Porous Five Hole

Thanks and praise to @pi2000 for flaming out last week. @Norcal put up a good fight, but Nabers and Bijan did the job. @SDS let me know if you need an address to send me that sexy trophy 🏆.

I think you’re onto something here. Pro sports are one thing when it comes to competition, but even as a kid…the point is to be successful/win. Duck Duck Goose, Uno, Candy Land…you play to win the game from a young age. You learn to care about winning early. That explains why competitors want to win. The second step is why do we care about winning at NHL hockey as a fan? It’s the hometown team, but no one is from the hometown. The players are mercenaries. Why do we care about them and this? My answer is because I was in the building when Derek Plante ended OT game seven against Ottawa. Euphoria. The building shook. that felt AMAZING. I will chase that high for the rest of my life. I had nothing to do with it but react, but it was FUN! That’s why we care about winning.

Rob Ray back

ROC with wins last night and tonight keeps them in first by points and second by points percentage. They’ve won four straight and 11 of the last 13.

It sucks to lose someone, but now you get to celebrate him! And maybe he will meet Frank up there in the sky. And to the rest of you…

Why do people put feet in their photos? Thankfully you’re wearing a sock.

Well I drank up Labatt, so now it’s time to invade @Norcal

Tough break for @pi2000 to lose his QB in the first quarter in a playoff game

I am as frustrated as you, but this is bad armchair GM’ing. We probably agree that the core has not been properly supplanted with a crop of heavy veteran help, but fire selling the entire core of the likes of Tage, Dahlin, Tuch, Power, etc, sets the organization back even more years from being competitive. It isn’t a real answer.

That’s a bold strategy Cotton unlocking a locked thread, let’s see if it pays off.

Cozens looks like he cares. Krebs cares. Clifton cares. I thought it was interesting after the Habs game that two of the three post game scrums that were aired on tv were with McLeod & Clifton. I think a lot of guys care. I just think they don’t have enough talent to compete or too much panic when it goes sideways.

Per Ruff, Greenway is having surgery and will miss a significant amount of time

https://buffalonews.com/sports/professional/nhl/sabres/lindy-ruff-buffalo-sabres-slump-nhl/article_0bbdf6b6-bd62-11ef-b4d4-b706877a278f.html “Lindy Ruff bears some responsibility for Sabres sinking to bottom”

This isn’t contradicting you in any way, but he was with the Caps in a developmental role and not with the big club regularly. This was back when there was a taxi squad during the COVID season. I don’t know the circumstances of his exit there, perhaps ROC was just closer to home and that was appealing. You’re correct, played and won a Selke for Lavs on Long Island.

If Laviolette and staff are canned, I think there’s a place for Peca in Buffalo. I assume his home is still in Getzville and it is a logical fit. However, I cannot endorse him as a head coach. The Sabres cannot have another first time head coach, regardless of Peca’s pedigree as a player, as a human, or as an assistant.

Who are we thinking POHO?

On the other hand on Drury, dealing with Terry might be a walk in the park compared to Dolan. I’m not saying it is likely to happen that he comes back to Buff, but I wouldn’t completely rule it out. I don’t get the impression Peca left pissed off. He had an offer from the Sabres, but it wasn’t what he wanted. The Sabres didn’t have an open position on the bench at the time and he accepted a promotion elsewhere. The Sabres didn’t screw him (well they did in 2000, and he STILL came back to the org). He’s not coaching in the NHL today without the Sabres org and Appert specifically.

He’s being paid by NJ, so yes.

I would move that date to March 3, 2023 because he whiffed at improving the club at the trade deadline and the Sabres just missed the playoffs.

coming for you @LabattBlue!

If he cannot make his system work with 1OA, 1OA, and 4OA, I don’t know what to tell you. Talent is there and I think we have a coaching problem. Ok to agree to disagree.

I guess. My point was that Lindy is not the guy. I don’t know if Tocchet or Keefe could have been. But Ruff was a safe and easy hire…and I don’t think his magic dust is working. Back to the drawing board if it were up to me.

Tell me daddy. What is it?