JP51

I could not have said it better... the time to pick a Captain other the Dahlin was before you picked Dahlin... now... taking the C away means he likely needs to be traded... and I dont think that helps us unless it involves McDavid... and we know how likely that is to happen.

In Order Incompetent Ownership - not hiring the right people with the right vision, skimping on resources, sending a message that we wont do all we can to win scouting cuts, video scouting etc.... Eichel surgery, handling of Reinhard, O Riellly, Montour etc... Fan Boy decisions that had major effect on operations etc.... Incompetent FO - lacks vision with regard to what it takes to win, team is not balanced and comprised of too many perimeter players, bad trade decisions, grpss mismanagement of assets, refusal to take responsibility, denial.... which then transfers to ..... Skaters - I wont call them hockey players because they are not overall, they are skaters, wont do what it takes to win, do not have the DNA or the mental makeup to over come adversity, tends to blame or take it out on others, lots of words of self reflection, little real awareness dont despise losing enough, but they all have really nice hair and are quite pretty... LOL we need people without a full set of teeth 🙂 Development - too many critical players who would have helped this team succeeding elsewhere, too many young players not seasoned enough, too many young players whose psyche's are destroyed because of the situation, lack of veteran leadership and example and really bad coaching. Coaching - an amazing array of incompetent coaches, this also goes back to ownership, the Rolston, Housley and Soccer GM hire and maybe even trying to resurrect Nolan are the most baffling to me and reek of cheapness and fan boyness (I think I made a new word) again back to ownership. In the end it wasnt good enough, too inconsistent, too incompetent to have the players believe they were part of something destined to succeed with adult supervision... I mean how can anyone take Phylis Housley seriously when he talks about "getting to the tough places on the ice" . Stop talking Phil you lost me at tough... Palm trees - in case you didnt know we dont have Palm trees in Buffalo and that is the reason players wont come here... has nothing to do with any of the above for going on 2 decades... but in the end this viewpoint and assessment of the state of events from our mis management illustrates the defeatist, lazy, weak, arrogant attitude that pervades this organization like an irremovable stench... how can you possibly win when your leadership already thinks you lost.

I like Hamiltons insight into the room... but you are right, he is a homer until he gets pissed then he loses it... I agree, I dont see Dahlin as a natural leader but in the end to me they needed to make that decision before the C went to him and give it to Tuch at that point. At this point taking it away I think makes it worse. I think its too late for that.

He has good insight but there is a fan boy component to him and you can tell he is good and frustrated and wearing his emotions in his reporting for sure.

Belushi could... "was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor! "

When I read Hamilton say that it is becoming apparent that Dahlin couldnt lead this team I immediately thought... get him a better team then...

anchovies, water cress and cilantro

I am kinda with you... I am just not sure with this group it would make a hill of difference... but I am seeing stuff out there... and management is clearly at a loss for what buttons to push... sad we are here... but we are. Not gonna lie... I can totally see this

Question... I dont get the sense that the players hate Dahlin, are you thinking differently?

So, several months ago I posed this question... ultimately saying not now... but... if you get halfway through the season and the team is floundering and in the basement... is this something to consider.... well here we are, halfway thru the season with the team floundering and in the basement... do you think taking the C away from Dahlin is an option or will this do nothing and destroy/lose the player.... From my perspective, I always thought Tuch was the leader... but I get why Dahlin gets the C. I personally dont think moving the C does anything but lose the player... but what do you all think... I am now reading articles calling out Dahlin for being unable to lead this team... but I am not sure anyone could...

LOL I am not sure they chuckle.. but definitely roll their eyes in disgust... the relationship between the fans and the players definitely has reached the level of acrimonious... another reason I am not sure this can be fixed in its present form.

Honestly, worried that if he raised his voice they would break down in tears.... not sure this is a group that yelling at will get the desired response... I think they crawl deeper into their hole... so fundamentally, the team in its basic construction is so mentally fragile that to me by and large it is not salvageable even when he tries to hold players accountable... literally I just dont know what he does... I almost feel like they want to be shot and put out of their misery overall... at least a lot of them... I wish for a retool... but I am not convinced that there isnt major gutting to be done... this is a quandry that is bigger than teaching defense and yelling at players... its a fundamental core issue that we have a bunch of skaters and very few hockey players. The reincarnation of a young Scottie Bowman couldnt fix this.

I agree, I understand Cozen's struggles... but in the end this is one kid that cares or at least used to care... then they put him thru the meat tenderizer that is this abject cluster and my have destroyed him. I do have hope for him... but not under this incompetent cluster.

So true lol and it does work for him. Seems to work in reverse for the Sabres... all those that go elsewhere and seem to thrive...

Quite honestly, mot sure I want to spend assets on a talented player who is under performing and bring him here to re ignite... just seems like a recipe for more wasted assets.

There is a few players that do... but they are slowly beating the fight out of them... a la Ryan Oreilly

I think it is a common theme with those who have been in this cesspool... with the exception of Bylsma like 10 years later I really can think of 1 person in this disorganization who has been here post Ruff 1 as GM or Coach that has gotten an equivalent job in the industry after participating in this mess. Just thinking off the top of my head... (Reiger, Murray, LaFontaine, Botterill, Kreuger, Rolston, Housley, Meatballs, Brandon, Nolan, and lord knows if and when Adams gets fired he will join this list.)

Anyone with a brain would want out

I could see that... I really should have said BIG trade... thats what I was thinking but I was absolutely not clear about that. My thinking is that if your are gonna bring in a Top 6 difference maker they are gonna want one of your top prospects.

I am pretty sure if there is a trade it will involve 1 or both of these two...

Yes Talent - Plenty Hockey Players - few

I cant believe that its got legs... I think the Miracle on ice was a pedestrian win compared to what level of anomaly would be required for this team to leapfrog 7 teams and get 60 out of 80 points or something like that... people want to hope.. we love hockey, we want our favorite to win ... we hate that there is seemingly no hope, it looks like no one cares... and when they do address our frustrations they belittle, push off, and talk to us like we aren't seeing what we are seeing. Talk about despair... but in the end any glimmer I think is going to be hung on too by some until it is ultimately dashed again... conversely, 1 loss will send folks into a tailspin of despair. The good news is people are so emotional about it... it means they care... but if things don't change, we are perilously close to mass apathy and that is when its over...

I just want whatever we need to completely gut the entire operating FO and replace them with competence and have Terry understand that he cannot get in the way to happen... I just dont think it will... but if your scenario gets it done. I am in.

Indeed, that as well especially if it is another collapse or a$$ whoopin.

I think this is pivitol... not so much for the season or the playoffs... but the psyche of the team.. coming off a 13 game winless streak... rattle off 3 in a row a feat which this team has rarely accomplished in the recent decades... to dropping 3 in a row... I think a loss here could send them on another protracted losing streak... a win helps them from falling into the abyss especially another home game getting booed off the ice... either way I see nothing but pain, disappointment and despair ahead but I do think this game is a bit of tipping point if they lose it.