MONTREAL – Owner Terry Pegula’s words to his reeling Buffalo Sabres, losers of 10 straight games, will stay in the room, players said.
Still, some details of Monday’s meeting have been revealed, most notably Pegula expressing his belief in his players’ ability to find a solution and confidence in general manager Kevyn Adams and coach Lindy Ruff, according to Daily Faceoff.
Ruff said Pegula’s presence during a difficult time resonated throughout the dressing room.
“That was incredible what he did – showed up,” said Ruff, whose Sabres play the Canadiens tonight. “Terry cares. He’s passionate about what’s happening here, and for him to take the time to come here, it meant a lot to everybody.”
After the Sabres arrived at Monday at the Bell Centre, they learned before a team meeting that Pegula would be addressing the team. They did not practice.
Winger Jason Zucker, the Sabres’ oldest and most experienced player, called it “just a positive meeting.”
“I think we all left the meeting feeling good and kind of knowing that we have to look ourselves in the mirror and we have to better as players,” he said following this morning’s pregame skate. “As much as Terry and the ownership group do for us, they can’t win games for us. I mean, that’s players, and we got to go be better on the ice and we got to get these wins.”
Zucker, 32, said “it’s great to have an owner that cares.”
“He wanted to come out and talk to us,” he said. “It was a great conversation.”
Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin called Pegula’s actions “awesome.”
“It was a really good one, fresh air, and now we’re really ready to go,” he said.
Pegula’s presence and encouragement seemed to invigorate the Sabres.
“It was important,” Sabres center Tage Thompson said. “I mean, we’re all in this together. It’s going to take everybody, and I think it just shows how much everyone cares. There’s no one in this room that’s given up, and I think that starts from our owner showing that.
“He’s committed to us, and it means a lot to everyone in this room that he’s coming out here to speak to us personally.”
It’s great that Pegula has faith in the players and mgmt staff, but we, as long time fans and supporters have lost the faith. The hockey being played now is hard to watch. It is frustrating and a waste of time to watch. It is so hard to continue to be optimistic that things will change.
This team is a S-Show.
This team is undersized & soft.
They lose the majority of puck battles. There are only a few players that hit anyone, ever: Clifton, Dahlin, Greenway, Malenstyn, Zucker, Cozens, Krebs. It’s pathetic.
During this streak, they have taken numerous/lazy/ & untimely penalties.
Their defense has been Horrible.
They’ve been beaten on odd man rushes more times than I can count. And they’ve just flat-out not made plays when they could have made a block or cleared the zone (Power). Also, their spacing on the PK is awful. They sit back and 1/2 the time or more, they’re screening their own goalie.
This team can’t move the puck up ice. They can’t string together any passes. They ice the puck way to often. It’s very difficult to watch. And the PP sucks. They rarely get off 1 good shot.
Their struggles are not Lindy’s.
Could the coaching be better on the PK & PP ? Of course.
But, missing Dahlin has really exposed this team for what it us:
UNDERSIZED & SOFT. PERIOD !
Now, I hear rumors of trading Byram ? Is Adams’ Nuts or what ? Trade Power, Jokiharju, or Samuelson & keep Johnson up in Buffalo. Trade Cozens and his $7.1/year. Get some Big Bodies that can Skate & Hit