What are your unpopular hockey opinions?

[Sabel79]

There should be no third jerseys. No throwbacks, no centennial nonsense, no nothing. There should be no jerseys specially made for outdoor games, because those should,have stopped by now as well.

 

There should also be color clashing like they do in soccer. Wear your colors unless it's the same as the n road team wears white.

[Winston]

Good lord, please no. The only 3rds we should ever have are the goat heads

Hey, awfully picky for someone that only owns four articles of clothing that need the occasional resewing.

[WildCard]

Hey, awfully picky for someone that only owns four articles of clothing that need the occasional resewing.

Well played sir, very well played :lol:

[Drunkard]

All gold sweaters, none of that two-tone nonsense. Like they wear in practice sometimes or the prospect scrimmage.

 

The following are an atrocity. No argument there. But I would love to rock the sweater that Jack is wearing above occasionally.

 

http://m.nhluniforms.com/Sabres/Sabres2014-15.html

 

I see the gray pit stains continue to grow like a malignant tumor. Maybe we should just admit defeat and change our primary color to gray so they can stop with that nonsense. Or would that make them change the pit stains to yellow just to ensure it looks stupid?

[Eleven]

I find it almost impossible to watch the Canadiens and not root for them--unless they're playing the Sabres.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I find it almost impossible to watch the Canadiens and not root for them--unless they're playing the Sabres.

 

Not unpopular, at least to me.  They are my 'other' team when the Sabres are not playing.

[WildCard]

I find it almost impossible to watch the Canadiens and not root for them--unless they're playing the Sabres.

I hate them, but that's because the fans

 

I love the Hawks

[Robviously]

All gold sweaters, none of that two-tone nonsense. Like they wear in practice sometimes or the prospect scrimmage.

 

The following are an atrocity. No argument there. But I would love to rock the sweater that Jack is wearing above occasionally.

 

http://m.nhluniforms.com/Sabres/Sabres2014-15.html

First, make the blue in our uniforms BLUE.  The "blue" we have now might as well be black and basically looks that way whether you're at the game or watching on TV.

 

Second, remove gray arm pits and weird gray vertical piping.  Then remove the silver outlines that they added to literally every part of our logo.

 

Third, just use the current white jersey as your template and make a yellow version from that.  Blue shoulder island with white border, blue horizontal lines on the arms, waist, and socks.  Same logo as the home/road jerseys but with white border. 

 

There, you're done.  You have three classic jerseys that all work together (like when the Blackhawks had white, red, and black as an alternate).  Wear white at home all season long except for maybe November and February so that your fans (especially season ticket holders) can see all of your team's jerseys and the different jerseys/colors from around the league too.

[Huckleberry]

This team should do a tequila shot before every game to get them going

[SwampD]

This team should do a tequila shot before every game to get them going

The thread title says "unpopular".

[Huckleberry]

The thread title says "unpopular".

Think it woulde Be if thee actiaĺly did so Edited February 7, 2017 by Huckleberry

[DHawerchuk10]

On the bolded, I completely disagree.

 

That little rule has sped up the pace of the game and added more offense during the clutch and grab era than any other rule in place or proposed, in my mind.

 

On Nolan vs. Bylsma, I agree that Nolan would have more wins. But I do think Dan is laying the foundation for fundamental NHL hockey for the future that Ted is not capable of doing.

My "unpopular" opinion stems from the fact that when the this happens, 90% of the time (or at least this is my perception), the play was more flukey than anything else (puck flipped up at the last second, etc.)  I understand your counter argument is that the defensive player has to be more careful, and thus this carefulness leads to more offense (which is rational), but I personally think the rule is just chinsy.  The one time I really wanted this called was when Darius Kaspiritis grabbed the puck with this glove and threw it into the crowd during Game 7 of '01 playoffs, and of course it wasn't. 

Shades of Adams '86. Buffalo finished 5th & out of the playoffs w/ 80 points (a LEGIT 0.500).

Why can't we go back to those division names by the way?  These division names based on region are nonsense.  I am probably the only one who is pedantic enough to care, but when someone knows who was in the Smythe division, this grants them instant credibility in my book.

[pi2000]

My "unpopular" opinion stems from the fact that when the this happens, 90% of the time (or at least this is my perception), the play was more flukey than anything else (puck flipped up at the last second, etc.) I understand your counter argument is that the defensive player has to be more careful, and thus this carefulness leads to more offense (which is rational), but I personally think the rule is just chinsy. The one time I really wanted this called was when Darius Kaspiritis grabbed the puck with this glove and threw it into the crowd during Game 7 of '01 playoffs, and of course it wasn't.

 

Why can't we go back to those division names by the way? These division names based on region are nonsense. I am probably the only one who is pedantic enough to care, but when someone knows who was in the Smythe division, this grants them instant credibility in my book.

To honor heroes past go with division names of:

 

Orr

Howe

Gretzky

Leino

[Doohickie]

I have two kids 13 and 10 that play.   I also play.

 

I have no problem with contact after the whistle.   It's an emotional game, we're wearing full body armor.  

 

It's much better to let off a little steam after the whistle rather than attempting to injure somebody during game play.

 

This is a false dichotomy.

My unpopular opinion among others is that Jack Eichel wants the hell out of Buffalo.

 

This I don't believe. He doesn't like to lose, that's for sure, but he knows the talent on this team and expects a lot more.

 

I guess we'll find out when he goes RFA after next season, eh?

[Doohickie]

I love the Hawks

 

I like the Stars, but in a "friends with benefits" sense:  I'll spend an evening with them, but there's no emotional attachment.

[Scottysabres]

Unpopular hockey opinion: hiring Tim Murray

 

Reasoning: While I am not a Tim Murray fan, I don't dislike him either. I would have liked to have seen the Sabres organization approach the GM position with experienced success in mind.

 

Thought Process: A new to the job GM at such a critical juncture in a tear down and rebuild moment requires some steady patience, some in depth knowledge on up coming talent, some forward thinking on short and long term overall roster planning and an end goal that targets a credible outcome based on those decisions.

 

I think Murray is failing in his short term strategy due to his inexperience.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Lucky E

[Marvelo]

I think the Sabres should just admit that they were a failed loser concept from the beginning (a fan named the team in a contest), ditch everything and rebrand itself a different name and color scheme.

 

Then I'd keep Jack, Sam, O'Reilly, Kane, Okposo and Risto and let the rest of these losers go, including the coach and GM.

 

And the fans should storm HSBC Arena or whatever they call it today with torches and force the Pegulas out.

Edited March 9, 2017 by Marvelo

[GASabresIUFAN]

Unpopoular opinions:

1) Kuilkov should never have been acquired and certainly not re-signed because he isn't very good

2) DD isn't the problem, although he might not be part of the solution.

3) GMTM is the problem. He has no idea how to build and manage a roster and he now has Regier player valuation disease.

Edited March 9, 2017 by GASabresIUFAN

[IKnowPhysics]

Unpopoular opinions:

1) Kuilkov should never have been acquired and certainly not re-signed because he isn't very good

2) DD isn't the problem, although he might not be part of the solution.

3) GMTM is the problem. He has no idea how to build and manage a roster and he now has Regier player valuation disease.

 

1) Meh.  It was a move that time showed to be bad.

2) Agreed.

3) Disagree, at least regarding player valuation.  He -and GMs never do this- said in a press conference that he offered outgoing players for what other GMs called a fair price and still couldn't get them out the door.  I don't think he's to blame for that.  What's he gonna do?  Make them an offer so low they can't refuse?  The market got by the expansion draft.  The one deal that was primed and ready, he implied that Gio wanted to stay (read: didn't want to waive his mNTC).  Also not his fault.

[dudacek]

I've got a big issue with the statement Murray has no idea how to build and manage a roster, that he is somehow flailing in the dark.

 

First of all, he grasps the idea that your best players matter most. He identified and acquired O'Reilly, Kane, Eichel and Reinhart and signed Okposo and Risto to reasonable long-term deals. The best asset he gave up to do that was Tyler Myers.

 

Secondly, he understands a pipeline of cheap young players is essential to complementing the core in a cap world. He's drafted 25 players in just three years, and added five more - Fasching, Nelson, Dupuy, Rodrigues and Carrier - in trades and signings. That's 30 kids where the average team would have added 21. And he has an extra second and an extra third coming this year.

 

Third, contrary to what some believe, he's made solid attempts to manage the cap. He essentially inherited the Bogosian contract because Myers. Franson, Gorges and Gionta will be gone before their contracts hurt. Moulson and Ennis are frontloaded to make them easier to dump if necessary during the first year of the new Jack and Sam deals. He got McCabe, Girgensons, Foligno and Larsson for about as cheap as could be expected.

 

Fourth, he has an identity in mind for his team: we have the biggest team in the east; we aren't slow now and we are poised to get faster without getting smaller as the kids replace the vets. He likes hockey sense first and athletes next. He is trying to build a team for the playoffs, one that will wear you down.

 

The thing you can bash him for is the thing he was touted at being great at, evaluation:

He should have seen Kulikov was a disaster waiting to happen

That Moulson was the type of player that would fade fast

That Bogosian isn't smart enough to be a key guy

That Gorges would be spent young

That Lehner was just a guy, not a long-term starter

That Ennis was bound to get wrecked because of his size and style.

That Dan Bylsma is the wrong guy for this group of players.

 

...or any other personnel decision you don't like.

 

But he clearly has a sensible plan that he is trying to execute.

He is not just managing assets and trying to keep bums in the seat.

Edited March 9, 2017 by dudacek

[mjd1001]

-Hockey doesn't need fighting.  I know, I know...when there is a fight in a game I watch it....but I have seen a lot of games where there were no fights and I thoroughly enjoyed the games.

[bunomatic]

I've got a big issue with the statement Murray has no idea how to build and manage a roster, that he is somehow flailing in the dark.

 

First of all, he grasps the idea that your best players matter most. He identified and acquired O'Reilly, Kane, Eichel and Reinhart and signed Okposo and Risto to reasonable long-term deals. The best asset he gave up to do that was Tyler Myers.

 

Secondly, he understands a pipeline of cheap young players is essential to complementing the core in a cap world. He's drafted 25 players in just three years, and added five more - Fasching, Nelson, Dupuy, Rodrigues and Carrier - in trades and signings. That's 30 kids where the average team would have added 21. And he has an extra second and an extra third coming this year.

 

Third, contrary to what some believe, he's made solid attempts to manage the cap. He essentially inherited the Bogosian contract because Myers. Franson, Gorges and Gionta will be gone before their contracts hurt. Moulson and Ennis are frontloaded to make them easier to dump if necessary during the first year of the new Jack and Sam deals. He got McCabe, Girgensons, Foligno and Larsson for about as cheap as could be expected.

 

Fourth, he has an identity in mind for his team: we have the biggest team in the east; we aren't slow now and we are poised to get faster without getting smaller as the kids replace the vets. He likes hockey sense first and athletes next. He is trying to build a team for the playoffs, one that will wear you down.

 

The thing you can bash him for is the thing he was touted at being great at, evaluation:

He should have seen Kulikov was a disaster waiting to happen

That Moulson was the type of player that would fade fast

That Bogosian isn't smart enough to be a key guy

That Gorges would be spent young

That Lehner was just a guy, not a long-term starter

That Ennis was bound to get wrecked because of his size and style.

That Dan Bylsma is the wrong guy for this group of players.

 

...or any other personnel decision you don't like.

 

But he clearly has a sensible plan that he is trying to execute.

He is not just managing assets and trying to keep bums in the seat.

Thanks for that. A good read and I agree.

[R_Dudley]

I didn't read the whole thread so if already unpopularily stated I apologize in advance.

 

Alex i'll take bolderdash for 500.

 

Management loves the work coach is doing with the team so much they give him a bonus and option to extend his contract another 5 years.

[bunomatic]

I didn't read the whole thread so if already unpopularily stated I apologize in advance.

 

Alex i'll take bolderdash for 500.

 

Management loves the work coach is doing with the team so much they give him a bonus and option to extend his contract another 5 years.

:blink:  :sick:  :doh:  :wallbash: 

[dudacek]

Johan Larsson has played his last game as a Sabre.

He will either be traded or sign in Sweden.