JohnC

Isn't it better to have an illusion than not have one at all? ?

There are plenty of occasions to apply the "what if" lamentations. But I focused on this homestand because this unusual extended home stretch gave this team that had a good home record an opportunity to get back into the race. As you well know I am open about my assessment that this team as it is currently constructed still lacks enough talent. But I do believe that it was/is good enough to stay in a meaningful playoff race. Sadly, I do believe that we missed that opportunity.

This team gave up a wonderful opportunity to stay in the playoff race with some bad losses in that long home stretch of games. Losing to Ottawa and Anaheim were gut wrenching losses. As I have repeatedly stated I don't believe that this is a playoff team but if you consider the ignominious "what if" factor we should have earned maybe 6 extra points. Those added points could have allowed this team to more meaningfully be in the playoff hunt. There are many posters who believe that this team and organization need to be torn down. I'm not one of them. With Olofsson back this team has a credible/good first line and a young and emerging defense unit. The biggest need this offseason that needs to be addressed is the second line. If you can't find a legitimate second center then the second line can still be substantially upgraded with another quality forward added to help out Skinner. I don't care what the loud and snickering zealots say. I still strongly believe that the GM needs to stay the course that he has set. In my minority view the trajectory is still up.

The below link are post game comments from WGR. There are other links associated with the post game comments. What is evident is that this team under Krueger is more resilient than prior teams. Although there are obvious talent deficiencies on this roster this group has more character and mentally tough. Columbus is a tough team. We matched them. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/02-13-ralph-krueger-postgame

Because we finally won a game that you attended you will be called on to replicate everything you did that resulted in a win. What does that mean? You will be required to wear the same lucky underwear you wore during this hard fought game. And you will not be allowed to wash the underwear because it might wash away the lucky mojo that it now has. Being a lucky fan for this most often unlucky team calls for individual sacrifice. At the next game you attend when the fans around you hold their noses and yell you fu**cking stink! Acknowledge them and yell back that you are doing it for the team. ?

The below link is a summary of the game taken from NHL.com. https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/cbj-vs-buf/2020/02/13/2019020880#game=2019020880,game_state=final

Some observations about this game: Getting Olofsson back gave the first line and team a boost. He's a tremendous shooter and finisher. Columbus has absorbed a lot of injuries but they are still a tough team to play. They play a physical and tight game that doesn't give you much room when you are in the offensive zone. I thought that although Skinner didn't score a goal he played well. He was instrumental in the Rodrigues goal. I thought Hutton was solid. When this team gets good goaltending it can compete with all teams on most nights. That is not to say that they are the better team but can be competitive when the goaltending is solid. Our defensive corps are excellent skaters and are good moving the puck out of their zone. Jack is Great. There is no question that he is a physical talent but what elevates him to the highest level is his vision. His set up in overtime to Olofsson for the winning score was magnificent. I still want him to shoot more!

The attached link is a Mike Harrington Buffalo News column on Dahlin. The theme of the article is that a special young talent is getting better as he gains experience. There is a beauty and nuance to his game that is apparent to even those who don't closely follow the sport. Krueger has been pairing him with a variety of partners. An intriguing issue is which defenseman on the roster paired with him will put him in the best situation to enhance his talents? https://buffalonews.com/2020/02/12/rasmus-dahlin-nhl-buffalo-sabres-2/

Some people ride on roller coaster for thrills while others ride with Uber and get taken for an unforgettable ride. https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/02/12/uber-driver-chase-richmond-orig-jk.cnn

Attached is a link of a discussion with Greg Wyshynski from ESPN NHL on WGR. This is a 22 min segment discussing the state of the Sabres and plenty of other NHL hockey talk. I agree with much of what he says about the Sabres which leans toward dealing in the offseason when the organization has plenty of cap space. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/2-12-greg-wyshynski-espn-nhl

I don't see Montreal getting much for Scandella because he is going to be a free agent. But whatever they get for him is their issue. The Sabres made a deal that they felt was in their interest. In my view however it works out for Montreal is irrelevant from the Sabres' perspective. We got a player in Frolick who we felt will for the short term will help us in the penalty kill and as a fourth line player. From a trade evaluation standpoint this was an even/fair deal that served each team's short team needs.

A few observations about last nights games: Johansson plays much better as a winger than as a center. He just seems more comfortable playing the wing. It appears to me that recently Miller is playing better and Krueger has gained more confidence in him. I thought Hutton played well. When we get good goaltending we can stay in most games. I like Krueger a lot as a coach and his decision-making. Not playing Skinner with Jack, even temporarily in order for him to overcome his slump, makes no sense to me. It's very puzzling to understand Krueger's reasoning in playing Vesey on that Jack line. The coach is being stubborn on this issue. The below link is Krueger on WGR. It is a 15 min segment. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/02-12-sabres-head-coach-ralph-krueger

Frolick is a fourth line player who can be useful as a penalty killer. He was traded for Scandella who was one of our excess defenders and was also on the last year of his contract. We got a bottom line forward for a bottom line defender who wasn't going to be on the team next year. What did you expect to get in the exchange: Austin Mathews? Frolick at best is a useful player whose addition in a limited way better balances the this year's roster. There is a good chance that Frolick like Scandella wasn't going to be if he wasn't dealt. If you are going to freak out I recommend that you do it on a transaction that is more worthy of be stressed for. This deal doesn't fall in that category.

You missed the point of my previous point. What I said is that because our roster is full of players with expiring contracts the organization will be in a better situation to make a trade deal/s with teams that are in tight a cap situation. I would rather make a deal when it is more favorable to make a deal than do it sooner when it is a less favorable situation. If you disagree with that assessment then so be it.

I only saw the first period before going out. Two out of the three goals that I saw were in my judgment weak goals let in by the shaky tender. The difference between winning and losing in a parity league (except for the few elite teams) is miniscule. We simply don't have enough talent to overcome those crushing lapses. I realize that many people disagree (especially the snickering crowd) with my assessment but with a few more pieces and internal improvement this team is not far away from moving up the ranks. This offseason the GM is going to have a cap flexibility that some other teams won't have. There will be good players that they can't keep because of the cap squeeze. It's the offseason when those type of significant deals will be made. What I don't want to see us do is make a deal/s because the GM is feeling the pressure to do something for the sake of doing something. After the season we will be in a better posture when considering deals. What I am watching now is the effort and players staying with the system and being disciplined. While some wallow in their misery because of the current situation I'm hopeful that in the not too distant future the tide will turn in our favor.

Your mother had a lot of people at the funeral because she touched more people than you realized. I'm sure some people in attendance hadn't seen her in a long time but wanted to pay their respects for the simple fact that they wanted to acknowledge that through her goodness and kindness she touched them. We often are not aware how we influence people but how we live is how we will be remembered. A good person is a good person. The people in attendance and many not in attendance through their thoughts and prayers were paying her respect for the person she was. Again, condolences.

Condolences. It's never easy but it seems she was ready and at peace in the end.

The Sabres have played good teams, including on the road, and performed well. The Dallas game victory on the road was an example of that. On the same road trip we played well against Nashville although we lost. We have even played top shelf teams such as Boston and went toe to toe with them on the road. It was a loss but our performance against a good team playing well indicated that our roster has some talent to build on. The Sabres are not a playoff caliber team. Anyone who believes otherwise is deluding themselves. But that is not to say that this team's future prospects are hopeless. I'm more hopeful than most that with a little more patience this team will steadily improve and be more competitive.

Many of the pieces he brought in such as Vesey, Miller and Sheary were third line caliber of players. The GM was well aware of their talent level. He made deals to improve the roster, even if it they were incremental improvements although dealing for Joki was a gem of a deal. In order to get a first or more likely a second line caliber of player he is going to have to deal a player such as Risto. If he can't get an equal value deal then I'm not going to criticize him for not executing a deal for the sake of making a deal. I have said for a long time that there was not going to be a quick fix. Most people will agree that this roster is not a complete roster. But that doesn't mean that the roster hasn't been upgraded under this GM's tenure. We have a young and talented defensive corps that includes some depth. That certainly is an upgrade from the Shaller era not too long ago. We also have an authentic first line when Olofsson comes back. What this team desperately needs is a couple of genuine second-line players to put Skinner in a better position to succeed. What I find encouraging is this organization has a HC in Krueger who has been involved in more challenging projects. Under him this team has more structure and the players are held more accountable than under the previous coaching staffs. Needless to say that I'm more optimistic about the near team future than most others who reside here. To the snickering crowd I will continue to say: Stay the course!

The attached five minute link is a recap of the game. It was taken from NHL.com. https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/buf-vs-nyr/2020/02/07/2019020840#game=2019020840,game_state=final

This is a team that when it plays a conservative and responsible defensive game can compete with everyone. That is not to say that they are better or will win. And it is clear that this isn't a playoff team. This game that I watched yesterday (switching back and forth from the Wizard's NBA game) demonstrated how under Krueger this is a much more determined and resilient team. The Sabres were playing on a back to back and they traveled to a team that was rested. I thought that overall we were the more energetic team. As was witnessed in the Detroit game the Sabres are capable of losing to one of the worst teams in the league when they play a loose defensive game. And what was shown in the Ranger game when we get good goaltending and play a tighter brand of hockey we can play with the better teams. I don't see any major trade deals being made during the season that will change the dynamic/reality/limitations of this roster. It wouldn't surprise me if a more significant deal or two will be made in the offseason when these type of deals are usually made. A couple of observations in this game: I thought that Hutton played well. Vesey seems to be playing better. And Miller shooting more adds to our limited offensive play. To the snickering and panicking crowd here I will continue to say what I have been saying: For the most part stay the course. Don't be afraid to make deals but don't act out of desperation. This offseason we will have plenty of cap space to re-sign Reinhart to a well deserved lucrative deal and still have cap space to add some beneficial pieces. The below WGR link is Krueger's post game comments. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/2-7-ralph-krueger-post-game

The below 10 min link is Sportsnets' Sam Cosentino on WGR talking about the draft. At the end of the link he talks glowingly about Cozens. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/02-04-sportsnets-sam-cosentino-with-howard-and-jeremy

The below link is an article by John Wawrow from the AP. The article deals with the issue of the team struggling and the potential for things spiraling out of control like last year. It's not going to happen with a Krueger coached team because players who falter end up watching the games from the team's suite. Whether the team is winning or losing the players are held accountable for their play. JW points out that this team has gone through three stretches: 9-2-1, 1-7-1 and 13-13-4. The last .500 stretch appears to be what this incomplete team is. https://apnews.com/d972c25cebe48be1a74d3e5559858fca?view=getnewpost

The twitter responses to Paul Hamilton's absence are funny. It's good to know that he is still with WGR. I thought that he was either sick or that WGR was retrenching because of the tight business environment.

There is no disputing the fact that Jack is a unique case. What I said about Cozens is that if he comes into camp and outplays the players he is competing with and shows that he handle the jump into a higher level of hockey then I would not be adverse to putting him on the roster. Whether we are talking about Mitts, Tage, Cozens or whomever it ultimately it comes down to each player demonstrating what he is capable of.