Post-Game Talk (GBU): That one hurts

[Man of Principles]

So how does the unrest in the locker room and the shot fired across the bow by Reinhart affect a Skinner deal? That'd be so Buffalo to implode and change Skinner's mind about signing long term.

 

[joshjull]

Phil has to be gone, right?

If he can’t get the players to play they way they need to it’s definitely going to be him or them.

 

[jucebox]

At nearly 50 yrs old, successfully having raised 3 of 4 children, I don't believe my love for hockey, or the the Sabres has anything to do with my dealing with life...……………….but hey, I could be wrong. Enlighten me?

Buffalo fans are very bitter. It's like a support group. My uncle used to call Buffalo a drinking town with a sports problem. You are damned if you are too invested for too long, and maligned if you try to jump ship

 

[GellMann]

So how does the unrest in the locker room and the shot fired across the bow by Reinhart affect a Skinner deal? That'd be so Buffalo to implode and change Skinner's mind about signing long term.

It won't affect a Skinner deal.

 

[enthusiast]

I don't have a problem with Reinhart calling people out, though it's a bit opportune now that he's really feeling himself, but pinning it on the goaltending in particular isn't fair to them. I'd argue the defense was worse.

 

[toomuchsauce]

I have random, cascading thoughts:

1) Good for Sam: f*** these goalies.

2) okay yes, I was a goalie, and I'd be f***in pissed if a teammate said that.

3) Good. Ullmark's been solid but Hutton has been f***in trash. Ullmark wasn't good *tonight*. He was hung out to dry and didn't go full savior mode, so it's unfair to him, personally.

4) the d-zone coverage is absolutely horrific.

5) Good, make everyone mad...seriously...the whole team needs to wake tf up

6) When you call out the goaltending, you better f***in d-up, and, quite frankly, that isn't Sam's problem. It's Jack's problem. Maybe he'll hear that.

Wait...oh shit.... Uh oh...Reinhart trade incoming....

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

It’s (past) time for Housley to go. The damage may be done though. Locker room looks to be splintering before our eyes. Time to bring someone in who can get these guys on the same page again.

 

[Yatzhee]

Buffalo fans are very bitter. It's like a support group. My uncle used to call Buffalo a drinking town with a sports problem. You are damned if you are too invested for too long, and maligned if you try to jump ship

I got nothing because you are most likely correct. Except for one thing...…………………….being a member of the generation that left the most, they aren't maligned. They are celebrated, at least amongst my generation. From California, to Florida, to North Carolina to Arizona, every former Sabres fan I have spoken with has been respectful. They respect me, I got nothing, and in retrospect, neither do you.

 

[GellMann]

It’s (past) time for Housley to go. The damage may be done though. Locker room looks to be splintering before our eyes. Time to bring someone in who can get these guys on the same page again.

The locker room is and will be fine. Far worse stuff than this goes on in every room every year that we never hear about. These guys are adults and professionals.

 

[MayDayMayDay]

Taking a mental/emotional break for a few weeks after tonight. Just need some time. I'm going to the game in Chicago next month. I'll see y'all then.

 

[jucebox]

The locker room is and will be fine. Far worse stuff than this goes on in every room every year that we never hear about. These guys are adults and professionals.

I think if anything Housley is just a passive middle-of-the-road type guy who probably doesnt inspire major feelings, good or bad

 

[Maut]

I don't have a problem with Reinhart calling people out, though it's a bit opportune now that he's really feeling himself, but pinning it on the goaltending in particular isn't fair to them. I'd argue the defense was worse.

I think this is how a majority of the fans feel about this situation. Yes Ullmark has had a few bad games, yes we could have won with some big saves but the defense has hung him and Hutton out to dry for more than a few times. With that said, Hutton did have a few games where he directly caused a few goals and pretty much put us in a situation where we probably wouldn't win. I don't know if Ullmark has been playing the same way or if I just like him more.

 

[Hasek]

6) When you call out the goaltending, you better ****in d-up, and, quite frankly, that isn't Sam's problem. It's Jack's problem. Maybe he'll hear that.

Wait...oh ****.... Uh oh...Reinhart trade incoming....

And this is why Jack is the captain. He didn't bury Reinhart when Sam was doing jack**** season after season. I don't have an issue with Sam's comments, but it would have been good of him to acknowledge that he is not above the team and that he needs to improve also.

 

[Buffaloed]

The Sabres defensemen are good enough to win with. The problem is the forwards aren't getting back fast or deep enough to give the dmen targets for easy outlet passes. The gap between the backchecking Sabres forward and the opposing player is also so great that the Sabres dmen can't stand up. They have to back in and wait for help. The forwards also release too soon hoping to get behind the opponents D which hangs their own D out to dry. That's all on the coaching. It's laziness and lack of discipline. It's unacceptable they are still struggling with such a basic concept.

 

[Aladyyn]

And this is why Jack is the captain. He didn't bury Reinhart when Sam was doing jack**** season after season. I don't have an issue with Sam's comments, but it would have been good of him to acknowledge that he is not above the team and that he needs to improve also.

Is this the same imaginary world your pre-game predictions come from?

 

[Fezzy126]

I don't have a problem with Reinhart calling people out, though it's a bit opportune now that he's really feeling himself, but pinning it on the goaltending in particular isn't fair to them. I'd argue the defense was worse.

Sam definitely needs to slow his roll on the goalie criticism. We aren't some high flying team, we're firmly in the bottom half in scoring. And just recently they continually left Hutton out dry, we scored 2 or fewer goals in 6 out of 8 of his starts through December & January.

I had much more of an issue with the goals allowed last game than this one.

 

[kirby11]

It’s (past) time for Housley to go. The damage may be done though. Locker room looks to be splintering before our eyes. Time to bring someone in who can get these guys on the same page again.

Quite frankly I have a hard time trusting JB (or really the Pegulas, when it comes down to it) making a strong hire after the season if they do fire Phil

 

[joshjull]

What did he say about Botterill? ... I wasnt really paying attention

Found this

 

[joshjull]

Zing

 

[sabremike]

The Sabres defensemen are good enough to win with. The problem is the forwards aren't getting back fast or deep enough to give the dmen targets for easy outlet passes. The gap between the backchecking Sabres forward and the opposing player is also so great that the Sabres dmen can't stand up. They have to back in and wait for help. The forwards also release too soon hoping to get behind the opponents D which hangs their own D out to dry. That's all on the coaching. It's laziness and lack of discipline. It's unacceptable they are still struggling with such a basic concept.

How in God's name are people on a message board able to see and diagnose this and absolutely nobody who covers this team for a living is capable of it?

 

[OkimLom]

We’ve played what 5 games since the break, this team should’ve came out of the gates motivated with the playoffs within grasp. Yet they are doing anything but that.

At this point I don’t know how to really feel about the comments. On one hand, he’s a professional and I think he should be able to speak his mind freely, as long as he understands there may be discipline coming from coaching/management. But in the other, you don’t do that in public and with the media who has a nasty history of creating a narrative that could make the room worse.

This feels so out of character for him. Either this is him learning to come out of his shell and speaking his mind because he feels more comfortable as a player, or he just made an immature decision to call out your goalies when your teams defense in front of him let’s your goalie down, because he wants to step up as a player.

 

[ValJames]

I loved your responses just offering some friendly, logical advice based on your pain.

Why? Because you don't like the response?
My son's and I played on the pond in the backyard for years. My daughters and I still do. Are you saying because I disapprove of the Sabres play I should just walk away from a sport I love with all of my heart?
Why is it so hard for someone to except that maybe a change of venue in so far as the product supported, may not be unhealthy and actually nay be helpful and healthful for a 50 yr fan?

 

[dortt]

the coddling of the goalies really needs to stop. It should not be a third rail to call them out when they are beyond putrid

Ullmark and Hutton have been giving us D- goaltending since the winning streak. In other words, it is borderline AHL quality. That needs to be addressed as it won't matter how well the team plays with goaltending as bad as we've had.

Even if we had AVERAGE goaltending since the streak, we'd be safely in the playoffs

And for those who think goaltending does not matter. Just go back to the 2015-2016 season. When Lehner was out, Chad Johnson and Ullmark were both BAD. Got ourselves into a massive hole that we couldn't escape. Team turned it around once Lehner returned and played well. Team played about the same. The difference was about 12 games in the standings

 

[jucebox]

the coddling of the goalies really needs to stop. It should not be a third rail to call them out when they are beyond putrid

Ullmark and Hutton have been giving us D- goaltending since the winning streak. In other words, it is borderline AHL quality. That needs to be addressed as it won't matter how well the team plays with goaltending as bad as we've had.

Even if we had AVERAGE goaltending since the streak, we'd be safely in the playoffs

And for those who think goaltending does not matter. Just go back to the 2015-2016 season. When Lehner was out, Chad Johnson and Ullmark were both BAD. Got ourselves into a massive hole that we couldn't escape. Team turned it around once Lehner returned and played well. Team played about the same. The difference was about 12 games in the standings

The point is not that the goaltending isnt subpar, its that the defense regularly exacerbates the problem

 

[dortt]

The point is not that the goaltending isnt subpar, its that the defense regularly exacerbates the problem

the D absolutely needs to be better

However, if the offense puts up 5, we had better get the win every single time. Especially when holding Carolina to under 30 shots through regulation