Huge fan of Rivet, but as far as 5 on 5 play goes, I don't think he has it anymore.

He can still probably fight, and be a good voice in the locker room, but it's not working, and when he let the blackhawk in behind him, it looked sad.

Subject should be S.O.S.

Which also means Same Old Sabres.

People expect something different...but while the role players change...essentially it is the same core that finishes out of the money year in and year out. Add a midget or two from the minors or a free agent which is just a cheaper version of what we had, mix, shake, pour result, more of the same.

-Is Morrisonn not just the newest version of Tallinder, here to saddle Myers, but just a mil cheaper?
-Is Connolly not just a fragile second line wing who is an overpaid bum living off one post season worth of glory?
-Pominville, 5.3M, enough said.
-Vanek is Yashin. The End.
-Ennis or Gerbe...both is a punch line...as in to a joke.
-Stafford has been played out...was done last year. Jason Dawe comes to mind now....
-Sekera = Kalinin's love baby with Zhitnik.
-Niedermayer makes Mair look talented.

I dropped my season tickets two years ago...this is to be expected, they refused to rebuild this mess and just keep rolling out false hope to people willing to buy it but I think they are running out of fools. Myers and Miller represent the only top notch potential or talent the team has to offer. The rest is just here to deceive fans into buying tickets. Until much of the above is corrected, I'll go to 6 or 7 games a year, but sadly enough I'll go for the sake of my son or because I enjoy the sport and am going to watch the opposing team because I find them entertaining or think they play the game the right way, not to watch my team. It is painful enough to watch this mess for free on T.V.

There is always next year...but I'm hoping that maybe by 2012 there will be some changes and some talent coming up that can make a difference. and that some of these old and useless horses will retire and stop pretending they can run...

I'll answer all of these.

1. NO
2. Its Buffalo, there are no trades out there
3. Larry Quinn
4. LALIME
5. Rivet, he is playing like fucking garbage

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just call me Brad

Twitter @BUrbanowicz13

Correct on all accounts.

Yes. Obviously, he is not rushing with the puck...at all. But I believe it has more to do with his low confidence than with the coach. Everyone wants an offense-minded Myers.

His skating, decision making, puck control, passing, positioning and his work in the corners for the puck have been horrible. It all has to do with his confidence. I just hope this team wins a few one for everyone the get their confidence back. That'll cure a lot of problems.

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LET'S GO BUFFALO!

It's sad, but I think YodaMage is also correct.

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LET'S GO BUFFALO!

seriously, wtf, what else is there to say? You can look at almost every player and find some area they are completely sucking, it could easily be the coaching, some shift in the locker room, whatever. I do think it is completely mental.

Color me surprised that Stafford is beasting it up (relatively), thats a nice surprise. Oh wait, no, it's his contract year...fuck him. Lets put everyone on 1 year contracts.

fuck MYERS for handing them their first goal.
fuck RIVET for handing them their (I think) third goal.
fuck everyone else for not wanting to win/having an ounce of focus/being able to pass-shoot-defend/standing up to them physically.

What a disgrace, I have a terrible taste in my mouth, i'm really looking forward to them turning this around and starting to click. I think they can do it, but I dont know if they will.

I'm going to flip shit if I keep seeing 'Fire Quinn' as an option.

HE'S A PART OWNER. HE CANNOT BE FIRED.

Agreed, he is the minority owner and as such, will not be fired.

Quinn is not the problem here, it is Darcy Regier, he is the General Manager, and as such, has the responsibility of player personnel decisions, coaching staff, scouting dept. and overall product that is put on the ice game after game.
To date, he has not succeeded at his jobs ultimate responsibility, bringing a Stanley Cup to Buffalo.

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

I disagree. Quinn is part of the problem. He meddles in hockey decisions, and runs the team to make money. He doesn't foster an attitude of WANTING to win.

+1 bigtime!

I can't point out anything wrong with the way Roy has been playing, Gerbe and Ennis are playing as good as could be expected. I don't think Leopold or Morrisson have had any major gaffes, either.

Can't even blame anything on Lalime. I thought he played as good as a backup goalie should, if not a little better.

I can blame Thomas Vanek for not shoving back after getting cross checked in the neck a few times (purse swinger).

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I said it in the thread that was started in the off season about who should be captain and I'll say it again. Rivet doesn't do enough on the ice to deserve the C. Period. He may be a great role model and leader off ice but how can your captain be so sloppy and unproductive and still be concidered the type of guy you want leading your in game play? I know Vanek hasn't produced this season yet, but I said it months ago and again, if he were given the C I think you'd see big changes in his game and production. As for a guy who would be more universaly accepted by the fans I'd have to go with Goose.

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I think the problem with this team is not the coach or gm but the pllayers themselves. Think about this team 05-06 they were driven and the best part of that team was they jelled in the ahl with the amerks the season before and had a good playoff run with Rochester. After that they were getting the call ups and they worked hard to stay.

Pominvilles first 2 games on his call up Ruff had him on PP and PK and he did great. Look what he did to Alfreddson, why doesnt he do that anymore? Easy, he got his nice contract and doesnt feel the urge to shine anymore. Gaustad I remember beat out Roy in training camp and Roy had to wait a few weeks or a month or two or whatever then he got his call up.

Roy and Vanek, I dont know what happened, they had the chemistry thing but apparently they got bit by the contract bug.

My biggest question is why did they never keep Weber and Sekera together following the 07-08 season I believe. They were shutting it down just like Lydman and Tallinder did in 05-06 then in 08-09, they say meh Weber wasnt that good so buh bye.

I guess that is why I dont really get excited about them since the summer disaster because I never really felt they would get it fixed.

Where's the guy in the locker room that puts a picture of the Stanley Cup on the wall? Where's the guy that made the mantra "NEVER TWO IN A ROW"?

Those are leadership qualities. Standing in front of a camera crew and saying "you're not going to take liberties with this team" does not make you a leader.

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I think if we absolutely shit some real nasty shit in the bed during these next two games (one of which is Twattawa) then I'll start looking behind the bench. I do have faith in Lindy and I don't really think it's a matter of his system not working, I just think things have become real stale with the players and it may be time to see a new face behind the bench. Maybe things have become too comfortable with the relationship of players & the coaching staff.

Not saying they need to blow things up asap, but if things continue down the path they're on now, that should be the first move to make.

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If it's a tight squeeze, spit on it! - NyI

He's a middling AHL player who had the good fortune of a drunk arbitrator. - The Squanto re: Tim Kennedy

Do as I say...Not as I do ??

I also agree 100%

Great point.

I'll never forget hearing about when somebody, maybe in management, took that picture down. I think it was 3 years ago during the 10-game losing, er, winless streak. I was surprised at that small, yet telling move.

Also, regarding players who now have fat contracts and may have lost that extra fire inside them...

Think of all the guys who have even bigger contracts and still produce like a mutha. What makes the difference? Maybe individual personalities and mentalities. Who knows. Maybe these contracts should have more bonus clauses or threshhold incentives.

Agreed. Personally I'm a big fan of shopping connolly, even if the return isn't that great. Derek Roy I think deserves some respect for taking the criticism after last year's playoffs to heart and coming out like a man on fire.

Tim Connolly looks like he heard the criticism, decided he was fine and basically game the team and the fans the finger.

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