How bad will we be?

[Curt]

On 9/13/2021 at 3:29 PM, Norcal said:

Why is it impossible for you to think that maybe UPL has improved and will benefit from having an extra coach on the ice with him in Anderson? 

I'm not saying UPL is improved or that he will play well and at times carry the team on his back but....

I'm not saying he can't until I see it with my own eyes. 

He has been working all off season to improve the aspects of his game that are lacking and he has spent a significant amount of his time in Buffalo rehabbing and working at HarborCenter with teammates. 

The guy has had success in his career so to write him off so fast is uncalled for IMO. 

Lets see what the kid can do, rushed or not. 

Even if UPL plays pretty well, the goaltending has still been downgraded, everything GA said about the goaltending still makes sense, and is in no way “writing off” UPL.

[Curt]

11 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

 

I've lost all hope they have ***** up every way possible you run your franchise player out of Buffalo you destroy every single prospect that gives you hope .

Like  Honestly someone give me a bright spot in this terrible franchise

I think that next season will be about relentlessly trying to highlight those bright spots for you, so I think you’ll get the chance to see them if you want to.

[PromoTheRobot]

48 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

 

I've lost all hope they have ***** up every way possible you run your franchise player out of Buffalo you destroy every single prospect that gives you hope .

Like  Honestly someone give me a bright spot in this terrible franchise

And yet....you're still here.  Give Donnie a chance.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Where is Bobby Boucher when you need him.

Edited September 14, 2021 by GASabresIUFAN

[Buffalonill]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

And yet....you're still here.  Give Donnie a chance.

 Apparently I like being miserable 😕 

[Huckleberry]

Changed my mind, I think we are going to suck like our tank teams 😞

[bunomatic]

8 hours ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

Staple your man area to the table, pull it nice and tight then grind it off with a belt sander. Use lemon juice to finish. That's how bad this season will be.

We need a pain emoticon. Yikes !

[Broken Ankles]

3 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

 

I've lost all hope they have ***** up every way possible you run your franchise player out of Buffalo you destroy every single prospect that gives you hope .

Like  Honestly someone give me a bright spot in this terrible franchise

1.) $44M in Cap space 2022 (before net return from trade)

2.) Owen Power

3.) Quinn/JJP/Rosen

4.) Assets from the Eichel trade

5.) The Russians are coming....

 

[pi2000]

Is anybody actually hoping they're bad?

[Wyldnwoody44]

Just now, pi2000 said:

Is anybody actually hoping they're bad?

I mean, I like paying 8$ for a seat on GameDay.. 

[PromoTheRobot]

16 hours ago, pi2000 said:

Is anybody actually hoping they're bad?

I don't doubt some do. It was the same with the Bills during the drought. Losing is the only way some fans relate. Having Super Bowl expectations is weird and strange and makes for feelings of unease.

[SwampD]

16 hours ago, pi2000 said:

Is anybody actually hoping they're bad?

I'm sure there are. From what I've been told on this site, there is not only a McDavid, and a MacKinnon in this draft, but a Crosby as well.

[Mustache of God]

16 hours ago, pi2000 said:

Is anybody actually hoping they're bad?

I'm hoping they defy all the odds and are a mediocre team that maybe has meaningful games in late February into March.

I expect the roster to perform the way it looks on paper. I look forward to buying cheap-ass tickets on the secondary market now that I live in Buffalo again. 

[Buffalonill]

19 hours ago, Broken Ankles said:

1.) $44M in Cap space 2022 (before net return from trade)

2.) Owen Power

3.) Quinn/JJP/Rosen

4.) Assets from the Eichel trade

5.) The Russians are coming....

In what 5-6 years ? 

[mjd1001]

3 hours ago, Mustache of God said:

I look forward to buying cheap-ass tickets on the secondary market now that I live in Buffalo again. 

I would do the same if I lived a bit closer to the Arena. Even if the team is bad, it still is against NHL players and teams.  Unfortunately, we live about 45 minutes away (without traffic) which is a bit too far with my job usual 6am start times.

[Andrew Amerk]

35 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

I would do the same if I lived a bit closer to the Arena. Even if the team is bad, it still is against NHL players and teams.  Unfortunately, we live about 45 minutes away (without traffic) which is a bit too far with my job usual 6am start times.

I’ve scooped up cheap tickets the last few seasons and driven from Rochester to go to games, even though the team was bad. But even at $8 the in-game experience the team puts on is horrible and not entertaining. It boggles my mind that this team can’t even get the simplest things right. 

[thewookie1]

26 minutes ago, Andrew Amerk said:

I’ve scooped up cheap tickets the last few seasons and driven from Rochester to go to games, even though the team was bad. But even at $8 the in-game experience the team puts on is horrible and not entertaining. It boggles my mind that this team can’t even get the simplest things right. 

I’m rather curious at what exactly they are doing wrong specifically in the stadium besides the obvious physical wear the building has on it.

 

I hope they win, I had my fill of tanking for Eichel. If they lose I’ll be mad and disappointed but I’ll bounce back easier knowing this isn’t a high pressure season. I’ll only want them to lose if we are in Game 82 and a loss somehow assured us pick 1. That’s my feeling on the subject.

[Andrew Amerk]

37 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

I’m rather curious at what exactly they are doing wrong specifically in the stadium besides the obvious physical wear the building has on it.

 

I hope they win, I had my fill of tanking for Eichel. If they lose I’ll be mad and disappointed but I’ll bounce back easier knowing this isn’t a high pressure season. I’ll only want them to lose if we are in Game 82 and a loss somehow assured us pick 1. That’s my feeling on the subject.

The overall game experience sucks. Look to what Vegas does, for example. 

DJ Malk sucks. The music selection overall during the game sucks. The food sucks. The fact that I went to an alumni game where the first 5000 fans were supposed to get a pennant - but they left them all on a stand where people could just grab however many they wanted, and I didn’t get one - thats bush league. A guy sitting in front of me had probably 50 of them, and I could see him posting them for sale on eBay. 

Going to a game can be more than the product on the ice. The Sabres are terrible at both. 

Edited September 16, 2021 by Andrew Amerk

[thewookie1]

17 minutes ago, Andrew Amerk said:

The overall game experience sucks. Look to what Vegas does, for example. 

DJ Malk sucks. The music selection overall during the game sucks. The food sucks. The fact that I went to an alumni game where the first 5000 fans were supposed to get a pennant - but they left them all on a stand where people could just grab however many they wanted, and I didn’t get one - thats bush league. A guy sitting in front of me had probably 50 of them, and I could see him posting them for sale on eBay. 

Going to a game can be more than the product on the ice. The Sabres are terrible at both. 

Ok, I certainly agree with most of that. My only caveat is we should compare Buffalo to Vegas. Vegas likely has the best game presentation in the league.

[GASabresIUFAN]

On 9/14/2021 at 9:29 PM, Broken Ankles said:

1.) $44M in Cap space 2022 (before net return from trade)

2.) Owen Power

3.) Quinn/JJP/Rosen

4.) Assets from the Eichel trade

5.) The Russians are coming....

 

...... in 3-5 years 

[SwampD]

2 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

Ok, I certainly agree with most of that. My only caveat is we should compare Buffalo to Vegas. Vegas likely has the best game presentation in the league.

Vegas has the best presentation for Vegas. If I went to Vegas and saw a game, I’d want that presentation. Every game in another city, no way. I’d want to kill myself. But then again, I actually like hockey.

I disagree with AA. The product on the ice is all that matters.

[PASabreFan]

8 hours ago, SwampD said:

Vegas has the best presentation for Vegas. If I went to Vegas and saw a game, I’d want that presentation. Every game in another city, no way. I’d want to kill myself. But then again, I actually like hockey.

I disagree with AA. The product on the ice is all that matters.

I disagree, my sister from another mister.

When you're winning, game presentation takes care of itself. When you're not, you're looking for every way to break out of a losing culture — then the game presentation can play a role, albeit small, in helping the players get their minds in the right place. More than that, it can help the fans have fun at an NHL game, which should be the floor expectation of going to a game.

Imagine you've been a Sabre for several years, and this opening night, there's the same anthem singer, the same PA guy, the same horn, the same music, the same mascot, the same goal song. You can't tell me it doesn't play into an atmosphere of, "Here we go again (now)." (Should it matter? No. If the players are robots.)

At its core, it's psychological torture. (Not to mention that none of those elements mentioned are excellent in quality, and this franchise right now should be about excellence wherever it can find it.)

[mjd1001]

18 hours ago, Andrew Amerk said:

The overall game experience sucks. Look to what Vegas does, for example. 

DJ Malk sucks. The music selection overall during the game sucks. The food sucks. The fact that I went to an alumni game where the first 5000 fans were supposed to get a pennant - but they left them all on a stand where people could just grab however many they wanted, and I didn’t get one - thats bush league. A guy sitting in front of me had probably 50 of them, and I could see him posting them for sale on eBay. 

Going to a game can be more than the product on the ice. The Sabres are terrible at both. 

The Arena itself is really not in good shape.  I have been lucky enough to go to games or events in several other Arenas in the past 5-7 years, and the Key Bank Center is really pretty far behind not only the newer arenas, but the ones even that were built at the same time (Boston and Philly for example, have done extensive renovations and are a lot nicer).  Columbus has a better arena and the area right outside the Arena is great too. Don't even think about comparing it to Detroit or Vegas.  The last time I was at the Arena for a Sabres game (a bit more than 2 years ago), I noticed bathrooms where all the facilities didn't work, as others have said possibly no hot water.... Cramped hallways when trying to get concessions, broken cupholders on the seats, seat 'cushions' that were disgustingly dirty...and the concrete of the stairs and where you put your feel was cracked and pitted pretty badly.

So why does that matter, shouldn't a 'true fan' not really need a nice new arena with a good game presentation, if you are there for the game?  Actually, it is just the opposite.  A true 'hardcore' fan who only cares about the game can see the game best at home on TV, missing a LOT less than in the arena.  If I'm going to go to the Arena, give me more than I have at home.  Give me atmosphere, give me nice things to spend my money on, give me comfortable seats, give me good food.  If you aren't going to do those things like other cities do, then I am MUCH better off watching the game at home.

Again, if the product on the ice was ALL that matters, the best place to see that product on the ice would be at home for many/most people. 

Edited September 16, 2021 by mjd1001

[thewookie1]

7 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

I disagree, my sister from another mister.

When you're winning, game presentation takes care of itself. When you're not, you're looking for every way to break out of a losing culture — then the game presentation can play a role, albeit small, in helping the players get their minds in the right place. More than that, it can help the fans have fun at an NHL game, which should be the floor expectation of going to a game.

Imagine you've been a Sabre for several years, and this opening night, there's the same anthem singer, the same PA guy, the same horn, the same music, the same mascot, the same goal song. You can't tell me it doesn't play into an atmosphere of, "Here we go again (now)." (Should it matter? No. If the players are robots.)

At its core, it's psychological torture. (Not to mention that none of those elements mentioned are excellent in quality, and this franchise right now should be about excellence wherever it can find it.)

Changing everything is far from a good thing however. Tradition is very important in hockey so some changes don’t make sense. However, I would change the goal song and bring back the full horn with sirens from 05-06. Didn’t they just change the PA announcer due to the whole 97 rock scandal?

PA, what is with you and hating the anthem singer lol. I’m good with classical male deep voiced singers. I love the gravitas. I’m not exactly fond of the disposable wannabe pop star girls or making a gigantic show of it every game with children’s choirs and such. Now if we could steal the Chicago singer….. I’d certainly do so. One of the few exceptions are MTL’s old woman opera singer and the country themed Nashville anthem. I wonder if Seattle will use a Grunge singer for the anthem?

[Weave]

1 hour ago, thewookie1 said:

Changing everything is far from a good thing however. Tradition is very important in hockey so some changes don’t make sense. However, I would change the goal song and bring back the full horn with sirens from 05-06. Didn’t they just change the PA announcer due to the whole 97 rock scandal?

PA, what is with you and hating the anthem singer lol. I’m good with classical male deep voiced singers. I love the gravitas. I’m not exactly fond of the disposable wannabe pop star girls or making a gigantic show of it every game with children’s choirs and such. Now if we could steal the Chicago singer….. I’d certainly do so. One of the few exceptions are MTL’s old woman opera singer and the country themed Nashville anthem. I wonder if Seattle will use a Grunge singer for the anthem?

Is the Bruins Rene Rancourt not making a gigantic show of it?