BillsFan4

I was busy and just put the game on a few minutes ago. Nashville scored 2 goals within a couple minutes to make it 5-1 and I immediately turned it off. 🤬 This team is just collapsing. It’s really disheartening.

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/what-to-expect-from-devon-levi-why-the-sabres-should-be-patient good article on Levi, his strengths + weaknesses, and what expectations should be.

Dahlin is definitely dealing with an injury. He’s been playing through it for a while now. Not sure about Tage.

Seems like a really nice depth WR/ST signing.

I didn’t even know he was a UFA already. I remember many of us thought he would take over for Poyer or Hyde eventually but that never seemed to materialize. I wish him well in Vegas!

https://theathletic.com/4325849/2023/03/19/sabres-bruins-loss-devon-levi/ no surprise there. We will see what happens though. Like I’ve said, I don’t think the expectation should be that Levi plays in the NHL next year. Maybe an injury call-up but I don’t expect him to even be the backup next seas9n let alone the starter. I think the Sabres need to acquire an NHL starting caliber goalie for next season. Someone who can hold down the crease until Levi is ready. I’m ok with UPL being the backup next year but they absolutely can’t go into the season with only UPL and Comrie.

This is why i am not ready to call it a successful season yet. Yeah, being in the playoff race at the deadline was progress. But it's not the first time during the rebuild they have been in the playoff race at the deadline. Back in 2019 they were a few points out at the deadline when Botterill traded for Brandon Montour. Then the team proceeded to lose like crazy all of march/april. This is starting to feel the same. They need to finish the season stronger than this for me to call this season a success/progress. I wonder if not making any meaningful additions at the deadline crushed this team's spirit and/or sent the message the playoff's weren't a main priority? They sure have struggled since then. Or maybe they just weren't ready to handle the pressure of meaningful games. I dont know. Either way it's depressing and I am once again losing interest in this team. They haven't even really been fun to watch lately.

🤢🤮

I haven’t watched every game closely but from what I’ve seen it seems like they’ve had no answer when other teams clog things up all season. Maybe that’s more personnel, I don’t know. But I haven’t really seen any adjustment either. Have you? When what we do doesn’t work (rush the puck), what answers have they had? When the other team clogs the blue line it seems like we just continue trying to rush no matter how many times it fails. I’d like to see the coaching staff have an answer for that style of game plan. Maybe they’ve tried. We do suck at dump + chase. I question the d coach because Defenseman are constantly taking terrible lines to the puck. Constantly allowing odd man rushes and continue looking somewhat lost in their own zone, especially with play behind the net. It’s been almost 2 full seasons now. At some point I need to see some improvement. I’ve seen the improvement on offense. With the PK, I’m not even sure what their system is supposed to be. Whatever it is, is bad. That’s why I said if the d coach runs the Pk too, it seems like an easy change to make. I don’t want Granato going anywhere. I generally like what he’s doing, but I wouldn’t mind seeing changes to some of his assistants like the d coach and the goalie coach. Hard not to question both with the (lack of) results they’ve had. When we had Jim Corsi even out backups were competent. I haven’t seen anything from Bales that gives me any confidence he can improve the play of our goalies. And now that Levi is here, I want to ensure he develops. I agree, all teams come out flat at times (although it’s been happening too much for my liking this season) and the team was flat from the drop of the puck against Philly. I am not blaming the loss 100% on coaching. The players definitely deserve the lion’s share. No interest in the draft lottery! I want to finish in a playoff spot or right outside of it. The more meaningful games they can play the better. But as you said I don’t see playoffs happening it’s probably been over since that loss to the isles (another team that clogged things up in the 3rd and we had no real answer for it).

Sabres got outplayed and Granato got out-coached by Tortorella. Torts had the flyers take away the rush and the sabres had no answers. That's happened numerous times recently. When teams press at the blue line and the sabres can't create off the rush they don't know what to do. Getting sick of no defensive structure too. Granato keeps saying he needs to let the kids find their defensive game but how long does it take? Shouldn'y we be seeing some type of defensive structure by now? Starting to question the sabres d coch as well. Wonder if he also runs the (atrocious) penalty kill? If so then it seems like it may be time to look for a new asst. coach in the offseason.

Very happy Levi is signed! I was going to start getting a little nervous if it didn’t happen soon, especially with other NorthEastern players signing entry level contracts. Glad I don’t have to worry about it now! lol Sounds like he’s joining the Sabres, which was expected. I believe he still has to play a game in the NHL this year for his entry level contract to start, which I also expect to happen. It’ll be interesting to see how soon. I’m guessing it’ll depend on how he looks at practice. It would be awesome if he looked NHL ready right away but I’m not counting on it and I don’t think Sabres fans should be disappointed if he isn’t. If Levi made the jump directly to the NHL from college he would be the first in a decades AFAIK. The last time I am aware of was in the 80’s or maybe the 90’s but maybe I am missing someone. But even if I am it’s safe to say it would be very out of the norm to see him skip the AHL altogether. But with how desperate the Sabres are for a good goalie, if he looks ready I could see them running with it. Or at least giving him a chance to compete for an NHL spot next season. I’m fine with it either way. A clue could be how many games he gets into this season. The more games he plays this year the more likely I think it is he’s in the plans for next season.

Sabres pissed away that 2nd point with a mediocre effort in the 3rd. Another game that leaves you feeling like the NHL/refs have teams they want to win though. That BS make up call against Buffalo with 2 minutes left in the game that lets Washington pull their goalie to go up 2 skaters and get the tying goal. Then they don’t call the hook on Thompson in OT. Don’t call skinner being tripped in OT. But they call Cozens for the trip in OT (and it was a legit trip) after Buffalo dominates the whole OT. Then the refs immediately clearing the broken stick for the caps shile they are on the power play so ovechkin has a clear shooting lane. Wtf was that? I can’t remember seeing a ref go immediately pick up a broken stick like that. They usually wait till a whistle or the play to clear the zone at least. I’m not blaming the refs for the loss. That loss is on Buffalo. They need to do a better job closing out that game. Can’t give up 2 goal lead in the last half of the 3rd period. Also, Whoever runs their PK needs to go along with the defensive asst. coach (maybe they are the same person? That would make it easy! lol). And wow is UPL garbage in the shootout. It’s starting to feel like Lehner in the shootouts all over again. 🤢🤮

NHL refereeing is such garbage. What a **** call. Felt like a make-up call for the ovechkin penalty. To overtime we go… Need that second point!

The longer it takes for the contract details to come out, the more I think it must be a team friendly deal.

Very happy to have him back!