Buffalo Sabres and NHL 2022-2023

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

 

[Jauronimo]

21 hours ago, Jauronimo said:

They have completely imploded in a number of games.  I wouldn't call it quitting since I still see effort but it looks like total panic mode once they give up a goal.  They press, Dmen start pinching at horrible times, the odd man rushes start, and the wheels come off.  Every night we see goals scored where defenders are actually in good position but everyone is just watching the puck.  Passing lanes are open and forwards are sneaking in behind our D and wingers.   Its not good enough to be standing in the right spot.  

 

Apparently this team simply cannot play defense without Samuelsson in the lineup.  Anderson was poor last night, no question, but most of the odd man rushes were stupid mistakes.   I believe first line was on the ice for 3 against last night before the empty netter.

 

Preds game could have been different if Olofsson or Skinner do anything with their chances before the game was out of reach.  Power play has been poor for weeks now and offense is not burying their chances.  

 

A little statistical backup.

[jayg]

1 hour ago, Jauronimo said:

 

A little statistical backup.

Wow! Hopefully they can pick up some more defenseman like him in the off-season.

[Buffalo Super Fan]

Regardless of what happens this season I think next year is firing time for Don Granato and Kevyn Adams if this team doesn’t make the playoffs next season. Am I expecting that a playoff birth definitely for 2023-24 two months ago yes. Today no I see this team took the easy way out again and the future for playoffs is cloudy.
Pressure excuse is a ridiculous excuse for having no answers of the Buffalo Sabres collapse again. Every player in the NHL has pressure. How come the Buffalo Sabres haven’t responded for 12 plus years of pressure? It’s a lazy way out of saying the Buffalo Sabres took the easy way out again and are ready to golf because spring is in the air. The Buffalo Sabres are ridiculous and I will be watching the baseball Buffalo Bisons March 31. Next season clean house if the Buffalo Sabres are in the same situation again. Some Buffalo Sabres fans think the Sabres have all this time they don’t. Every year this continues the Buffalo Sabres lose money. Devon Levi better be the answer for next season or I don’t think Don Granato is going to have a job. I question Kevyn Adams being retained because he continues to not address the goalie and defense issues on this hockey team along with hiring Don Granato as head coach to begin with. I would fire both if the Buffalo Sabres don’t make the playoffs next season.

 

I don’t like our current Buffalo Sabres development setup at all it’s outdated I would leave Rochester. PSE needs to leave Rochester sell the Rochester teams to Rochester community ownership. Then the Buffalo Sabres need to buy land in either Erie County or Niagara County build a complex like the Vegas Golden Knights did in Henderson a Las Vegas suburb Dollar Loan Center a 5,500 arena for $70 million dollars to host the Buffalo Sabres practices and the new Buffalo Sabres AHL franchise along with smaller sports Buffalo franchises like the Vegas Golden Knights do with the indoor football and NBA G League get out of Rochester. The Blue Cross Arena is no place to develop players anymore when are the Buffalo Sabres going to get this? The Sabres keep doing the same things expecting different results. Again there is a reason why the Las Vegas Golden Knights run a first class organization and the Buffalo Sabres don’t think about it. Trucking to Rochester is ridiculous the Buffalo Sabres prospects should get set up in Buffalo learning to deal with living in Buffalo and pressure from day one in Buffalo. It might have been easier to sell Buffalo Sabres prospects on the AHL

for a year if the franchise was in Buffalo area instead 90 minutes away. Where a Devon Levi can see the veteran Buffalo Sabres players interacting in the same training facility we have no such thing in Rochester that mind as well be Los Angeles. BSF why do you think PSE won’t do that? Money $70 million dollars why Terry Pegula that bum won’t do it. Tie it in with one of the Seneca Casino to cut costs I don’t care how the Buffalo Sabres do it. But it has to be done I have been saying this for years the Buffalo Sabres need to leave Rochester the Blue Cross Arena is no place to train modern professional hockey players today in my opinion. Go Sabres! Let’s Go Buffalo 

[T&C]

What the *****... lol

[Fleezoid]

3 hours ago, Jauronimo said:

 

A little statistical backup.

 

I've never been a big Dahlin fan. Early in his career he was inconsistent defensively and couldn't keep pucks in at the point. Sure, his game has gotten better the last year and a half. But if one defenseman not named Dahlin can cause this much of swing, it's got to be a knock on Dahlin. I know he's dinged up a bit and maybe it's a bad defensive scheme that Samuelsson covers up, but if Dahlin is a true trophy contender than the D should not be this bad. 

[Jauronimo]

Just now, Fleezoid said:

 

I've never been a big Dahlin fan. Early in his career he was inconsistent defensively and couldn't keep pucks in at the point. Sure, his game has gotten better the last year and a half. But if one defenseman not named Dahlin can cause this much of swing, it's got to be a knock on Dahlin. I know he's dinged up a bit and maybe it's a bad defensive scheme that Samuelsson covers up, but if Dahlin is a true trophy contender than the D should not be this bad. 

Dahlin is improving defensively and has gotten considerably better in his own zone.  He has vastly reduced the number of WTF plays he used to make and now hes often the guy who gets hung out to dry on odd man rushes rather than the reason for 2 on 1s.  He still gets caught puck watching, near a guy but not on a guy.  Honestly, its hard for me to even critique defensive play in this era since long gone are the days where you could actually mug a guy just for standing in front of your net.  So take my assessment with a shaker of salt.  I dont know how they coach them to play in the open ice era.  I know I see a lot more strange positioning, like two Dmen behind the net for puck support when a winger is standing in front of the net alone.  That was a cardinal sin years ago.

 

Dahlin is an elite puck moving defenseman and offensive threat.  His skating ability and puck handling really shine when hes working the point.  The time and space he buys with subtle movements is really amazing.  He added some scoring touch this year when healthy but its clear hes been dealing with injuries down the stretch. 

 

With Power and Dahlin in the lineup we really need a few more stay at home, reliable defenseman who are tough to play against.  Team defense is a major priority next year.  I believe scoring was a major emphasis this year as Granato has pointed out many times this team was last in scoring when he took over and you cant win or entertain anyone without filling the net.  To get the fans back, offense was a priority.  

[QCity]

6 hours ago, Jauronimo said:

 

 

 

It's an interesting stat but I think it proves more about the old "correlation does not equal causation" adage. A month ago when this collapse was just starting Mule was on the ice for the ridiculous Blue Jackets loss, the 7-1 beatdown by the Bruins, and whatever you want to call that 10-4 goal loss to the Stars was. He's no more the key to the Sabres winning than Poyer is to the Bills winning. 

[T&C]

I have the game on and I'm just waiting for us to lose... after a nice lead. 

[Dr. Who]

Goathead magic. They held on.

[BillsFan4]

1 hour ago, Dr. Who said:

Goathead magic. They held on.

When the devils scored that 4th goal i was like "they're going to blow this, aren't they?" lol

 

I was very happy they didn't! I thought they actually played a pretty good 3rd period despite the goals against. They didn't just sit back and try to defend the lead. They kept the pressure on and pushed back. It was nice to see them playing good hockey again.

[Buffalo Super Fan]

2 hours ago, Dr. Who said:

Goathead magic. They held on.

Yes along with the New Jersey Devils aren’t going anywhere either with Lindy Ruff. It’s the competition level the Buffalo Sabres are simply not ready to beat top elite level NHL hockey teams on a consistent basis yet unfortunately. If the elite team has a goalie lights out the Buffalo Sabres lose. Again I don’t care if the Buffalo Sabres go 0-82 next season I want Devon Levi to be the starter goalie next season.
 

Enough with this five and dime alternating three goalies. If you are playing three goalies you don’t have a starting goalie. Again Devon Levi needs to play if he is awful next season guess who is going into the draft in 2024 looking for another franchise goalie? The Buffalo Sabres in my opinion. Go Sabres! Let’s Go Buffalo 

[Dr. Who]

2 hours ago, Buffalo Super Fan said:

Yes along with the New Jersey Devils aren’t going anywhere either with Lindy Ruff. It’s the competition level the Buffalo Sabres are simply not ready to beat top elite level NHL hockey teams on a consistent basis yet unfortunately. If the elite team has a goalie lights out the Buffalo Sabres lose. Again I don’t care if the Buffalo Sabres go 0-82 next season I want Devon Levi to be the starter goalie next season.
 

Enough with this five and dime alternating three goalies. If you are playing three goalies you don’t have a starting goalie. Again Devon Levi needs to play if he is awful next season guess who is going into the draft in 2024 looking for another franchise goalie? The Buffalo Sabres in my opinion. Go Sabres! Let’s Go Buffalo 

They need to get a legit goalie for next season and not rush Levi. If he is an exception and NHL ready next year, all the better. I'm hoping they can pry Saros away from the Preds in the offseason. 

[Nextmanup]

6 hours ago, Dr. Who said:

They need to get a legit goalie for next season and not rush Levi. If he is an exception and NHL ready next year, all the better. I'm hoping they can pry Saros away from the Preds in the offseason. 

The no. 1 point of interest for Sabres fans this off-season should be what they do at goaltender.

 

They've passed the buck for a while now but I agree, can't do it anymore and don't want to rush Levi.

 

We need a No. 1 better than anyone we have now, but who will not be here so long and at such cost that he becomes a problem once Levi is ready.

 

I have a hunch Levi will start the season next year in Rochester, play 20 or so games, get a call up, look good, and never go back.  It might be just that fast.

 

I can't wait to see what this kid looks like next week when he finally gets in a game for the Sabres.

 

I hope we are wearing the all black goat heads!

 

 

[Beast]

11 hours ago, Buffalo Super Fan said:

Yes along with the New Jersey Devils aren’t going anywhere either with Lindy Ruff. It’s the competition level the Buffalo Sabres are simply not ready to beat top elite level NHL hockey teams on a consistent basis yet unfortunately. If the elite team has a goalie lights out the Buffalo Sabres lose. Again I don’t care if the Buffalo Sabres go 0-82 next season I want Devon Levi to be the starter goalie next season.
 

Enough with this five and dime alternating three goalies. If you are playing three goalies you don’t have a starting goalie. Again Devon Levi needs to play if he is awful next season guess who is going into the draft in 2024 looking for another franchise goalie? The Buffalo Sabres in my opinion. Go Sabres! Let’s Go Buffalo 

You just have some awful takes. 
 

“Again I don’t care if the Buffalo Sabres go 0-82 next season I want Devon Levi to be the starter goalie next season.”

 

Stupidity.

 

 

Edited March 25, 2023 by Beast

[T&C]

Well, we aren't losing after 1 ... there is a very small window left open.

[T&C]

47 minutes ago, T&C said:

Well, we aren't losing after 1 ... there is a very small window left open.

And we aren't losing after 2 ... there is a very small window left open.

[BillsPride12]

5 minutes ago, T&C said:

And we aren't losing after 2 ... there is a very small window left open.

This is a prime example of one of those games where as a Sabres fan your on pins and needles because Comrie can let in a soft one at any second 

[Dr. Who]

1 hour ago, BillsPride12 said:

This is a prime example of one of those games where as a Sabres fan your on pins and needles because Comrie can let in a soft one at any second 

Good for the young man. Sabres gutted it out. Islanders try to win by putting everyone to sleep with the most boring hockey in the world.

[SinceThe70s]

1 hour ago, Dr. Who said:

Good for the young man. Sabres gutted it out. Islanders try to win by putting everyone to sleep with the most boring hockey in the world.

 

Isles fan here so first off congrats on the dub. Road shutouts aren't easy to come by.

 

As to the boring hockey, meh. Lamoriello's teams have been defense/goalie-first dating back to his Devils teams. It's a great formula for post-season but can be tough to maintain regular season. Isles have been very competitive since Lou took over and from where I sit it hasn't been boring hockey at all.