Here's my (soon to be unpopular) take:

The past couple of years have been rough, but they were trying to build a winning franchise. Reeling in Hall was, and still is, a big win especially because "nobody wants to come to Buffalo". Staal is a great (not good, great) player to help coach the young team.

Bad luck #1: 56 game season

We knew it was gonna take a minute for Hall, Staal, and the other newbies to mesh with the team, no big deal. They have to rush to be good and don't get a normal season to try to fit in with each other.

Bad luck #2: Eichel comes in hurt

The start of camp and the captain and best player by far is not there? Something is amiss and we won't find out what it is until the end of the season. The recent "new" injury might be new, or might be the same injury he came to camp with but it still sucks. I was surprised they beat NJ without him to be honest. Kid hasn't looked himself all season and I have to blame the injuries.

Bad luck #3: Covid quarantine

They were playing increasingly decent hockey the first couple of games when they got the Covid bug and had to stop playing together to quarantine. This setback players getting to know each other's styles, and jammed more games into an already tight schedule which brings me to badluck 4

Bad luck #4: Current line 2 has been the best line all season, but we gotta rest the rookies (?)

This is where I might start finding blame in Kruegs. Finding out that Staal, Hall, and Cozens mesh well was a godsend, but did we really need to rest Cozens? This line looks amazing, Cozens looks amazing, and it lets Taylor Hall finally be Taylor Hall better than any other place in the lineup. WTF was Okposo doing on this line in his spot?

Bad luck(ish) #5: Skinner being demoted

Ok full blame on Kruegs. Get Olofsson off the first line (absolutely keep him on 1st line PP). Put Olof with Tage or Middlestadt or Reider or whoever the f*** I don't care, he doesn't belong on the first line. 40 goal scoring Skinner belongs with Reinhart and Eichel. Worst case scenario he still struggles, and Eichel will get in his face to either be better or waive his ntc. I don't see what is so difficult with this.

Bad luck (for real) #6: Ullmark and McCabe getting hurt

This just sucks. Both were looking amazing until they got hurt, and McCabe was making Risto look amazing too (I'm a fan, sry h8ers).

Bad luck (kinda?) #7 Dahlinitis

WTF is going on with Dahlin? He looks nothing like he did the first 2 years; he seems to be playing slow and sloppy. He's probably going to be amazing, but I was not expecting this kind of regression. He is playing himself out of a huge contract next year.

Conclusion:
This season hurts. I was so excited for hockey, I was so excited for Hall. I was so excited for Dahlin. Now it just hurts that I can't read a friggin NHL article without them mentioning an Eichel trade. If they trade Eichel I think i might be done. I'd almost rather trade Dahlin at this point. The only real blame I've included in this rant is him and Kruegs. If they got rid of both (Dahlin goes for no less than a king's ransom) then it would light a huge fire under everyone that no one is safe, and you better start playing well.

All you Eichel haters tho GTFO, we aren't winning a cup without him.
- nightfo0l

Bad Luck #72, The value of Murrency and Botcoins has decreased with the recent rise in Gamestop shares.

Did we ever figure out how much Murrency equals a Botcoin? How many botcoins to purpose a premium piece, and what about a whole treasure trove??
- Aetherial

5 premium pieces is a botcoin.

Fire the wife

Did we ever figure out how much Murrency equals a Botcoin? How many botcoins to purpose a premium piece, and what about a whole treasure trove??
- Aetherial

Not really. Sabres made so many changes over the years it was hard to keep track of Garf's hyperbole. GMTM always gets his man. Casey Mitts. They call him Snipeshow around these parts. Before the season started Garf said the Sabres had 5 30 goal scorers on the team. Kind of hard to do in a 56 game season.

Bad Luck #72, The value of Murrency and Botcoins has decreased with the recent rise in Gamestop shares.
- Aetherial

Bad Luck #73: Pump and dump

Eichchain's value has never been lower; why waste it now? Hold to the moon!

This is a disgusting racist, sexist comment. Eklund please have the decency to ban this user. No place for this on here.

Whether Mrs Pegula is the problem or not she deserves more respect than that, and for the record Krueger is a hockey coach that did some time as an executive at a soccer club. He’s not a soccer coach.
- Dahlmanyotes

By the way...this story about Mike Rathje making a bad play, leading to a sombre arena, and this being the end of his Flyers career is another tall tale. Similar in scope to the Nashville Knights tale.

in 2005-06, Rathje had a great year. 24 points. +22. But he had back surgery that summer. In 2006-07 he played 18 games but was hobbled by injury. His final game was a routine 3-2 loss to Nashville in November. He was +1 that night in 20+ minutes of ice-time. But his mobility was hampered by his injury. The Flyers didn't waive him or trade him or demote him. They put him on LTIR. He had yet another surgery. The next season he was welcomed back in training camp. Sure doesn't sound like a guy that was shunned by the organization! He went through camp but suffered more pain and was forced to retire.

Sabres would get a treasure trove of assets for Jack.
- gergeswillems

Just like they nailed the Ryan O Reilly deal on both ends......

Just like they nailed the Ryan O Reilly deal on both ends......
- Jkuzzi

1. that's why it would never happen again
2. they know he'd do better anywhere he went
3. this would be the biggest trade in the last 10 years? Arguably bigger than the Seguin to Dallas trade

By the way...this story about Mike Rathje making a bad play, leading to a sombre arena, and this being the end of his Flyers career is another tall tale. Similar in scope to the Nashville Knights tale.

in 2005-06, Rathje had a great year. 24 points. +22. But he had back surgery that summer. In 2006-07 he played 18 games but was hobbled by injury. His final game was a routine 3-2 loss to Nashville in November. He was +1 that night in 20+ minutes of ice-time. But his mobility was hampered by his injury. The Flyers didn't waive him or trade him or demote him. They put him on LTIR. He had yet another surgery. The next season he was welcomed back in training camp. Sure doesn't sound like a guy that was shunned by the organization! He went through camp but suffered more pain and was forced to retire.
- Kooleus

You’d think the douchebag would learn that any bs he posts is going to be fact checked. Such a lying moron. (frank) sakes Ek get it together.

Here's my (soon to be unpopular) take:

The past couple of years have been rough, but they were trying to build a winning franchise. Reeling in Hall was, and still is, a big win especially because "nobody wants to come to Buffalo". Staal is a great (not good, great) player to help coach the young team.

Bad luck #1: 56 game season

We knew it was gonna take a minute for Hall, Staal, and the other newbies to mesh with the team, no big deal. They have to rush to be good and don't get a normal season to try to fit in with each other.

Bad luck #2: Eichel comes in hurt

The start of camp and the captain and best player by far is not there? Something is amiss and we won't find out what it is until the end of the season. The recent "new" injury might be new, or might be the same injury he came to camp with but it still sucks. I was surprised they beat NJ without him to be honest. Kid hasn't looked himself all season and I have to blame the injuries.

Bad luck #3: Covid quarantine

They were playing increasingly decent hockey the first couple of games when they got the Covid bug and had to stop playing together to quarantine. This setback players getting to know each other's styles, and jammed more games into an already tight schedule which brings me to badluck 4

Bad luck #4: Current line 2 has been the best line all season, but we gotta rest the rookies (?)

This is where I might start finding blame in Kruegs. Finding out that Staal, Hall, and Cozens mesh well was a godsend, but did we really need to rest Cozens? This line looks amazing, Cozens looks amazing, and it lets Taylor Hall finally be Taylor Hall better than any other place in the lineup. WTF was Okposo doing on this line in his spot?

Bad luck(ish) #5: Skinner being demoted

Ok full blame on Kruegs. Get Olofsson off the first line (absolutely keep him on 1st line PP). Put Olof with Tage or Middlestadt or Reider or whoever the f*** I don't care, he doesn't belong on the first line. 40 goal scoring Skinner belongs with Reinhart and Eichel. Worst case scenario he still struggles, and Eichel will get in his face to either be better or waive his ntc. I don't see what is so difficult with this.

Bad luck (for real) #6: Ullmark and McCabe getting hurt

This just sucks. Both were looking amazing until they got hurt, and McCabe was making Risto look amazing too (I'm a fan, sry h8ers).

Bad luck (kinda?) #7 Dahlinitis

WTF is going on with Dahlin? He looks nothing like he did the first 2 years; he seems to be playing slow and sloppy. He's probably going to be amazing, but I was not expecting this kind of regression. He is playing himself out of a huge contract next year.

Conclusion:
This season hurts. I was so excited for hockey, I was so excited for Hall. I was so excited for Dahlin. Now it just hurts that I can't read a friggin NHL article without them mentioning an Eichel trade. If they trade Eichel I think i might be done. I'd almost rather trade Dahlin at this point. The only real blame I've included in this rant is him and Kruegs. If they got rid of both (Dahlin goes for no less than a king's ransom) then it would light a huge fire under everyone that no one is safe, and you better start playing well.

All you Eichel haters tho GTFO, we aren't winning a cup without him.
- nightfo0l

It's not an unpopular take with me - I agree with most of that.

But worse than those issues is their lack of finish to start the season. I can't think of another team to have 3 prolific scorers come out so cold. If Eichel, Skinner, and Hall had even half of their lifetime scoring % then this is a completely different team and there's lots of optimism.

Sadly, this is another bad luck(ish) thing. They lost confidence at some point and Krueger has drained it further. It's his job to build them up again but he's having the opposite effect.

It's not an unpopular take with me - I agree with most of that.

But worse than those issues is their lack of finish to start the season. I can't think of another team to have 3 prolific scorers come out so cold. If Eichel, Skinner, and Hall had even half of their lifetime scoring % then this is a completely different team and there's lots of optimism.

Sadly, this is another bad luck(ish) thing. They lost confidence at some point and Krueger has drained it further. It's his job to build them up again but he's having the opposite effect.
- ElbowingPenalty

Only watching Buffalo from the sides as a Flyers fan but clearly problem is not a owners problem
You would expect two things from a owner
1) Will to invest 2) Will to change
And both the Pegulas showed in the last years

And Ralph Krueger is also a good coach but in my eyes not a NHL coach

He plays the wrong system and also cant relate to players
So they easiest fix would be a coach change and keeping Ralph in a different role like assistant to GM responsible for hockey development
and get in a coach with a lot of NHL experience as a player as a assistant coach as a head-coach

Only watching Buffalo from the sides as a Flyers fan but clearly problem is not a owners problem
You would expect two things from a owner
1) Will to invest 2) Will to change
And both the Pegulas showed in the last years

And Ralph Krueger is also a good coach but in my eyes not a NHL coach

He plays the wrong system and also cant relate to players
So they easiest fix would be a coach change and keeping Ralph in a different role like assistant to GM responsible for hockey development
and get in a coach with a lot of NHL experience as a player as a assistant coach as a head-coach
- goenzoy

Good Post

Oh for fans in the seats.! The Pegulla's in sunny Florida have no clue how bad this has gotten. The chorus of boos and catcalls that would ring( during) another out of synch performance might be enough to put the "hockey department" to the curb again and bring in a new one that has experience. Hard to admit you made the wrong moves, but they did and they look like a joke gone bad.

This is a disgusting racist, sexist comment. Eklund please have the decency to ban this user. No place for this on here.

Whether Mrs Pegula is the problem or not she deserves more respect than that, and for the record Krueger is a hockey coach that did some time as an executive at a soccer club. He’s not a soccer coach.
- Dahlmanyotes

Screw off.
Go put your 6 masks back on.

Here's my (soon to be unpopular) take:

The past couple of years have been rough, but they were trying to build a winning franchise. Reeling in Hall was, and still is, a big win especially because "nobody wants to come to Buffalo". Staal is a great (not good, great) player to help coach the young team.

Bad luck #1: 56 game season

We knew it was gonna take a minute for Hall, Staal, and the other newbies to mesh with the team, no big deal. They have to rush to be good and don't get a normal season to try to fit in with each other.

Bad luck #2: Eichel comes in hurt

The start of camp and the captain and best player by far is not there? Something is amiss and we won't find out what it is until the end of the season. The recent "new" injury might be new, or might be the same injury he came to camp with but it still sucks. I was surprised they beat NJ without him to be honest. Kid hasn't looked himself all season and I have to blame the injuries.

Bad luck #3: Covid quarantine

They were playing increasingly decent hockey the first couple of games when they got the Covid bug and had to stop playing together to quarantine. This setback players getting to know each other's styles, and jammed more games into an already tight schedule which brings me to badluck 4

Bad luck #4: Current line 2 has been the best line all season, but we gotta rest the rookies (?)

This is where I might start finding blame in Kruegs. Finding out that Staal, Hall, and Cozens mesh well was a godsend, but did we really need to rest Cozens? This line looks amazing, Cozens looks amazing, and it lets Taylor Hall finally be Taylor Hall better than any other place in the lineup. WTF was Okposo doing on this line in his spot?

Bad luck(ish) #5: Skinner being demoted

Ok full blame on Kruegs. Get Olofsson off the first line (absolutely keep him on 1st line PP). Put Olof with Tage or Middlestadt or Reider or whoever the f*** I don't care, he doesn't belong on the first line. 40 goal scoring Skinner belongs with Reinhart and Eichel. Worst case scenario he still struggles, and Eichel will get in his face to either be better or waive his ntc. I don't see what is so difficult with this.

Bad luck (for real) #6: Ullmark and McCabe getting hurt

This just sucks. Both were looking amazing until they got hurt, and McCabe was making Risto look amazing too (I'm a fan, sry h8ers).

Bad luck (kinda?) #7 Dahlinitis

WTF is going on with Dahlin? He looks nothing like he did the first 2 years; he seems to be playing slow and sloppy. He's probably going to be amazing, but I was not expecting this kind of regression. He is playing himself out of a huge contract next year.

Conclusion:
This season hurts. I was so excited for hockey, I was so excited for Hall. I was so excited for Dahlin. Now it just hurts that I can't read a friggin NHL article without them mentioning an Eichel trade. If they trade Eichel I think i might be done. I'd almost rather trade Dahlin at this point. The only real blame I've included in this rant is him and Kruegs. If they got rid of both (Dahlin goes for no less than a king's ransom) then it would light a huge fire under everyone that no one is safe, and you better start playing well.

All you Eichel haters tho GTFO, we aren't winning a cup without him.
- nightfo0l

I disagree. This would not light a fire under anyone's ass. In reality, it would show players the way out from this franchise. Personally, i'd like to see Gallant take over as coach

It’s not a political comment? I am Republican, for the record. But it takes a very small person to make racial and gender attacks.

I think the Pegulas are absolutely part of the problem, but it has nothing to do with race or gender.

PS...ignorance...is that you???
- Dahlmanyotes

Yep and the extreme politically correct/cancel culture radicals of today's uber sensitive snot nose "don't hurt my feelings" cry babies are destroying freedom as we know it because every single off colored comment is taken so drastically out of context that it incites violence and anti-equality in and of itself... constant overreaction and dumbing down of society in general...

do everyone a favor and go hide in your safe place and curl up in the fetal position because someone made a joke that may have made someone feel bad... you should probably think about ruining that guys life while your at it...

Smart franchises need to be circling Buffalo like vultures right now.

Ways to solve bumbalo problem
1) have mail order bride stay out of day to day operations of team
- SMS4016

You're gonna have the wispy bearded soyboys all over you on this, but the truth is, Buffalo fans have been talking about her meddling for some time. The best owners steer clear of personnel decisions, supply the dough and keep their hockey opinions around the BBQ pit. Notable exceptions obviously are guys like Stillman, that are real hockey heads.

This doesn't solve the coaching problem though, and it doesn't solve the fact that the GM is a fumbduck.

Screw off.
Go put your 6 masks back on.
- IonSabres

I find it funny that snowflakes like you still need to make fun of people who wear masks.

/shrug

I find it funny that snowflakes like you still need to make fun of people who wear masks.

/shrug
- nightfo0l

All things considered, if you don't understand that masks and mask wearing is pure politics plain and simple, not about making anyone safer, then maybe you sir are the "snowflake".... It's simply about compliance and control. If democrats admitted that masks are not only unnecessary, but actually more harmful then helpful, well then they would have to admit that this entire pandemic was completely over blown and most likely planned to be that way from the beginning. #Plandemic #OWO

I find it funny that snowflakes like you still need to make fun of people who wear masks.

/shrug
- nightfo0l

Make sure you wear a face shield in addition to you 2 layers of masks...and wear gloves too, protect that steering wheel while driving alone

Make sure you wear a face shield in addition to you 2 layers of masks...and wear gloves too, protect that steering wheel while driving alone
- IonSabres

#butthurt

All things considered, if you don't understand that masks and mask wearing is pure politics plain and simple, not about making anyone safer, then maybe you sir are the "snowflake".... It's simply about compliance and control. If democrats admitted that masks are not only unnecessary, but actually more harmful then helpful, well then they would have to admit that this entire pandemic was completely over blown and most likely planned to be that way from the beginning. #Plandemic #OWO

- MnGump

Who knew that doctors have been wearing masks for years, just cuz politics...... I'm glad we have you here to set us straight.

What a bunch of female dogs who attempt to change the dialogue from a pathetic excuse of a hockey coach (Krueger), and poor performance of a hockey team (Sabres) to social inequality bs. FYI. Every person, whether race, creed, or gender has the ability to excel and achieve their dreams today in society. So (frank) off with your social and political bs.

This post is about hockey and the ineptitude of the Sabres organization as a whole. Including a coach who speaks in idioms and a ridiculous false positive assertiveness that lacks the reality of simply, cognitive hockey game management and A GM who promised to be accessible to the media and fans of which remains to be silent....... Among other Sabre player performance issues and and mismanagement. So (frank) off!!