GDT: Sabres @ Red Wings 12:30 PM EDT (5:30AM NZT) TV:NHL Network, MSG Radio:WGR550 - Light a Fire

[SwordsgoneWild]

Yeah, I'm with you buddy. They got beat today, I'm disappointed/pissed, but it happens... They were never going to go on a 20-0 run to end the season.

Last year's playoff run was very similar to this too, they'd look impressive for a couple games then drop a stinker and the fanbase would melt down, thinking the season was over. Then they'd win a few in a row again and everyone was back on the band wagon. I particularly remember the 3 game losing streak to Philly, Boston, and Nashville:

View attachment 837032

For now, we'll see what they do on the west coast. a 2-1-1 trip should keep them alive enough to see what happens down the stretch.

Those first 3 weeks of March were absolutely unforgivable. All we needed was just another win during that stretch and we would've been in. That run of ineptitude had me more pissed off than I was during the 8 game losing streak earlier in the year.

 

[TageGod]

Can make those back on Detroit later on. Can’t expect to go 3-0 against a team competing for your spot

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

How about our top guys showing up. The guys with the huge extensions. Let’s start there.

I’m guessing you’re talking about Tage and Cozens. You should be able to have a $7m player not show up and still win. Even two of them periodically. Not having even close to enough support around them is the real issue. That’s a GM issue.

If Dahlin doesn’t show up, on the other hand, the team probably always loses, regardless of support, and for that I blame no one but Dahlin at that high salary. He definitely deserves blame on a lot of the loses this season.

 

[Pondslider]

The negativity and toxicity surrounding this team honestly sucks. It is what caused me to step around from online sources and talking about them until recently.

If you can’t handle the draught then don’t watch? It’s that simple. We survived the Bills draught we’ll survive this too.

Toxic Positivity

 

[Sabre Dance]

The negativity and toxicity surrounding this team honestly sucks. It is what caused me to step around from online sources and talking about them until recently.

If you can’t handle the draught then don’t watch? It’s that simple. We survived the Bills draught we’ll survive this too.

100%. The Sabres have been playing great. They lost. Every team will lose. It’s how you bounce back from a loss that matters.

Fans and media are so negative. This what happens in the arena when they get they down. We’re supposed to uplift the team, not bury them.

 

[Chainshot]

Let’s see how they bounce back in their next game in Seattle.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Let’s see how they bounce back in their next game in Seattle.

Also let’s see how Wings, Caps, Isles, devils and Pittsburgh do because our destiny is just as much in their hands as it is buffalo’s.

Buffalo has to play lights out AND most of those teams needs to struggle.

I missed this one, I’m worried I might’ve jinxed it. Trying to find a bar to watch a game after midnight in Tokyo is no easy feat but I should be able to watch the Seattle game in my room.

 

[Mattilaus]

100%. The Sabres have been playing great. They lost. Every team will lose. It’s how you bounce back from a loss that matters.

Fans and media are so negative. This what happens in the arena when they get they down. We’re supposed to uplift the team, not bury them.

If you want to pretend everything is fine and be super positive, that is fine and is your prerogative. Just like it is others' prerogative to be negative if they want. You can't blame fans of this team for being mad, not after this long. People can feel how they want and are free to voice those opinions. We have seen this late season push when it is too late too many times before. It sucks that this team NEVER manages to punch through it and win.

 

[HaNotsri]

See you next year at this time for another half week of almost making the playoffs lol

You mean almost almost making the playoffs

 

[Dubi Doo]

Unfortunately, they cant afford to bleed these points at this point in the season. The toughest stretch of the season is coming up. We'll see how much they have left in the tank.

 

[Sabre Dance]

If you want to pretend everything is fine and be super positive, that is fine and is your prerogative. Just like it is others' prerogative to be negative if they want. You can't blame fans of this team for being mad, not after this long. People can feel how they want and are free to voice those opinions. We have seen this late season push when it is too late too many times before. It sucks that this team NEVER manages to punch through it and win.

I’ve been following everything the last week. We were crowning everyone. Everything is great. Then we lose a game and immediately start attacking the players and management. It’s so annoying.

 

[Misko]

100%. The Sabres have been playing great. They lost. Every team will lose. It’s how you bounce back from a loss that matters.

Fans and media are so negative. This what happens in the arena when they get they down. We’re supposed to uplift the team, not bury them.

They played great recently aside from the last two periods. They did not look motivated enough win vs a desperate Detroit team. I agree the negativity is probably too sharp here for two bad periods but they still played a poor last two thirds of a game here.

 

[TehDoak]

The negativity and toxicity surrounding this team honestly sucks. It is what caused me to step around from online sources and talking about them until recently.

If you can’t handle the draught then don’t watch? It’s that simple. We survived the Bills draught we’ll survive this too.

The last GM/Coach group under Wilson, the fans got pretty toxic too. The Pegula coming in to own the bills, ironically, breathed new life into the franchise. McDermott/Beane came in right as the ownership group was starting to run out of rope.

 

[Mattilaus]

I’ve been following everything the last week. We were crowning everyone. Everything is great. Then we lose a game and immediately start attacking the players and management. It’s so annoying.

The team put themselves into this situation. One in which the playoff hopes rest on a razors edge and two bad periods have a much greater effect on their future than they would have in November. The fact that people "were crowning everyone" just shows that we as fans are ready for the team to be good and will continue to support them when that happens, but you can't just shrug away the two bad periods without including the context of what those two periods meant for the season.

If the team plays poorly in the final 2 periods of a game 7 in the stanley cup final and loses because of it, are we allowed to be upset they played like crap for those two periods? Can we still be happy with the overall team while voicing our displeasure at the choke in that situation?

Context is a thing. The team started playing well. Well enough they still had a small shot at the playoffs. Then when we start to support them and talk about it and they lay an egg in the two most important periods of the season. Why are we not allowed to be upset about it? Sports fans are complex and feel many different emotions throughout a season, especially after what our fandom has been put through.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Even the team "playing well" is in context. This was only the 2nd time all season they had a chance to have a four game win streak. That's what "playing well" has meant for us this season...a possible four game streak...

The other teams without four game win streaks - Montreal, Columbus, Chicago, San Jose.

They have played better this calendar year - 15-19-4 through Dec, 17-12-1 since Jan, but they have not gotten hot, gone on a big streak, or ever showed they could be a legit playoff team this entire season. Their better players have been a let down, and they traded away the guy that was one of a few bright spots, with an apparent plan to run it back for the most part next season. I for one haven't "crowned" anybody. I have faith that most of the roster can be better and even be a playoff team next season, but not a legit SC contender. Not a team that will actually give us that kind of hope. Not for a while and only if KA is willing to fill big holes with meaningful trades and is allowed to spend to the cap. Those are a couple massive "ifs" that will likely keep anything like a crown far away from this franchise.

 

[Chainshot]

It was a bit of fun that they're still close. It could still be a bit of fun if they continue to make it close. People can have fun with it, let 'em. It hurts no one.

 

[WeDislikeEich]

Perfect meme (for me). Describes me perfectly. lol

I’ve been totally check out for months now. Haven’t even watched a game. Decided to tune into the isles game to see Byram, and learned they were 3 points out of a playoff spot. So I said “hmm, maybe I should start paying attention to the Sabres again”. So I watched the most recent Detroit game and after they totally melted down when Detroit scored, and lost, I said “ok, nevermind”. lol

I’ll probably at least still occasionally check to see where they are in the standings but I don’t know how many games I’ll actually watch.

I can’t help it. I want to be excited for Sabres hockey again. I really do. But between their terrible play this season and another heartbreaking Bills playoff exit, I’ve kind of forced myself to check out on Buffalo sports. Just for my own sanity. I am not seeing much reason to get my hopes up right now about Sabres playoff hockey this season. I feel like I’d just be setting myself up for more frustration and heartbreak.


I just hope another late season run to 13th last place doesn’t give Adams another excuse not to add anything meaningful to the roster again.
A good finish to a season almost Never carries over into the next season. Adams needs to look at what this team did ALL SEASON. Not just in the last 1/4-1/3 of the season. They are what their record says they are.

After they missed the playoffs by a point last year, we heard all the players say how they learned how important early season games are. That every game matters and they would remember that for next season. Then they proceeded to dig themselves another huge hole in the standings to start this season.

Now this year, it seems the excuse is “we didn’t handle the pressure of expectations well”.

Like, how low has the f’n bar been if simply being expected to be a competent NHL team is too much to handle?

 

[HOOats]

Even the team "playing well" is in context. This was only the 2nd time all season they had a chance to have a four game win streak. That's what "playing well" has meant for us this season...a possible four game streak...

The other teams without four game win streaks - Montreal, Columbus, Chicago, San Jose.

The Sabres also don't have a losing/pointless streak longer than four games this year. How many other teams can say that?

It goes both ways, they've been steady in a weird way. It clearly hasn't been enough, but the win streak meme is a tired oversimplification (like so many other things about this fanbase).

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

The Sabres also don't have a losing/pointless streak longer than four games this year. How many other teams can say that?

It goes both ways, they've been steady in a weird way. It clearly hasn't been enough, but the win streak meme is a tired oversimplification (like so many other things about this fanbase).

Yeah, they've been "perfectly" mediocre. But I was never trying to say they're terrible. My response was to the notion that anyone has "crowned" this team in the last couple weeks. I don't see how anyone could, aside from allowing themselves to be just a bit excited for once this season.

FWIW, I see the immediate plans for this organization apparently are to do the minimum and hope a draft and development model buys them time from criticism, and eventually they might be a consistent playoff contender - get there some years and not others...maybe catch lightning in a bottle at some point. That's not something to get excited over. That's not actually something the fan base deserves.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Yeah, they've been "perfectly" mediocre. But I was never trying to say they're terrible. My response was to the notion that anyone has "crowned" this team in the last couple weeks. I don't see how anyone could, aside from allowing themselves to be just a bit excited for once this season.

FWIW, I see the immediate plans for this organization apparently are to do the minimum and hope a draft and development model buys them time from criticism, and eventually they might be a consistent playoff contender - get there some years and not others...maybe catch lightning in a bottle at some point. That's not something to get excited over. That's not actually something the fan base deserves.

Not the team being crowned, certain players. Then they had a bad game and they trashed them. This was some media members I follow on twitter. I’m like come on man.

I think at some point Adams has to evaluate his young players and prospects and move some. I thought last offseason was an opportunity to do that. I expect him to do it this offseason as well.

What they’re doing now isn’t buying time from criticism. Granato and Adams are getting plenty of criticism. They’re trying to develop a team.

I’ll say this about Adams, I’ve been critical about how he’s handled goalie. Maybe they were correct all along. If they can finally solidify goalie you’ll see the team start to really come together. All the pieces will start fitting. I still want to see a significant move this offseason.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Not the team being crowned, certain players. Then they had a bad game and they trashed them. This was some media members I follow on twitter. I’m like come on man.

I think at some point Adams has to evaluate his young players and prospects and move some. I thought last offseason was an opportunity to do that. I expect him to do it this offseason as well.

What they’re doing now isn’t buying time from criticism. Granato and Adams are getting plenty of criticism. They’re trying to develop a team.

I’ll say this about Adams, I’ve been critical about how he’s handled goalie. Maybe they were correct all along. If they can finally solidify goalie you’ll see the team start to really come together. All the pieces will start fitting. I still want to see a significant move this offseason.

Well, it gives them an excuse when that criticism comes. The problem is, when the time has come for the development excuse to pan out into having quality players, they've cut a few loose. Ullmark isn't here because they didn't want to pay him, and now Mittelstadt. Cap space wasn't/isn't the reason for those players to leave. They've thrown money at three other guys that seem to be risky moves. I don't get it...except that they're willing to spend up to a certain point. An internal cap is all that makes sense of it, and that clearly doesn't bode well for the moves that both of us hope to see this summer.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Well, it gives them an excuse when that criticism comes. The problem is, when the time has come for the development excuse to pan out into having quality players, they've cut a few loose. Ullmark isn't here because they didn't want to pay him, and now Mittelstadt. Cap space wasn't/isn't the reason for those players to leave. They've thrown money at three other guys that seem to be risky moves. I don't get it...except that they're willing to spend up to a certain point. An internal cap is all that makes sense of it, and that clearly doesn't bode well for the moves that both of us hope to see this summer.

They had to move forwards out for defense. I wasn’t happy with another very young LHD added but I was good with forward for defense. I don’t think money played a factor there.

I think part of the Sabres problem now is they’ve fallen back into the group of teams players don’t want to sign with or be traded to. It’s a reality they’ve created. I don’t think it’s simply just them being cheap.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

They had to move forwards out for defense. I wasn’t happy with another very young LHD added but I was good with forward for defense. I don’t think money played a factor there.

I think part of the Sabres problem now is they’ve fallen back into the group of teams players don’t want to sign with or be traded to. It’s a reality they’ve created. I don’t think it’s simply just them being cheap.

I think they have a well earned rep around the league for being cheap.

 

[BFLO]

The last GM/Coach group under Wilson, the fans got pretty toxic too. The Pegula coming in to own the bills, ironically, breathed new life into the franchise. McDermott/Beane came in right as the ownership group was starting to run out of rope.

No. The last GM/Coach group under Wilson were Doug Whaley and Doug Marrone, and they hadn't run out of rope yet, in fact they had just gone 9-7, the Bills first winning season in 10 years.

Pegula then bought the team and Marrone took the out clause in his contract rather than stick around under new ownership.

Pegula hired Rex Ryan who tore down everything Whaley and Marrone built and turned us into a dysfunctional circus overnight. The fan base got super toxic under Rex.

 

[Sabre Dance]

I think they have a well earned rep around the league for being cheap.

On players? Or everything else? I would agree on everything else.