Go to Sabres.com and you can see what my take is on the team. I can answer your question just fine, but there's no way you will "believe" my assessment, regardless of how well I elucidate it. I've been around these boards far too long to buy that load of crap. But seriously, I'm not here to fight with anyone. The Sabres have a couple players in their locker room who are consistently not listening to Lindy Ruff when it comes to backchecking, smart dump-ins, positioning without the puck, and general awareness. That's his beef with them. And I think it's rubbing off on some of the lesser players, and THAT is killing the team.
MY beef with the team as a whole, as well as a good number of other regular posters at Sabres.com, is the lack of toughness in the corners and in one-on-one puck battles, shot blocking, clearing the crease, standing in the opponent's crease, and dropping the gloves to get things going for their team. The Sabres have become a team of followers, and they rely on Vanek to score for them, Kaleta to hit for them, and Peters to fight for them, and NONE of them seem to be able to shoot the puck straight. Their two goaltenders also seem to be losing THEIR focus, as well, and what that says to me is that there is alot going on in that locker room that is distracting them. MY guess?
Roy and Pommers.