I was at the game last night ...

1. Fedun is the 3rd best Dman on the roster, great skater and makes smart plays w the puck. low shot off the pad created carrier's goal
2. Bogosian is ATROCIOUS, a total liability in every way
3. Gorges should never play another game, under ANY circumstances
4. Sam Reinhart was skating really well, played the best game i've seen from him as a sabre
5. Team speed is much closer to an acceptable level with larsson, gorges, grant OUT and bailey, carrier, fedun IN
6. Nilsson played really well, Lehner is trash


go sabes
- trikkdaniels

He's a better Pysyk than Pysyk was.

nice option to have regardless. I would ride the hot hand though. confidence boost for him and the team and maybe lights a fire under lehner, who hasn't been bad but maybe you want a little better from him.
- Sabresfan-365

This is how I feel about it. But at the end of the day, I want Lehner to be the guy that finishes the season with the better numbers.

I'd like to see more from Lehner than we have this year, but that's not to say he's doing poorly either. He hasn't been the problem. Nilsson hasn't been the problem.

The scoring less than 2 goals a game for a good portion of the season is really the problem, and as of right now, that seems to have been rectified recently.

I never hear him say that.
- fastek

I think Ray has been pretty vocal in calling them out after bad periods this year. Though typically, I don't really pay too much attention to what the analysts say.

I'm 54 and have lived in California for 54 years and 9 months .......... and I've never heard it either.
- fastek

Must have started from some MTV teen spirit type show .

The only person I will say that's better than jack is Connor McDavid

If Jack wasn't injured I believe he'd be in the race for the most points in the league with him and Crosby


- GERBE!!!75PTS

Not on this team he wouldn't .............. no way.

He's a better Pysyk than Pysyk was.
- Der Kaiser

might just be ... fine with me!

(i'd still take pysyk over 3 of our current D including Kulikov)

This is how I feel about it. But at the end of the day, I want Lehner to be the guy that finishes the season with the better numbers.

I'd like to see more from Lehner than we have this year, but that's not to say he's doing poorly either. He hasn't been the problem. Nilsson hasn't been the problem.

The scoring less than 2 goals a game for a good portion of the season is really the problem, and as of right now, that seems to have been rectified recently.
- HonkFortheGoose

yea he's not swiss cheese or anything like that...but i dont have much confidence in him to make that "big save" that keeps us in the game or locks down a small lead.

They're scoring something close to 2.8 goals now since eichel's return so i dont think thats a huge problem anymore, still like them to add a sniper but this teams problems start and end with the overpaid and incomplete blueline.

As nice as it is to beat the Rangers and give the Blackhawks a run...it's the games against teams like Tampa and Carolina that will show where we're at. I don't know if it's just me, but I feel like we never beat the Canes. We gotta show up for that one cause those are the teams that are at our level and who will bring it against us. I feel the big teams often have a tough time getting up for games against the lowly sabres and we are able to catch them sleeping a bit.

I love the new lines. Love Reino between the speed and physicality of Kane and Bailey. Love ROR and Okposo together with Carriers forechecking tenacity. Allows those other two hang back and pick off passes through the neutral zone. I think Ennis needs to go with Jack and Marcus. Gionta down with Girgensons and whoever.

I still feel Bylsma needs to give Jack some pk time. His speed is a game-breaker and teams are susceptible to breakawas while on the pp. I have season tickets to the oilers and have witnessed how McClellan utilizes McDavid on the pk. These are elite players who read the play at another level. It's not a stretch to think Jack can do it in a defensive role with a chance to break the game open with a shorty. The high guy isn't blocking shots, he's usually just trying to take away the cross-ice lanes.

Thoughts?
- gipper0073

We have (2) major concerns at the moment: 1. We don't score enough goals and 2. We can't seem to play a complete game.

1. is trending up and 2. has a long way to go.

Once the coach gets fired we're all going to see the true Superstar jack is
- GERBE!!!75PTS

Dreaming ........ Bylsma isn't going anywhere soon.

yea he's not swiss cheese or anything like that...but i dont have much confidence in him to make that "big save" that keeps us in the game or locks down a small lead.

They're scoring something close to 2.8 goals now since eichel's return so i dont think thats a huge problem anymore, still like them to add a sniper but this teams problems start and end with the overpaid and incomplete blueline.
- Sabresfan-365

Agreed. If Bogo could stay healthy, it probably would be at least a bit better, but he's been a hot mess since he came back. He finally looks to be at least a bit more up to speed the last few games, though he got burned bad during the Winnipeg game.

I'd like to see what Kulikov can do when healthy, but I'm starting to think that's just not going to happen this year.

I wouldn't.
- ImThatGuy

Nor would I ............. NEVER.

Dreaming ........ Bylsma isn't going anywhere soon.
- fastek

and that's the problem.

Agreed. If Bogo could stay healthy, it probably would be at least a bit better, but he's been a hot mess since he came back. He finally looks to be at least a bit more up to speed the last few games, though he got burned bad during the Winnipeg game.

I'd like to see what Kulikov can do when healthy, but I'm starting to think that's just not going to happen this year.
- HonkFortheGoose

if we could add a game changer for the D this would be some kind of team. The improvements on our breakouts alone would be outstanding.

We have (2) major concerns at the moment: 1. We don't score enough goals and 2. We can't seem to play a complete game.

1. is trending up and 2. has a long way to go.
- fastek

We've at least moved up a bit in terms of goal scoring. We're currently 26th. But our goals against has gone up in that time as well. At one point we were like 11th I believe and now we're 14th (which still isn't terrible) but it has dipped a bit.

This is how I feel about it. But at the end of the day, I want Lehner to be the guy that finishes the season with the better numbers.

I'd like to see more from Lehner than we have this year, but that's not to say he's doing poorly either. He hasn't been the problem. Nilsson hasn't been the problem.

The scoring less than 2 goals a game for a good portion of the season is really the problem, and as of right now, that seems to have been rectified recently.
- HonkFortheGoose

That's why that chart Stripes posted earlier was so surprising to me.

I think the big picture numbers say that Nilsson is getting better goal support, but the chart suggests the Sabres are taking fewer dangerous shots when he plays.

Could it be that Lehner is just plain bad luck? The Sabres take more dangerous shots when he's in the pipes, but score fewer goals???

if we could add a game changer for the D this would be some kind of team. The improvements on our breakouts alone would be outstanding.
- Sabresfan-365

Problem is guys like that typically don't just show up. They're the guys that are drafted and developed. Like Risto. We desperately need another guy that can do a lot of the same things he does.

I wouldn't.
- ImThatGuy

not me either.....not even close

and that's the problem.
- feetontheair22

In your opinion..... but you have company I know.

Nilsson also has a track record of doing really well for stints and then falling apart. That's not to say it'll happen here, but it's happened in the past.

That said, at this point with two goalies playing well, ride whichever one seems to be the hot hand at the moment.
- HonkFortheGoose

i agree that you play the hot hand.. I just don't get why people feel the need to say lehner is trash just because Nilsson is playing well.

We've at least moved up a bit in terms of goal scoring. We're currently 26th. But our goals against has gone up in that time as well. At one point we were like 11th I believe and now we're 14th (which still isn't terrible) but it has dipped a bit.
- HonkFortheGoose

Scoring covers up so many weakness's ..... just ask the Raiders when Carr went down.

Problem is guys like that typically don't just show up. They're the guys that are drafted and developed. Like Risto. We desperately need another guy that can do a lot of the same things he does.
- HonkFortheGoose

This is ironically the time you'd want TM to be aggressive and overpay. Might have to give up a lot to convince someone but they're not getting anywhere near contender status without another player like that.

yea he's not swiss cheese or anything like that...but i dont have much confidence in him to make that "big save" that keeps us in the game or locks down a small lead.

They're scoring something close to 2.8 goals now since eichel's return so i dont think thats a huge problem anymore, still like them to add a sniper but this teams problems start and end with the overpaid and incomplete blueline.
- Sabresfan-365

jack needs someone that can finish.. where did phil kessel go again?

i agree that you play the hot hand.. I just don't get why people feel the need to say lehner is trash just because Nilsson is playing well.
- IndianaSabresFan

It's the shootout debacle ... nothing more, nothing less.

Hamster said Lehner is staying home on the roadie in his write up on WGR's website.

Problem is guys like that typically don't just show up. They're the guys that are drafted and developed. Like Risto. We desperately need another guy that can do a lot of the same things he does.
- HonkFortheGoose

if shattenkirk makes it to UFA this summer they have to take an honest shot at him