This is such a ridiculous statement that has no evidence to back it up... It's just a lame excuse for Vanek's struggles.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

There have been plenty of instances where Vanek is mysteriously not on the ice in the final minutes of a game even though he's the team's best scorer.

I know we've all talked about this before, if not here, then on the old Sabres boards. I'm not the first person who's ever said this.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

Well sometimes a guy is spent after a shift and you want fresh players out there. There could be a lot of reasons besides a personal vendetta. Frankly, I don't think a coach would last a year with that kind of attitude let alone 14+

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"I love that you know how to do that." Cheryl/Carol/Crystal

"And I love that I have an erection that doesn't involve homeless people." Kreiger

Right, welcome to Buffalo sports.

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

I know you're not the first person to suggest it, but all beause other people have said it doesn't mean it's true.

What we think is best for Vanek and the team may not be what Lindy thinks, and he knows Vanek and the team better than anyone on here. You truly believe Lindy would bench a player, even if he clearly thought that giving that player more ice time would improve the team's chances at winning, just because he doesn't like him?

Lindy is the head coach of an NHL team. To think that he would limit a player's ice time based soley on the fact that he dislikes the player is just absurd.

Players earn their ice time.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

There are rumors in all sports and cities. I think this guy is just trying to support this particular rumor.

I'm not saying that his "vendetta" is simply because he doesn't like Vanek. (I'm sorry, I did make it sound that way.) I just think that for some reason, Ruff doesn't see Vanek as anything more than a solid role-player, which is disturbing to me.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

Oh so you think that the coaches are willing to sabotage their own careers just so the citizens of Buffalo never win a championship?

First vendettas and now a conspiracy theory that includes multiple ownership groups from different sports franchises in the Buffalo area.

Let go of the complex, you guys deserve a Cup and you'll get One, the coach wants to win.

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"I love that you know how to do that." Cheryl/Carol/Crystal

"And I love that I have an erection that doesn't involve homeless people." Kreiger

A coach can only do so much to win if the ownership isn't doing its part to give him players he can do it with.

Larry Quinn has to go. Sell to a "minority" owner who actually gives a shit about bringing good hockey to Buffalo.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

Its not even a quarter of the way in yet...but I guess I'll hop on the freak out bandwagon!

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret

The owners have been pumping a ton of money into the teams payroll, this year (so far) being a notable acceptation. So again, it's these paranoid conspiracy theories that are the problem, not the owners. This isn't my first rodeo, and Penguins fans are far more negative than you could ever imagine. All anybody wanted to talk about during the year they won the Cup was how they should tank to get another top 2 draft pick. It's pathetic. They go from 10th to 4th then win the Cup and then they are all like "see", that's what I was saying. lol

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"I love that you know how to do that." Cheryl/Carol/Crystal

"And I love that I have an erection that doesn't involve homeless people." Kreiger

This really isn't about freaking out though. We're talking about the motivation of this team, which has never seemed all that high to begin with.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

None of us are in any position to judge the motivation of these players.

I'm more motivated to play hockey then those fools, Give me a NHL min contract and I'll show them.

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Nobody wants to take their family out for 300 dollars to watch a motivated skyline, they would rather see an unmotivated Connolly!

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"I love that you know how to do that." Cheryl/Carol/Crystal

"And I love that I have an erection that doesn't involve homeless people." Kreiger

As fans of the team and people who watch Sabres hockey, I think it's up for debate between all of us.

I only say this because we know these players don't suck. We know there's talent there. We know Vanek can get 80 points in a season. We know Connolly can be physical if he actually tried to be. Where else does it come down to other than motivation?

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

Vanek is not an everyday superstar. He's part of the team. A lot of players in this league can affect every game, Vanek has a different take on it.

He can vanish for 10 games at a time and then be the sole reason why we win 2-3 games. He's done that his whole career.

And that's not anti-Vanek, that's just the player he has become.

I say they both are not motivated and not talented and that is exactly why they are 2-5-1.

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just call me Brad

Twitter @BUrbanowicz13

When the fuck has ConnoLOLly ever been physical?

I heard he kicks the shit out of the band-aid box every season. Hell, it was bound to happen, him that box have been roommates for 10 years now.

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.