Buffalo Sabres and NHL 2022-2023

[4merper4mer]

20 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

What a win! They even overcame pretty bad officiating.

 

I love beating this dirty Tampa team!

 

Tage with a monster game. That’s the Tage we need down the stretch. Hopefully this game can be a stepping stone to get them going again.

 

Big win! Big 2 points.

The non elbowing call ought to draw a fine.  What a joke.

12 minutes ago, Process said:

Sabres 29-27 (62 points) Detroit 27-29 (62 points) Pittsburgh 27-30 (63 points).

 

I'm a casual hockey fan so genuinely curious. Is there a reason for teams getting a point for losing in OT? Seems extremely stupid to get credit for taking longer to lose. 

I’m fine with an OTL getting a point if a regulation win gets 3, but as it stands, an overtime game is worth more total pints…..2+1…..than a regulation game.  That’s dumb.

[Process]

7 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

The non elbowing call ought to draw a fine.  What a joke.

I’m fine with an OTL getting a point if a regulation win gets 3, but as it stands, an overtime game is worth more total pints…..2+1…..than a regulation game.  That’s dumb.

The penguins being ahead of us despite having two less wins in more games played is absurd to me.

[PromoTheRobot]

38 minutes ago, Process said:

Sabres 29-27 (62 points) Detroit 27-29 (62 points) Pittsburgh 27-30 (63 points).

 

I'm a casual hockey fan so genuinely curious. Is there a reason for teams getting a point for losing in OT? Seems extremely stupid to get credit for taking longer to lose. 

 

It's because shootouts were added in 2005. Before that games ended tied and each team got one point. Teams still wanted the 1 point for a tie after regulation.

[ExiledInIllinois]

All games should be 3 points.  Why are regulation games 2 points and OT/SO games 3 point affairs?

 

Make regulation wins: +3

OT/SO wins: +2

OT/SO loses: +1

 

Play 4 on 4 for the whole game or make ice at least international size. Just not enough room out there with all the advancement in talent and equipment/skate technology...

 

...The North American game originally had 6 skaters and it was dropped down to 5.  Make it 4 now.  We see how exciting OT is 4 on 4...  OR, again, make ice surface bigger.

 

Trap hockey sux... Waiting for odd-man rushes blow. More wide-open play 

Edited February 24, 2023 by ExiledInIllinois

[Johnny Hammersticks]

4 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

All games should be 3 points.  Why are regulation games 2 points and OT/SO games 3 point affairs?

 

Make regulation wins: +3

OT/SO wins: +2

OT/SO loses: +1

 

Play 4 on 4 for the whole game or make ice at least international size. Just not enough room out there with all the advancement in talent and equipment/skate technology...

 

...The North American game originally had 6 skaters and it was dropped down to 5.  Make it 4 now.  We see how exciting OT is 4 on 4...  OR, again, make ice surface bigger.

 

Trap hockey sux... Waiting for odd-man rushes blow. More wide-open play 

This is a horrible idea.

[ExiledInIllinois]

23 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

This is a horrible idea.

Why? 3 point games already exist going to OT. 

 

Wouldn't teams push to win it in Regulation? 

[US Egg]

The NHL cannot figure out how to become more appealing beyond adding franchises.

 

Bettman gets credit for this being how to grow the game during his 30 year tenure, but it sure seems it’s further in the rear view mirror from the NFL,NBA and MLB and the players earnings are escrowed at 17%. That’s a chunk they never see on top of taxes.

 

A Gretzky type media boon was a one time thing. It won’t be replicated no matter what.

 

Edited February 24, 2023 by I am the egg man

[PromoTheRobot]

5 hours ago, I am the egg man said:

The NHL cannot figure out how to become more appealing beyond adding franchises.

 

Bettman gets credit for this being how to grow the game during his 30 year tenure, but it sure seems it’s further in the rear view mirror from the NFL,NBA and MLB and the players earnings are escrowed at 17%. That’s a chunk they never see on top of taxes.

 

A Gretzky type media boon was a one time thing. It won’t be replicated no matter what.

 

 

Nothing is better than playoff hockey.

[QCity]

Fanbase needed that win. They were on the ledge after that toronto debacle.

[Jrb1979]

8 hours ago, I am the egg man said:

The NHL cannot figure out how to become more appealing beyond adding franchises.

 

Bettman gets credit for this being how to grow the game during his 30 year tenure, but it sure seems it’s further in the rear view mirror from the NFL,NBA and MLB and the players earnings are escrowed at 17%. That’s a chunk they never see on top of taxes.

 

A Gretzky type media boon was a one time thing. It won’t be replicated no matter what.

 

First I will say the game has never been better or exciting.   They do have that Gretzky type player. Problem is he plays in Edmonton and your casual sports fan could care less. 

 

IMO it will always be number 4 for a few reasons. One being it's not an accessible sport for most people due to cost to play. 

 

For me the biggest reason it will always be number 4 is the game is too fast for the casual sports fan. Football, Basketball and Baseball are slow paced and are much easier to follow. 

 

I will say I wish the game was more popular than it is now. IMO it's the best pro sport and has the best playoffs. 

[eball]

16 minutes ago, Jrb1979 said:

First I will say the game has never been better or exciting.   They do have that Gretzky type player. Problem is he plays in Edmonton and your casual sports fan could care less. 

 

IMO it will always be number 4 for a few reasons. One being it's not an accessible sport for most people due to cost to play. 

 

For me the biggest reason it will always be number 4 is the game is too fast for the casual sports fan. Football, Basketball and Baseball are slow paced and are much easier to follow. 

 

I will say I wish the game was more popular than it is now. IMO it's the best pro sport and has the best playoffs. 

 

Returning to ESPN was huge.  It will grow.

 

[muppy]

I am going to watch the game tonight and hope to bring the team some Luck and they get a BIG DUB !~!~!!!!!!!!!

 

GO SABRES!~!~!!!!!

 

m

[Jrb1979]

19 minutes ago, eball said:

 

Returning to ESPN was huge.  It will grow.

 

I hope so. As a person who loves hockey seeing it as mostly an afterthought is disappointing. Even now with the NFL season over the Sabres still don't get much coverage locally. THEY ARE 2 POINTS OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS. The media needs to start talking about them  Who cares who the Bills are going to draft in the 7th round of the playoffs 

[eball]

3 minutes ago, Jrb1979 said:

I hope so. As a person who loves hockey seeing it as mostly an afterthought is disappointing. Even now with the NFL season over the Sabres still don't get much coverage locally. THEY ARE 2 POINTS OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS. The media needs to start talking about them  Who cares who the Bills are going to draft in the 7th round of the playoffs 

 

Hockey is growing.  Down here in NC last weekend was huge with the outdoor game and all of the activity around it.  The game is being played as fun and fast as I've seen in a while.  I have faith.

 

[Jauronimo]

40 minutes ago, eball said:

 

Returning to ESPN was huge.  It will grow.

 

I think leaving ESPN was the biggest mistake the NHL has made.  Coming back from the lockout missed season games were only available on Outdoor Life Network or something like that.  Almost no cable provider I was aware of carried that channel.    Losing a season and then making hockey more difficult to watch was a costly one two punch.

[Jauronimo]

1 hour ago, Jrb1979 said:

First I will say the game has never been better or exciting.   They do have that Gretzky type player. Problem is he plays in Edmonton and your casual sports fan could care less. 

 

IMO it will always be number 4 for a few reasons. One being it's not an accessible sport for most people due to cost to play. 

 

For me the biggest reason it will always be number 4 is the game is too fast for the casual sports fan. Football, Basketball and Baseball are slow paced and are much easier to follow. 

 

I will say I wish the game was more popular than it is now. IMO it's the best pro sport and has the best playoffs. 

The biggest complaint is "i can't see the puck" and "i dont understand the rules".  HD TV might help with #1, I don't know.  I can't see the puck either but I know where it is and where its going.  I genuinely do not understand what is so difficult to follow about the rules.

 

Football, basketball, and baseball can all be played by a bunch of neighborhood kids in every part of the country.  All you need is a ball and/or a stick.  That will always be an advantage over ice hockey in terms of kids learning the basics of the sport and developing an interest.  Hockey is an expensive sport to play. Higher barrier to gain interest.  Street hockey is accessible I guess but where there is street hockey there is a kid who plays ice hockey just dominating the other neighborhood kids.

[Nextmanup]

11 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

This is a horrible idea.

 

11 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Why? 3 point games already exist going to OT. 

 

Wouldn't teams push to win it in Regulation? 

Purists will always hate the idea of playing anything other than 5 on 5.  The reality is that hockey is never more wildly exciting than when it's 4 on 4, or even better, 3 on 3.

 

There's a reason for that!
 

I don't think the change is needed though.  There IS room on the ice, and the 2 teams last night showed that all night long.  The game was played off the walls and had end to end action all night long, with frequent defensive lapses and odd man rushes.

 

As I have said here before, we are playing an '80s Smythe division style of game, and the entire league is now moving in that direction.  

WHY?  Coaching.  Coaches have decide to shift to an offense-first style of play, and (for the most) ignore this neutral zone trap type crap.

 

If teams play offensively, the game is a ton of fun and you don't need to change anything.

 

I have said for years that someone should come up with a simple rule change that would force the teams to play in that manner.  There has to be a way to do it.

 

Sort of like removing the red line for 2-line passing purposes.  Immediately alters the game.

 

There has to be something equally easy and effective to keep things free wheeling.

 

 

[Nextmanup]

39 minutes ago, Jrb1979 said:

I hope so. As a person who loves hockey seeing it as mostly an afterthought is disappointing. Even now with the NFL season over the Sabres still don't get much coverage locally. THEY ARE 2 POINTS OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS. The media needs to start talking about them  Who cares who the Bills are going to draft in the 7th round of the playoffs 

For  a few years now, WGR-550 has heavily cheated to the Bills and almost entirely ignored the Sabres.  I get it in the height of the season with the Bills being so good. But man, there is NOTHING to talk about with them right now.  Save the draft crap for later.  Why not go all Sabres all the time for a little while?

 

They are worth discussing and enjoying for the first time in 12 years!

 

Having said that, just this morning, the morning show dedicated the entire first hour to the Sabres and the wild win last night.

 

If we can pull off another tonight in Ft. Lauderdale, things are going to really get fun!

 

 

[Gregg]

I think the two WC spots will come down to BUF, NYI, FLA, and DET. The Caps suffered a terrible loss last night to the Ducks. The Pens got rocked 7-2 to the Oilers. They have no defense and goaltending. I think this is finally the year the Pens and Caps both miss the playoffs. Both are older teams and in need of a rebuild.

Edited February 24, 2023 by Gregg

[Johnny Hammersticks]

1 hour ago, Gregg said:

I think the two WC spots will come down to BUF, NYI, FLA, and DET. The Caps suffered a terrible loss last night to the Ducks. The Pens got rocked 7-2 to the Oilers. They have no defense and goaltending. I think this is finally the year the Pens and Caps both miss the playoffs. Both are older teams and in need of a rebuild.

Caps are already sellers at the trade deadline.  I think they’re ready to fold.