Buffalo Sabres v. New Jersey Devils - By the Numbers

Been telling people to have some patience as the team gels….but I am starting to wonder if they ever will. Granted, Myers, Leino, Gerbe, and Ennis are some key pieces to still be dealing without, but the team as a whole has been anything but impressive in their losses, despite being dazzling in their wins.

I’ve been preaching patience also, but the problems are more than injuries. Would the team be better if Myers, for instance, was playing? Sure. But the problem isn’t at the back but rather at the front and when I say the front, I specifically mean with the #1 Center and with players along the wings.

Ennis and Gerbe would make a huge difference, but both are solo guys, more or less, creating chaos with their speed and the uncertainty they create with shots from all angles, etc. But neither is the #1 Center. Both play roles, vital roles, on lines #2-4.

Roy, Stafford, etc. have been non-entities in games. I watch, knowing before he does it, what Stafford is going to do, carry the puck down the right board, skate wide of the net, get down to the dot, at a bad angle, and then take a weak shot with a D-man, who has done his job, hanging on him.

Roy is a legitimate point a game guy and a valuable #2, when he’s going well – and he hasn’t been going well for a long time. Stafford can be a top six, but he’s a third line player right now.

The Sabres need a legitimate #1 Center. And, it wouldn’t hurt to having guys who can score start doing it, or replacing them with guys who can.

I don’t think Pegula lets this run too very long. At some point I think he’ll push Regier to bundle one or more kids plus someone from the “core” to bring in some fresh blood in an effort to get this thing going again.

I’ve said it before. The first Boston game where the Sabres’ players showed no desire to support their goalie or each other announced to the League that they are not a team, but merely a group of highly paid, self-absorbed individuals. Since that game, other teams have shown a complete contempt for Sabres. Even when the Sabres take a lead, other teams press and usually end up winning.

Their well-deserved reputation for being soft will haunt them the rest of the season as they settle toward the bottom of the standings. I see no quick cure. During the off season they need to dump salary and as many of the lazy players as is possible. Those players should be replaced by gritty, competative players. Also, I would look to trade Myers for a first line center. One day he may develop into an outstanding defenseman, but the that day, if it comes, is too far into the future to help the Sabres in the next two years as they build to become a Cup contender.

There is no denying that. Unforunately due to the amount of high-paid under achievers on this team, that probaby cannot happen right now. Since we’re right up against the cap at least one of Boyes, Roy, Stafford, or Leino would need to be included in the package that would bring a high quality center to this team and given the current production of these players, any GM accepting them in a trade would be doing Buffalo a HUGE favor, and I’m pretty sure other GM’s are not in the business of doing favors.
Look at the Regehr trade as an example. Buffalo wanted Regehr and Calgary wanted salary off the books, so Buffalo says to Calgary, “Well we really want Regehr so we’ll also accept Kotalik if that’s what it will take, but you’ll have to throw in something else to sweeten the deal,” hence the addition of the second round pick. This is exactly what would need to happen for Boyes, Stafford, or Leino to be taken off our books right now.
We need a center, everybody knows it, and due to cap restraints we can’t simply trade picks and prospects for one. The Sabres have zero leverage right now, which means we either overpay drastrically (will not, and should not happen) or wait until the offseason when we have some money to work with.
So yeah, the only way this team is improving this year is if Leino, Stafford, Roy and Boyes start producing.

I was very disappointed to see Lindy laughing behind the bench while his team was losing. It is often said that a team takes on the personality of it’s coach. If Lindy doesn’t take things seriously why should his team. I am in favor of the Sabres shedding some dead weight and salary before getting rid of Lindy. If it continues, Lindy needs to go. I am in favor of firing Regier now and bringing in Dudley, a fresh perspective will do this team well!

He done a horrible job this year even before the injuries!! He is having trouble integrating the new players. Neither Sekera or Gragnani is capable of playing defense in this league. Constantly shuffling his lines, his inability to properly rotate his goalies…………he has a lot of flaws as a coach. The players are tuning him out! Enjoy the product your watching, until R&R are gone, this is what you get!