Its not about 1 game, pre season regular season October or April

Its about recurring issues plauging this team that have been obvious for quite some time now. If their internal expectations are playoffs there is no excuse for coming out flat in your home season opener with a full house and RJ tribute

What we got post game was a bunch of excuses.
Pathetic

Can Read the newspaper in front of Levi
- Buff36

Literal joke when the new guy under 6 foot is doing more with his body than the guys that are 6'4, 6'7.

Thought Clifton played great last night. Power and Samuelson stunk the joint up.

sure is. I know we had a lot of hits last night but I still watched too many forwards not finishing checks and being to easy to play against. our defense does not scare anyone, I am not looking to thug it up, just play the game the right way. Finish every check and make people pay the price in battles.
- hehateme

A perfect example was the goal where Power and Jokiharju were on the ice.

Panarin shoots it, then both Power and Jokiharju turn and face the goaltender.

They don't engage their respective opponents, or look to tie them up, or even try and get in their way.

They just looked at Levi, as if they were expecting him to have saved the shot and stopped play.

Looked like assumption defense.

Literal joke when the new guy under 6 foot is doing more with his body than the guys that are 6'4, 6'7.

Thought Clifton played great last night. Power and Samuelson stunk the joint up.
- DirtyDan

Clifton played well and they lost 5-1.

That’s the problem in a nutshell.

The big offseason acquisition isn’t a needle mover. At all

Literal joke when the new guy under 6 foot is doing more with his body than the guys that are 6'4, 6'7.

Thought Clifton played great last night. Power and Samuelson stunk the joint up.
- DirtyDan

It's a mindset that they need to embrace, and quickly.

What I don't know is if the coaches are asking the players not to engage.

I can't imagine they would be against that.

Clifton played well and they lost 5-1.

That’s the problem in a nutshell.

The big offseason acquisition isn’t a needle mover. At all
- sbroads24

“Zemgus Girgensons is elite”

That’s all I got.

It's a mindset that they need to embrace, and quickly.

What I don't know is if the coaches are asking the players not to engage.

I can't imagine they would be against that.
- kingcong39

Sure seems like it. Practically backing up into their own goalie. Need to step up earlier when the opposing players are entering the zone. Seemed like they were afraid to get walked.

Severson resigned, so don't really think he applies. Gudas, would you want to match that contract? Provorov, would you have traded Benson? He cost 22OA, we'd have had to beat that.

Graves is one that I agree on, but is that enough or even close? He seems like he's a step up from Clifton, but not by too much.

Fwiw, I think we have so many prospects we should be shooting even higher. I'd like a guy who can come in and compliment Dahlin/Power, rather than just not get in their way.
- QuinnFan

Why does everything have to cost “Benson or Benson+++++++”

As you mentioned the Sabres have a gluttony of prospects.

Clifton played well and they lost 5-1.

That’s the problem in a nutshell.

The big offseason acquisition isn’t a needle mover. At all
- sbroads24

Clifton not being able to overcome a 4 goal deficit himself is our problem?

- DirtyDan

He’s not wrong.

Their biggest addition to a team that everyone says overachieved was a 5-6 d-man.

He plays well and it’s fine, it just doesn’t move the needle.

Where if true top 4 guy plays well it has a larger affect on the game/outcome.

Why does everything have to cost “Benson or Benson+++++++”

As you mentioned the Sabres have a gluttony of prospects.
- ImThatGuy

Its because the new toy validates their strange obsession

We can't trade any pick or prospect because Benson

My favorite moment of the game was Greenway taking a penalty for hugging Krieder.

So instead of ignoring it completely and taking the PP, or addressing it and dropping the gloves, he did the worst of both worlds.

Excellent start
- sbroads24

Yep,

Game changing type penalty as well

That’s the nhl though, greenway needed to do “his job” and intimidate the ranger

Foolish penalty

He’s not wrong.

Their biggest addition to a team that everyone says overachieved was a 5-6 d-man.

He plays well and it’s fine, it just doesn’t move the needle.

Where if true top 4 guy plays well it has a larger affect on the game/outcome.
- ImThatGuy

If the other d-men played like Clifton it'd of been a different story. You have 2 guys that just got PAID and one played his worst game while being in the NHL and the other shot the puck into guys pads 70 times instead of making some real plays.

Your real difference makers didn't actually make a difference is the real problem.

Why does everything have to cost “Benson or Benson+++++++”

As you mentioned the Sabres have a gluttony of prospects.
- ImThatGuy

Philly was looking for picks, that was ours in the same draft, that's all. We didn't know at the time of the trade Benson would fall. 13 > 22, so they likely take that trade. Anything short of that and you don't know you're making a deal.

Clifton played well and they lost 5-1.

That’s the problem in a nutshell.

The big offseason acquisition isn’t a needle mover. At all
- sbroads24

this is the problem in a nutshell

All yesterday proved to me is we are not going 82-0.

Its one game. Try to control your excitement of them failing.
- ZiggyBuff

It’s funny when 36 brings our name up


God forbid you call him out for wanting cyhrun

Yep,

Game changing type penalty as well

That’s the nhl though, greenway needed to do “his job” and intimidate the ranger

Foolish penalty
- Boss34

Yet they call cross checking when he didn't cross check the guy.... If you wanna call a penalty on the retaliator then maybe that penalty shouldn't be made up from thin air.

Literal joke when the new guy under 6 foot is doing more with his body than the guys that are 6'4, 6'7.

Thought Clifton played great last night. Power and Samuelson stunk the joint up.
- DirtyDan

Clifton looks fast and definitely can hit hard

I agree, he looked good last night

Power not so much

Yep,

Game changing type penalty as well

That’s the nhl though, greenway needed to do “his job” and intimidate the ranger

Foolish penalty
- Boss34

Was the hug intimidating?

Likely not for a seasoned veteran like Kreider.

If the other d-men played like Clifton it'd of been a different story. You have 2 guys that just got PAID and one played his worst game while being in the NHL and the other shot the puck into guys pads 70 times instead of making some real plays.

Your real difference makers didn't actually make a difference is the real problem.
- DirtyDan

Good post

could not agree more. OKIE should of been waived or bought out 4 years ago and we should of traded Z years ago also. We have kids that can play 4th line minutes that will produce the same and be cheaper.
- hehateme

We have the youngest team in the NHL already with those 2 geezers. I'm not so sure adding more youth right now is what we need.

Clifton looks fast and definitely can hit hard

I agree, he looked good last night

Power not so much
- Boss34

Clifton looked like a real gamer. Made the people b!tching about him look real stupid. IMO.

Hopefully Samuelsson and Power take notice

Yet they call cross checking when he didn't cross check the guy.... If you wanna call a penalty on the retaliator then maybe that penalty shouldn't be made up from thin air.
- DirtyDan

Greenway went in with some kind of even it up intention. Refs see that coming.

Foolish for a nhl vet

The penalty for hugging was ridiculous, but greenway is in a tough spot.

NHL goon rule book says enter and defend your teammate . Gotta be smarter greenway

We have the youngest team in the NHL already with those 2 geezers. I'm not so sure adding more youth right now is what we need.
- LandlordTom

The latest addition to the roster is 18 and is celebrated, and was (more) noticeable.

Clifton looked like a real gamer. Made the people b!tching about him look real stupid. IMO.

Hopefully Samuelsson and Power take notice
- DirtyDan

It’s ok to say Clifton was our best off season addition.

It’s ok to say he played better then most of his teammates

It’s strange to blame Clifton for not doing enough

Foolish really