BillsFan4

Wow, both McCabe and Mittelstadt healthy scratches tonight. Good! Both deserve to be sitting. Hopefully it’ll do Mittelstadt some good. He really should be in Rochester. Maybe once Thompson is back he will be? I think he needs to get his confidence back and going to the AHL could help.

Defense!!

Daring call. If they miss on the 2pt conversion, it’s now a 2 score game instead of a 1 score game.

They deserved better. I thought that was a questionable tripping call. All did was pivot 45 degrees. He didn’t even lift his stick off the ice. The Vancouver player skated directly into his stick and tripped. It was an unfortunate play, but not a trip IMO. Not the Sabres best game but I’m Proud that they battled back 3 separate times. Down 2-0, tied it at 2-2. Down 3-2, tied it at 3. Down 5-3, tied it with 58 seconds left. Hutton was awful though. At least 3 questionable goals IMO. He’s definitely in his own head, I think. He’s lost his last what, 10-11 straight starts or something like that? and I read that it’s really been getting to him. It’s hard to not feel like buffalo wins tonight with Ullmark in net.

Tied at 5 with 58 seconds remaining!!

Tied 2-2 right now. I almost turned it off myself, but they suddenly got their **** together about 5 minutes into the 2nd. I don’t know if it’ll last, but at least it’s a game right now.

❤️❤️

This is crazy! Zaitsev asked for a leave of absence from the team, apparently to go steal his kids from their mother in Russia and move them to Canada. And here’s Zaitsev’s fathers side of the story. What a crazy situation. I don’t know who’s at fault but I feel for those kids. I just hope they’re safe and happy.

So sorry for your loss. My condolences.

Wow, what a tip by Reinhart!

https://buffalonews.com/2019/12/04/buffalo-sabres-jack-eichel-jeff-skinner-analytics/ Sabres' underlying numbers on offense look ominous Buffalo has been a perimeter team for years. I remember stories about Housley literally begging the team to get to the net. Now Krueger is trying to do the same thing, and I do think he’s getting some results at times. It just hasn’t been consistent. I’m hoping as the season continues we see improvement instead of them falling off a cliff, but I’m not holding my breath.... I still have faith in Krueger though. I think he’s a good coach and deserves some time to implement his plan/vision. We have seen in spurts what his vision for this team looks like and it excites me. I love the way he wants the team to play. They just need to do it more consistently. As for this season, ultimately it comes down to the players and if they’re willing to take the coaching, change their games and pay the price to go to the dirty areas of the ice. I’m not so sure that some of them are. If things go south again this season, I don’t want a coaching change. I want a new mix of players.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/31-thoughts-code-conduct-coming-nhl/ This whole article is a good read. Eichel is really coming into his own this season. He’s growing into the captain role and he’s also becoming a true top 10 player in the NHL. I am no longer seeing any “questionable effort” shifts from Eichel, either. His 2 way game has really impressed me this season. He’s definitely bought into what Krueger is preaching.

No. Jokiharju is a non-starter for me. No way I trade him right now. Kid has been unbelievable. I’d do something around Mittelstadt and a pick, but that’s about as far as I’d go. We don’t have the depth to trade multiple young players and Hall will be 29 to start next season. I don’t really see Botterill giving up prime assets for Hall though. From what I’ve read I think he will test free agency. I would absolutely be interested in Hall in free agency, and maybe the Krueger connection will pay off there.... It would make things tougher down the road though, especially with already having Skinner at $9M and Eichel at $10M, because Hall is definitely getting $10M x 7 (give or take) and we will have some young guys to pay (Reinhart this offseason, Dahlin in another year, etc). If Hall is legitimately interested in Buffalo in free agency, I think you have to at least inquire, right?

https://buffalonews.com/2019/12/03/buffalo-sabres-edmonton-oilers-new-jersey-devils-ralph-krueger-taylor-hall-nhl-news-2019/ Sabres coach Ralph Krueger's message still resonates with Devils' Taylor Hall Good read.

I know it’s the ECHL and not the AHL, but still, everywhere this kid plays he’s winning awards.

Doesn’t matter. McDermott and Beane signed 5 year deals in Buffalo and Carolina will have a new coach long before mcdermott’s deal expires. https://billswire.usatoday.com/2017/05/09/new-gm-brandon-beanes-contract-matches-sean-mcdermotts-in-length/ Unless Terry Pegula lets him out of his contract, he can’t leave even if he wanted to (I don’t think he wants to btw).

Looks like he learned a lot from that 2 game suspension...

Is this what you’re talking about?

There ya go @njbuff! I figured last night has to be the last straw. Even the Sabres players were commenting on how it seemed like NJ just straight up stopped caring.

You must have quoted me right before I edited my post for this exact reason. I realized that I worded what I said poorly. I just meant that wide receivers wouldn’t avoid coming to the Bills anymore.

No. Shaq said that the Bills not picking up his 5th year option was a big wake up call for him. I’m not sure if he’d be the s motivated if the Bills has rewarded his previous lackluster seasons with a huge raise (5th year option was $10M or so iirc).

https://www.espn.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/33973/where-theres-smoke-john-brown-bringing-fire-to-bills-offense?platform=amp&__twitter_impression=true This is a great advertisement for free agents next season. We have a QB, and offense, that’s helping players reach their potential. The Bills look to be on the rise. I can’t wait to see what the future brings!

Shero is definitely loyal, to a fault I think. Look at Bylsma... It’s a shame because he seems like a decent GM, and added quite a bit of talent to the NJD without giving up anything too major.