The Sabres are sinking and Eichel is not going down fighting

[PromisedLand]

Sabres wish they had Lehner back in goal

 

[BusQuets]

Buffalo seems to lack depth. There are Eichel,Skinner, Reinhart ___gap___ Risto and Dahlin __gap__ bunch of players with 25 or less points. They basically don't have NHL level 2nd line at all. I think Buffalo is easily exploited in line match-up game.

 

[Martin Skoula]

It's weird how quiet people were about how bad Housley is and how bad the rest of the team is during Buffalo's hot streak.

 

[Tatre]

So... was the point of this thread just to wallow and bitch a little because there are too many problems? I guess getting some responses is nice, too. Take a break if it hurts that badly.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Guys like Eichel and McDavid can't do it all. Both teams have a ways to go to be contenders. Depth and coaching are huge concerns.

 

[IPS]

SABRES WILL CHALLENGE FOR 3RD IN THE ATLANTIC DIVISION

 

[Ahoy there]

SABRES WILL CHALLENGE FOR 3RD IN THE ATLANTIC DIVISION

this year?

 

[dasaybz]

It's weird how quiet people were about how bad Housley is and how bad the rest of the team is during Buffalo's hot streak.

You think it's weird that people didn't want to fire the coach during a 10 game win streak?

 

[Snippit]

SABRES WILL CHALLENGE FOR 3RD IN THE ATLANTIC DIVISION

Not happening

 

[Dustin]

Seems a lite over reactive to me. Most Buffalo fans at the beginning of the season were expecting another high draft pick. I don't think any extended winning streak should change that mentality.

Buffalo is looking good to me in terms of acquiring talent. There's certainly some concerns about coaching but I'm not sold that Housley will be there long anyway.

 

[Martin Skoula]

You think it's weird that people didn't want to fire the coach during a 10 game win streak?

Did he completely change his approach between then and now? Did everyone on lines 2-4 get significantly worse after a month? It should have been clear that it was hot streak and not the new normal.

Even when my team is winning, the coach's flaws are still apparent and people still call for him to get fired.

 

[Canes]

Just imagine if they didn't get Skinner for basically nothing.

 

[dasaybz]

Did he completely change his approach between then and now? Did everyone on lines 2-4 get significantly worse after a month? It should have been clear that it was hot streak and not the new normal.

Even when my team is winning, the coach's flaws are still apparent and people still call for him to get fired.

Pretty sure it was.

 

[frisco]

Just imagine if they didn't get Skinner for basically nothing.

True, but they traded E.Kane and O'Reilly off the team from last year for picks and prospects and really nothing that's helping right now. Last year was 62 points and dead last. This year they'll approach 90 points. Season can't be considered a disappointment in that light. This is not a hugely talented team by any stretch. Should try to deal off Scandella and Okposo at the deadline.

My Best-Carey

 

[Derg12]

I never liked Eichel's attitude but he's far from the problem with the Sabres

Which attitude is that? The one where he was frustrated being asked the same 'effing questions over and over by local media only to have a beat reporter enable the "Coach Eichel" moniker?

Blame Paul Hamilton for that mess - local media was every bit as responsible for the added pressure on a young team that's been struggling for years now.

 

[Snippit]

Did he completely change his approach between then and now? Did everyone on lines 2-4 get significantly worse after a month? It should have been clear that it was hot streak and not the new normal.

Even when my team is winning, the coach's flaws are still apparent and people still call for him to get fired.

Calling bullshit on this one.

When the team is sitting 1st overall, nobody is going to call to fire the coach.

Everyone knew they were going to regress so most people took a "wait and see" approach.

 

[stokes84]

Buffalo seems to lack depth. There are Eichel,Skinner, Reinhart ___gap___ Risto and Dahlin __gap__ bunch of players with 25 or less points. They basically don't have NHL level 2nd line at all. I think Buffalo is easily exploited in line match-up game.

Sobotka is the Sabres 4th most utilized forward. He hasn’t scored since October. What else do you need to know about Buffalo’s depth?

 

[wetcoast]

The Sabres have been in a free fall since, well...since their 10 game winning streak in November.

There are a lot of reasons they've faltered. For December it was a lack of secondary scoring, since then it is primarily been poor defense but none of facets of their game have really been clicking.

Eichel had a monster stretch in November and December but since then he has been very pedestrian. He went from being in the top 10 in P/PG to now being #25, which for a player of his caliber is not good enough.

A lot of nights he looks like he is just going through the motions. Coaching is partly to blame but it doesn't totally absolve Eichel's disappointing play.

Sure, he's the best of a sucky bunch, but he is capable of playing so much better. For someone who was touted as generational, he sure does not look like it on a lot of nights.

The Sabers lack depth, Eichel has been fine this year as has the development of Dahlin.

I expect them to be much better next year.

 

[Yatzhee]

The team isn't completely built yet, lines 2 and 3 are rookies or non-impact forwards. The defense is in a state of flux with a shorted RD situation.
And yet, Eichel has been the main driving force behind bringing Skinner to the 2nd leading goal scorer in the league, and you want to point the finger at him?

I don't care for Jack's play some nights, but to start an Eichel bashing thread is just hilarious given the team is in the very position they were projected to be, a wildcard bubble team.

 

[sabremike]

Sobotka is the Sabres 4th most utilized forward. He hasn’t scored since October. What else do you need to know about Buffalo’s depth?

We will call this Exhibit A that Phail Housley is the worst most incompetent coach in all of hockey.

 

[dortt]

We will call this Exhibit A that Phail Housley is the worst most incompetent coach in all of hockey.

despite analytics showing Sobotka is worse than a replacement player, Housley says hes one of the most important players on the team.

Another thought I've had. Pegula also owns the BIlls and far more money can be made there. Who is to say Pegula isn't tanking the Sabres to ensure Buffalo's entertainment dollars goes to the more lucrative football team? He has treated the Sabres far differently after he bought the Bills than he did prior to that purchase

 

[Thrasymachus]

what a joke this is

Eichel brings it almost every night and is by far Buffalo's MVP.

 

[sabremike]

despite analytics showing Sobotka is worse than a replacement player, Housley says hes one of the most important players on the team.

Another thought I've had. Pegula also owns the BIlls and far more money can be made there. Who is to say Pegula isn't tanking the Sabres to ensure Buffalo's entertainment dollars goes to the more lucrative football team? He has treated the Sabres far differently after he bought the Bills than he did prior to that purchase

I always go with Occam's Razor, which in this case says it's because the Pegulias are incompetent (EG: Two different hired as presidents of PSE were forced out because of sexual misconduct).

 

[Phil McKraken]

Don't the Sabres have a shit-ton of draft picks coming up in the next couple of years though, plus a good prospect pool? I don't think the plan was to make an impact this season anyway.

 

[thestonedkoala]

I think Mittelstadt didn't have the impact they expected (he's a good player, but they were thinking he'd step in and provide a little more offense) and Nylander hasn't been able to escape the AHL for some reason. Tage Thompson needs time to develop as well. They have a lot of young players, they just need to develop.