FrenchConnection44

Yes. Agreed. That’s where he should get in shape and get the rust off before we put him the line-up.

As others have noted, several of us have been lamenting the physicality and physical toughness of the team for some time. I have for a long time and from the very start of my time in this board. I agree about Krebs. He’s like the only one who really steps up consistently. A few others have tried to but just don’t have the make up. Cozens stepped up but got his face smashed in so badly he missed several games. Tuch did something similar. But there really isn’t a personality on the team to do that. Aside from Krebs but he’s small We don’t have to have goons. But we need, imho, a Terry O’Reilly type. And/ or a Bergeron (someone who is tough and gets under people’s skin). Guys who are good players, but can be physical and enhance the mental and physical toughness. Tom Wilson was a big enforcer early on but also had hockey skills.

One thing on Quinn. The more I read about this (and I have a friend who is an orthopedic doctor), the more I doubt he's going to bring anything much to the table in January. From what I've read, it takes 4-6 months before one can engage in physical activity. But typically 6-9 months before one can engage in heavier, strenuous activity. Then, there is hockey conditioning. I would bet mid-February before he really starts playing and first of March before we see him near full strength on the ice. That may be pessimistic, but I've seen others take longer. The whole Aaron Rodgers return this year seems highly risky. the

Coaching staff needs to be entirely revamped. But it needs to be the right coach who has a system that fits the talent. I’m fine with a sale of the club if Pegula isn’t going to be a better and more committed owner, but who is he selling to? How many billionaires are out there willing to buy the club, pour money into it even without big city advertising revenue, and are fully committed to the city of Buffalo? Can’t sell to an outsider who might move the team.

This is worse than living inside a yo-yo. One day, “we are awful. Worst team in hockey. Coach has to go. GM has to go.” Next day, “well, we may have something to work with here. There is promise.” Next day, “we totally suck so bad!”

Agreed. Power looks like he made no physical progress this off-season. Dude needs to get stronger and faster. We have too many players lacking in speed. That demands improved skating and building power in their bodies. Multiple players need that. But no decent defensive system. No aggressiveness in moving players out of the slot. Poor positioning. Who teaches all our defensemen to always stand to the side and let the opponent just camp out in front of our goalie? So true on lack of aggressiveness leaving our zone and attacking the opponent’. Passive. Uncertainty. It’s like they don’t know what to do on the attack. We got a lot of shots and out played them but our shots were not consistently deadly. They had way fewer chances and capitalized almost every time.

We suck so bad in face offs! 31st. And numerous goals have been given up on those losses. Including tonight. To say nothing of hurting power plays losing possession. Something has to change there. It’s embarrassing.

So this is the game we suck again? Par for the course. Really bad 3rd goal given up by UPL. First two was a bad job on clearing screens. Great shot by Dahlin. Let’s see what happens. I don’t have a lot of confidence. Tuch has to put that one away there.

All this ceremonial junk. Let’s do that early and start the game at 7:00 pm central as it says!

Wonder why Clifton is a scratch? Will be interesting to see Jokiharu. I’d like to see Joki and Clifton play well the next month or two and then include one or the other in a trade near the deadline.

Good move. Hopefully UPL can handle a lot of starts. I don’t expect Levi to be a quality NHL goalie this year. The work will do him good. Hopefully build some confidence. Will help mentally. But I think he really needs a strong off season to build up his body, improve his quickness, agility, strength, etc.

I'm okay with this. I don't think he'd have made a huge transformation in the team. Maybe, but who knows. And how much did we offer him or did he want from Buffalo? We will probably never know. And his value at this point is questionable. Everyone wants a trade for more talent and certainly the bottom 6 is looking very weak with the injuries to Quinn and Tage. And now Girgs (though I don't think he's an answer there and we need to move on after this season). I'd be okay with a 2024 February trade depending on where we are in the standings. I don't want to trade away talent if we are well down at that point. Let's see where we are mid January and what the team is playing like at that point, imo.

I think I read about it on twitter, and I also think Granato spoke of it. But here is one place (start at around the 4:00 minute mark) where he discussed it in a broader context of getting ready for the season.

We are seeing the extra effort leg work he talked about from the off season starting to pay off. He got much stronger and quicker as a result. Exactly what he needed and continues to need to do. Once he did that it was all about developing confidence and he is also doing that. Let’s keep it going. Perhaps, just as importantly, his excellent play will inspire a greater defensive effort from the skaters. And that’s a lesson for Levi as well as the rest of the team. The players that put in the extra work are seeing it pay off. Peterka is another one.

I thought there was no chance we would beat the Rangers. No chance. lol. This is one of the most, if not the most, unpredictable teams I’ve seen in any sport since 1970. UPL has been excellent the past five games he’s played. .937 save %. But has also come up with huge saves. That heavy leg work in the off season seems to be paying off. And his overall gaa in 11 games is now 2.54. Wouldn’t that be a pleasant surprise if he kept playing consistently at this level? Knock on wood.

I think it’s true in general. And it’s not related to his play per se. (Up and down play). When I’ve expressed hope for UPL based on the fact that he’s still young and inexperienced and that it sometimes takes a while for goaltenders to develop, the response is to cite all sorts of past statistical metrics to pre determine not just that he’s a bad goalie but that he can never possibly become a good one.

Rosen with Jost and Olafsson? I actually think Jost has been playing pretty well. Certainly better than Krebs. I think he’s a better player right now. But I don’t know what to do with that bottom six. I’m fine with the rookies (Rosen, Kulich); I just don’t think there is the talent around them to excel.

Brind’Amour is a solid coach. Why is he even being discussed? He’s the coach of the Panthers. We can’t and won’t be hiring him. I would be fine with Gallant or a proven coach or a coach with a proven program who actually knows how to coach. I’ve been thinking to let Granato get through the year, but if there are many more games like last night, I think we need a new coach by the start of the new year. Regardless of the Thompson injury. He wasn’t playing at an all star level anyway, and I doubt he’d have made a difference in last night’s game. The danger, here, is the longer Granato remains as head coach, the more bad habits the players develop. The goals last night were mostly on crappy, defensive play.

Disaster game, of course. Honestly, I don’t think there is a coach on the Sabres who knows how to coach defense. It’s so horrendous. Watching them play defense is like watching one of those old table hockey games where the players only go up and down in certain slots. I forget which goal it was, But both Sabres’ defensemen were standing on either side of the net in the slot, about 5 feet wide of the net, while two New Jersey devil players were standing right in front of the goalie and screening him so he couldn’t see a shot. What on earth? Where is the coaching? How is it they are not moving those guys out?

He has no offensive talent. That was my point. If a center is critiqued for not scoring one has to also look at the linemates.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Blessings and peace!

What a completely disappointing loss. Giving up that late goal was so frustrating. Then Cozens was a total idiot in overtime. Dumb shot easily blocked and then chases the corner with a teammate already deep! Unbelievable. and he has no idea what to do offensively. He had a very good shot to score on the PP but that was after, what? 12 tries at a shot? He had so much promise last year but man, he seems to have no idea how to play the offensive end. Just an utterly deflating loss as a fan.

Benson needs to get stronger and faster and improve his skating. It sucks he can’t go to the AHL which is where he and Savoie belong, imo. In fact, several of these guys need to show more dedication in strength training. It doesn’t look like Power got significantly bigger or stronger which he needs to do.

He doesn’t play with anyone who can score. He’s also not a very offensive player. But the lines he is on such as well. But if they were going to get anything for him they needed to trade him last year. He’s not going to bring anyone in. Trades are great if they make the team appreciably better. He should go down to the AHL but highly unlikely. But the way Granato has been coaching this team is a problem as well as still having KO, Girgs, and VO get minutes. A problem that won’t be fixed this year. I’d rather dump VO, Girgs, and Krebs in January (and bench KO) and call up young guys even if it hurts us.

I think Granato should be gone at the end of the year if they are in the bottom 10 (as they are right now). I’m for Adams staying on at least another year (maybe 2) but needs to make a great coaching decision and see some of the young players he’s drafted start to pan out. However, if they are where they are come January and then go on a big negative streak, say losing 8-10 in a row or 13 out of 15, as they have been prone to do every year, and find themselves in the bottom 5 or 6, I think the pressure will be on to fire Granato.