FrenchConnection44

Bills should win this game with all the Dolphin injuries. Several missing OL. Waddle is out or very hobbled at best. Mostert is questionable. Jones should feast on that depleted OL. No Chubb or Phillips or Howard for them. And Holland is also questionable. Looked slow in that Ravens game. Run game should exploit their D. Both Allen and Cook should run a lot and that will soften them up for the pass.

Thanks to UPL. Great game. Just the kind of thing you hoped for when we acquired him. Very fortunate on the two replays. Easily could have been down 3-1 at one point. And a few posts. Whew. We need some fortunate games every so often but that was easily a loss. However maybe it will build some confidence. 2 in a row!! Now comes a big test. Let’s go!

I believe there reports that Kulich had added 15 lbs of muscle this off season? I think he is in the 185 range if I recall correctly. Based on his own words as I recall. That is the kind of thing we need to see from all these young players. Agree on and I like that JJP-Cozens-Quinn line a lot with a lot of potential but they still do need to get stronger. They play hard for sure but they are not strong in the “top tier NHL cup contender team strong.” Endurance, general play strength all should come - if they keep working. Cozens needs to go around 200-205. But it’s not at the level it needs to be to be contenders. Then there is Power who needs to add more than the 3 lbs of muscle he’s added over the past two years. Dude should be 220 at least by now and by the time he’s 23-24 he should be a 225-230 lb beast who dominates skaters entering the zone with length and strength and enhances his skill set. Benson plays very tough. Really good for a rookie. But he’s not NHL strong yet - to the point he can be a top tier forward on a Cup contender. Not saying he should be. That’s the hope for all these players but it’s still hope at this point. Even Tage could be stronger physically and be an even bigger force. The real question is - is the player development team in the org really pushing these guys as they should to get stronger and tougher (not talking checking or fighting - though having one intimidator on the team would be useful every now and then). And I agree it still needs time to see these players develop further and that’s the hope. They show flashes but still need to be a tougher group in play strength. Too many games have seen soft play. I say all that but do think the deepest issue is coaching.

This points to a core issue. Or a couple. We seem to be drafting players who don’t play with strong physicality. I don’t mean by that hard checking, necessarily, or fighting, but just general play strength. Defending and fending off a player with the puck, or being strong with the puck, and not allowing it to be taken away, or not allowing one self to be pushed off out of a play very easily. Or one dimensional players. Good stick handler. Or Good shot maker. Or Good passer. Or Good skater. Or Good pesty player in the corners. Or strong with the puck and strong defending. But, in spite of drafting very high oh these many years, (maybe we’ve been too high while drafting, lol), we rarely get one with multiple of those skills. Dahlin. Quinn seems to be multi talented in that regard. Casey is coming along with stick handling to go with his speed. I do love a lot of our young talent. But just waiting to see - while several become top tier talents - and multi-talented?

Is there a more schizophrenic or bi-polar team than this one? (No offense to those who deal with such - as I do with fam. Just a metaphor). One never knows what to expect. Personally, I fully expect a loss in the next game. And a bad loss in one of the next 2-3 games.

Good points. But I’d change the order of 1 & 2. Largely because point 3 can be subsumed into 2. 3 is also a product of poor coaching. 4 is on the entire front office and coaching staff. They needed to give all these players a better off season focus in training and development. To instill in them that they have proven nothing. The players needed a different psychology and better physical training (to be bigger, stronger, improved skating, etc.). Even the top players. We have seen little to none of that. From most of the players. Peterka is one in whom we’ve seen growth over the off season. But no way should Power come in at 6’6 218 when he was 215 last year. His skating hasn’t improved. He’s not a dominant force on defense or offense, despite having the raw talent and size to be such.

Patience is good. Even with the development of certain players. But no more with the coaching staff. The coaching is hindering them by not continuing their development. There is no system and bad habits are developing. Plus, they are not developing in terms of play strength and individual skills. Take Samuelsson and Power. They should be beasts on defense. They should dominate the slot and take control of skaters entering the zone. They have great length and size. But they don’t. In part it’s poor hockey training and in part it’s poor off season training. Samuelsson has the body and skills to dominate but doesn’t. Power should be 225-230 this year and skating better but isn’t.

Wish the best for Granato’s health. And his family. Hate to see any serious issues. Life is bigger than hockey (even if hockey is life to some).

I think the key for trades, along with what Perraultforever argued - trading them at peak value, will be adding a real NHL caliber, respectable coach (revamping the entire staff and development personnel). That will help. Granato just isn’t going to win here, imo - if ever anywhere. The other challenge is determining which prospects to trade. They have to be great at continually self-scouting the talent they have drafted.

I think he's trying to build a roster that wins and I like a lot of the talent in the pipeline and on the team but it comes down to poor coaching above all, imo. Secondly, poor player development (not just in play but in terms of individual development). They need to put a ton more resources into that. And that is on Pegula and Adams. That said, as I and others (and the video above) have noted (generating ill-tempered criticism) it's generally the same players he keeps drafting or accumulating. Arguably the most consistently physical player is also the most skilled - Dahlin. Cozens tries but the guy has to add strength and muscle weight (about 10 more lbs) as do most of the rest of the club.

Of course. This really points to coaching and team management, development, imo. I know it’s not the be all end all of player evaluation since it’s not nextgen, but just look at the plus minus of those two since leaving Buffalo relative to their time here. Night and Day. Reinhardt is scoring at a significantly higher rate and the Panthers are clearly coached better overall. They have a system that benefits the players and puts them in position to perform overall effective hockey. They are not the best team but in spite of coaching changes they’ve had to make there is something there that keeps winning. The Panthers have some other good forwards in Verhaege, Barkov, et al, and a very good defender in Ekblad, but look at their play the past four years compared to previous years. Ver did not even make an NHL roster until he was 24 in 2019-20. But once he got to FL he’s been exceptional. Barkov has been significantly better these past 3-4 seasons than previously. Everyone seem to want a trade - and they could use a veteran or two (but, then, look at Eric Johnson?) - but I would venture to say that not all but most of the players on this team, if they get into a good system, even just an above average one like FL, would flourish and produce much better hockey than here. Yet, Granato, when asked about every facet of the game, says, “it’s the grind.” “It’s the grind.” What went wrong? “It’s the grind.” What about the power play ineptitude? “Again, it’s the grind.” (Only grudgingly looking at the PP structure after being pushed about it). Yes, part of it is the grind and they need more consistently physical players to grind. I don’t mean by that hitters. But just general physicality; endurance; strength; strong with the puck; strong on every shift; etc. These players need to get stronger and be able to grind 82 games, not 35. But that is also on coaching and overall team management and player development. But along with that these players would be better in a well coached team within a team structure. In fact, I’d argue that if you had the very same team with an excellent coaching staff and player development staff, this exact same team would be performing much better. And would then be in a position to trade for a player who fits and even improve. Do we really want to give away assets for a vet player is likely to go from +15, 20 to - 12, 15 under Granato? A coach who, based on his post game comments, doesn’t want to take personal responsibility for the problem. Until that changes, any needed personnel changes will be a waste of assets. I never want someone to lose their job if they are putting in the work. Not every person is a star. But this isn’t a $50k or even $100k a year job. This is $millions a year job that coaches are making - with guaranteed contracts, unlike every other job in the world, and that comes with a much higher threshold of judgment and accountability.

Merry Christmas! Be blessed one and all

I would care if we lost in the trade. I don’t want to trade anyone if they are better elsewhere and we are worse or the player we get back is worse. If we won the trade and the player(s) we received are more productive and we win, then I don’t care.

If the Sabres W/L record were transformed into a rollercoaster, every Sabres fan would have lost their dinner by now. Some more than once.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! 9 baby!!!!!

Quinn!! Great to see this line of Quinn Cozens Peterka. I think this will help Cozens and revitalize that line. And Skinner as I type! 😂 this is like last year! Totally love it!

That to me is about disciplined coaching. Dahlin was at fault but a really good coach and quality assistants would solve that. Great coaching makes a huge difference in every sport at every level.

Great shot by Thompson. We’ve had 4 really nice shots for goals.

And we give it back. lol. Classic 2023 Sabres.

2 men. Yes!! Great shot! Just about to say we had to score. Dahlin. What a talented player.

I think this is more like what they wanted if all were healthy at the start of the season. But also the addition with Johnson to the team. I like these lines. If we could land a solid two way forward who can score (like an Olafsson who plays an all around game) and sub him in for Okposo with Krebs and Johnson, I’d take that. Really a big need there to upgrade Okposo. In fact, I’d try Jost in Okposo’s spot and see what happens. Our defense there is weak still. Power and Joki have just not stepped up. 3rd line guys have been lousy as well. Of course, coaching is still the issue.

In that case, however, the profit there, especially given that NY and Erie paid for the bulk of the stadium, is going to more than pay for any overruns. The huge increase in luxury boxes will be a massive boon for him. Plus he has the money. Stephen Ross paid for the entire upgrade to the Dolphins’ stadium - $500 million. That, after purchasing the team and stadium, and also building a $135 million practice facility. The Dolphins also built their own 80,000 acre turf facility to supply their own grass which they replace about every 2-3 weeks. This is what good owners do (not that Ross is a ‘good’ owner. He is bungling; but he is also willing to pour his money into the organization). And he is willing to put the money into the organization. Basically, whatever the team needs, he sits there with his checkbook ready. Same with the Dodgers ownership. And many other teams. Where I think Pegula needs to put his money is both in hiring a new coach and in organizational and player development.

Normally. But not in sports. Most teams don’t make a ton of profit and the better owners pay what they can. The money in sports ownership is the profit from the sale of the team (which ironically is usually around 10-12% increase year over year). Otherwise, a good owner spares no expense. Only way to compete in in the sports world against other multi-billionaires.

We are eighth worst in the standings. Which is right in range where we seem to draft every other year or so. Except for the year there is not a generational talent at the top - then we get to draft first.

For sure. And one with a real system on offense and defense. Many of us have been saying this for a while. However, I would go a step further. As young as they are, every last one of these guys 26 and under should have come into camp bigger, stronger, faster, with better puck and shooting skills (quicker and harder shots and more accuracy). All of them. All of them should have been able to improve in those areas. This is what a real developmental program does. Instead, it appears most of these guys took the summer off. Or just maintained where they were. That won’t cut it. They need to form an entire organizational structure for these players. I doubt Pegula would do this - As I doubt he has the intensity and drive to win with the Sabres - but he should.