GDT: Game 39: Bruins @ Sabres - 12/29 7pm ET (MSG-B, WGR 550)

[Gras]

Replacing Pilut with Beaulieu isn’t that big of a drop off in terms of their value of play this season, which is more of a compliment towards Nate than an insult towards Larry.

But replacing Scandella with a Beaulieu is a major jump in play and should’ve been the move instead. And THAT is an insult towards Scandella.

Coaching continues to make head scratching decisions, will be interesting how the lines will be assembled.

Pilut doesn't like to be called Larry.

 

[HaNotsri]

A good way to make people stop listening to you as a leader is by making bad, unjust, decisions.

 

[Hasekperreault23]

Housley and botterill are a joke.Just lost all respect for them.

 

[dortt]

The Sabres sole purpose is to perpetually build for the future and ice a lineup that maximizes the chances of the opposing team obtaining 2 points

It is clear our objective is not to win. If it were, we wouldn't be benching top 4 defensemen and then pairing Dahlin with our worst D man in Scandella

 

[HaNotsri]

the roster decisions make it seem like we are trying to tank another season. We are deliberately not icing our best lineup. Pilut benched? Does Phil even watch the games?

What's next, benching one of the top line?

Phil is pretty short, not sure he sees everything from the bench.*
He can’t catch up after the game since Buffalo coaches aren’t allowed watching video after the game since Bylsma spent that budget for years to come with his investment in an imax-sized touch screen that they forgot the password to.

*speaking from experience.

 

[ZZamboni]

Some people need a half gallon of ice cream to drown their sorrows in. Yikes ...

 

[MrMaster]

Some people need a half gallon of ice cream to drown their sorrows in. Yikes ...

I go and get me some later, b&j half baked, bcs it's fitting with the line-up

 

[HaNotsri]

Some people need a half gallon of ice cream to drown their sorrows in. Yikes ...

Actually this is ”ice cream day” for me and my gf. So pretty fitting.
Not big on swedish christmas food except for eel so I’ve made up some stupid traditions of my own. Yesterday was triple cinema day. The japanese movie ”shoplifters” has the best acting I’ve seen in ages. A must sed!

Now back to whining on Phil...

 

[sabremike]

Some people need a half gallon of ice cream to drown their sorrows in. Yikes ...

The team and organization are making mistakes and terrible decisions that pretty much anyone with common sense can see are going to send the season down the toilet. For starters almost half the forwards on our roster probably don't belong in the NHL. We have several guys in the AHL who are at least deserving of a shot. A sensible organization would call them up because there is no downside because they can't possibly be worse and there is a strong chance they would be better. The status quo right now just isn't going to cut it.

 

[Gordo21]

Rome wasn't built in a day.

Tim Murray's impatience should have proved that for all of us!

 

[MrMaster]

I don't mind Tage Thompson, i think he made progress up till now.
But him not sitting for at least one or a couple of games for let's say Nylander, Smith, Crisc or Oloffson is a travesty.
Same goes for Mitts.

But hey, Pommers is back!

 

[dortt]

The team and organization are making mistakes and terrible decisions that pretty much anyone with common sense can see are going to send the season down the toilet. For starters almost half the forwards on our roster probably don't belong in the NHL. We have several guys in the AHL who are at least deserving of a shot. A sensible organization would call them up because there is no downside because they can't possibly be worse and there is a strong chance they would be better. The status quo right now just isn't going to cut it.

I've been worried about Botteril's decision making since before we hired him due to his concussion history. We have seen how that has caused many others to make choices that defy all logic. If he suffered that kind of damage while playing (which forced him to retire very early in his career), why is not asked if it could be an issue with his decision making as a member of senior management? Some of the decisions being made are defying all logic. Real questions need to be asked

 

[OkimLom]

Pilut doesn't like to be called Larry.

I’ll text him to ask him

 

[Hasekperreault23]

I don't mind Tage Thompson, i think he made progress up till now.
But him not sitting for at least one or a couple of games for let's say Nylander, Smith, Crisc or Oloffson is a travesty.
Same goes for Mitts.

But hey, Pommers is back!

And of course there is Sobotka,Elie,Sheary,Okposo all junk vets

 

[Woodhouse]

We've got deserving guys sitting in Rochester waiting for a chance like this, too. Smith has certainly earned a look. Olofsson probably has also, and I think he could provide an immediate boost to our PP. (Nylander seems to have gotten injured last night against the Marlies, unfortunately.) When Botts said we could expect help from Rochester in the second half of the season, he must've meant it literally -- still a couple games shy of 41.

How sure are we that Botts isn't going to act like they're *THE* deadline acquisitions whenever they do come?

Find another team that hasn't made a single non-injury related call-up like Buffalo. I'm sure there's one or two others but it's pretty absurd given their lack of secondary scoring. Botterill stating they will look for reinforcements from Rochester later in the season is becoming utterly bizarre. Is he waiting until after we're out of a playoff spot?

I looked at something like this the other night. I sorted AHL P/GP and looked at everyone above or near Olofsson's clip with at least 10 AHL games. All but three had a taste of the NHL this season: TBL Barre-Boulet, TBL Verhaeghe, and SJS Perron.

 

[HaNotsri]

I’ll text him to ask him

Larry is his dad. I think I have Piluts swedish number on an old media list by the way.

 

[sabremike]

Rome wasn't built in a day.

Tim Murray's impatience should have proved that for all of us!

You have no idea how much I hate this talking points. Murray's mistake was acquiring the wrong players who failed to perform and added no value to the team. And I'd also like to point out that the idea that guys have to be slow cooked in the AHL is completely wrong. Analytics say a players absolute athletic peak is 22-28, if a guy is a real prospect you need to give him a shot as soon as possible. And of course there's the whole thing of the entire league going in the direction of young and fast.

 

[Panthaz89]

the depth needs to step up and score in this game....its not gonna be an easy 4 points from the top line again with Bergeron and others back in their lineup.

 

[Sabre the Win]

I've been worried about Botteril's decision making since before we hired him due to his concussion history. We have seen how that has caused many others to make choices that defy all logic. If he suffered that kind of damage while playing (which forced him to retire very early in his career), why is not asked if it could be an issue with his decision making as a member of senior management? Some of the decisions being made are defying all logic. Real questions need to be asked

hahahaah what?

 

[dortt]

hahahaah what?

Have you not been following the science of post concussion and CTE?

 

[MayDayMayDay]

Phil is pretty short, not sure he sees everything from the bench.*
He can’t catch up after the game since Buffalo coaches aren’t allowed watching video after the game since Bylsma spent that budget for years to come with his investment in an imax-sized touch screen that they forgot the password to.

*speaking from experience.

Omg the bold just killed me hahahaha.

 

[Gordo21]

You have no idea how much I hate this talking points. Murray's mistake was acquiring the wrong players who failed to perform and added no value to the team. And I'd also like to point out that the idea that guys have to be slow cooked in the AHL is completely wrong. Analytics say a players absolute athletic peak is 22-28, if a guy is a real prospect you need to give him a shot as soon as possible. And of course there's the whole thing of the entire league going in the direction of young and fast.

You have no idea how much I hate this talking points. Murray's mistake was acquiring the wrong players who failed to perform and added no value to the team. And I'd also like to point out that the idea that guys have to be slow cooked in the AHL is completely wrong. Analytics say a players absolute athletic peak is 22-28, if a guy is a real prospect you need to give him a shot as soon as possible. And of course there's the whole thing of the entire league going in the direction of young and fast.

Tim Murray almost singlehandedly ruined any organizational momentum it had before he arrived. Asset wise at least

He virtually wiped out the asset pool. Signed Lehner, Moulson Okposo long term. How many assets for Deslauriers?

Those 4 moves alone show you how out of touch he was with today's evolving nhl.

We could debate Kane and O'Reilly til we're blue in the face, bottom line we gave up multiple assets for each player, and neither one changed the direction of this team.

History should be used to Botterill's advantage here.

 

[Royal Thunder]

Pominville is subtraction by addition IMO

 

[sabremike]

Tim Murray almost singlehandedly ruined any organizational momentum it had before he arrived. Asset wise at least

He virtually wiped out the asset pool. Signed Lehner, Moulson Okposo long term. How many assets for Delauries?

Those 4 moves alone show you how out of touch he was with the evolving nhl.

We could debate Kane and O'Reilly til we're blue in the face, bottom line we gave up multiple assets for each player, and neither one changed the direction of this team.

History should be used bototterills advantage here.

How does any of that disprove my point that his gigantic mistake was bringing in players who flopped terribly? If he had acquired good and useful players we aren't having this discussion.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

The Sabres shouldn't be trying to Murray their team (again). On the other hand they should make some trades with their AHL affiliate, at least see what they've got there.