PerreaultForever

Like most people, I think it's a combination of many things but changing the leadership was a big one. It's not that Kane and O'Reilly are bad hockey players, obviously they are very talented, but they play like individuals, their way and only their way. We play like a team now and are much better for it. No one guy we got for O'Reilly is all that special, but they are all decent, and thus we have less weak links and a deeper roster. Better character and team unity, that's the key to build on and we have that now. I also still think last year was a cleverly disguised tank year. Dahlin, for Housley's system, was always the goal. I doubt it was ever explicitly stated, but I am sure JBot was quite happy to start at the bottom and win that lottery. The odds were with him.

NICE! In many ways Tampa outplayed them and we aren't at their level yet but unlike last year we can play with the big boys this year and look like a real hockey team. Build the confidence, grow as a team, it's all good. Hutton was great. Not sure why Housley moved Reinhart back to the top line. The line had chemistry and it seems to me they play faster with Pominville in that spot. I like the idea of Reinhart on the second line better but we shall see what happens. Still like that 4th line a lot too. So good to see us winning at home.

Uh.......no. Figured out what he had in first year, rebuilt the whole thing and won the lottery in his second. Looking more like GM of the year right now. Quenneville is over rated. Good coach, but no genius. That roster he won the cups with was stacked. and coaches rarely make good GMs. This trade is a non issue.

I don't think we stole anything. They got some quick goals earlier, we got some late. But man, forget the details, THIS TEAM DIDN'T QUIT. We've seen it a few times already this year. We have not seen this in the past. The attitude is all changed. JBot changed the culture like he said he would. and we won a shootout! (Mittlestadt has some mad skills, his progression is impressive, just wait, it only gets better) Now as for Vancouver, the Sedins are gone, lots of new guys, yet still a bunch of divers. Hate that team.

Tentative at times because of his age but shows signs of brilliance. Be patient. Mittlestadt is starting to make good blind passes. Dahlin makes quick plays and transitions well. It is all very positive.

I actually think he's the same, it's just that he finally has a winger who can play at his preferred tempo and so he doesn't have to slow it down for his line mates. Jack had to take his speed down for Sam, but Skinner allows him to take it up to the level that makes him a bigger threat. He also gets less D focus as they have to account for where Skinner is. It's all about the chemistry of the line.

Always liked his speed, and that was maybe his best game ever, but I still want to see him score goals. A solid third line player at the moment for sure.

Skinner seems to be a good fit with Eichel so I would certainly offer him a solid deal that matches the numbers he is putting up and takes age into consideration for term. If he likes it here and wants to sign that great. I suspect however, that he will not sign any deal and will see what he is offered in free agency. At best I think they can ask him to let them match any offer he gets if it's reasonable. I would not break the bani for anyone, the plan should be slowly building with our own youth.

It's too late to really get into discussing this game but the one thing I want to stress was how the team looked after Risto's winner. Big smiles, emotion, comradery, we looked like a team that was starting to believe in itself. This, more than anything else is a huge huge positive change.

I think it was just a shot block. His foot probably swelled and if he was a little under the weather as Eleven says then it's not surprising they held him out with the score as it was.

Mittlestadt is coming along. Much faster than Reinhart did in his beginning. I agree he's not really a solid second center at this point but he is learning pretty quickly and shows signs. Be patient. It's all trending upwards. I'm also really starting to like Berglund, Larsson, Girgensens as a unit. They fit together well as a solid quick 4th line. The guy who still gets me is Rodrigues. That guy just can't score period. At this point we just hope the 3rd line plays 0-0.

This is an understatement. Don't we actually want players who play all season??? It will be interesting to see if he has a great second half NOT playing with Eichel. To me he is a smart player who positions himself extremely well, but he rarely creates or leads. Very ineffective on his own or in generating much of anything. As the team improves I personally think his role will get smaller and smaller until he is all but irrelevant. Maybe that's wrong, maybe he'll have an incredible second half and be a playoff stud but I really doubt it.

I did say "this may not continue." It's an interesting thing to look at as we are vastly improved without Kane and O'Reilly. St. Louis is way below expectations at this point. See how it unfolds, but it's interesting.

I cannot remember when it was that I enjoyed watching a Sabres game this much. It's been many years. There is nothing to add except that was a sweet feeling and long over due. Skinner? Man, that guy can play at an up tempo at times. The future is looking much brighter.

San Jose is barely in a wild card spot. With Karlsson added they were expected to be a cup contender. This may not continue, but it's interesting to me to see if the "problems" elevate their new teams or not. So far not.

Really have to wonder why we almost always seem to start slow. Coaching? Prep? I dunno, but we never seem ready. Have to like the lack of quit and the top line is a good line, but SO TIRED of the Samson debate every year. Same old same old. I wish we had enough talent to simply be rid of him, but we don't. Not yet. We will lose a lot of games like this.

There are good signs. 1) attitude. we aren't quitting when we get down. 2) stable goaltending and some big stops at key moments. This leads to confidence and belief in the ability to come back. 3) most of all, the D is a LOT better. This has helped the goaltending look better. Last year we were terrible at clearing rebounds and since Lehner was weak on controlling them we got sunk a lot on that. Also, obviously, the D is gaining confidence and joining the rush, creating chances. This is the backbone of the system. Housley's system does not work with a crappy D but now we see it may just all come together. There is definitely hope.

It would definitely be preferable to have a youngster step up into that spot next season. Pominville has points, he's gone to the net well, picked up a rebound here and there, but isn't the driving force of that line. Jack is currently playing the best hockey he's played with us and now that Skinner is playing great whoever is in that spot will get points as long as he can keep up with the pace. Or, sign a free agent like Skinner to take the spot.

Berglund certainly seems more comfortable in this current less demanding role than he did starting on the #2 line. Definitely no reason to break it up at the moment. When injuries hit, as they always do, I hope we have young call ups we can plug in to spots to keep some line continuity. If we have to juggle a lot we may lose chemistry.

Is it too weak to just say maybe? We see signs the culture change may have been accomplished, and that was the essential step one so I'm optimistic, but it's way too early to tell. Also last game was the first one where it looked like they were actually all on the same page playing the system, and that change might be the most important of all. Maybe the guys like Kane weren't cancers but maybe they were uncoachable. Maybe their egos get in the way and they just do their thing their way and sometimes they gets points, but if the team, the kids, see the main guys not buying in, it's harder to get anyone to buy in and systems fall apart when pieces don't fit.

I'm not going to jump on the Skinner bandwagon just yet, but last two games looked good for sure. See how it's going by Jan1. If he keeps scoring at a 30 goal pace, has good chemistry with Jack (or someone else if things change), buys into the system, and most of all WANTS to be here, then sure, pay him and sign him up long term. If there are doubts trade him and get something good for him. I think you have to check all 4 things though before backing up the truck full of cash.

I said this in the game thread but I'll repeat it here. I think Bogo's fight at the end of the game was a turning point. Emotion. Mad about losing. We didn't see that much last year. I think it woke them up.

To my mind, Jack and Bogo are the team leaders at the moment and they are now showing it on the ice. When the captain gives extra effort, it is infectious, and that's what we saw against Anaheim.

Nice. Two things that impressed me. First, puck possession in this game so much better than we have seen in the past. That's the way to succeed in this league now and this is the first game where I think our puck possession was far better than theirs. Second, we worked along the wall really well. Ducks are a big strong team and we outworked them and controlled the puck along the boards many times. Not the Sabres I am used to seeing, and that is a really really good thing. The big thing for me after this road trip is we fell apart a little at first, and in past years the wheels usually came off and the entire trip was a bust. This time we regrouped and came out stronger and seem to have gained confidence by the end of it. Maybe it's just my love of old time hockey, but I really think Bogo's going ballistic at the end of that game had a hand in waking them up and pulling together. Emotion. Caring. Maybe that losing culture has in fact been broken? Coming back from 2-0 in this game, Eichel did what I said was lacking earlier, he did step up and he did lead and now roles are starting to be defined. Big thumbs up.

I wondered. I thought he looks beefed up but I wasn't sure. It shows.