The offseason so far - Are the Sabres better?

[Pimlach]

5 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Not only bad but “bad and refuses to change his play”. Ok. Uncoachable I guess.

I must be blind because I didn’t see much bad body language or attitude from Peterka.  Maybe some I’m the last two weeks which I chalked up to being sick of losing. 

He had a strong start, then he cooled off, and then he was pretty steady despite the constant line juggling, and the poorly coached power play, and playing in front of a goalie who’s confidence was shot.  The team under Ruff played 3/4 of the season as if they didn’t know each other. Yet Peterka was a steady contributor.   
 

[Weave]

6 hours ago, pi2000 said:

JJP was fine defensively, was a +2 team relative plus/minus.

You want to allow fewer goals?  Trade Quinn and Malenstyn, they were a combined -34!  

You completely wiffed on my use of the word defensive.

[JohnC]

7 hours ago, Pimlach said:

I’m tired of the “Peterka is bad at defense” story.  He is 23, and he is a goal scorer, and an emerging star player.  

Peterka is bad at defense just like almost every other player that came up the Sabres development path.  Granato did not teach an NHL system, and Adams did not support his young players with his &hity methods of roster building.  

Peterka didn’t get along with Ruff.  Something happened. Oh well.   But I get the feeling Ruff is gone in a year and Peterka will be Sam Reinhart-lite on another team.   

Why did the coach ride JJP? It surely wasn’t because he was responding to what the coach/es were telling him. So an old school coach coached like an old school coach. Big freaking deal! The player couldn’t handle it. 
 

I’m not suggesting that JJP is a bad fellow. What’s obvious is that he wasn’t as receptive to coaching and as resilient as he needed to be. 
 

In the end, the player made it clear that he wanted out, and got out. He was traded for players that filled other needs. What this backwater franchise doesn’t need is lingering dissatisfaction in a room already filled with a lot of existing frustrations.