GDT: Avalanche @ Sabres, 12:30pm Oct. 13, 2025, 🎙 📺 ESPN+/MSG

[Thorny]

7 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

It's not the same though. The Sabres had rush creation and still do. They haven't been good at finishing those chances and Ruffs new system has limited them. They need more cycle creation. 

It is, because “scoring” was always being used as a synonym for forwards who can contribute to the creation we need 

we needed more good forwards - more impact forwards.

the context is that subtracting Peterka and adding Doan and Danforth was never the attention the forward unit needed and it was never close to enough 

Edited October 14 by Thorny

[Gatorman0519]

52 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Incorrect.

a competent GM would never argue this team has the luxury of endeavouring another 3-4 year quest 

If one thinks the answer to a turn around is a long form rebuild, one is as lost as the current brain trust 

It took Zito 3 years to turn the Panthers into contenders, 4 to win a cup. And that's rare. And he walked into a slightly better situation having some significant core pieces already than whoever has to take over this mess. It would take a miracle to turn this around into contenders in anything less.

Edited October 14 by Gatorman0519

[DarthEbriate]

5 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

It took Zito 3 years to turn the Panthers into contenders, 4 to win a cup. And that's rare. And he walked into a slightly better situation having some significant core pieces already than whoever has to take over this mess. It would take a miracle to turn this around into contenders in anything less.

The Sabres don't have a Huberdeau to go get a Tkachuk. Maybe Cozens could have fetched more if they'd have waited until the draft/offseason.

And they definitely don't have a Barkov or Bobrovsky in-house already.

[Taro T]

3 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

It took Zito 3 years to turn the Panthers into contenders, 4 to win a cup. And that's rare. And he walked into a slightly better situation having some significant core pieces already than whoever has to take over this mess. It would take a miracle to turn this around into contenders in anything less.

To be TRUE contenders without having locked in goaltending would take 3-4 years from here.  Lock in GTing and you can accelerate that timeline.

But to just get back to relevance.  It could actually happen THIS season, if somebody that knew what they were doing was in charge.  (Not likely, but it's possible.)  And they definitely should be able to be relevant next season in an absolute worst case.

This roster ISN'T bad.  But, it isn't coached well at all.  Get a legit GM and get a legit coaching staff and go from there.

[Gatorman0519]

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

To be TRUE contenders without having locked in goaltending would take 3-4 years from here.  Lock in GTing and you can accelerate that timeline.

But to just get back to relevance.  It could actually happen THIS season, if somebody that knew what they were doing was in charge.  (Not likely, but it's possible.)  And they definitely should be able to be relevant next season in an absolute worst case.

This roster ISN'T bad.  But, it isn't coached well at all.  Get a legit GM and get a legit coaching staff and go from there.

We don't have much skilled forwards. That will take years to rectify. We do have a decent defense but also subpar goaltending. 

[Thorny]

18 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

It took Zito 3 years to turn the Panthers into contenders, 4 to win a cup. And that's rare. And he walked into a slightly better situation having some significant core pieces already than whoever has to take over this mess. It would take a miracle to turn this around into contenders in anything less.

I’m talking about making the playoffs. The goal needs to be playoffs year 1 

[LGR4GM]

Does any of it matter anymore? There's no end in sight. 

[ska-T Palmtown]

If the Sabres had this last year ... playoffs:

Yeah, I know ... three games - but a boy can dream, right?

Again, small sample - but last year .919% gets you 7th in the league ... but the 2.73 was middle of the road - tells you the Sabres are giving up waaaaay too many shots.

Edited October 15 by ska-T Palmtown

[North Buffalo]

19 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

The scoring isn't down because Peterka is gone, it's down because Ruffs system mixed with Apperts pp doesn't work with this group. Same thing happened to Granato once he forced a "defense first" system into these guys.

Further, before all the victory laps, Benson hasn't played and Norris is injured. Peterka being here doesn't fix that. 

But those contingencies need to be planned for... there are always injuries... especially with this group 

[Kristian]

19 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

They do, and in this case you'd be bad, but it's the only way to reset the culture. You'd have a bunch of AHL vets and hacks to start but you could build the hard to play against lunch bucket type thing and then begin inserting young talent to that base, It would take years but how else are you getting out of it? EVERYTHING has to change. Bandaids and one guy here or there won't get it done. All the guys stuck in this and all the slackers have to go to make it different. 

Agree. It’s come to this.