CallawaySabres Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 There don't seem to be any answers on how to fix this team because I really believe they are pretty awful from top to bottom. Obviously it will be impossible to trade people like Cousins, Mule, Skinner, Power and Thompson but what about the rest? Bring in a new GM who has no bias towards any of these players and trade as many players as possible. Target teams with needs and bring back players who are older and can compliment existing talent that is here. Would anyone really care if anyone on this team was traded? Dahlin is on a straight line to exit like Eichel, book it. Nobody on this team should be safe and they can bring in that new GM and coach to reset the whole organization. Wait until some good, veteran coaches are fired and let everyone know that absolutely nobody is safe. I have fellow season ticket holders who also have not watched a game in weeks and can't even stomach watching them any longer. This idea of blowing it all up would be the only thing that could bring a sense of fandom back back to me in October since this will be the last year I will be a season ticket holder. I did not watch again last night but the end has to be near for Granato, I mean, it just has to be. 4 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldseatsaud Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 Ownership isn’t going do anything 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalonill Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 Nothing will happen. They had a decade to fix things and they still haven't 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashsabre Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 Yep let’s start from scratch and wait another 10 years to sniff the playoffs. They need an ass kicking coach like Tocchet to come in and demand a work ethic. The team will turn around quickly. 7 1 4 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddoublee Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 I don't know if a 100% blowup is necessary with this team - but a shot across the bow would be hard to argue against. Head Coach - let him finish out the season. But behind the scenes, they should be strongly evaluating what they want out of a head coach - and create a list of people who fit their defined criteria. Current Players - IMO, I believe Cozens is their best trade chip. I like him. He will do well. But I believe Mitts is better - more well rounded - and at a perfect age. If Skinner can be moved at a 50% retention - they should do it. So fun to watch him score goals - but he plays irresponsible hockey. He is not a good playing role model for the young players. EJ and OX will be gone next year - so be it. Devon - KEEP HIM IN ROCHESTER. Let him have a year, or two, where he is the leader and getting all the reps on a contending team. He is not going to get that in the NHL. Is he better than Comrie? Sure, by a little. But not enough so that he should skip the proper development stages. Future Players - Vets are good to have. But they have to be Vets who can produce. OX and EJ are no different than Gionta. You can only lead so much if you cannot produce on the ice at a high level. This team needs 2-3 players - aged 29-33 - that can produce. A veteran mix of players that the young players can role model themselves to ON THE ICE. Probably have to overpay by 15-20% - but that is the cost until you become a proven winner. GM - I would keep KA for one more offseason. But the management of Devon - and his inability to close on producing vets via free agency is a red flag. Not talking about 35 goal scorers - talking legit bottom 6 players that can slide into the top 6 when necessary. We are lacking that... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CallawaySabres Posted January 24 Author Report Share Posted January 24 2 minutes ago, Flashsabre said: Yep let’s start from scratch and wait another 10 years to sniff the playoffs. They need an ass kicking coach like Tocchet to come in and demand a work ethic. The team will turn around quickly. THis is my issue, everyone thinks coaching will turn this team around and I think they have the wrong type of players. Someone like Toccett might make things look different but they will regress back to the norm shortly after. They are who they are... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_sauve28 Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 Stay the course! Look at Reinhardt now, look at Monture now, don't trade away kids that will help other teams win. 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#freejame Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 13 minutes ago, Goldseatsaud said: Ownership isn’t going do anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd1001 Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 (edited) Ok not sure where to put this as its the morning after, but looked at the goals allowed last night. First goal: Sabres have ZERO idea how to play in their own zone here, mostly the forwards. Again, All 5 guys seem like they are squeezed into a 30 square foot area of the ice, with EVERY other part of the ice wide open (by the way, Most were just standing there, not doing much. Look at the screenshot I Attached below.) The shot taken for the goal was from an Anaheim guy not even in the screen. The puck carrier behind the net has a couple options, including getting the puck to the totally uncovered guy on the faceoff dot, or the one out of the screen who could have time to EASILY get in a bad pass and control it,step up into the wide open slot, take a shot from where he was (Where the entire Sabres team provides a screen or an opportunity to deflect it in) or just look around for a better option. 2nd goal allowed: PP. Cozens again. I can't say this enough, when the Sabres hold their position, whey they just stay there in the PK box, they do well. Time after time after time you see them keep that PK box sound and the other team just passes the puck around and wastes time or takes a shot the goalie easily handles. The ONLY way they get in trouble is when they start chasing. Well...they were holding the box pretty well, then Cozens, for some reasons, decides to chase the puck to the boards on a play there was basically ZERO chance he would get to it...which allows the opposing guy to take his time and look for a clear lane to get the puck through to the net which allows the goal. Not the worst looking 'can't stop chasing the puck' offense by Cozens ever, but him leaving his spot was what started the 3-4 seconds that led to the goal. What needs to happen to get Cozens to stop making decisions to chase pucks and leave defensive zones wide open over and over and over? 3rd goal allowed: Clifton fell over nothing. 3 Sabres forwards were watching on the other blueline, all in the same place for some reason, but they were down and were looking to press so I can't complain that much....my only thought is why were they all standing so close together they could almost hold hands? No real mental mistakes, just bad luck/bad skates/bad skater. Below is the picture I mentioned, all 5 Sabres guys in one spot, 4 of them doing nothing but looking at the puck carrier, none of them with any sense of where anyone else is on the ice. The guy on the faceoff dot is wide open, the guy who takes the shot is wide open inside the blue line, no one has any idea who to cover. And, this isn't just a luck snapshot, if you watch the replay for a few seconds, this is how they are playing. Edited January 24 by mjd1001 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeSchmoe Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 Trade some of our prospects for good players, especially D. Stop bringing in the bargain bin guys like Johnson and Clifton. New coach to whip Thompson, Cozens, and Tuch into being more accountable. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldseatsaud Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 Why did pegulas buy the franchise? That is my question. It must be a business write off. 2 minutes ago, JoeSchmoe said: Trade some of our prospects for good players, especially D. Stop bringing in the bargain bin guys like Johnson and Clifton. New coach to whip Thompson, Cozens, and Tuch into being more accountable. Dream You guys analyzing what they should isn’t going to happen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xzy89c1 Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 Need a new head coach who holds players accountable. Two games in a row where Mitts has gone brain dead and given up puck in own zone for a goal. A period of watching for something like that is appropriate, but Granato throws them right back. We play with zero emotion or effort. Perimeter play for all forwards except Thompson who sometimes drives to net. We have some good young players who desperately need a strong hand to guide them. Instead we have a philosopher coach who has zero strategic or tactical skill. He clearly has lost the team as they do not respond to his challenges 1 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoot da Puck Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_soisson Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 57 minutes ago, CallawaySabres said: There don't seem to be any answers on how to fix this team because I really believe they are pretty awful from top to bottom. Obviously it will be impossible to trade people like Cousins, Mule, Skinner, Power and Thompson but what about the rest? Bring in a new GM who has no bias towards any of these players and trade as many players as possible. Target teams with needs and bring back players who are older and can compliment existing talent that is here. Would anyone really care if anyone on this team was traded? Dahlin is on a straight line to exit like Eichel, book it. Nobody on this team should be safe and they can bring in that new GM and coach to reset the whole organization. Wait until some good, veteran coaches are fired and let everyone know that absolutely nobody is safe. I have fellow season ticket holders who also have not watched a game in weeks and can't even stomach watching them any longer. This idea of blowing it all up would be the only thing that could bring a sense of fandom back back to me in October since this will be the last year I will be a season ticket holder. I did not watch again last night but the end has to be near for Granato, I mean, it just has to be. Granato should have been gone at Christmas. Adams is a horrible GM. His best qualification is Terry likes him. They both need to be relieved. It's so embarrassing what this organization has become since Pegula arrived. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_soisson Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 55 minutes ago, Buffalonill said: Nothing will happen. They had a decade to fix things and they still haven't It's hard to quantify who "they" is, other than the owner, considering the spotless record of incompetence, be it from the futile succession of coaching or management. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd1001 Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 Where has the goal scoring gone and why? last year they led the league in goals scored for a good portion, and finished 3rd in the league in offense/goals. This year, their BEST guy in terms of points is....tied for 61st in the league (lower when you consider games played/pts per game) Their BEST guy in terms of goals scored is....tied for 46th in the league. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusader1969 Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 I can get the sentiment to blow it up but I'm of the steadfast belief that that the right coaching staff can turn this ship quickly. Where would they be now if they had an average PP? With the skill they have on the roster , no way heads shouldn't role for their ineptitude I think the top 9 is pretty well set. Of course a return on Tage and Tuch to their former self's would be instrumental in righting the ship you've got pieces on defence If they can bring in a top pair RHD that would cure a lot of their ills If there is one team in the league that has the assets to bring in such a player it's Buffalo The problem is there aren't many of those types of players in the league and teams don't trade them away often the bottom line needs footsoldiers I don't mind Krebs but they need energy , hair on fire type of guys Hopefully they can acquire a few via free agency and trade goalies seem to be fine UPL has answered a lot of the questions about him and Levi (it sent to Roch) should be a decent tandem next year it's definitely not a blow it up situation it's find a competent coaching staff , a top 4 dman and footsoldiers Just now, mjd1001 said: Where has the goal scoring gone and why? last year they led the league in goals scored for a good portion, and finished 3rd in the league in offense/goals. This year, their BEST guy in terms of points is....tied for 61st in the league (lower when you consider games played/pts per game) Their BEST guy in terms of goals scored is....tied for 46th in the league. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_soisson Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 (edited) 1 hour ago, oddoublee said: I don't know if a 100% blowup is necessary with this team - but a shot across the bow would be hard to argue against. Head Coach - let him finish out the season. But behind the scenes, they should be strongly evaluating what they want out of a head coach - and create a list of people who fit their defined criteria. Current Players - IMO, I believe Cozens is their best trade chip. I like him. He will do well. But I believe Mitts is better - more well rounded - and at a perfect age. If Skinner can be moved at a 50% retention - they should do it. So fun to watch him score goals - but he plays irresponsible hockey. He is not a good playing role model for the young players. EJ and OX will be gone next year - so be it. Devon - KEEP HIM IN ROCHESTER. Let him have a year, or two, where he is the leader and getting all the reps on a contending team. He is not going to get that in the NHL. Is he better than Comrie? Sure, by a little. But not enough so that he should skip the proper development stages. Future Players - Vets are good to have. But they have to be Vets who can produce. OX and EJ are no different than Gionta. You can only lead so much if you cannot produce on the ice at a high level. This team needs 2-3 players - aged 29-33 - that can produce. A veteran mix of players that the young players can role model themselves to ON THE ICE. Probably have to overpay by 15-20% - but that is the cost until you become a proven winner. GM - I would keep KA for one more offseason. But the management of Devon - and his inability to close on producing vets via free agency is a red flag. Not talking about 35 goal scorers - talking legit bottom 6 players that can slide into the top 6 when necessary. We are lacking that... "...behind the scenes, they should be strongly evaluating...". Who is "they"? The deep state? I suspect "they" is, and has been, the problem. Edited January 24 by phil_soisson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 One issue that puzzles me. We have effectively season-long slumps from our top 4 forwards (Thompson, Skinner, Tuch, Cozens) and our top 3 defencemen (Dahlin, Samuelsson, and Power). Yes, some of their problems are injury-related, but finding an answer to this question would help in deciding what to do. For instance, maybe they just over-achieved the last couple of seasons, in which case we should sell high on at least a couple of them. Maybe it just happens (e.g., there is an abbreviated Buffalo-Winnipeg game on YouTube from 1985-6 where the HNIC announcers mention that the Winnipeg Jets were plunging in the standings because their top 3 marksmen, Hawerchuk, McLean, and Steen, all had an off-year), in which case a new voice gives a new positive vibe (head coach). Maybe the lack of different skills on the team has been exploited by the other coaches. I place the initial responsibility on the assistant coaches. The next comes with a mix of the head coach, players, and general manager. I would attack this problem in that order if possible. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunomatic Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 After a decade plus I finally see what fans of other teams have been telling me. I always turned the other cheek when the Sabres were brought up and everyone laughed. Just wait I’d say. Well I’ve come around. This franchise is the joke of the league. Everyones punchline. Even people who don’t really do or know hockey get it. Terrence Pegula you have destroyed this brand. Everyone understands that save a small group of Buffalo hopefulls and the odd diehard from the glory days. I can’t even find Sabres merch out here on the westcoast. Truthfully I no longer look for it. Its embarassing. The KA DG experiment has failed. For the love of gawd cut the cord. Get real hockey people in here and save this team. I’ll watch the game tonight against LA but I’m certain of what I’ll see. Even if they squeeze out a win. Its window dressing. We know what they are. 1 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabres Fan in NS Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 Some of the assistant coaches seem to be in over their heads. It's the fine tuning that needs to be done. The decision was made to sacrifice some offence for better defence. Teaching defence takes time. Playoff was likely not a reasonable goal this season with the change to focus on the defencive game. The Sabres will be fine. They need a bit more time. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Believer Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 19 minutes ago, Marvin said: One issue that puzzles me. We have effectively season-long slumps from our top 4 forwards (Thompson, Skinner, Tuch, Cozens) and our top 3 defencemen (Dahlin, Samuelsson, and Power). Yes, some of their problems are injury-related, but finding an answer to this question would help in deciding what to do. For instance, maybe they just over-achieved the last couple of seasons, in which case we should sell high on at least a couple of them. Maybe it just happens (e.g., there is an abbreviated Buffalo-Winnipeg game on YouTube from 1985-6 where the HNIC announcers mention that the Winnipeg Jets were plunging in the standings because their top 3 marksmen, Hawerchuk, McLean, and Steen, all had an off-year), in which case a new voice gives a new positive vibe (head coach). Maybe the lack of different skills on the team has been exploited by the other coaches. I place the initial responsibility on the assistant coaches. The next comes with a mix of the head coach, players, and general manager. I would attack this problem in that order if possible. Not puzzling to me… Players aren’t motivated to compete night in night out for Granato, each other, and the fans… Need a new Coach… and a new Captain… Pegula and Adams need to shake the bottle. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 18 minutes ago, Sabres Fan in NS said: Some of the assistant coaches seem to be in over their heads. It's the fine tuning that needs to be done. The decision was made to sacrifice some offence for better defence. Teaching defence takes time. Playoff was likely not a reasonable goal this season with the change to focus on the defencive game. The Sabres will be fine. They need a bit more time. Not only was it reasonable, but a rookie goalie was going to lead them there on the way to a Calder Trophy if not the Vezina. I have the receipts. All 103 of them. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd1001 Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 32 minutes ago, Marvin said: One issue that puzzles me. We have effectively season-long slumps from our top 4 forwards (Thompson, Skinner, Tuch, Cozens) and our top 3 defencemen (Dahlin, Samuelsson, and Power). Yes, some of their problems are injury-related, but finding an answer to this question would help in deciding what to do. For instance, maybe they just over-achieved the last couple of seasons, in which case we should sell high on at least a couple of them. Maybe it just happens (e.g., there is an abbreviated Buffalo-Winnipeg game on YouTube from 1985-6 where the HNIC announcers mention that the Winnipeg Jets were plunging in the standings because their top 3 marksmen, Hawerchuk, McLean, and Steen, all had an off-year), in which case a new voice gives a new positive vibe (head coach). Maybe the lack of different skills on the team has been exploited by the other coaches. I place the initial responsibility on the assistant coaches. The next comes with a mix of the head coach, players, and general manager. I would attack this problem in that order if possible. I agree with you in the fact that I don't put this first/primarily on Granato. Are him and Adams responsible for the support staff and assistant coaches....that might be true. But I STILL think Granato is a good coach for this team at this point, but I think the development staff and assistant coaches are a problem. What is the difference between this year and last....you mentioned Thompson, Tuch, Cozens, Skinner, Samuelsson, Power, and Dahlin. They aren't different players. Its either injuries (which falls under the category of luck) or something else. What else has changed? Granato is the same, but the Assistants/Support staff HAVE changed. Before you trade in the entire car (Adams and Granato) that has problems, maybe try to pinpoint what the problems are (things that have changed, assistant coaches/staff)) and fix those. If that still doesn't work, then trade the car in AFTER you tried the initial fix. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusader1969 Posted January 24 Report Share Posted January 24 Adams had a failing off season his UFA signings have been meh at best he didn't bring in a vet goalie and he didn't go out and try replace Quinn I think the funniest one at this point is not retaining Peca and keeping Ellis we can't win faceoffs..... Mike Peca turbo charging the Rangers specialty teams you can only laugh at this point 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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