SabreFinn

I finally got to see someone get really pissed off! Yes!! Dahlin broke his stick in anger efter Krakens fifth goal! There is still hope!

Muscles are good to have, and even better if they know how to use them. On the other hand the trend seem to be speed at the moment, the focus is more on doing things in high speed than with strenght and weight. As examples of that rumours tell that Sasha Barkov lost over 10lbs during the summer to get faster, because the game is getting faster, and he is better than ever now. On the other hand, he was and still is a big guy. But someone still needs to get in front of the net and have the ability to stay there also...

You are absolutely right about Aho! He was not big either. So if Östlund can become an Aho, we will be fine! But I doubt he is at the same compete level as Aho, he seems more like a Teräväinen, but that isn't bad either.

Hoping for the best but expecting the worst.

I think Sabres had great prospects in the wjc. None of them are ready players to take a place in the NHL this season or the next. But we already have a lot of prospects and young players so there is no need to take shortcuts in their development. What we need is players that can show examples how to play a winning hockey. Either by trading/signing or by developing. I liked Östlund the most, I hear you saying he looks soft and I agree, but muscles are easier to get than the hockey IQ of his. Skrbak will fill a theird pair spot on defense next to Samuelsson some day. Wahlberg needs to get better in all areas, but most urgent is the skating, then he might get a try... Kulich did a great tournament also, unfortunately I get wibes of him beeing a one trick Pony. But his shot is amazing and he will become an NHL:er. I think he will replace Skinner in a couple of years (My guess is that Skinners last two years are bought out). Savoie is a players with amazing talent and speed, but he is the one of these five that might someday become NHL :ers that I have hardest to see on the team. I do not know where to put him in the line-up..

Next year will be the year!

Bring in Granlund from SJS, kan play both C and W, plenty of routine and responsible two way play, BP and PP. Bunting in Carolina might be for sale also.

What I wonder the most is if someone in the dressing room gets really pissed off, yelling at everyone, breaking stuf. Just because he hates being *****. I really hope for that! I haven't noticed that on the ice... What I think should help the most is if they just realize that this season is lost. They are not going to win two thirds of remaining games. Start to relax a bit. Now they overplay almost every situation meaning they never get a flow in their game.

IF we take Samsonov from waivers, then we are back on a three goalie rotation or we send Levi to Rochester. Luukkonen have to clear waivers to be sent down, or we trade him for something else...

Comrie should never even have been in the line-up this season. I hoped they had signed a veteran to go with UPL and given Levi time and space to develop into a longtime NHL goalie with a winning season in AHL first. In Finland when talking about goalie development every discussion turns to how Pekka Rinne was the mentor for Saros. And that is what we need in Buffalo now, and as the situation has developed UPL is the one that has to be traded to get there.

Absolutely, and sometimes you have to owerpay to get what you really want and need, but that is not going to happen with Adams. And that might be his biggest weakness as a GM

I agree. On everything. I think they would be good exchange for a solid 30 year old defender with years left on the contract. But who?

Good game! The Swedes look great this year(shhhh... saying positive things about Sweden is almost criminal in Finland) , great speed. Östlund better than Savoie. Do not know what to think about Wahlberg, big but skating not good enough to make it in the NHL at current level...

I think he wants to win. Last year went in some ways better than expected, and that messed up the "plan". Tages new contract was a success then, and that made Adams confident in handing out new, long contracts to several other. He could have made cheaper contracts by keeping his head cool. He did sign EJ and CC and I tought he did okey, they seemed like good additions by then. The defense needed an upgrade. Well, he has to make another move now! The face offs was another problem, do not know if he even tried to solve that. Just guessing, but I think that before Devon Levi made his debut last spring, the plan was to get a veteran goaltender in the summer to pair with UPL, and keeping Levi in AHL. But Levi was so damn good, so he taught he could save some money. He should have stayed with the plan. And since their magnificent scoring from last season has disappeared and there has not been any progress on the defensive game, Kevyn Adams has to make a new plan. Many fans seem to be asking for a trade, I just do not really know who to trade for that A) would not be a expensive rental, B) would like to play in Buffalo? But they have a lot to offer in a trade on the other hand. I have never liked it when the coach is the one who have to go when the players do not play well, but in this case I think Granatos contract extension is the biggest misstake made. There are no progress on any areas. But they could change the assistans coaches also.

Bruce Springsteen once brought up a kid on stage to play guitar with him. He told the kid that it isn't how you play, it is about how good you look playing it. Was that kid Owen Power??

Jokiharju scratched for third straight game.... My theory is that there might be a trade coming. Otherwise he would not be eating popcorn instead of playing. Granato is right about his inconsistency but he is not the only bad defender...

Thank you! I am from the Vasa region, Finland

I must say I disagree with you on Cozens. You are absolutely right about his play in the defensive zone, it is sometimes awful, but when I look att him playing, he can score, he is tough, I like his back check. Many good things. Then I get a bit frustrated over the defensive zone play, the misstakes, they are not that hard to fix, so why isn't somebody helping him to do that??? So he can be worth the money that's paid .... The boy do not seem stupid, he can learn it if they start working on the right things! A bit of topic but Rasmus Ristolainen recently said he wish he had Tortorella as a coach when he came to the NHL...

Exactly! And when the defensive play is on a solid level their offense will be more relaxed and confident, and TNT is scoring again! Fixed! And! Peca to NYR was a big misstake in my opinion. The rookies from Americans seemed better prepared last year. They should have found a place for Peca in the coaching staff.

Every sport starts from defense! Pegula do not know hockey! (chocking news!!!)

They could start with learning how to play a solid Five skater defense in their d-zone. Now it is among the worst ever seen on a professional level. When they are checking along the boards they havet to be determined to win the puck. Now they are just tryin... Luck is not something you get, it is something you deserve by working hard. (Write that on the lockerroom wall!). The players just need a kick in the ass, a Hard one. I think the players on the roster could take the Sabres to play off IF they learn those three things. Or... I guess the play off has already starten, not the one we wanted, but still. The players need to realize that. Otherwise they will över make it.

No. They are not good enough. But I do not think they are far from it either. What they need is bottom line centers that can win face offs and play a solid two way game, a veteran. But where to find those, that is the big question... Mikael Granlund, Pageau, Henrique and Bjugstad could do the job. And Kevyn Adams seems to be greed, he does not gamble and he do not trade away something more valuable than late round picks and low grade prospects. I also think they should try to aquire Chris Tanev and send Clifton to Alberta. Greetings from a fan from Finland!