Post-Game Talk (GBU): I'll do a real GBU for a change

[MagnumForce2]

I completely missed Botterill saying that. I haven't been on the fire bighead train, but that's my boarding ticket right there. If Botts doesn't want to can Housley, then they can both go.

I am at the point where I would probably be ok with this.

 

[Goathead]

If the sabres were a business not owned by a millionaire with a gluttony for failure they would have been disembowelled along time ago. The employees have already quit, managers might as well been hired out of highschool (in some cases are... Housley... ). The entire organization is just collecting pay checks at this point.

 

[MrMaster]

D zone coverage is not the players fault. The zone turning to man leaves them chasing. It’s as bad of a d zone coverage system, and as complicated, as I’ve seen.

I remember saying that at times it looks outright comical, as if they are toying with them.
Today one of those sketches turned into a goal, with the Canes not really doing anything special or even well.

 

[Chainshot]

Not doing the GBU. Here’s what I saw live:

Disagree with all the effort comments. They worked hard. I didn’t see any mailing it in.

The biggest issue with the Sabres is the coaching systems. The breakout is bad. Two slanting forwards and a stationary forward at the red line. Super easy to cover and requires the defense to make great breakout passes to get out of the zone. Way too hard of a system.

D zone coverage is not the players fault. The zone turning to man leaves them chasing. It’s as bad of a d zone coverage system, and as complicated, as I’ve seen.

Ristolainen was not bad. He’s just not capable of playing in systems where the defender has to make long precision breakout passes. He makes every other pass well.

Bogosian needs to go. He’s a horrible decision maker.

Thompson needs to add weight, simplify his game, and become a power forward. Just crash and shoot the puck. And stop digger dangling.

Nylander may change my mind about him. Smart, fast, physical. Should’ve had two goals.

Rodriques is not a center. Needs to play a bottom 6 winger role where he can skate past lesser competition. Does a lot of good things though.

Disagree about Eichel. He was engaged and very physical along the boards.

Dahlin plays five seconds ahead of the game. Insanely smart.

Sabres need to shoot more. Too much looking for a great shot. McGoalie was great tonight and the Sabres just needed a greasy goal.

————————————————
Overall, I don’t think the team is that far off. They didn’t look disengaged at all. They looked like a team that know its system blows but keeps banging away at it.

Replace Housley with a real head coach with real systems which a executable, and you’ll see a much different team.

Replace Bogosian and Hunwick from tonight’s defense with Pilut and maybe McCabe, and you’ve got a much better defense.

Put Reinhart with Mittelstadt and Nylander.

Find another center.

This team will make the playoffs.

Love the writeup. I too didn't see effort as an issue tonight either and didn't mind Ristolainen's game. Bogosian continues to drive me batty though.

 

[slip]

This team will make the playoffs.

f*** yeah. I share your optimism.

Great insights.

 

[toomuchsauce]

One GM overpaid and the Next GM undersold most of what the first overpaid for.

lol this is such a gong show

 

[sabremike]

 

[K8fool]

Love the writeup. I too didn't see effort as an issue tonight either and didn't mind Ristolainen's game. Bogosian continues to drive me batty though.

absolutely.. Eichel interview echoes DerJaeger take.. I have been trying to find any non Pc statement concerning the feeling for Housley as Eichel echoes Pc disenchantments acknowledging a learning and rebuilding effort..The only tell is Jack acknowledgement of reporter and taking responsibility for his lapse , who just wrote Phil must go.. Hardly evidence..

 

[Yultron]

We have scored 1 goal in 4 games , how on earth does Housley still have a job. It’s like Botterill wants us to tank and get a high draft pick which is looking more and more likely with every game

 

[Gabrielor]

I'm not a drinker. Not really my thing.

I've had a few drinks this evening. That's where my hockey team is at.

 

[CrazyPsycho]

Just finished watching

Wasnt that bad, Ullmark shit the bed big time

Nylander looked comfortable for the first time, his legs were going like I saw in Roch

Liked Montour alot tonight too

Not sure I get the Eichel hate tonight, he had a lapse or 2 defensively, but they carried play most of the night

Nelson's a killer!

Nelson's a mess!

 

[MagnumForce2]

View attachment 200867

That is too funny and awesome! You can only shake your head and laugh at this point.

 

[Royisgone]

They did it. The Sabres are now officially tied for the worst record in the league since the win streak ended. It would take an epic collapse to not make the playoffs and yet here we are. A 58 point SEASON pace over the course of the last 46 games. Progress

It's actually 58.8 points which should be rounded up to 59.
Which makes me feel much better about the whole situation.

 

[Royisgone]

I completely missed Botterill saying that. I haven't been on the fire bighead train, but that's my boarding ticket right there. If Botts doesn't want to can Housley, then they can both go.

A couple of weeks ago, Harrington mentioned to Botterill that "the fans" expect the coach to be fired.

Botterill was incredulous! He responded by asking "The fans want the coach to be fired?" And when Harrington confirmed that yes, that is what he was getting at, Botterill simply said: "NO" and then went on to explain why the coach wouldn't be replaced.

IMO Botterill was sending a message to the players that they will not be able to get rid of their coach as easily as they did with Bylsma. Not on Botterill's watch anyway!

So yes, fire them both.

 

[Royisgone]

One GM overpaid and the Next GM undersold most of what the first overpaid for.

So then...we....broke.....even?!?

 

[toomuchsauce]

Not trying to defend Housley, but they out-corsi'd the 'Canes tonight, and that doesn't happen much.

 

[MagnumForce2]

So then...we....broke.....even?!?

I wish we did lol....I think I wrote that right lol

 

[valet]

Ullmark lost us the game. Nothing was worse than average other than goaltending tbh. had lots of chances just snake bitten and low on confidence. Idk how someone can reasonably blame the d or our forwards on more than one of those canes goals

 

[GellMann]

View attachment 200867

outstanding

 

[sabremike]

outstanding

Who here dares me to print that up and bring it with me on Wednesday to try and get Housley to sign it?

 

[jBuds]

Thought we played okay for a large bit of the game.

Ullmark let in two shitty goals at shitty times, and we are abhorrent in front of him around the crease and in the slot. When a puck gets through to our net, I know immediately without watching any more of the shift that there had been or will be - at MINIMUM - a third opportunity to follow, as well as one or many of

- failed breakout

- blown assignment in front and someone out of position

- being in position but a failure to tie up a stick

- brutal bounce off of a defender’s body or stick

- a reverse that wraps up the other way to their pinching dman

- failed clear off the glass


And the team as a whole can’t seem to walk and chew gum. If they play with physicality, they’re out of position and give up odd man rushes all game. If they’re more structured, they look slow and get f***ing manhandled for enormous chunks of time in their own zone.

Broader, if the 2nd line buzzes or contributes, it’s the handful of games where the top line is invisible and the goaltending is horrendous.

This shit is exhausting. Nothing about this is fun right now.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

Nylander was really good. He should've gotten more ice time in the 3rd.

 

[Krispy]

Girg getting benched next game.

 

[Hasek]

Girg getting benched next game.

He played that well?

 

[OkimLom]

A couple of weeks ago, Harrington mentioned to Botterill that "the fans" expect the coach to be fired.

Botterill was incredulous! He responded by asking "The fans want the coach to be fired?" And when Harrington confirmed that yes, that is what he was getting at, Botterill simply said: "NO" and then went on to explain why the coach wouldn't be replaced.

IMO Botterill was sending a message to the players that they will not be able to get rid of their coach as easily as they did with Bylsma. Not on Botterill's watch anyway!

So yes, fire them both.

And the guy that writes his paycheck was the one that fired the last coach(and GM). Even with all the players with negative reviews, it still took the owner, not the GM, to fire the coach, so Botts may say no, but if the owner wants him gone, we either live through deja vu, or he fires him.