Pimlach

I like Doan but we should have guys like Doan in our farm system. We spent time developing Peterka, and he turns out better than Quinn or Cozens, and now he is gone simply because he was smart enough to want out. At least they got Kesselring and hopefully he really is a top 4. All this obsession with Adams working on the bottom 6 and 4th line is a problem. Fix the talent on the top 6. They overrate their young players. They are now counting on Quinn/Benson/Kulich to emerge - that is not a sign off a playoff ready team. Their best forward is Thompson and he plays out of position because they don't have good centers. Norris was a gamble that is probably going to fail. The next best is Tuch and he looks lost. He is coming off his best season and has no contract. He appears torn between his internal desire to play at home and his real knowledge of how bad of a decision that will be for his career. Can Zucker can play top 6 on Florida, Vegas, Avs? No. Zucker is a valuable guy, a middle 6 that can move up if needed, and we need his vet savvy, but he and McLeod are 3rd line players. Lyon is playing well but pretty soon he will buckle under all the games, all the losing, and the pressure of playing in a rotten culture. Adams is over his head, but Terry likes him and trusts him.

No one can look out 5-10 years, but I get it. What you are saying is they need another rebuild with a new GM, new coaches, and lots of players need a change of scenery.

Good stuff Archie.

Only if they move on from Adams now.

Rico if that happens there will be severe damage to the fan base. Just put Jarmo in there and see if he can find a coach. Overpay DeBoer or bring up Leone, just do something.

I didn't expect anything different. Every off season we say the same thing and it goes something like this - "in order to win we need every good player to have another great year, and we need all three prospects to take a big step up." We never say we added 3 impact players. We never say we shored up the goaltending. We never say we brought in winning veteran leadership. Never. That no compete game against Boston was horrific. I was a bit surprised that the team already quit on Ruff, they often play better on the road without crowd pressure. The mental impact of losing Norris seems to frustrate they key players who were counting on him. A sign that our vets have never accomplished anything.

Not one Sabre player, coach or GM ever has. Leaders take responsibility for the fix, what already happened has happened, leaders take responsibility for fixing the now.

Lots to unpack here. Yes, I liked your post about owning the drought. I still don’t think Tage, or any players benefit from dwelling on the past, just review the game tape and learn, and work harder to correct, stick together as a team, and move forward. Tage has a fixed income under contract, and a rather large one. I don’t get your CEO comments either. He wants to play to be a star? He wants to play to win games? He wants to play to make the Olympics? Then he needs to play better. Yes. The team has had a great motivating issue to rally around. The couldn’t do it with ROR, Eichel, Reinhart, and the current roster so far does not look up to it. I think he is saying it’s only 3 games and they can turn it around, but to do it, they have to move forward. That is how I interpret it. I am ok with that mindset if it includes self improvement and holding everyone in that room accountable. I’m not a fan that gets offended by some perception of attitude in a post game interview. This is a guy who just lost another game, and he got booed at home once again. Some people made that judgement with ROR and they were proven wrong.

Gallant would not last long working for Terry.

So what. He can score 25-30 goals on a 3rd line and win, so be it. Did you take the Grandkids to the game today?

Tell us what you would have said in that moment? Moving forward and continuing to work is the only message I want to hear.

Were there "fire Adams" chants this afternoon?

I thought he was fine given the circumstances. Calm and honest. If he had some edginess toward the end of the interview that is to be expected. He is 100% right, they can't keep looking back and talking about the negative. Three games is three games. But you and I both know the Sabres talent is overrated, the team is poorly coached, they do not play as a cohesive unit, and there is no pride in that building.

If only it worked that way. Only a small percentage of players drafted by the NHL ever play a game. No, the Sabres AHL team is not filled with great prospects, but there are a few good ones. Of the forwards Helenius and Östlund might be able to play middle 6 or even top 6 in the NHL someday. Most teams have several players (tweeners) in the AHL that they can call up, but how many make an impact? So far the Sabers have called up Kozak and Dunne - they did ok on the 4th line but but we are looking for top 6. Last season they called up Rosen and he had 1 assist and was -3 in 8 games and did not make any impact. Kulich looked promising last season with 15 goals but so far has zero points. My point with Florida is that they signed Marchand or depth, and now with Barkov and Tkachuk out they will need him. Name a similar move that the Sabres made under Adams? How many of Adams top picks are panning out? Some are still to young, some look like they won't be impact players.

Jettison Adams but why promote Ruff? That would look awkward given the circumstances. Move Jarmo to GM and go get DeBoer, if they even can get DeBoer.

The problem is not just losing Peterka, it’s not replacing him. What we are seeing is a depleted top 6 over the past few years and now they can’t score When Skinner was released we didn’t replace his production. When Quinn was hurt two years ago they didn’t replace his production, and when he came back he disappointed and looks like a shadow of what he was. Cozens was replaced by Norris, until he wasn’t. Peterka had not been replaced. Getting Benson back will help but even if he can score 20-23 goals it won’t replace all the losses. Contrast this with Florida. They added Marchand. Barkov is out, Tkachuk is out. They are utilizing superior roster depth by playing Lundell and Bennett up one line AND they have Marchand. They also have prospects to bring up and play in a winning environment, not in a desperate environment. Marchand will prove to be a smart move. Adam’s has been consistently bad at evaluating his roster and adding veteran depth. 3-1

True. So hire some good people and let them fix this.

Pretty sad. I see these young elementary school kids watching another loss while listening to a chorus of boos. When I was that little I had the Bisons and they always played hard and were a top team. I loved them Then the Sabres came along the Knox’s hired good people, the team got very good fast. To think this is going on 15 years of losing is mind boggling.

Stop using logic. Dahlin turned it over and the Avs scored. Dahlin should now be traded so when he wins a Norris and a Stanley for another team we can complain about that too. You know the script?

Neces refused a trade to Buffalo last season. At least Adams targeted a good player.

I do. Let’s Go Buffalo. clap, clap, clap-clap-clap.

Marty St Louis has done a nice job there. He started with very little.

He is starting his playoff beard now.

man the negativity surrounding this team is high. Even some normally positive fans here are getting surly. Look at the two teams rosters, the coaches, and the culture difference between these teams. I’m setting realistic expectations in an effort to make it through the season.

Well 3-1 after two, it’s going to be tough. Let’s see what they are made off.