punchy was a bust last season
- homiedclown

Absolutely, I do agree.

He was in good company with about 18 other guys who took the year off.

All in All, they weren't too high on this version of the Sabres especially given the competition in the Atlantic and Eastern Conference.
- IonSabres

I feel the same

Absolutely, I do agree.

He was in good company with about 18 other guys who took the year off.
- IonSabres

peterka
6k
quinn
tuch


joker and clifton for stretches

the rest, meh

I feel the same
- homiedclown

This version of the team seems to be more like the NY Islanders.
Borderline team year in and year out.. sometimes up, sometimes down, but never in serious consideration.

I'll say it again, I am ready for a blockbuster trade.

peterka
6k
quinn
tuch

joker and clifton for stretches

the rest, meh
- homiedclown

Monumental under performance by many of the core, and just a bunch of scrubs for the rest. Certainly not a good look.

They improved their Bottom 6 IMO, are treading water for the rest and hoping for improvement from them.

They are counting on Lindy being the Second Coming. I think he delivers a bump for sure, but I would dump a couple of these guys to secure the true leader.

Good listen on Serious XM's NHL Channel where the Fantasy Hockey guys are reviewing each of the 32 teams.
They blasted the Sabres for 13 years of crap.. and then Tage's comments about how the team took shortcuts and blamed Donnie for it.
Rightly, they pushed back by stating the obvious of how about being a professional, especially at age 26 and being paid $7m.
They also don't buy into the Skinner BO.

All in All, they weren't too high on this version of the Sabres especially given the competition in the Atlantic and Eastern Conference.
- IonSabres

All valid and earned from this abomination of an organization.

The hockey guy has them ranked 21st heading into this coming season.

https://youtu.be/rRNRUGw9HpU?si=_5wsAvrudVFbvByx

12/25/24

It was Donnie who helped this core reach career years.....then 6 months later is was Donnie's fault they reverted back to their averages.

Lindy will save the leaderless bunch though, as long as no one hits them.

Monumental under performance by many of the core, and just a bunch of scrubs for the rest. Certainly not a good look.

They improved their Bottom 6 IMO, are treading water for the rest and hoping for improvement from them.

They are counting on Lindy being the Second Coming. I think he delivers a bump for sure, but I would dump a couple of these guys to secure the true leader.
- IonSabres

Last season was a bit below the cores average career performance. The last half of the 22' season is not the normal output/performance for this group.

New coach, new depth, same average core.

there is a bunch

running eichel and reinhart out of town IMO are the 2 biggest ones
- homiedclown

Fwiw, Jack ran Jack out of town. Sabres weren't where he wanted to go, be or remain. He just wanted that first contract then less than 10 months later, he requested a trade. Thought he could sweet talk Terry into having him traded to Boston as well. Kid was a (frank) face.

It was Donnie who helped this core reach career years.....then 6 months later is was Donnie's fault they reverted back to their averages.

Lindy will save the leaderless bunch though, as long as no one hits them.
- washedup20

Donnie changed last season, he wilted under the pressure and made bad decisions after bad decision coupled with an inability to adapt and make game decisions.

Lindy will be a significant improvement.
That said, my point is more about the individual players not having the gamer fortitude required to win in pressure situations.

They seem to have a penchant for folding and not meeting the challenge.

Fwiw, Jack ran Jack out of town. Sabres weren't where he wanted to go, be or remain. He just wanted that first contract then less than 10 months later, he requested a trade. Thought he could sweet talk Terry into having him traded to Boston as well. Kid was a (frank) face.
- QuinnFan

not wrong

he was still the most talented sabre we had since hasek and terry and kim digging their heals in on the neck surgery was not a good look

Donnie changed last season, he wilted under the pressure and made bad decisions after bad decision coupled with an inability to adapt and make game decisions.

.
- IonSabres

adams not giving him a chance to make the playoffs in 22-23 and lack of moves in the 23 summer did not help

the roster was designed to limp into the 7th or 8th seed if everything goes right


now it's also designed a different way to limp into the 7th or 8th seed if everything goes right

5 or 6 other teams in the east are making moves to try to win a cup

Donnie changed last season, he wilted under the pressure and made bad decisions after bad decision coupled with an inability to adapt and make game decisions.

Lindy will be a significant improvement.
That said, my point is more about the individual players not having the gamer fortitude required to win in pressure situations.

They seem to have a penchant for folding and not meeting the challenge.
- IonSabres

Donnie was never a good coach, the lack of roster upgrades and the multiple times early in the season when the top 6 players got beaten to a pulp, deflated the lackluster group.

Ruff's system might help, did Donnie even have a system when the players reached career heights? We know he tried to implement a system last season and look at the results.

Regarding the mental fragility of this group....it starts at the top:

adams not giving him a chance to make the playoffs in 22-23 and lack of moves in the 23 summer did not help

the roster was designed to limp into the 7th or 8th seed if everything goes right


now it's also designed a different way to limp into the 7th or 8th seed if everything goes right

5 or 6 other teams in the east are making moves to try to win a cup
- homiedclown

I do not believe their L1 stacks up well against other L1's on contenders. I think it would make a very fine L2.
Their L2 has a ways to go as well, especially if JJP is on L1.
Their Top 4 has potential, however it is still lacking in the 4th position. Power and Byram newd to up the quality of their game from last season, and Samuelsson needs to stay healthy.
If Sammy isn't a strong performer in your top 4, he has to go, way too expensive on P3

All valid and earned from this abomination of an organization.

The hockey guy has them ranked 21st heading into this coming season.

https://youtu.be/rRNRUGw9HpU?si=_5wsAvrudVFbvByx

12/25/24
- washedup20

Have you started your research on when Xmas hits in 2025 yet?

Greenway Thompson Tuch
Peterka Cozens Quinn
Benson McCleod Zucker
Malenstyn Lafferty Aube-Kubel
13th: Krebs

Byram Dahlin
Power Jokiharju
Samuelsson Clifton
7th: Gilbert

UPL
Reimer
Rochester: Levi
- HappyBirdSeeds

ok who's alt is this now

ok who's alt is this now
- Jet Jaguar BD

Don Granato

not wrong

he was still the most talented sabre we had since hasek and terry and kim digging their heals in on the neck surgery was not a good look
- homiedclown

I can understand why it got personal with him but definitely didn't inspire loyalty. In hindsight, I guess we could've just let him dictate the surgery and the trade, but that may have set an equally bad precedent as well. Wish my crystal ball still worked.

Good listen on Serious XM's NHL Channel where the Fantasy Hockey guys are reviewing each of the 32 teams.
They blasted the Sabres for 13 years of crap.. and then Tage's comments about how the team took shortcuts and blamed Donnie for it.
Rightly, they pushed back by stating the obvious of how about being a professional, especially at age 26 and being paid $7m.
They also don't buy into the Skinner BO.

All in All, they weren't too high on this version of the Sabres especially given the competition in the Atlantic and Eastern Conference.
- IonSabres

What a shocker

If all goes well with ruff they should compete on a nightly basis but to make the playoffs they will need all star goaltending and alot of next steps taken by young players, including the goalies

Sorry to do this gents, know this is a hockey blog, but have a question as I'm losing my mind over some poison ivy rash.

What are the best remedies?

I've done oatmeal baths, hydrocortisone cream and cold compresses. This poop is still spreading. It's on my arms, legs and now my face, so just worried it'll get into my eyes at some point. Anyone know of anything, prescription or otherwise, that worked for you? I'm just losing sleep and these creams don't seem to help with anything but slightly spreading the curse.

Fwiw, Jack ran Jack out of town. Sabres weren't where he wanted to go, be or remain. He just wanted that first contract then less than 10 months later, he requested a trade. Thought he could sweet talk Terry into having him traded to Boston as well. Kid was a (frank) face.
- QuinnFan

In hindsight, I am slightly more sympathetic to Eichel when you look at the situation on an island.

When you factor in the way he pouted after Tim Murray said he felt bad for our fans for losing out on McDavid, the way he sulked after being drafted by us, the attitude he copped instantly and the various problems he had being "the guy" and getting along with his co-workers.

I still think he should be called out on for disclosing private medical information, whether it was his own right to do so or not, you have a professional sports organization, contracts, an obligation to keep certain information from the media (The NHL in general doesn't like to disclose the exact nature of injuries and this is league-wide).

He dragged an already down organization through the mud. He is a hyena - He waited for the Cheetah to run down its prey and then he bullied it away and forced his way out. He took the easiest path. Can you blame him? His name is on the Stanley Cup and it paid off, but I think the damage he did to the prestige of the sport is historical.

I literally lost respect for the NHL after the Knights won the cup that season. The Eichel trade, the LTIR contract shuffling, the way the league set the team up for instant success after expansion...

Gross. And the way they just added the Utah team without relocation is so sketchy... Like seriously what? Just fold a team and have someone else buy them and viola, new team with no expansion fees but in actuality, the team relocated.

Don Granato
- jochfr

Sorry to do this gents, know this is a hockey blog, but have a question as I'm losing my mind over some poison ivy rash.

What are the best remedies?

I've done oatmeal baths, hydrocortisone cream and cold compresses. This poop is still spreading. It's on my arms, legs and now my face, so just worried it'll get into my eyes at some point. Anyone know of anything, prescription or otherwise, that worked for you? I'm just losing sleep and these creams don't seem to help with anything but slightly spreading the curse.
- QuinnFan

Is it actually poison sumac?

This place used to do class. Fritz the original Beady and the original RSH!!!
- Rsh

Fritz the original Beady? Don't remember that one, hmm.

In hindsight, I am slightly more sympathetic to Eichel when you look at the situation on an island.

When you factor in the way he pouted after Tim Murray said he felt bad for our fans for losing out on McDavid, the way he sulked after being drafted by us, the attitude he copped instantly and the various problems he had being "the guy" and getting along with his co-workers.

I still think he should be called out on for disclosing private medical information, whether it was his own right to do so or not, you have a professional sports organization, contracts, an obligation to keep certain information from the media (The NHL in general doesn't like to disclose the exact nature of injuries and this is league-wide).

He dragged an already down organization through the mud. He is a hyena - He waited for the Cheetah to run down its prey and then he bullied it away and forced his way out. He took the easiest path. Can you blame him? His name is on the Stanley Cup and it paid off, but I think the damage he did to the prestige of the sport is historical.

I literally lost respect for the NHL after the Knights won the cup that season. The Eichel trade, the LTIR contract shuffling, the way the league set the team up for instant success after expansion...

Gross. And the way they just added the Utah team without relocation is so sketchy... Like seriously what? Just fold a team and have someone else buy them and viola, new team with no expansion fees but in actuality, the team relocated.
- Jet Jaguar BD

While I can't blame Eichel or Reinhart for wanting out of another rebuild, I think I can fault jack for the hyenda behavior as you put it. I think he was just a kid who got told he was the greatest thing since sliced bread, since he was 10 years old. His ego couldn't fit in our arena and it cost us. And while I can understand why Murray was mad about the changes to the draft order, he was an absolute buffoon to say that publicly, good point.