For the first time in years I am excited for this hockey team. I think we are good. I think we are a cup contender and have the potential to get better with a few moves.

I also like Ristolainen. He is a very good defenseman. What he does for this team considering his salary is a very good value.

I choose not to pay attention to the haters who aren’t happy unless they have a villain to hate. All players make mistakes. All defensemen making 5 million/year have some shortcomings to their game. Some act like goals against are not to be expected. It’s ridiculous.

All our players have shown so much heart this year. They are playing hard and doing their best. Players like Larsson and Girgensons are leaders who sacrifice their bodies skating in front of shots on the PK to help this team. They have the respect of their teammates and coaches. Players like this are essential to a winning team.

Okposo has kept a positive attitude while finding himself demoted down the lineup. His minutes reduced and the talent of his line mates dropping, yet he perseveres showing great character and producing results, resulting in a win for us when nothing else was working. That’s leadership, that’s character.

Sobotka has been one of the hardest working players on this team. Put into a role that may be considered above his natural talents he has played harder than I have ever seen him play trying to produce results for his team. That’s character.

The additions of Miller, Jokiharju and Montour were exactly what this young team struggling defensively needed. Props to Botts for recognizing and addressing the teams most crucial need.

What’s evident to me, is that we have a roster full of talent and character guys. And that’s what a good team needs. A good team needs players like Sobotka to show other players what work ethic is all about. A good team needs players like Larsson and Girgensons to show players what sacrifice is all about. A good team needs players like Okposo to show young players what character in the face of adversity looks like. A good team needs players like Ristolainen who play hard every shift, play tough minutes against the opponent’s best, hit and keep other teams honest, and produce offensively when needed.

Is everything perfect? No. Of course we have players who could be producing more, making less mistakes, playing in better suited roles, or even developing rather than playing 7 minutes a night. Cold players will get going and hot players will cool down. But what’s most important is the culture of the team. We have leadership, we have character, we have a players who are rooting for their teammates to succeed and sacrificing for their team. We have talent and skill, but more importantly we have character and heart.

I’ll take a team with heart and character over a team with skill any day of the week. What’s nice is that we have both.

Instead of picking apart the players and criticizing everything about the team. Let’s enjoy this. Let’s appreciate a team that likes each other and has fun playing again.

I understand the cynicism of Buffalo sports fans. Four consecutive Super Bowl losses, The Music City Miracle, the no goal, watching one of the best NHL teams fall apart because of a self imposed salary cap, mirages of good play falling apart, I get why it’s easier to be jaded and wait for things to fall apart rather than hope for the best.

It’s a choice. You can choose to criticize a team that has shown some character and heart resulting in one of the best records in the league albeit in a small sample size. You can pick apart their players and create a negative vibe if you want. But you could also choose to be positive. To focus on the positives, to praise a team that has changed its culture, to praise what players are doing well instead of focusing on mistakes that all players on every team make. You could create a positive vibe and choose to have hope.

Make these boards great again. Support this team. Support these players. Focus on the positives. This team is good. The Sabres are playoff contenders. Our management and coaching have done a great job. This young team, filled with skill, talent, character and heart is good now and only going to get better. They deserve a fan base who supports them and sends out positive vibes.

Joaquin Phoenix is going to meet Oscar

I know +|- is a weird stat, but SJ Karlsson -8 so far, Burns -4, Dahlin +2, Hedman -4.

Sure he has struggled, but that’s not looking so bad. Not to mention, most of the assists he has are on the PP so that does not count as +, which makes his number look even better.

Edit: as stated below, I only care about wins, so I am not too crazy about Dahlin’s playing time, but Dahlin is known for making smart plays, not so sure the others are known for that. I want wins and the best players on the ice to get that done.

So without Chubb who we lost for the season to a torn ACL the Broncos shut out the Titans in the first half and forced Mariota to throw his first pick of the year and sacked him three times. The Titans did not run a single play on the Broncos side of the field.

Either the Broncos defence is elite or maybe the Bills defence is not as elite as you guys think they are.
- Swedish_Jesus

Also Denver is at home while Bills were on the road.

Edit: I only care about wins. I don’t need the best D, or best offensive player, I want a team that wins the game regardless of things that happen throughout the game.

Great post Beethoven, it's been a long time being able to enjoy Buffalo Sports this much. The Biils are fun, the Sabres are fun. I just want to feel the upper deck shaking a few more times at the Ralph(NEW ERA), I wanna go to another Parade for the Sabres (This time for a better celebration), I think there isn't to many people on these boards that have felt that, and are so down with the way it has been for Sports around here. It's time for Buffalo Sports to be proud again and enjoy the ride, because there is nothing like it

From the start of the third period until Dahlin was benched:

--Florida outshot the Sabres 13-3
--Four of those shots came while the Sabers were shorthanded
--five came with Dahlin on the ice

For Dahlin's final shift of the third period:

--Panthers had the puck in Buffalo's zone for :58 seconds
--they had two shots from close range

Dahlin's sequence chronologically in that time went like this:

--out worked behind his net, Fla shot on goal
--had puck jump his stick, Fla maintains zone time
--misplayed puck behind the net
--turned the puck over behind the net
--sent puck around boards to an open wing, Fla maintains zone time
--outworked again for the puck, shot on goal
--Ullmark makes save
--TV time out

end of story
- Michael Pachla

The first two periods the Sabres controlled 51.5% of the shot attempts.

In the third period where Dahlin played 3 min we controlled 26% of the shot attempts

You’re right end of story

I know +|- is a weird stat, but SJ Karlsson -8 so far, Burns -4, Dahlin +2, Hedman -4.

Sure he has struggled, but that’s not looking so bad. Not to mention, most of the assists he has are on the PP so that does not count as +, which makes his number look even better.

Edit: as stated below, I only care about wins, so I am not too crazy about Dahlin’s playing time, but Dahlin is known for making smart plays, not so sure the others are known for that. I want wins and the best players on the ice to get that done.
- Lilroot9

Positive! I like it.

Great post Beethoven, it's been a long time being able to enjoy Buffalo Sports this much. The Biils are fun, the Sabres are fun. I just want to feel the upper deck shaking a few more times at the Ralph(NEW ERA), I wanna go to another Parade for the Sabres (This time for a better celebration), I think there isn't to many people on these boards that have felt that, and are so down with the way it has been for Sports around here. It's time for Buffalo Sports to be proud again and enjoy the ride, because there is nothing like it
- Buff36

Here, here!

Why is it a joke, Dahlin has been bad defensively.
- Buff36

Typical stupid buffalo comment - let’s hate on our superstars. He’s been on for all of ONE even strength goal against. Take a second, one. 7 points in 5 games, 9 team points out of a possible 10. Chill.

For the first time in years I am excited for this hockey team. I think we are good. I think we are a cup contender and have the potential to get better with a few moves.

I also like Ristolainen. He is a very good defenseman. What he does for this team considering his salary is a very good value.

I choose not to pay attention to the haters who aren’t happy unless they have a villain to hate. All players make mistakes. All defensemen making 5 million/year have some shortcomings to their game. Some act like goals against are not to be expected. It’s ridiculous.

All our players have shown so much heart this year. They are playing hard and doing their best. Players like Larsson and Girgensons are leaders who sacrifice their bodies skating in front of shots on the PK to help this team. They have the respect of their teammates and coaches. Players like this are essential to a winning team.

Okposo has kept a positive attitude while finding himself demoted down the lineup. His minutes reduced and the talent of his line mates dropping, yet he perseveres showing great character and producing results, resulting in a win for us when nothing else was working. That’s leadership, that’s character.

Sobotka has been one of the hardest working players on this team. Put into a role that may be considered above his natural talents he has played harder than I have ever seen him play trying to produce results for his team. That’s character.

The additions of Miller, Jokiharju and Montour were exactly what this young team struggling defensively needed. Props to Botts for recognizing and addressing the teams most crucial need.

What’s evident to me, is that we have a roster full of talent and character guys. And that’s what a good team needs. A good team needs players like Sobotka to show other players what work ethic is all about. A good team needs players like Larsson and Girgensons to show players what sacrifice is all about. A good team needs players like Okposo to show young players what character in the face of adversity looks like. A good team needs players like Ristolainen who play hard every shift, play tough minutes against the opponent’s best, hit and keep other teams honest, and produce offensively when needed.

Is everything perfect? No. Of course we have players who could be producing more, making less mistakes, playing in better suited roles, or even developing rather than playing 7 minutes a night. Cold players will get going and hot players will cool down. But what’s most important is the culture of the team. We have leadership, we have character, we have a players who are rooting for their teammates to succeed and sacrificing for their team. We have talent and skill, but more importantly we have character and heart.

I’ll take a team with heart and character over a team with skill any day of the week. What’s nice is that we have both.

Instead of picking apart the players and criticizing everything about the team. Let’s enjoy this. Let’s appreciate a team that likes each other and has fun playing again.

I understand the cynicism of Buffalo sports fans. Four consecutive Super Bowl losses, The Music City Miracle, the no goal, watching one of the best NHL teams fall apart because of a self imposed salary cap, mirages of good play falling apart, I get why it’s easier to be jaded and wait for things to fall apart rather than hope for the best.

It’s a choice. You can choose to criticize a team that has shown some character and heart resulting in one of the best records in the league albeit in a small sample size. You can pick apart their players and create a negative vibe if you want. But you could also choose to be positive. To focus on the positives, to praise a team that has changed its culture, to praise what players are doing well instead of focusing on mistakes that all players on every team make. You could create a positive vibe and choose to have hope.

Make these boards great again. Support this team. Support these players. Focus on the positives. This team is good. The Sabres are playoff contenders. Our management and coaching have done a great job. This young team, filled with skill, talent, character and heart is good now and only going to get better. They deserve a fan base who supports them and sends out positive vibes.
- Beethoven

That was symphonic, Beethoven

The first two periods the Sabres controlled 51.5% of the shot attempts.

In the third period where Dahlin played 3 min we controlled 26% of the shot attempts

You’re right end of story
- OneKaneOneCup

Nice stat pull try. Attempts are not shots on goal. And if you watch his final shift you'll notice that he had no idea what was going on or what to do about it. It's something that doesn't show up in fancy stats.

Sorry. Take the loss.

Krueger did the right thing and sat him.

Also Denver is at home while Bills were on the road.

Edit: I only care about wins. I don’t need the best D, or best offensive player, I want a team that wins the game regardless of things that happen throughout the game.
- Lilroot9

That’s what pisses me off as a Broncos fan. If we don’t lose two games on last second field goals we are 4-2 right now and tied for the AFC West lead.

Nice stat pull. Attempts are not shots on goal. And if you watch his final shift you'll notice that he had no idea what was going on or what to do about it. It's something that doesn't show up in fancy stats.

Sorry. Take the loss.

Krueger did the right thing and sat him.
- Michael Pachla

So Because Mittelstadt won it in a shootout, he made the right call benching a star player?

Are we literally ignoring the fact that they blew the lead? Like i could agree with this point if we tightened up after he shortened the bench. But they didn’t. They got sloppy and they flopped around the ice the last minute like they were all rookies.

Nice stat pull. Attempts are not shots on goal. And if you watch his final shift you'll notice that he had no idea what was going on or what to do about it. It's something that doesn't show up in fancy stats.

Sorry. Take the loss.

Krueger did the right thing and sat him.
- Michael Pachla

Yeah I’d rather see Risto play the majority of those minutes and fail as he has done over and over again. Risto had the puck by himself on the boards with 30 secs left last game. Get the puck out the game is basically over. He literally trips over himself and 20 seconds later the game is tied. Ignoring history always works out great

The first two periods the Sabres controlled 51.5% of the shot attempts.

In the third period where Dahlin played 3 min we controlled 26% of the shot attempts

You’re right end of story
- OneKaneOneCup

Krueger saw what many others did, the Panthers almost scored every time he was on the ice in those three minutes. They were on their heels because the Panthers played much better than they did in the second, not because they parked a bus, or something. The kid will undoubtedly grow into being more ready for that situation, but he looked very shaky in his own zone last game 3rd period.

So Because Mittelstadt won it in a shootout, he made the right call benching a star player?

Are we literally ignoring the fact that they blew the lead? Like i could agree with this point if we tightened up after he shortened the bench. But they didn’t. They got sloppy and they flopped around the ice the last minute like they were all rookies.
- OneKaneOneCup

They did tighten up. After being outshot 13-3 prior to Dahlin being benched, the Sabres outshot the Cats by a 2-1 margin. When Florida pulled their goalie they put 5 shots up and tied the score.

Give Fla some credit.

Yeah I’d rather see Risto play the majority of those minutes and fail as he has done over and over again. Risto had the puck by himself on the boards with 30 secs left last game. Get the puck out the game is basically over. He literally trips over himself and 20 seconds later the game is tied. Ignoring history always works out great
- turbo044

Buffalo is 4-0-1

They did tighten up. After beinf outshot 13-3 prior to Dahlin being benched, the Sabres outshot the Cats by a 2-1 margin. When Florida pulled their goalie they put 5 shots up and tied the score.

Give Fla some credit.
- Michael Pachla

Ah. So Florida gets credit when it’s against the “vets” but not against Dahlin?

Dahlin didn’t play poorly, Florida was just really good against him

Yeah I’d rather see Risto play the majority of those minutes and fail as he has done over and over again. Risto had the puck by himself on the boards with 30 secs left last game. Get the puck out the game is basically over. He literally trips over himself and 20 seconds later the game is tied. Ignoring history always works out great
- turbo044

This x100.

We’ve seen this movie 100 times.

Play that game over 10 times and we lose 9 of them

Ok TURBO, way to read everything, not dumping on a very good player, not a superstar yet, and maybe if you had looked a little harder, I said he has been very good offensively, defensively he hasn't been so good, it's called having a D-partner that has covered up for his mistakes. But ok try again

Ah. So Florida gets credit when it’s against the “vets” but not against Dahlin?

Dahlin didn’t play poorly, Florida was just really good against him
- OneKaneOneCup

Id rather beat my head against a spiked wall then go on. I proved my point.

Believe what you want

What a hack you are
- OneKaneOneCup

You're jacking off a little too hard over Dahlin, dude. He's going to rack up the points but it's clear he isn't an all-around player coming out of the draft like Eichel was. We will see if his defensive game can be reasonable while racking up the points but as it stands right now, he is a liability and clearly a few of us are seeing exactly what the coach is seeing in him and it's why he is playing 15 minutes a night.

We have started off strong but our PP is at 42%, if we don't convert on every other PP we are not 4-0-1, it's pretty simple.

It's not sustainable and we need to find a way to score 5v5. Olofsson needs to drop down a line, Sobotka needs to drop down a line, Vesey needs to go up a line and Mitts needs to start burying his chances. That's what we need to work on most besides Dahlin's defensive awareness, of which he has next to none this season so far.

People that complain about Swedish Jesus obviously have never watched Erik Karlsson
- gerbe75pts

Even he was never bad defensively, he just sky-rocketed to being an OD after a few seasons of being dangerous but responsible.

There are more then 2 D-men on the ice, and maybe if you watched Risto stick is being held by Barkov on the the goal, and could be wrong but it was McCabe that didn't get the puck out not Risto. It's funny how Risto gets bagged on but the Forwards have no part in it.

There are not many d-men in this league that are polished defensively, never mind those who are 19 years old with less than 100 games of NHL experience. Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson still don’t know how to play defence.

Dahlin hasn’t been sharp but it’s also October and everyone is rusty.