On the DG interview today

[PASabreFan]

52 minutes ago, SwampD said:

I just listened to the interview. I do not have the same take on it as you do and don't think it is as big of an issue as you.

I just want to say that as a really young team (I know, I know) that does not yet have the full support of ownership (financial restraints come off next year), this could end up being a good thing and they could actually learn from it and end up better in the long run for it.

Just thought you should know.

Link?

[PASabreFan]

48 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Of course not.

Just saying that it is pretty naive to expect the players to respond to the type of rhetoric being pitched around here in anything other than a negative way.

Just like I think it would be even more naive for the team to expect the fans to respond to this season in anything other than a negative way.

See above.

It's not about "noble". You don't think the rhetoric Adams was peddling prior to Cozens, Dahlin, Samuelsson, Thompson and Power signing influenced their decisions at all? Or that it might ring hollow to those players right now?

And since I apparently have to say these things: the above does not absolve any of them for their bad play, nor suggest any fan should not be upset about same, or feel sorry for the players.

I happen to agree with most of your reply to Swamp above. Tried to say the same thing in my initial post.

I don't think the rhetoric influenced anything. The pay day did. These guys had been here long enough to know the score. The arena is dead on a good night. Boos are common. It's not new. Who was it who complained, maybe after becoming an ex Sabre, about getting booed ONTO the ice? And there's Eichel's spot on commentary about it taking his return to get fans into a game for once? Mostly I think these guys had to know the situation was only going to get worse if they didn't start winning. So as the old saying goes... Money talks and BS walks.

I shake my head at the notion that players are reading this board and becoming discouraged. Do they also read "Sabres Twitter"? To not do so is Professional Athlete 101. But even if they do... It affects their play? Really?

[SwampD]

4 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Link?

https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/listen-granato-sabres-need-to-finish-on-available-scoring-chances

Scroll down to where it says the Jeremy and Joe show. He starts talking about the arena at around 17:30, then gets asked the question about boos and fire donnie around 20:00

[Pimlach]

23 minutes ago, SwampD said:

I just listened to the interview. I do not have the same take on it as you do and don't think it is as big of an issue as you.

I just want to say that as a really young team (I know, I know) that does not yet have the full support of ownership (financial restraints come off next year), this could end up being a good thing and they could actually learn from it and end up better in the long run for it.

Just thought you should know.

On your learning comment:   So far they learned that tit for tat fencing with the fan base is ok -  You boo, we no salute.  I feel this was a misguided lesson to learn and much prefer the comments the Bruins coach and captain made after they got booed.  

The fact that the coach and captain allowed it is the worse part.  Okposo, Girgensons, Tuch, and Dahlin -  they all should have shut this down, they are influential in the room.  When they didn't, Donny himself should have.  

Only in Buffalo, and under Terry Pegula, could this happen and get out of control.  

[PASabreFan]

Just now, SwampD said:

https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/listen-granato-sabres-need-to-finish-on-available-scoring-chances

Scroll down to where it says the Jeremy and Joe show. He starts talking about the arena at around 17:30, then gets asked the question about boos and fire donnie around 20:00

My bad for the vague snark. I think your source for the idea that Terry is going to start spending again is Brawndo. No offense to him, but is there anything more solid as a source?

[PASabreFan]

To put some meat on the bone... For the Sabres to finish with 90 points and out of the playoffs but within shouting distance, they have to end the season on a 116 point season pace. Laughable. But what if they did so? Should it mean anything?

Edited February 21 by PASabreFan

[SwampD]

23 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

My bad for the vague snark. I think your source for the idea that Terry is going to start spending again is Brawndo. No offense to him, but is there anything more solid as a source?

Now that I know the "link?" comment was for the rest of my post and not the interview,... that's just funny.

I have no source other than Brawndo, but I trust him,... and I really need to believe that it's true.

14 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

To put some meat on the bone... For the Sabres to finish with 90 points and out of the playoffs but within shouting distance, they have to end the season on a 116 point season pace. Laughable. But what if they did so? Should it mean anything?

Other than we get to watch some really good hockey the next few months, probably not.

[SwampD]

32 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

On your learning comment:   So far they learned that tit for tat fencing with the fan base is ok -  You boo, we no salute.  I feel this was a misguided lesson to learn and much prefer the comments the Bruins coach and captain made after they got booed.  

The fact that the coach and captain allowed it is the worse part.  Okposo, Girgensons, Tuch, and Dahlin -  they all should have shut this down, they are influential in the room.  When they didn't, Donny himself should have.  

Only in Buffalo, and under Terry Pegula, could this happen and get out of control.  

That's actually what they did, not the lesson they learned.

[Marvin]

18 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

To put some meat on the bone... For the Sabres to finish with 90 points and out of the playoffs but within shouting distance, they have to end the season on a 116 point season pace. Laughable. But what if they did so? Should it mean anything?

No.

That was easy.

[TageMVP]

23 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

To put some meat on the bone... For the Sabres to finish with 90 points and out of the playoffs but within shouting distance, they have to end the season on a 116 point season pace. Laughable. But what if they did so? Should it mean anything?

Nothing matters until they make the playoffs. Nothing 

[Pimlach]

29 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

To put some meat on the bone... For the Sabres to finish with 90 points and out of the playoffs but within shouting distance, they have to end the season on a 116 point season pace. Laughable. But what if they did so? Should it mean anything?

Well yes it should.  Let see it unfold and take it from there.  That would mean the best players are playing like the best players again.  

[SabresVet]

5 hours ago, Mango said:

You can zoom in and out as much as you want to find a lot of frustration with this franchise.  Pegula is terrible in his tenure. Adams and Granato are the worst among his peers in his tenure. This roster as it it exists in this season is on pace for another historically bad record. 
 

Pegula: 13 years....Nearly double the longest playoff streak in league history. Ruined this franchise. And that isn't hyperbole.
Adams: Longest tenured GM without a playoff appearance
Granato: Longest tenured HC without a playoff appearance. 
2023-24 Roster: The first Sabres team to not win 3 games in a row in a single season (sans shortened covid year). This might be an NHL first. I am about 1/3 of the way through the league and so far it is. 

I looked at league standings after the Anaheim game and out of the bottom 16 teams about 2/3rds of the way through the season:

-5 have fired either their HC (STL, NYI, MIN, OTT) or GM (CBJ) this season

-4 fired their HC after last season and have a 1st year guy (NSH, CGY, WAS, ANA) 

-3 have a HC in their 2nd full season (SJ, CHI)  (MON) or one hired at the end of 2021-22

-1 is an expansion franchise (SEA) whose HC won a playoff series and is in his 3rd season

-1 is a long-time HC (PIT) with a track record of success

-2 have a HC in their 3rd season without a playoff appearance and likely will not make it this season (AZ, BUF)

Stellar company there with the Coyotes and the turmoil surrounding that franchise.  Throw in that LA fired their HC despite being in the race for a playoff spot.  And, that Detroit is now middle-tier in the standings after being bottom-quartile last year.  

[Mr Peabody]

The players were reacting to the Fire Donnie chants, not the boos.  I’m okay with that and if it had stayed in the locker room we’d likely never know.  Whether you like him or not, the Fire Donnie chants are in bad taste and I’m sure it meant a lot to him that the players thought that was over the line.   

[Believer]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Only in Buffalo, and under Terry Pegula, could this happen and get out of control.  

Not sure it could only happen in Buffalo, but it sure did here… 

Agree it should have been shutdown before it got started by Okposo, Tuch, Dahlin, Granato, and Adams… 

Complete leadership failure… 

Embarrassed for them… 

[Believer]

5 hours ago, Mango said:

Congrats guys, the guy you wanted to keep so bad? He will be fired because you couldn't keep your mouth shut. 

Granato could have shut it down immediately with disapproval and discipline… He didn’t… The sooner he is replaced, the better… It’s the only way to shock this bunch into the given reality… A team needs its fans.

[msw2112]

I'm not all that concerned about the decision to not salute the fans.  It's just not that big of a deal.  That said, I do agree that the team leaders (players and coaches) should have shut it down.

[Kristian]

31 minutes ago, Mr Peabody said:

The players were reacting to the Fire Donnie chants, not the boos.  I’m okay with that and if it had stayed in the locker room we’d likely never know.  Whether you like him or not, the Fire Donnie chants are in bad taste and I’m sure it meant a lot to him that the players thought that was over the line.   

Great. Maybe they can all have a nice big group-hug, pre-game.

We can call it a “bum-hug”, as it’s essentially a bunch of bum players hugging a bum coach.

This team definitely has their priorities all messed up, no wonder they suck so bad.

If DG is such a great guy in the minds of his players, maybe they should start playing for him, instead of alienating whatever small fanbase that remains?

Seems to me that would be having the priorities straight, but no. A bum captain who should’ve been out of the league years ago, needs to make a bum move, because he can’t play hockey.

I’ve had it.

Edited February 21 by Kristian

[PromoTheRobot]

20 hours ago, Second Line Center said:

The most jarring thing for me to hear was this….

Donnie was discussing the boos and that the players don’t like being booed and it hurts.  
 

For me that’s a problem but whatever.  
 

In explaining it further he said this (essentially):  “Several of these guys decided on extensions before going to market because they want to be here…so it hurts.”

 

Ok.  I take that 100% to mean that came up in discussing this.
 

Someone legit said “we made a choice to stay in this dump of a city* and this is the thanks we get?”   

 

 

*Make no mistake - it isn’t the organization that gives this team a recruiting problem it’s the area.  We had problems during the Hasek days trying to convince guys to come here.  I think Geoff Sanderson comes to mind as a guy that wasn’t sure.   
 

 

Buffalo will always be my home despite having moved and I’ll defend it no matter what.  However the perception of the city is not good compared to other options in the league.  Maybe you’ll disagree but anyway…

 

Thoughts on this?  I’m completely blown away Donnie actually relayed that and that it was even said (presumably per DG).   

Paul Hamilton (so take it for what it's worth) said on WBEN the other day that the atmosphere in Buffalo for the Sabres is the "most toxic" in the entire league. There's a lot of hate and the players feel it. Now you can be Mr. Tough Guy and tell them to suck it up and play better, but they are still human and that stuff hurts. Especially because they carry the sins of previous teams on their backs. It's pretty obvious why the p[lay better on the road. No pressure. At home they are worried about making a mistake and causing the arena to turn on them.

[Believer]

11 minutes ago, Kristian said:

If DG is such a great guy in the minds of his players, maybe they should start playing for him, instead of alienating whatever small fanbase that remains?

Truth.

[Mr Peabody]

Years ago I worked for someone who said something that sticks with me today.  He said “no one comes to work with the thought that “boy I hope I can do a lousy job today””.   So what’s wrong?  If they knew and had the ability they’d fix it, right? While he was here Eichel said we needed more experience and more toughness.  We still need that. 

[Believer]

9 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Now you can be Mr. Tough Guy and tell them to suck it up and play better, but they are still human and that stuff hurts. Especially because they carry the sins of previous teams on their backs.

Think most fans who boo are focused on this team’s effort and results, not past teams’ failures.

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, Doohickie said:

I can't remember exactly when it was, but I think it was in November; I think Alex Tuch said something similar, and that the boos helped the team realize they had to work harder and they won a game (I thought it was 11/24 vs. Pittsburgh, but in the postgame presser Tuch didn't go there exactly.)  But I associate the statement with Tuch, and that it was to the effect that that fans weren't wrong and the team needed to hear it.  It worked once, but since then the fans have been quick to boo and it's no longer having the desired effect, making everyone more frustrated.

I feel like the FIRE DONNY chants were a direct offshoot of that incident.

Well Tuch said it (my choice for captain before this season started and with what is on this roster he still is) and he was right but he came in from outside this culture and he has a childhood element of Sabres pride in him. The longer he's here the more he will be subsumed by the attitude the team has imo. 

If you are saying the fans have gone too far I disagree entirely. If you are saying the players have given up on the fans that I would agree with, but I also think that is unacceptable.

[Mr Peabody]

6 minutes ago, Believer said:

Think most fans who boo are focused on this team’s effort and results, not past teams’ failures.

I agree 100% and I think the poor play is driven by fear.  Fear of making mistakes and it gets self fulfilling to the point you get second guessing everything you do. 

[PerreaultForever]

12 hours ago, SabreFinn said:

Most of these young guys has had nothing but success. They have been stars in high school, college aso. Last year was also succesful even if they never made it to playoffs. I guess they have never been told how hard it can be as a pro. Or they have refused to listen. So when being booo-ed at, and fans want the coach fired, I think it might be a chock, and it affects how they play.

But here are some important answers coming from this situation. If Kevyn Adams is a smart guy, and this will show how smart and if he is the man for the job. The situation will tell who the leaders are and are they bringing a sound and solid leadership, who can handle a tough situation and also who can sort out what is relevant in the buuuuing. Just by observing what is going on, Adams should get the recipe for what to do during Summer. And it seems he might get a busy summer.

The problem is Adams should have already gotten the recipe. He's played. He knows. He should have brought in veteran leadership to build around. The all youngster plan was stupid. They're not protected on ice and they don't know how to handle losing as you said. Girgs and Kyle are not the right leaders for this. Girgs has always been on a loser and Kyle's just a nice guy but neither can lead them out of this. 

[PerreaultForever]

33 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Paul Hamilton (so take it for what it's worth) said on WBEN the other day that the atmosphere in Buffalo for the Sabres is the "most toxic" in the entire league. There's a lot of hate and the players feel it. Now you can be Mr. Tough Guy and tell them to suck it up and play better, but they are still human and that stuff hurts. Especially because they carry the sins of previous teams on their backs. It's pretty obvious why the p[lay better on the road. No pressure. At home they are worried about making a mistake and causing the arena to turn on them.

Boo-hoo.

That arena turns to cheers quickly when they play well. Trouble is they play bad too often, simple as that. 

I have no doubt it's seen as the most toxic in the league but we can't reverse cause and effect can we? That's what they are trying to do.