Miller and Stifford for Dustin Brown and Bernier?
- Da_Cashman

Do you know what a dial tone sounds like?

Miller is wasting away here, we aren't winning a cup anytime soon
- SABRES 89

be that as it may, we don't have many other options and there's a chance we can turn this thing around and when we do, we'll need miller.

so you put him wiht foligno and stafford and then ennis is down with two checking wingers? that makes no sense. the kid has to learn how to not be a turn over machine and play team defense, he's probably not going to score much anyways his first year. next year, after figuring out the nhl game more, he'll be a beast.

the original line was supposed to be ott-grigo-leino, that makes a lot of sense, but with leino out it messes things up adn they have to make due.
- FIREonICE

No, you put him on the wing with Ennis and Stafford, and let Foligno be a grinder, or move Ennis to the wing (thought I don't like it). The tunnelvision when it comes to this stuff is quite mind boggling.

And Leino isn't playing any time soon, so you adjust, like good leaders do, not bang your head into a wall and hope it eventually works.

be that as it may, we don't have many other options and there's a chance we can turn this thing around and when we do, we'll need miller.
- FIREonICE

We aren't turning it around

Is it the trade deadline already?

No, you put him on the wing with Ennis and Stafford, and let Foligno be a grinder, or move Ennis to the wing (thought I don't like it). The tunnelvision when it comes to this stuff is quite mind boggling.

And Leino isn't playing any time soon, so you adjust, like good leaders do, not bang your head into a wall and hope it eventually works.
- buffalofan19

ennis, stafford and grigo is crazy, no grinders, and a bunch of soft-ish players. ennis is still learning and growing, foligno is technically a rookie, you don't put two rookies and a young guy together, especially if none of them are overly defensively responsible (foligno kind of is). what ruff is trying to do is have a balanced attack and with leino out, he's putting grigo with vets that will allow him to grow. hell the FES line last year was on fire, they wanted to see if they could do it again. stafford is doing nothing and ennis has finally learned that since stafford is useless, he has to do most things on his own.

No, you put him on the wing with Ennis and Stafford, and let Foligno be a grinder, or move Ennis to the wing (thought I don't like it). The tunnelvision when it comes to this stuff is quite mind boggling.

And Leino isn't playing any time soon, so you adjust, like good leaders do, not bang your head into a wall and hope it eventually works.
- buffalofan19

At least stop playing him Scott and give him some PP time
That'd be a good start

We aren't turning it around
- SABRES 89

89, i get it, i really do, but assuming we're (frank)ed 24/7 has got to, on some level, being extremely unhealthy, i mean LA wasn't that great the season before they won the cup, they had huge question marks on the way to the cup and they went nuts in the playoffs and the final stretch. pittsburgh fired their coach before they won a cup. point being, things DO turn around and times when things look the darkest. maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong. maybe i'm right, maybe i'm wrong, but damnit we're all sabres fans, we have to at least believe hope is possible and they will turn it around potentially.

Is it the trade deadline already?
- mhp

I wish mhp LOL, we know Darcy doesn't make moves until the deadline

ennis, stafford and grigo is crazy, no grinders, and a bunch of soft-ish players. ennis is still learning and growing, foligno is technically a rookie, you don't put two rookies and a young guy together, especially if none of them are overly defensively responsible (foligno kind of is). what ruff is trying to do is have a balanced attack and with leino out, he's putting grigo with vets that will allow him to grow. hell the FES line last year was on fire, they wanted to see if they could do it again. stafford is doing nothing and ennis has finally learned that since stafford is useless, he has to do most things on his own.
- FIREonICE

You're not supposed to have grinders on a scoring line. You're supposed to have scorers on a scoring line. Novel concept, I know.

Regier isn't trading Miller or Stafford. He'll move Leopold at the deadline and that's about it. Regier doesn't have the stones to make a big deal.

I always thought it was because his shoulder pads were too big, kind of like that guy on the City Mattress commercials.
- buffalofan19

It's not even that. It's the way his face sits in it. It's like the part that covers his chin is up around his mouth.

ennis, stafford and grigo is crazy, no grinders, and a bunch of soft-ish players. ennis is still learning and growing, foligno is technically a rookie, you don't put two rookies and a young guy together, especially if none of them are overly defensively responsible (foligno kind of is). what ruff is trying to do is have a balanced attack and with leino out, he's putting grigo with vets that will allow him to grow. hell the FES line last year was on fire, they wanted to see if they could do it again. stafford is doing nothing and ennis has finally learned that since stafford is useless, he has to do most things on his own.
- FIREonICE

If only we could get rid of Stifford, and try a real player out there before totally blowing it up. I really think that Stifford is a large part of the problem, now that Roy and Connolly are gone.

I would also like to see Foligno use his size and drive to the net more. Like that goal he scored last year with the Leaf guy sitting on his back. Posting up.

Btw, can someone please tell Hecht and the gang to actually drive to the net? Maybe draw some penalties? Ffs!

I wish mhp LOL, we know Darcy doesn't make moves until the deadline
- sabresfandan

Egzactly dan. Regier won't do much. He'll give us excuses though. The market is soft, we couldn't get it done, it's about the guys in the room, the coach is great.

Egzactly dan. Regier won't do much. He'll give us excuses though. The market is soft, we couldn't get it done, it's about the guys in the room, the coach is great.
- mhp

Yup same old tune

Regier isn't trading Miller or Stafford. He'll move Leopold at the deadline and that's about it. Regier doesn't have the stones to make a big deal.
- mhp

You mean like trading Kassian for Hodgson?

You're not supposed to have grinders on a scoring line. You're supposed to have scorers on a scoring line. Novel concept, I know.
- buffalofan19

varada and tsyplakov disagree

You're not supposed to have grinders on a scoring line. You're supposed to have scorers on a scoring line. Novel concept, I know.
- buffalofan19

Grier, Pyatt, Burrows & now Kassian have been the linemates for the Sedins
It can work both ways, I think it's more about chemistry
Every line doesn't need to be just skilled scoring lines
I don't think it hurts at all to have Foligno & Ott on our 2nd & 3rd lines
I like having some "grit" spread throughout the line-up instead of just on the 3rd & 4th lines

What's the scoop on Brassard?

varada and tsyplakov disagree
- FIREonICE

Varada was always on a checking line with Peca. And when Tsyplakov was here, they weren't very good.

You mean like trading Kassian for Hodgson?
- kingcong39

The sad thing about it is Darcy has made some nice trades just nowhere near enough of them, he feels he has to win in every deal and sometimes you have to take the risk in making a deal.

If only we could get rid of Stifford, and try a real player out there before totally blowing it up. I really think that Stifford is a large part of the problem, now that Roy and Connolly are gone.

I would also like to see Foligno use his size and drive to the net more. Like that goal he scored last year with the Leaf guy sitting on his back. Posting up.

Btw, can someone please tell Hecht and the gang to actually drive to the net? Maybe draw some penalties? Ffs!
- Da_Cashman

yeah imo, stafford playing like poop and leino not being there to balance out line 3 are the reasons why our lines aren't balanced. forwards not playing team defense is weird but i'm going to assume it's lack of talent not playing to potential and having lesser talented folks than necessary in bigger roles.

hecht playing so much i don't entirely understand other than lindy is afraid the team defense is so bad and overplaying ol reliable to compensate, which is not entirely working, but at the same time, if hecht was playing less, i sometimes wonder how much worse we'd be.

i know it's easy to compare hecht and other players ice time but having one of your better defensive forwards doing the only thing they can do anymore isn't terrible, if the rest of the team did what they were supposed to, then maybe they'd play better and no one would care what the grumpy old german was up to.

What's the scoop on Brassard?
- Da_Cashman

Brassard would be a great fit here which is why Darcy most likely isn't interested.

Grier, Pyatt, Burrows & now Kassian have been the linemates for the Sedins
It can work both ways, I think it's more about chemistry
Every line doesn't need to be just skilled scoring lines
I don't think it hurts at all to have Foligno & Ott on our 2nd & 3rd lines
I like having some "grit" spread throughout the line-up instead of just on the 3rd & 4th lines
- jdfitz77

You need at least two good scoring lines, or a ridiculously stout defense/goaltending. The Sabres have one. And the Sabres don't have the impact forwards like the Sedins are, not even Vanek, though he's close.

At least stop playing him Scott and give him some PP time
That'd be a good start
- jdfitz77

Fitz, I know you have mentioned Dubinsky numerous times.

I wouldn't trade a bag of pucks for that guy.
He is the definition of mediocre and I don't think he will ever the seasons he did in 09-10 and 10-11.

I know it seems odd for a player of his age (27), but I think he is trending downward already.