JohnC

He made a decision that he felt was in his best interest. Are there risks? Of course there is, as with all surgeries. But there are also risks associated with the more invasive fusion procedure. You are right that there isn't as much data on this procedure as there is with the other procedure. But that doesn't mean that it was the best medical route to take. It just means that there wasn't as much data. Jack made a decision that he felt was in his best interest. And all indications are that he is back to his old form. And he has demonstrated this season that he is back to his pre-injury form. It's his body and he should have the last say on the best course of treatment. The issue isn't whether he made the right decision as it is his decision.

I didn't watch the game last night so I can't fairly comment on it. However, I did see the clips of the game. Without getting into the circular good or bad guy argument about him (my minority position is well known) what is evident to me is that Jack was right in his steadfast stance regarding his surgery preference. From the few glimpses of him from a variety of games it seems as if he has completely regained his physical capabilities. In one broadcast on another game it was pointed out following his surgery and successful results two other players had a similar procedure done. It seems that Jack was right on the treatment issue.

The acute problem in this game is something that has plagued this team : The lack of traffic in front of the goalie when shots are taken. Arizona's goalie played well, as did our goalie. The difference was that there was traffic in front of our net and a clear view for the opposition goalie when defending his net. Arizona got a couple of ricochet goals off of our players that couldn't be blamed on our goalie. But on the other side of the ice there weren't enough screens to create an obstruction or allow us to get a fortuitous bounce. To Arizona's credit they played a hard and trapping style of game. That type of game is tough to watch.

I really admire the intelligent play of Samuelsson. He's so young yet plays as if he is a veteran. He's big enough to be a brute player but instead he uses his intelligence to instinctively position himself to anticipate where the puck is going to be. Samuelsson and Power are or going to be top tier players, along with Dahlin, to make up a high quality and cup calendar blue line. I like Joki more than most do, but I consider him to be more of a complimentary player.

Let's not get greedy. If he scores a goal I'll be happy. JJ has recently been outshining him.

If Risto had Samuelsson's brains and instincts he would be an ace defender. At this point in his career it is locked in what he has and doesn't have as a player. He is what he is. Getting a first round pick for him was grand theft, a felonious heist.

That's great news! This team certainly isn't a top tier team yet. But you can see the progress. This team is entertaining to watch and is very competitive. Even against upper echelon Cup contending teams there isn't an attitude by most fans who have followed the team this season that on any given night this team can't come away with a win. Putting aside the Jack saga, a win against Vegas would be a meaningful measuring stick win. Let's start with a win against Arizona and start off well in these home games.

They are playing in Buffalo.

Your response makes no sense to me.

There are those who want to parse his emotional laden words in a post-game interview as if his comments were made in a legal context where word selection and precision matter. His remarks were made after an intensely fought game where he was relentlessly booed throughout the game. And as you point out the faction that is most outraged is the same faction that relentlessly harangued him throughout the game. Spare me the faux pas outrage! I watched the same post-game interview that @K-9and others witnessed. They were disturbed by it; I was not. The player candidly stated how he felt about the experience. The player's response certainly was not diplomatic but it wasn't out of bounds considering the context. The discussion on this topic has been exhausted and has become circular. However, what amazes me is the intensity of the responses and its lingering effect for a brief interview that happened a year ago.

According to that chart I can see 12K to 13k attending the mid-week game. It seems that slowly but steadily the numbers are moving up. That would be progress.

I listened to the same post game comments that you did. You found then to be offensive and outrageous. I didn't. I had no problem with anything he said after the game. You and others are giving it more attention than it deserves. You haven't accurately described my many responses on this topic. I have repeatedly stated paying fans have a right to cheer and boo as much as they want. What I find obnoxious and weak is that the same fans who booed throughout the game react as if their mothers were insulted by his comments. What these whining and sniveling snowflakes don't understand is that when you throw crap you shouldn't be surprised when it gets back thrown at you. I find this crybaby hurt act to be unappealing and silly. I have said on numerous occasions that I have no animosity toward Jack. I wish him well.

Regardless which team's fanbase shows up, a full house is better than a half a house. The energy and back and forth between the factions make the atmosphere more charged and exciting. With respect to the seating chart you posted are the blue colored seats the sold or unsold seats? If the white seats are the unsold seats that would be disappointing if it remained that way.

I'll be rooting for the home team. I won't be wasting my energy booing any player on either team. I'll leave that chore up to the boo birds.

I often disagree with your takes. With respect to the highlighted sentence I unflinchingly agree with it. The player expressed what he felt after the game. And many people here are outraged by his poignant and accurate reply. People who throw shiiit shouldn't be surprised when it gets thrown back. What's the definition of snowflakes?

To jump to the conclusion that based on his caustic comment about the franchise's attendance during his time here (which is true) after being unmercifully booed throughout the game as being an insult to the entire community and its hocky history makes little sense. If you want to boo your guts out that is your prerogative. When he returns to Vegas he will be playing in front of capacity crowds and playing on a Cup contending team. I'm sure he is ecstatic about where he is now at.

His barb about the low attendance was true. How can you deny that? People have a right to boo; he has a right to respond as to how he felt about it. Sometimes the unappealing truth hurts the person who without letup boos. When you throw crap you shouldn't be surprised when the crap gets thrown back at you.

That barb about attendance was true for that year and applicable to previous years. And to a lesser extent if he would say it about this year it would also be true. Fans have a right to boo all they want. They pay for their seats. The notion that a player can't/shouldn't respond to how he feels about his treatment makes no sense to me. It shouldn't be surprising that he holds some resentment towards this organization. It wouldn't allow him to have the operation that he wanted. So he was sidelined. He got traded and immediately got the surgery he wanted. He returned that same season although he was a shell of himself as a player. From what I have seen of him this season he seems back to a healthy form playing in front of capacity crowds. On a broadcast it was pointed out that after Jack had his surgery with the artificial disk two other players got the same surgery. So in hindsight his judgment about his physical interests proved to be correct. I've said this many times before that trading Jack was the right thing for the player and the right thing for the Sabres. The organization needed a reset and so did the player. I, in contrast to most others, have no animosity toward him. I wish him the best.

After being booed throughout the game he pointed out after the game how few fans attended Sabres games last year. That pointed barb was true. Fans have a right to boo, and he has a right not to like it and candidly respond about what he thought about the boo birds.

My response is more of a question than a statement: What happens if as the season advances this team surprises expectations and is in the thick of a playoff race? Will KA make some moves that go against his longer term rebuild strategy in order to seize an opportunity for a playoff spot? I lean toward that he should as much for business reasons (attendance) as for competitive reasons.

I'm not arguing against bringing in another defenseman. But I don't see another first or second caliber of defenseman brought in at this stage of the season. KA has repeatedly stressed the importance of building from within the system. I'm sure he is not a rigid ideologue who wouldn't be willing to bring in another blueliner if the cost was reasonable and the player fit within his roster concept. As I have stated to @GASabresIUFANI just don't see that kind of transaction happening right now.

No it isn't. Lyubushkin just came back, and there is a good chance that Dahlin will play in the next game. And shortly after that it is expected that Joki will also be back. If Bryson was struggling I would be on board with your greater sense of urgency than I currently have. In my view he is holding up fairly well. One positive out of this blue line depletion is that it is apparent that Power already is capable of playing an anchor defenseman role. (He's already a gem.) I'm not ruling out additions to the blue line but not right now. Although I'm sure the GM and his pro scouts are putting together a list of players from other teams who may be available when the team gets to near the half-way point into the season. And then it will more likely consider what is on the market.

Who is rationalizing and accepting losing? How about facing the reality that the Sabres, although handicapped with injuries to key players, played well against a Cup contending team that by any measure is better than your team. The Sabres didn't wilt in this ferociously contested game. They were in this game up until the end. If you can't recognize that this team is a step up, not only from a talent standpoint but also from a competitive standpoint from previous years, then you are lacking perspective. Not only is this an emerging team that still has a way to go to be a top tier team, but it is also an entertaining team. If last night's game wasn't an entertaining game played at a high level, then I don't know what high quality NHL games are. Carolina and Tampa are better teams than Buffalo . What these two road games indicate is that top tier teams have to play close to their max in order to beat us. Any fair-minded person would have to acknowledge that the Sabres are getting better. The organization made a lot of mistakes and put this franchise in a deep hole. This team has mostly gotten itself out of it and is presently moving in the right direction. Maybe you can't see it but I do.

You are most likely right. I went on a Directv and Center Ice site and this game was not listed. I'm pissed off.

Does anyone know if this game will be available on Directv with the hockey package, Center Ice?