Mar 2, 2013; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller (30) gets the second star after the game between the Buffalo Sabres and the New Jersey Devils at the First Niagara Center. Sabres beat the Devils 4-3 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

What is wrong with the 2013 Buffalo Sabres? Your guess is probably as good as mine. If you have watched the team, from even the greatest of distances, your guess would probably be fairly accurate.

These Buffalo Sabres have no identity.

Even casual fans have noticed the lack of effort, the lack of emotion, the errant passing, the lack of battling back, the culture of losing battles, the lack of taking initiative, the losses. Is there an easy fix? What can be done to make these Sabres winners?

On Sunday, the Sabres lost to a struggling Philadelphia Flyers club, one coming off an embarrassing loss to the Boston Bruins the night prior. The Flyers were playing 6 periods in 2 nights; the Sabres had the advantage of a few days rest. In that game, the Sabres looked like a team that came out with no game plan whatsoever, that they were just…there. The game plan should have been to hit, hit, hit, and wear down the Flyers and dominate the game. That was not the case, and the Sabres lost.

On Tuesday, the Sabres defeated the New York Rangers, winners of 5 of their last 6 games. Yet, the victory does not tell the story. In the game, the Sabres were by no means dominant. Buffalo was still dismal at times in their own zone, put on a display of horrible passing, lost battles (including all the ones that they shied away from), and continued on the path of having the worst power-play of any team since the last lockout in 2005. They only won because Jhonas Enroth stood on his head, and because the Rangers played a completely lousy game.

In case you missed it: the Sabres are on pace to have the worst power-play of any team since the last lockout. Not going to win many games without an effective man-advantage. To make matters worse, the Sabres have given up more shorthanded goals this season in the NHL. So,  it might actually benefit the Sabres if they had the ability to decline penalties. Ain’t that something!

In the last 2 games, the Sabres “Amerks” line, comprised of rookies Brian Flynn, Kevin Porter, and Marcus Foligno has been their best line. This is quite a statement, considering the amount of money that is skating on the other 3 lines.

Most of the Sabres, aside from Drew Stafford, have been playing their assigned roles. Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville have put up their points, Steve Ott has laid out his hits and been a pest, Christian Ehrhoff takes his shots from the point, Nathan Gerbe works his butt off, Tyler Ennis and Cody Hodgson and Foligno continue on their developmental paths, John Scott fights when needed. The Sabres, individually, do their parts. When it comes to being a team, they are not on the same page at all.

Buffalo has no chemistry. No drive. Little will.

Where do we go from here? Watching this team, it does not look like one or two trades will do the trick. We are more moves from that from being a real contender. The firing of longtime coach Lindy Ruff did nothing to invigorate this team. Is it time for a fire-sale? Are we, as fans, ready to endure a rebuilding process if it means moving towards the goal of a Stanley Cup? More importantly, are Terry Pegula and his associates ready for this?

As much as I hate to admit it, this might be the time for a fire-sale.

With Vanek, Pominville, and Ryan Miller having contracts ending after next season, their trade values are at their highest right now. Tyler Ennis holds great value right now. There is a plethora of defensemen on the team that can be moved, such as veterans Robyn Regehr and Jordan Leopold. There may not be many others that hold any trade value.

Is it time to make some moves? Should we start building around Hodgson, Mikhail Grigorenko, Joel Armia, Foligno, Corey Tropp, Tyler Myers, Ehrhoff, and the younger defensemen in the system? Are we ready to trade the stars for a crop of prospects and draft picks? The farm system is slim pickens when it comes to forwards and goalies, so if moves are made, it is mission critical that the right ones are made. This brings into question the competency and future of Darcy Regier.

As much as it pains me to say it, I think yes, it is time to make the big moves. This team needs an overhaul, a new culture, a new team. We started shedding the core by getting rid of Derek Roy, Tim Connolly, and Paul Gaustad, and it is time to complete the makeover. Now is the time to get the greatest possible rewards for the rest of the core; waiting until next season will deplete the values of Vanek, Pominville, and Miller.

The boos that rained down on the Sabres last night at First Niagara Center, despite the win, convinced me. We have waited since 1970 for a team that could consistently compete with the best. If the Buffalo Sabres can make the right moves to finally make this happen, I am more than willing to wait a few more years. Give these Sabres an identity.

Tuesday Muse Day is a ranting, raving, rambling weekly article relating to all things hockey, with a particular focus on the NHL and the Buffalo Sabres. There are typically 10 featured items. This is the eleventh edition. These are my personal thoughts and opinions; thus, they may not be lucid.

Last Place – It is now official. The Buffalo Sabres are now in last place in the Eastern Conference. They are 29th, out of 30 teams, in the entire NHL, treading just one point above the Columbus Blue Jackets. The team has become a hockey laughingstock, and it hurts…

54 – This is my estimation on how many points might be needed to make the 8th and final playoff spot. With only 13 points in 19 games, the Sabres would have to finish something along the lines of 20-8-1 in the final 29 games. Anyone that has been watching this team, including terrible losses to the Jets, Leafs, and Islanders,  knows the improbability of that type of finish by Buffalo…

Terry Pegula – The billionaire owner opened up his pocketbook to purge the penny-pinching Sabres past, opening up a perplexing and puzzling plethora of problems. Poor performances and pitiful play is all that this expensive team has exuded. In an effort to change the culture of the team, somehow, they have gotten worse…

Mikhail Grigorenko – What a waste to have him sitting in a press-box, rather than playing. If the Sabres did not intend to play him, why did they keep him in the NHL instead of sending him back to the QMJHL? All he might be learning from this current squad is some bad habits…

Tyler Myers – Speaking of sending players back to Juniors, reader Ronald Wolf made a good point on Tim’s article on Grigorenko the other day – would Myers be any better if he had stayed in Juniors developing his game, rather than try to learn it in the NHL? Granted, it does take longer for D-men to develop, but Myers seems to be regressing, rather than making small strides forward…

Thomas Vanek – Who sucked the life-force out of Vanek? Who stole his cape? In 6 of his last 7 games, Vanek has been held point-less. Despite the slump, he is still 3rd in the league in points. For some reason, it looks like number 26 is stuck at 25 points…

Chicago Blackhawks – Unbelievable. The Hawks have been able to open the season with earning points in all 19 games they have played. Color me envious. The question that will be answered as the season plays out, is, did they peak too early?

Evgeni Malkin – Malkin, the player with the name that every person pronounced differently at the NHL Awards, is the latest victim of a concussion. Though he is on a rival team, he is one of my favorite players to watch play hockey, and I hope he doesn’t miss too much time. If he was available for a trade, what Sabres would you trade to get him into a blue and gold uniform?

Changes – The Sabres made one step towards a hopefully brighter future by firing Lindy Ruff. So, what is next? It might be a great idea to strip Jason Pominville, Vanek, and Drew Stafford of their roles as Captain and Alternate Captains. If the Sabres did make this change, who would you nominate? Personally, I would go with Steve Ott for the C, with Hodgson (a possible future captain) and Ehrhoff with the A’s…

Darcy Regier – Speaking of changes, everyone is wondering about the status of Regier with the Sabres. The man swore he would always be glued at the hip with Lindy Ruff. Ruff is gone, but Regier remains, so what gives? Besides not sticking to his word and losing some credibility, do the Sabres plan on keeping him around? If they are waiting until the end of the season, they are somewhat handcuffing themselves – why would you entrust/let someone make changes or trades that isn’t sticking around? These current Sabres have been putting up some of the worst performances that I have seen in the entire Ruff-Regier era. It is time to move on…