Post-Game Talk (GBU): More of the Usual

[jBuds]

Stafford has to be the first guy dealt.

 

[JThorne]

Can you send Ruff with Stafford please?

 

[wunderpanda]

good - miller, vanek, pomenville, ehrhoff

bad- ennis, stafford, myers

ugly- the experiment of using ennis at centre and grigorenko as a grinder. its time to move grigs to 2nd line C with ennis on his wing

*btw, CoHo did very well at faceoffs, i was a bit impressed with him

 

[Newcastlesabre]

Its actually an ordeal watchin us at the moment and it really souldn't be like that. We are so utterly predictable, the pathetic turn over to give away a goal, the lack of invention going forward etc etc, its so so depressing...

 

[Der Jaeger]

Darcy needs to go just as much as Lindy.

He built the team that stinks.

I don't care if Darcy does some things well. Complete fresh start.

I don't disagree that Regier needs to go, but the talent on the team and in the pipeline isn't an issue. Is it the GMs fault that Stafford, Myers, and Foligno play more passively than they should? Is it Regier's fault his team can't figure out how to play in the defensive zone or on the power play?

Directly, no. If Regier fires Ruff, and gets a better coach, who gets the team to play to its capability, then he's done his job.

Big "if" there, though.

 

[Irving Zisman]

I don't disagree that Regier needs to go, but the talent on the team and in the pipeline isn't an issue. Is it the GMs fault that Stafford, Myers, and Foligno play more passively than they should? Is it Regier's fault his team can't figure out how to play in the defensive zone or on the power play?

Directly, no. If Regier fires Ruff, and gets a better coach, who gets the team to play to its capability, then he's done his job.

Big "if" there, though.

Very good point, Jaeger.

We've seen pieces of the puzzle fit before; the ability is there. It's the guy trying to force the puzzle together (i.e. McCormick on the ice with a minute left when down by a goal) that needs to go.

 

[joshjull]

Very good point, Jaeger.

We've seen pieces of the puzzle fit before; the ability is there. It's the guy trying to force the puzzle together (i.e. McCormick on the ice with a minute left when down by a goal) that needs to go.

Actually we haven't seen the current puzzle prices fit before. The last time we were playing well we and 3 roughy equal lines going. Some of those pieces are not here and Vanek/Pommer were on different lines.

Leino/Roy/Pommer
Tropp/Hodgson/Vanek
Foligno/Ennis/Stafford

The Roy line did the heavy lifting defensively while still bringing it offensively. That is a type of line we don't have right now. It's been replaced by a line centered by either an 18 yr old kid over his head of a washed up Hecht. No matter how much posters hate Roy. Its fairly obvious we are worse at center this year.

The current forward mix or puzzle pieces have never fit together before and had success in the NHL.

 

[Zip15]

Stafford has to be the first guy dealt.

His value is likely at its lowest it's ever been. You're not going to get anything worthwhile, and change for change's sake doesn't work. (I'm still waiting for us to be awesome now that Derek Roy isn't in the room anymore.) Let the guy get through his slump, and see how he performs under a new coach.

 

[McCauleyChirps]

Got tickets to Fridays home game. Orderd the tickets when we were doing good. Jokes on me.

2006 called. They want their tickets back.

 

[McCauleyChirps]

Why are we hiring Patrick as interim coach again? Isn't he the defensive coach....

Yeah. Didn't think that sounded right.

 

[RattleYourSabre]

I thought we did well generating shots. 42 shots for this team is crazy. Having said that, I'm not sure how many were good chances. I was kind of half watching the game, and I saw a couple good ones, but the rest just seemed to be right at Anderson.

I think Grigorenko looked okay. Not good, mind you. His defense needs work, he really does kind of wave his stick around. But he hustled and did halfway decent in the offensive zone. He looks like he belongs more than Foligno as of late.

Hodgson has improved tenfold at the dot (Was 39% just a couple of weeks ago, he's now 45%). Ennis has remained horrendous at the dot (39%? Really?).

Our first line has been very mediocre the last few games. I don't think that line should be as untouchable as many here believe it to be, though I do concede it's a huge risk to break them up. BUT, then again, seeing how poorly the rest of the team is playing I'm not sure switching the lines around makes any bit of difference.

I think we have an overall weak player group and coaching staff. Don't get me wrong, we have some solid players. But the chemistry/scheme/role players aren't coming together like they need to.

There's some solid future in the lineup, but we need to make a few moves to give us a better shot.

 

[oldgoalie]

Seems like it's about time to tune out until they make their inevitable run to 10th place

there was a Sabres game last night?

 

[Zip15]

Seems like it's about time to tune out until they make their inevitable run to 10th place

I never root for injuries, especially for my own team, but if Miller got some rare, non-life threatening skin infection that kept him out for awhile, and would thereby eliminate any chance for a run to 9th or 10th, I definitely wouldn't mind.

The forward corps is pitiful. Have to blame Regier for that.

It's a mismatched group, no doubt. But until the last 1.5 games, Ruff was using Ennis as his tough matchups center. He was using an overwhelmed 18 yr old with two defensive forwards who have stone hands. He wasn't exactly placing his guys in a position to succeed.

The most startling thing to me is watching other teams play, especially in the Western Conference. The speed and intensity at which they play is in stark contrast, to the slow, plodding game we've seen so often from the Sabres over the last few years. Things need to change. Most organizations fire their coach. This organization seems like it's going to try to fire most of its players first.

 

[slip]

I'm waiting for the team to fire Ruff and still suck.

Can't churn butter with a toothpick, folks.

 

[Reddawg]

This team is so boring

This is how I feel too...they're just no fun to watch right now. I watched part of the first period and was so bored I started channel surfing the other games on CI before finally getting bored enough to go to bed.

 

[Zip15]

This is how I feel too...they're just no fun to watch right now. I watched part of the first period and was so bored I started channel surfing the other games on CI before finally getting bored enough to go to bed.

Listened to the 1st period on the WGR app on my way home from work, and I think RJ and Ray were bored, too.

 

[slip]

This is how I feel too...they're just no fun to watch right now. I watched part of the first period and was so bored I started channel surfing the other games on CI before finally getting bored enough to go to bed.

I actually found myself tuning into the SOTU address for some "action."

You don't get much more bored than that.

 

[Woodhouse]

I'm waiting for the team to fire Ruff and still suck.

Can't churn butter with a toothpick, folks.

Well, that and Patrick's been under Ruff for his last thirteen years in the league, so how much would really change with him in the interim if Ruff's canned?

 

[slip]

Well, that and Patrick's been under Ruff for his last thirteen years in the league, so how much would really change with him in the interim if Ruff's canned?

I would expect sweeping changes if that were to occur. Think Kim Jong-il transferring power to Kim Jong-sun type reforms.

 

[imyourhuckleberry]

Gerbe based on what? A breakaway he blew. Never scoring ever. Yeah, he hustles. Who cares?

This

 

[imyourhuckleberry]

Why do we have to keep playing this low chance, defense oriented system? It's not winning us games now.

Open it up, play a high tempo style that this team could probably flourish in.

We are not shutting teams out, so Ruff needs to re-evaluate his approach here. You have weapons....USE THEM!

 

[MacOfNiagara]

Seems like it's about time to tune out until they make their inevitable run to 10th place

PLEASE no. 15th, 14th even 13th, 8th, 7th, etc.
Please do not finish 12,11,10.

 

[Bobby Bottle Service]

Embarrass? Coaches get fired constantly. People used to say constantly he'd get a new job immediately if he were fired, so let him get one. The organization doesn't need him at this point.

The manner in which an organization handles this situation has to do with class. If Ruff is unceremoniously dumped after 15 years of service, not including his playing days, it speaks poorly of the organization.

He should be asked to step down.

 

[tsujimoto74]

The manner in which an organization handles this situation has to do with class. If Ruff is unceremoniously dumped after 15 years of service, not including his playing days, it speaks poorly of the organization.

He should be asked to step down.

I agree with this. Hasn't he also mentioned being interested in going more to the personnel side of hockey? Maybe Buffalo could offer him a job as a scout or assistant GM or something. He and Regier obviously like working together, and he deserves the organization's respect for how loyal he's been throughout his career, even if it's past time for a fresh face behind the bench.

If we get a new coach, and the team isn't any better, then he and Darcy are both on the block together for inept management. I don't see what we have to lose by offering him the option of staying in a different role.

 

[vcv]

The manner in which an organization handles this situation has to do with class. If Ruff is unceremoniously dumped after 15 years of service, not including his playing days, it speaks poorly of the organization.

He should be asked to step down.

I'm sure Ruff would or will get a golden parachute. Asking him to step down instead of being let go is just a stupid facade that benefits no one.