GDT: Sabres @ Hurricanes, 7:00pm Nov. 8, 2025, 🎙 📺 ESPN+/MSG

[Archie Lee]

I’m not sure if this is a hot take or not, but here goes:  flip Brind’Amour and Ruff and nothing else, and in 12 months the Sabres are the Hurricanes and the Hurricanes are the Sabres. This is more in praise of Rod than in criticism of Lindy (though Lindy is not a good NHL head coach at this stage). 

Finding the next Brind’Amour level coach is obviously no easy task. But wasting time on a guy from the past, is just that, wasting time. 

 

[LGR4GM]

13 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

I’m not sure if this is a hot take or not, but here goes:  flip Brind’Amour and Ruff and nothing else, and in 12 months the Sabres are the Hurricanes and the Hurricanes are the Sabres. This is more in praise of Rod than in criticism of Lindy (though Lindy is not a good NHL head coach at this stage). 

Finding the next Brind’Amour level coach is obviously no easy task. But wasting time on a guy from the past, is just that, wasting time. 

 

Disagree. Carolina routinely out drafts Buffalo. 

Agree we need to find the next Brind’Amour coach and Buffalo would be better with that. 

[JohnC]

21 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

I’m not sure if this is a hot take or not, but here goes:  flip Brind’Amour and Ruff and nothing else, and in 12 months the Sabres are the Hurricanes and the Hurricanes are the Sabres. This is more in praise of Rod than in criticism of Lindy (though Lindy is not a good NHL head coach at this stage). 

Finding the next Brind’Amour level coach is obviously no easy task. But wasting time on a guy from the past, is just that, wasting time. 

 

There’s no magical solution to what ails this failed franchise. No top tier coach is coming here until the organization is properly structured and staffed. As it is currently structured, it is set up to fail regardless who is the coach. There needs to be a major organizational renovation. Do you believe our stubborn owner is receptive to such a dramatic change? Right now, I don’t believe so. 

[Archie Lee]

27 minutes ago, JohnC said:

There’s no magical solution to what ails this failed franchise. No top tier coach is coming here until the organization is properly structured and staffed. As it is currently structured, it is set up to fail regardless who is the coach. There needs to be a major organizational renovation. Do you believe our stubborn owner is receptive to such a dramatic change? Right now, I don’t believe so. 

Rod Brind’Amour wasn’t a top-tiered coach when the Hurricanes hired him. And the Hurricanes, while not quite a Sabres-level disaster, had missed the playoffs 9 straight seasons before Brind’Amour was hired. Brind’Amour was an assistant there for 7 of those seasons, so it wasn’t like people knew he was any kind of solution. Maybe Mike Leone is our Brind’Amour. Probably not, but clearly Ruff is not leading this team anywhere positive. 

[Carmel Corn]

1 hour ago, Archie Lee said:

I’m not sure if this is a hot take or not, but here goes:  flip Brind’Amour and Ruff and nothing else, and in 12 months the Sabres are the Hurricanes and the Hurricanes are the Sabres. This is more in praise of Rod than in criticism of Lindy (though Lindy is not a good NHL head coach at this stage). 

Finding the next Brind’Amour level coach is obviously no easy task. But wasting time on a guy from the past, is just that, wasting time. 

 

Rod would want to jettison half the Sabres roster for his kind of players….thinking of how Jeff Skinner was sent packing

[sabresouth]

Married to an accountant. We were talking about lack of effort from ownership to make this team better. She had two words. Tax right off. Ok three words. Pagula is making a killing with the bills. It may be the tipping point factor as to why he isn't as motivated as we want him to be to have a successful NHL franchise. Maybe he'd like a successful hockey team but it doesn't overcome the tax benefits. IDK

[phil_soisson]

4 minutes ago, sabresouth said:

Married to an accountant. We were talking about lack of effort from ownership to make this team better. She had two words. Tax right off. Ok three words. Pagula is making a killing with the bills. It may be the tipping point factor as to why he isn't as motivated as we want him to be to have a successful NHL franchise. Maybe he'd like a successful hockey team but it doesn't overcome the tax benefits. IDK

Fan write off!

[JohnC]

29 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

Rod Brind’Amour wasn’t a top-tiered coach when the Hurricanes hired him. And the Hurricanes, while not quite a Sabres-level disaster, had missed the playoffs 9 straight seasons before Brind’Amour was hired. Brind’Amour was an assistant there for 7 of those seasons, so it wasn’t like people knew he was any kind of solution. Maybe Mike Leone is our Brind’Amour. Probably not, but clearly Ruff is not leading this team anywhere positive. 

The problem and the solution does’t originate with the HC. It’s starts with the GM who presides over the hockey operation. You can have an excellent coach while the GM has presented him with an imbalanced roster. Even with the best coaching the flaws are going to manifest itself.

The Sabres have a third-rate owner who has assembled a third-rate organization. We’re stuck with a stubborn owner who doesn’t recognize his own limitations. Until a credible hockey person is installed at the top of the hockey operation, this franchise will continue to flail. 

[PASabreFan]

4 hours ago, Sidc3000 said:

There is no hope at this point. Pegula hasn’t tried to make the Sabres good since before the Bills got good. Matter of fact he did everything humanly possible to make them worse by cutting cost down to bare bones.

 When the owner shows he gives a *****, then I’ll have hope. The Sabres were a means to an end and the Bills were the end. 
 

There is no savior like Josh Allen coming to the Sabres. They actually had their Josh Allen with Eichel/Reinhart and they pissed them away because the Bills were more important. 
 

The Sabres are what they are and nothing is going to change that, at least in my lifetime. 

Hoping=that at least one arrogant buffoon of a billionaire who is trashing a treasured institution decides at some point to go away.

[Scottysabres]

COME ON BOYS!!!!!

Dig a little deeper, I know you can win this, we’re almost there!!!!!

[Taro T]

4 hours ago, sabresouth said:

Not dumping on Lyon because of this game specifically. But Lyon is not the answer. He's better than what we've had, if he can maintain this level. We've been so used to sorry goaltending that he looks good. He's just another filler.

I understand putting Tuch and Thompson on different lines but they play much better together than apart. We want them to produce more. Keeping them together gets you that.

Lyon ISN'T a 1 or even a 1A.  But he is a very solid backup that can step up and hold the fort while the 1 works through issues.  He literally is the reason the Sabres missed the playoffs in '23.

And right now, he is the best they've got.  But they really need to get Ellis to a point where he can play another game.  He isn't likely the answer either, but if he could take 2 of every 5 games; maybe Lyon can hold up long enough to get a significant portion of the injured guys back so they don't have to rely on top tier goaltending to stay in and win games.

[mjd1001]

2 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

I’m not sure if this is a hot take or not, but here goes:  flip Brind’Amour and Ruff and nothing else, and in 12 months the Sabres are the Hurricanes and the Hurricanes are the Sabres. This is more in praise of Rod than in criticism of Lindy (though Lindy is not a good NHL head coach at this stage). 

Finding the next Brind’Amour level coach is obviously no easy task. But wasting time on a guy from the past, is just that, wasting time. 

 

I understand your point, but I don't quite think it's to that level. 

It wouldn't just involve the coaching by the head coach.. It would have to be the assistant coaches.. And more importantly it would have to be his influence on purging the roster of some players that aren't good enough. 

 

[Wyldnwoody44]

I still think Lindy makes dumb coaching decisions and doesn't have a grasp of his roster. 

Quinn playing awful and getting more ice time than Doan. 

Greenway on the 1st line. 

Splitting Tage and Tuch up and saddling him with 12 year Olds. 

Handling of goaltending. 

Pulling goalie with 3 min left of a 1 goal game, and trusting Power in that situation. 

Just not impressed 

[Taro T]

10 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Well you have to like the comeback attempt but you can see at the end they look dead inside again. They know it and we know it, you aren't going anywhere losing all these games, even if they are close.

I'd really really really like to see Adams fired now. Make Jarmo GM if that's the plan but do it now. Let the new guy start planning for the deadline, potential tear downs and future draft. If they do the usual and hire in the off season they'll lose more years in the adjustment period. 

Come on Terry. You can shake up whole neighborhoods with that frakking. Shake up this hockey team. 

It depends. You have to time it out with the face off and which top guys are rested and ready to go. The thinking isn't we will be attacking for 3 minutes. It's just now's a good time for the line match ups we want. or at least it should be. 

Sounds good in theory, but you're on the road.  The other team has the last change; you aren't getting better matchups with 3 minutes left than you're going to get in the last minute.  And this team does a LOT of turning the puck over near the blue line, either entering the zone or having a D flub it under pressure.  You give the other team way too many chances to end it when you pull the goalie with that much time left.

Again, am sure that analytics say 'yes, pull the goalie with 3 minutes left because you're going to get x matchup and the XG/60 say you need about 3 mintues to have a high probability of scoring another goal' but those analytics don't take into consideration how likely Quinn, Thompson, Power, or Byram are at turning the puck over in that time nor how likely it is that turnover will result in a goal against because the turnover doesn't happen near the goal line but above the circles.

[Pimlach]

28 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Lyon ISN'T a 1 or even a 1A.  But he is a very solid backup that can step up and hold the fort while the 1 works through issues.  He literally is the reason the Sabres missed the playoffs in '23.

And right now, he is the best they've got.  But they really need to get Ellis to a point where he can play another game.  He isn't likely the answer either, but if he could take 2 of every 5 games; maybe Lyon can hold up long enough to get a significant portion of the injured guys back so they don't have to rely on top tier goaltending to stay in and win games.

What do you mean by the bolded?   Is he injured?   Why is he not playing/dressing after a very good debut?

[Broken Ankles]

11 hours ago, gilbert11 said:

Without looking at other box scores for today, these 2 ENG would put them in a tie with Minnesota with 6.

I think the San Jose Sharks are lifting themselves from the quagmire and will make the playoffs again before the Sabres.  I should probably go back to rooting for them.  Cellebrini is at another level.

The Canadians are in first place in the Atlantic and the Ducks are in first in the Pacific Division.  These two were also in our remedial reading class with San Jose the last few years and they are now grade level or advanced. Not sure if either are for real.  With respect to Anaheim, while the West has lost most of their head to head against the East, Anaheim has won against the Bruins, Panthers (twice), Devils, Red Wings, and Penguins.  Adding wins against good teams in the west like the Stars and Golden Knights.  These two have significant improvement in scoring and goal differentials. These Sabres on the other hand sit with 41 GF.  Only Florida and Calgary have fewer. Disappointing to say the least. Let’s see what happens when some of the regulars come back into the lineup. 
 

[Taro T]

Just now, Pimlach said:

What do you mean by the bolded?   Is he injured?   Why is he not playing/dressing after a very good debut?

He missed the start in TO because his back was tight.  They haven't even dressed him as the backup since that game.

They say he's fine, but as just stated, they STILL haven't even had him sitting on the bench last night one game after UPL gave up 2 horrible goals AND took a stupid selfish penalty with about 3-1/2 minutes that kept them from having any legit chance at getting the equalizer.  You SAY you're going to roll with all 3 and you say you're going to go with the guy that gives you the best chance of winning.  So, how about we sit UPL in the pressbox because actions SHOULD have consequences?  But if they aren't sure Ellis' back will hold up in a game, then they can't do that.

Personally, don't believe they think he's going to be 100%.  

[PASabreFan]

Not to be a stickler, but Lindy said there was back tightness. It doesn't make it so. Recall that there was enough in the tea leaves of the coach's comments to raise some eyebrows. That the man hasn't been seen since is curious. Goalies...

[PASabreFan]

1 hour ago, Scottysabres said:

COME ON BOYS!!!!!

Dig a little deeper, I know you can win this, we’re almost there!!!!!

Do we need Woody to dramatically shout... Scotty, it's over! Get out of here! ?

[Wyldnwoody44]

16 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Do we need Woody to dramatically shout... Scotty, it's over! Get out of here! ?

Ask and ye shall receive 😎😂

[Pimlach]

23 minutes ago, Taro T said:

He missed the start in TO because his back was tight.  They haven't even dressed him as the backup since that game.

They say he's fine, but as just stated, they STILL haven't even had him sitting on the bench last night one game after UPL gave up 2 horrible goals AND took a stupid selfish penalty with about 3-1/2 minutes that kept them from having any legit chance at getting the equalizer.  You SAY you're going to roll with all 3 and you say you're going to go with the guy that gives you the best chance of winning.  So, how about we sit UPL in the pressbox because actions SHOULD have consequences?  But if they aren't sure Ellis' back will hold up in a game, then they can't do that.

Personally, don't believe they think he's going to be 100%.  

I thought he dressed as the backup a few games ago and that gave me hope he would play soon.  ? 

15 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Not to be a stickler, but Lindy said there was back tightness. It doesn't make it so. Recall that there was enough in the tea leaves of the coach's comments to raise some eyebrows. That the man hasn't been seen since is curious. Goalies...

 

I did get a sense that "back tightness" was more than a simple thing.  Just this teams luck to get hit with a rash of forward injuries, lose their 1D, and be in a the predicament of carry 3 goalies.  

 

[Pimlach]

They need to play at least .550, preferably .600 points percentage in the month of November to stay alive. 

So far November looks like this:

1W  2L  1 OTL = 3 of 8  points,  0.375 pts pct.  That no show, shut out, home ice loss to St Louis looks pretty big.  

Next 3  road games are:  

11/12 - Utah  

11/3 -  Avs 

11/15 - Wings  

They really need 4 of the next 6 points or November starts to slip away.  They have to start a win 2 or 3 pattern or else.  

So with that, how about some Sunday Soul?  A little Americana R&B.   Clarence Carter backed by the Muscle Shoals "Swampers".  

 

 

[Crusader1969]

14 hours ago, SabresBillsFan said:

So when does Tuch get moved and to who and for what?

Need another deal that brings in a Kesselring and Doan type 

once you get Dahlin back and add a 7th dman.  You can then trade Power who would have lots of value 

[Taro T]

28 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I thought he dressed as the backup a few games ago and that gave me hope he would play soon.  ? 

 

I did get a sense that "back tightness" was more than a simple thing.  Just this teams luck to get hit with a rash of forward injuries, lose their 1D, and be in a the predicament of carry 3 goalies.  

 

Apologies.  You are correct.  Hadn't realized Eliis rode the pine against the Blues.  But he was the backup that night.  Thanks for that.

So, as Emily Lutella used to say, "nevermind."

[Sidc3000]

4 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

I’m not sure if this is a hot take or not, but here goes:  flip Brind’Amour and Ruff and nothing else, and in 12 months the Sabres are the Hurricanes and the Hurricanes are the Sabres. This is more in praise of Rod than in criticism of Lindy (though Lindy is not a good NHL head coach at this stage). 

Finding the next Brind’Amour level coach is obviously no easy task. But wasting time on a guy from the past, is just that, wasting time. 

 

The problems with this team is way beyond coaching.