The Sabres have a dismal record of 5-16 against top 8 opponents this year. If you look only at Eastern Conference opponents in the top 8, it's even uglier - 2 wins and 12 losses. And to top it off, against top 8 teams on the road, they are 0-9. With more than 1/3 of the season gone, it's becoming painfully clear that they can't dance with the big boys and are losing consistently to the very teams they need to gain points upon.

Miller being less than lights-out and a below 8% shooting percentage says it all...

The only stat that matters:

12-14-4, 28 points.

But it is pointing out the quality of teams they are beating.

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"Call a cop he robbed Delmore blind!!!"
Rick Jeanerette after Marty Biron's diving save back in 2000.

"I'm going to go to the spa and have a hot tub and massage and relax," Miller said. "That's it, and it's back to work tomorrow." Ryan Miller after clinching the North East division.

Which still doesn't mean shit.

Good teams win consistently. Average or bad teams don't. That's all there is to it.

They need to win games, regardless of the perceived quality of their opponent.

It's a statistic that indicates that they don't match well up against quality teams. They're obviously not out of the hunt, but there would be a stronger reason to believe they can raise their game to another level during the remainder of the season if they were winning games against good teams.

No, it doesn't.

It does. The record speaks for itself. They consistently fail against upper echelon teams this season.

get rid of your stats-fetish.

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HOCKEY IS BACK!

I gotta say the talent that exists on this team is not very high compared to these other higher ranked teams. This isn't me dissing the team. In all honesty, if they continue to fight and compete this year, I will enjoy it much more even if they lose than if they just barely make it in to the playoffs with a half assed effort (but maybe say Miller playing out of his mind). Other teams are better than us, they have more talent, plain and simple.

With that said, I like our roster. Becuase it's our team and our boys. But we don't have enough top end players, and the top end players we have are at the bottom of the "top end." As much I kind of like seeing the same guys every year, I'm ready to toss some, a guy like Pomms in particular. He's highly overpaid and I feel like we can get better for the money when his contract is up ( no idea when this is).

Alas, if we get new ownership and/or actually spend to the cap, this team will be in great shape. Myers and Ennis will only get better. I think Kassian is going to have a great career here when he's ready, hopefully next year.

What are we 5 mill below cap? Imagine if we spent to the cap this year and instead of Morrissonn we got XXXXXX or instead of having to play Butler we signed XXXXXX.

Just throwing some shit out there, and yeah, I'm talking out of my ass a bit as I don't pay much attention to player's salaries and the cap.

Bottom line is that the Sabres are missing pieces. They just don't have the fire power or solid reliable D right now. They can beat crappy teams.....good teams are a bit harder to tackle with streaky forwards and a young defense.

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DF, i agree that the stats do hint that we can't play well against the teams with better points. I think though that it's not a matter of not having the talent, it's a matter of that talent gelling together to create points instead of individuals bearing the heavy load of a team that has trouble scoring. Team has to play well together, and stay together (same lines) in order to key on the best parts of their linemates. And IMO that's just not happening now.

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I also agree there does seem to be a correlation between the opponents record, and the chance of a sabres win/loss. But isnt that really just sort of common sense? we're basically a 500 team right now, we sort of 'should' be losing to teams with better records, they have better records for a reason after all.

Agreed, but it's the whole 2-12 against the top 8 that's irritating. We dominate the weaker teams but can't seem to get around playoff caliber teams. I'd be more interested in what those top teams have that we don't. Are they tougher? Better goaltending? (we all know Miller hasn't been 100% this year) Are their core guys better then ours?

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"Call a cop he robbed Delmore blind!!!"
Rick Jeanerette after Marty Biron's diving save back in 2000.

"I'm going to go to the spa and have a hot tub and massage and relax," Miller said. "That's it, and it's back to work tomorrow." Ryan Miller after clinching the North East division.

Although I do see the trend you speak of DH, I can honestly say without feeling down about the team that this is a good thing.
I see the Sabres as a team in transition right now.
The past 3 seasons without D/B and a few other components have been a proven failure.
The team is transitioning a majority of the defense now, with younger talent from within combined with a couple of decent signings (Leopold for sure).
The Defense is being addressed, but it will need experience to really come into its own.
Myers, Weber, Butler and Sekera currently with Schiestel, Brennan and Gragnani waiting in the wings.

Backup Goalie will most likely be addressed next season with Enroth. People don't like to here me say this, but I fully expect Enroth to challenge Miller for the starting job some time in the next year or 2.

That leaves offense (and this was our problem all along). Been saying it since the D/B fiasco, have had people throw the fact they are top 10 or 5 in goals scored (which of course, means absolutely nothing if they can't score clutch goals).
With Ennis, Gerbe and Adam getting looks this season, Kassian due to push for a spot next camp, it should be abundently clear that this upcoming offseason events (i.e. the draft and FA) should purely focus on the offensive side of the team.
And this is what gives me hope. I've already written off this season personally, but I hope they will turn it around.
I enjoy cheering for them, but I can't wait to see what new toys through the draft we'll have, especially if some deadline trades are made to maximize returns (i.e. Connolly, Stafford, Montador, Rivet or maybe even some others).

If were going to rebuild, lets not just focus on a star contributor, lets also look at depth, which is also a serious problem for this club (Stuart, Ellis, Mancari......although they come to play, they have no serious skill, and therefore, are no serious threat).

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

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"Call a cop he robbed Delmore blind!!!"
Rick Jeanerette after Marty Biron's diving save back in 2000.

"I'm going to go to the spa and have a hot tub and massage and relax," Miller said. "That's it, and it's back to work tomorrow." Ryan Miller after clinching the North East division.

We've reversed the fortunes of this team...we used to beat the top teams and loose to the bottom feeders.

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If your having goal problems, I feel bad for ya son....we got 99 problems but Vanek ain't one!

i think the biggest issues are only having one to two thirds of a top line and an underachieving second line

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Our biggest issue is secondary scoring. When those top teams shut down our top line we have no one to fall back on.

It may be getting better but last year we had those guys to fall back on and take up the slack during the games.

Miller doesn't need to be lights out for us, he just needs to keep us in games and our second through 4th lines need to score more.

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