Buffalo's Forwards as a whole, a poll

[pi2000]

12 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Your options here are *****. Designed to force an answer that gives you a win. 

They will be more successful if the identify which young talent to keep and which to trade. You're so wrong on all this and we have years is proof. What, if we trade Östlund and Samuelsson for a 29yr defender we're gonna lose in round 1 and won't be good for a decade? What a fake set of choices.

We traded Savoie for McLeod, guess we're losing in round 1 instead of being good for a decade. 

Agreed.

I've said it before....  IMO their best course of action is to hire a veteran POHO who can set forth a strategic plan for the franchise.   Identifying the young talent which fits in that plan and filing in with experienced veterans either via trade or free agency.       

I don't trust KA, Terry or anybody else in the current organization to come up with a strategy or execute on a plan.   

Their current plan of "We only want players who want to be here and nobody wants to be here because palm trees and taxes" is pure loser talk.    While true to some degree, as a leader of the franchise, you can't come out and say that publicly.    The message needs to be "Our goal is to win.  Wether or not you really want to be here is irrelevant to us.   We don't care about your feelings, we're in the business of winning.   We're paying you as an employee to play the game up to our standard.   Go whine about the taxes to somebody who cares."

[GoPuckYourself]

Buffalos forward group seem to be skilled offensively but lack any defensive awareness especially in our own end of the ice. Also our situational awareness is terrible. We still lack players who go in front of the net or that battle hard along the boards, still lack players who can throw their bodies around or drop the gloves when called for and it’s been this way all throughout Adams tenure.

Edited 4 hours ago by GoPuckYourself

[TheAud]

On 5/18/2025 at 10:23 AM, Thorny said:

G

Is that like A, B, C, D, F....and they are even worse than an F?

Edited 4 hours ago by TheAud

[Weave]

4 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I’m fine with the forward group as is.  It’s not perfect, a few small changes might help, but I like the core of Benson, Tuch, TNT, Kulich, McLeod, Zucker, & JJP. With a healthy Norris so much better.  This is not the area that kept this team from winning. 

I am not sure that the Sabres forwards can hold off collapse until the post season starts.  If one is inclined to point and laugh at the Leafs forwars for collapsing in the middle playoff rounds, how can you not look cross eyed at a Sabres forward group that couldn’t see this through the regular season?

The forward group is skilled enough. It severely lacks guile, grit, and role players.  This forward group is the most talented, least overall effective I can think of.  It needs an enema just as the D and G do.

[GASabresIUFAN]

3 hours ago, GoPuckYourself said:

Buffalos forward group seem to be skilled offensively but lack any defensive awareness especially in our own end of the ice.

This isn't really accurate any longer.  Zucker, Norris, Tuch, McLeod, Benson, Greenway, Kulich, Kozak and Malenstyn are all solid to excellent defensively.  TNT and Krebs are improved.  JJP is a work in progress, but is no longer a consistent liability.  The forwards' d awareness really isn't an issue any longer.  

Now add that they were 10th in goals (only 2 goals behind the Leafs), 4th in 5 on 5 goals with 185 and 4th with 191 in all EV situations, the offense isn't the issue with this team, except the awful PP which is solvable with better coaching (IMHO).

This past season with had 6 forwards score 20 plus (TNT had 44 and Tuch 36).  We had 2 more score 15 (Quinn& Kulich) and 2 more score 10 (Krebs and Benson).  We have plenty of capable scoring forwards.  Benson and Kulich should continue to improve their scoring given their ages.  

The issue with this team is the 287 GA (4th worst in the NHL) - Bad goaltending and incompetent defensemen.  

Over the last 4 years the Sabres have allowed 287 (25th), 297 (26th), 243 (12th), 287 (29th).  Our 114 GA over the last 4 years is 7th worst in the NHL over that period while our 1031 GF is 13th best.  

I repeat, the issues with this team are poor defensemen and goaltending.  When Anderson and Reimer are the 2 best goalies over the last 4 years it's easy to ID that problem.  Now add the revolving door of crap D besides Dahlin and that problem is also easy to identify.

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 minute ago, Weave said:

I am not sure that the Sabres forwards can hold off collapse until the post season starts.  If one is inclined to point and laugh at the Leafs forwars for collapsing in the middle playoff rounds, how can you not look cross eyed at a Sabres forward group that couldn’t see this through the regular season?

The forward group is skilled enough. It severely lacks guile, grit, and role players.  This forward group is the most talented, least overall effective I can think of.  It needs an enema just as the D and G do.

I disagree.  We have seen considerable turnover at forward the last 3 years to get to a better group.  They aren't nearly as soft and they are much much better defensively.  Gone are Skinner, Cozens, Mitts, VO, KO, Girgensons, Jost, Eakin, Hinostroza, Bjork, and Asplund and honestly we are better for it.  Guys like Greenway, Benson, Kulich, Zucker and Norris (when healthy), play with much more grit, guille and defense than the guys listed above.  

Until we fix the D and G, we honestly won't know how the forwards will stand up in the playoffs.  That said Tuch was solid in his playoff games with LV.  

[DarthEbriate]

5 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I repeat, the issues with this team are poor defensemen and goaltending.  When Anderson and Reimer are the 2 best goalies over the last 4 years it's easy to ID that problem.  Now add the revolving door of crap D besides Dahlin and that problem is also easy to identify.

The forwards also play defense. But the D-corps is too young. If they wait until Dahlin is in his 2nd to last year of his contract, then Power will finally be entering his prime. But therein lies the problem. That’s the plan. That’s it: lock them up long term and eventually Power will be good enough to warrant the long term deal because you’ll have 2 ice-tilting D-men skating 50 minutes every regular season game and more in playoffs.

There is no rush to get to the playoffs before then. There is no goalie plan to be in the playoffs in the next two seasons. It’s just wait and see. That’s the plan. And if that fails because Ottawa becomes a juggernaut… or if Levi isn’t Miller or better… then GMKA and Darth Pegulas the Wise have no other workaround except to blow it up again because Dahlin and TNT will request out.