plenzmd1 Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 So, just listening to Travis Yost on GR. Must say, @JohnC may have some points. He puts a huge blame on the goalie”s for the last two months. Says 3 more wins minimum if goalies play to league average save percentage at 5-5( adjusted for shot location, danger etc ) he went on to say say he defends Housley by saying Roster is not playoff ready. However, in his words “ not an A effort” on either side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 1 hour ago, plenzmd1 said: So, just listening to Travis Yost on GR. Must say, @JohnC may have some points. He puts a huge blame on the goalie”s for the last two months. Says 3 more wins minimum if goalies play to league average save percentage at 5-5( adjusted for shot location, danger etc ) he went on to say say he defends Housley by saying Roster is not playoff ready. However, in his words “ not an A effort” on either side. There are talent issues that are obvious, at least to me. With the exception of the very elite teams parity is prevalent. When you don't have a margin for error and repeatedly make mistakes that are converted you are going to lose. Yesterday's game against the Oilers is an example of that. The Sabres outplayed the Oilers and had more scoring chances. Ullmark let in a couple of soft goals and our defenders, not just the defensemen, cluelessly lost sight of the people they were supposed to cover. What's the solution? The players who are free lancers and are not conscientious about upholding their defensive responsibilities should be replaced. Risto is a physically imposing defenseman. He is capable of crunching the opposition. But too often he plays like a dope. Hitting someone without a purpose to the detriment of one's defensive responsibility is not acceptable. When you are a first pairing defenseman you are playing against the opposition's best goal scorers who can convert your mistakes into goals. And that happens too often. The difference between winning games during the streak and losing these one goal games is the caliber of the goal tending. Early on the goalies were making the critical stops, not so much now. That's one of the primary factors of this slide. I have said for a long time and I will continue to believe it that the issue/problem isn't the coach. There needs to be added talent and there needs to be players brought in who play responsibly, especially in their own end. The analysis by Travis Yost that you heard on WGR is the same analysis that almost all analysts make about this team regarding its talent pool. I don't believe that this team is far away from being a good team. I strongly believe that changing the coaching staff will set this franchise back. There needs to be added more talent and an excising of the players who don't seem to be capable of playing intelligent hockey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 @JohnC would love to get your take on why coaching changes hurt in the NHL. and , looks like Skinner gunna at least hit FA, and I assume he wants out of this mess as well. So, that should make for a fun summer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 1 hour ago, plenzmd1 said: @JohnC would love to get your take on why coaching changes hurt in the NHL. and , looks like Skinner gunna at least hit FA, and I assume he wants out of this mess as well. So, that should make for a fun summer I'm not against changing coaches per se. There is a time and place for it. This organization has churned through coaches and GMs and churned through systems. That doesn't deal with the heart of this team's problem. The problem revolves around the talent level. That issue is steadily being addressed but it is going to take a little more time. There is nothing surprising about Skinner hitting free agency. Why wouldn't he do so if it would increase his leverage with the Sabres or allow him to seek higher offers somewhere else? That's the nature of the business. What do you think that Panerin or Bobrovsky at Columbus are doing? Skinner is going to act in his own interest $$$$ just as the Sabres will act in their own interest when it comes to player decisions. Altruism is not a factor while self-interest is. Let me turn around and ask you if you are going to advocate for firing McCermott and Beane because their w/l record isn't stellar during their short tenure? If you do advocate for a change it would be a disastrous decision and set the franchise back. That football regime needs time just as the hockey regime needs time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 I think football is a completely different animal. Different schemes require different players, terminology changes, route concepts change, etc...lots of things change and I would think about 10X more complex than hockey. Very rarely do you see a coaching change mid-season make a difference in football, while it happens all the time in hockey. I don't think "continuity" behind the bench means jack squat..I do agree a bit on GMs..a bit, and would give JBOTTS one more year with a new coach. I mean look at Carolina and the Isles just as an example..new GM and coaches in each place..they did not need 3 years to have an impact, it was immediate. I heard someone the other day on GR speculate the Islanders are playing so well and look like they are always outworking the other team cause Trotz "system" is easy, the players play free cause they know exactly where to be and whats expected etc. And he is doing it with supposed lesser talent, as is Julien. Now if he could do that in 20 games, why cany Housley get that done in 150 games? If his system is that complicated it takes 3 years to teach, we gots an issue!!! I asked the other day and I am truly stumped if there has been a coach in any of the 4 major sports that had as poor a record as Housley has( tank teams excluded) and went on to success with that team ...thus proving continuity has its rewards. I can't think of any..even in the NFL. I can certainly point to the flip side of that, where coaches were retained in the name of continuity, and teams instantly got better with a new coach. My point is I think 'continuity" is an old adage we grew up with that has somehow maintained its relevancy even though it is no longer applicable. People look at winning teams and say "hey look..the coach has been there a while, that's why they are winning. I say "hey look, we have a coach who wins, let's keep him around" Kinda like hits in hockey...remember when we thought more hits was a good thing??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan4 Posted March 6, 2019 Author Share Posted March 6, 2019 6 hours ago, plenzmd1 said: @JohnC would love to get your take on why coaching changes hurt in the NHL. and , looks like Skinner gunna at least hit FA, and I assume he wants out of this mess as well. So, that should make for a fun summer I don’t think anything has changed on the Skinner front. At least not if you go by what’s being reported. Skinner just said himself the other day that this losing streak has no effect on him still wanting to be here. He said it doesn’t even factor into his decision. That he still wants to be here long term and he thinks he’s a piece of the puzzle here. Botterill also just addressed the Skinner situation in that interview on WGR550 the other day. He said they are still working towards a deal but that both sides really want to get it done. I think Botterill could have him signed right now if he were willing to give him something similar to the Stone deal ($9.5M per year). I think he is doing his best to get the Sabres a better deal than that. I heard a rumor (not sure how true it is) that Botterill is around $8M per year (or slightly less) and Skinner is around $9M per year (and likely wants a full no movement clause). Honestly, I am reluctant to sign Skinner for $9+M per year, so I’d that rumor is true I’m ok with Botts slow playing it if it gets buffalo a better deal. And there’s no way I give him a full no move without a discount on his AAV. If Skinner playing close to home is (reportedly) a big factor to him, then it seems like a fair trade to me. He gets his full no move clause and Buffalo gets a slight discount on AAV. No chance I do $9+M and a full NMC. But that’s just me. I still think a deal gets done though. I think it’s likely just a matter of the price and who caves more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan4 Posted March 6, 2019 Author Share Posted March 6, 2019 “Sabres GM shares vision for future, success” ‘Botterill discusses Dahlin's development, Skinner's status, coach's performance in talk with NHL.com’ https://www.nhl.com/news/sabres-general-manager-jason-botterill-shares-vision/c-305495260 Quote On Skinner's status: "Look, it's been a situation where we've been very honest with it. We didn't want to do a play-by-play of the negotiations in the media. All that I can tell you is, it's been a very good fit, I think, for both sides. Myself and his agents, our main focus is to find a deal, because that's what both parties are looking for, and hopefully we can find a resolution here." Speaking of Skinner... just came across this interview with botterill on NHL.com posted today. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmotionallyUnstable Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 If they don't sign Skinner, this team is in real trouble. Even if they are able to bring him back, they are already looking.for additional scoring help through free agency or a trade. I just don't see this roster changing all that much between now and next year. Unless they love Risto, I fear this team is in for another let down year waiting for kids to grow into their shoes. And this is IF they are able to bring him back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 Top O the morning to all us Sabre fans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 3 hours ago, plenzmd1 said: Top O the morning to all us Sabre fans Color me unimpressed. 35 players in the NHL are currently at or above a point per game pace (I'll ignore the three guys who have played <5 games). Last year only 24 hit that mark (again, ignoring those who barely played). If each of the players in the top 10 in scoring averages 1 point per game the rest of the season, those top ten will have on average 7 more points than last year's top ten. I'd venture a guess that a lot of players already have a career season going as of today. Right off the top, I know Kucherov does. And several more will by the end of the season. Congratulations O'Reilly, you're scoring more just like every other player in the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snafu Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 20 minutes ago, shrader said: Color me unimpressed. 35 players in the NHL are currently at or above a point per game pace (I'll ignore the three guys who have played <5 games). Last year only 24 hit that mark (again, ignoring those who barely played). If each of the players in the top 10 in scoring averages 1 point per game the rest of the season, those top ten will have on average 7 more points than last year's top ten. I'd venture a guess that a lot of players already have a career season going as of today. Right off the top, I know Kucherov does. And several more will by the end of the season. Congratulations O'Reilly, you're scoring more just like every other player in the league. Well, at least he looks happy in that photo. So there's that. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan4 Posted March 7, 2019 Author Share Posted March 7, 2019 Cant say that I’m too optimistic about tonight. Especially since they already lost 7-3 to Chicago last month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suorangefan4 Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 (edited) 3 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said: Cant say that I’m too optimistic about tonight. Especially since they already lost 7-3 to Chicago last month. A loss is better for us anyway. We're out of the playoffs. Get me a lot of losses and a center like Turcotte in the draft. What does a win accomplish at this point? Edited March 7, 2019 by suorangefan4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan4 Posted March 7, 2019 Author Share Posted March 7, 2019 Hmmm.... I wonder what teams Rob Blake was referring to. https://theathletic.com/855696/2019/03/07/gms-offseason-priorities-blackhawks-looking-to-spend-sabres-looking-to-deal-rangers-a-wild-card-and-more/ (subscription required) GMs’ offseason priorities: Blackhawks looking to spend, Sabres looking to deal, Rangers a wild card and more Quote Like other GMs in his spot, he’s seen the damage done when rebuilding teams take it down too far. “You can’t get rid of everybody,” Blake said. “You need some of these guys around. They’ve developed a culture in L.A.” lol There was a few paragraphs about Botterill - Quote 9. The Buffalo Sabres are in a completely different spot. Sabres GM Jason Botterill conceded that the Sabres recent play is disappointing but he said it doesn’t necessarily change the offseason plan. They want to make another trade to add a player with term on his contract if it makes sense. “We’ve always known that we had to make adjustments and we’ll have to make adjustments,” Botterill said. “It’s the development of the young kids. Then, also, we’ve always talked about can we add players with term that can help our group? That’s what we did with Brandon Montour. Those are the types of trades we’re going to continue to look at.” Quote .......... He smiled when told that the word on the street was that the Sabres were big game hunting at the deadline. One source mentioned the Sabres as a suitor in the Matt Duchene conversations but Botterill wasn’t giving anything up. “I think there’s discussions,” he said. “Especially around the trade deadline time, there’s always going to be more rumors than fact.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan4 Posted March 7, 2019 Author Share Posted March 7, 2019 1 minute ago, suorangefan4 said: A loss is better for us anyway. We're out of the playoffs. Get me a lot of losses and a center like Turcotte in the draft. What does a win accomplish at this point? I hear you. That’s usually where I’m at most years. I always say “what’s the point of a win streak? It never seems to carry over into next season anyway”. But I just can’t bring myself to root for draft position this year. Im just so worn out on the losing. I don’t want to see this new batch of young players (Dahlin, Mitts, Thompson etc) have their souls crushed too. So im rooting for wins, draft position be damned (not that it makes any difference what I root for...lol). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suorangefan4 Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 (edited) 19 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said: I hear you. That’s usually where I’m at most years. I always say “what’s the point of a win streak? It never seems to carry over into next season anyway”. But I just can’t bring myself to root for draft position this year. Im just so worn out on the losing. I don’t want to see this new batch of young players (Dahlin, Mitts, Thompson etc) have their souls crushed too. So im rooting for wins, draft position be damned (not that it makes any difference what I root for...lol). Losing should help us win more games in the upcoming years though. This year is done. I really hope we manage to get Turcotte. The Sabres need to get as strong as possible down the middle. Like you said my rooting won't make a difference in how they play, but I also won't be mad if they lose I'll actually be happy. lol Edited March 7, 2019 by suorangefan4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan4 Posted March 7, 2019 Author Share Posted March 7, 2019 I don’t put much stock in Jeremy White’s “SuperSecretSabresSorce” but it matches up with what I’ve heard elsewhere (and what I posted yesterday) about the Sabres being roughly $1M (per year) apart on an 8yr deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said: I hear you. That’s usually where I’m at most years. I always say “what’s the point of a win streak? It never seems to carry over into next season anyway”. But I just can’t bring myself to root for draft position this year. Im just so worn out on the losing. I don’t want to see this new batch of young players (Dahlin, Mitts, Thompson etc) have their souls crushed too. So im rooting for wins, draft position be damned (not that it makes any difference what I root for...lol). I'm with you on this. Win or lose, I need to see PROGRESSION of our younger players, Skinner hit 40 goals, Dahlin keeps adding points, and Jack hit 90 points with 30 goals. It's not a bad thing for the younger players we are absolutely dependent on to develop to finish strong, bank some wins, and leave with a more positive feeling going into the summer. But this team is a couple years away, imo, from being playoff contenders, let alone cup contenders. And Botterill's interview with NHL.com had a touch of Regier's "we are in for some suffering" vibe. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T&C Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 11 minutes ago, K-9 said: I'm with you on this. Win or lose, I need to see PROGRESSION of our younger players, Skinner hit 40 goals, Dahlin keeps adding points, and Jack hit 90 points with 30 goals. It's not a bad thing for the younger players we are absolutely dependent on to develop to finish strong, bank some wins, and leave with a more positive feeling going into the summer. But this team is a couple years away, imo, from being playoff contenders, let alone cup contenders. And Botterill's interview with NHL.com had a touch of Regier's "we are in for some suffering" vibe. Doesn't it always seem like we're a couple of years away from contention, no matter what year it is. Its just a never ending cycle... at least the Bills backdoored into the playoffs a couple of years ago. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nextmanup Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 5 hours ago, shrader said: Color me unimpressed. 35 players in the NHL are currently at or above a point per game pace (I'll ignore the three guys who have played <5 games). Last year only 24 hit that mark (again, ignoring those who barely played). If each of the players in the top 10 in scoring averages 1 point per game the rest of the season, those top ten will have on average 7 more points than last year's top ten. I'd venture a guess that a lot of players already have a career season going as of today. Right off the top, I know Kucherov does. And several more will by the end of the season. Congratulations O'Reilly, you're scoring more just like every other player in the league. You're overlooking all the other aspects to ROR's game though. He's the best face-off man in the league. Incredible 2 way player; eats tons of difficult minutes against the opposition's best players on a nightly basis... He's a hell of a good 2-way C and we miss him enormously. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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