How’s the playoff push coming?
- Just5

Sabres forgot to push .....

Prevailing thought is it's a sports hernia.
- kingcong39

That would make sense ...... broken ribs he wouldn’t be able to breathe.

Sabres are 100% cooked fried done.

Eichel needs to be shutdown. He’s hurt pretty badly. You can just tell in his game. He’s lost a step (due to injury)
- Sabretooth9

"For the first time since Feb. 18, Eichel took a draw. Midway through the third period after watching his teammates win just 29 percent of the faceoffs, Eichel stepped into the dot. He ended up taking eight down the stretch and went 4-4.

“He’s just got the green light if he feels it,” Krueger said. “Down in the third period, he wanted to do it. He dug down.”

An injury prevented Eichel from taking any faceoffs during the previous three games.

“Obviously, we’re still dealing with a lower-body issue there, and those are his calls,” Krueger said. “But he did a good job when he had to.”

Yesterday was a good day and offseason will be better.
- SABRES 89

Has Terry paid off Bettman for Lafreniere? That would solve the #2 center problem

I think the problem is that Botts likes to shop in the discount aisle and is afraid to take a swing.

- Hutton is a career backup
- Johansson is a complimentary 3rd-line player on a good team
- Skinner was a goal scorer with red flags
- Frolik was.... well, Frolik
- Vesey is he who was with the Rags
- Sheary is a guy who put up minor numbers playing with Sid

The other thing to note is that almost all of them are perimeter players. Last night was the perfect example of that - we just kept shooting prayers at the net hoping for a lucky bounce. I swear that I throw up a little bit every time I hear "pucks to the net".
- Slump Buster

I agree somewhat, half those players wouldn't even have been brought in if we had anything in the system.

Has Terry paid off Bettman for Lafreniere? That would solve the #2 center problem
- mattmoulson

Lafreniere is a winger, left side I believe.
Perhaps you meant Byfield, BYFIELD, BYFIELD!!!

I'm so sick of seeing that kind of brain dead hockey sense.

He could have easily just skated the puck out and either made a pass to a waiting forward, dumped the puck in to the Vegas zone, or waited for his team to make a (frank)ing line change. Instead, he basically triggered the Vegas fast break when the Sabres needed a line change.

And yes, Hutton was truly terrible on that play.

So, they both sucked.
- kingcong39

But Risto is a +2!!!!

Cozens scored a nice end to end a goal last night.
- Pegullaville

46 games, 33 goals, 44 assists.

If he's not hurt for 11 games, he's most likely 2nd in the league in scoring.

But Risto is a +2!!!!
- sbroads24

Better than a -45

Jeff Skinner was 5th among forwards last night in ice time

14 shot attempts 8 shots, 11 individual scoring chances, 3 high danger chances, 1 goal.

But hey man, Kyle Okposo practices hard so gotta give him more ice time than a guy literally making things happen every shift

But Risto is a +2!!!!
- sbroads24

Good post , haven't had a risto bashing post in hours.

Guys got to sleep

Probably

🙂😀

Has Terry paid off Bettman for Lafreniere? That would solve the #2 center problem
- mattmoulson

Lafreniere is a winger. Although Eichel would finally have a running mate worth their bacon.

46 games, 33 goals, 44 assists.

If he's not hurt for 11 games, he's most likely 2nd in the league in scoring.
- Powerslave

I mean I haven’t checked in a while but he was 1st in PPG which ultimately what matters. Tough to compare point productions when Cozens missed a bunch of games for the WJC.

Lafreniere is a winger, left side I believe.
Perhaps you meant Byfield, BYFIELD, BYFIELD!!!
- IonSabres

Give me one of Byfield, Rossi, Lundell and this season was a success no matter what anyone says.

Give me one of Byfield, Rossi, Lundell and this season was a success no matter what anyone says.
- Pegullaville

BYFIELD or Lundell would fit nicely

I agree somewhat, half those players wouldn't even have been brought in if we had anything in the system.
- Buff36

As much as I really don't want to start over with a new GM, I believe the risk associated with him misengineering the rebuild this offseason is just too great for this organization.

Teri and Kym need to pull the cord on him now, start the search and get a leg up on the competition.

Now the question is what to do with Ralph. Pegula's have gone on record they don't forsee hiring a POHO, yet they have a very successful chief executive of a large sports organization on their payroll who looks to be miscast...they need to step-back, do some true soul-searching and reflection on the past 9 years of dismal failure after failure. Insert Ralph as Sabres President, over all of it, not just Hockey Ops.

Do it now. Ralph can Be Sabres President & Interim Head Coach.

BYFIELD or Lundell would fit nicely
- Buff36

Let’s go Yotes

As much as I really don't want to start over with a new GM, I believe the risk associated with him misengineering the rebuild this offseason is just too great for this organization.

Teri and Kym need to pull the cord on him now, start the search and get a leg up on the competition.

Now the question is what to do with Ralph. Pegula's have gone on record they don't forsee hiring a POHO, yet they have a very successful chief executive of a large sports organization on their payroll who looks to be miscast...they need to step-back, do some true soul-searching and reflection on the past 9 years of dismal failure after failure. Insert Ralph as Sabres President, over all of it, not just Hockey Ops.

Do it now. Ralph can Be Sabres President & Interim Head Coach.
- IonSabres

People really need to start thinking about this was the plan the whole time when Botts was hired. I think the Pegula's now they (frank)ed Up with the fast approach. This is a big offseason for Botts

Jeff Skinner was 5th among forwards last night in ice time

14 shot attempts 8 shots, 11 individual scoring chances, 3 high danger chances, 1 goal.

But hey man, Kyle Okposo practices hard so gotta give him more ice time than a guy literally making things happen every shift
- sbroads24

Imagine if they were to try him with Jack again, you know like a 5 - 10 minute tryout, see what happens.

They did? Last night night you say?
And he looked rejuvenated? The line looked dangerous and generated a ton of opportunities?
Don't tell me he scored! He did?
Hmmmpf. Imagine that.

I wonder what would happen if they moved Olo to the right on that line and tried, just tried Sam at 2C for 3 - 5 games?

People really need to start thinking about this was the plan the whole time when Botts was hired. I think the Pegula's now they (frank)ed Up with the fast approach. This is a big offseason for Botts
- Buff36

The plan was 100% to be good this year, it just didnt happen

The plan was 100% to be good this year, it just didnt happen
- jcragcrumple

He definitely did not intend on this team finishing bottom 10, he didn’t fully go for it either. I feel he had the same realistic expectations that we as fans had coming into the year. Somewhere around 85-90 and playing meaningful hockey into March.

He definitely did not intend on this team finishing bottom 10, he didn’t fully go for it either. I feel he had the same realistic expectations that we as fans had coming into the year. Somewhere around 85-90 and playing meaningful hockey into March.
- Pegullaville

Well it's still February and they're not playing meaningful hockey. Realistically they haven't played meaningful hockey since they lost to the Senators before the Christmas break

Lafreniere is a winger. Although Eichel would finally have a running mate worth their bacon.
- Pegullaville

O I learned something today but we already have a winger for Eichel .....

He definitely did not intend on this team finishing bottom 10, he didn’t fully go for it either. I feel he had the same realistic expectations that we as fans had coming into the year. Somewhere around 85-90 and playing meaningful hockey into March.
- Pegullaville

He knew.

Subpar goaltending. A defense that has several good, but still green players in Dahlin, Joker, and Miller. And a top 6 where Eichel is the only player who plays with an intensity to want to win. The 4th line was a nice surprise this year. But still, not enough was changed from last year's roster to expect a different result.

He definitely did not intend on this team finishing bottom 10, he didn’t fully go for it either. I feel he had the same realistic expectations that we as fans had coming into the year. Somewhere around 85-90 and playing meaningful hockey into March.
- Pegullaville

Well, they poop the bed once again.
Wonder if they get 17 more points to earn more than the last season under GMTM, considered to be a failure.

Team is going slowly in one direction, then turns slowly to go in another direction.
Zamboni driver needed for next GM