pi2000

I agree 100%. It doesn't matter if you can sign him for $1, it's time to move on. Bylsma wants to play a north south speed game with big bodies crashing down hard on the forecheck. Gionta is a nice guy, he put up some great offensive numbers in his prime, but he doesn't fit the type of game they're trying to play. Sure it's a nice story, a WNY native comes back home to lead his team to the playoffs... but let's be real here, he isn't leading them anywhere. Where was his leadership when this team came off the break and dropped two straight to COL and ARI? IMO a big reason this team faltered was because of a leadership void. They desperately needed somebody to call guys out in the locker room and on the bench, hold guys accountable, etc... to prevent them from laying eggs against bottom feeders when you're making a late push for a playoff spot. Gionta (and Gorges) were supposed to be guys to keep everyone in line, but IMO they failed.

Bucky is an idiot. We're not even 2 seasons removed from fielding one of (if not the) worst team in NHL history.

Sabres coming off an entertaining win where they showed lots of speed and energy. That said, I'll predict BUF gets outshot 47-16 and lose 2-1 in a shootout.

Wow, that was quick. Thought for sure he'd be heading back to school in the Fall.

In the old NHL, somebody would kick his ass. Today's NHL has no fighters to police this kind of , so a slash here, a cup check there, etc... mostly goes unpunished.

btw i this up... it's completely wrong, forgot to factor in the Vegas team which gets the same odds as the 3rd place team..

he chopped the guys finger off.... https://i.imgur.com/yyivwbM.jpg

DoPS video for Risto's play... https://www.nhl.com/video/ristolainen-suspended-three-games/t-277440360/c-50688303 ...I still don't get why the punishment was more severe than the Manning play.

But all systems are pretty much the same! Right?!

I thought Manning's late hit was worse than Risto's..... Manning got two games for interference with primary contact to the head. Guentzel was the victim both plays, at some point he needs to protect himself. While it's true that Risto's hit was interference, primary contact was not to the head.... so I don't understand why he got more games than Manning. https://www.nhl.com/video/manning-suspended-two-games/t-277440360/c-49795603

wow you nhl

More source tells me there's no way they can keep the protected lists from going public.

Marv Levy was a sub .500 head coach for 7 seasons before his Super Bowl runs. So yeah, let's dump Dan to the curb just 2 seasons into a rebuild. Smart. You think Colorado regrets firing Quenneville after just 3 seasons?

I don't think Bailey has hit a wall. He still has jump, he plays on his toes, that's his game... he just doesn't know how to use it yet, and other teams have figured that he's a fast guy so they negate his speed.... he's not surprising anyone anymore. They sent him down probably because Buffalo has some time off and Rochester plays Friday so they could use him in their lineup. Sign Tavares and then trade him for Brent Burns :) Shedding just two of Ennis, Kulikov, Gionta, Gorges, Bogosian or Moulson contracts, while adding Burns at $8mil/yr, would be a net savings against the cap.

In reality, who else can really carry the puck up ice like that? O'Reilly? He does it often enough, but that's not his game. Kane does it. The bigger issue is we don't have any defensemen who can lug the mail with consistent success.... Risto tries, but he's not a Karlsson, Doughty, Keith type guy that can open up the ice for everybody else.... like what Brian Campbell did when he was in his prime here. McCabe skate's well enough, but just doesn't have the offensive instincts.

Not gonna happen. That's the tail wagging the dog in this case because the 4-5 cornerstones are still very young inexperienced players. Management will blame injuries, lack of depth on D and the fact they have a young team still learning how to defend. And I'm OK with that... it's part of the re-build process, it sucks, but that's what you get 2 years removed from icing perhaps the worst team modern NHL history. That said, with a healthier roster, a couple better defensemen, and better defensive awareness by the young forwards... if they don't show marked improvement by December next season I believe the death knell will ring for Disco Dan.

What we've all been waiting for.... BUF is currently sitting 7th in points lost %. NHL Lottery Odds for 7th place team.... 1st pick: 6.50% 2nd pick: 6.87% 3rd pick: 7.23% .... 7th pick: 28.87% 8th pick: 39.94% 9th pick: 11.66% 10th pick: 0.74% Chance to move up: 20.59% Chance to move down: 70.41%

We're so used to watching bad defensemen that Brady Austin looks good. In reality he's a poor man's Mike Weber. Good AHL player, not even close to NHL caliber. Ruhwedel looked light years better than Nelson. That's a check mark against GMTM.

Goaltending.

I don't think injuries really played a very big role in where this team ended up in the standings. Goal scoring has been decent.... defensively they have not been very good, and it's not all on the defensemen. The forwards are still learning how to defend in all areas of the ice. As Eichel said in his latest interview he is primarily focused on improving his defensive play and wants to be trusted to play late in tight games, etc... where he can use his skillset to defend. For all the points he's scored, he's still a -9 on the season. Kane a -15, Reinhart a -10. Those 3 spent a good amount of time together this season and they were collectively a -34 at even strength. That has to change and it starts with committing to focus on learning how to defend.

I choose no.... and here's why: Because I'm always right.

Ruhwedel eh? Why didn't we keep him around again?

I want to believe.