50 years ago today

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

 

[Pimlach]

1975 - Better hockey team, better home arena, better league, better behavior, and better times.   

[JP51]

Watched the whole thing thank you!  I remember watching this as a kid!

[Night Train]

I was in high school; and so jacked for that final.

Seems like 50 years since I've felt that way with this squad. 

[WatchedrookieGilP]

Hope I’m recalling this correctly…I’m not sure how many games the Sabres did this for, (I only did it once) but they let fans who wanted to buy standing room tickets for at least 1 of the games in the  finals, stay in the lobby overnight before the tickets went on sale in the morning.

[PerreaultForever]

That's the era I became a fan and silly me, I thought I'd picked one of the best teams in the league. How little of what it was like then remains that it makes me sad to think about. They were talented but also tough and had character and compete. Perfectly constructed team just missing a star goalie and ultimately that was the difference. If Sabres had had their goalie I think they'd have won that cup.

(not blaming our goalie to be clear, he was fine, just that for all the Broad Street Bully bs they wouldn't have won their cups without theirs)

You know, that roster and how it was constructed is what Adams should be trying to build. Why they don't look at that as the blueprint is beyond me. 

[Pimlach]

14 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

That's the era I became a fan and silly me, I thought I'd picked one of the best teams in the league. How little of what it was like then remains that it makes me sad to think about. They were talented but also tough and had character and compete. Perfectly constructed team just missing a star goalie and ultimately that was the difference. If Sabres had had their goalie I think they'd have won that cup.

(not blaming our goalie to be clear, he was fine, just that for all the Broad Street Bully bs they wouldn't have won their cups without theirs)

You know, that roster and how it was constructed is what Adams should be trying to build. Why they don't look at that as the blueprint is beyond me. 

Nothing remains today from the original 70's team except the Uni's and logo.   The root of why everything was better in 1975 than today is simple.  The ownership (Knox's) was far better and engaged on the right things, they in turn hired better leaders across the organization and they let them do their jobs.    

That said, the league is different today, there are way more teams, there is a salary cap, there is free agency, there are teams in the land of palm trees and no state taxes, and players today are much different and motivated by different things.  

The only blueprint that Pegula needs to follow its to put together an experienced and proven Hockey Operations FO and let them do their jobs.  He has yet to do that.  Look at his hires:  three first times GMs, one first time POHO that lasted just a few months, his wife and some friends/acquaintances from Pittsburgh and Penn State.  Knox hired Imlach, Bowman, Meehan, and Muckler.  Big difference.  

[tom webster]

23 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Nothing remains today from the original 70's team except the Uni's and logo.   The root of why everything was better in 1975 than today is simple.  The ownership (Knox's) was far better and engaged on the right things, they in turn hired better leaders across the organization and they let them do their jobs.    

That said, the league is different today, there are way more teams, there is a salary cap, there is free agency, there are teams in the land of palm trees and no state taxes, and players today are much different and motivated by different things.  

The only blueprint that Pegula needs to follow its to put together an experienced and proven Hockey Operations FO and let them do their jobs.  He has yet to do that.  Look at his hires:  three first times GMs, one first time POHO that lasted just a few months, his wife and some friends/acquaintances from Pittsburgh and Penn State.  Knox hired Imlach, Bowman, Meehan, and Muckler.  Big difference.  

People keep pounding the table for experience and less meddling even while with the final four teams we have;

two first time coaches

three first time GM’s

and one owner considered more meddlesome then TPEGS

[SwampD]

7 minutes ago, tom webster said:

People keep pounding the table for experience and less meddling even while with the final four teams we have;

two first time coaches

three first time GM’s

and one owner considered more meddlesome then TPEGS

I’m not sure what I’m pounding the table for, but whatever we’re getting now,… ain’t it.

[Pimlach]

29 minutes ago, tom webster said:

People keep pounding the table for experience and less meddling even while with the final four teams we have;

two first time coaches

three first time GM’s

and one owner considered more meddlesome then TPEGS

I have little problem with first time NHL coaches. 

I have very little problem with first time GMs when they are brought in by legitimate hockey people such as Front Office Senior Execs and/or POHOs, and the new GM is  joining a stable organization and not on an island with only Terry Pegula.   

You can defend Terry's approach but it is not the same as everyone else in the league.  He put his wife in charge, he runs things lean, he hires people he can control, he does not spend to the cap.  His record speaks for itself.   

 

[CallawaySabres]

I would have said the last time they made the playoffs...

[tom webster]

4 hours ago, SwampD said:

I’m not sure what I’m pounding the table for, but whatever we’re getting now,… ain’t it.

I agree. I’m just making a point. First time guys can thrive and often do. The notion that they need an experienced guy or they need some senior level POHO runs contrary to the way the leagues most successful teams have been run. 

[PerreaultForever]

5 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Nothing remains today from the original 70's team except the Uni's and logo.   The root of why everything was better in 1975 than today is simple.  The ownership (Knox's) was far better and engaged on the right things, they in turn hired better leaders across the organization and they let them do their jobs.    

That said, the league is different today, there are way more teams, there is a salary cap, there is free agency, there are teams in the land of palm trees and no state taxes, and players today are much different and motivated by different things.  

The only blueprint that Pegula needs to follow its to put together an experienced and proven Hockey Operations FO and let them do their jobs.  He has yet to do that.  Look at his hires:  three first times GMs, one first time POHO that lasted just a few months, his wife and some friends/acquaintances from Pittsburgh and Penn State.  Knox hired Imlach, Bowman, Meehan, and Muckler.  Big difference.  

I agree fully about the front office and I stick with what I've said many times. This all started when LaFontaine went out the door. Nobody in that role since and that's all on TP. 

The on ice comparison holds though. Sure, it's a different game today etc. but the dynamics of a good hockey team are still the same. That team had a high octane top line, a checking line that could counter punch and score and grit and character in the bottom six with a third line that had upside offence as well. The D had size but also puck moving skill. It was a balanced roster. Had a great PK as well as a good PP. Players had roles and players stuck to them with decent and sometimes very  good coaching. A star goalie was all it was missing or it might have been a dynasty. Definitely would have won a cup or two. None of that team makeup for success has changed.