Rolston rips his GM's veteran, "star" players

"There were a lot of shortcuts...a lot of rest in shifts."

“In this league, if you have even a short span of a couple of shifts where you don’t execute, that can be the difference in a game. A lot of times that’s been the case here.”

The above quotes were from Sabres coach Ron Rolston surrounding a 3-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leaves back in February.

Eight months later, the theme remained.

After yesterday's 1-0 loss to Ottawa in the 2013-14 home opener, Rolston was asked about rookie Mikhail Grigorenko's game, and before the reporter could even finish the question Rolston shot out, "it was OK."

He followed with this, "Along with a lot of other guys, the compete's got to be way, way, way higher at this level."

That's three "way's," meaning this team still has a long ways to go.

As to the way he wants his team to compete, Rolston talked about the line of Kevin Porter with rookies Zemgus Girgensons and Brian Flynn, "They just play with effort and they play the right way," he said. "It's a simple, simple game. We don't have enough guys playing the right way right now."

That was the best line last night. A reporter asked, "Isn't that the statement, though, that if they were the best line..."

Rolston finished it for him, "then we're in trouble."

He was none too happy after the loss. His post-game presser was short, almost [John] Tortarella-like and his answers were direct.

The only difference-maker on the team, other than the line Rolston talked about, was Ryan Miller. Miller was in a goaltending battle with Ottawa's Craig Anderson and stonewalled the Sens until Erik Karlsson snuck in and one-timed a feed from former Sabre Clarke MacArthur with 1:35 left in regulation.

And it wasn't as if it was a tight-checking game. The team's combined for 39 shots in the first period, an expansion era (1967 onward) record.

The forward line on the ice at the time of the goal consisted of Tyler Ennis, Cody Hodgson and Sabres co-captain Thomas Vanek.

Vanek, who Karlsson snuck behind on the game-winner, pulled a Alexander Ovechkin for the game. He pumped nine shots on goal, including some choice opportunities, and as has happened often in the past, he came up empty.

Throughout the off season he's said that he's waiting to see how this team develops before he talks about  committing to a long-term (and one would believe, very lucrative) contract with the Sabres.

With performances like last night, perhaps the Sabres should take a look at his overall game and what kind of leadership he's providing.

Does he play and produce like an $8 million/per year superstar?

Or is he a talented floater?

The players Rolston sent the message to were all developed before he got there and were all draft picks that were of the same ilk as the old "core." GM Darcy Regier's "core" were soft and skilled. Their lack of compete led them to a six-year span of underachievement.

The first two games of the season saw Miller at his best, but the team come up short. The only player that has scored yet is rookie Girgensons, a player who "plays the right way."

Maybe the "purge of the core" isn't quite finished yet. And we're not talking about Miller either.