I hate quoting myself but I had to add this. All of the core of players listed above have played only one system in their NHL careers (except for their short stints in the AHL). Could the reason why they are all playing like crap is because they're tired of the same old shit? I'm not saying they are purposely doing it but it really looks like they are just going through the motions.

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To me right now it seems like Lindy and his system need to go and that meaning his core players are just not responding to it anymore. A coaching change could make a huge difference just look at St. Louis

That's not true. They tried to get Richards but Richards wasn't willing to come to Buffalo. Richards wasn't going anywhere except New York.
Leino was the second best option out there. That's my problem with the fans. If he doesn't sign a forward and says "the market isn't there, there aren't any available for the right price" everybody would have screemed "fire Darcy, he could have signed Leino but he is cheap". Now, he signed 2 of the best UFAs out there and people think it's his fault that nobody is performing.
It pisses me of that everybody wants Darcy fired but Miller gets a free pass. It's not Darcy's fault that Miller has forgotten how to catch a puck.

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My issue is with free agency is that you grossly overpay for a guy. Why not seek out your center thru a trade Spezza name was rumored for awhile. Leino was never a number 1 center and if you think he was do you think Detroit of all teams would have shipped him over to Philly. I highly doubt it. Detroit rarely ever does something like that. Yes alot of us knew Richards was only going to sign with New York but they didn't even put their best offer on the table for the guy. That's where I see the problem. At least make the effort before taking whatever is left.

Please don't confuse your blind optimism with everyone else's views. Not everyone praised Darcy. Just those who were sold on the new direction Terry Pegula promised were sold on that. Granted it was probably a majority.

I've been critical of Darcy ever since he screwed up the Michael Peca situation. The Briere - Drury situation pissed me off as well, and I said so. The keeping Kotalik over Dumont situation pissed me off - and I mentioned it. The drafting of Kruikov, Novotny, and more recently Persson all pissed me off, and I said so. Letting McKee, Grier, and a couple other "character players" go pissed me off, and I said so.

Now I haven't been here in a couple years, so it's in the archives somewhere. I have neither the patience or desire to even attempt to find any of it. Icehound and I have been critical of Darcy and Lindy for years. And for that, I'm going to raise his hand for him as well. (In addition to a few others who were also critical.)

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

As far as Darcy goes...I won't judge him too harshly under Golisano/Quinn. He had constraints that clouded almost every move he made. This summer I liked the Regehr trade (everyone does), I liked the Ehrhoff signing and still do (great contract and he should play at least 8 of those years). With Leino, both he and Ruff should've made perfectly clear how they wanted to use him and whether Leino was onboard with that. And if they really wanted him as a top C, why in the @#$% has he never played between Vanek and Pominville?!? Arnott would've been a better option considering his size, experience, and only having to sign him for 1-2 years (he's on a 1 year deal with STL).

The Leino signing isn't enough for me to want to fire Darcy over though, because I think Ruff has almost as much to do with the decision, and even more to do with why Leino hasn't been productive. Roy, Stafford, Gragnani, etc...they all have one huge thing in common...their coach. I know damn well the team could use a legit top C, and a gritty vet player on the wing or D, but otherwise there is enough talent to be a top 4-5 team in the east. Darcy only added to a team that was playing great for 3 months, it's on Ruff to explain the mediocrity despite new veteran talent on the roster. Handling goalies, Gragnani's ice time, the d-pairings, the line shuffling, and the "system" itself goes a long way to explaining things to me. Not very long ago I wouldn't have thought this way, but a whole bunch of players don't start to look shitty (both vets and rooks) at the same time out of sheer coincidence.

Secondary scoring has been the big talking point lately, but the better question is NOT why they can't break through the collapse and convert ugly chances (the ones Ruff has been preaching about), but why they can't generate prime odd-man rushes at the same pace as every opponent. On the flip side, a better question is why they give up so many more odd-man rushes than they generate themselves. That's on Ruff...nobody else. Not Pegula, not Darcy, not Roy, Stafford, Leino, Boyes, or the stick boy.

No argument on Lindy.

He either has players who can't (or won't) play his system; or he has the wrong personnel to try and play his system.

Either way; to stick with something that doesn't work is plain bone headed.

This hasn't worked in five years; not just this year.

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

This is where I'm in total agreement about. This team has lacked many things. Once it was defensive depth, then it wasn't enough talent, now the lack of heart and effort.

I looked it up. I wasn't born yet.

Typically, GM's aren't fired midseason, I haven't seen it since I've bben watching hockey, and I'm sure they are far ans few between.

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Some people are bitching about DR whining, well I'm going to bitch about DR defending then. It seems some people want to give him a free fucking pass on everything. This guy has made lots of big mistakes, and if you deny that, you're just being an obstinate child. Somehow people want to blame Brad Richards that we don't have a #1 center instead of Darcy. Ya, that makes sense. "It's not Darcy's fault he wanted to be a Ranger". I cannot even comprehend how fucking dumb that is. The lack of a top center is DARCY REGIER'S FAULT. PERIOD. The fact we lost 2 top centers in one off-season is DR's fault(you know, the same off-season we had to pay double for our LW, because of DR's stupid policies). I've been pretty much in tune with Howie and Ice all along. I was willing to give him a shot with deep pockets, but time's running out. Get the job done, no excuses. Sure, he's good at throwing money around, but you have to throw it in the right direction. This team spent more money on salaries this year than anyone, and the team blows. As hard as this is to hear, if you can't help this team win, then GTFO. That goes for Drew Stafford, Derek Roy, Ryan Miller, Lindy Ruff, and Darcy Regier, and others. If you want mediocre results, keep supporting them all. If you want a cup, then make the hard decisions.

One last thing for Lindy supporters, how was the system working out for ya in the 3rd period last night vs. a team playing 3 games in 4 nights. Pathetic how anyone can even attempt to defend that. I really hope TP has the accountability clock ticking on all these guys. They told him Leino would be a good center(with upside as I recall), and that Roy would be ready to go. Lies or bad judgement, you make the call? I just can't see how people can't consider that they haven't had their chance here. I was willing to give them 1 more shot this year, and it looks like they failed to deliver. If this season doesn't do a 360 soon, then good fucking bye.

Terry Pegula spoke to Brad Richards and we made him an offer equal to the Ranger's offer. What the fuck more do you want? I'm assuming you're pissed we can't get Ovechkin here?

Regier did his job. Face it, it's not his fault. Leino had what, 50 points last year? Leino also agreed to be a center? Leino didn't want to be a center anymore, even then, that's Lindy's job to find his role. Signing Ehrhoff, Regher, and Leino and getting a 2nd rounder was an amazing job by Darcy. FACE IT. HE DID AMAZING IN THE OFFSEASON.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

Wait, back up. So you're saying it's Brad Richards fault the Sabres don't have a good, top center???????????????????Really!
Oh, now it's Leino's fault, because he was a center in juniors 10 years ago. C'mon man.
It's our GM's job to field a good center. He's had 15 years to do it. FAIL!
Why, if he's so AMAZING, is our team so fucking HORRIBLE. The PENS can contend w/o Malkin and Crosby, now THAT'S amazing. This team, and ALL OF IT'S ASPECTS, lie on the shoulders of it's GM. So it's logical to say if the team is horrible, then it's his fault. Period. Even if it's Lindy or the players fault, it REMAINS Darcy's responsibility to correct it.

ps, wtf is with the fuktarded Ovechkin comment?? Keep aASSuming, and you'll become one. and ya, I'm still content with the Zubrus, Dom Moore and Torres acquisitions.

You sure about this??? You're sure Terry Pegula spoke with him directly, right? What is your source that he offered the same exact thing Rangers offered.

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That isn't even the point. You don't paint yourself into a corner, and then blame your inadequacy on a free agent for signing elsewhere. That's the weakest of weak sauces. You also don't blame them on a player for not being able to play a position he hasn't played in a decade. Also very weak sauce.

Ok, at what point did I EVER blame anything on Brad Richards or Leino?????? You really need to chill and see who's posting what.

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No chill needed, my response was to the B&Y post you had quoted. He seems to be blaming Richards and Leino, but not Regier. I was just saying it really doesn't matter what they offered Richards. You don't get down to your very last option, then blame it. Sorry for any confusion.

Got ya!

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Daz, I'm not about to pretend Darcy is a great GM or anything, but there's been a pattern for a little while that tells me it doesn't matter if he re-signed Briere or convinced Richards to play in Buffalo.

The script is flawed, so having an academy award winning actor in the lead role still won't make the show an oscar winner. FWIW, and this is just saying, top centers just don't get moved via trade, and Buffalo never finished bad enough the last 5 years to have a top draft pick that would land a ready-to-go scoring center. The young players that have actually shown promise have leveled off with an alarming rate of consistency, or simply tanked. Butler, Sekera, Gragnani, Stafford, Myers, Adam have all hit a brick wall under Lindy. FAs have done shit under Lindy after getting to Buffalo.

I think that whatever Ruff thinks he knows about hockey, other coaches know it better and have his number. Teams simply play a patient game and pounce on the eventual mistakes Buffalo makes, and Lindy doesn't allow his forwards to create very much because they're always stuck to their assigned zone, swinging sticks instead of aggresively attacking the player or the puck. That's why a Sabres game is a sleep aid now, even if they win.

Bottom line - Richards wouldn't make a difference for the way Lindy has this team playing, and we'd probably be bitching about why he has only 10 pts and a minus rating if he were on the team right now.

Right on 80. Last night Robyn R. must have been going against the chiefs orders challenging at the blue line. He was causing TONS of havoc doing it, too. I'll assume it's because the Jets couldn't believe we weren't playing our usual loose as hell gap there. This system isn't effective, and fools no one. All the players are confused, and are afraid to show any poise with the puck. If DR has too much loyalty to LR not to replace him, then we have to replace him with someone with a set that will.

As for the #1 center thingy, I agree with you, but 2 of the top 20 scorers @ C were acquired by trade and FA(Thornton&Richards). I have to believe that some teams very deep at center could be bribed with the right package(ex: SJ&DET). No easy task, but I can't wait for our next season with a top 3 pick to get one. Darcy likes to sit on his prospects until there considered 3rd liners(possibly part Ruff's fault too). We always seem to have 9 or so of these players on our roster, and he overpays them to boot.

edit: make that 4 of 20. Jokinen and Seguin were trades/FA too.

I just feel like pointing out some stats here

VIlle Lenio: 30 GP 3 G7A 10 PTS -7
Timmy Connolly: 29GP 10G 11A 22PTS +6

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PSA: I am an overly sarcastic person. If you take me at my word, then i will most likely anger and offend you.