Pimlach

No doubt the players were repeating what Adams told them, which is exactly what Adams told us in the presser.

I wont be critical the fancy stats, they are another tool, but I don't fully understand how they get the data for them. Who decides "expected" goals for example? Lets say UPL faces 35 shots and lets in 2 goals playing the entire 60 minutes. For the game the GAA = 2.00, and the SV % = 33/35*100 = 94.3%. That is easy enough. Lets say he made 3 amazing saves in that game that someone thinks should have been goals. Who decides that for determination of "goals saved above expected"? Because they are saying he gave up 2 but should have given up 5 and in some way they are looking for a way to account for that. Right? OR, lets say he let in an easy goal that deflected off his glove on a routine catch? How do they determine and account for that? I understand basics of statistics and probabilities, so when I see the data I can usually think through the meaning, I just don't know who comes up with the data for these stats and how. Is there a set of criteria that is applied to all situations in a uniform manner. Does the league do this? or the teams? or independent services? Expected Goals - I pass the puck to Kucherov in the slot with the goalie pinned deep in the crease. There is tons of net. He shoots cleanly with no defender on him. Is that an expected goal? Is it still an expected goal if that player is Eric Robinson? I assume it is. If Kuchrov dribbles it into the goalies pads is that a goal below expected for him? Is it a save above expected for the goalie? What are the best fancy stats to tell us effectiveness of a player by position? I am probably not alone in wondering about some of this.

UPL is the better goalie today. Fancy stats aside, talking about actual goals against and actual saves made, his GAA and SV % were in the top tier of the league since Jan. Levi might be his equal or even better some day, but right now UPL is the one that emerged from the pack. Someday we will have the combination of the 2.

So, all the things we loved about attending professional sports as kids are gone, ruined because of greed.

I really like that Sabres team. Those dam Islanders came along and we just beat them in a playoff series

Crazy that learning the Granato system ended his good play. He stopped being a factor after about a week. Can’t wait for an NHL coach and system.

I stink at predictions but here goes: Florida over Tampa in a barnburner Boston will rake up the Leaves Rangers storm the Capitol(s) Canes blow away the Island Vegas upsets the Stars Avalanche in Winterpeg Nucks beat Nash Oil spills onto La la land

It would be interesting to see what the average age, prior Front Office experience (what jobs and how many in years), and any coaching experience in years, for the 32 GMs in the modern NHL. But I am too lazy to do that work. Another easier way is to look it up for just for first time GMs like Adams.

Coaching was not good enough but I think we learned two more important things. 1. The team severely lacks internal leadership - including KO, ZG, and EJ (who had very little skin in the game). Players need to lead themselves, and practice hard because it the right thing to do, and get themselves ready to play at puck drop of period 1. This is not all on the coaches. Players leading players is not simply not there. It is more than pep talks, it is about not letting anyone down. It is about having leaders that are not afraid to call out their buddies. 2. Our GM saw the problems and did not address them. Adams talked about their work in camp, the "arrogance" he detected, his lack of moves in the off season, his lack of moves in the regular season, the teams issues with handling controversy, the consistent inability to be ready to go at puck drop, and players not being pushed hard or held accountable by coaches and other players. He saw a country club and he saw arrogance and he didn't do anything. Now he is allegedly looking for a taskmaster type coach that will fix it. Do what McDermott did. Take away the games, the music, and any the distractions in the facility. Work is work. Put up signs - Commit to being better. Stop making videos. The PR is the hockey game and winning at home, and whatever else they do within the community. I know I don't care how funny they are. It is time for this group to grow up.

There is a lot of discussion on the interviews this year. Why not, it’s was a disappointing season that led to Granato’s firing. I typically think of these interviews as not very much. Veterans tend to know how to talk to the press better than young players. Players are down and mostly just going through the motion in the interviews. This year’s interviews seemed different and much more scripted. Adam’s talked to the team about their coach’s firing before the media did. Almost all of the talking points in his presser came out in the player interviews. Bad camp, better competition in practices, push the players harder, push each other harder, accountability, better starts to games …. This are the guys that protected Granato and snubbed the fans. Now that he is gone, they all pretty much repeated the Adams talking points. I heard player after player say “new veteran coach”, “push us harder”, “more intense practice”, and “accountable”. Only a few had fresh comments that went off the script. I think Granato might be pained hearing some of this, but that’s part of hockey coaching. Some of the Buffalo media asked long run on sentence questions that had the answer they wanted in the question. I call them leading the witness questions. Young players fall for that. Lots of people voicing opinions on the next Captain based on these interviews. I don’t think you can find a Captain from these interviews.

You thought he was a head case when he was a 20-21 year old second year player whose rookie year was the shortened by the messy Covid season? Last year he was very good, 31 goals and 68 points at 21-22 years old is very good production. He centered two rookies, You are a tough audience.

Uh. A little different circumstances here but ok.

Yes, I recall Miller doing that. I did not get that from your post though. I have no idea if Ruff lost the locker room as a result of that, but probably not. I don’t understand what any of it has to do with Granato either. I actually would prefer Gallant or Berube instead of Ruff as my first choice. But if Ruff is selected, as I suspect he will be, I won’t hate it.

They did that this year prior to and then after trading Mitts. He doesn’t put up scoring numbers. Trading him alone won’t get much and you are essentially giving away a young player. Use him in a multi-player package deal and say you are throwing in a former 1.

You could see Cozens getting unglued by the booing and the losing in the very game he stupidly took on Hathaway. The kid wants to earn his paycheck and he wants to win. Maturity and experience will fix things Adams provided the big contract, and Adams needs to get some veteran help for the younger players before he ruins them (refer to the Trotz comments). Adams should go to a sports psychologist.

He had one really bad stretch. When he sat out a few games he came back much better. He has to use his body more, that is an obvious fact. He is too timid. I think that overall he was ok, but the expectations for him are higher than he could achieve.

The PSL story is not over and may have long lasting bad consequences. The stadium is state funded. The Bills are not any more regional than the Sabres - the games in Toronto proved that, Toronto football fans overwhelmingly cheered for the Bills opponents. Kim Pegula proved several times over that she does not understand the fan base or sports management in general.

Was Ruff supposed to go out there and fight Lucic himself? The Sabres had Sekera, Pommer, Gaustad, Vanek, and Myers on the ice. No one would drop them with Lucic who warded them all off. I do not understand what your last sentence means? Whatever it was, this incident was a signpost of bad that still haunts this franchise.

Would selling the Sabres to outside interests that relocate them sour his thing with the Bills?

Yes. They are all lost to some extent. Dahlin wearing a C next season is like putting the weight of 13 years of failure and dysfunction on a 23 year old. A kid that at times tries too hard to do too much. I think Tuch will handle it better. We don’t have any other choices on the roster right now.

I think it will hurt Peca's career trajectory to go to Buffalo right now, its a high risk job for a first time coach. He should stay under Peter Laviolette's capable wing and continue to learn. Adams needs help. Which is probably why he is looking for a NHL vet coach. There are always good prospects without NHL HC experience but they cannot help Adams. Sad state of affairs and quite ironic- our GM's learning curve is slowing down the teams development. I can see Lindy getting the nod.

I want Brind'Amour - this is the guy we need and Carolina will be crazy to let him go. I voted for Gallant because he will connect with the players and teach them to play better as a team - which is what they need. Then he gets fired for pissing off Adams (for complaining about the roster), or TP (for saying bad words), but he will have helped them evolve at least. I like Berube but I don't think he will work for Adams and Pegula unless he has no other offers. I think it will be Ruff because Adams knows him, and he and TP will know what they are getting. Like Gallant, Ruff will make a strong impact for about 2-3 years. Quenville will not pass the TP test. Sullivan, if available, has the Pittsburgh thing that Pegula likes.

It is not a question of being mean. It is more about pushing them harder, being consistent, and fair, and following up. You don't like Dahlin, that's fine. But this is not a Dahlin problem. We could post quotes from every other player interview. There are red flags in all of them. Their comments speak to the culture and the leadership void. This is group dynamics at its finest. Put a group of workers, or a sports team, together and let them run themselves. The most influential people in the group will eventually set the standard for the group. The problem is that on some teams/groups these influencers (leaders) may not be the right ones to achieve the team goals. They may be influential, but if not directed properly they could do more harm than good. Clifton touched on why this doesn't happen in Boston. CULTURE. LEADERSHIP that extends outside the locker room all they way to the top. Organizational goals are clear and not compromised for individual's. Every players' interview that I have watched has the same elements in it: 1. They we not ready to step up from the very start (bad camp, bad preseason, slow start, no changes made to fix it) 2. They learned hard lessons when it was too late to recover and after the fact 3. They are all begging to be led, and pushed, and are at a loss on how to achieve a higher standard as a group. The 3rd one key. The players can train individually the entire offseason to make themselves better. Most have been doing that since they were 14. It takes the coach to put them together and get them better as a team. That means how to play as a unit (structure) , and what happens when you don't play that way (accountability). They like Donny. They are trying not to blame Donny, but reading between the lines they are. The jokes about the country club are probably true. The Kevyn Adams presser tells that he knew there was a problem and still let the season spiral away. I have been begging for a proven NHL veteran coach. I am convinced that Adams needs this person just as much as the players do. He is learning to GM on the fly. Adams is struggling with pro personal moves and trades. I well respected veteran coach can help. This is not a Dahlin problem. His quotes show me he lacks experience and knowledge on how to do it, but wants to be part of fixing this program.