Buffalo Sabres are in a free fall

[Mattilaus]

I deserve some props from Buffalo fans for this bold prediction right? I should've gambled on it. Going 2-12 in one month is impressive. December isn't much easier. I will go with 3 wins there.

You get no credit because you are also the one who started this prematurely:

The Sabres look really good

And now a lot of us are taking crap for it even though we didn't make it.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

They are better this year. Dahlin is a year older, they got more depth in scoring. To me its always been about the goaltending.

 

[Space Coyote]

They are still rebuilding.

 

[Tatre]

This is fun. I see even less HFSabres posters have bothered to react to this one, than the sensible souls telling people to wait in the "Sabres look good" thread.

 

[tom leafers]

looking at the november schedule, whats up with the 5 and 4 day breaks, and then a heavily loaded back half of november?

 

[SnizzNasty88]

Colour me surprised..

 

[Kyndig]

UPL. I dont know enough about the goalie so I didnt comment on him and will concede there. A Josh Gibson level goalie will help the Sabres a ton, but still doesn't fix most of the issues.

Pilut played 33 games last season and had 6 points. That argument ends right there.

Joker. Similar to Pilut. I dont care how amazing he is defensively. Unless hes TJ Brodie, ME Vlasic, or Hjalmrsson being a defensive rock, you need to put up some points and he simply isn't. Or if he is that rock, other dmen need to carry the load helping offensively and nobody is. Dahlin is doing fine, but still average for what we all think he should be.

Its cute blaming the PP/PK only. You really believe the Sabres are in the same class as most of their Nov matchups? They a bottom 10 team and getting beat up by teams better than them. Plain and simple.

The McCabe comment was referencing him and others, not him specifically and yes, references Sabres fans all summer telling us how amazing their D was.

6 ES points, while low for my expectations of him it was on a team that mailed it in by the time he started playing. Which is still better than McCabe and about the same as Scandella over that time period..with the added benefit that Pilut can actually play defense. Point being hes a better option than some of the players they're using now.

Joker has been exactly that. Dahlin is 19 and a whopping 4 points behind the person 7th in scoring for D. I'd say if the PP started clicking again he would rise but some idiot threw a flying elbow to his head.

The D is obviously improved but that doesn't matter when your starting goalie is a .903 sieve. I know I don't want to see Beaulieu, Tennyson, Hunwick, and Nelson playing a total of 86 games combined.

What part of dead last on the PP AND PK don't you understand? Their PP in the month of November is 3 f***ing % and their PK is tied for last with 69.2%. They've outshot their opponents in 9 out of 12 games in November on top of the fact they've been ringing 1-2 off the post every single damn game. The special teams and luck is blowing their November record out of proportion. Fact remains their 5v5 play is much improved and their special teams is historically bad.

 

[Vaive50]

Well even though the Sabres are 3-9-3 in their last 15 games, somehow they are still in the mix for 2nd place in the Atlantic (thanks to the Bolts not having found their game yet). My Leafs are now only 1 point under 2nd but the Sabres are only 3 points under 2nd. Either of these teams can be in second by Saturday night, the B2B's between them will be a huge difference-maker for both teams.

 

[TropicalFruitGirl2]

I am not surprised the Sabres are where they are.

Pre-season, I had them picked to compete for a bottom playoff spot IF they got other lines besides Eichel's to contribute regularly and IF the defense played with better structure, and IF the goalies played well, and the biggest IF of all, they stayed healthy...…..because I never for one second thought, that this team was anywhere deep enough to withstand injuries, let alone key ones or a slew of them.
Yes, I know...that's a lot of ifs....

The team probably should not have been as high in the standings to start the season anyways. Personally, I thought they played way over their heads while others in the division played below (and some still are) what they are capable.

Despite how all that sounds, I actually am not bagging on Buffalo, nor do I even want them to fail.... for years I have actually been a closet Sabres fan due to a long time friend of mine who passed away two years ago.
I think the team is slowly, yes, slowly, is coming around and moving things in the right direction, but still has many issues to fix.
They are no where near the laughing stock they used to be, but also, not anywhere near regular playoff contention, let alone Cup contention.

Will they turn things around? Depends on what one means by that.
They will put together some good games, some good streaks once again, as Buffalo is apt to do.....these guys, regardless of what I or anyone thinks about their chances, ARE proud, DO go out there and try to win, and any team that takes them lightly gets beat by them.

I just don't think they will be sniffing any top spots in the division or playoff brackets this season again.
Should they get things together enough (and able to play without Dahlin), then they will be where I thought they should be...….. competing for a playoff spot near the bottom with a team like Philly or Montreal...though not necessarily getting in.

Still think it's too early to call Eichel and his current core a "bust", but I can certainly see that point of view should more seasons like this continue to occur over the next three years or so.
Team needs consistency and more depth.
Till they get that, they will just be a team that will be no better than a bottom rung playoff contender, or just missing the playoffs.

 

[John Eichel da GOAT]

6 ES points, while low for my expectations of him it was on a team that mailed it in by the time he started playing. Which is still better than McCabe and about the same as Scandella over that time period..with the added benefit that Pilut can actually play defense. Point being hes a better option than some of the players they're using now.

Joker has been exactly that. Dahlin is 19 and a whopping 4 points behind the person 7th in scoring for D. I'd say if the PP started clicking again he would rise but some idiot threw a flying elbow to his head.

The D is obviously improved but that doesn't matter when your starting goalie is a .903 sieve. I know I don't want to see Beaulieu, Tennyson, Hunwick, and Nelson playing a total of 86 games combined.

What part of dead last on the PP AND PK don't you understand? Their PP in the month of November is 3 ****ing % and their PK is tied for last with 69.2%. They've outshot their opponents in 9 out of 12 games in November on top of the fact they've been ringing 1-2 off the post every single damn game. The special teams and luck is blowing their November record out of proportion. Fact remains their 5v5 play is much improved and their special teams is historically bad.

The dead last part of the PP and PK has nothing to do with the quality of opponents they faced in Oct vs Nov? Right...all PDO for the Sabres. A high skilled very unlucky team....

Or they suck

 

[John Eichel da GOAT]

You get no credit because you are also the one who started this prematurely:

The Sabres look really good

And now a lot of us are taking crap for it even though we didn't make it.

One of my better jinx threads. If you re-read through it, I was not pumping their tires, but predicting this downfall. I was giving props to Eichel and Goalofsson though for showing up.

 

[Kranix]

First of all, they need to go back to the slug unis. Those were badass. That or the badass black and reds. Their current unis aren't anything to be excited about. Second of all, hire a Chayka stats-wiz GM.
Third coax Hecht out of retirement.

 

[Panthaz89]

The dead last part of the PP and PK has nothing to do with the quality of opponents they faced in Oct vs Nov? Right...all PDO for the Sabres. A high skilled very unlucky team....

Or they suck

No it has absolutely nothing to do with it... and most of the good opponents actually have pedestrian PK units so our PP should of been better especially if you actually bothered to watch any games the Sabres have had way too many great opportunities missed I'd be surprised if the analytics don't show how incredibly unlucky they've been on special teams the past month. Sabres PK is pretty bad but the PP should absolutely be putting up way more goals with the opportunities they get.

 

[Bonzo111]

They are better this year. Dahlin is a year older, they got more depth in scoring. To me its always been about the goaltending.

Dahlin's been terrible, you don't watch them.

 

[inthewings]

They should be aggressively pursuing a top goaltender like Robin Lehner in the offseason. Hutton is holding them back.

 

[Panthaz89]

Dahlin's been terrible, you don't watch them.

Dahlin hasn't been "terrible" for like 10 games now.....maybe you should start watching them.

 

[Tage2Tuch]

They should be aggressively pursuing a top goaltender like Robin Lehner in the offseason. Hutton is holding them back.

Hutton’s not the guy we’re looking too.

He’s in the last year of his contrAct and Ullmark is been better and was always looked at as the goalie of the future, (not in the same sense say Ryan Miller was but as an option) as had shown promise.

And we have one of the best goaltending prospects in Ukko Pekka Luukonen who’s almost ready.

I think that will be the combo. Not sure if you just forgot or weren’t aware Lehner used to be on this team and didn’t do well but he was in a rough place in his life. I don’t imagine coming back here would be beneficial to his mental health as it could trigger past feelings. As I said buffalo had a good tandem to go with for the future IMO and it would be likely better for both of they didn’t reunite.

 

[valet]

First of all, they need to go back to the slug unis. Those were badass. That or the badass black and reds. Their current unis aren't anything to be excited about. Second of all, hire a Chayka stats-wiz GM.
Third coax Hecht out of retirement.

The black and reds were pretty great. The slug, meh. Our current unis, meh. But we're going back to the royal blue next year, which is a big

 

[Snippit]

You get no credit because you are also the one who started this prematurely:

The Sabres look really good

And now a lot of us are taking crap for it even though we didn't make it.

The guy used to be a Sabres fan but decided to adopt a new team because Buffalo was losing too much. Then when they start winning he makes a post telling us how the Sabres are actually good. Now he’s claiming the old thread was a “jinx thread”.

Sad.

 

[valet]

Dahlin's been terrible, you don't watch them.

Says the fan of a team that's also not the sabres......

 

[Dr Quincy]

And he’s wrong about cozens being the only prospect when theirs a couple decent dmen and forwards (not many but a couple) and one of the best goaltending prospects
In the world. UPL him and Ullmark in their prime really could be something special, one of them should turn out if not both. That’s the good news about having two young up and coming goalies in the system.

It's nice he's had a couple nice games in the ECHL, but I'd pump the breaks on the HOF induction. At this point there's no way to know if he'll ever be an NHL starter nevermind "something special".

 

[valet]

It's nice he's had a couple nice games in the ECHL, but I'd pump the breaks on the HOF induction. At this point there's no way to know if he'll ever be an NHL starter nevermind "something special".

I wouldn't say there's 'no way to know'. He's been very good at all levels of his career so far, and he is a legit top 5 goalie prospect in the world. You don't get to that point if people don't believe in your abilities.

 

[Dr Quincy]

I wouldn't say there's 'no way to know'. He's been very good at all levels of his career so far, and he is a legit top 5 goalie prospect in the world. You don't get to that point if people don't believe in your abilities.

He hasn't been "very good" at all levels. He was "meh" in the Mestis and outright bad in Liiga (super small sample size for sure, so small means nothing, other than he wasn't "very good" at that level).

He had 1 good game in the AHL last year and is doing well in the ECHL. There's a long way to go from there. Top 5 is totally arguable. I'm not even sure he's better than countryman Veini Vehvilainen... and he's far from a sure thing either.

Counting your chickens from eggs in the ECHL and saying your future in goal is set because of it is the kind of prediction that can come back to haunt you.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

And we have one of the best goaltending prospects in Ukko Pekka Luukonen who’s almost ready.

Great prospect, loved watching him here in Sudbury, but he's not almost ready.

 

[valet]

He hasn't been "very good" at all levels. He was "meh" in the Mestis and outright bad in Liiga (super small sample size for sure, so small means nothing, other than he wasn't "very good" at that level).

He had 1 good game in the AHL last year and is doing well in the ECHL. There's a long way to go from there. Top 5 is totally arguable. I'm not even sure he's better than countryman Veini Vehvilainen... and he's far from a sure thing either.

Counting your chickens from eggs in the ECHL and saying your future in goal is set because of it is the kind of prediction that can come back to haunt you.

Mestis is a men's league. He was 2 years younger than the competition and still finished in the top 10 for goalies. The year after that he put up dominant performances in the O and WJC. This season on his rehab assignment in the East Coast League, he has also been dominant. I think all signs are pointing up. No real reason to believe he's not what he appears to be, other than being negative just for the sake of it.

Funny how you completely ignored UPL's play on two of the biggest stages of his career. Lots of cherry picking, with no context.

Great prospect, loved watching him here in Sudbury, but he's not almost ready.

I agree. He is probably at least 2 years away from the NHL.