Lessons Learned

[Doohickie]

So... what lessons does the team take from this past season? I think they had a good start, a rough middle, and a superlative (well, almost) end.

 

1. You gotta take care of your own. Although I don't think the Sabres should necessarily aim to be a "rough" team, they need to send the message to the rest of the league that if you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us.

 

2. You gotta take care of your own, part II. Be prepared to step up to fill gaps when injuries inevitably occur. Okay, now play at that level all the time. It's not about fitting into the team, it's about each player making the team better. You owe it to your teammates to give it your best, every night.

 

3. A game is 60 minutes long. How many times this season did we see the team take a good chunk of the game off and try to win it at the end? Or play a great first period, and let the rest of the game get away? Or (as in last night's game) play a tight 40 minutes, take a lead into the 3rd, only to lose?

 

4. The games in November matter. When the team was still doing well, I can remember them turning in a terrible effort and personally making a remark that losing the two points didn't matter so much, as long as the team was learning in the process. No you can't win every game, but you have to play like every game matters, because it does.

 

On the plus side, I think the Sabres learned something about team chemistry this year. Props to Ryan Miller, who flat out said he made a commitment to the Sabres and doesn't want to be traded anywhere else.... then getting his groove back and carrying the team after the all-star break.

 

Kudos to Darcy and Lindy. Yeah, I said it. Kudos to them for rummaging around in Rochester's pockets and identifying some great players that are ready for primetime. Kudos to them for playing around with the team in the middle of a playoff run, looking for that chemistry.... and finding it. Too bad Luke Adam didn't fulfill his early promise, but Foligno and McNabb stand out as being ready for the big league. Kudos for finally finding a line combination that gives Stafford motivation to consistently play at a high level (he was excellent as a two-way forward down the stretch).

 

I'm not saying Darcy and Lindy should stay, or am I saying they should go. But what I am saying is that this is not a team that needs rebuilding. It needs tweaking. I think missing the playoffs will give TPegs and Black carte blanche to make any changes they think they need in the off-season, and after living with the team for a full season, I think they probably have a better idea of what's needed.

[Randall Flagg]

They should have learned all of those lessons after the first time, last year.

[bunomatic]

We knew that this is a results based business and what we learned once again this year is the guy in charge couldn't get the desired results. With the highest payroll in the league. Who is accountable for that and what are the consequences for once again failing to achieve anything. I won't go into our playoff record or our lack of getting into the playoffs these past 15 years. We've all revisited that and the one thing thats common is excuses. At some point the excuses for ineptitude and the failure to succeed have to fall at the feet of the man in charge without being deflected or bouncing off. Not making the playoffs is unacceptable. Regiers record of achievement gets worse every season and yet he continues to drive the bus. What I've learned is this franchise and its fans have become known for accepting mediocre results. I hope Terry Pegula isn't that kind of person. The culture has to change and the bar has to be reset for this franchise.

[Campy]

So... what lessons does the team take from this past season? I think they had a good start, a rough middle, and a superlative (well, almost) end.

 

1. You gotta take care of your own. Although I don't think the Sabres should necessarily aim to be a "rough" team, they need to send the message to the rest of the league that if you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us.

 

2. You gotta take care of your own, part II. Be prepared to step up to fill gaps when injuries inevitably occur. Okay, now play at that level all the time. It's not about fitting into the team, it's about each player making the team better. You owe it to your teammates to give it your best, every night.

 

3. A game is 60 minutes long. How many times this season did we see the team take a good chunk of the game off and try to win it at the end? Or play a great first period, and let the rest of the game get away? Or (as in last night's game) play a tight 40 minutes, take a lead into the 3rd, only to lose?

I think I read that last night was only the 3rd time this season they lost after taking a lead into the 3rd.

 

I agree with the rest of your post, good stuff! :thumbsup:

[Sabre Dance]

Not making the playoffs is unacceptable. Regiers record of achievement gets worse every season and yet he continues to drive the bus. What I've learned is this franchise and its fans have become known for accepting mediocre results. I hope Terry Pegula isn't that kind of person. The culture has to change and the bar has to be reset for this franchise.

 

Totally agree - however, I'm not so certain about the new owner. We were told by Ted Black earlier in the season that even though Regier and Ruff had been in Buffalo for over a decade that this was their first full season under the new owner and that's how they would be evaluated. To me, that is impossibly ignorant. If you buy a racehorse, you certainly have to look at its track record prior to your taking ownership before deciding to put it in the Derby. Why would you purposely dismiss the body of work that this coach/GM combo has put forth? Because now there is more money to spend on big-time contracts for mediocre players?

Right now, I don't even want to think about the Sabres. Whatever they do (or don't do ) is out of my control. I refuse to waste any more energy worrying about a franchise that still doesn't get it.

[zow2]

So... what lessons does the team take from this past season? I think they had a good start, a rough middle, and a superlative (well, almost) end.

 

1. You gotta take care of your own. Although I don't think the Sabres should necessarily aim to be a "rough" team, they need to send the message to the rest of the league that if you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us.

 

2. You gotta take care of your own, part II. Be prepared to step up to fill gaps when injuries inevitably occur. Okay, now play at that level all the time. It's not about fitting into the team, it's about each player making the team better. You owe it to your teammates to give it your best, every night.

 

3. A game is 60 minutes long. How many times this season did we see the team take a good chunk of the game off and try to win it at the end? Or play a great first period, and let the rest of the game get away? Or (as in last night's game) play a tight 40 minutes, take a lead into the 3rd, only to lose?

 

4. The games in November matter. When the team was still doing well, I can remember them turning in a terrible effort and personally making a remark that losing the two points didn't matter so much, as long as the team was learning in the process. No you can't win every game, but you have to play like every game matters, because it does.

 

 

Gotta be more dominant on home ice, especially from the get go. 2 of the past 3 years they've gotten off to horrible starts on home ice.

As for point #3, i agree but there's no team in the NHL that can dominate for 60 mins every night. If you can carry play for 40 mins you usually win,,,then hang on for the other 20 whether it's in the 1st, 2nd or 3rd period.

[Doohickie]

As for point #3, i agree but there's no team in the NHL that can dominate for 60 mins every night. If you can carry play for 40 mins you usually win,,,then hang on for the other 20 whether it's in the 1st, 2nd or 3rd period.

 

Yeah, but you have to agree the Sabres were more prone to taking 1 or even 2 periods off from a game (i.e., slow start, fading finish, weak middle). Last night, for instance, they played rope-a-dope in Period 1. That was not a bad strategy- don't allow the early goal, conserve energy. The second period they came alive. But having taken off the 1st period, they should have had more energy in the 3rd. You can perhaps take a period off every game (i.e., not play at full intensity), but play two like that and it's very hard to win a game.

 

I love Lindy to pieces. He's a Sabre through and through, and coached through the darkest days of the franchise, providing much-needed stability. But this team needs new inspiration. I wouldn't mind replacing Darcy as well, and if he's gonna go, the sooner the better so the new GM has the whole summer to set up shop.

[dudacek]

Whether we like it or not, this is year one of a three-year window Pegula created the for cup.

And he committed to Darcy and Lindy as his architects.

The Sabres team he bought had a lot of holes.

 

We needed to get rid of a perception we were a second-tier organization, not committed to winning.

Ehrhoff, Regehr and the arena remodel were positive steps. Leino was not, missing the playoffs will hurt.

 

We needed to fix our gaping hole in the middle.

Leino was an utter failure in that role, the jury is still out on Hodgson, Ennis has been a revelation we hope can be sustained.

 

We needed to upgrade an overmatched defence corps.

Big success here. Gragnani, Butler and Monty were depth guys at best. Regehr is good, Ehrhoff better, Sekera matured, McNabb showed promise and Sulzer provided depth.

 

We needed to get tougher up front

Was barely addressed, we even traded our most physical forward. Thank god for Marcus late.

 

We needed to establish will as a defining characteristic of our core.

Pominville stepped up big time, Roy did not. Connolly and Gaustad were dumped. Stafford and Vanek were terrific for half a season, bad for the other half.

 

Last year we were a seventh- place team lucky enough to do about as well as could have been expected.

This year we were better, but not good enough to overcome some significant mid- season adversity.

Doesn't take a rocket scientist to see steps were taken and what still needs to done.

Now it's up to Darcy and Lindy to do it and Pegula to hold each accountable for their actions, or lack thereof.

[zow2]

Yeah, but you have to agree the Sabres were more prone to taking 1 or even 2 periods off from a game (i.e., slow start, fading finish, weak middle). Last night, for instance, they played rope-a-dope in Period 1. That was not a bad strategy- don't allow the early goal, conserve energy. The second period they came alive. But having taken off the 1st period, they should have had more energy in the 3rd. You can perhaps take a period off every game (i.e., not play at full intensity), but play two like that and it's very hard to win a game.

 

I love Lindy to pieces. He's a Sabre through and through, and coached through the darkest days of the franchise, providing much-needed stability. But this team needs new inspiration. I wouldn't mind replacing Darcy as well, and if he's gonna go, the sooner the better so the new GM has the whole summer to set up shop.

 

I looked at last night like it was all Philly dictating. In the 1st the Flyers were mildly interested while Buf sort of hung back protecting. In the 2nd Philly was ready to seek 6th place and played very uninspired hockey..not caring whether they won or lost..Of course Buf couldn't finish on a bunch of decent chances and only led 1-0. In the 3rd, Philly decided to slap that annoying gnat off their shoulders (Sabres)...and say buh bye. They couldn't bear tanking a game so they tried again. It was too easy for them to get 16 shots and a bunch of good scoring chances. Even in the final 3 minutes, they played keep away with the puck like they were the high school bullies and we were the 12 year olds trying to play with them. Fitting way to end a very blah season. This was maybe my least favorite Sabres club in the past 10 years.