The 2024-2025 Roster Thread

Sabre the Win

Joke of a Franchise
Jun 27, 2013
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It's absolutely possible/plausible that this team isn't it.

I'm absolutely not willing to say that after 2 games this year.
The team is largely the same, they removed Skinner and added a 4th line. If there is a correlation of those players making everyone better then I get the optimism to not right them off so early but to me this is game 84 under this team. I guess you can give Lindy Ruff some credit in the optimism department in hoping he changes the way they play but what I see currently is a team that cant play under any kind of pressure and hockey is all pressure comes playoffs and the push for playoffs. I don't think Lindy can teach that.
 
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TehDoak

Chili that wants to be here
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Feb 28, 2002
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Literally the Sabres fan experience with Adams as a GM:

View attachment 911302

Adams does one smart thing this summer, signs a veteran goalie so Levi can collect starts in Rochester....and he can't even just do the logical thing.

It's beyond madness at this point. Just setting up rakes for himself to step on.
 

Royal Thunder

Frolunda Mode
Feb 21, 2012
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Remember: In 2022/23, the Devils finished with 112 points -- one behind Carolina for the division -- with the 2nd best goal differential in the East. They won a playoff round and then got housed by a very good, veteran Carolina team.

Last year, the Devils were absolutely done in by injury and goaltending that was truly awful and crippling.

I think a LOT of people around here are forgetting just how good this Devil squad was and can be.
They got absolutely taken to the woodshed both games. Come on lol
 

Irie

Registered User
Nov 14, 2010
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EDIT: The idea that Tage isn’t an elite talent doesn’t jive with what he’s done since becoming a center

Tage is a human highlight reel. His individual skill is unquestioned and he can absolutely change the tide of a game with his individual effort. I love that he wants to be a Sabre and that he puts forth the effort every game.

That said, I don't want Tage as my top line center if I am trying to compete. He is not a guy that makes his wingers better. His hockey sense is no where near elite and he just doesn't control the flow of the game when he is on the ice like the top ten centers in the league do.

I don't want to pin all the Sabres issues on just Thompson, because it is just one a several key issues I think that is holding back the team, but his game relies on him making individual plays a lot more than propping up his linemates, which makes the Sabres top line much easier to defend. With Tage as the number one center, this team will need to rely on their second and third line to produce more consistently if they are going to be successful. If this team is going to take the next step with this core, I think they do it with two interchangeable 1A/1B top lines, where both have to take advantage of defensive mismatches when they draw lesser defenders.
 

Royal Thunder

Frolunda Mode
Feb 21, 2012
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Ummmm.....yes?

Kind of supports my point?
The point is that this team is in “win now” mode by their own admission. A playoff-contender caliber team shouldn’t get absolutely dominated beyond belief in back to back games against ANY team. Making excuses that they only looked bad because the Devils are good is silly and lets them off the hook for horrendous performance
 

Doug Prishpreed

Registered User
May 1, 2013
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Brooklyn
The point is that this team is in “win now” mode by their own admission. A playoff-contender caliber team shouldn’t get absolutely dominated beyond belief in back to back games against ANY team. Making excuses that they only looked bad because the Devils are good is silly and lets them off the hook for horrendous performance
They said that last year too. If this management team learns how to win, it'll be by accident.
 
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TehDoak

Chili that wants to be here
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Feb 28, 2002
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The point is that this team is in “win now” mode by their own admission. A playoff-contender caliber team shouldn’t get absolutely dominated beyond belief in back to back games against ANY team. Making excuses that they only looked bad because the Devils are good is silly and lets them off the hook for horrendous performance

Over an 82 game season, teams are going to have ups and downs.

As much as I'm on the pessimistic side of things for my expectations, burying a team for losing 2 straight in an 82 game season when the games are played in Europe is silly.

It's not OK they played poorly.

I'll be much more concerned if we don't see any urgency in the next few games as well.
 

Zman5778

Moderator
Oct 4, 2005
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Cressona/Reading, PA
Over an 82 game season, teams are going to have ups and downs.

As much as I'm on the pessimistic side of things for my expectations, burying a team for losing 2 straight in an 82 game season when the games are played in Europe is silly.

It's not OK they played poorly.

I'll be much more concerned if we don't see any urgency in the next few games as well.

I'm even giving them a SLIGHT break for this upcoming weekend too, while they return to a sense of normalcy.

That said -- if they look like ass against Pittsburgh next week...and in general for next week's 3-in-4......then I'll be burying them.
 

5 Minute Major

Sabres Fan
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Dec 4, 2010
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I got beat up for saying you keep Levi on the squad over Reimer. UPL had his first good season last year. Don’t be surprised if Levi is the man by mid November and it’s UPL getting 35 games.
 

Doug Prishpreed

Registered User
May 1, 2013
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Brooklyn
I got beat up for saying you keep Levi on the squad over Reimer. UPL had his first good season last year. Don’t be surprised if Levi is the man by mid November and it’s UPL getting 35 games.
If Levi wins the starter role in year-one of UPL’s 5-year contract, that’s even worse than Adams’ handling of Reimer.

That means he handed out a fresh new long term contract to someone for them to be the starter, and they couldn’t even do the job for one f***ing season. It would make Adams look much worse than he already looks and is grounds for firing right there.
 

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