PerreaultForever

Washington is a great example of how to rebuild properly. They didn't dump all their veterans. They kept a strong leadership core, sold a few pieces at deadlines, built a strong veteran AHL team to focus on defense and culture and they develop their prospects within that. Then they add a few UFAs each year and a few trades but they keep the team filled with veterans and pros and not all kids. Total contrast in style and method.

Yes, because they insist on puck moving offensive D men rather than block shots move bodies etc defensive defensemen. That and most of the forwards prefer to play offense as well and make poor decisions accordingly. It's the team they have built. It's what Terry wants.

I kind of know what you mean. I don't think he has any answers. It does appear that he cannot get them to keep playing with the level of play they need. He cracks the whip and gets a few periods or a game out of them and then they are right back to their preferred way of playing, which is not really playing. Just soft perimeter stuff. I'm not sure any coach would reach them though. I think it's the type of players KA has assembled together.

You're making the assumption that Adams would do a logical thing and trade for a player(s) that would help this team immediately. Wouldn't shock me in the least if they've already concluded this isn't the year and it'll be next year or the next next year and they would trade for Kasper or Danielson or some sort of package around one or more of them. Dumb? Yes. But it's Adams and Pegula. It's what they do.

In the Florida Boston game they put up a standings graphic and the Sabres were the only team in the division not included as "in the hunt".

Played that like he was wearing blue and gold. Very entertaining game. Weird bounce to tie it, weird bounce to win it. Bruins not good to start and Florida dominated but it appears at least for now that Swayman is back to form so that might change things for them a little. Let's not forget E-Rod also scored.

Kid's day. Sabres killing off the future generation's love for hockey now before it barely gets started. Soft bunch of quitters. The D showed all their frequent weaknesses. Garbage.

Fast team but struggles to score. Even game.

Well yes, that's what we are left with. The Adams plan of growing together and the leadership evolving in the room. Unfortunately most of these guys don't know how to be those veteran leaders and a trial and error methodology just takes too long (if it ever works). It was a flawed plan but we are stuck with it. I don't believe these guys learn it in junior as there they are all stars and the elite talents and they are just used to being "good" and it comes easy to them. Pro hockey is much harder and they needed examples to learn from. I didn't like hearing Tage talking about all the good things they did after a loss so I'm not sure they get it yet. In any event, the standard has to be higher. Winning really is everything and until that is the mantra and the standard, it won't work well.

That's an extremist depiction and I don't think anybody's saying that. I'm not. What I see is an attempt at proper structure and positional play. Defensive responsibility and player support. Layers if you like that modern term. It breaks down when our individuals (who are very used to playing like individuals) try to do too much or do it on their own. That leads to lost pucks and turnovers and not much else. We still need to be tougher and win more puck battles, especially along the boards and in the corners, and we need to knock the opposition off the puck more than we do, but the positional support looks like it's improving, and that comes from disciplined play. It's just likely too late.

They've had a hard time unlearning Granato hockey and adjusting to a proper system under Ruff. The recent signs of life which have included solid team play have me hoping that the losing streak finally got them to wake up, pay attention, and do what the coach asked them to do. The Euro trip was a setback for this season since it cut proper training camp and maybe Ruff underestimated how much unlearning and relearning they would have to do so training camp wasn't intense enough. It's likely too late, and obviously not getting help and/or using the cap space has made a climb back next to impossible but you never know. A winning streak now might get them back in it. Maybe. This likely would have all come together much quicker if we had had more solid veteran leadership as well.

Oh I agree with you 100% and to the bold, I'm not "sure". I mean he might be, but lots of rich corporate guys are definitely not nice guys so he might be, but he also might not be. Environmentalists certainly don't think he is.

Well this was a pleasant surprise. Sabres stole their lunch money and wouldn't give it back. For a change we made the other team look like a basement dweller. That was fun in a way we rarely see in this era. Will we see more?

That's ultimately the crux of it for you isn't it? The view that he saved the teams from moving and for that he gets a full pass for..............forever?

I don't think Ottawa will score that many. Seriously this is where they can show if they have any balls at all. Ullmark's injured so there's an opportunity as well. Let's see which rebuild is better and who wants it more.

The one thing we have learned here among the old arguments is that @PromoTheRobot really likes Terry Pegula and I think he might be the only one.

ffs dude they've said many times he is IN THE MEETINGS. You think he just likes the comfy chairs? Your position is beyond absurd.

Oh I think we've had more than enough evidence that Pegula screws this team up on a regular basis but you can go over the threads where this has all been laid out already repeatedly. No need to list it all again here. I mean simply not spending to the cap in a pivotal year is enough proof about a lack of seriousness about winning right there. It's a long list. I'm probably doing a disservice to Mickey Mouse.

We already have a bunch of Donatos imo. I expect Adams will try to sell, but if he doesn't get his price he will claim he didn't try to sell and kept those players for a late run (eg. Zucker).So really, I expect very little.

You can't obviously, because the move didn't happen. So you don't think it's a Mickey Mouse organization?

@LGR4GM agreed with something I said????

I love it when people take things out of context and try to make a point from over a year ago because they don't have a life. You should run for public office, you're a natural in this day and age.

Watching Ottawa and Detroit, neither of them has more talent than the Sabres or is really any better BUT I did notice more effort and urgency from both of them. Can't say I see that level from the Sabres very often but I think it's a key issue.

Offensive talent is in abundance on this roster. Defensive skill not so much.

It's no big secret. I talk to fans of other teams and they all say (without my prompting) that Buffalo is a Mickey Mouse organization with a terrible owner and that's the biggest problem. It isn't going to get better until that is fixed.