Do you care about the Sabres anymore?

[CallawaySabres]

It’s all Bills for me. I’ll check back if they ever make it to 8th, but that’s not happening this season.

[TheAud]

For my own mental health I’m letting go of my love for the team over time. Being at last night’s game and seeing their body language and lack of effort or a plan was another motivation to let go even more.

I’m committed to going to the game in Phoenix on Saturday but otherwise am back to a policy of never spending money on this team again until they become legitimate. Last year suckered me back in on that front.

[Norcal]

Yes and i'll never stop.

The Sabres are my childhood.

Now, as for the level of caring, that's the question for me.

[lowsabre]

Yeah, but I was also only like 7 when the playoffs were last made, so hearing about the playoffs is like

this is my normal

[Norcal]

43 minutes ago, Radar said:

Second thought on this. Could this decline be what leads Pegula to sell the franchise? And if so are we looking at no local hockey team down the road anyway. I could see Pegula doing this and focusing totally on the Bills franchise.

ROS is huge already so he could walk any time now and turn a hefty profit. 

The Sabres were Kim's passion I believe. 

[Mb278]

to me its like a relationship with a poisonous girlfriend; I can't help myself even i I know being "all in" is only going to be more painful in the long run. And I break up with her (sabres) numerous times throughout the season. But then we have a few good good games together and I start to see the possibilities and that (scary) hopeful feeling comes back- and then once my hopes are a bit elevated I get kicked in the nuts again. 

Currently I am sitting on the couch with a bag of (figurative) ice. 

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

I tried to listen to the game last night. No chance.

So much of Sabres hockey was Rick.

That's not say we can never have another voice that is exciting and passionate and cool, but the Sabres can't be bothered to at least give us that. It's the old boys network. Friends protecting friends.

So telling.

Trying to listen on the radio does not work.  They don’t call the game play by play.  Just talk and filler.  
 

Under Pegula everything is worse, I think the team got a nicer dressing room but that’s it. 

Do I care about them?   Yes.  Since before day 1.  I want them fixed. 
 

Berube is available, not sure he would take the job.   In St Louis they missed the playoffs last year, and the owner does not want that to happen again.  Armstrong had to fire him, even though he knows he gutted the team and did not replace the core vet players with anywhere near the same quality.  

Imagine, they are on the verge of missing the playoff for 2 years and they took action.   Hard to even fathom 13 years right now.  Not even one lucky year in there.  
 

Pegula doesn’t care as much as I do.  

Edited December 14, 2023 by Pimlach

[Goldseatsaud]

Dressing room true. Sell the team 

[mjd1001]

I still care a lot. For some reason I care more about the Sabres than the Bills (when I used to be a bigger Bills fan). But it is becoming a lot easier to just do something else instead of watching a game.  Going to a game, forget it.  I cannot fathom paying that much money to see a product that just doesn't perform well.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Of course, I care about the team.  I wouldn't post here otherwise. 

Maybe the better question is whether someone is going to take a more passive approach to the team going forward until they actually make an effort to justify our interest.  

Most fans are completely fed up with the entire organization from the owner to the players and they should be fed up.  What makes this so strange is DG had them playing hard nearly every game last season win or lose.  They were entertaining, fun to watch, and had a never-say-die attitude.  This season, with basically the same coaches and personnel, they play like they are going through the motions and collecting their checks.  Why?  

I watched the KO 1000 game video and it struck me that KO has been focused on creating a family atmosphere inside the Sabres locker room and that has created a very unified bunch.  One thing lacking in the video was any emphasis on winning on a KO lead team.  Sure it was a hype video, but that struck me as odd.  Family atmosphere is great.  The unified locker room is also great.  No accountability for not winning, not so great and I think this is where the franchise is.

As I wrote previously, this season is done from a playoff perspective.  It's time for KA to make serious changes.  Until that's done, I'll keep an eye on the score, maybe watch some highlights, but the Sabres are firmly moving to the back burner.

Edited December 14, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[Wyldnwoody44]

Obviously if we're still here, we care a little. I even haphazardly watched the game a bit last night. 

I was offered a free suite ticket to the leafs game next week, so I won't turn that down. But I'm more interested in the food and the company than a leafs game. How sad is that?! An all time awesome rivalry and I'm more interested in off ice stuff. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 minute ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

Obviously if we're still here, we care a little. I even haphazardly watched the game a bit last night. 

I was offered a free suite ticket to the leafs game next week, so I won't turn that down. But I'm more interested in the food and the company than a leafs game. How sad is that?! An all time awesome rivalry and I'm more interested in off ice stuff. 

It's an age thing.

[Wyldnwoody44]

Just now, GASabresIUFAN said:

It's an age thing.

I'm 40, not sure if that means much lol. I don't party anywhere near my youth, but that shouldn't prevent me from caring about my Hockey team. 

They just suck. 

[PASabreFan]

5 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Of course, I care about the team.  I wouldn't post here otherwise. 

Maybe the better question is whether someone is going to take a more passive approach to the team going forward until they actually make an effort to justify our interest.  

Most fans are completely fed up with the entire organization from the owner to the players and they should be fed up.  What makes this so strange is DG had them playing hard nearly every game last season win or lose.  They were entertaining, fun to watch, and had a never-say-die attitude.  This season, with basically the same coaches and personnel, they play like they are going through the motions and collecting their checks.  Why?  

I watched the KO 1000 game video and it struck me that KO has been focused on creating a family atmosphere inside the Sabres locker room and that has created a very unified bunch.  One thing lacking in the video was any emphasis on winning on a KO lead team.  Sure it was a hype video, but that struck me as odd.  Family atmosphere is great.  The unified locker room is also great.  No accountability for not winning, not so great and I think this is where the franchise is.

As I wrote previously, this season is done from a playoff perspective.  It's time for KA to make serious changes.  Until that's done, I'll keep an eye on the score, maybe watch some highlights, but the Sabres are firmly moving to the back burner.

Why?

How do you think going from the youngest team in the league to the youngest team in the league plays in that lockerroom, even (especially?) with the young players?

How do you think they like no changes in the coaching staff?

KA as GM?

TP as owner?

My fervent wish is that some how, some way the game is almost over.

[MattPie]

1 hour ago, nfreeman said:

I won't stop caring about this team, which is in my blood, though unless and until it becomes clear to me that they have stopped trying to be a real NHL franchise.

1 hour ago, Carmel Corn said:

Unfortunately, YES.....it's like a disease though.  I moved away over 30 years ago, but the Sabres are in my blood.

The lifespan of a red blood cell is approximately 4 months, so if you can go cold-turkey over the summer you should be free of this affliction!

[Gatorman0519]

I’ve watched most of the games. I guess it’s my crack addiction. 😂

[GASabresIUFAN]

8 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

How do you think going from the youngest team in the league to the youngest team in the league plays in that lockerroom, even (especially?) with the young players?

????

What does this mean?  You would think that the youngest team in the NHL that gave their coach maximum effort last year would do the same this year.  What changed?  The coaches are the same.  The majority of the roster is the same (They brought back all the same forwards, all the same goalies, and 6/8 of the same D).  All they did was add two veteran D and an 18-year-old rookie forward who plays hard every shift.  The only real change is that all the big contracts.  Cozens, Power, TNT, and Dahlin now all have big $ and the only one making an effort to earn those $ is Dahlin.

As to who is going to make the changes, it's going to be KA until TP fires him, which sadly I don't see happening this season or even next.  KA is TP's yes man.

Edited December 14, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[Pimlach]

3 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Why?

How do you think going from the youngest team in the league to the youngest team in the league plays in that lockerroom, even (especially?) with the young players?

How do you think they like no changes in the coaching staff?

KA as GM?

TP as owner?

My fervent wish is that some how, some way the game is almost over.

At some point Pegula has to sell.  He can’t be having fun with this?  He doesn’t go to games.  What’s the point in this for him?  

He won’t trust an experienced GM.  He hires rookies because of it.  In Adams he has a guy he trusts and he can control.  

Adam’s had a core of good players to work with. Hire some help and start winning. 

[nucci]

1 hour ago, Goldseatsaud said:

Not anymore like I did as kid. I was hoping they would have turn this franchise around. 53 years and counting

Same. 1st game Dec 1970

[DarthEbriate]

I care.

But if something else is going on that day/night, it's becoming easier and easier to float away with the rest of the garbage.

[Pimlach]

2 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

????

What does this mean?  You would think that the youngest team in the NHL that gave their coach maximum effort last year would do the same this year.  What changed?  The coaches are the same.  The majority of the roster is the same (They brought back all the same forwards, all the same goalies, and 6/8 of the same D).  All they did was add two veteran D and an 18-year-old rookie forward who plays hard every shift.  The only real change is that all the big contracts.  Cozens, Power, TNT, and Dahlin now all have big $ and the only one making an effort to earn those $ is Dahlin.

That is his point.  The Core players know they needed more help.  They also know the system they play doesn’t work in the NHL.  
 

ROR/Eichel/Reinhart is going to turn into Cozens/Dahlin/Thompson unless they get help.   Start with the coaching staff.   Its the only logical move.  
 

[Drag0nDan]

10 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Of course, I care about the team.  I wouldn't post here otherwise. 

Maybe the better question is whether someone is going to take a more passive approach to the team going forward until they actually make an effort to justify our interest.  

Most fans are completely fed up with the entire organization from the owner to the players and they should be fed up.  What makes this so strange is DG had them playing hard nearly every game last season win or lose.  They were entertaining, fun to watch, and had a never-say-die attitude.  This season, with basically the same coaches and personnel, they play like they are going through the motions and collecting their checks.  Why?  

I watched the KO 1000 game video and it struck me that KO has been focused on creating a family atmosphere inside the Sabres locker room and that has created a very unified bunch.  One thing lacking in the video was any emphasis on winning on a KO lead team.  Sure it was a hype video, but that struck me as odd.  Family atmosphere is great.  The unified locker room is also great.  No accountability for not winning, not so great and I think this is where the franchise is.

As I wrote previously, this season is done from a playoff perspective.  It's time for KA to make serious changes.  Until that's done, I'll keep an eye on the score, maybe watch some highlights, but the Sabres are firmly moving to the back burner.

You built a core - it isn't a good one.  Time to try and make some changes imo.  Coach is one.  Getting rid of some players another.  And figuring out how to adjust your team.  

FWDs: Tuch, Skinner, Thompson, Mitts, Cozens, Benson, JJP, Quinn - Would move on from 2024: Greenway, Krebs, KO, Girgs, Jost, whomever.  This has no value in a trade though - Do you like Quinn/JJP more than all of the other prospects teams might covet?  That's the real long term decision.  Is it Quinn or is it Kulich?  Is it Kulich or Rosen? Savoie? Östlund?  Some of these guys have to be moved in trades to bring in NHL players and upgrades.  

Dmen: Dahlin, Samuelsson, Power.  R. Johnsons played pretty well, but he should be available in a trade.  Find takers for EJ and Clifton this season if you can.  

G: Levi

[JohninMinn.]

Where else is there to go if it's your team? I'm looking forward to the "Cinderella story" come playoff time. Don't sleep on that Levi kid.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

58 minutes ago, lowsabre said:

Yeah, but I was also only like 7 when the playoffs were last made, so hearing about the playoffs is like

this is my normal

7 in 2011 !!

***** you are a young pup.

[pi2000]

I still watch every game.  It's fun when they win, but I'm numb to the losing at this point.

Much like the team itself, it doesn't really bother me when they give up a goal.