See the problem with this theory is that it definitly does matter. These are the same kids that have been saying how much they want to be on the team next year. This was a chance to make an impression and show in front of their GM days before training camp that they belong. When I hear that they are getting blown out and the effort level is low, I think there is reason to be a little upset
- MCGUIZZY

Traverse city gets your foot in the door, but its not make or break for these prospects, pre season will carry more weight in determining that.

Look at the names from the team that won in 2011, most of those "key players" aren't even in the organization anymore.

Sabres down 2-0 mid 2nd period .. I see a pattern.
- cabin

down 2-1 significantly outshooting them, which for a team that consistently gets out shot is a silver lining, but they lack some pure goal scoring ability.

Traverse city gets your foot in the door, but its not make or break for these prospects, pre season will carry more weight in determining that.

Look at the names from the team that won in 2011, most of those "key players" aren't even in the organization anymore.
- Sabresfan-365

This

See the problem with this theory is that it definitly does matter. These are the same kids that have been saying how much they want to be on the team next year. This was a chance to make an impression and show in front of their GM days before training camp that they belong. When I hear that they are getting blown out and the effort level is low, I think there is reason to be a little upset
- MCGUIZZY

Traverse city gets your foot in the door, but its not make or break for these prospects, pre season will carry more weight in determining that.

Look at the names from the team that won in 2011, most of those "key players" aren't even in the organization anymore.
- Sabresfan-365

Who are you even quoting??

Who are you even quoting??
- MCGUIZZY

He's not really quoting but stating that key players from the 2011 championship team like McNabb & Kassian are gone and Adam isn't exactly wowing us right now...
Basically that the results there aren't exactly what should be expected in the future.

And to add to that - although I agree they should be putting forth their best effort, I also see where this is kind of a sh!t salad...guys on lines that had a day or two to work together...no chemistry etc...
Camp will bring them along...

They had the most shots of any team in the tourney. We didn't have good goaltending.

Who are you even quoting??
- MCGUIZZY

The key players like Kassian, who performed incredibly well would be one of those.

NHL.com has a piece up previewing what the Sabres will look like this season. There's nothing particularly special about it, but I thought I'd share for those who hadn't seen it yet.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/ne...730352&navid=nhl:topheads

They had the most shots of any team in the tourney. We didn't have good goaltending.
- sippyd

And special teams did not deliver on the PK. At least in the first game. I haven't been able to follow. Just the updates on here.

They had the most shots of any team in the tourney. We didn't have good goaltending.
- sippyd

I would venture to say that we didn't have good defense either. I only got to listen to the 2nd period of the 1st game, but during that time Brady Austin got burned bad twice.

I would venture to say that we didn't have good defense either. I only got to listen to the 2nd period of the 1st game, but during that time Brady Austin got burned bad twice.
- HonkFortheGoose

He's was better the next game.

I would venture to say that we didn't have good defense either. I only got to listen to the 2nd period of the 1st game, but during that time Brady Austin got burned bad twice.
- HonkFortheGoose

I think it is true that you are only as good as your weakest link, with that being said I still was hoping that reinhart and or armia had put up decent numbers.

So, like Pach states, it's ok for fans not to think it is important, but damn, the players ought to think it is important. The GM is invested and the team is invested by bringing all these kids there to learn and develop. I'm shocked by their apparent lack of effort, as stated by their coach. If the GM and Coaches didn't think it was important, then they would not invest the time, energy and money into participating.

While not going off the deep end, their collective production does cause my eyebrows to be raised.... A sense of awareness to keep an eye on.

Lastly, all teams face the same issues, no practice time, lack of familiarity with each other, weaknesses in certain areas. To go 0-4, means the excuses are just that, excuses. Not good enough is the takeaway..hopefully they learned from it.

So, like Pach states, it's ok for fans not to think it is important, but damn, the players ought to think it is important. The GM is invested and the team is invested by bringing all these kids there to learn and develop. I'm shocked by their apparent lack of effort, as stated by their coach. If the GM and Coaches didn't think it was important, then they would not invest the time, energy and money into participating.

While not going off the deep end, their collective production does cause my eyebrows to be raised.... A sense of awareness to keep an eye on.

Lastly, all teams face the same issues, no practice time, lack of familiarity with each other, weaknesses in certain areas. To go 0-4, means the excuses are just that, excuses. Not good enough is the takeaway..hopefully they learned from it.
- IonSabres

Our goaltending was subpar. They outshout the whole tournament.

I would love to be a fly on the wall in meetings with GMTM, the player and the coaches, including Cunningworth our Development Coach. Just to hear what the list is of development priorities for each kid. Gotta be hearing a lot about taking it inside to the paint.

So, like Pach states, it's ok for fans not to think it is important, but damn, the players ought to think it is important. The GM is invested and the team is invested by bringing all these kids there to learn and develop. I'm shocked by their apparent lack of effort, as stated by their coach. If the GM and Coaches didn't think it was important, then they would not invest the time, energy and money into participating.

While not going off the deep end, their collective production does cause my eyebrows to be raised.... A sense of awareness to keep an eye on.

Lastly, all teams face the same issues, no practice time, lack of familiarity with each other, weaknesses in certain areas. To go 0-4, means the excuses are just that, excuses. Not good enough is the takeaway..hopefully they learned from it.
- IonSabres

Could have been the goaltending . But we didn't score like expected. Even though the series isn't supposed to the tell tale of what we have , It will be in our minds of what we might see from them going forward.

So, like Pach states, it's ok for fans not to think it is important, but damn, the players ought to think it is important. The GM is invested and the team is invested by bringing all these kids there to learn and develop. I'm shocked by their apparent lack of effort, as stated by their coach. If the GM and Coaches didn't think it was important, then they would not invest the time, energy and money into participating.

While not going off the deep end, their collective production does cause my eyebrows to be raised.... A sense of awareness to keep an eye on.

Lastly, all teams face the same issues, no practice time, lack of familiarity with each other, weaknesses in certain areas. To go 0-4, means the excuses are just that, excuses. Not good enough is the takeaway..hopefully they learned from it.
- IonSabres

Our goaltending was subpar. They outshout the whole tournament.

Yost's

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=461912

Idk, I think we ran into some good goaltending and some bad penalty killing in the opening game against Carolina. Iit looked like the goaltending shut down some good chances and a lot of shots and pressure. Then we go down early on the penalty kill and have to play into their hands the rest of he night.

I had hoped that the talk of Reinhart playing all situations well and being a strong penalty killer due to his superior hockey intellect would show in this tourney against his lesser touted, lesser skilled piers. But he didnt seem to impact the game in that way.

I also hoped that our defense would be incredible with McCabe and Risto and Zadorov all playing. But they did not dominate. Poor effort had Zadorov benched, Riso had giveaways that directly resulted in goals. And they obviously weren't effective on the pk.

I don't want to hear the excuses that they are rusty, it's their first time playing in a while, they had no time to practice, high expectations. That is all bullpoop. It is the same for all the other teams too.
People say that it is because a lot of our better prospects are in college or overseas, thats bs too. Besides Grigorenko, our top 5 prospect were playing. Embarrassing!!!

All said, it is only 3 games. And not the final word on any of the participants, however it is a mark on their record, and not a pretty one. And for Armia, it is becoming part of a pattern of a lack of production in the North American game. For others it is an embarrasment, Zadorov being benched for lack of effort, Lemieux being dropped to fourth line, Makarov's save percentage.

Idk, I think we ran into some good goaltending and some bad penalty killing in the opening game against Carolina. Iit looked like the goaltending shut down some good chances and a lot of shots and pressure. Then we go down early on the penalty kill and have to play into their hands the rest of he night.

I had hoped that the talk of Reinhart playing all situations well and being a strong penalty killer due to his superior hockey intellect would show in this tourney against his lesser touted, lesser skilled piers. But he didnt seem to impact the game in that way.

I also hoped that our defense would be incredible with McCabe and Risto and Zadorov all playing. But they did not dominate. Poor effort had Zadorov benched, Riso had giveaways that directly resulted in goals. And they obviously weren't effective on the pk.

I don't want to hear the excuses that they are rusty, it's their first time playing in a while, they had no time to practice, high expectations. That is all bullpoop. It is the same for all the other teams too.
People say that it is because a lot of our better prospects are in college or overseas, thats bs too. Besides Grigorenko, our top 5 prospect were playing. Embarrassing!!!

All said, it is only 3 games. And not the final word on any of the participants, however it is a mark on their record, and not a pretty one. And for Armia, it is becoming part of a pattern of a lack of production in the North American game. For others it is an embarrasment, Zadorov being benched for lack of effort, Lemieux being dropped to fourth line, Makarov's save percentage.

- SabresPanacea

Armia produced in the post season. He's doing fine

Our goaltending was subpar. They outshout the whole tournament.
- sippyd

Sure, I heard that, yet those 2 don't figure prominently into the Sabres goaltending plans for the NHL...they have a stable full of other prospects...so their failure isn't as alarming.
At the other end of the ice, the entire team failed to produce...which was loaded with guys the Sabres believe is their up and coming team for the future. that is more alarming to me.

Jerseys for the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospect Game:

http://www.usahockey.com/...420308?referrer_id=752796

This website done broke.