GDT: 1/31/21 1pm ET, NJ Devils at Buffalo, MSG, NHL Network, WGR

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, SABRES 0311 said:

I have a theory about Staal.  He didn’t want to come to Buffalo.  He reflected on his career and all he’s achieved professionally and financially.  He’s riding this chapter of his career out and doesn’t actually care.  It’s his twilight contract.  He’s checked out and is an empty uniform.

If he didn’t want to play for Buffalo he would not have come.   He is an old vet and he has one season left.  He is contributing.  He looks like a vet 3C - but in Buffalo he is the best 2C option since ROR.  He is on the score sheet and is a positive influence.  
 

Staal, Eakin, Rieder, they are not the problem.  

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

If he didn’t want to play for Buffalo he would not have come.   He is an old vet and he has one season left.  He is contributing.  He looks like a vet 3C - but in Buffalo he is the best 2C option since ROR.  He is on the score sheet and is a positive influence.  
 

Staal, Eakin, Rieder, they are not the problem.  

They aren’t the solution either.  Eakin is part of the problem.  What he does for 2.25 we get more from both Sheahan and Lazar for 800K each.  

The solution is to change the O system to a forecheck and crash the net offense.  RK also needs Jack to get out of pass first mode.  We also need to get more offensive forwards into the lineup.  Frankly bench KO and Eakin.  

Edited February 1, 2021 by GASabresIUFAN

[pi2000]

A better goalie and they likely win this game.

[Cityo'Rasmii]

Just now, pi2000 said:

A better goalie and they likely win this game.

I agree but there' are still issues in front of the goalie

[IKnowPhysics]

6 minutes ago, Cityo'Rasmii said:

I agree but there' are still issues in front of the goalie

And that issue's name?  Matt Irwin.  See thread.

[triumph_communes]

Hutton and Irwin are straight awful. This loss is on you Kevyn

Okposo is a drag to his line. Needs to be demoted

 

Mittelstadt had jump, deserved more minutes than he got. Oloffson earned the top line. Staal is a statue and it costs us. Dahlin is over his rust. Eichel still is a step behind his standard but is progressing. 

[Broken Ankles]

58 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

They aren’t the solution either.  Eakin is part of the problem.  What he does we get for 2.25 we get more from both Sheahan and Lazar for 800K each.  

The solution is to change the O system to a forecheck and crash the net offense.  RK also needs Jack to get out of pass first mode.  We also need to get more offensive forwards into the lineup.  Frankly bench KO and Eakin.  

  Agree Eakin is not worthy of the money or any minutes exceeding Lazar at Center.  Lazar should move onto the third line. Without KO. Find a substitute there.  

   With respect to the bold, Jack is second in the entire NHL to Nate McKinnon in shots taken.  I think the issue is shots made. 

[Curt]

36 minutes ago, Cityo'Rasmii said:

I agree but there' are still issues in front of the goalie

No team is perfect.  Chances against are going to happen.  They are not getting even average goaltending.

[bunomatic]

Only watched the highlights after the 2-0 point. Hutton looks out of his league. Not going to win with that level of goaltending. But this team clearly has other issues. I wonder if its a fractured room where there’s 2 or 3 clicks instead of a cohesive group , one for all and yada yada. I’m not sure these guys care that much for each other. Certainly doesn’t look like it on the ice. 

[SwampD]

4 hours ago, Cascade Youth said:

The problem is and has been coaching.  Since the guy on the other side of the ice left.

This is BS. It's not like we were winning when Lindy left.

4 hours ago, tom webster said:

This is so ridiculous I don’t even know how to respond. 

Why?

In this back to back, the Devils got three points, we only got two.

The only reason there are teams in our division that have less points than us is because they haven't played us yet.

 

Fuhk this team.

[SwampD]

I kinda hope Stall [sic] retires tonight. I really don't need to see him play anymore. Plus, my liver can't take it.

Wanna play a fun game? Do a shot every time one of his limp wristed backhand passes gets picked off.

Trust me. You will be hammered halfway through the second period.

Edited February 1, 2021 by SwampD

[#freejame]

Not only are we a bad team but we are a deeply unlikable team. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—why the hell was anyone optimistic going into this season unless it was blind loyalty? We do not have a playoff-caliber roster or a coach capable of getting that out of those we have. I just don’t really understand how anyone is anything other than ambivalent.
 

This team is playing at the quality of the roster and the quality of the staff. I made a post probably last saying we would sign Hall (to an exorbitant contract—I’m not soothsayer) as a solution for all that ails us and nothing would change. GO LOOK AT OTHER ROSTERS. GO LOOK AT OTHER COACHING STAFFS. GO WATCH OTHER GAMES. Great, our analytics are wonderful. A good team has strong analytics as a reflection of their roster. We’ve taken the analytics and sought out guys who will put up good analytics and that overlooks a staple of hockey—playing ***** hockey. We are so far up shits creek it’s not funny. Go get someone who gives a *****, I don’t care who it costs. This is a pathetic team fully of pathetic players. 

Just go back to playing dump and chase with two hard forecheckers. At least then it’ll be completely evident to everyone who actually gives a ***** and who doesn’t, then we can stop all these discussions about what we have because everyone will be able to see we have no heart, no huddle; no give-a-***** and no chance. 

Edited February 1, 2021 by #freejame
TWO REGULATION WINS. THE CAPS DIDNT HAVE A TOP SIX. THE RAGS DIDNT WIN IN FOUR STRAIGHT GAMES. THE ***** DEVILS. WE ARENT GOOD.

[IKnowPhysics]

Just now, #freejame said:

Not only are we a bad team but we are a deeply unlikable team. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—why the hell was anyone optimistic going into this season unless it was blind loyalty?

Don't hate on my blind loyalty.  Sabres are going to win it all.

[#freejame]

Just now, IKnowPhysics said:

Don't hate on my blind loyalty.  Sabres are going to win it all.

I respect it because I certainly don’t know how you and others do it. I appreciate that you can get there because, man, I really can’t. This team means more to me than any reasonable person could justify. I just don’t know what I’m doing anymore. 

[Curt]

21 minutes ago, SwampD said:

I kinda hope Stall [sic] retires tonight. I really don't need to see him play anymore. Plus, my liver can't take it.

Wanna play a fun game? Do a shot every time one of his limp wristed backhand passes gets picked off.

Trust me. You will be hammered halfway through the second period.

He had scored goals in 3 of the past 4 before today.

[SwampD]

15 minutes ago, #freejame said:

I respect it because I certainly don’t know how you and others do it. I appreciate that you can get there because, man, I really can’t. This team means more to me than any reasonable person could justify. I just don’t know what I’m doing anymore. 

Our loyalty is most definitely not blind. We can see, and have no problem pointing out exactly how the team we love sucks ass.

[#freejame]

Just now, SwampD said:

Our loyalty is most definitely not blind. We can see, and have no problem pointing out exactly how the team we love sucks ass.

Except for there are still posters who will tell you this is a good team with a good coach and will make the playoffs. If that’s not blind loyalty it’s sheer ignorance. 

[SwampD]

Just now, Curt said:

He had scored goals in 3 of the past 4 before today.

How many goals were scored because of his lazy plays? 

it's probably a push.

Just now, #freejame said:

Except for there are still posters who will tell you this is a good team with a good coach and will make the playoffs. If that’s not blind loyalty it’s sheer ignorance. 

I think it's the fact that our top guys are filling their pants. Hall and Eichel's production is an outlier,… it has to be,… right?… please?

 

[#freejame]

2 minutes ago, SwampD said:

How many goals were scored because of his lazy plays? 

it's probably a push.

I think it's the fact that our top guys are filling their pants. Hall and Eichel's production is an outlier,… it has to be,… right?… please?

 

Sam Reinhart is the issue 🙄

Edited February 1, 2021 by #freejame

[Curt]

22 minutes ago, #freejame said:

Not only are we a bad team but we are a deeply unlikable team. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—why the hell was anyone optimistic going into this season unless it was blind loyalty? We do not have a playoff-caliber roster or a coach capable of getting that out of those we have. I just don’t really understand how anyone is anything other than ambivalent.
 

This team is playing at the quality of the roster and the quality of the staff. I made a post probably last saying we would sign Hall (to an exorbitant contract—I’m not soothsayer) as a solution for all that ails us and nothing would change. GO LOOK AT OTHER ROSTERS. GO LOOK AT OTHER COACHING STAFFS. GO WATCH OTHER GAMES. Great, our analytics are wonderful. A good team has strong analytics as a reflection of their roster. We’ve taken the analytics and sought out guys who will put up good analytics and that overlooks a staple of hockey—playing ***** hockey. We are so far up shits creek it’s not funny. Go get someone who gives a *****, I don’t care who it costs. This is a pathetic team fully of pathetic players. 

Just go back to playing dump and chase with two hard forecheckers. At least then it’ll be completely evident to everyone who actually gives a ***** and who doesn’t, then we can stop all these discussions about what we have because everyone will be able to see we have no heart, no huddle; no give-a-***** and no chance. 

I hope you feel better.

The bolded isn’t true.

4 minutes ago, SwampD said:

How many goals were scored because of his lazy plays? 

it's probably a push.

Yeah, maybe.

[#freejame]

Just now, Curt said:

I hope you feel better.

The bolded isn’t true.

The bolded has been rehashed on here a thousand times over and I respectfully disagree. 

I will feel better when anyone in this organization from the top down shows a fraction of the investment and care for this team that the majority of the posters show. They are spitting in our face night after night, year after year for ten years. They certainly weren’t wrong when they said there would be suffering.  
 

Honest question—do you think anyone in the locker room feels like I do right now? Do you think they should? Do you think that’s necessary? I know how I’ve felt after losing games playing at school at 10:30 at night in front of 50 fans. I played on teams that went winless and then made the playoffs the next season with very few changes outside of people giving a *****. People keep telling me we have the talent. So is that not a giant slap in the face to me that nobody seemingly cares? 

[SwampD]

You can blame our goalies, you can blame some D men,… but our forwards don't create anything, unless its on the power play.

They have no cycle.

They have no breakout.

They have no sustained pressure.

I honestly believe every time they score, it's just luck (except when Reinhart is involved. He's the only one who seems to have a plan.)

[Curt]

16 minutes ago, #freejame said:

The bolded has been rehashed on here a thousand times over and I respectfully disagree. 

I will feel better when anyone in this organization from the top down shows a fraction of the investment and care for this team that the majority of the posters show. They are spitting in our face night after night, year after year for ten years. They certainly weren’t wrong when they said there would be suffering.  
 

Honest question—do you think anyone in the locker room feels like I do right now? Do you think they should? Do you think that’s necessary? I know how I’ve felt after losing games playing at school at 10:30 at night in front of 50 fans. I played on teams that went winless and then made the playoffs the next season with very few changes outside of people giving a *****. People keep telling me we have the talent. So is that not a giant slap in the face to me that nobody seemingly cares? 

What guys did they bring in who have good analytics, but are actually bad players?

I actually believe that they do have the talent to make the playoffs (except maybe in goal, I could see that holding them back regardless).  A failure of this team to play good hockey falls squarely on the coaching.  The goalies are the goalies, but the team needs to play better overall.

I don’t know how they feel in the locker room, but I honestly hope that they don’t feel like you sound right now.  It seems unhealthy.  My advice to you would be to try to care less.  You seem to be putting yourself through unnecessary mental anguish.

Edited February 1, 2021 by Curt

[GASabresIUFAN]

4 minutes ago, #freejame said:

The bolded has been rehashed on here a thousand times over and I respectfully disagree. 

I will feel better when anyone in this organization from the top down shows a fraction of the investment and care for this team that the majority of the posters show. They are spitting in our face night after night, year after year for ten years. They certainly weren’t wrong when they said there would be suffering.  
 

Honest question—do you think anyone in the locker room feels like I do right now? Do you think they should? Do you think that’s necessary? I know how I’ve felt after losing games playing at school at 10:30 at night in front of 50 fans. I played on teams that went winless and then made the playoffs the next season with very few changes outside of people giving a *****. People keep telling me we have the talent. So is that not a giant slap in the face to me that nobody seemingly cares? 

My guess there are guys who care, guys who pretend to care (aka say the right things but float on the ice), guys who enjoy the money but don't give to craps if we win or lose.  The are also guys who know that only max effort keeps them in the NHL.  There is also a huge difference between caring and ability.

For example, I genuinely feel KO cares and gives whatever he has.  Unfortunately that isn't enough anymore.  Guys like Lazar and Sheahan are just happy to be in the NHL and give max effort every shift because of it.  Hall is a fake.  He talks the talk but is looking for the money.  McCabe and Risto truly care.  I know because of the work they constantly do to get better.  Skinner I'm not sure.  Jack, I'm not sure either.  Sam, I lean toward caring.  Other who knows.  For example, I don't know if Colin "Smith" Miller  bad play is not caring or not having a clue on how to play defense.  Ullmark also clearly cares.

Honestly, I think most of the guys ultimately care.  Some are limited, like KO and Irwin, others literally have no idea how to win in the NHL and the effort it takes to get there.  Seriously, how does a Jack Eichel, with all the g-d given talent  but has never made the playoffs explain to Cozens or Mitts or Thompson what kind of work is needed to get to the top?  He hasn't a clue.  Besides Staal, I don't think we have a single player with a Cup ring.  Miller & Eakin have a Conference Title from LV, but that hasn't helped us much. 

 

  

 

[#freejame]

2 minutes ago, Curt said:

What guys did they bring in who have good analytics, but are actually bad players?

I don’t know how they feel in the locker room, but I honestly hope that they don’t feel like you sound right now.  It seems unhealthy.  My advice to you would be to try to care less.  You seem to be putting yourself through unnecessary mental anguish.

If I cared any less I wouldn’t be following the team a single iota. I’ve had a great day and still am. I bought 9 books for $64 dollars, made a giant lunch, had a bottle of vino and am listening to some great jams. I can fully break away my complete and utter disdain of the Sabres from my actual life.
 

I’m frustrated because there was a time when the Sabres were a part of my life that actually had an impact on me beyond these isolated feelings of frustration and anger. What makes me pissed isnt the Sabres being god awful, I dealt with that growing up pre-lockout and the last ten years. I’m pissed because the Sabres damn-near mean nothing to me. But I’ll step away from the board and my life will go back to being great and five weeks from now after doing this for another half of a season, all that will have come from it is Terry losing a fan who has been to hundreds of games and spent thousands of dollars and invested countless hours of his time and energy in this team.