Funny that you mention this, I was thinking the same watching the boys a couple games ago.
The my mind wandered to thinking how some of these players cant seem to play any system effectively. They neec to jettison several players who just plain suck at playing a system effectively.
Risto and Scandella are the worst as it is so obvious wztching the Dmen constantly out if position.
Lockport Larry also seems to h ve difficulty pucking up his man and staying with him down low.
I'm surd their are others ... like probably a solid 5 of 6 more.
Botts neecs to weed them out, he needs to at least get better assistant coachez if h intends to give Phyllis a run with a vastly improved roster.
- IonSabres

mike foligno is a scout for vegas, kick the tires on him
mike ramsey would be a great coach for the d
roloson did great work with the ducks and gibson.

I couldn't believe it when Pitt took him first overall in 2003. It worked out for them. That draft was insanely deep.
- TheHank

Imagine if they took Eric Staal instead

Travis Yost interview was good, as usual on WGR.

Our goalies have given up 18 goals more than expected since win streak ended. Basically the worst goaltending in the league.

I’m inclined to just say we are average with bad goaltending, and things aren’t as bad as they seem.

Just get Skinner signed, try to get a couple decent FA’s like Johansson or Hayes, and continue to build the pipeline
- sbroads24

Not sure how the expected number of goals is determined but I'm not convinced that allowing 18 less goals since November gets us that farther up the standings. We've given up 12 in the last 3 games alone.

side note

bogo is worse in the last 4 months
risto is worse in the last 4 months
scandella has been brutal the last 4 months
mccabe regressed the last 4 months


and when lehner got to a better team he went from one of the worst goalies to one of the best in 6 short months


fix the d and the goalies are much better IMO
- homiedclown

And sober

He's not agreeing to 7 mill. I say he gets 9.
- Matthews_Auston

I'm going to split the difference and guess 8

Not sure how the expected number of goals is determined but I'm not convinced that allowing 18 less goals since November gets us that farther up the standings. We've given up 12 in the last 3 games alone.
- Frizzlefry

piss poor d since the win streak led to the goals, see lehner last season vs this season

secondary scoring was still an issue


fix the d, goaltending takes care of itself

sign skinner and add 2 or 3 more bodies to the top 9, and scoring takes care of itself

And sober
- Frizzlefry

this

but unless you are an elite goalie, and there is not many of them

the d controls most of the goalie stats


you put gibson on the sabres roster and hutton on the ducks roster

gibson puts up numbers almost as bad as hutton and hutton has above average numbers


why was hutton so much better last year, the blues had a top 10 d core

even with dahlin, we are probably a bottom 6 or 7 group of d men in the nhl

hell boston had 4 guys out and still looked better then our group

I think Risto has high athleticism and low hockey I.Q. But he and Scandella are the cards Housley has been dealt. He needs to use what he has rather than try to make them do something they cant. Just like how Darcy and Lindy wanted Meyers to become Pronger. I like Ristos edge. Just cut his minutes and give him an assignment he can execute. I think between Pilut and Montaur, we could be in good shape if we just stopped trying to be Nashville. Its clear we're not, but it's all Housley knows.
- seedy

He was dealt them, to be sure.
Botts needs to recognize who fits that system and who doesn't... both of those guys have proven they are incapable of doing so.
And Risto is on his 2nd coach who he cant seem to play for...I doubt he can play any sysgem at this point.
He absolutely blows at his job...defending his goal...the hits/toughness are desireable, after he has proven he can play solid D...but he hasnt and I no longer think he can...
time to leverage his market value and ship him out...addition by subtraction IMO.

piss poor d since the win streak led to the goals, see lehner last season vs this season

secondary scoring was still an issue


fix the d, goaltending takes care of itself

sign skinner and add 2 or 3 more bodies to the top 9, and scoring takes care of itself
- homiedclown

Defense has been bad, goalies could have made a few more saves then they have though. Secondary scoring is non-existent and that’s a Botts problem however Housley’s piss poor coaching and roster decisions are almost 70% of the problem. Everyone has a hand in the mess. Botts can add to the roster to fix the issues with this team but I don’t think Housley is the right man to lead us out of the abyss.

cow farts

Hey (frank) you.....sir.
Classy enough?
- IonSabres

Perfect

Defense has been bad, goalies could have made a few more saves then they have though. Secondary scoring is non-existent and that’s a Botts problem however Housley’s piss poor coaching and roster decisions are almost 70% of the problem. Everyone has a hand in the mess. Botts can add to the roster to fix the issues with this team but I don’t think Housley is the right man to lead us out of the abyss.
- Pegullaville

if he keeps phil, needs to overhaul the staff for sure

(frank)ing Dave Andrepoophead on the Lightning's intermission broadcast.

Always disliked him in Buffalo, and hate seeing his lazy ass on TV now.

In fact, waching Sabres games with Phyllis behind the bench, it brings back bad memories of that underperforming team of entitled asses.
- IonSabres

I never understood this. How many guys have 640 or more goals? 15, including him, is the answer, FYI.

He knew his role and he excelled at the position.

Talk about lazy, Bure was the laziest player in the league, and that was with the 2-line-pass, if he played today, he'd rarely come into the defensive half of the ice.

Not sure how the expected number of goals is determined but I'm not convinced that allowing 18 less goals since November gets us that farther up the standings. We've given up 12 in the last 3 games alone.
- Frizzlefry

He said it was worth around 3 wins on average during that span.

Which is significant. We’d still be in the hunt with legit average goaltending.

Average goaltending + in the hunt in March is not that bad for what expectations were to start the season.

I truly believe with some tweaks and a good “core player” added this team can start to really contend.

Seriously, a Huberdeau for Risto trade + some development from Mitts and Dahlin plus adding another goalie and I think we’re a playoff team

this

but unless you are an elite goalie, and there is not many of them

the d controls most of the goalie stats


you put gibson on the sabres roster and hutton on the ducks roster

gibson puts up numbers almost as bad as hutton and hutton has above average numbers


why was hutton so much better last year, the blues had a top 10 d core

even with dahlin, we are probably a bottom 6 or 7 group of d men in the nhl

hell boston had 4 guys out and still looked better then our group
- homiedclown

Agreed. Not sure any goalie looks good behind our d.

I think Risto has high athleticism and low hockey I.Q. But he and Scandella are the cards Housley has been dealt. He needs to use what he has rather than try to make them do something they cant. Just like how Darcy and Lindy wanted Meyers to become Pronger. I like Ristos edge. Just cut his minutes and give him an assignment he can execute. I think between Pilut and Montaur, we could be in good shape if we just stopped trying to be Nashville. Its clear we're not, but it's all Housley knows.
- seedy

Someone please photoshop Montour's head onto a minotaur please.

Wings won multiple cups.
Fk the sens THRICE!!!!
- seedy

Yeah, last one was 10 years ago...

He said it was worth around 3 wins on average during that span.

Which is significant. We’d still be in the hunt with legit average goaltending.

Average goaltending + in the hunt in March is not that bad for what expectations were to start the season.

I truly believe with some tweaks and a good “core player” added this team can start to really contend.

Seriously, a Huberdeau for Risto trade + some development from Mitts and Dahlin plus adding another goalie and I think we’re a playoff team
- sbroads24

Eichel, Dahlin, Reinhart, Mittelstadt, Skinner, Montour is an impressive group of talent that anyone other then Tampa and possibly Toronto would be envy of. We just need to surround them. Would be nice to have a little more lotto luck and add Hughes/Kakko to the mix or just keep sinking to a pick in the top 10 and add a Boldy/Krebs/Dach. Then we just need veteran impact players to surround them with and we are off to the races. Toronto had the insulation for their prized prospects, our young guys are driving the bus with no help and that’s why we are where we are.

piss poor d since the win streak led to the goals, see lehner last season vs this season

secondary scoring was still an issue


fix the d, goaltending takes care of itself

sign skinner and add 2 or 3 more bodies to the top 9, and scoring takes care of itself
- homiedclown

Someone please photoshop Montour's head onto a minotaur please.
- Wetbandit1

Meyers, Montaur, Bagosian, Airhoff

Eichel, Dahlin, Reinhart, Mittelstadt, Skinner, Montour is an impressive group of talent that anyone other then Tampa and possibly Toronto would be envy of. We just need to surround them. Would be nice to have a little more lotto luck and add Hughes/Kakko to the mix or just keep sinking to a pick in the top 10 and add a Boldy/Krebs/Dach. Then we just need veteran impact players to surround them with and we are off to the races. Toronto had the insulation for their prized prospects, our young guys are driving the bus with no help and that’s why we are where we are.
- Pegullaville

Odd having Montour in that list . but I agree. he has been a pleasant surprise.

- cabin