Dahlin is taking a leave of absence to return to Sweden

[PromoTheRobot]

5 hours ago, SwampD said:

 

It's funny, when I check the standings, I see that the Sabres are last in the Atlantic and last in the Eastern Conference. That's some good hockey.

Is the glass half full or half empty?

[SwampD]

1 minute ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Is the glass half full or half empty?

If last place isn't empty I don't know what to say.

[PromoTheRobot]

5 hours ago, Sidc3000 said:

Do something or I want out. He obviously learned how fragile life is and how short it can be. He has singing to want to win now

But he's the reason we have lost certain games. 

Just now, SwampD said:

If last place isn't empty I don't know what to say.

You can't be that obtuse.

[SwampD]

2 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

You can't be that obtuse.

Dude. What more do you want from me? It's been 14 years of crap. I'm still here. I love the Sabres. They are trash again and their star defensemen is out long term. If you can be positive about that, god bless you. They are not .500. They are 5 and 9. That's bad. I truly hope for a run of wins that surprises us all. That would be awesome, but this season has become a tire fire that I did not see coming, but have come to terms with. Apparently you have not.

[Crusader1969]

4 hours ago, HILLsabre said:

Hats off to Rasmus gutting it out and sticking around to start the season. I think he realized it was going to be same old story this season with or without him. I'm wondering if the Sabres came out of the gate with chemistry in the line up, solid goal tending and on fire points wise, what would he have done? Decision might have been different or a lot harder.

You make it sound like the season has been a complete tire fire.  No it hasn't been great but they are barely out of a playoff position.  I think if they were playing well it would be an easier decision for him to leave

lets see how they do without him.   Maybe they surprise us and step up in his absence.  
 

 

[Crusader1969]

5 hours ago, Pimlach said:

According to the AI on Google -  Peterka was not mic'd up for the Sabres game in Buffalo.   But I do believe he told his former teammates how great it is out west.  Tuch already knows that from his time in Vegas.  

I just read a recent article were Peterka talks about how well they are treated in Salt Lake City.   Modern arena, modern practice facility, ya da ya da.  It was not long ago when players on that team were complaining about how poorly they were treated in Phoenix. 

And we all heard about  Florida  - golf carts for the wife and kiddies to drive around the complex on and stuff like that.  Sun, Disney, Universal, beaches, night clubs,  more golf, palm trees and no state tax.  They also have high levels of violent crime, lots of drugs, bad traffic, terrible humidity, damaging hurricanes, high property tax, and astronomical homeowners insurance.  Finding a good school for Junior might required a pretty good commute too.  

The Sabres facilities, including Harbor Center, is probably still above average compared to the others, although the Sabres hockey area is a poor one and always was.  

Peterka likes the mountains, the newness and cleanliness of the American West.  Good for him.  He got what what he wanted, so far.  

Back to Dahlin - it is entirely possible that this is a partial season for him and that he misses a lot of games.  I do trust that Pegula and the organization will provide excellent support, sans the mountains and pretty vistas of Utah. 

You can't always trust AI. 
 

 

[Taro T]

10 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Dude. What more do you want from me? It's been 14 years of crap. I'm still here. I love the Sabres. They are trash again and their star defensemen is out long term. If you can be positive about that, god bless you. They are not .500. They are 5 and 9. That's bad. I truly hope for a run of wins that surprises us all. That would be awesome, but this season has become a tire fire that I did not see coming, but have come to terms with. Apparently you have not.

The sesason isn't a tire fire YET.  Though it is shaping up to be to a point where Lyon might need to show off some more of that late season Panther magic he had when he last played for them to keep it from becoming one.

And, might be very wrong about this, but can see this latest development to be a great opportunity for the team to come together, not in the kumbaya way they would under Granato that left them loving each other but not actually playing for each other (or even themselves it seemed at times) but in a way where they each dig a little deeper and find a way to pick up the slack that is there now that the Captain is out of the lineup that he was unable to pickup himself due to his thoughts being 8 or so time zones away.  Win games for Carolina, win games for Ras, win games for each other, win games for themselves.

Force there to be a positive coming out of this. And, if they truly do come together and finally become a team, well, we've found the silver lining in this tragic story. 

[SabreFinn]

I expected him to leave at some point.  I just had hopes we wouldn't be last by then.

Wish all the best to Rasmus, Carolina and their families.

[PerreaultForever]

You don't replace a guy like Dahlin. You just don't. But in terms of what you have on D, on paper, it can still work. Two highly skilled offensive D. One or two (depending on how you look at it) middle level defenders. Another half decent big D man and then you add one journeyman (and hopefully not Bryson). Most teams are like that. So it's now on the forwards to step up their D game and play a tighter team concept not relying on one star. They do that they might actually win more. 

Heck, the PP could even be better (can't be much worse) if they finally start spreading it around. 

[JustOneParade]

…. and keep UPL out of the net.

[kas23]

I fully support this as well. I also think what we are seeing/hearing may just be the tip of the iceberg. 

[Pimlach]

7 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

You don't replace a guy like Dahlin. You just don't. But in terms of what you have on D, on paper, it can still work. Two highly skilled offensive D. One or two (depending on how you look at it) middle level defenders. Another half decent big D man and then you add one journeyman (and hopefully not Bryson). Most teams are like that. So it's now on the forwards to step up their D game and play a tighter team concept not relying on one star. They do that they might actually win more. 

Heck, the PP could even be better (can't be much worse) if they finally start spreading it around. 

What would be nice is to see Owen Power step up. 

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, Pimlach said:

What would be nice is to see Owen Power step up. 

[inkman]

18 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

We can dream for a few hours 

[Taro T]

40 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

What would be nice is to see Owen Power step up. 

Would rather see them give Dahlin's PP time to Byram, but expecting it'll go to Power.

[Pimlach]

3 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Would rather see them give Dahlin's PP time to Byram, but expecting it'll go to Power.

Yup.  They are both going to play more.  

This could be turning point for Power to step up, I can dream.  

[mjd1001]

I honestly don't think the defensemen had played poorly as a group this year.  And that is with Dahlin not playing his best.  There is a pretty good chance they can still play solid for a period of time without him. The team can get by, but the need to get decent goaltending, and the forward have to really step up.

You can get by without Dahlin for a while if you can manage to score 3-4 goals per game.

[PASabreFan]

Good to hear she is OK. Without a specific explanation of "personal matter," which we won't get, there is a major assumption being made here. It's probably a fair assumption reading between the lines of Ruff's comments, but there also could be more at play. It's certainly a highly unusual situation.

[Taro T]

25 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Good to hear she is OK. Without a specific explanation of "personal matter," which we won't get, there is a major assumption being made here. It's probably a fair assumption reading between the lines of Ruff's comments, but there also could be more at play. It's certainly a highly unusual situation.

So, what is that "major assumption being made?"

[PASabreFan]

3 minutes ago, Taro T said:

So, what is that "major assumption being made?"

I assumed everyone knew. That he's going back to be with her.

[LGR4GM]

2 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

I assumed everyone knew. That he's going back to be with her.

What else would he be doing?

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, PASabreFan said:

I assumed everyone knew. That he's going back to be with her.

Ah, thought you were going for something Sabre related for the assumption.

Yes, we have all "assumed" he decided to go back to Sweden to be with his fiance while she recovers from about as major a form of surgery as exists.  We've certainly gone out on a limb on that one.

[Indabuff]

12 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Is the glass half full or half empty?

The glass shattered on the floor and we're all bleeding out from stepping on the shards.

[PASabreFan]

19 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Ah, thought you were going for something Sabre related for the assumption.

Yes, we have all "assumed" he decided to go back to Sweden to be with his fiance while she recovers from about as major a form of surgery as exists.  We've certainly gone out on a limb on that one.

You know what they say about assuming.

There could be career-related reasons on top of his concern for her, for example. Maybe he understandably has some mental health issue. Maybe one of the 'rents is sick.

No one knows what's in his head. The group think is on here, as usual. Don't be that nail that sticks up.