Second Line Center

The team and players were actually always going to be good - the players had the talent it was here. We’ve been fooled thinking Granato was some kind of development whisperer. His stamp is all over this team now. Full reflection of him and the coddling. The coddling is also a reflection of Adams btw. He’s in love with all the prospects and development but has no clue about what’s gone wrong on the ice. And Granato for what it’s worth is a terrible coach in game. GM gets one coach fire then need to look at him. Pegula’s job is simple. Adams must fire Granato and the ultimatum has to be “we preach winning and winning only here…. …..and find a coach that gets them to develop skin thick enough to handle booos.”

They play today (Monday). He probably starts.

I’ve been thinking this a lot to. He kind of came out of nowhere. Then I noticed the last 20 games of last season how much attention he was getting. And I can’t think of any games where he dominated or took over a game vs elite teams. Vs elite teams in 2023-24 where he had more then ONE point: Dec 21 vs Toronto. 3 points Nov 1 @ Phi 3 points. That’s the list. That’s 6 points in 2 games. Leaving him with 23 in the other 41 games. That is not a number 1 center.

I HATE the post game salute. That said, this is embarrassing.

Casey has 4 goals since December 15. I knew it wasn’t much since Jan 1. I have no idea anymore with this team.

Make it happen.

Any Brind’Amour talk needs to stop. He’s not leaving Carolina. My PFP. The only choice for me. Peca. He’ll bring in McKee. All these guys have done is win. Everywhere they go and everywhere they’ve coached. “Safe” coaching picks and talk about patience and growth are fantastic justifications for job security. Need guys that want to argue and get heated when they disagree as they push each other to be better. Every second of every season the mantra should be “URGENCY.”

We don’t have enough “hate losing more than love winning” guys. Because most have done nothing but lose in the NHL - but they’re some of our key guys: Dahlin, Skinner, Cozens, Tage, Joki, Zemgus, Okposo (he’s forgotten what winning is). Thats 7 guys that have known nothing but losing - yet got paid. And that’s fine. But this is dangerous territory here. Power, Benson, JJ, Quinn - they can’t be around this for anymore. The pressure they’ll put on themselves in October….I mean they can’t handle playing at home. They can’t handle being down 1-0. Coach has to go. That or core pieces need to get moved.

This organization couldn’t make Eichel, Reinhart, and ROR work. 3 Stanley Cup appearances and 2 Cup wins among them since they left. I know this isn’t breaking news…. But something is really really really wrong here. The culture is losing. That’s the culture we established since the tank. That’s the culture we’re continuing to foster. Adam’s plan is making it worse. The objective in the NHL is to win. The mantra around this group and thus built in excuse to justify jobs for Granato and Adams is “we’re developing.”

Until Owen Power becomes what he’s supposed to this team is in trouble. A lot to ask but it’s a fact. I’m not down on him….D men take a little time and early in their careers there are ups and downs. But until Dahlin and Power become what we expect them to we are going to underachieve. A new head coach can fix a lot of this.

Trading him. Done with this. Best ability is reliability.

Victor Olofsson.

Is it the same leg as the Achilles?

Sounds like a tightrope procedure imo. Ankle maybe.

Absolutely looked like an ankle or maybe knee. Hope it’s just a sprain and he’ll be back sooner than later. I can’t take anymore doom and gloom with this team especially with Quinn. Who’s probably my favorite player on this team rn.

Have to go roughly 24-9 the last 33 games to have a shot. Not impossible.

Benson has 1 point since December 21. That’s 12 games. Total rookie wall.

I’m going to argue the OP is on to something but it’s just not because of the Sabres. They're a big part of it sure. But really, the league is just full of the same player playing the same game doing the same things. I couldn’t tell you the “identity” of 75 percent of the league. I’m not sure what that even means anymore. And to me, that’s what’s stale.

If your best players aren’t your hardest workers your team will not reach its full potential. Dahlin can get like this to. Another minus 3 tonight and minus 13 on the season.

UPL should have been in net tonight and that might be the problem with this team. There has absolutely been some “deal” with KA and Levi to get him here. Because this just doesn’t make any sense. And Levi might be my favorite prospect ever. Reality is he hasn’t earned the playing time yet while UPL has. I thought for sure coming off the 41 save win 3 days ago it would be him tonight. They aren’t good enough to platoon these 2 like this.

Peca probably brings McKee with him. Just sayin.

If you believe the talent is there then it’s all coaching. Bylsma had us flirting with a 90 point season I believe. It’s irrelevant. I know it’s been 13 years. But the reality it’s been barely 3 in the Adams era. He should be on the hot seat by January 2025 and Granato as soon as this season if there isn’t significant improvement before games become pressure less and meaningless in March when we’re 12 points out.

Tage and Cozens: Cozens is 6’3 and 180 lbs. Get him to 200. Tage is 6’7 and 218. Should be at about 230. Would like them to focus less on agility and more on strength/size. Cozens more so than Tage

24-25 Head Coach Not sure he’d want to come here.

“That’s just 12 years of frustration.” This guy has got to go. This team goes nowhere as long as he’s here. Same Skinner. I love the guy, but career losers got to go. Analytics can’t account for any of this.