PerreaultForever

Oh no, Sabres are genius marketers. They are on the cusp of winning the Stanley Cup. It's all coming together. They know more than we do. It's all sooooooooooooo close you can taste it right? Right there. Right in front of you. So close, Like a foot in a crease.

Didn't say it was planned. Said it looked stupid.

I was suggesting wing for him ages ago as well. I don't think his on ice vision is all that good and his thinking is a little slow (relative to the speed of the game). So he's indecisive and sometimes that costs him precious seconds and he also sees one wing but not both and then makes bad decisions. As a winger he could use his size and limit his focus to one side of the rink but whatever, no longer our problem. We will see what their coaching and camp does with him and for him.

I don't remember that but I would say it just doesn't look right. If you're going to do that don't be wearing a suit. Wear Sabres merch head to toe or at least a jersey.

That's an interesting way to look at it. Could be. Have to wait and see. They definitely created the mess they are dealing with though that's for sure. Have they figured it out? idk, I'd have more faith in thinking that if they had Rochester playing that way already though. and they don't. Imagine Tage Thompson actually running people in the corners and bumping them off the puck. Imagine what a force he'd actually be.

This what the Sabres hope for from somebody every year right? More likely it's up and down or one up one down (like Peterka and Quinn last year) and that won't be enough. Hopefully no Cozens yet. No guy who completely loses his game. As an aside I am interested to see if Cozens regains his game with a full season in a new setting and a proper training camp. Won't matter, but just one of those things you look at and wonder.

reposts and quoted posts. The way twitter goes. It's not important. You have given me pause to think maybe it's time to step back a little. I just feel so negative about the lack of change, the lack of additions. This is the most pessimistic I've been about a season before a season, and I have been pessimistic over the last number of years quite a bit. I just see zero hope for this year so it comes out in everything. I need to care less.

I was seeing a lot of pre announcement hype. "Big announcement" was used repeatedly. So it seemed like a lot of hype over nothing. I'm probably spending too much time on Sabres twitter and the internet in general though. Probably should have shut it all down and taken a vacation.

I've always liked Kulich. liked the draft pick. Think he has a bright future still. We are, as always, rushing him a little so a sort of drop off or sophomore slump is highly possible and I wish there was a plan B for that possibility but there isn't, so hopefully he can work through anything like that and keep developing. If Kulich and Benson have sophomore slumps (using the term loosely) the season is over before Christmas. There is too much pressure and reliance on them succeeding but it is what it is.

Finally a normal and completely correct contract.

I have no idea how the Sabres lines will shake out. Too many similar guys and trying to balance kids with vets. Is Thompson a center or wing? Is McLeod going to be 2 or 3? Where will Doan play? I don't see a clear checking line. You can argue the 4th line is a bit heavier but not overly so the plan is roll all 4??? Is Malentstyn still part of it? What do we get out of Zucker and Gtreenway? I just don't know. Part of my constant problem with the Sabres is the constant rotating of bodies but with a lack of clear direction or identity. What are the Sabres? Who will they try to be? I never see a clear direction forming in any season and can't see one now. So to your other frequent comment, yes, I have issues with the coaching as well. What I see in the league with Florida's success is although the league has pushed towards more open ice speed, finesse, and scoring, the clever coaching answer to that has been speed combined with an aggressive forecheck. Essentially eliminating offense before it even gets started. It's a good counter plan as Florida has proven. Why isn't that the Sabres plan? We have and have had big young fast players. We could build that way. But we don't. We have some sort of open ice possession game obsession that never seems to come together and leaves us on the perimeter more often than not. Weak and ineffective. So what kind of roster are we trying to build? I currently have no idea.

I'm not "so upset" about it I just think it's a joke. They made the big deal about the pending announcement and then that's it. So typically anti climatic because they actually have nothing of value to announce. All they did was give the internet the next great mock the Sabres meme with that shot of Terry in the helmet (that makes him look like an autism kid that crashes into walls). It was ridiculous.

Oh in terms of that I have no idea. I haven't followed them so am not familiar with how they develop young players as a whole. Don't even know which AHL team is there's. What I do like is how they are constructing their roster. Seems a better balance and better defined roles. let me ask you this. Who will have more points end of next season? Utah or Buffalo?

I would trade those 6 for their 6 in a heartbeat.

Oh to be absolutely clear, I have no issues with Doan added to the roster. We could have used a few more. I'd like some competition for roster spots and a gritty player is welcome. I'm merely going against any idea that he's automatically some big addition or game changer. I will decide what i actually think of him after I see him play a few games. wait and see.

A situation that we should have here but don't.

That's my point. We don't have enough veterans. There is a lack of competition for spots. His spot is guaranteed, as are most spots. That's been part of the problem for years now.

Ya there was. I'm not going to go searching but that's what started me on this path.

Yes he is "fine". I want him to be great. He can be, but the way we do things he might just be "fine".

I think that's true to some extent. I will bet he plays better D there in time but he's there to score goals that's for sure. Their top 6 looks good.

What a joke of a franchise. Another big announcement to say everything is the same. I read today they have 9000 season tickets sols. So, there's a minimum of 9000 mentally insane people in Buffalo, no wonder nobody wants to come 🙂

No, that's not true. What I'm saying is Utah wasn't very good and he didn't play much so there's nothing to indicate he can be a top 6 forward yet. That's all. There's no evidence he is anything. He MIGHT be, but he might not. Penciling him in for a top 6 role at this point seems silly.

Well yes, you can look at it that way but my point would still be we do not develop them properly. Not "properly insulated" and not "supported" with the roster as they build it is the problem. It's the full system of how we do it. That's really my point so at some stage I feel we need to reset it and start doing it the right way. Being on a team that wins. Being on a team that has a playoff run (even if it's AHL, it's still part of the process of becoming a pro). All of that matters too and that's part of why I think it would help him rather than hinder him. Proper NHL roster with insulation and support would be ideal as well but we don't have it. Consider how we develop players however. Look at the differences in how the veterans we do bring in play from the way our home grown players play. That in and of itself is very telling.

This team has developed players poorly for so long people here have forgotten how it's actually done. and then they wonder why the ship sails in circles with no leadership. If Benson got to lead a team to a Calder Cup while working on his strength and muscle he'd return a far better player than he will be as is but whatever. I'm not going to keep arguing the failure of Sabres development. The results speak for themselves.

That's my point. They didn't see him as anything higher up the roster so why do we?