Scottysabres

But he's our trash, and on a cold day, it shouldn't stink ?

I am almost fully healed, but I'll never be 100% again, 11% extension loss in my right elbow. But hey, I'm here!!!! When I cheer, my fist just won't go as high, but it''ll be there, with the kids in the crowd ?

Come on BOYS!!!!! LET'S GO BUFFALO!!!!!!!!

The first step in solving the problem, is admitting you have the problem...…………….."And Houston, we have a problem here. The franchise has started to shake, she's started to shimmy and there is loud banging noises. We are venting something in to NHL, it looks like a release of position in the standings." And I am happy the fans ultimately are coming to this conclusion, as for the organization...……………..they're already in communications blackout on the dark side of the season, like the rest of the Buffalo hockey world, I'm holding my breathe hoping they have a plan to get home.

My thoughts exactly.

While I agree with all of this, the one thing they've not addressed, their competition in the East, specifically Tampa Bay, Washington, Pittsburg and the unseen as yet up and comers. But those 4 teams specifically have 2 to 4 yrs left of windows themselves. The East is going to be a blood bath for the next 4 yrs to be sure.

Prostrate

Phil Housley, shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic...……...the metal ones no less!

How bad have they been recently? Well, let's lay those cards right out there on the table. They have been bad enough to go from the #1 ranking in the League in early December to the bottom 15 in the league in early February, that's how bad they've been. I mean really, stop and think about that for a moment. This team has ***** the bed so bad that the maid just refuses to change the sheets and room service knocks on the door and runs before it's answered.

But...……….it makes for great conversation around the beer cooler. Kinda like "Thin Slot Presence, now that I can GET behind" ?

This team could use some toughness with speed, so who's out there that fits the bill while still adhering to Bots policy of no rentals this deadline?

For as much as the kid has his highlight mistakes, he's still a good 3 / 4 d man, I would hate it if he were sent back down. But it is Phil, so who knows...……..

No subsequent call up, may very well be Nelson is returning. How many D men would that put on the roster if he does return? Risto, Bogo, Pilut, McCabe, Hunwick, Beaulieu, Scandella, Dahlin That's 8 right there, Nelson would make 9. Carrying 9 d men?

Any word on how close Nelson is to returning?

I always thought so to. I can never understand some of the sites that list this player as LW or that player as RW.

Talk about cold temps...……….3 guys at work have diesel's, all 7.3 powerstroke's, as I mentioned in an earlier post to haul around equipment. The temps got low enough here in Buffalo that even with the diesel additive, the fuel gelled enough to kill the internal fuel tank sending units ? All 3 of us have to replace them now, talk about a major catalyst for catastrophe. Spoke with 2 diesel mechanics this AM, both said the same thing, they've each received calls from others on this very problem with the 7.3's.

watched that game. He was a beast on the power play, all 3 came on the pp. Ritchie, Spronge and Shore with the Ducks tallies. That is interesting as well. The Jets shutdown Getz, Perry and Rakell with their speed, then went in with their other 2 lines for the kill, and it worked. Good coach?

https://www.tsn.ca/radio/ottawa-120...t-that-duchene-and-stone-get-traded-1.1251297 Stone and Duchene, both UFA's. But man, that is a lot of talent possibly on the market right there. Just out of curiosity, what would Botts have to offer for both of these guys? I realize he said no UFA's, but a trade and sign for both?

It's not a matter of "projecting" what he can do on TSN, it's a matter of what "trainers and scouts" are telling them. Sure he's on par with development, but to describe him as "ahead of where Hedman and Karlson were at his age" is not what was being said 2 weeks ago and beyond.

Who is describing Dahlin with this analysis? Because I haven't seen that. Dreger, McKenzie, Costance, they've reported what scouts are telling them, and they all say the same thing. They are all saying he's 18 and isn't, and I quote, "A Complete NHL Package Yet". What you posted isn't what those that speak with training insiders are reporting. So who's lying?

Detroit has effectively said they are not moving him. McCabe, is our only physical LD, I hope you have a replacement in mind if your moving him, because both Pilut and Dahlin are anything but physical.

Back to the thread title...………….. Are the players being adversely effected by the inconsistent play here in Buffalo? Is there a double negative on going with regards to that inconsistent play and the apparent rigidness with which Botterill/Housley are maintaining the status quo on the roster? Ellie was waived today, speculation was Wilson on his way up, but does that one subtraction and addition really change the dynamics of the roster overall, or, as I suspect, the players are aware that this is the group they are with to the very end?

Zamboni driver?

I didn't record any of the games this year, it would be interesting to go back and watch a few of them to see how they played their way through that streak. I was at the Nov. 10th game against Vancouver when Casey scored the winner in a shoot out, but even through out that game that's in my mind, the only players that stuck out to me are really not a memory I can draw forth. Hard to say what it would take, but these shellacking's we are taking 7 - 3, aren't the norm obviously, the game before was 1 - 0. To me, it all lay in the consistency I guess. Or, the lack of it. Coaching? Yea, I can see that being an issue, but I can't for the life of me see Phil coaching blind passes in the D zone, or worse, passing it right to the opposing team in the slot. How about the O zone, no one in the slot for us, perimeter play all day long, using an umbrella type formation that appears to rely very heavily on the points as opposed to the forwards down low. These are just things I see game in and game out. A change of on ice strategy would appear to be the focal point, I agree. I guess they call them adjustments, but the only question I have to that end is this: Is Housley not adjusting, are his adjustments just bad and not working, or, is it the players that are not implementing those adjustments if they are indeed being made, and if so, why is this?

I don't know True, I see the numbers others post, I understand them, I understand the reasoning behind them and the story "they're supposed to tell". But in the end, they are just individual player numbers to me, how this player affects that player or that situation and so on. I'm now beyond looking at the individual stats, I'm looking at the collective, and the only stat that tells me the most complete picture of what is going on here in Buffalo is that Win/Lose record and current Conference Standings list. Everything else, to me in any event, revolves around that. For one simple reason actually, and that is this...….the players see the position they are in as well, and they are fully aware of what it takes to improve that position. Let me say that again, the players are fully aware of where they are at and where they need to be. I don't see success when I hear them speak game after game, I see the same defeatist mindset we've seen for several seasons here now. I have come to the conclusion that this rebuild is indeed a failure. Whether or not they turn it around or changes are made or some other plan is designed to alter course is pretty much irrelevant to me now. This current core, while complete or incomplete in it's personnel, has 3 components that are unable, or unwilling, to achieve success. Culture change? Not with this group I fear. Never one to give hope of course, but settling in to the reality that currently, there is no end in sight to this "SUFFERING".