Buffalo Sabres and NHL 2022-2023

[Jauronimo]

This isn't a playoff team.  They've gone complete implosion in 5 of their last 6, managing to at least salvage the Ducks game.  I do not recall the Sabres being blown out of the building even when they were perennial lottery favorites.  Absolutely no one in blue looked good in the first period.  Can't really assess their performance since the game ceased to be competitive after the first period.  The third was kinda fun but doesn't mean much.

[BillsPride12]

I hate to admit it but after last night I am accepting this just isn't a playoff team yet.  It seems like they were playing better hockey at the beginning of the year compared to now which is weird and doesn't make sense to me.  I do think something is wrong with Tage, he just hasn't looked like himself in awhile but other than that this team is very healthy.  Between the way the Bills season ended and how the Sabres are running out of steam, the Buffalo Sports Seasonal Depression is really kicking in for me.

[Buffalo Super Fan]

I disagree this Buffalo Sabres team should be a NHL playoff team this season. This well the Buffalo Sabres aren’t a playoff team? Ok how long are Buffalo Sabres fans making these excuses? This is a brutal Sabres schedule down the stretch, our goaltending, our injuries, it been a rough year in Buffalo? Again and it isn’t a rough year in other communities? Yet some how they rise above to win Buffalo isn’t any different. If it was such a rough year in Buffalo explain how the UB Bulls won a bowl game, the Buffalo Bandits went to the NLL finals and the Buffalo Bills won the AFC East Division yet it is too tough for the Buffalo Sabres to rise above it? Why are the Buffalo Sabres any different? Expansion teams Buffalo Bandits MILL indoor lacrosse and Buffalo Stampede RHI roller hockey won championships there first season and there players were far from multi millionaires like the Buffalo Sabres? I am not asking anything unreasonable the Sabres making the playoffs half the teams make the NHL playoffs in hockey. Face it some Buffalo Sabres fans not this one give the Buffalo Sabres excuses for losing forever. That isn’t acceptable nor understandable anymore.
 

So Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens are adult enough to sign a Buffalo Sabres NHL contract extension but just kids when the Buffalo Sabres lose? Which is it you can’t have it both ways Sabres fans with the forever excuses. If the Buffalo Sabres want to be treated like kids then they should be paid like kids? My point zero excuses anymore for the Buffalo Sabres. We are way beyond the excuses for the Buffalo Sabres. That Buffalo Sabres game was pathetic last night against the Toronto Maple Leafs the Buffalo Sabres took two periods off and decided to play in the third period in the hockey games garbage time not acceptable. Again this is a NHL team not Buffalo State Bengals Division 3 NCAA hockey with friends and family attending games as Buffalo State Bengals hockey fans. I don’t make excuses for that disgrace on Main Street Division I basketball that I am alum of Canisius College my Griffs basketball team is pure garbage and Reggie Witherspoon needs to be fired. So if I have a bar of expectations for Griffs basketball win the MAAC. I certainly have expectations for the Buffalo Sabres that players are multi millionaire players. To the Buffalo Sabres team do your job for the entire game and for my Griffs for the love of college basketball fire Reggie Witherspoon in my opinion. Go Sabres! Go Griffs! Let’s Go Buffalo 

Edited February 22, 2023 by Buffalo Super Fan

[Jauronimo]

10 minutes ago, Buffalo Super Fan said:

I disagree this Buffalo Sabres team should be a NHL playoff team this season. This well the Buffalo Sabres aren’t a playoff team? Ok how long are Buffalo Sabres fans making these excuses? This is a brutal Sabres schedule down the stretch, our goaltending, our injuries, it been a rough year in Buffalo? Again and it isn’t a rough year in other communities? Yet some how they rise above to win Buffalo isn’t any different. If it was such a rough year in Buffalo explain how the UB Bulls won a bowl game, the Buffalo Bandits went to the NLL finals and the Buffalo Bills won the AFC East Division yet it is too tough for the Buffalo Sabres to rise above it? Why are the Buffalo Sabres any different? Expansion teams Buffalo Bandits MILL indoor lacrosse and Buffalo Stampede RHI roller hockey won championships there first season and there players were far from multi millionaires like the Buffalo Sabres? I am not asking anything unreasonable the Sabres making the playoffs half the teams make the NHL playoffs in hockey. Face it some Buffalo Sabres fans not this one give the Buffalo Sabres excuses for losing forever. That isn’t acceptable nor understandable anymore.
 

So Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens are adult enough to sign a Buffalo Sabres NHL contract extension but just kids when the Buffalo Sabres lose? Which is it you can’t have it both ways Sabres fans with the forever excuses. If the Buffalo Sabres want to be treated like kids then they should be paid like kids? My point zero excuses anymore for the Buffalo Sabres. We are way beyond the excuses for the Buffalo Sabres. That Buffalo Sabres game was pathetic last night against the Toronto Maple Leafs the Buffalo Sabres took two periods off and decided to play in the third period in the hockey games garbage time not acceptable. Again this is a NHL team not Buffalo State Bengals Division 3 NCAA hockey with friends and family attending games as Buffalo State Bengals hockey fans. I don’t make excuses for that disgrace on Main Street Division I basketball that I am alum of Canisius College my Griffs basketball team is pure garbage and Reggie Witherspoon needs to be fired. So if I have a bar of expectations for Griffs basketball win the MAAC. I certainly have expectations for the Buffalo Sabres that players are multi millionaire players. To the Buffalo Sabres team do your job for the entire game and for my Griffs for the love of college basketball fire Reggie Witherspoon in my opinion. Go Sabres! Go Griffs! Let’s Go Buffalo 

I am certain that you could leave me just as confused with fewer words.  Maybe not as annoyed, but every bit as confused.  

[Fleezoid]

Going to the game in Tampa tomorrow night. First one in years.

 

Hopefully the away team shows up and not that mess of indifference that played last night. And maybe Sabres fans can pay it forward, at least to a small degree, and show up as a big away fan presence. There's usually a good amount of Sabre fans there.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

1 hour ago, Buffalo Super Fan said:

I disagree this Buffalo Sabres team should be a NHL playoff team this season. This well the Buffalo Sabres aren’t a playoff team? Ok how long are Buffalo Sabres fans making these excuses? This is a brutal Sabres schedule down the stretch, our goaltending, our injuries, it been a rough year in Buffalo? Again and it isn’t a rough year in other communities? Yet some how they rise above to win Buffalo isn’t any different. If it was such a rough year in Buffalo explain how the UB Bulls won a bowl game, the Buffalo Bandits went to the NLL finals and the Buffalo Bills won the AFC East Division yet it is too tough for the Buffalo Sabres to rise above it? Why are the Buffalo Sabres any different? Expansion teams Buffalo Bandits MILL indoor lacrosse and Buffalo Stampede RHI roller hockey won championships there first season and there players were far from multi millionaires like the Buffalo Sabres? I am not asking anything unreasonable the Sabres making the playoffs half the teams make the NHL playoffs in hockey. Face it some Buffalo Sabres fans not this one give the Buffalo Sabres excuses for losing forever. That isn’t acceptable nor understandable anymore.
 

So Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens are adult enough to sign a Buffalo Sabres NHL contract extension but just kids when the Buffalo Sabres lose? Which is it you can’t have it both ways Sabres fans with the forever excuses. If the Buffalo Sabres want to be treated like kids then they should be paid like kids? My point zero excuses anymore for the Buffalo Sabres. We are way beyond the excuses for the Buffalo Sabres. That Buffalo Sabres game was pathetic last night against the Toronto Maple Leafs the Buffalo Sabres took two periods off and decided to play in the third period in the hockey games garbage time not acceptable. Again this is a NHL team not Buffalo State Bengals Division 3 NCAA hockey with friends and family attending games as Buffalo State Bengals hockey fans. I don’t make excuses for that disgrace on Main Street Division I basketball that I am alum of Canisius College my Griffs basketball team is pure garbage and Reggie Witherspoon needs to be fired. So if I have a bar of expectations for Griffs basketball win the MAAC. I certainly have expectations for the Buffalo Sabres that players are multi millionaire players. To the Buffalo Sabres team do your job for the entire game and for my Griffs for the love of college basketball fire Reggie Witherspoon in my opinion. Go Sabres! Go Griffs! Let’s Go Buffalo 

…or you could be able to think flexibly and understand while this team has assembled a core of very good young prospects and COULD make the playoffs, the reality is that they still have holes on the roster and aren’t quite to where they need to be to compete with teams like Toronto, Carolina, Boston, etc…

 

Both can be perceived to be true.  You can reasonably believe that this is a much improved team on the right trajectory.  You can also believe that playoffs is not yet a reasonable expectation.

[Fleezoid]

2 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

…or you could be able to think flexibly and understand while this team has assembled a core of very good young prospects and COULD make the playoffs, the reality is that they still have holes on the roster and aren’t quite to where they need to be to compete with teams like Toronto, Carolina, Boston, etc…

 

Both can be perceived to be true.  You can reasonably believe that this is a much improved team on the right trajectory.  You can also believe that playoffs is not yet a reasonable expectation.

 

Which brings up the question.....

 

 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

1 hour ago, Fleezoid said:

 

Which brings up the question.....

 

 

I mean, considering we picked #1 overall only 2 seasons ago, I’ll wait another season to dig out the pitchforks and torches.

[T&C]

5 hours ago, Fleezoid said:

Going to the game in Tampa tomorrow night. First one in years.

 

Hopefully the away team shows up and not that mess of indifference that played last night. And maybe Sabres fans can pay it forward, at least to a small degree, and show up as a big away fan presence. There's usually a good amount of Sabre fans there.

Should be a good turn out, I know a few people who are going. Sabres fans represent well in Tampa... didn't know you lived here too.

 

I'm gonna have to pass, I have a ton to do tomorrow.

[Nextmanup]

13 minutes ago, T&C said:

Should be a good turn out, I know a few people who are going. Sabres fans represent well in Tampa... didn't know you lived here too.

 

I'm gonna have to pass, I have a ton to do tomorrow.

I expect us to lose our third in a row tomorrow, probably in bad fashion again.  So I don't blame you for not going.

 

Hopefully we turn it around on Friday in Ft. Lauderdale.

 

 

[Jrb1979]

I think they are still very in it. They are only 4 points back with 5 games in hand on Florida. After tonight against Tampa the schedule gets much easier. They play Florida tomorrow, then Washington and Columbus. I think they will get 4-5 out of the possible 6 points. 

[Gregg]

The Islanders winning last night didn't help. The Sabres do have 6 games in hand on them but are now 7 points back. Would have to go 4-2 to make it up with their games in hand. Can't have too many more games where they **** the bed like they did against the Leafs.

[The Jokeman]

4 minutes ago, Jrb1979 said:

I think they are still very in it. They are only 4 points back with 5 games in hand on Florida. After tonight against Tampa the schedule gets much easier. They play Florida tomorrow, then Washington and Columbus. I think they will get 4-5 out of the possible 6 points. 

It's all up to the defense/goaltending. Yet that's been the story all season. 

[Jrb1979]

27 minutes ago, The Jokeman said:

It's all up to the defense/goaltending. Yet that's been the story all season. 

I know it does. I think many forget this season was a development one. Being in the mix this late in the season is a bonus. I think they can still make it but I'm also not expecting many additions at the deadline. IMO they are still a year away from being a major playoff contender. 

[Nextmanup]

2 hours ago, Gregg said:

The Islanders winning last night didn't help. The Sabres do have 6 games in hand on them but are now 7 points back. Would have to go 4-2 to make it up with their games in hand. Can't have too many more games where they **** the bed like they did against the Leafs.

Have a look at our schedule from here on out.  It's probably over already.

 

We only play bad teams a handful of times and have one of the hardest schedules in the league.  

 

There's still hope, and I'll be watching all their games as always, but I've already kind of lost my enthusiasm for getting it done.

 

1 hour ago, Jrb1979 said:

I know it does. I think many forget this season was a development one. Being in the mix this late in the season is a bonus. I think they can still make it but I'm also not expecting many additions at the deadline. IMO they are still a year away from being a major playoff contender. 

I don't think we'll do a thing at the deadline, and I'm OK with that.  The changes will come in the offseason.

 

Next year the expectation will and should be to be in the playoffs. 

 

 

[Jukester]

I think they'd make the playoffs if they played all their remaining games on the road.  WTF with the home record.

[ChevyVanMiller]

[BillsFan4]

What a win! They even overcame pretty bad officiating.

 

I love beating this dirty Tampa team!

 

Tage with a monster game. That’s the Tage we need down the stretch. Hopefully this game can be a stepping stone to get them going again.

 

Big win! Big 2 points.

Edited February 24, 2023 by BillsFan4

[Process]

Sabres 29-27 (62 points) Detroit 27-29 (62 points) Pittsburgh 27-30 (63 points).

 

I'm a casual hockey fan so genuinely curious. Is there a reason for teams getting a point for losing in OT? Seems extremely stupid to get credit for taking longer to lose. 

[T&C]

5 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

What a win! They even overcame pretty bad officiating.

 

I love beating this dirty Tampa team!

 

Tage with a monster game. That’s the Tage we need down the stretch. Hopefully this game can be a stepping stone to get them going again.

 

Big win! Big 2 points.

I live in the Tampa area so I'll wear a Sabres shirt tomorrow... helluva win for sure. My next door neighbor works at Amalie and before the game he sent me a laughing emoji... I'm laughing last.