Robviously

Do the Sabres realize they haven’t clinched a playoff spot yet?

Both Capitals goals on moronic plays. Sabres are killing themselves tonight.

Phrasing!

Glad it's not just me. Remember when Tage Thompson was dominant for about 5 games and we all had a good laugh about ever doubting the Sabres had a good plan to develop him? He still has six points total on the season! The Sabres need secondary scoring. These games are completely different when we're not just waiting for Jack's line to save the day.

Massive win, and an incredible weekend.

The points have suddenly arrived for Asplund. I don't think there's an AHL game tracker to check but he had 1 point through his first 14 games, and 8 points in his last 10 or so.

The Sabres dominated the game and got off the a 2-0 lead, and then completely gave up. Brutal.

Gosh, maybe taking the second period off wasn’t such a great idea. Pathetic.

They've been playing like they have the 4-0 lead they had after the first period against Philly last month. Just an awful effort since we scored our second goal.

Save of the Year! Other than Ullmark, Sabres are playing like total crap this period. We have a one goal lead. Wake up.

PILUT TO EICHEL

That was gorgeous.

Random Thoughts 1. It’s another game where I have to worry about Gudas ending someone’s career because realistically that’s the only way he makes an impact in the league. 2. It’s been almost 2 weeks since we won a game. 3. Today is a wonderful day for secondary scoring to happen. I’m looking at you, Tage and Casey.

100% Agree. The league needs an awesome green uniform and it's a perfect color for the *Emerald City in the Evergreen State*. I also don't see how the league stepped in to stop Las Vegas from using "Black Knights" because it was too close to "Blackhawks" but they'd be cool with a *fourth* team in the league having the exact same color scheme (Blackhawks, Devils, Hurricanes). I know, I know, it's the NHL....

This. It's too early to stress about who we'll lose, even if we all hate what the delay means for the Sabres. One aspect of expansion that I'm fairly optimistic about is Jason Botterill. He's been very opportunistic (in a good way) with his trades and there should be some opportunity with teams scrambling to protect themselves for expansion. I'm hoping it means he can make a savvy move or two.

The NBA is the smartest of the four big leagues, and it's really not close. The NHL has same stupid problems for decades while the NBA solves their issues quickly and continues to optimize their product. It's literally amazing that this is true and that some version of this has been true forever -- the NHL really doesn't see any benefit to reeling in its goons and protecting the players and style of hockey that fans actually want to see.

1. You are vindicated. 2. No one on this board is respected.

*sigh*

Zero points for Skinner tonight. Let’s hurry up and sign him while he’s slumping!

Please, no. Not this thread too.

Hey, the Sabres have been playing well and it's neat.

The answer to #2 is in #1!!!!!! These guys have a couple days and then they come in to clean out their lockers and talk to the media. And players generally don't give reporters any juicy quotes. WHICH IS WHY IT STOOD OUT WHEN O'REILLY DECIDED TO TELL EVERYONE HE'D LOST HIS LOVE OF THE GAME. And phrasing it exactly that way puts it all on Jason Botterill to do something. Because if he'd kept ROR after that and we were still bad this year, he'd be fired. Because that means he kept a guy who openly said his passion for the game was gone.

1. Botterill's interviews, just like those of any pro coach or GM, are going to have a lot of subterfuge. He's playing poker. Yes, he said he adored ROR and saw him as a part of the future. And then he dealt him. That says more about how he valued him than the interviews do. 2. You really think ROR didn't know how the "I lost my love the game" would go over when he said it? People were beside themselves that a pro athlete would say that, especially in hockey where these guys never say anything in interviews. It was a calculated move. He knew it would generate a ton of media attention, and it did. And if Botterill kept him and the team sucked again this year, he'd look ridiculous for keeping a player that literally said he didn't care anymore. ROR got what he wanted. He didn't say it was a hard season and he was frustrated, and he didn't say we're going to turn it around. He said it exactly the way he did for a reason. 3. I *do* think it's reasonable that Botterill decided to "probably look to add" another top player but he sure didn't know he would definitely be able to. To make the ROR move well before he knew if he'd be able to add Skinner or anyone else, again, speaks volumes. Sorry, this is a St. Louis Blues message board now. We can't enjoy the Sabres without also praising ROR for being a wonderful man.

That take is laughable but thinking the GM "loved" him but wanted to go into this season (possibly a make or break for him as GM) with a 19 year old as his no.2 center makes a lot of sense? The "I lost my love for the game" speech wasn't made in a moment of frustration after a loss. He had time to think about what he wanted to say to reporters that day and planned it. And it was obviously intended to get him a fresh start while still trying to make it look like he's the good guy here. (His whole schtick is tired, honestly. He's forced his way off two teams but every time he opens his mouth all he wants you to know is how no one cares more than he does. This is the guy who signed the biggest contract in Sabres history and then got drunk and drove into Tim Horton's. Hero.) And now we're saying Botterill did it because he "knew" a Skinner-esque trade would also happen later. Yes, such plausible scientific explanations here.

You are the one making you seem obsessed. Spoiler Alert: Sabres fans are enjoying watching ROR's team struggle after he forced the trade with his locker room comments at clean-out day. This is a Sabres message board so you're going to see a lot of that. So your options are to either ignore it and let your fellow fans have their fun, or run around trying to rapid-fire respond to every anti-ROR comment you don't like. You think Botterill "loved" ROR but thought it was better to go into this season with a 19 year old with six games of NHL experience as his #2 center? That's the most plausible explanation for what happened? The fact that the Sabres decided they *had to* deal him when they did speaks volumes, and definitely not in ROR's favor. And that's two teams now that have decided they'd be better off trading ROR for a grab bag of picks, prospects, and depth players.