NHL Playoffs (First Round) discussion

[Carmel Corn]

3 hours ago, French Collection said:

High end regular season forwards. No grit or extra gear when it matters.

IDK - they've added some grit, sandpaper and toughness for sure.  IMHO - I think their greatest weakness is in goal.

[Jorcus]

2 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

I have issues with our roster construction, but strongly disagree we are headed in the Leafs direction (setting aside the obvious, which is that we should be so lucky as to have a team that has been as good as the Leafs the past 5-6 years). We are built from the back end out. Our young D and goalies are, potentially, dramatically better than anything the Leafs have had during this stretch. Also, I think many of our top players (Dahlin, Byram, Cozens, Thompson, Tuch, Benson) do have more jam/grit in them than Toronto’s big 4. Our guys just haven’t been provided with the down the line-up toughness that allows the higher in the line-up guys to be a-holes and get away with it. 

The Leafs have had the same problem for years. They can never seem to get a defensive core together. They have 1 good D man in Reilly, 1 decent 1 in McCabe and beyond that they are wasteland. The forwards can't play the way they want to because they have to cover up for the D. Lyubushkin played over 17 min in a playoff game for them last night. Did he ever pay 17 min a game for us? Maybe, but night after night against the Bruins just wasn't going to work. 

In goals against in the East we were 5th this year only behind Florida, Carolina, Boston, and the Rangers. Considering how bad our D was the third of the year it really is an amazing turnaround and gives hope that there are better things ahead. So like you I do not see the comparison to the Leafs who are forward heavy but D man weak.  

Edited April 28 by Jorcus
grammer

[Archie Lee]

43 minutes ago, JustOneParade said:

Big picture, do you see this Sabres team having enough jam/grit to be successful in the playoffs if they got there?

Today?  No. But that doesn’t mean we are headed in the Leafs direction (again, it feels stupid to say that because the Leafs are so much better than us).

The Leafs actually have a lot of jam/grit in their line-up. It is just that they have tied half of their salary to 4 elite offensive players who collectively have little jam/grit. This has not allowed them to have a deep enough roster talent-wise. They can’t afford to spend on a goalie. Last night they were down 2 with 4 minutes left and they had Jake McCabe QBjng PP2. That is not a path we are headed on. We are actually built quite differently with goal and D prioritized from the backend. If and when we add bottom 6 grit/jam, we will see that our top players are quite able to stand up for themselves and their teammates (not all, but more than enough). 

[French Collection]

33 minutes ago, Carmel Corn said:

IDK - they've added some grit, sandpaper and toughness for sure.  IMHO - I think their greatest weakness is in goal.

I know they added some grit, their issue is the core 4 has no grit. They wilt in the playoffs.

[...]

52 minutes ago, French Collection said:

I know they added some grit, their issue is the core 4 has no grit. They wilt in the playoffs.

And their "grit" is dumb as rocks.

[French Collection]

Just now, ... said:

And their "grit" is dumb as rocks.

So is the management for signing Reaves for 3 years.

[Porous Five Hole]

12 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

Watched the game with all my Leafs buddies tonight..OH BOY

6 straight playoff losses at home. 8 years in the playoffs with this group, one series win.

Leafs have to be blown up. Dubas is a complete fraud. The worst constructed team I have seen. All the money dumped into high end forwards with no D or goalie focus. Treleving has a giant mess to clean up.

I would imagine both Shanahan and Keefe get canned. The media and fans are out for blood here. 

Came here to say what you’re saying.  

BRENDAN SHANAHAN- 

PRESIDENT

Accomplishments:
    •    2014-
    •    2015-
    •    2016- Won the lottery
    •    2017-
    •    2018-
    •    2019-
    •    2020-
    •    2021-
    •    2022-
    •    2023- Won a round 

and they’re imploding again.  

[Buffalonill]

It's always a good playoffs when the overrated leafs get destroyed in the first round 

And super goal scoring matthews disappears

Edited April 28 by Buffalonill

[Kristian]

Avs outshooting the Jets 12 -4 halfway through the first…

[PerreaultForever]

6 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

I have no idea how things will be when we finally get in. Almost all of us are now at the point, though, where we acknowledge there are issues with how the Sabres roster is constructed, both in the present and forward looking. Adams seemed to acknowledge this in his after the season press conferences. 

Contractually we are not constructed like the leafs though. The Leafs big 4 forwards were paid 48.5% of their cap this year. Next year the cap is projected to go up by $4 million. With the raises coming for Matthews and Nylander, their big 4 will take up 53% of the cap next year. All 4 of them have full NMCs. Unless one of them asks to be traded, they are stuck for another year until the Tavares and Marner deals are up. 

We are not in that sort of contractual bind. While we don’t know what will happen over the next year or two, there is currently no one on the Sabres roster who projects in the short term to be in line for a bigger contract than our current big 4 of Dahlin, Power, Thompson, Cozens (total salaries next year will = 38% of the cap). Of course, that doesn’t mean we will make effective use of the cap room that we have ( we haven’t for many years), but at this point we are not building anything like the situation the Leafs are in. The GM of the Sabres will have flexibility that the Leaf GM has not had. 

Well that's true, but there are some similarities. 

My thoughts on this started way back when we were doing the Eichel-Reinhart-Skinner will save us approach and things are a bit better now but it depends on what KA does at this point. He's shown a tendency to invest heavily in players before they deserve it so if Power and Cozens don't get it together those will be bad overpays. With overpays on the roster other agents will ask for more as they will say "my guy outperformed that guy so pay him more" (simplistic, but you get the idea). Byram will be an issue. How much he pays Peterka and UPL will matter. That cap can runneth out pretty fast as the rookie and bridge deals end.

This is part of the reason why I hope he is looking at moving some offensive up and coming talent for muckers and grinders who can balance this roster and they play for a LOT LESS. 

We are at a crossroads, and what we do this off season is crucial to what happens with this team in the next 5 years or so. 

 

[PerreaultForever]

6 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

My opinion of the Leafs for the last 2-3 years is that they don't want to be pushed to play hard. They WILL play hard when THEY (the players) want to play hard.  When they can easily play at 75% and 'out talent' a team, they seem to like that game.  But when there is a team that makes things hard on them (that can even be a 'worse' team but one with a lot of young/raw talent that just forces the Leafs to skate to keep up), well, the 'core 4' up there doesn't like that.  Its just a feeling, but I think the Leaf's core wants to play their game, when they what, how they want, and if things don't go well they would rather wallow in their own misery than push themselves out of their comfort zone as players.

Correct. This is what I am saying. This is what I want us to avoid. The are an open ice team that does not like to play in the trenches so to speak (talking about the core star players). We have quite a few guys who are like that as well unfortunately. I am hoping Ruff can get them out of this and most of them will become what they need to be now. Most of them are young enough there is still hope but at this point, those that do not start to do what it takes need to be moved on from. We will see how it shakes out soon enough. 

[PerreaultForever]

4 hours ago, RochesterExpat said:

It could absolutely happen, but I see at least one big difference between the B’s this year and last. I think last season the team lost their fire when they were up 3-1 (the choice of not switching starting goalies after game 5 aside) because they knew they were a great team and thought they would just win (I say this as the proud owner of a Bergeron jersey who is my all-time favorite non-Sabre hockey player). It was a team that played expecting to win and not wanting to win. Through the first four games this year, every Bruin player is out there playing like he wants to win—and being led by Marchand who is embodying that attitude perfectly. Just look at how well Pat Maroon is playing. It’s the whole lineup.

I'm convinced it’s the same issue Toronto is having. The Leafs players just expect to win based on talent, but I don’t see them wanting to win. I could argue it’s Buffalo’s problem during the regular season as well where we have these “young, talented and skilled” hockey players repeatedly being told how talented they are. The problem is they don’t realize they need to play the game until they’re down 2-0 at the first intermission. Or we’re at game 50 of the season. Call it heart. Call it whatever you want. It’s what drives winners.

 

On a different note, if the B’s win the Cup, Marchand has a pretty good chance of winning the Conn Smythe. If he captains a Stanley Cup winning team and wins the Conn Smythe in the process, we might see some heads explode at the very real possibility of a Rat in the HHOF.

lol, maybe the league would give it to Swayman (or somebody else) just for that reason. 

A lot of what you say is true. Three things on last year. One, Bergeron was playing hurt. Two, they weren't physical enough and although they had more talent, they had less real hard grit and Florida exploited that. Three, Ullmark wasn't as good as Bobrovski. 

Another guy who has impressed me this year is Geekie. The knock was always that he was too slow but he's developed into a hard nosed forward that has helped fill the Bergeron/Krejci void for them. Looking like a key FA signing. Good mileage out of retreads like Boquist as well. I don't think they can beat Florida or Carolina, but you never know. 

[Kristian]

6 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

My opinion of the Leafs for the last 2-3 years is that they don't want to be pushed to play hard. They WILL play hard when THEY (the players) want to play hard.  When they can easily play at 75% and 'out talent' a team, they seem to like that game.  But when there is a team that makes things hard on them (that can even be a 'worse' team but one with a lot of young/raw talent that just forces the Leafs to skate to keep up), well, the 'core 4' up there doesn't like that.  Its just a feeling, but I think the Leaf's core wants to play their game, when they what, how they want, and if things don't go well they would rather wallow in their own misery than push themselves out of their comfort zone as players.

Reminds me of the Sabres, since 05-06….

[thewookie1]

5 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

Today?  No. But that doesn’t mean we are headed in the Leafs direction (again, it feels stupid to say that because the Leafs are so much better than us).

The Leafs actually have a lot of jam/grit in their line-up. It is just that they have tied half of their salary to 4 elite offensive players who collectively have little jam/grit. This has not allowed them to have a deep enough roster talent-wise. They can’t afford to spend on a goalie. Last night they were down 2 with 4 minutes left and they had Jake McCabe QBjng PP2. That is not a path we are headed on. We are actually built quite differently with goal and D prioritized from the backend. If and when we add bottom 6 grit/jam, we will see that our top players are quite able to stand up for themselves and their teammates (not all, but more than enough). 

The best way to describe the Leafs would be a soft core with rough skin. They have acquired tougher players but their Core 4 and 1D have little of it. You see it when Toronto is forced to stack their stars; their toughness drops off a cliff. 

Buffalo isn't any physical brute with their Top 4 and 1D but guys like Cozens, Dahlin, and Tuch are tougher than all 5 of the Leafs mentioned. Your more physical pieces must be capable of also being effective at hockey. Reaves is barely functioning and can't be used without hurting the Leafs play as a whole

[JustOneParade]

Not to prolong this debate but I’ll stand by what I wrote. The Sabres aren’t good enough to get into the playoffs and are not built to be successful there if they did get in. The Leafs are plenty good enough to get in but not built well to succeed once they get there. I say the Sabres are trending towards being like the Leafs because it’s top prospects - Savoie, Kulich, Rosen, Östlund - are not going to change the general makeup of this team. As written originally - KA needs to make a course correction. I think we all agree there. I think maybe KA sees that now. Archie, to your point I agree that the Leafs have a bigger issue in that the distribution of cap dollars is disproportionately allocated to fewer players who spit the bit come playoffs.

[rickshaw]

Man we sure could use Zadorov on our team again. He is a nasty player and hits whatever he can.

[...]

What a pass by Mitts.

 

[PerreaultForever]

Pettersson looking a lot like those star Leafs as well. Was good in open ice, not so much come playoff time. 

[Pimlach]

Preds looking good at home.  
 

Just as I type this, the Canucks score.  3-2 

[Pimlach]

Wow   Vancouver ties it.   6 seconds 

Edited April 29 by Pimlach

[OverPowerYou]

Hey it’s the Nashville Sabres out there 

[Flashsabre]

I know everyone on the board LOVES the Leafs so no one would want to watch this video of an ex Leafs enforcer absolutely destroy the Leafs and Mitch Marner😜

Edited April 29 by Flashsabre

[Indabuff]

Wonder if ROR just lost his love for the game again. 

[Thorny]

11 hours ago, Weave said:

 

LoFL

Yeah, it’s real tortuous to have a long term near the top of the league team, elite stars, and annual playoff births.  WTAF.  
 

A decade ago this board started predicting the Bruins demise too.  Let’s not be proud of what the Sabres are building until they’ve actually done something to make us proud, ffs.
 

As PA likes to point out, Sabres PR and marketing doing a bang up job with this low expectation fanbase.

ETA- Let’s not forget that the current Leafs team is essentially what the Sabres were until 15yrs ago, and we were more than happy to love a team that had stars, had success and expectations, but couldn’t quite put together playoff success (other than a run behind a world class goalie and a mediocre set of skaters).  We used to be what Toronto is now, and that’s exactly what we are all hoping we might be able scratch and claw back into.

I’m the focus on pr / messaging guy too, but for the record I agree with you 

[Indabuff]

19 minutes ago, OverPowerYou said:

Hey it’s the Nashville Sabres out there 

Not sure what you're referring to but I just tuned in and saw the OT goal with a bunch of disinterested Predators around the net and thought these look like the Sabres.