JP51

This is not the first I have read this mentioned as a thing. It would not surprise me... I mean Lindy does have about 900 wins as an NHL coach.. not sure this makes him a GM but he certainly has more credentialled experience then KA... I could see TP leaning on Lindy.

Oh they each had their own individual ineptitudes... kinda like choosing between eating dogs&*^ , barf, and having a bird catch you looking up with your mouth open.... LOL... Too much???

Bet you get a lot of posters to Zelle you 5 bucks lol 🤣

This is something that I wish they would focus on... I think McLeod and Tuch would be much better for Benson as they are better 2 way players than JJP and Thompson, Norris... I dont really know... but this is part of my point.. Nothing wrong with Zach, but is he developing at a pace and in the right direction that we are looking for... Almost like Power in a way.. are we just letting them both free lance and hang or are we getting them the right personnel and focused instruction to develop.

I think both statements are true in the end... but to your point AHL time is not throwing the baby out... I think at this point Benson going to the AHL is probably not realistic or neccessary IMO... I do think they need to be thoughtful about who they are playing him with, what situations the put him (and that includes looking to get him focused in all situations as I believe he can be a great 2 way player) and give him a plan of focus with goals... like, your are going to play more PK now.. we need you to do x,y,z... and allow him to focus on some wax on wax off stuff ... I can't prove it, have no knowledge of it or have anything to base this on other than my eyes.. but it seems to date he has just been put out there to freelance and play... moving around from line to line... etc... I would like to see more focus for him because I think he could become a cornerstone guy...

Really good point about the contract

Both try to get opponent off game... I go down a dark alley with Benson over Skinner everyday of the week

This is another indictment of the type of player that we draft... so add... me player to the, we were too full of our selves and they didnt come to camp in shape narrative... what does this say about the people building the team... ??

I will say this, Benson has more attitude than Skinner ever had and this bodes well...

I think they are separate... I think I see far too few of those type players on the team... Cozens may have been one of them... we need more... The developmental piece is separate.... so you cant beat a cross check them in the head attitude out of someone that doesnt have it... thats why it is intangible... however, the developmental aspect of this team has been poor... Quinn might be an example, Middlestadt, Power, Levi. even into the AHL... with all of our high picks and vaunted prospects who has really come to the rescue... Dahlin, Peterka? Who is waiting in the wings to throttle a roster spot... Kulich... So, I worry that we dont develop players to their potential... as well as don't put the appropriate priority on the that intangible attitude that is hard to teach like Benson has.... and somewhere along the line, when losing becomes the standard... then you have lost them....

Sorry you didnt like the questions... in the end though they elicited exactly the discussion I was looking for... Actually, I was reticent to put up the points thing but it was tangible and is bringing forth thought. Quite honestly I love the fact you posted the defensive characteristics as maybe that is exactly where the progression took place this year and we can all feel better about it... it certainly does tell a better story... I posted earlier that I would love to see Peca get his hands on this quy... because maybe to your point he isnt going to be a 50 goal scoring 100 pt guy... But more of a Peca or Marchand type player... 30 goals 70 pts... pk pp and 5/5 guy that can play in all situations.. honestly thats who I was thinking he would be. That said, my fear remains the same for him under the current regime... we take a guy who has this intangible attitude that we need to pervade this team... like give me 5 more of that attitude of "Sometimes you gotta cross check someone in the head" on this team. and we beat it out of him... And that is what I think of Benson, I think he is exactly the type of player you need to build a team and I worry that this circumstance ruins that...

The AHL thing is indeed a thing... and there is no going back now... I think there is a way to move him to top 6 and his attitude is completely an intangible that we need more of... but to me we put him thru the meat grinder and expect development probably not the plan... I just dont see the developmental coaching here... I really think we need one... Quite honestly I would love to see Peca get his hands on Benson... they could be similar players.

I dont disagree, I am just worried that he is going to go thru the grinder that seems to ruin prospects... I really feel like their needs to be a change for him. Certainly who he plays with for sure because I think the entire team needs a lot of change... Quite honestly, throwing him in at 18 I wonder? Certainly you cant demote him at this point I dont think that helps... but I do think there needs to be a focus on how he develops... I am not sure that it is in place now... He seems to be the one guy with the skill and the attitude that we are looking for... Maybe a Marchand type...

I was waiting for that LOL

My fear is Pegula is in the I am not paying any more coaches not to coach and managers not to manage... at least until I am done paying Christian Erhoff... lol.... and does absolutely zero.

Earlier this year he was listed as one of the untouchable players on this team... 2023 - 71 games 11 goals 19 Assists 30 pts +/- -3 2024 - 75 games 10 goals 18 assists 28 pts +/- -2 Very similar numbers, not sure I would call it regression but it certainly isnt progression.... where do we sit now, still untouchable? Simply another example of the Sabres inability to develop talented players? He is not who we thought he was.... As for me, I expected something closer to a 20 goal 45-50 pt season for him... its early yet, but I feel like we are beginning to ruin him... let him languish much longer and we may bleed the attitude and fight right out of him... Interested in folks opinions here.. he was such a hope for us when the season started... not as much when it ended...

If your players don't feel the need to be in shape then you need new players. Period they are losers. Adams constructed this. Camps, check ins , chaperones, whatever... if the player doesn't care enough about his team, career and profession to come to work prepared. I can't help them... this excuse is the most damning indictment of this lazy country club.

As if it were possible to despise a franchise and a situation like the Sabres any more than people already do... and as if it were possible to be even more inept from ownership down than we have the past 14 years... Pegula says "Hold my beer" You are the only one as of now... I suspect we may get a few more soon LOL

Certainly not going to push off their individual efforts.. good for them... looking at positives after this season is hard... glad you came up with a few.

Let us not forget expansion teams that are better than we are as well... unfair is 14 years not making the playoffs when half the teams do... we have had teams rebuild win the cup, fall down and rise back up in that time.... Adams is the current incompetent shill... and thus he gets the blame... but in the end Pegula has presided over this abject hockey he// and nothing changes until he does... if he keeps Adams... we are cooked... if he gets rid of Adams and hires another incompetent yes man.. the beat goes on... if he decides NHL Hockey belongs in Buffalo and hires competent professionals and gives them the resources, then maybe we can begin the process of digging out... until then... we are going to continue to be irrelevant.. what is sad is this notion of making the playoffs means a day off from work and a down town parade... this is so sad... I remember when we aspired to win a cup... that notion is laughable... I dont know if we can ever get back to that hope realistically... a lot of change would need to happen... in the meantime... we get nothing and are forced to like it... this is utter ineptitude at its finest...

Yeah, if they are letting him do the press conference and confirm Ruff is back then Pegula is likely doing nothing... Adams will do Adams and we will suck again. In perpetuity.... I can only hope a ton of empty seats show up at games.

Agree with everything... especially the last point... I believe I said in another post... something like... Murray, Botterill, Adams, Housely,Kreuger,Ruff, Rolston, Granato... 2011... all have one common denominator... Pegula.... until he changes nothing changes.

So for me my first game was the Schoenfeld Cashman thru the zamboni doors game at 5 years old... so we are similar in our fan tenure... and one would not think 15 years is possible... but... no one thought 14 was either... I guess my view here is like a roulette wheel... just because a number came up, doesnt mean that it is less likely to come up the next spin... they are independent trials... and after 14 years of neglect and abject ineptitude and incompetence if we continue with the same... I fear we get the same result... in perpetuity...

I am thinking we are gonna get alot of "Stay the course" "it is what it is" "fundamentally" "we are happy with the progress" followed by "dont forget these are young players" "Things take time" and "Terry is as engaged as he ever was"... I almost want to lay odds on each of these being used in the presser... also 5-1 he doesnt mention palm trees but a reporter does...

We were still on avatar 2...