Sabres sign Mason Geertsen

[Carmel Corn]

47 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I don't see any lead dogs on the roster, which I think is the chief problem in this area.

Guys I see who probably would run with the pack if we had it:

Dahlin, Kesselring, Thompson, Tuch, Zucker, Greenway, Danforth, Malenstyn, Doan, Krebs, Benson (edited to add)

Not sure how many more of those guys are necessary to create some sort of a critical mass when we don't have a pack leader. Adding a pack leader sure would help.

So by default would the timid ones be:  Muel, Power, McLeod, Quinn, Kulich?, Bryson

Uncertain to me (timid or pack runner):  Byram, Timmins

Hopefully the new names added to the pack guys will make a difference….as that group outnumbers the “timid” guys that I think are there.

[inkman]

9 minutes ago, Carmel Corn said:

So by default would the timid ones be:  Muel, Power, McLeod, Quinn, Kulich?, Bryson

Uncertain to me (timid or pack runner):  Byram, Timmins

Hopefully the new names added to the pack guys will make a difference….as that group outnumbers the “timid” guys that I think are there.

Listing the players out like this really highlights the issue. Power and Samuelsson.  You can’t have two 6’5”+ defenseman that don’t touch anyone, especially in Mattias case where he brings no offense or puck moving ability.  What is he good at?  ***** if I know. 
 

The offseason should have been about finding an Elite more established, physical player to swap for Power, instead we are looking to move Byram, a player who does occasionally hit people. 

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

A pack mentality is what arises simply from the realization of the group that they are united in a common goal beyond themselves 

this conversation, imo, is off the rails - what’s missing isnt a “pack leader” (what year is it?), nor do the Sabres randomly just “happen” to add a bunch of guys with no bite 

what is happening, in actuality, is that we aren’t assembling a group of players who are uncharacteristically stupid: they can perceive and understand that the Buffalo Sabres aren’t committed to a real goal 

How can the players lay down their hockey lives for a cause when the sabres don’t have a cause worth fighting for? You want them to lie down for Pegula’s yacht costs? 

come on now, people, use your noggins on this one 

This is an excellent post, but I’m not with you on the bold.

This is the year the Florida Panthers won their 2nd consecutive Stanley Cup.

Guys like Matthew Tkachuk set a tone and drag their teammates into the fight.

[Thorny]

38 minutes ago, dudacek said:

This is an excellent post, but I’m not with you on the bold.

This is the year the Florida Panthers won their 2nd consecutive Stanley Cup.

Guys like Matthew Tkachuk set a tone and drag their teammates into the fight.

Sorry, I stopped at “excellent post”.

[Thorny]

48 minutes ago, dudacek said:

This is an excellent post, but I’m not with you on the bold.

This is the year the Florida Panthers won their 2nd consecutive Stanley Cup.

Guys like Matthew Tkachuk set a tone and drag their teammates into the fight.

Tkachuk could have not played and the panthers would have probably won. That’s two fold based on depth and also the fact the way he plays has already metastasized to their Crest

Tkachuk is a symptom as much as cause. Those teammates don’t need to be dragged anymore 

They established the standard - they know what the panthers are fighting for: players are aware of this *when they are acquired*, long before any team Dog gets their grip in. What do new sabres acquisitions think the Crest stands for? 

Eichel knew what they SHOULD be fighting for, he left when he knew he couldn’t captain the ship in that way: not with the on-high mandate to save money above all else. How do you captain that? 

- - - 

Edited 21 hours ago by Thorny

[Thorny]

The sabres set their standard 5 years ago when Adams took over. No need for me to Cherry pick I screamed it from the rooftops 5 years ago, sorry if it bugs anyone, sorry for spoiling it for you in advance way back when:

”this season was never about winning anyway” 

That’s their standard. 

That’s the environment you are trying to nurture Dogs in 

- - - 

that’s the most piercing irony of this all: Adams took over on a “culture mandate”, but he was the Trojan horse for a Crest bloodletting 

Edited 21 hours ago by Thorny

[The Jokeman]

Woo, a 30 year old player that has 0 NHL points. Thanks for literal nothing Adams.

[Taro T]

6 hours ago, dudacek said:

I don't see any lead dogs on the roster, which I think is the chief problem in this area.

Guys I see who probably would run with the pack if we had it:

Dahlin, Kesselring, Thompson, Tuch, Zucker, Greenway, Danforth, Malenstyn, Doan, Krebs, Benson (edited to add)

Not sure how many more of those guys are necessary to create some sort of a critical mass when we don't have a pack leader. Adding a pack leader sure would help.

Dahlin IS a lead dog.

But you have to start making it work really friggin' soon, because if you don't the only thing he's going to lead is the exodus out of town.  

Two scary things in that list of yours.  Not 1 F that's a lead dog.  Krebs wants to be, but he's not a good enough player.  Benson might become one, but he's barely out of his teens.

And the other scary thing.  No goalie on that list.  When he's ready to be up; Levi has demonstrated it but right now he's #3 on the dpeth chart.

S'pose there's a 3rd scary thing on that list.  While Ruff was a lead dog; not sure that he still has it in him and don't see it in ANY of the other bench coaches.  Lindy has them ready to play at the start of the game; but it fades. 

They need somebody to take some of the load from Dahlin's shoulders.  It could come from any of those places; but 13 games shows that to date it hasn't come from any of them.

[Flashsabre]

Adams said he was Lindy’s idea because Lindy coached him in NJ. So I’m sure we will see him in the lineup for a handful of games anyways

[MISabresFan]

18 hours ago, Thorny said:

Tkachuk could have not played and the panthers would have probably won. That’s two fold based on depth and also the fact the way he plays has already metastasized to their Crest

Tkachuk is a symptom as much as cause. Those teammates don’t need to be dragged anymore 

They established the standard - they know what the panthers are fighting for: players are aware of this *when they are acquired*, long before any team Dog gets their grip in. What do new sabres acquisitions think the Crest stands for? 

Eichel knew what they SHOULD be fighting for, he left when he knew he couldn’t captain the ship in that way: not with the on-high mandate to save money above all else. How do you captain that? 

- - - 

Hard to tell what goes on in a clubhouse without being there.  

[LGR4GM]

9 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

Adams said he was Lindy’s idea because Lindy coached him in NJ. So I’m sure we will see him in the lineup for a handful of games anyways

Just so much evidence that Adams has no original thoughts. Malestyn was Apperts because AHL playoffs. Greenway was Granato because coached him before. This random plug from Lindy. This is probably how a lot of NHL guys operate because it is the old boys club but man, Adams hasn't heard an idea one of his coaches has without liking it. 

Edited 2 hours ago by LGR4GM

[Pimlach]

26 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Just so much evidence that Adams has no original thoughts. Malestyn was Apperts because AHL playoffs. Greenway was Granato because coached him before. This random plug from Lindy. This is probably how a lot of NHL guys operate because it is the old boys club but man, Adams hasn't heard an idea one of his coaches has without liking it. 

Many GMs start out as scouts, or coaching, or both.  Adams was mostly business administration prior to becoming GM.  Which is why him having no advisors until this season was a curious decision that probably hurt him.  

[DarthEbriate]

19 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Just so much evidence that Adams has no original thoughts. Malestyn was Apperts because AHL playoffs. Greenway was Granato because coached him before. This random plug from Lindy. This is probably how a lot of NHL guys operate because it is the old boys club but man, Adams hasn't heard an idea one of his coaches has without liking it. 

Although, I do want the GM to be using the folks around him to identify players they trust and who would fit the direction (if any) of the team. I want him listening to Ruff and Jarmo (Danforth) and Granato...  Appert, meh. I'd rather he listen to the hockey guys than to Pegula. It's what Adams spends to acquire or retain them that gets him into real trouble.

Just with Malenstyn as an example. A 2nd to attain a 4W is very high (unless he's a proven veteran and you're renting him for the playoffs because you're a contender). Now, Malenstyn was underwhelming last season, but got deployed as 4W instead of how WSH had used him as a 3W in terms of minutes. (And the Sabres revamped 4th + sloppy defense + goaltending meant he was pretty poor overall.)

[inkman]

20 hours ago, The Jokeman said:

Woo, a 30 year old player that has 0 NHL points. Thanks for literal nothing Adams.

He’s for the Amerks, so our prospects can play with a little more confidence that they won’t get KO’d if they engage the opponent.  Vsevolod Komorov, I’m looking at you.