Agreed. I've been enjoying the ride so far. If it stops being fun at some point, I'll invest a lot less time in it. If it's not bringing me joy, then I'll spend my time doing something else that does instead.

I'll always be a fan. I'll bleed blue and gold until the day I die I'm sure. But I don't need to watch every game from start to finish every year in order to say that, especially if it's not making me happy in the moment.
- HonkFortheGoose

Very true, when I was a lot younger I would watch everything, take everything to heart But know that I am getting old it's not a do or die thing anymore, lot more things to enjoy.

A lot of interesting conversations in Pachlas post, think it's gonna be a fun year. Last night showed some weaknesses they need to fix. Not gonna be able to just out skate every team
- Buff36

Like what was said by another poster...
If the Sabres PP had performed better and made the Ducks pay for taking liberties and being dirty, then their plan would have failed.
That said, there is a need for a two players in the forward ranks who play with grit and don't kill you with stupid penalties.

I think Kaiser expressed it well yesterday for the Dcorps...too much of the same type of player leaves a team exposed to different tactics...that applies to the team in general

This roster has holes in it from a skill perspective, but also is pretty soft. Hopefully Botts knows that and is focused on fixing it...he will have ample opportunity to reconstruct it before next season starts

Like what was said by another poster...
If the Sabres PP had performed better and made the Ducks pay for taking liberties and being dirty, then their plan would have failed.
That said, there is a need for a two players in the forward ranks who play with grit and don't kill you with stupid penalties.

I think Kaiser expressed it well yesterday the Dcorps...too much of the same type of player leaves a team exposed to different tactics...that applies to the team in general

This roster has holes in it from a skill perspective, but also is pretty soft. Hopefully Botts knows that and is focused on fixing it...he will have ample opportunity to reconstruct it before next season starts
- IonSabres

Hey leave me out of it.

I’m a hack who just criticizes other peoples opinions Without posting my own.

Very true, when I was a lot younger I would watch everything, take everything to heart But know that I am getting old it's not a do or die thing anymore, lot more things to enjoy.
- Buff36

It's fun to be invested, and care deeply about your sports teams, but there are greater things in life.

Sometimes it's hard for me to separate, but I usually am able to see the forest for the trees after a few minutes.

Like what was said by another poster...
If the Sabres PP had performed better and made the Ducks pay for taking liberties and being dirty, then their plan would have failed.
That said, there is a need for a two players in the forward ranks who play with grit and don't kill you with stupid penalties.

I think Kaiser expressed it well yesterday for the Dcorps...too much of the same type of player leaves a team exposed to different tactics...that applies to the team in general

This roster has holes in it from a skill perspective, but also is pretty soft. Hopefully Botts knows that and is focused on fixing it...he will have ample opportunity to reconstruct it before next season starts
- IonSabres

we need a little grit for games like this

you can't have reinhart and ullmark being the players giving the response

my gut says lazar is in on the 4th line, okposo gets bumped to the casey line and e rod gets a seat

but that is not enough for games like last night, or dare I say playoff games

- homiedclown

Don’t be a tough guy. Don’t be a fool.

The Sabres eastern conference / open hockey isn’t a good match up against bigger / heavier western conference teams.

The only way to beat them is with speed.

They got knocked the (frank) out!

We got bullied last night and lost

Don’t be a tough guy. Don’t be a fool.
- Der Kaiser

invest with Fraud Guarantee and never worry about fools again.

Probably get laughed at, but I would have liked to see them go after Neal, doesn't have the greatest contract, but, it was basically a bad contract for bad contract flip, we have a few of those.

We got bullied last night and lost
- BeadyEyedDouche

Probably get laughed at, but I would have liked to see them go after Neal, doesn't have the greatest contract, but, it was basically a bad contract for bad contract flip, we have a few of those.
- Buff36

Neal for okposo was talked about here during the summer

Neal for okposo was talked about here during the summer
- Sabretooth9

Sorry missed it, seems Neal has found his scoring touch again, and would have brought a little grit

Sorry missed it, seems Neal has found his scoring touch again, and would have brought a little grit
- Buff36

It’s all good. I think hockey news or someone proposed the idea this summer.


But I agree. I rather have Neal.

we need a little grit for games like this

you can't have reinhart and ullmark being the players giving the response

my gut says lazar is in on the 4th line, okposo gets bumped to the casey line and e rod gets a seat

but that is not enough for games like last night, or dare I say playoff games
- homiedclown

This team could use Borgen and Pekar - in two years they may have their grit, if they don't loose those players through trade or expansion draft.

We got bullied last night and lost
- BeadyEyedDouche

That’s western conference hockey for you .....

Each loss this fan base just expects the other shoe to drop.

This loss, the team regresses to what we're used to for the last ten years.

That's even how I feel, but I can see this team does perform better than years past. Despite seeing this, I'm still waiting for it.

That’s western conference hockey for you .....
- Sabretooth9

or a game vs the bruins, caps or hurricanes

1. The most surprising thing about Buffalo’s start isn’t that the Sabres are an above-average possession team built off a strong defense, that they’re getting strong goaltending, or that they have one of the league’s best power plays – those can all be explained. It’s that they’ve managed all that with their downright stunning usage of stud defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.

Ice-time is often the most telling indicator of how a coach views their players and with a new coach behind the bench early trends there will especially be of interest. This was a year many expected Dahlin to take the next step into the elite tier of defenders, but he’s not exactly being treated as such under Krueger. Through the team’s first seven games, Dahlin is third on the team among defenders in ice-time at a perplexing 18:53 per game, over a two-minute drop from his rookie season. And that’s while being the Sabres most used defender on the power play. At 5-on-5 Dahlin is averaging just 14:09 per game, the lowest among the Sabres’ defenders and 150th in the league.

That’s third pairing company for a player who’s already emerged as one of the league’s most gifted puck-movers and was the only regular Sabres defenseman with an above-average expected goals percentage last season. That figure has improved to around 54 percent this year, which leads the team, to go along with his eight points on the season. He’s been a top tier defender to start, but for whatever reason isn’t being used as one.

That reason: the Sabres are winning a lot and leading a lot of games lately and Dahlin isn’t being trusted in those minutes. When tied or losing, Dahlin’s minutes shoot up. Considering he had some of the team’s strongest numbers while defending a lead last year (and the less talented Rasmus did not), so it’s hard to support that usage.

https://theathletic.com/1...s-and-stanley-cup-slumps/

Get your popcorn ready.

The trip out west isn't going to get easier. Tonight playing LA who had yesterday off and Saturday against SJ who have today and tomorrow off. Both teams are just as physical as the Ducks and both are getting an extra days rest.
Any word on who is in goal for LA tonight?

Each loss this fan base just expects the other shoe to drop.

This loss, the team regresses to what we're used to for the last ten years.

That's even how I feel, but I can see this team does perform better than years past. Despite seeing this, I'm still waiting for it.
- gcomella34

Tonight will be pretty telling.

Do they come out, look flat and disinterested like we've seen over the last god knows how many years at this point?

OR

Do they respond with playing together as a team with speed and accurate passing like we've seen most of this season so far?

The trip out west isn't going to get easier. Tonight playing LA who had yesterday off and Saturday against SJ who have today and tomorrow off. Both teams are just as physical as the Ducks and both are getting an extra days rest.
Any word on who is in goal for LA tonight?
- adambuffalo

Haven't heard anything but I would be shocked if it wasn't Hutton.

https://theathletic.com/1301489/2019/10/17/16-stats-the-surging-sabres-surprising-starts-and-stanley-cup-slumps/

Get your popcorn ready.
- buffalofan19

Im going to stick by my theory that along with some trust issues, Dahlin is seeing less minutes to showcase some of our movable D men