PerreaultForever

To the first part - it was an unfortunate rebuild situation but there was no alternative as players wanted out or were ready to walk. So the "opportunity" is in starting over and doing it right this time. He didn't. He made a lot of the same mistakes and still is. I think you knew I meant that but wanted to argue for the sake of arguing. To the second - the rex X comment. Baby? Really? I can't use the appropriate expletive but you can guess what it is. The red X by you is a cheap and easy way to not make a counter point. It's just lazy. If I did the same it would be like two children going yes - no - yes - no - yes - no - and then likely devolve into I know you are but what am I. So you can keep doing it, and you'll have to live with me calling you on your laziness. Tough. To the third, that's what you should have said in the first place.

Of course coaching is an issue (and we've had that discussion before about Ruff not bringing his own new assistants) but there really never should have been a "kid line" and there shouldn't be one now.

I often wonder what the Sabres "system" is as it just looks like individuals being individuals. If you have Prime everybody should watch the last episode of their BS behind the seasons getting ready for hockey reality show. It's all about the Panthers and their cup win but there's some interesting things in there about how they function as a unit and everybody covers for everybody else and everybody has everybody's back. That's how it is to be successful in hockey. Not whatever it is they are doing here.

Exactly. When he tore it down and removed the elite stars he had the moment to change the culture and change the make up of how they build the roster but they didn't. Still open ice speed and puck moving D. (more to it than that obviously, but you get the general idea). @Thorny gives me the big red X cause he doesn't like the idea but he has no point to counter it. You can of course argue that any team could use more "talent" but that's simply not how you construct a TEAM in reality. I mean Florida's 4th line was all waiver wire pick ups. We could have had all of them I think. As an example. I think it's gotten to the point where players here don't and won't buy in and they just don't care about the jersey. They just go for their individual stats and wait for their exit strategy. Many of them anyway.

Too many "elite" players, not enough warriors.

Yes, there is a consistency to the futility and the vision comes from him. I've said it before and will repeat it often. We all should have walked out the door with LaFontaine. He knew. He saw it coming.

I don't think Greenway is "good to go".

That is the kind of sloppy, uninspired, and at times lethargic effort you get when you don't have any actual real job competition in camp. This team has way too many guys who look to the refs for help rather than battling through. Pens got the greasy, Sabres watched and complained about it. Nothing has really changed. This looks exactly like last year and it'll yield the same results. Maybe even worse, if injuries continue. Some will say it's meaningless games. Again, if you have access to replays, watch the meaningless game between Florida and Tampa from last night by way of contrast.

Ya, there's a lesson in how real teams go about settling scores. That was fun to watch.

Of course they do. Absolutely right. This relates to team structure as well, and the constant turnover of personnel and young personnel leads to failures in a system where players need to be covering for the D when they rush deep. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. The main thing however, and it's been a thing for a long time, is losing board battles. All too often they play perimeter possession and if they lose the puck they don't battle to get it back effectively and the other team gets to zone exit quickly and there are Sabres caught behind the play. They just don't fight for the puck and every year there's at least 3 or 4 discussions of "soft' that come up. Off season talks about getting tougher but it never seems to happen.

So time to tank right? lol I guess we add 4 wonky D men to the list of injury excuses. We shall see who is ready on opening night. I did have a laugh today that the only guy in Bruins camp that has a minor injury that might keep him out is Casey Mittelstadt. Clearly, there's something in Buffalo water that weakens muscle tissue or decreases bone density 🙂

Wasn't Korab playing as a forward when we got him from Chicago? Big heavy player really came into his own as a Sabre. Mean too. In more recent times Dustin Byfuglien reminded me of King Kong Korab. And wasn't it Rick Dudley that wanted him back on defense for Winnipeg? I think so but I might be remembering it wrong. If it was, maybe he was thinking of Korab as well. We don't need a Bryson. We could really use a Korab.

I'm waiting for the regular season for that but yes, so far he is near invisible much like last year.

The way he played tonight against Pittsburgh I'm down to 6 million tops 🙂

Well I finally got to see a preseason Sabres game. Not impressed overall. Norris is definitely better than Cozens was. If he stays healthy (which is the big IF) that's an upgrade and should lead to some goals for himself and Thompson. Mrtka is a real smooth skater and should develop into a good player but he's a running around rookie and if he is in the line up I doubt it goes well over this season. Tuch wants over 10 million (or at least people sat that)? He was a turnover machine. Let's just say he's getting the rust off and leave it at that. Dahlin had that impressive rush but we already know he's a star and nothing's changed there. The bottom 6 (really the bottom nine) did not impress in any way at all. For all the rhetoric and talk it looks pretty much the same. Not tougher, not more physical, not winning board battles. Same open ice and perimeter play and most of the time it results in nothing. Same same same. Maybe they are still in preseason mode and it'll be better once the season starts. It'll have to be. Rob Ray on the other hand was in full apology/excuse form. I guess that's the same too.

I know that, and our goathead isn't a goat. I'm saying the side view they used on our jerseys looked like the Sabres "goathead". Pay attention.

Well they don't have a lot of depth so they have a bunch of games before they have to commit to a decision.

Yes, I think they will keep Mrtka because of the injuries. He gets a trial run and then they will decide where he goes.

I know, it's a Ram, but the old pictures can't be found online. Our jerseys used to be a side view with that little snort of red blood. Red black and white, almost identical to the Sabres "goathead" which you know isn't actually a "goat" either. This is why I like them so much. I wore 5 which I guess makes me the equivalent of Lee Fogolin, and comparatively that's about right.

My high school had it first.

I'm not paying Rosen a bag of nickels.

You'll have to explain how this statement affects things. Adams brought in this 5 years down the road thinking more than anyone and he should have been fired but he wasn't so we are where we are. We can't not behave like a proper organization because of it though. Tuch is valuable, but he's not THAT valuable.

I think that's pretty extreme. The cap is going up but so will ALL the salaries. 10 million is still a lot for him. Peterka signed with Utah for 7.7 . He's younger, he had 68 pts. Tuch had 67. Now you can argue that Tuch brings leadership and other factors but to get from 8 to 10 is a lot. If it's 8 years that makes him 37 at the end of it. Since they are still negotiating I'm assuming there is no hometown discount in play. The right number for Tuch is 8x8. That overpays him in the last 3-4 years but it's fair since he's valuable now. The because it's the Sabres overpay number is 9x8. So this is the number where you say win for the Sabres win for Tuch. 10x8 or anything higher will help close the Sabres window before it's barely open a crack. Bad idea.

I understand the sentiment, and I also understand why nobody would want another rebuild, but you can't get anywhere building something unsustainable either can you? If you end up with a bunch of big contracts and you are still not winning what do you do? The only logical thing is get rid of those contracts and try again. They've done it so many times and for so long that the idea does not inspire the type of hope it does in other rebuild franchises but what else can you do? If your "core" can't get you into the playoffs your "core" isn't what you need.

I don't ever remember Kassian being referred to as hard to play against. Dropping the gloves doesn't equate to that. Samuelsson was simply over hyped because of size and name recognition. Will Borgen is actually better than him, and Will is mediocre. The failure to assess their talent properly is a Sabres thing.