Getting hard to listen to Donnie. Sounds a lot like Phil. Just doesn't have answers when things get tough.

Learning experience, let up....he's the one who let up by putting them out when they went up 2. He opened the door for what happened last night.
- Lunaion

You are absolutely right. I want to see him care when something like last night happens and those non answers just leave a bad taste in my mouth.

That doesn't make sense to me. You're giving him the benefit of the doubt for what might be happening behind the scenes and then saying there's no doubt?

Fixing the bottom of the roster should be easier than fixing the top, but his biggest issues right now are guys who have been here 4+ years and just continue to play instead of making real decisions on. Evaluating guys too long turns into it's own problem.
- Lunaion

My point was that there is a bit of an unknown area where maybe he is open for a little criticism. But that said, we all know that they were going to toss the kids out there for a while to see what pans out. For the most part that has been fantastic. Others, not so much. You've got to give them a few weeks and now he has done that. I think for the most part we have a pretty good idea of who everyone is, although I have to admit that I was down on Joker earlier in the year and now I am ok with him again.

looking at every match up in ot is .... umm interesting

That doesn't make sense to me. You're giving him the benefit of the doubt for what might be happening behind the scenes and then saying there's no doubt?

Fixing the bottom of the roster should be easier than fixing the top, but his biggest issues right now are guys who have been here 4+ years and just continue to play instead of making real decisions on. Evaluating guys too long turns into it's own problem.
- Lunaion

Really Good Post!! And people expect us to be able to evaluate the next 20 that will be coming.

Chychrun's family is friends with the Pegulas so I could definitely see the sabres going after him.

Krebs, B Prospect and 2 2nds 1 in 23 1 in 24 is what I would offer.

UPL didn't have a great game but he never lost us the game. The PK lost us the game. 3 PPGs against just can't happen.

UPL didn't have a great game but he never lost us the game. The PK lost us the game. 3 PPGs against just can't happen.
- sabresfan69

pucks getting though the pk lanes shouldn't happen that much

UPL didn't have a great game but he never lost us the game. The PK lost us the game. 3 PPGs against just can't happen.
- sabresfan69

I liked the goal by Point, Girgensons when down to a knee to block the shot and slid right past the play!! Classic move by the Stash

My point was that there is a bit of an unknown area where maybe he is open for a little criticism. But that said, we all know that they were going to toss the kids out there for a while to see what pans out. For the most part that has been fantastic. Others, not so much. You've got to give them a few weeks and now he has done that. I think for the most part we have a pretty good idea of who everyone is, although I have to admit that I was down on Joker earlier in the year and now I am ok with him again.
- Slump Buster

Joker has stayed off the radar because the 3rd line and 3rd pair have been glaring problems and Power has carried the second pair, after a tough start. Mitts, VO, Joker, and Bryson each have 1 more year on their deals. All spots you'd like to upgrade. There's an army of 1st round picks coming to take the jobs of the first two. We'll learn a lot about KA next offseason.

pucks getting though the pk lanes shouldn't happen that much
- hubie

It was a shooting gallery on the PK I remember Tampa misfiring on the pass across multiple times that they could have went 4/4

Its not like the PK tried and UPL just let them in. If your UPL your head is spinning with all the opportunities the PK gave Tampa

looking at every match up in ot is .... umm interesting
- hubie

I damn near spit up my drink when I saw Okposo and Skinner out there together. Okposo is too slow for OT and Skinner has too many brain cramps.

I damn near spit up my drink when I saw Okposo and Skinner out there together. Okposo is too slow for OT and Skinner has too many brain cramps.
- Slump Buster

Also what was with Cozens dumping it in in overtime 3-3 that was just dumb.

I damn near spit up my drink when I saw Okposo and Skinner out there together. Okposo is too slow for OT and Skinner has too many brain cramps.
- Slump Buster

were you sitting behind me last night? Had the same convo like Okposo could barley keep up with sergachev let alone the two forwards which were i believe point and kuch

UPL didn't have a great game but he never lost us the game. The PK lost us the game. 3 PPGs against just can't happen.
- sabresfan69

I thought he was actually pretty good. We got run over in certain situations and were giving up high-quality chances left and right. You can only hold that off for so long. The PK was bad and 46 was terrible. Tuch made a brutal play on the goal in OT and you let one of the best shooters in the league alone in the slot for an eternity.

https://www.nhl.com/light...22/t-277437434/c-13986163

John Cooper's thoughts on his team last night.

Well maybe if Tage skates hard back all the way in Overtime that goal doesn't happen. He was lazy.

I thought he was actually pretty good. We got run over in certain situations and were giving up high-quality chances left and right. You can only hold that off for so long. The PK was bad and 46 was terrible. Tuch made a brutal play on the goal in OT and you let one of the best shooters in the league alone in the slot for an eternity.
- Slump Buster

For a really good player, Tuch takes too many nights off. He has straight up Risto moments.

https://www.nhl.com/light...22/t-277437434/c-13986163

John Cooper's thoughts on his team last night.
- lacaprup

they played like dogpoop and the sabres let them win.

Well maybe if Tage skates hard back all the way in Overtime that goal doesn't happen. He was lazy.
- Buff36

Look at the saves Elliot made in ot. UPL ain't it. Next!

There are probably 5 goalies in the league that are any good. The rest of them you can throw in a hat and pick one. Also, it isn't terribly uncommon for the backups to have better numbers than the starters because they are rested. Look at guys like Comerie and Carter Hutton (when he was with the Blues) - great numbers on smaller minutes.
- Slump Buster

That's the attitude that let Linus walk. That's the attitude that has simply taken up scraps the last two offseasons for goalie.

Linus' numbers speak for themselves. The Sabres goaltending numbers speak for themselves.

There are probably 5 goalies in the league that are any good. The rest of them you can throw in a hat and pick one. Also, it isn't terribly uncommon for the backups to have better numbers than the starters because they are rested. Look at guys like Comerie and Carter Hutton (when he was with the Blues) - great numbers on smaller minutes.
- Slump Buster

our hat sucks

Look at the saves Elliot made in ot. UPL ain't it. Next!
- lacaprup

Its funny you compare and Elliot to UPL and he didn't become an NHL regular until he was 25 and even then he bounced around

are we good yet

Well maybe if Tage skates hard back all the way in Overtime that goal doesn't happen. He was lazy.
- Buff36

Tage was absolutely coasting up ice and his guy was also wide open for a shot. But that's not the guy that scored. Our D had the guy coming into the zone and Tuch decided to also get in on that guy also. The funny thing about the play is that when the shot was taken all three Lightning players were wide open. But it started with the mistake by Tuch.

That's the attitude that let Linus walk. That's the attitude that has simply taken up scraps the last two offseasons for goalie.

Linus' numbers speak for themselves. The Sabres goaltending numbers speak for themselves.
- lacaprup

We correctly let Linus walk when he demanded a very different contract from us than what he accepted from Boston. It isn't any more complicated than that.