Pimlach

The game is streaming on ESPN+, so it should be an MSG game. The Habs have played 2 more games and are 8 points ahead of the Sabres which is pretty sick considering they have a -23 goal differential and the Sabres is -10. The Sabres at home should win but if they don’t start fast this turns into a road game quickly.

Joker could fetch a 2nd rounder so maybe him. Conner Clifton. Why isn’t he playing? He was listed with illness. Is he wanting out? Could he be moved?

Yes, but it was actually about the near term financials. They have been running lean since Botterill's firing in 2020. I have to admire Botterill for refusing to buy into Pegula's new plan, fired just 3 weeks after he was given a vote of confidence by Kim and Terry. Read this article and then think about the last 5 year since Botterill's firing. It's pretty sad. https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/nhl-buffalo-sabres-kevyn-adams-new-gm-jason-botteril-1.5613804

Ruff was not protecting UPLs stats. He was trying to win a game. Quickly down 2-0, he was sending a message to his team to wake up. We have seen opposing teams do this numerous times, and beat the Sabres. You can believe otherwise, but this was a message to the team, a message not received.

The move was first to wake his team up, good teams respond to a goalie change. Good teams know what lever the coach pulled and respond.

He said a nice coffee. Starbucks is oily sweet sludge.

100%. Adam’s is very conservative, to the point of making no progress in the standings. In 5 years he built a bottom 5 team. His record should get him fired.

The somehow is the 13 game losing streak. Dahlin was hurt or out, Power and Byram failed to pick up the slack back there, I can through Mule in there too. All of them play defense poorly. We have Dahlin so having both Byram and Power is redundant. One of them should be traded. Of the two, I would move Byram. Power still has more potential should he decide to get stronger and grow a pair. The other thing about the losing streak is the coaching and front office. I recall a lot of panic, extra days off, lots of line shuffling, and of course the lack of a GM move culminated by Terry's pep talk in Montreal. The whole organization from players, coaches, GM, owner is responsible for another ruined season. The key players that I could move on from are: Byram, Muel, Cozens and probably Quinn.

What about me?

Whalers getting away with a lot. Ref put the whistle away.

The Whalers home jersey is very nice. McLoed with a nice pass. JJP needed that.

The non-exploding model.

Taylor Hall had 2 goals and 19 points in 37 games as a Sabre. He was -21, he mailed it in all season got traded at the deadline. He helped the Bruins by playing nearly a ppg pace.

I missed the first 5 minutes tonight. Cozens gets call upon and he fails to land punch. Great start.

Smashing sticks and it’s only the 2nd period. Byram doesn’t play much defense.

Byram, not a good check attempt.

Happy 70th Paul Hamilton.

Tuch good goal. We needed that.

The Sabres don’t want to bruise the puck apparently, lots of soft weak passes. No energy getting to loose pucks.

Lethargic passes. Always beaten to the puck.

The entire team is just not ready tonight.

Another defensive zone turnover. I don’t blame UPL. Good move by Ruff. See if they get it.

Certainly didn't mean to imply you made it up. Not at all. Regarding Krueger, I definitely saw news out of Edmonton that he got a bad deal, but most of the news I heard contained much surprise by the his hiring. He was out of the NHL for 8 years, and out of hockey all together at the time.

Not really. He had high school coaching experience, and coached Team USA juniors for a stint. He then landed an assistant coach job at Nashville for about 3 years and got good credit for their very good defense. Did he deserve a shot? Sure. Top hot candidate? I don't recall that, maybe. I don't know of anyone else interviewed by the Sabres when they hired Housley. After Housley they hired Kruger, I read from some folks at SabreSpace that "the league" supported that hire, but what does that really mean? Does the NHL have a list of recommendations for top candidates? Why would an older former coach, one that moved away from the game, be on such a list? The NFL actually has real support for teams making coaching and FO changes. One reason is for diversity as it gives qualified people a fair shot, but this practice actually helps all coaches and FO candidates. Movement of NFL assistant coaches to other teams happens a lot, and it is a sign of a strong coaching tree and good organizational health. You will attract the best young assistant coaches when they can join a successful organization, learn for a top HC, and still have a path to promotion, even it is with another team.

I do not accept that LaFontaine, a former Sabre, was ever a top candidate to run an NHL team. Not after his short stint and bizarre time in NYI. Murray was a LaFontaine hire and he also was boarder-line hire, and without his Uncle who was he? Where is he today? Then he put his wife in charge and I don’t think she was any help, or got along with a crusty guy like Murray. Botterill was highly thought of, a former Sabre, and Terry listened to his Pittsburgh buddies on him, while passing on Bill Zito. Housley as a HC - like Boterill, being a former Sabre was one of his best attributes. Krueger was a joke of a hire, applause around the league (if true) turned out to be unwarranted. Adam’s was a trusted person who would carry out the purging and the EEE, and the low cost draft and develop no blocker strategy. Rumor has it Terry “talked” to Briere. Lindy Ruff, a former Sabre, a friend of Terry, was the entire “exhaustive coaching search”. So in summary he took some advice from the league, some advice from “hockey friends”, he hired some former Sabres, and he has failed at every turn. Boterill was his one and only “highly thought off” and “up and coming” hire. With the Bills he first hired Rex Ryan, at the behest of Russ Brandon. He scored big with McDermott the second time around, so for that I am grateful. McD fit the description of “up and coming” and was on the NFL list of top coaching talent.