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?
- HonkFortheGoose

Exactly, with one caveat.

They're still learning.

I just want to see a solid effort.

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
- Shadman306

Your theory is wrong ......

Ralph said he plays more defensive players when the Sabres are protecting a lead.

The last 3 or 4 games Dahlin has been awful defensively. He has taken dumb penalties, bad defensively, and bad pinches.

Last night in the 1st on one shift he was a brutal. He should’ve been minus 2. But with the offside. Only technically was on the ice for 1 goal against.

please put quick in net

Your theory is wrong ......

Ralph said he plays more defensive players when the Sabres are protecting a lead.

The last 3 or 4 games Dahlin has been awful defensively. He has taken dumb penalties, bad defensively, and bad pinches.

Last night in the 1st on one shift he was a brutal. He should’ve been minus 2. But with the offside. Only technically was on the ice for 1 goal against.
- Sabretooth9

not to mention he was demoted to the second team pp for the third period

Exactly, with one caveat.

They're still learning.

I just want to see a solid effort.
- gcomella34

This LA team has not been good. So essentially, so long as they play the game they have for 5 out of the first 7 they *should* win this game. But, overall, they don't need to necessarily get a win, I just want to see them come out and play the game they have been and not the one we saw for periods 2 and 3 last night.

Your theory is wrong ......

Ralph said he plays more defensive players when the Sabres are protecting a lead.

The last 3 or 4 games Dahlin has been awful defensively. He has taken dumb penalties, bad defensively, and bad pinches.

Last night in the 1st on one shift he was a brutal. He should’ve been minus 2. But with the offside. Only technically was on the ice for 1 goal against.
- Sabretooth9

he also said before the season even started that they're going to bring him along slowly and limit his minutes so that they can help bring his defensive game along. There is 0 mystery around this, so I don't get why so many people (not saying you, as you've clearly listened to what Ralph has to say) think there's some conspiracy theory.

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
- Shadman306

From Ostrander:

"LeBrun pretty much confirmed that Scandella could be on the market and it makes sense in a lot of ways. He’s been better this year so you’d assume there’s a better market, UFA they could retain on, would still be fairly cost effective in terms of assets you’d give up
"Montour is my dear sweet boy but if the return was right (Nikolaj) I wouldn’t object to him getting shopped"


If either were to be traded to Winnipeg for Ehlers, we would have to include an additional $2m in salary. Vesey and Erod would work, but doubt they would move the needle for the Jets.
Montour, Vesey and a 2nd for Ehlers?

From Ostrander:

"LeBrun pretty much confirmed that Scandella could be on the market and it makes sense in a lot of ways. He’s been better this year so you’d assume there’s a better market, UFA they could retain on, would still be fairly cost effective in terms of assets you’d give up
"Montour is my dear sweet boy but if the return was right (Nikolaj) I wouldn’t object to him getting shopped"


If either were to be traded to Winnipeg for Ehlers, we would have to include an additional $2m in salary. Vesey and Erod would work, but doubt they would move the needle for the Jets.
Montour, Vesey and a 2nd for Ehlers?
- adambuffalo

Being that Scandella is a UFA this year, it's not surprising that he'd be a possibility for a trade. That's typical. Pending UFAs are always trade targets, especially if it seems like the team probably won't resign them or if they don't seem interested in resigning with their current team. They'd rather trade the player for something (even if it's just a pick) than just let them walk for nothing.

For those of oyu who couldn't stay away, I don;t thin kthe score indicates how close the game actually was:

- No puck luck, Oloffson made a nice move on a breakaway, had an open net and the puck rolled on him. Johannson had a wide open net and hit the shaft of a defenseman (couldn't do it again if he tried). We also had 2 or 3 other breakaways and plenty of point blank shots and got beat by the better goalie. The score could have easily been 5-0 Sabres after 18 minutes.
- Ulllmark, who probably shouldn't have been starting (who sits their #1 goalie after he gets a shutout in the first game of a back to back?), was okay at best. Goal #1 all he need to do was hug the post (though it was a nice tip), goal #4 he'd like to have back.
- The ducks bullied us, but I liked the responses by Reinhart and Skinner.
- The bad Risto reappeared
- I'd be shocked if Erod isn't benched tonight.
- Would like to see Gilmour given a chance, but who sits out? Not Scandella who was by far our best dman last night.
- The critiquing of Dahlin on this board is funny. He wasn't great last night but he wasn't bad either. His play to hold the puck in on goal #1 was otherworldy.
- I thoght Oloffson was our best forward last night. Middelstadt and Vesey had a tons of chances, they have to score a goal sometime, right??
-

For those of oyu who couldn't stay away, I don;t thin kthe score indicates how close the game actually was:

- No puck luck, Oloffson made a nice move on a breakaway, had an open net and the puck rolled on him. Johannson had a wide open net and hit the shaft of a defenseman (couldn't do it again if he tried). We also had 2 or 3 other breakaways and plenty of point blank shots and got beat by the better goalie. The score could have easily been 5-0 Sabres after 18 minutes.
- Ulllmark, who probably shouldn't have been starting (who sits their #1 goalie after he gets a shutout in the first game of a back to back?), was okay at best. Goal #1 all he need to do was hug the post (though it was a nice tip), goal #4 he'd like to have back.
- The ducks bullied us, but I liked the responses by Reinhart and Skinner.
- The bad Risto reappeared
- I'd be shocked if Erod isn't benched tonight.
- Would like to see Gilmour given a chance, but who sits out? Not Scandella who was by far our best dman last night.
- The critiquing of Dahlin on this board is funny. He wasn't great last night but he wasn't bad either. His play to hold the puck in on goal #1 was otherworldy.
- I thoght Oloffson was our best forward last night. Middelstadt and Vesey had a tons of chances, they have to score a goal sometime, right??
-
- turbo044

They lost.

The sky is falling.

Better head to the panic room.

If and when Botts makes his move, screw Ehlers, go big, Ehlers doesn't move the needle enough.

From Ostrander:

"LeBrun pretty much confirmed that Scandella could be on the market and it makes sense in a lot of ways. He’s been better this year so you’d assume there’s a better market, UFA they could retain on, would still be fairly cost effective in terms of assets you’d give up
"Montour is my dear sweet boy but if the return was right (Nikolaj) I wouldn’t object to him getting shopped"


If either were to be traded to Winnipeg for Ehlers, we would have to include an additional $2m in salary. Vesey and Erod would work, but doubt they would move the needle for the Jets.
Montour, Vesey and a 2nd for Ehlers?
- adambuffalo

I can’t see them moving Montour less than 6 months and 20 meaningless games after acquiring him

I can’t see them moving Montour less than 6 months and 20 meaningless games after acquiring him
- OneKaneOneCup

Especially after giving up Guhle and a 1st, but we shall see, that's why GM'S get the Money, and I write my opinions on a message board

he also said before the season even started that they're going to bring him along slowly and limit his minutes so that they can help bring his defensive game along. There is 0 mystery around this, so I don't get why so many people (not saying you, as you've clearly listened to what Ralph has to say) think there's some conspiracy theory.
- HonkFortheGoose

Yeah well if it was the middle of the season and he’s still playing terrible. I bet Ralph would do the same

I can’t see them moving Montour less than 6 months and 20 meaningless games after acquiring him
- OneKaneOneCup

I don't know if it would prevent them from trading him though. I guess it would depend on how much input JBotts takes from Krueger. If it came down to it and JBotts asked Krueger if he preferred Risto or Montour no one knows for sure what his answer would be. Since the time he was hired, Krueger has spoken highly of Risto.

This LA team has not been good. So essentially, so long as they play the game they have for 5 out of the first 7 they *should* win this game. But, overall, they don't need to necessarily get a win, I just want to see them come out and play the game they have been and not the one we saw for periods 2 and 3 last night.
- HonkFortheGoose

LA hasn't exactly had an easy schedule either. A lot of close games. They are coming off of two consecutive losses after a big 7-4 win against the Preds. It really depends on which team shows up. LA is currently killing penalties at a 65% rate. Would be a good time to get the PP back on track.

I don't know if it would prevent them from trading him though. I guess it would depend on how much input JBotts takes from Krueger. If it came down to it and JBotts asked Krueger if he preferred Risto or Montour no one knows for sure what his answer would be. Since the time he was hired, Krueger has spoken highly of Risto.
- adambuffalo

He’s also spoken highly of literally everyone

LA hasn't exactly had an easy schedule either. A lot of close games. They are coming off of two consecutive losses after a big 7-4 win against the Preds. It really depends on which team shows up. LA is currently killing penalties at a 65% rate. Would be a good time to get the PP back on track.
- adambuffalo

Why I said it doesn't have to be a win necessarily. Just want to see them get back to doing what they were that was finding them success. Play as a unit. Don't chase. Don't try to do everything on their own. That's what they've done for the last 4 years under Bylsma and Housley. Not that it was the system either of those guys had in place, just what they had a tendency to do. Need to make sure that Krueger isn't letting them get away with that.

I didn't see the 2nd and 3rd periods last night, so not sure if that's what they were doing, but I definitely saw some of that in the Columbus game early. They were more cohesive in the 2nd and 3rd and it helped get the game to OT.

He’s also spoken highly of literally everyone
- OneKaneOneCup

He's brand new here. Is he going to come in and throw any of the players under the bus? That would just be suicide. Player won't want to play for him and now you've got a disgruntled player who's struggling. Great trade bait....

He has had some criticisms of guys, but he goes about doing it in a way that doesn't imply the player is terrible. He's essentially McDermott but for hockey. The parallels between the two are pretty crazy when you really start looking at it.

It’s been 7 games.... The fan base has the emotional fragility of the team the past few years. Can’t get too high or too low. I’ll take a 5-1-1 start. With a condensed schedule and going out west you can see it took a toll on the group. We were bound to lose in regulation at some point. It’s just disappointing how we lost as we came out of the gate and completely dominated the first 15 minutes of that game.
- Swedish_Jesus

Great Post