GDT / Islanders @ Sabres, Thurs 3/14, 7pm MSG, ESPN+ & WGR Radio

[PerreaultForever]

59 minutes ago, Broken Ankles said:

Krebs had 7 FO wins and 1 loss.  The line he shared with Skinner and JJP had the most even strength ice time. They had the second best XG% and second best CF%.  Obviously the Cozens Greenway Benson has been solid but Krebs is centering two guys who were stapled to the bench for seemingly poor defensive play a few games ago.  Sheltered a bit with almost all O-zone starts but solid, and appears to be skating faster with JJP and Skinner vs KO and Zemgus.  Could this 3C tryout change his stock from Underperform to Hold? 

I hope not. I want them to add a veteran 2-way 3C in the off season and if Krebs stays as 4th that's fine but Krebs as 3C isn't good enough imo. 

[Rasmus_]

6 hours ago, ... said:

Raising Victor's trade value.

As in his UFA rights?

[steveoath]

Is it a coincidence that our game has improved since we got rid of 2 players whose initials spell…… JOKE!

[Sabres73]

4 hours ago, Broken Ankles said:

“I’m born on the prairies”, as in I am born. Present tense, about a past event?  Unless, you always have been, and always will be.  And your birth is metaphysical insofar as you existing as AI Kevyn. 

Watergate does not bother me, does your conscience (if you have one) bother you? 

Ah, so we're going to do the grammar police thing? Okie-dokie

[inkman]

8 hours ago, JustOneParade said:

12U. The goalie formerly known as 6K.

It’s an improvement for sure 

[sabresouth]

11 hours ago, Sidc3000 said:

Then explain how they have been a top team since the start of 2024?  

I said "part" of the problem.  UPL finally figured out how to be a goalie is another part of their success lately. It's not any one singular thing. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Nevermind the Vezina.  I'm a gonna write in 6K for the Hart.

[Hank]

17 minutes ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

Nevermind the Vezina.  I'm a gonna write in 6K for the Hart.

6Ks a good goalie? Who saw that coming? 🤪

[triumph_communes]

9 hours ago, bunomatic said:

The fact that we don’t have an nhl backup that anyone has faith in to spell UPL down the stretch falls on KAs bumbling of the position the last few seasons. Thats not in dispute. 

Being too hard on him. KA got two young guys and two veterans last few seasons. How it’s shaping up is his only ‘fault’ being that the veterans couldn’t hold the fort long enough for the young guys to step up as they have or are still in the process of doing. He couldn’t go get someone on a big contract because they would’ve blocked out what we’re seeing today. His vet backups keep getting injured.  Plus ontop of our defense being relatively deep, he added another blue chip piece to the mix. 
 

Just a lot of bad luck at the end of the day. KA to blame if both UPL and Levi busted, but that’s not what we’re seeing and the goalies aren’t even 25yo yet to fairly begin to judge them. 
 

We could be in Torontos goalie situation..

Edited March 15 by triumph_communes

[oddoublee]

9 hours ago, Gatorman0519 said:

The Sabres have 15 games left. Probably need to win 10 of them at minimum. That’s a tough out. If only we would have gotten more loser points in those 1 goal loss games or won 2-3 more games. 

yup...with the current nhl point system, finding your way into OVT is so important. you can lose - but you have to get to OVT. compared to other playoff teams - too many regulation losses is going to probably haunt them. 

[LGR4GM]

Zach Benson. 

 

[LETSTUCHINGO]

6 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I hope not. I want them to add a veteran 2-way 3C in the off season and if Krebs stays as 4th that's fine but Krebs as 3C isn't good enough imo. 

Neither was Mitts until he was! Just sayin........

[That Aud Smell]

15 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Zach Benson. 

I don't understand that stat card (or most of them, really (but I'm open to having them explained)); I take it that Zach's numbers are good. It stands to reason - kid looked terrific out there!

[triumph_communes]

I think one can say Bensen looks good out there but he would’ve had a smoother development path if he was able to play in the AHL this year. It’s good for a player of his skill set to practice dominating and he isn’t quite there yet. 

[PromoTheRobot]

10 hours ago, Thorny said:

Exactly. That “non optimal, temporary situation” was one Adams carefully crafted for *4 years*. Made his own bed. 4 years.

if the expectation is playoffs, it’s playoffs. We measure how the goaltending was handled relative to achieving that goal, the goaltending output for all 82.

the best argument here for it being ok is: we might make the playoffs. 

RESULTS. Stop moving the goalposts. We will know if the roster was handled appropriately based on the results 

He spoke about that specifically

It's comical how the better the Sabres play the more agitated we are over Adams. 😂😂

[bob_sauve28]

They are playing so well right now. Power has matured, UPL has matured, Benson has arrived and everyone one else is just getting it done.

 

I started a thread saying we need patience, well, it's happening! Even if they fall short this year--likely--it's hard not to be excited--ya I know, yet again--about next season 

 

Go Sabres!

[Thorny]

20 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

It's comical how the better the Sabres play the more agitated we are over Adams. 😂😂

How is that fair? I thought I was the one who mentions the goalie thing constantly? Now you are quoting my normal stance and insinuating it’s somehow different now and reflective of agitation? Which is it, honestly? You can absolutely disagree but i haven’t changed my stance at all.

I just said IN the post you quoted (WHY do I even write this stuff then) that if we make the playoffs - that’s how we’ll have to evaluate how he managed the roster. If we make the playoffs, that was the goal. I’ll gladly say Adams did a satisfactory job in getting the build to this point. I’ve maintained that all along 

I don’t get all this aggressiveness and the emojis and stuff 

Edited March 15 by Thorny

[Thorny]

11 hours ago, Thorny said:

the best argument here for it being ok is: we might make the playoffs. 

RESULTS. Stop moving the goalposts. We will know if the roster was handled appropriately based on the results

I’m saying if the results bear it out, he gets credit for it! 

I can’t understand why this gets framed as a narrative when I’ve always been straight up about measuring based on results, because that was, well, at least my expectation this year. To make it. But I’m not tailoring my position based on the recent results at all. 

Edited March 15 by Thorny

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, Hank said:

6Ks a good goalie? Who saw that coming? 🤪

There were zealots here who were arguing that he should be dealt for some retread on the market. When it comes to judging goalies, experienced or not, the best approach is to be humble. One year's Vezina winner could turn out to be next year's bum. I'm not in the column of those predicting that UPL would be playing at his current level for such a sustained time.  The truth is no one was. It just seems that because so much frustration has been built over the seasons that it has resulted in people looking for instant cures instead of allowing young players to develop. That same impatience has also been directed towards players such as Cozens, Mitts, Power etc. Very often, trusting in the process takes a lot of fortitude and courage to simply stick it out and allow things to naturally unfold. And it should be understood that I'm not suggesting that little else should be done to augment the process.  As it turns out, the GM who has very much been vilified, was right on how he has handled this particular goalie. 

[#freejame]

35 minutes ago, JohnC said:

There were zealots here who were arguing that he should be dealt for some retread on the market. When it comes to judging goalies, experienced or not, the best approach is to be humble. One year's Vezina winner could turn out to be next year's bum. I'm not in the column of those predicting that UPL would be playing at his current level for such a sustained time.  The truth is no one was. It just seems that because so much frustration has been built over the seasons that it has resulted in people looking for instant cures instead of allowing young players to develop. That same impatience has also been directed towards players such as Cozens, Mitts, Power etc. Very often, trusting in the process takes a lot of fortitude and courage to simply stick it out and allow things to naturally unfold. And it should be understood that I'm not suggesting that little else should be done to augment the process.  As it turns out, the GM who has very much been vilified, was right on how he has handled this particular goalie. 

UPL was a highly rated top goalie prospect that fell into KAs lap. KA tried and tried again to anoint a goalie who was not UPL into the starters net until that crash and burned. He deserves no credit for UPL whatsoever.  
 

Fans not having patience for players to develop on an NHL roster is not a problem of fans lack of patience. It’s a problem with the front office for rushing players and more likely than not, looking for a quicker fix.  They could have easily have brought in outside help and had these players develop and thrive in the minors. 

This trope of blaming fans for not being patient enough for players who were rushed to the roster is such a terrible take. Our NHL GM said they are NHL level players. They are the ones being impatient. 

Edited March 15 by #freejame

[...]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Zach Benson. 

 

It looks pretty and the bars have labels but there is nothing that contextualizes it and gives it meaning. WTF does it mean? What good is a chart if the designer can't give it meaning without forcing the viewer to go and look up sh%t?

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Zach Benson. 

 

I keep looking at it but I’m missing something on how to interpret this data.  Can you please add some notes and comments? 
 

[Buffalonill]

59 minutes ago, triumph_communes said:

I think one can say Bensen looks good out there but he would’ve had a smoother development path if he was able to play in the AHL this year. It’s good for a player of his skill set to practice dominating and he isn’t quite there yet. 

He's fine learning in the pros 

 

[Stads]

6 hours ago, steveoath said:

Is it a coincidence that our game has improved since we got rid of 2 players whose initials spell…… JOKE!

[SabresVet]

11 hours ago, jad1 said:

The Sabres weren't trying to make three goalies work, they were trying to make one goalie, Levi, work.

Adams (and Granato) took a huge risk trying to make a 22 year old rookie their starter this season, instead of sending him to Rochester to develop.

When Levi faltered, they turned to Comrie, who was injured or sucked, depending on the day.

That forced them turn to UPL, who was shaky at best last season, but he was only 23 for most of that year.  The vast majority of goalies are not ready to be NHL starters at 23.  Miller, Ullmark and Hasek weren't #1 goalies until they were older than 25.

So instead of trusting UPL's development as a 24 year old, Adams and Granato went with Levi.

It was a cluster#### of a decision that will probably cost the Sabres a playoff spot this season.

 

A few seasons ago, Tage remained on the NHL roster when it was clear he wasn't playing well.  It's not a stretch to say that happened because the O'Reilly trade looked so bad at the time.  

I see Levi getting NHL PT right out of college because someone saw Reinhart excel in Florida and they looked bad in that deal.  At least in the short-term. 

For a franchise that preaches development, taking a goalie from the college ranks and playing him in the pros so soon has something else involved.  

Point is, Pegula may not be front and center, but his micro-management is felt.  Adams has probably earned a degree of trust to keep Terry's hands off personnel decisions, but he's still the owner.  And he takes a lot of heat for where this franchise has been during his ownership.