NHL Playoffs thread...

[bills_fan]

Like a lot of guys on this team, Roy is frustrating, because he is so inconsistent. There are times when I think he is a terrific player, and other times...well...not so much.

 

Disappointing loss, sad way for a good season to end. Just once, I would like the Sabres, or Bills, go to the post season, and not feel like the other team is dictating everything. All season, we heard how bad the Bruins forwards were, but our skilled guys found their taffy ass form, just in time for the playoffs. Some guys played well, but, for the most part...it is just more of the same. This team obviously has some talent, but, they obviously are still missing key pieces.

 

Not sure if this will be the end of Lindy Ruff, as Sabres head coach, and if it is, I am not sure how I feel about it. I love the guy, but the same problems continue to hamper this team, year after year... oh well, not the end of the world, just another end to another disappointing hockey season....

 

 

I really hope not. Ruff is one of the best things to ever happen to this franchise. Is he perfect...no. But Ruff would be snapped up in a minute if we fired him. And our coaching would be much, much worse. The man can't make chicken soup out of chicken ****. Fix the roster and LIndy would look a lot better. In fact, I daresay, if we had an xtra D-man in 2006 or the NHL called the rule as it was written and called all year in 99 we'd already have two Cups with him as coach. FIring LIndy is something the Bills would do, not the Sabres.

[Simon]

Derek Roy is the worst hockey player in the history of the world. Please retire.

He looks like a HOF'er next to Pominville. I'd make him buy his own ticket home.

[EndZoneCrew]

They get it...look at the last two draft classes with the exception of Ennis. But got to get what you can for Roy/Connolly.

 

What do you mean by this?

[bills_fan]

What do you mean by this?

 

 

The last two draft classes are all big, strong guys. No more little smurf-like fairies.

 

Avg size of 09 class...6' 2.5" and 208.5 lbs. Prototypical power forwards. The 08 class, with the exception of Ennis, is similarly sized.

 

I'm not saying they will all be stars, but big guys usually beat little guys in a physical game.

[Curse Of Rusty Jones]

Last 3 elimination games....4GA, 3GA, and 4GA for Miller....pattern developing?

 

Discuss.

[bills_fan]

Last 3 elimination games....4GA, 3GA, and 4GA for Miller....pattern developing?

 

Discuss.

 

 

I think this was discussed earlier...he's not Hasek or Roy or in-his-prime Brodeur, who would stone you in elimination games. But, I don't see any goalie in the NHL who is better than Miller right now. Got to get a PP QB on D (0 for the series is embarassing), bigger at forward, get a legit #1 C and a veteran who has won the Cup. They are not far away...Vanek/Myers/Miller are the three best players the Sabres have had at one point in quite some time. Its going to be fun watching them develop over the next couple of years. But gotta keep adding pieces.

[BuffOrange]

Last 3 elimination games....4GA, 3GA, and 4GA for Miller....pattern developing?

 

Discuss.

 

Other than the pattern of not counting the elimination game he won 3 days ago?

[Chef Jim]

Other than the pattern of not counting the elimination game he won 3 days ago?

 

Well if he included that it would have !@#$ed up his pattern now wouldn't it.

[LongLiveRalph]

Like a lot of guys on this team, Roy is frustrating, because he is so inconsistent. There are times when I think he is a terrific player, and other times...well...not so much.

 

Disappointing loss, sad way for a good season to end. Just once, I would like the Sabres, or Bills, go to the post season, and not feel like the other team is dictating everything. All season, we heard how bad the Bruins forwards were, but our skilled guys found their taffy ass form, just in time for the playoffs. Some guys played well, but, for the most part...it is just more of the same. This team obviously has some talent, but, they obviously are still missing key pieces.

 

Not sure if this will be the end of Lindy Ruff, as Sabres head coach, and if it is, I am not sure how I feel about it. I love the guy, but the same problems continue to hamper this team, year after year... oh well, not the end of the world, just another end to another disappointing hockey season....

 

I agree man...I always seem to agree with most of your posts about the Sabres...Pretty measured, they are far from the greatest team ever when they win, and far from the worst team ever when they lose.

 

They've signed Connolly to two contracts now when he's been pretty worthless. "A point-per-game player when he's healthy" as Darcy calls him. Well, he's rarely been healthy, and when he is, he performs a major disappearing act when it matters. Truthfully, the fact that he stuck his nose into the fray and scored that tying goal in Ottawa in game 1 2006 is amazing...He plays like the most unclutch player I could imagine.

 

Roy is the least of this team's problems. In an 82 game season, he is probably their best forward in 50 of those. Granted, when he's bad, he's bad. But he continues to produce on a team that severely lacks production.

 

Simon mentioned in a post that Pominville makes Roy look like Gretzky. I agree. I don't know what it is, I can't stand Pominville. I know he's produced also (on a team that lacks production.) Something about his game drives me crazy. He seems a step behind, and super predictable with shots and passes. And he's as soft as they come.

 

As for Lindy...I am on the fence. He seems to get a MAJOR pass, consistently, because of the roster. Yet, everyone consistently talks about the great relationship he has with Regier (both about to enter their 14th season.) If you think Lindy has nothing to do with the players who have departed or been acquired, you're crazy.

 

I really think Ruff is living off of the ECF and SCF runs of 98-99, and the ECF runs of 05-06. He has been lackluster otherwise, even with the best goalie in the world between the pipes. Like buftex said, it seems to be many of the same issues that plague the team. The Sabres have missed the playoffs in 6 of his 13 seasons. Take it for what it's worth, but everyone blames Drew Stafford for "sucking" (which he may.) However, he entered the NHL playing loose, and used his size and skill as a benefit on a 3rd line to score goals on a talented team. Now he's so twisted up about "the system" and his responsibilities that he's a mess and a healthy scratch. Raffi Torres commented several times on how hard it was to get assimilated to the Sabres style, and scored zero goals for the Sabres since the trade deadline (in what every "hockey person" out there thought was a good trade for Buffalo.) Well, they won a division title, so they were doing something right. I'm just saying, Ruff has a history of snuffing out the creativity of players who might require some extra rope to be successful. Thomas Vanek could be a 50 goal scorer in this league but Lindy will likely keep him in the 27 range, while making snide comments to the media about what Vanek was missing in his "defensive responsibilities."

 

Like you said buftex, dissapointing loss. I wasn't ready for it to end, I would've loved a game 7 and would've loved the Pittsburgh challenge (with home ice.) But this team just didn't have it. Boston's supposedly anemic offense made Buffalo's forwards look like a joke. The PP was horrid, much as it was in 2006.

 

They have an all-world goalie for the second time in a decade. They blew it once. The second guy will be 30 this offseason. It's time to take a serious run at this thing. If they continue with the status quo and the "internal improvement" model, then they just don't get it. The recent drafts have been promising. But they players they've chosen to build around, and the free agent (or lack of) signings have been less than inspiring. This next season will be a big one for Lindy and the front office. Now this "young" team has playoff experience, in a tough series against a rival. Now it's time to take the next step.

[Heels20X6]

I think this was discussed earlier...he's not Hasek or Roy or in-his-prime Brodeur, who would stone you in elimination games. But, I don't see any goalie in the NHL who is better than Miller right now. Got to get a PP QB on D (0 for the series is embarassing), bigger at forward, get a legit #1 C and a veteran who has won the Cup. They are not far away...Vanek/Myers/Miller are the three best players the Sabres have had at one point in quite some time. Its going to be fun watching them develop over the next couple of years. But gotta keep adding pieces.

 

Jaroslav Halak is single-handedly beating the Capitals right now....

[WWVaBeach]

I'm just sick and tired of losing.

[Chandler#81]

I'm just sick and tired of losing.

 

This.

 

It is our legacy, fate and lot in life to come up small in big games.

 

It's who we are.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Last 3 elimination games....4GA, 3GA, and 4GA for Miller....pattern developing?

 

Discuss.

 

 

Don't dare criticize "THE GREATEST GOALIE IN THE WORLD!"

 

Not a big-game goalie.

[BuffaloBud]

I think this was discussed earlier...he's not Hasek or Roy or in-his-prime Brodeur, who would stone you in elimination games. But, I don't see any goalie in the NHL who is better than Miller right now. Got to get a PP QB on D (0 for the series is embarassing), bigger at forward, get a legit #1 C and a veteran who has won the Cup. They are not far away...Vanek/Myers/Miller are the three best players the Sabres have had at one point in quite some time. Its going to be fun watching them develop over the next couple of years. But gotta keep adding pieces.

 

Same grocery list for the Blue Jackets.

[MarkyMannn]

Connolly scored that tying goal in Ottawa in game 1 2006 is amazing...He plays like the most unclutch player I could imagine.

 

 

As for Lindy...I am on the fence. He seems to get a MAJOR pass, consistently, because of the roster. Yet, everyone consistently talks about the great relationship he has with Regier (both about to enter their 14th season.) If you think Lindy has nothing to do with the players who have departed or been acquired, you're crazy.

 

I really think Ruff is living off of the ECF and SCF runs of 98-99, and the ECF runs of 05-06. He has been lackluster otherwise, even with the best goalie in the world between the pipes. Like buftex said, it seems to be many of the same issues that plague the team. The Sabres have missed the playoffs in 6 of his 13 seasons. Take it for what it's worth, but everyone blames Drew Stafford for "sucking" (which he may.) However, he entered the NHL playing loose, and used his size and skill as a benefit on a 3rd line to score goals on a talented team. Now he's so twisted up about "the system" and his responsibilities that he's a mess and a healthy scratch. Raffi Torres commented several times on how hard it was to get assimilated to the Sabres style, and scored zero goals for the Sabres since the trade deadline (in what every "hockey person" out there thought was a good trade for Buffalo.) Well, they won a division title, so they were doing something right. I'm just saying, Ruff has a history of snuffing out the creativity of players who might require some extra rope to be successful. Thomas Vanek could be a 50 goal scorer in this league but Lindy will likely keep him in the 27 range, while making snide comments to the media about what Vanek was missing in his "defensive responsibilities."

 

BTW, that was Connolly's last goal in the NHL playoffs. That's a heck of a stretch.

 

I agree with everything you sya about Ruff. He had 2 runs, both I'm not sure were BECAUSE of him. An all-time goalie and a perfect team just after the lock-out. And I believe he kills all creativity a player brings. ie: Torres

[KD in CA]

I think this was discussed earlier...he's not Hasek or Roy or in-his-prime Brodeur, who would stone you in elimination games. But, I don't see any goalie in the NHL who is better than Miller right now. Got to get a PP QB on D (0 for the series is embarassing), bigger at forward, get a legit #1 C and a veteran who has won the Cup. They are not far away...Vanek/Myers/Miller are the three best players the Sabres have had at one point in quite some time. Its going to be fun watching them develop over the next couple of years. But gotta keep adding pieces.

 

^^^

This.

 

Miller is the best player on the team. If people want to criticize him for not being Hasek, so be it. Some people are never happy. Anyone who watched any of that series saw some extremely poor hockey played in front of the goalie.

[Dante]

Like a lot of guys on this team, Roy is frustrating, because he is so inconsistent. There are times when I think he is a terrific player, and other times...well...not so much.

 

Disappointing loss, sad way for a good season to end. Just once, I would like the Sabres, or Bills, go to the post season, and not feel like the other team is dictating everything. All season, we heard how bad the Bruins forwards were, but our skilled guys found their taffy ass form, just in time for the playoffs. Some guys played well, but, for the most part...it is just more of the same. This team obviously has some talent, but, they obviously are still missing key pieces.

 

Not sure if this will be the end of Lindy Ruff, as Sabres head coach, and if it is, I am not sure how I feel about it. I love the guy, but the same problems continue to hamper this team, year after year... oh well, not the end of the world, just another end to another disappointing hockey season....

After watching all of the series I think this team is in serious need of some fire or grit up front, obviously you do to from your post. Here is a list of free agent forwards this off season. A couple names that stick out to me is Lombardi and Jason Williams. Nice forwards I always have liked Lombardi as he plays very well in playoffs. Always a pain in the ass if your up against him. Jason Williams from a perennial winner Wings. Eric Belanger looks pretty interesting as well. All in all the pickings are pretty slim but maybe these guys could bring some push up front instead of being passive like the Roy, Connolly and so on. I thought Torres would be a nice addition but his best must be behind him as he was benched the last couple games.

[Dante]

Last 3 elimination games....4GA, 3GA, and 4GA for Miller....pattern developing?

 

Discuss.

I don't think Miller is a problem. Numbers aren't great but the goal right after the Sabres tied it at 2 was pathetic. Krejic took it from two Sabres, Myers and not sure who the other was and not one of them considered taking the body. Just let him roll out in front of the net.

[bills_fan]

After watching all of the series I think this team is in serious need of some fire or grit up front, obviously you do to from your post. Here is a list of free agent forwards this off season. A couple names that stick out to me is Lombardi and Jason Williams. Nice forwards I always have liked Lombardi as he plays very well in playoffs. Always a pain in the ass if your up against him. Jason Williams from a perennial winner Wings. Eric Belanger looks pretty interesting as well. All in all the pickings are pretty slim but maybe these guys could bring some push up front instead of being passive like the Roy, Connolly and so on. I thought Torres would be a nice addition but his best must be behind him as he was benched the last couple games.

 

 

I'd love to see Guerin (or Recchi) brought in to show some of these guys how to be pros. I also think Matt Cullen would be a real nice fit given his PP experience. Agree with respect to Lombardi...he would be a great addition.

 

Is this list right and Frolov is a UFA? Interesting....

[Chef Jim]

Don't dare criticize "THE GREATEST GOALIE IN THE WORLD!"

 

Not a big-game goalie.

 

Hey dude we get it but if you think the person between the pipes is the biggest problem with this team I'd suggest you follow a different sport because you obviously don't understand this one.