy he's effective but he's only occasionally that guy and often he just doesn't seem to care and I guess he's injury prone or ? (no idea but he's out a lot in the time we've had him). It's no one else on a consistent basis.

Since you've "had this argument" with "countless fans, numbers untold" has the possibility that your position on it is simply dead wrong ever entered your brain? The word I used was "VALUED" those type of players. The list you give is mostly in the last 2 years, which is as I also said, a recent small attempt. (not that Clifton etc. are all that gritty, but it has been a slight recognition of this problem). Deslauriers is a perfect example of a guy we didn't value, just like we didn't value Foligno. Scott was a Lucic response for sure, but that was a temporary measure to say the least. Getting into ROR and Kane/Bogo is a whole different discussion involving Murray and his perhaps conflicting views with Pegula. Show me ONE SEASON in these 13 years where the Sabres were not viewed as soft by the rest of the league. You can't.

Yup. Since Pegula took over they have never valued grinders, muckers, checkers, 2 way guys with grit, whatever you want to call them. Last 2 years there's been a small recognition of this and so they've brought in Greenway, Malentstyn, Gilbert, but nothing for the core really. Nothing substantial. It's a long standing mistake most exemplified by trading away Foligno. You need a balanced roster and you need toughness with your speed and finesse. It's never really been any different and why they haven't got that is beyond me (but likely because of Pegula and what he wants and values).

I'd steer clear. He was one of the people they cleared out in Philly. There's issues.

They have energy, they lack tenacity. They do not fight for pucks and win puck battles the way good teams do. Aside from Benson and occasionally one or two others but not all the time.

Some of them might. Those that do get bag skated.

Just getting in is everything. It gives them a taste. It gives the fans hope. It makes them legit again. Once they have that taste they will want it again and then you can tweak and make moves to get a better playoff style roster if needed, but you have to walk up the steps and not try to leap to the top from the bottom.

I thought with the Vancouver game there were signs that they were starting to get it and they realized they had to fight their way through these kind of games but alas, not to be. Right back to the same old problems. It's not a pretty style of hockey the Islanders play and it's not a lot of fun, but you can't win against it just by trying to skate in open ice. They owned the wall and they play everything down low and they out muscle you on a constant basis. Soft teams struggle with that and that's what we are. Boston plays the exact same way and they are simply going to have to learn to fight through this style if they want to have any hope of making the playoffs at all. Give 'em hell Lindy, I am sure you are more than frustrated by this.

Well it did tell us a lot, but not what we wanted to know.

All they have to do is beat the Islanders next game to be back in a playoff spot. Boston is sucking and neither Detroit or Ottawa is seizing the opportunity so it's there for the taking.

Watched Rags/Flyers this morning before the Sabres game. Rags are in disarray and only Shesterkin kept them in it. I suspect they will make a move as something's not right there for sure. Call them Kev, see what's possible. Bruins back to not being able to score so they are beatable for sure.

I think they didn't play as badly as some others here think. Vancouver plays a shutdown style, especially on the road, and they fought through that and came back to tie. Would have been nice to win in OT but OT is bs anyway. Remember last year we said they didn't get enough loser points, so hey, they got the loser point and that's improvement. Is there a way to get Cozens mad before every game? After he got the penalty and got pissed off he was a force, showing once again that he is capable of being a dominant player we just have to figure out how to give him that drive and desire to play hard every game, every shift. idk how to do that, I hope Lindy does. Thompson is either playing hurt or is skittish trying to avoid getting hurt again and that's always a recipe for disaster. Let's hope it's just a time issue. PP could use a lot of improvement though that's for sure.

For type of player, it's possible the Rangers would want to make more than one deal so they could create cap space by moving player(s) to us for picks and prospects and then move picks and prospects to somebody like Nashville for example for a player they want to fit. Now regarding the NMC issue that is most definitely a reality but this is the Rangers so maybe it's different. Point being lots of players don't want to go to the west coast mid season away from their families and many also don't want to be moved to Canada for tax and travel issues. Being in NY state now, maybe Buffalo would be appealing to them the same way Kane wanted to go to Detroit for the geography and proximity to his family. I'm certainly more interested in Kreider than Trouba but if there's a good deal for both as maybe they are more motivated to get rid of Trouba and slightly discount Kreider to do it you make that move. Why Adams needs to act also is because you don't want a competitor to make that move. Bruins are talking to Rangers about Kreider. Do you want to see him end up there and make them better or do you want to make a deal and show the fans and players on this team that you are really serious this time.

Of course you do. Totally understandable. I feel that way about Toronto and Montreal. They scored 6 against the islanders though and are 3 W in 4 games under Sacco. Be afraid 🙂

This game is a perfect illustration of why Adams needs to make a big move. They are close, but they are not there and hope is not a strategy. I feel like I should make a meme of the Foligno shoulder into Quinn so that I can just show that every time we have a discussion on the Sabres being soft and save some typing. As I said earlier, I always feel that Foligno is wearing the wrong sweater when we play them. Thanks JBot.

That's fair. Plus the timeline and the level of the fan's impatience. I would suspect some of the younger guys are more patient and see a longer plan as okay but some of us older guys are just getting desperate for a return of what we grew up with.

I disagree likely because of a definition of what develop means. I think Granato is a great development guy at a lower level where players focus on their skill sets and confidence. Skating and offense. Once they reach the NHL they need to develop their full NHL game and I think he failed at that. This is why it's taken a while for Ruff to get things going. They had a lot to learn. Ruff is teaching them how to be complete hockey players. Wild are playing really good. Both fast and physical so it's a big test and if the Sabres play well this should be a good game and fun to watch. I will however, as I do every time we play the Wild, lament that Foligno is wearing the wrong jersey.

Already laid that out but I'd be open to moving ANY prospects or picks that are currently in Rochester or not on the current roster. I'd also be open to moving any fringe player if needed (depending on the return). I'm simply not content to hope that Quinn eventually gets it together and leaps up to Peterka's level. There are weak spots on this roster and since we have the assets and cap space I want to address those weak spots and become a truly good team now. Not later. No, I think there's still a disagreement on staying the course and sticking with the plan vs. do something now to take the leap. It becomes a question of degree and how much people value various players or not.

yes and no. You make a trade when a trade possibility presents itself that makes your team better. Would anyone disagree that the 2nd line isn't good enough? Would anyone argue that we are fine waiting for Samuelson to heal and we couldn't use a solid defensive D man (a Gilbert, but a better than Gilbert one). I think 90% or more of the people here would agree with that, so if you can make a deal that doesn't create a new hole in your roster to fix those issues you make your team better and you increase your chances of making the playoffs. So if the Rangers are looking to make a move you have to look at it and try to make something happen. If the price is too high of course you say no thank you, but we do have the assets to afford an immediate overpay, as long as it makes us better.