GDT : Wild at Sabres 7:00 March 4, 2022

[bunomatic]

26 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

The wins will have to be many next fall to restore any semblance of a crowd after the Bills are done. Too many are tuned out and skeptical of March heroics. Just my opinion. YMMV.

I agree but the wild are a desperate team right now and this was a must win for them. Our guys did the dirty work to get the win. We do need much improvement to become even middle of the road though. Its a start. 

[Randall Flagg]

19 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

Stop with the double negatives

I need to attend a writing workshop, im too bad at it for how much i write stuff for fun

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Another great effort and a fantastic team win.

Skinner is a keeper. Even though I supported the hire initially I can say it with conviction now that RaKru is a dumb ass hockey coach.

[dudacek]

42 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

This team can be made into a wild card team this summer, and there are ways to do it that won't "mortgage the future." If Kevyn can't find them, we shouldn't have faith that he can get this team over the more important hump, being a championship team, because that is even harder.

If Kevyn won't do this, fans have no reason to give this team any time, attention or money, because it's a complete waste of an opportunity to wash the losing stench off of these young players, and give them irreplaceable development in important springtime games.

There is no reason that this team shouldn't be the 16-17 Leafs next year. Pushing that off another year does absolutely nothing for anyone. 

Yes. 

And the process starts at the trade deadline.

We want to believe.

[inkman]

8 minutes ago, The Ghost of Doohickie said:

Another great effort and a fantastic team win.

Skinner is a keeper. Even though I supported the hire initially I can say it with conviction now that RaKru is a dumb ass hockey coach.

The Sabres aren’t very different than a lot of companies.  They are easily swindled by people with the gift of gab.  Ralph is a sheister of epic proportions.  The last company I worked for continuously hires these MBA bozos who just echo corporate buzzwords and propel that into a lucrative six figure career.  Sickening as these out of touch talking pieces ruin companies and peoples lives because they don’t know or do anything.  I watched it with my own two eyes for a decade and decided that was enough. Best decision I ever made.  Adams seems like a very earnest man with his heart in the right place.  Hopefully that translates to success soon. 

[nfreeman]

12 hours ago, bunomatic said:

Wow. I could get behind this team with a little more consistency and more jam. Love seeing the boys stand up for their brothers. That was a fun game to watch. Happy for the fans that were at the game. String a few more wins like that together and the fans will come back.

This is probably an overreaction, but the last 2 wins are probably the high point of the season for me.

 

4 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

 

Cozens really brought the speed, the power and the fire last night.  That was the WNY Ryan Kesler we've been hoping would emerge.  If that's who he is, he will be a major difference-maker in the rise from the ashes.

 

3 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

I think the 2 biggest reasons why this team is not 10 or more points better are the injuries to Mittelstadt and Girgensons.

Well, I agree that these injuries were important (as were the injuries to Anderson, VO and Miller IMHO), but the #1 reason with a bullet is goaltending.

 

Separately:

- Cozens, Fitzgerald and Skinner all brought the fire last night, and it made a huge difference.  That was an inspired, together group of Sabres we saw -- maybe the most this season. 

- I loved Samuelsson obliterating someone behind the net, Mitts doing the pre-emptive Forsberg shoulder forecheck (which someone else noted upthread -- great description, btw) to crush a Minny defender just before digging it out from the boards, and Skinner screaming "LFG" after scoring.

- I'm not sure Skinner has retrieved 100% of his mojo from his 40-goal season, but he's in the neighborhood.  Those 2 goals, especially the GWG, were great and looked to me like he looked in that 40-goal season -- i.e. he was able to vacuum up loose pucks in the high-danger areas, and whenever he got control of it, he was definitely going to beat the goalie.

- As noted upthread, adding Mitts (who looked much better last night) and a contributing VO (although he's still not shooting the slapper) gives them 3 solid forward lines, which makes a huge difference.

Come on boys.  Keep bringing it like that and you'll give us a reason.

[pi2000]

Very impressed with Samuelsson's game.  Has a great stick in the d-zone, breaks up ton of plays, is smart and doesn't ever panic.   He's the polar opposite of Risto.   He's seen increased minutes in Jokiharju's absence and IMO they've been better defensivley because of it.

[Randall Flagg]

2 hours ago, dudacek said:

Yes. 

And the process starts at the trade deadline.

We want to believe.

And for all of the allowances we want to give Kevyn, with Ralph and a pandemic and the situation he was thrown into, and Eichel and kids and all that - the man has presided over two of the worst seasons in franchise history. He owes us this effort. It will be difficult, and he COULD take an easier way out, a slower burn that gives him more time while "sufficiently marinating" the kids, but he has a moral obligation to avoid this

[Doohickie]

4 hours ago, That Aud Smell said:

I audibly groaned every time Eakin came over the boards last night.

I heard it all the way in Texas. 

[Hank]

7 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

And for all of the allowances we want to give Kevyn, with Ralph and a pandemic and the situation he was thrown into, and Eichel and kids and all that - the man has presided over two of the worst seasons in franchise history. He owes us this effort. It will be difficult, and he COULD take an easier way out, a slower burn that gives him more time while "sufficiently marinating" the kids, but he has a moral obligation to avoid this

He doesn't owe us a damn thing. 

 

No, he doesn't. 

 

He's on the right path and needs to stay the course. 

[JohnC]

4 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Will is one thing, skill and savvy is quite another.  Do we have a front office that can make a few key trades/acquisitions that improve the team and not purge the pipeline?  Murray couldn’t do it, Botterill wouldn’t do it.  
 

KA is on the clock.  
 

This isn’t rocket science.  Look at how many teams were bad and have since rebuilt while we remain down - Toronto, Avs, Calgary, Rangers, Wild, Canes, Panthers  - all dramatically better.  Many others have improved and leveled out or faded again in the ten year span - Jets, Oilers, Canadians, Islanders, … and now  teams like the Kings, Ducks and Detroit are trending up   

 

Very few teams have been consistently good fortune past  ten years - Boston, Blues, Lightning, Penguins, Caps

I believe that it relates more to will than savvy in making reasonable moves to upgrade this roster. If you look at the drafts that KA has supervised, they have been overall solid. The Quinn selection looks good. And the move up to draft Peterka looks like a smart move. Most people would say that drafting Power was a no-brainer. But that's the point. The GM didn't try to impress by outsmarting the pack. He simply made the obvious pick and the right pick. 

A decision was made to dispatch our core and reconstruct the roster that he inherited. The return for Jack, Risto and Sam was collectively a reasonable return considering the circumstances. And in the not too distant future those picks and players received should be established players for us for a long time. It wouldn't shock me that getting Levi in the Reinhart trade might turn out to be the most consequential return from the three trades in a couple to few years. 

The Sabres are in a good position to participate in the market this offseason due to their abundance of draft picks and cap space. Will he judiciously use some of their assets to add talent to the roster? I hope so but am not sure. Another issue is whether the owners will allow him to make the moves required to move forward? I simply don't know. Again, I hope so. 

[Randall Flagg]

16 minutes ago, Hank said:

He doesn't owe us a damn thing. 

 

No, he doesn't. 

 

He's on the right path and needs to stay the course. 

You're correct in a pragmatic/literal sense, as my tangible life wouldn't really change one bit if the Sabres and NHL poofed from existence, but when you consider the quasi-metaphysical framework that sports fanhood and things like this Sabres fan community are baked into, you are wrong.

But if you want to stick with a pragmatic and literal perspective, if the Sabres make no offseason additions and let the kids ride to a probable mid-70 point finish with questionable goaltending and no insulation, literally nobody on planet earth is better for it, save the Sabres division rivals. It advances nothing except for the acceleration of desperation and contempt for losing that flushed the last attempted rebuild down the drain.

Edited March 5, 2022 by Randall Flagg

[JohnC]

5 hours ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

Everything in the American Airlines Center is lit in nuclear green.

If people say that you are a radiating person they may not be referring to your cheerful personality. 🏴‍☠️

[That Aud Smell]

2 hours ago, pi2000 said:

Very impressed with Samuelsson's game.  Has a great stick in the d-zone, breaks up ton of plays, is smart and doesn't ever panic.   He's the polar opposite of Risto.   He's seen increased minutes in Jokiharju's absence and IMO they've been better defensivley because of it.

I really like this observation. Samuelsson started off shaky (in his initial NHL games), but now seems to be on a really good path. He stymied Tavares the other night too.

[Norcal]

Shout out to Bryson.

He's been eye test  good with Dahlin so far. 

He blocked the game winner off of Karill The Thrills stick with about 9 minutes left. 

[Norcal]

Muel had a few shaky games in a row recently but he emerged from them a better player imo

He makes routine stick checks at the line a few times a game, gains possession and clears the zone. 

Thats something I haven't seen from a Sabres defender in quite some time and he makes it look easy sometimes.

He can stay with guys when they are trying to rush and get into position to affect their shot opportunities and if they get anywhere near the boards, they are canceled out.

The play he made on Matthews the other night was seriously a thing of beauty. 

 

[Flashsabre]

18 minutes ago, Norcal said:

Muel had a few shaky games in a row recently but he emerged from them a better player imo

He makes routine stick checks at the line a few times a game, gains possession and clears the zone. 

Thats something I haven't seen from a Sabres defender in quite some time and he makes it look easy sometimes.

He can stay with guys when they are trying to rush and get into position to affect their shot opportunities and if they get anywhere near the boards, they are canceled out.

The play he made on Matthews the other night was seriously a thing of beauty. 

 

Mule is a big piece to that back end. Big, physical, plays a good defensive game and can jump up ice when needed.

A good blue line is one that is varied. Dahlin and Power will be the offensive forces back there. Mule a physical, defensive presence. Hopefully Johnson is an all around dman.  I would like to see another physical RHD to add to the group.

A big problem with the Leafs d core is that they are all the same. Soft, skating puck movers that don’t play d.

Edited March 5, 2022 by Flashsabre

[Norcal]

21 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

Mule is a big piece to that back end. Big, physical, plays a good defensive game and can jump up ice when needed.

A good blue line is one that is varied. Dahlin and Power will be the offensive forces back there. Mule a physical, defensive presence. Hopefully Johnson is an all around dman.  I would like to see another physical RHD to add to the group.

A big problem with the Leafs d core is that they are all the same. Soft, skating puck movers that don’t play d.

The fact that Samuelsson could end up as a 3rd pair LD is encouraging for the future of the Sabres D core

[Doohickie]

I would say in the Muel/Fitz pairing, Fitzgerald is the more offensively minded defenseman.

[JohnC]

5 hours ago, The Ghost of Doohickie said:

Another great effort and a fantastic team win.

Skinner is a keeper. Even though I supported the hire initially I can say it with conviction now that RaKru is a dumb ass hockey coach.

The problem with smart guys like Krueger is that they believe they are smarter than everyone else in the room. He was your typical ideologue who believed his system was superior to all. When his system didn't work his lofty ego couldn't grasp the reality that not only that it didn't work but an alternative approach was needed. 

His backward approach to coaching was that players were required to adhere to his system whether they were suited to implement it or not. For a person who traveled the world coaching hockey and being involved in the soccer business, he had a very parochial outlook. The worst aspect of his misguided approach to hockey is how he stifled the talents of players such as Dahlin and Skinner. The well-spoken coach didn't understand the basic notion in coaching and teaching that your primary task is to bring out the talents that you oversee. Or to put it in simple terms: put your players in position to succeed. The moral of the story is that being smart doesn't make you wise. And another moral to the story is that talkers should do more listening. The damage he did was incalculable. 

 

 

[DarthEbriate]

21 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

He's got hands of stone. I do love his work ethic though, but he just can not finish or create for the life of him.

He's still better than a Eakin-Hayden-Bjork, but we need his hard work with either more set up or more finish if we truly want to be good.

Depends on what the playoff team needs. If they want a scorer, Girgs is not for them. But if they need a shot suppressor they can trust against an opposition's top line and might bang home a rebound or two, Girgs could be a great option.

[Curt]

1 hour ago, DarthEbriate said:

Depends on what the playoff team needs. If they want a scorer, Girgs is not for them. But if they need a shot suppressor they can trust against an opposition's top line and might bang home a rebound or two, Girgs could be a great option.

Girgensons is not getting traded.  He is under contract next season and they named him co-captain.

[Weave]

47 minutes ago, Curt said:

Girgensons is not getting traded.  He is under contract next season and they named him co-captain.

Like that’s ever stopped the Sabres.  We had a pretty good run of trading captains while they were captain.

[Eleven]

5 minutes ago, Weave said:

Like that’s ever stopped the Sabres.  We had a pretty good run of trading captains while they were captain.

"O captain, your captain."

[Doohickie]

1 hour ago, Curt said:

Girgensons is not getting traded.  He is under contract next season and they named him co-captain.

I don't understand a word of this aside from Zemgus Girgensons, but I love it.