JohnC

Over the past 16 games the Sabres are 9-6-1. They were on a 98 pt. pace. The problem is that they still lost ground to the teams in front of them. The all-star break came at a good time. I needed it to get recharged. I'm glad they will be back in action tomorrow.

Okposo on the first line make little sense to me. I would move Tuch back up to the first line and put Olofsson on the Mitts line. At this stage in his career, Okposo is a fourth liner. The Quinn injury had ramifications for all the lines. It was a consequential loss.

Does anyone know what the nature of his injury is? I'm aware that it's reported as an upper body injury. Is it likely to be a shoulder issue?

I don't want to over examine this PP issue because it can end up as a futile back and forth. Even within a structure set by the coaching staff, it is not a static event on the ice. Players have the ability to move to the open areas and have the ability to move the puck more quickly. Teams have various strategies on the PP and PK. It isn't so much about outsmarting the opposition because there is a fundamental aspect/strategy to playing on the special teams that all teams follow to a certain extent. The persistent problem I see on the PP, and in the game in general, is our inability to have a net presence that can to a degree obstruct the goalie. If there is one identifiable problem that needs to be addressed revolves around having more net presence. The two players who do it the best on this team (my opinion) are Greenway and Benson. Benson is arguably the least imposing player on the team, yet he provides as much net presence than most of the bigger and stronger players on the roster. That's not acceptable!

We are in general accord regarding the assessment of the team and franchise. However, with respect to DG having run out of runway for his stewardship, my response is: I'm not sure???? With respect to Adams and his approach, I don't expect major changes. But because he has so many prospects in the system and draft assets, he needs to judiciously use them to improve the team. A couple to few astute moves can make a big difference.

We are in agreement that our PP can be better. In this season, our paltry production has been the difference between being in the middle of a genuine playoff pursuit as opposed to being in a deep hole that needs extra effort just to get out of. I agree with you that it's unreasonable to expect to match the sterling PP percentage that we had in our end of season run. However, if we could have gotten it to an average plus level this year, our perception of the season would be dramatically different. Is coaching the underpinning problem for this PP unit? I'm not sure? The players need to make the adjustment to get this unit back on track. I hold them mostly responsible for the struggles.

The main reason why there was such a high expectation entering this season was that a number of our core, including Tage, Cozens, Tuch, Skinner etc. had exceptional scoring seasons last year. And on top of that, our PP was productive. Neither of these two elements have happened this year, at least so far. What is the reason for this decline? I believe that injuries and other teams adjusting to our strengths resulted in a noticeable decline. I am on the side of the table that argues to stay the course and don't overreact to what has happened this year. It should be remembered that the Sabres earned 91 points last year compared to the previous year's 75 points. The trajectory was clearly pointing in an upward direction. Although the Sabres are in a tough position entering the second half of the season, I haven't given up hope for a playoff run. In my opinion the last thing this franchise needs is to lose its nerve on the course it has set. If the front office panics to the point of changing course and significantly altering the roster, it would in my opinion set this franchise back, again! Just because I'm mostly arguing to "stay the course" doesn't mean that it should stand pat and not make some tweaks to the roster this offseason. I realize I'm more upbeat than most about this team and that I'm very much in the minority here.

I don't understand where you are coming from. He gave an opinion based on his medical experience. Although he doesn't have any inside knowledge about this particular case, his conjecturing about the injury and timeline based on his experience is consistent with the information that is coming out. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this mostly an opinion forum?

How can anyone who read @Wyldnwoody44's knowledgeable professional response to Quinn's injury and the rehab timetable not appreciate his contribution on this particular topic? He informed us on the nature of the injury and the usual timetable to get back to form. What was the purpose of your sarcastic response to his educated comment on this issue? My response to @Wyldnwoody44 is thank you for your contribution. I now know more about Quinn's injury and likely/unlikely return because of your post.

I consider Mitts to be a valuable core player for this team, now and in the future. His value to the Sabres is enhanced by his versatility. He can play wing or center on any of the three top lines. Look what happened when Tage was hurt last year and was struggling. The coach moved Mitts up to the first line resulting in it playing as well, if not better, when Tage was healthy. If I could get a top 4 defenseman for Mitts in a trade, I would still be dead set against such a deal. I would rather go out and get a Clifton caliber defenseman (who is playing well after an adjustment period) from the market and retain Mitts. When you are building a team the smart approach is to add talent, not subtract it.

This is an all-star break. Players scatter and go off and do their own thing. Some players like to stay home with their families, some of the younger guys go off to warmer climates for a short vacation, some of Dahlin's buddies will be in Toronto to support him. It's as much a mental break as it is a physical break from the grinding sport. The same scenario happens in basketball, baseball and during the season the bye week in the NHL. There's no question that the staff makes a point to tell the players to keep up with some physical activity and responsible eating habits in order to maintain their conditioning. But they don't need to be hectored about it because they are already aware of the consequences of acting irresponsibly during this short interlude. The break is not a reward or punishment for how they have played. This break is part of hockey as it is part of every sport. I see this break as a good thing. It allows the players to refresh mentally and heal physically.

I'm in the "stay the course" camp. I have repeatedly stated so. However, taking that view doesn't mean that I advocate that the front office shouldn't make moves to improve the roster and better balance the roster. I liked the Greenway and Clifton acquisitions. Although it took some time for each player to adjust to their new team, they are now solid contributors. There should have been a couple more of these types of mid-level deals that would have made this roster better. I give little credibility to those who argue to blow up the team and the staff. That's the last thing this woebegone franchise needs to do. It's not a question of tinkering but making enough smart moves to keep on with the upward trajectory that followed last season. Most hockey analysts believed that Buffalo was ahead of Detroit in the rebuilding process. Why did Detroit move ahead of us this year? Yzerman made a number of moves to bring in players to augment the young talent he has assembled over the past few years. He's simply a more experienced and astute GM than our GM. And it has been demonstrated by where his team is in the standings compared to where we are. I'm not a KA basher. In general, I believe he has done a good job. But he could have done more to accelerate the rebuilding process to keep up with the teams he is competing with.

Ryan Johnson already plays like a mature player. He's not an 18 or 19 year old who was moved up to the NHL too soon. His 4 year college experience makes him more prepared for a higher pairing than most prospects. I'm really not worried about him not being able to handle the support defenseman role for either of the top two pairings. If bringing in a player to pair with Power results in Mitts being dealt, I say no. I would rather add a Clifton caliber player to the unit and keep Mitts.

Absolutely not! I would be furious if Quinn were traded for a top 4D. The GM acquired free agent Clifton (gave up nothing in assets) in the last offseason. After struggling, he seems to have found his footing. If the GM could make a similar deal this offseason, I would be ecstatic. I see Ryan Johnson being moved up to one of the top two pairs in the not-too distant future. I can envision a blueline group that includes Dahlin, Samuelsson, Joki, Clifton and Ryan Johnson (Eric Johnson will not be on the team next year) and with another Clifton type addition is being good unit. With good goaltending the defensive unit looks solid.

I just don't see a VO bringing back a #4 defenseman. Unless you include a high-end prospect such as Kulich, it is unlikely to get back a #4 d-man. As I said in another post, I would prefer getting a Clifton caliber player in the offseason (free agent who cost us nothing) and move Ryan Johnson up as one of the support defenseman for either of the top two pairings.

Also, points in the standings. Your record is your record.

I'm really surprised that you are a drinker. You always seem to be a sober thinker.

The analytic crowd has a tendency to complicate the simple. They will start to talk about curvatures and bend rate. They will also have different categories for extended and not extended. It can get messy when this crowd gets involved. 🤡

Wouldn't it be better to just use a tape measure?

What you are basically suggesting although not intended is mostly to stay the course. We have our two goalies in UPL and Levi. Correct me if I am wrong, but you wanted to jettison UPL this offseason? He seems to have crossed the boundary from prospect to authentic NHL goalie. How good will he be? As you well know, when assessing young goalies it is best to be humble. It's not unusual that a good year is followed by a down year reprising the goalie argument again. My prediction is that in the long-run Levi is going to be our primary goalie. As you pointed out, Eric Johnson is an upgrade from Lyubushin and Stillman. EJ is on a one-year contract. He was on a one year contract. So after this season he will be gone. I would prefer that a Clifton caliber defender be added to the unit this offseason. I would rather see the high amount of money needed for a second pairing defender be dedicated to signing Mitts. I believe that Ryan Johnson is capable of being the B player on the first and second pairing. I also like Joki more than most. Okposo is one of the most honorable and honest players on this team. It's time to retire. I would rather keep Girgs. He would be a good fourth line player for us because of his size, speed and grit. The Sabres earned 75 points in the 2021 season. The Sabres then earned 91 points in the 2022 season. That is a significant leap forward. My projection is that the Sabres will be in the 90 range this season. Without question, this has been a disappointing year much of it due to reasonable higher expectations. I still contend (minority view) that we are not out of the playoff race. We shall see. My recommendation is to in general stay the course that already has been set. When looking at this franchise from a broader overview perspective this franchise is not that far away from being a serious team. The last thing this franchise needs is another plan to follow. My recommendation for this front office is to be brave, trust in your plan, and with some modest adjustments to stay the course. The last thing that this franchise needs is a major shakeup.

He didn't get the puck out that was subsequently shot and deflected off of Ryan Johnson's stick. The puck was headed wide of the net but instead was inadvertently deflected in. In how many plays within a game is the puck turned over? It happens a lot. As I have said, Bryson is an AHL caliber of player. He is a marginal player who was brought in as a replacement, who then played a moderate number of minutes. Was he a liability in this game? Maybe inconsequentially so? In my view, (not directed toward you) there is too much attention directed toward marginal/fringe players when the primary reason why this has been a disappointing season is that our primary players slumped compared to the prior season and to our maybe oversized expectations.

Didn't DG get an extension this year? The biggest flaw entering this season related to our goaltending situation. Is it better and staffed for the future with UPL and Levi in net? I would say so. If others say no, I understand their stance. Also, a big roster flaw related to our blueline unit. There are still needed upgrades but the addition of Clifton and Ryan Johnson upgraded the unit, at least in my estimation. I have repeatedly stated that it is a mistake to give up on this season from making the playoffs standpoint. My take is clearly a minority view.

I'm not trying to portray him beyond what his talent level is. He's more of an AHL than NHL caliber of player. You watch plenty of NHL games. There are plenty of giveaways from both teams in a game. That's unavoidable in such a fast-paced game. From what I watched, I didn't see him being a major liability in this game, a game in which we won. If others have a different take regarding this player, I'm fine with it.

It will be interesting to see if Kulich is brought up to take the place of Quinn. (After watching DG's post-game interview, it appears that Quinn is going to be out for quite a while.) Olofsson could also end up taking Quinn's spot.

Greenway was added last year and Clifton was added in the offseason. Neither transaction can be categorized as major additions. However, they were both solid deals that added an element ruggedness for a team that lacked it, and it improved the roster. It has taken some time for each player to adjust to his new role and team, but they now appear to have reached a comfort level.