Buffalo Sabres and NHL 2024-2025

[Jauronimo]

8 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

Yep, that’s where I’m at too.

 

They are out of excuses. It’s not coaching. It’s not goaltending. It’s not the age of the roster. This team is just mediocre at best.

 

i keep hearing that stupid line of Adams from the summer repeating in my head-

 

“I’m not worried about scoring goals. This team has plenty of talent”.

 

oh yeah? They do? Where’s this supposed “talent” at Kevyn? 

 

We’ve been tanking for a f’n decade and it still seems like we are void of actual game breaking talent. While we watch players we used to have become game breaking talents for other teams while winning Stanley cups.

 

something is just seriously wrong in Buffalo.

Quinn and Cozens massively underperforming this year is a significant issue.  No matter who they are paired with that line continues to be a black hole.  Both players are being totally outperformed by the bottom 6 role players we signed this offseason.  We do not have a second line and as a result of injury and underperformance we are messing with lines which were performing well (3rd and 4th line).   So much of this season was counting on young players to take the next step.  

 

Quinn, Kulich, Cozens, and Benson is a lot of roster space for young guys trying to find their game.  The fact that three of them played on the same line for much of the year is far from ideal.

 

Power play remains miserable. Good teams have consistently good special teams in this league.  There is no excuse to have this ineffective of a PP when you have two elite one timers on opposite sides of the umbrella in Tage and Peterka.  

 

Last night was vintage panic.  You could see the change in game play after going up 4-0.  Avs started buzzing around a bit and in the second period Buffalo was barely hanging on with strong play from UPL.  Buffalo had chances to put this game away and did nothing with breakaways.  Dahlin hits the dressing room and the wheels absolutely fell off.  

 

UPL gave up some juicy rebounds on goals 2, 3, and 5 but our Dmen did nothing.  There was utter panic and tail chasing that led up to a few of those.

[snafu]

3 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

They are out of excuses. It’s not coaching. It’s not goaltending. It’s not the age of the roster. This team is just mediocre at best.

 

Yep.  The talent is woeful. 

 

Assuming they're not jumbled around to "get someone going":

The Thompson/Tuck/Peterka line has a low ceiling.  Thompson is trying to play hero ball at this point.

Their second line has two underwhelming players and a 19 year old who really should be in the AHL.

It's pretty sad that I am stuck with looking forward to when the 3rd and 4th lines are on the ice.  But it is also incredibly telling that the players playing on those lines came from other organizations.

 

The power play is indescribably putrid.

 

Jokiharju flat out sucks.  I've been wishing they'd have moved on from him long ago.

Clifton is a barely serviceable NHL defenseman.

Power is soft and seems to get caught watching the play in the defensive zone.

Byram doesn't seem to like to play defense, and his offense isn't good enough for him to be just a one-way player.

 

 

 

 

[QCity]

On 12/4/2024 at 8:02 AM, BillsPride12 said:

The roster just isn't good enough

 

On 12/4/2024 at 12:26 PM, BillsFan4 said:

This team is just mediocre at best.

 

 

Yeah, pretty much. The effort was certainly there tonight, but they just aren't as talented as Winnipeg. 

[davefan66]

Sabres press conference today at 11:30.

 

Just mentioned on WGR, so I believe it is a thing.  Don’t see a link other than Sabrespace and Reddit mentions.  So take it FWIW. 
 

Wonder what it’s for?

Edited December 6 by davefan66

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

1 hour ago, davefan66 said:

Sabres press conference today at 11:30.

 

Just mentioned on WGR, so I believe it is a thing.  Don’t see a link other than Sabrespace and Reddit mentions.  So take it FWIW. 
 

Wonder what it’s for?

Another new alternative jersey?  Adding more pepperoni to the pizza at concessions? I’m sure it’s something to electrify the fans 😂

[billsfanmiamioh]

15 minutes ago, AlCowlingsTaxiService said:

Another new alternative jersey?  Adding more pepperoni to the pizza at concessions? I’m sure it’s something to electrify the fans 😂

I think everyone’s still pretty amped about the new roof at Keybank. 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

22 minutes ago, AlCowlingsTaxiService said:

I’m sure it’s something to electrify the fans 😂

Two random fans are given cattle prods at every home game, they are allowed to 'zap' underperforming Sabres players.

Edited December 6 by Ridgewaycynic2013

[ChevyVanMiller]

I am assuming that it deals with atoms. Maybe they’re moving him to a different position and bringing in a new GM? Fingers crossed.

[Jauronimo]

11 hours ago, QCity said:

 

 

Yeah, pretty much. The effort was certainly there tonight, but they just aren't as talented as Winnipeg. 

They should have won that game.  Tired of moral victories here but they out chanced Winnipeg and had the disallowed goal which I thought was 50/50.  Can't give up 2 on 0s in OT.  No clue WTF Byram was thinking on that play other than he must have thought we were going to end it.  At least they secure 1 point.  

 

They can follow this encouraging effort with laying an egg against the Mormon Tabernacle Ball Hockey Club.

[BillsFan4]

4 hours ago, davefan66 said:

Sabres press conference today at 11:30.

 

Just mentioned on WGR, so I believe it is a thing.  Don’t see a link other than Sabrespace and Reddit mentions.  So take it FWIW. 
 

Wonder what it’s for?

Yeah it was announced yesterday that Kevyn Adams would be meeting with the media today at 11:30am.

 

I am guessing it will be a mostly nothing press conference. It’ll just be him trying to appease an angry fan base. I’d love to be wrong though.

 

saw this over on Reddit:
😂

Quote

No need to listen, this is what he’ll say:

 

“Really believe in this group of players. Everyone has belief behind closed doors and we’re going to do everything possible to earn the trust of fans”

 

“Always looking to improve the team, but it takes two sides to make a trade. We’re looking at all our options, we’ll do whatever it takes as long as we think it will help the team.”

 

“Players understand they have to close out games better, we’ve talked about it. We’re in a much better place than even the start of the season, no one’s happy with losing and it’s time to start getting results”

 

“Terry’s always given us the green light to do whatever we feel we need to in order to improve the team, that hasn’t changed. We need to start winning if we expect players to be willing to come here.”

[BillsFan4]

Yep, it’s going to be a bunch of nothing…

 

 

 

[Jauronimo]

Quinn has played himself out of the lineup again and deservedly so.  Cozens actually looked pretty decent playing between Peterka and Benson last night.  Its pretty clear that Peterka drove that line.

 

Sabres remain in this weird limbo of win now but also let the young guys play and develop.  

[BillsFan4]

Wow, that press conference was even worse than I thought it would be. I’m annoyed I even wasted time listening to it. I should have known better.

[davefan66]

46 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

Wow, that press conference was even worse than I thought it would be. I’m annoyed I even wasted time listening to it. I should have known better.

At work today, short recap or not worth it??  🤣🤣

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

1 hour ago, davefan66 said:

At work today, short recap or not worth it??  🤣🤣

Yeah … New York has taxes, not palm trees.  This was the genius emanating from GMKA’s pie hole. 

[Fleezoid]

(Kevyn Adams approaches the podium)

 

KA: "Ummm, Yeah......I got nothin'"

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

3 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

Wow, that press conference was even worse than I thought it would be. I’m annoyed I even wasted time listening to it. I should have known better.

Maybe he should have started with "How 'bout them Bills!?"

🤔

[QCity]

 

This joke was going around and sadly you would have hit Bingo 5 minutes into that press conference. He was defensive, dismissive and sounded like a dead man walking that's out of ideas. We're in the 5th year of Adams and the team is still barely treading water. Do we have to get to a point where Bettman steps in?

[Jauronimo]

Did you guys think you were going to get a public apology? A sacrificial lamb? A quart of blood perhaps?  The media requested access to the GM and he obliged them.  The same old questions were asked and the same old answers given.  

 

What combination of words will make you feel better about another year of playing below expectations and hoping to snag the last wild card spot?

[QCity]

19 minutes ago, Jauronimo said:

The same old questions were asked and the same old answers given.  

 

That definitely wasn't the same old answers lol. He blamed the weather, NYS taxes, and even snarkily quipped that he should have re-signed 43yr old Craig Anderson to stop reporters commenting about the team's young age.