Buffalo Rick Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 I am not an NHL coach, but I know one thing that Phil Housely does not seem to know. Jason Pommenville is one of the best penalty killers in the game. He is smart and knows how to kill penalties as well as any Sabre since Craig Ramsey. The fact that he is not out there on the kill is proof enough that this guy is clueless. I do not care what Nashville did last year. He was not the head coach and it was a great goaltending job that upset the Blues to get them farther than anyone expected. I did not see the game but I see they shut out the high scoring Flyers and the way Philly is playing that is not easy. Housely will not last if this continues. This team has enough talent to be doing better. They are not in sync out there and the blame goes to the head coach. I wonder how much rope Pegula and Botterill will give him. I wish they could just get Ruff back now and Miller with him. Two goalies that just plain suck do not help his cause either. But he is putting guys out there that make no sense. . What does he thing? That Justin Bailey is going to fix this mess. Housely was a great offensive type defenseman in his day. He is not a coach. Fire him now. While the season young. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honest Bender Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Housley has been a successful head coach at other levels, and has been mentored now by Barry Trotz and Peter Laviolette. In my opinion as an outsider, the Sabres just don't have the right players. Murray was horrible and his rebuild was bad, now Botterill has to start the rebuild again. It's difficult for Sabres fans to sit through all of that and come out on the other end with basically no progress, but that's the reality and it's going to take another 2-3 years before JB can fix the issues that he inherited and get Housley the players that he can win with. I'm not saying it's a guarantee that Housley will be a success, but I don't think the current woes of the Sabres can be pinned on him just yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samifan Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 8 hours ago, Hockey Junkie said: I wish they could just get Ruff back now and Miller with him. Is this the first “I want Ryan Miller back” post of the 2017-18 season from HJ? That means we only have 999 more to go........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 I haven't watched many Sabres games this year yet, but I have caught a couple, and from the little I have seen, the problem isn't the PK. Outside of LA drubbing them 3 for 3 on their PP vs Buffalo's PK, the Sabre PK has been fine. Whether Pominville is on it or not, it has been good. The PP on the other hand, has been abysmal. The man advantage had a good outing against Vegas, but outside of that, they've been pretty terrible. Overall scoring, PP and 5 on 5, just hasn't been working right. I agree the team still needs time for the various pieces to fall into place and for the coaching staff to see which ones fit and which ones don't. Is Phil Housley the culprit? I dunno. Really too early to tell as some have already mentioned. But THIS much we do know: Guys on the ice simply have to execute. It may be a matter of time before the guys on the ice really get to know each other, but then again, that's what training camps and the preseason were supposed to be for. Still though, when afforded opportunities on offense (such as multiple PP's), the team simply has to take advantage more often than not. Even if 5 on 5 they remain mediocre for now, at the very least try to work at least a 17-20% clip on the PP...the team DOES have offensive talent to do it! Next, the goaltending just has to be better. I know, you, @Hockey Junkie are not a Lehner fan, and I was one of the people who said Lehner will do for now. Ultimately, you may be proven right. Lehner may NOT be the guy......but neither is Chad Johnson (nice career backup, but you don't want him playing 45 games a year for you!), and the answer CERTAINLY isn't Ryan Miller any longer who is struggling to stay healthy with a contending Anaheim team. Finally, guys on the team (especially defensemen), just HAVET to make better decisions on what to do with the puck. From the games I have watched some of, I've seen some real boneheaded plays either with defensemen turning it over trying to make ill advised exit passes, or forwards carelessly passing to other guys giving the puck right to the opposition. I don't care WHO your head coach is, if the players do that consistently, you are asking for trouble and the likelihood your goalie is facing down an odd man rush and a goal against goes up significantly! Whether those bad plays are a result of young guys like Ristolainen still learning NHL nuances, the chemistry aspect, or just plain stupidity, I don't know yet. That is Phil Housley and his staff's job to figure out............but IMO, they will need more time to do so than less than 10 games into the season. Oh, and I would think Buffalo picked up Pominville in a trade to do more than just kill penalties. Good PK'ers aren't that hard to find. A sniper, which Pominville is still supposed to be, are harder to come by....and he needs to pick his team up in that area. Fire Phil Housley now? On what basis really? Just like the Lehner situation, in the end, perhaps Housley isn't the guy for this team.....but in all fairness, I think he still needs to be given every chance to succeed, all the while weeding out the players who either aren't helping the cause or just don't want to be there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted October 21, 2017 Share Posted October 21, 2017 Relax, be patient, I like Buffalo a lot this year, they have a lot of new faces and just need to mesh together. Eichel is pressing too hard as he watches the success of Matthews a few miles to the North but he will relax. The defense is improved talent and skill wise but still learning each others nuances. When they get used to each other they will be a decent club. If after 20 games they are still awful then I will say I am wrong but I actually like what they are building. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfondajane Posted November 14, 2017 Share Posted November 14, 2017 On 10/21/2017 at 7:30 AM, yave1964 said: Relax, be patient, I like Buffalo a lot this year, they have a lot of new faces and just need to mesh together. Eichel is pressing too hard as he watches the success of Matthews a few miles to the North but he will relax. The defense is improved talent and skill wise but still learning each others nuances. When they get used to each other they will be a decent club. If after 20 games they are still awful then I will say I am wrong but I actually like what they are building. Is there a goaltender in Rochester that could handle N.H.L. competition? Once this is solved people may see some of the improvements that fans are expecting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Rick Posted January 2, 2018 Author Share Posted January 2, 2018 On 11/14/2017 at 12:49 PM, notfondajane said: Is there a goaltender in Rochester that could handle N.H.L. competition? Once this is solved people may see some of the improvements that fans are expecting! Well Linus Ullmark did not play as bad as Johnson has played all year when he backed up Miller. And Ullmark was player of the week in the AHL last week. Houseley has a call up from Rochester on the ice on a 3 on 3 in the WINTER CLASSIC for Gods sake. Unreal. Then he gets a cheap penalty called on him. But still, he never should have been out there. Houseley and Lehner just blow every OT game. We are like 1-8 in OT. Unreal. Ruff and Miller, please come back. Lehner did play well in regulation. But he sucks in OT and shootouts. Houseley is my reason why this team is like 20 points at least below where they should be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfondajane Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 1 hour ago, Hockey Junkie said: Well Linus Ullmark did not play as bad as Johnson has played all year when he backed up Miller. And Ullmark was player of the week in the AHL last week. Houseley has a call up from Rochester on the ice on a 3 on 3 in the WINTER CLASSIC for Gods sake. Unreal. Then he gets a cheap penalty called on him. But still, he never should have been out there. Houseley and Lehner just blow every OT game. We are like 1-8 in OT. Unreal. Ruff and Miller, please come back. Lehner did play well in regulation. But he sucks in OT and shootouts. Houseley is my reason why this team is like 20 points at least below where they should be What is the average age of the Sabres? Not knowing the answer the Sabres should be a relatively young team. Maybe they need time to jell?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Ewing Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 My continued question is to wonder why the Sabres follow the Oilers lead putting rookies in key management positions during a rebuild. I suggested on this board last summer that it didn't make sense, and I haven't seen much to dissuade me from that stance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Rick Posted January 3, 2018 Author Share Posted January 3, 2018 7 hours ago, notfondajane said: What is the average age of the Sabres? Not knowing the answer the Sabres should be a relatively young team. Maybe they need time to jell?! Not sure but young and many in Rochester are in future plans I am sure. Houseley is not up to par in my opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Rick Posted January 3, 2018 Author Share Posted January 3, 2018 6 hours ago, JR Ewing said: My continued question is to wonder why the Sabres follow the Oilers lead putting rookies in key management positions during a rebuild. I suggested on this board last summer that it didn't make sense, and I haven't seen much to dissuade me from that stance. Ruff should coach this team until he drops Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfondajane Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 1 hour ago, Hockey Junkie said: Ruff should coach this team until he drops What was the problem with Ted Nolan? I thought he was a descent coach! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Rick Posted January 3, 2018 Author Share Posted January 3, 2018 15 hours ago, notfondajane said: What was the problem with Ted Nolan? I thought he was a descent coach! I liked Nolan and would welcome him back in a minute Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podein25 Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 On 20/10/2017 at 5:34 AM, Hockey Junkie said: You had me at "I'm not an NHL coach" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 The real question regarding the Sabres: It looks like Eichel is a floater, not really willing to pay the price or stick is nose in there. When the face of the franchise has a questionable work ethic, that is a BIG problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samifan Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 46 minutes ago, jammer2 said: The real question regarding the Sabres: It looks like Eichel is a floater, not really willing to pay the price or stick is nose in there. When the face of the franchise has a questionable work ethic, that is a BIG problem. Agreed! I think that kid that can’t do a chin-up who just won best forward of the WJC (Mittle-something) will quickly become the face of the Sabres franchise over Eichel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 9 minutes ago, Samifan said: Agreed! I think that kid that can’t do a chin-up who just won best forward of the WJC (Mittle-something) will quickly become the face of the Sabres franchise over Eichel There is no doubt young elite talent is on the way in Sabreland. Eichel will get his fair share of pts, with or without work ethic. I really like Middlestat (really any fan with a brain would) he is the real deal. Just below Middlestat on the Sabres prospect list is Alexander Nylander. The Sabres are making all the right moves in regards to Alexander. He is biding his time in the AHL, scoring at a decent rate and learning the game the right way. Things are trending upwards in Buffalo, as they should be when you stink for this long! Another tidbit, expect Ristolanin's stock to rise with all this talent flooding Buffalo in the coming years. The kid has amazing talent, and his fantasy stock should be rising when you look at the elite players they will eventually be icing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Rick Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share Posted January 9, 2018 On 1/2/2018 at 12:27 PM, notfondajane said: What is the average age of the Sabres? Not knowing the answer the Sabres should be a relatively young team. Maybe they need time to jell?! Its a revolving door. Up and down from Rochester. Has to be young. So many guys I have never heard of outside the big names I posted earlier. Fire the coach already Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfondajane Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 2 minutes ago, Hockey Junkie said: Its a revolving door. Up and down from Rochester. Has to be young. So many guys I have never heard of outside the big names I posted earlier. Fire the coach already Why was Ted Nolan fired? There is your coach if the Sabres could work with him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Rick Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share Posted January 9, 2018 21 hours ago, notfondajane said: Why was Ted Nolan fired? There is your coach if the Sabres could work with him! The second time had to do with ownership change for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Rick Posted January 22, 2018 Author Share Posted January 22, 2018 7-1 vs an average Dallas team and Housely is still employed? Unreal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 I think it is more the sows ear that the GM has tried to pass off as a silk purse on the fans. The defense is indefensible, the forwards are painfully thin, the goaltending being generous is average. This is a bad team with nothing much in the system except average at best prospects. As high as they have finished in the draft, having a good draft position year after year this is inexcusable. I thought I saw a glimpse, that Eichel would step it up and Reinhart woulddevelop toughness and learn how to skate in traffic, never again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blocker Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 "he real question regarding the Sabres: It looks like Eichel is a floater, not really willing to pay the price or stick is nose in there. When the face of the franchise has a questionable work ethic, that is a BIG problem. " I think that's an astute evaluation. Eichel is a hell of a player, but he doesn't seem to be the right sort to lead a team out of the dump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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