The Future's so Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades😎

[bob_sauve28]

7 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

3rd in the NHL in GPG at 3.8...this team can score with anyone...sad part is they can also let in 5 to just about anyone too.

Sabres are only 1 of 3 teams in the NHL to feature 5 players with 20+ points right now.  The other 2 are Tampa Bay and Vancouver.

Sabres have the most points by rookies in the NHL...

It's exciting times for sure...they need better goaltending, but until then we are going to see a lot of 6-5,6-4, 5-4, 7-6 type of losses...reminding me a lot of the Oiler team from a few years ago that was similar...you knew they were going to score, but you also knew you would likely score more. 

Few years ago? You mean the Gretzky teams? 

[matter2003]

10 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Few years ago? You mean the Gretzky teams? 

no the McDavid/Draisaitl teams before they made the playoffs

[Sidc3000]

24 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Correct.  A young team with developing players needs to learn how to win.  The GMs job is to get them the tools to help the process.  KO and Z were already here for the forwards, but where is that mentor (who can still play) for the D?

Damn good question. It really seems to me that Adams focused on offense because scoring goals is fun and may attract fans back to the arena. Plus sometimes if you score enough goals you’ll win even with par to subpar defense/goaltending. 
 

Hopefully the way the kids are playing will have some vets around the league to reconsider the Sabres.  

[nfreeman]

15 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Thanks to the 8 game losing streak. Otherwise the Sabres have been playing above .625 since last March.

Well, I don't think we can just wish that losing streak away.  It happened for reasons relating to the fundamental nature of the team. 

[Sidc3000]

Just now, nfreeman said:

Well, I don't think we can just wish that losing streak away.  It happened for reasons relating to the fundamental nature of the team. 

yep no defense depth. They lost samuelsson and the defense just folded like a house of cards 

[nfreeman]

Just now, Sidc3000 said:

yep no defense depth. They lost samuelsson and the defense just folded like a house of cards 

Yes indeed.  No depth on D, shaky in net and overall kinda fragile mentally too.  Also, during the losing streak, there was no scoring depth after TT's line.  That has improved substantially, and I'm still hopeful about goalie once Comrie returns.  We'll have to wait and see about mental toughness developing and whether reinforcements are brought in on D.

[WhenWillItEnd66]

10 hours ago, Porous Five Hole said:

Dahlin and Tage are automatic all-stars. 
 

If the NHL still held a young stars game, all of Power, Quinn, and Peterka would be invited. 
 

There’s loud banter about locking Cozens up long term. 
 

 

The Sabres are 8-3-1 with Mattias Samuelsson in the lineup. They were 3-10 without him.
 

Development is painfully slow and the Sabres are close to the youngest team in the NHL (certainly the youngest if you exclude their backup Anderson). 
 

No one on this team has to wear the failure of the Sabres current league-record missing the playoff streak. Please keep that in mind. 

The Sabres are on pace for their best offensive season since 1992-93. https://t.co/nmh7MOvAbU

And the Sabres have a boatload of cap to spend to keep and acquire. 
 

We all want the playoffs ASAP. And there are messes to clean up (goaltending). But it’s time to stand down on the demands of immediacy. 
 

All of the young guys playing up a role from where they “should” be will pay long-term dividends.  Time to watch the growth and enjoy. 

Hopefully this will filter to the kids in college and will sway them to want to join the fun. If the 3 of them came to the Sabres, it would help shore up our defensive defenseman that we need and add 2 talented minders to the mix as well. 

Edited December 5, 2022 by NJhopelessSabresfan66

[matter2003]

12 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

Well, I don't think we can just wish that losing streak away.  It happened for reasons relating to the fundamental nature of the team. 

Partially, but moreso due to lots of injuries and lack of depth, which Granato and KA admit is an issue with a young team like this.

[Sidc3000]

Just now, matter2003 said:

Partially, but moreso due to lots of injuries and lack of depth, which Granato and KA admit is an issue with a young team like this.

Well because their depth is playing in the NHL. the cupboards are bare and it’s going to be a while to fill them back up. That is also a concern I have. This team will get better but they will also get injured. With very little depth waiting in the wings, injuries can sink a team quick

[GASabresIUFAN]

12 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

Yes indeed.  No depth on D, shaky in net and overall kinda fragile mentally too.  Also, during the losing streak, there was no scoring depth after TT's line.  That has improved substantially, and I'm still hopeful about goalie once Comrie returns.  We'll have to wait and see about mental toughness developing and whether reinforcements are brought in on D.

Comrie has to be an improvement on UPL, but no goaltender will last under the constant mistakes from all of our D but mostly the bottom pair and the injury replacements.

Since Mule returned we are a solid 4-2-1, but big offensive games (34 goals for) masks a fundamental problem still on the backend.  In those 7 games  we have given up 26 goals (or 3.71 per game).  That's a 304 goals allowed pace over a full season.  No offense can sustain winning when allowing that many goals long-term.  At least it's down from the 4.375 GA during the 8 game losing streak.  

On the bright side, I thought the offense would score at least 260 goals this season with potential for more.  Even with the 8 game losing streak we are on pace for a whopping 311+ goals for pace for the season.  This is a playoff caliber offense right now.  To bad KA won't give in the support it needs to become a playoff team this season.

Edited December 5, 2022 by GASabresIUFAN

[Stads]

Also, UPL improved to a .863 save %  with his .896 performance last night. So that's good right?

[Marvin]

...assuming we fill out the rest of the roster properly and can find good goalkeepers.

[French Collection]

10 minutes ago, Stads said:

Also, UPL improved to a .863 save %  with his .896 performance last night. So that's good right?

Well, he won and improved his SV%. The Sabres won the game for him by controlling the puck for the majority of the time.

I hope he can get some confidence and build on this. I don’t think he is the future but we need him to help this season. If he can provide .900 SV% goaltending this offense will win him more games.

[Indabuff]

[Pimlach]

51 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

Well, I don't think we can just wish that losing streak away.  It happened for reasons relating to the fundamental nature of the team. 

One reason being Mule, Joker, and Looby out and replaced by Fitz, Pilut, and Clagge.      <Ouch>

[Pimlach]

48 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Comrie has to be an improvement on UPL, but no goaltender will last under the constant mistakes from all of our D but mostly the bottom pair and the injury replacements.

 

... and the poor play of some of the forwards.  

[nfreeman]

2 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

One reason being Mule, Joker, and Looby out and replaced by Fitz, Pilut, and Clagge.      <Ouch>

Indeed.  I do think though that Mule and Loobie both play the kind of games that are going to result in their missing time on the regular.  The team can't go to pieces when that happens -- if it does, it's a fundamental flaw relating to depth, mental toughness, etc.

[Pimlach]

34 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

Indeed.  I do think though that Mule and Loobie both play the kind of games that are going to result in their missing time on the regular.  The team can't go to pieces when that happens -- if it does, it's a fundamental flaw relating to depth, mental toughness, etc.

Yes correct.  You need a solid 7th defenseman that can be inserted to keep people fresh and help when folks get dinged.  

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, nfreeman said:

Well, I don't think we can just wish that losing streak away.  It happened for reasons relating to the fundamental nature of the team. 

...or due to injury to a key defender (Samuelsson.)  I'm just pointing out that that 8-game skid has skewed how the team has been playing. You can't ignore it, but on the other hand, it doesn't define the Sabres.

[nfreeman]

7 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

...or due to injury to a key defender (Samuelsson.)  I'm just pointing out that that 8-game skid has skewed how the team has been playing. You can't ignore it, but on the other hand, it doesn't define the Sabres.

My point is that it kinda does define them though, at least in part.  They lost a key defender -- a guy who is pretty likely to sustain injuries and miss time regularly -- and they went to pieces.  If Mule blocks a shot and goes down again for, say, 6 games, are you confident that they won't go 1-5 in those 6 games?

A team is what its record says it is.

[matter2003]

2 hours ago, Sidc3000 said:

Well because their depth is playing in the NHL. the cupboards are bare and it’s going to be a while to fill them back up. That is also a concern I have. This team will get better but they will also get injured. With very little depth waiting in the wings, injuries can sink a team quick

Not really...they have a lot of good players in Rochester still, in juniors(Savoie) and in college(Portillo/Levi) especially in terms of forwards that need a year or two to develop. Kind of hard to have your cupboards bare when many sources rank the Sabres prospect pool as #1 overall in the NHL. Does that mean other teams don't even have any cupboards?

Edited December 5, 2022 by matter2003

[Sidc3000]

11 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

Not really...they have a lot of good players in Rochester still, in juniors(Savoie) and in college(Portillo/Levi) especially in terms of forwards that need a year or two to develop. Kind of hard to have your cupboards bare when many sources rank the Sabres prospect pool as #1 overall in the NHL. Does that mean other teams don't even have any cupboards?

How many of them can be called up tomorrow to fill in if we get a rash of injuries and be productive?

 

 

Edited December 5, 2022 by Sidc3000

[matter2003]

Just now, Sidc3000 said:

How many of them can be called up tomorrow to fill in if we get a rash of injuries and be productive. 
 

That doesn't mean they are bare, just need some development time.

[Sidc3000]

Just now, matter2003 said:

That doesn't mean they are bare, just need some development time.

Ok well let’s hope the players know they can’t get hurt for a few years until our prospects develop. 👍

[SwampD]

Again, the hockey is way better than it has been in a long time. Even in losses (mostly), but until they beat Bylsma’s benchmark of 81 points, it’s hard for me to get too excited.

I have to say that again just to make sure I said it and that I actually believe it.

81 points. Ugh.

Yes it’s true. I will get excited if they beat 81 points.

Again,… ugh.