Murray's choice to be his "#1 goaltender" which may end up hopefully being his demise here in Buffalo.
I think I stand on pretty solid ground from what I have saw of Lehner before he injured himself, that he will not be thought of as a "#1 goaltender" by seasons end.
- Pluviophile

Looks a little wet imo. Should probably invest in some rain boots.

Murray's choice to be his "#1 goaltender" which may end up hopefully being his demise here in Buffalo.
I think I stand on pretty solid ground from what I have saw of Lehner before he injured himself, that he will not be thought of as a "#1 goaltender" by seasons end.
- Pluviophile

That 27 minutes of hockey convinced you?

The situation with this team is depressing. I am fine with losing to hot teams, I am fine with losing to better teams, equal teams and worse teams. As long as I see a team trying their best, I am fine with a loss.

But what we saw last night was players making 5M/year and more giving half hearted effort, giving up on plays and taking shifts off. We are in a five game losing streak and players are coasting.

Half way through the season and the coach is still changing lines every night. We have many established and proven point producers coming up empty. This coach is getting the same results, sorry a win better, than a team that was designed to tank last year.

We traded futures for players who are supposed to help now. We have huge upgrades over half the roster.

O'Reilly over Hodgson
Kane over Stafford
Eichel over Stewart
Reinhart over Torey Mitchell
McGinn over Brian Flynn, Zac Dalpe and MFE
Pysyk over Benoit
McCabe over Strachan
Franson over Meszaros
Risto2.0 over Risto1.0

Yet this has added up to a few points improvement over a team designed to tank. Management, Coaching and players all are to blame. No more excuses. This team has the talent to be much better than they are. How depressing. So much for a culture of excellence.
- SabresPanacea

this is a good post...save for the depressing part...

too early for me to go there

i'm with ya, pointer...last night was a clunker, however, and that should be pointed out without offering up any excuses
- Michael Pachla

Yeah, I'm not trying to make excuses for it. I was more speaking on an overall level, less about last night.

That 27 minutes of hockey convinced you?
- kingcong39

To be fair, I don't think he had a very good pre-season either

The situation with this team is depressing. I am fine with losing to hot teams, I am fine with losing to better teams, equal teams and worse teams. As long as I see a team trying their best, I am fine with a loss.

But what we saw last night was players making 5M/year and more giving half hearted effort, giving up on plays and taking shifts off. We are in a five game losing streak and players are coasting.

Half way through the season and the coach is still changing lines every night. We have many established and proven point producers coming up empty. This coach is getting the same results, sorry a win better, than a team that was designed to tank last year.

We traded futures for players who are supposed to help now. We have huge upgrades over half the roster.

O'Reilly over Hodgson
Kane over Stafford
Eichel over Stewart
Reinhart over Torey Mitchell
McGinn over Brian Flynn, Zac Dalpe and MFE
Pysyk over Benoit
McCabe over Strachan
Franson over Meszaros
Risto2.0 over Risto1.0

Yet this has added up to a few points improvement over a team designed to tank. Management, Coaching and players all are to blame. No more excuses. This team has the talent to be much better than they are. How depressing. So much for a culture of excellence.
- SabresPanacea

Dead weight is dragging this team down. Gorges on the top pair, gionta and moulson on the anything. The coaching has been questionable too but have to fix a before you can go after b.

Yeah, I'm not trying to make excuses for it. I was more speaking on an overall level, less about last night.
- OnPoint

I've been one of the biggest proponents of patience this season

Just keep on taking let's go

Dead weight is dragging this team down. Gorges on the top pair, gionta and moulson on the anything. The coaching has been questionable too but have to fix a before you can go after b.
- Sabresfan-365

Bylsma's got some choices where they are the lesser of two evils kind of decisions, and those are no fun.

The situation with this team is depressing. I am fine with losing to hot teams, I am fine with losing to better teams, equal teams and worse teams. As long as I see a team trying their best, I am fine with a loss.

But what we saw last night was players making 5M/year and more giving half hearted effort, giving up on plays and taking shifts off. We are in a five game losing streak and players are coasting.

Half way through the season and the coach is still changing lines every night. We have many established and proven point producers coming up empty. This coach is getting the same results, sorry a win better, than a team that was designed to tank last year.

We traded futures for players who are supposed to help now. We have huge upgrades over half the roster.

O'Reilly over Hodgson
Kane over Stafford
Eichel over Stewart
Reinhart over Torey Mitchell
McGinn over Brian Flynn, Zac Dalpe and MFE
Pysyk over Benoit
McCabe over Strachan
Franson over Meszaros
Risto2.0 over Risto1.0

Yet this has added up to a few points improvement over a team designed to tank. Management, Coaching and players all are to blame. No more excuses. This team has the talent to be much better than they are. How depressing. So much for a culture of excellence.
- SabresPanacea

To be fair, I don't think he had a very good pre-season either
- stashu

He hadn't played since February. Goaltending is the position that requires regular playing time more than any other. You cannot simulate a game in practice. The intensity is never even close. The more goaltenders play and the more comfortable they get, the more confident they get, and the better their game gets. It's just the way it seems to work.

You only need to look back at the last two seasons or so of us juggling through goaltenders to see that. Guys would go in, look kind of a mess at first, and as they continued to get playing time their play would get much, much better.

I'm reserving judgment on Lehner at least until he's been back with the team for about a month.

Dead weight is dragging this team down. Gorges on the top pair, gionta and moulson on the anything. The coaching has been questionable too but have to fix a before you can go after b.
- Sabresfan-365

I really would like to see Pysyk on the top pair with Risto when he gets back from his conditioning assignment.

But I've been saying I'd like to see them together for the majority of the season so.....

I've been one of the biggest proponents of patience this season
- Michael Pachla

And to be fair, I enjoy your work. Please don't take my post as a salvo aimed at you.

He hadn't played since February. Goaltending is the position that requires regular playing time more than any other. You cannot simulate a game in practice. The intensity is never even close. The more goaltenders play and the more comfortable they get, the more confident they get, and the better their game gets. It's just the way it seems to work.

You only need to look back at the last two seasons or so of us juggling through goaltenders to see that. Guys would go in, look kind of a mess at first, and as they continued to get playing time their play would get much, much better.

I'm reserving judgment on Lehner at least until he's been back with the team for about a month.
- HonkFortheGoose

I'm with you, I won't judge him at all this season - just pointing out that he had a poor pre-season (at least to my memory, which is admittedly pretty bad)

If you don't score, you don't win


This team doesn't score, and probably has the lowest shooting % in the NHL

If you don't score, you don't win


This team doesn't score, and probably has the lowest shooting % in the NHL
- homiedclown

http://www.sportingcharts...shooting-percentage/2015/

Buffalo is 27th in both shots and %

Compared to other goalies appearing in at leat 15 games, Ullmark and Johnson have better sv % than:

Ryan Miller
Pekka Rinne
Kari Lehtonen
Ondrej Pavelec
Cam Ward

(and some others, but those are the ones that are notable)

Johnson has a better GAA than:

Andersen
Lundqvist
Jones'Bobrovsky
Rask
Ramo
Howard
Varlamov
Miller
Talbot
Anderson
Pavelec
Mason
Lehtonen

and other less notabale guys.

Ullmark slots in just under Ramo on that list above.

While the goaltending hasn't been stellar, it's definitely not the problem most nights either.
- HonkFortheGoose

it's not the problem at all

aside from risto, IMO goalies have overachieved


this team can't score and Murray brought in his toys to score

The 2015-16 sabres have failed the eye test so far, if the trend continues we may have a GM on the hot seat.

http://www.sportingcharts...shooting-percentage/2015/

Buffalo is 27th
- Zschalberg

thanks


with ror, kane, eichel, skunk, ennis, girgens, gionta and moulson that should not happen

and mcginn is overachieving

And to be fair, I enjoy your work. Please don't take my post as a salvo aimed at you.
- OnPoint

not at all...it was an excellent post...a five-game losing streak where they looked like crap in a 5-1 loss made me kinda grumpy today

I've been one of the biggest proponents of patience this season
- Michael Pachla

https://thebutterlamb.wor...es-full-hearts-cant-lose/

This is a great article highlighting that. Enjoy the wins and if they lose look for the improvements from last year

side note, not sure if this is public knowledge yet

I was told that pegula told whaley and ryan that the bills need to make the playoffs next season for their jobs to be safe


oh and the bills schedule is brutal next year

Compared to other goalies appearing in at leat 15 games, Ullmark and Johnson have better sv % than:

Ryan Miller
Pekka Rinne
Kari Lehtonen
Ondrej Pavelec
Cam Ward

(and some others, but those are the ones that are notable)

Johnson has a better GAA than:

Andersen
Lundqvist
Jones'Bobrovsky
Rask
Ramo
Howard
Varlamov
Miller
Talbot
Anderson
Pavelec
Mason
Lehtonen

and other less notabale guys.

Ullmark slots in just under Ramo on that list above.

While the goaltending hasn't been stellar, it's definitely not the problem most nights either.
- HonkFortheGoose

I agree with your point. However on such a young, rebuilt team, if you're expecting to WIN now with this assembled team, they need above average goaltending.

I'm actually surprised how well Johnson and Ullmark have played so far. I didn't expect much at all from Johnson. Ullmark I expected to be an AHL goaltender for now and he a proved he can play in the NHL. This may actually help him progress at a faster rate playing more consistantly at an NHL level.

not at all...it was an excellent post...a five-game losing streak where they looked like crap in a 5-1 loss made me kinda grumpy today
- Michael Pachla

I turned it off once it went 3-1. Glad I did

thanks


with ror, kane, eichel, skunk, ennis, girgens, gionta and moulson that should not happen

and mcginn is overachieving
- homiedclown

is that on murray or Bylsma?

That 27 minutes of hockey convinced you?
- kingcong39

Probably more to do with Lehner's sub .900 save % in the preseason.
Last preseason game against Columbus he had a whopping .800 save %

edit: and his average NHL numbers