#freejame

The difference between Buffalo and Boston is both teams could switch prospect pools and neither team would have a change of mindset. Boston would continue to put their young prospects in positions to succeed and Buffalo would continue to promote prospects to get them experience so we can win multiple cups…like Boston.

Nothing meaning anything until it means something.

It’s almost as if structure and support allows organizations to seamlessly plug holes with young players. Another way of saying this would be asking less of young players leads to more from young players. Crazy.

Personally, and I’ve expressed this with pushback before, I think Terry “sees” (not literally) and hears posts and comments like the one you are replying to and takes them as justification to continue on his path. There is a significant segment of this fan base that thinks our performances have been acceptable. There is a significant decrease in critical press and radio time for the Sabres compared to a decade ago. There is plenty of tire pumping from fans and media about the job the Sabres are doing. I don’t understand it and I genuinely believe that this organization feels no need to change because of it. Until all Sabres fans simply deem it unacceptable to miss the playoffs, it will not be unacceptable to the Sabres. When ticket prices increase again next season, if the response is not that received by Thomas Hutchinson in 1765 for levying taxes on behalf of the king, this franchise will once again miss the playoffs. Expectations are created and upheld by all. There are too many with far too low of expectations. The concerning part is how soft our players have become with such low expectations. It’s a huge problem that can only be fixed with success.

Trading for a 3rd line center making so much would also be ridiculous. Cozens needs to dramatically improve or we are in trouble.

“Not Buffalo. Not Buffalo. Not Buffalo.”

I don’t think any of our rebuilds can be compared to Carolina for the simple fact that they pretty much always had a 2006 Stanley Cup winner or winners on their roster. We quickly cut ties with anyone who had success in Buffalo during our first rebuild.

Any player or coach that gets so butthurt about posts on a message that they feel ran out of town is not a player or coach that I want on my team.

It would be really interesting to see if Adams took Catton as BPA even though we have several similar players and prospects.

You can fault Darcy for pushing for it when the writing was on the walls. He was never making it through a rebuild. He did what was in his best interest, not in the best interest in the team. I agree with your sentiment, though.

I’ve heard Thorny is pretty handsome. It wouldn’t surprise me if he already spends a fair bit of time looking in the mirror.

The Sabres goofed from the very beginning. We should have sold our parts before and during the shortened lockout season. Many around here said it then. We could have done a real rebuild without a tank had we not went 8-4 the last month of 2014.

It has everything to do with not making the playoffs.

I don’t think everyone comprehends numbers that large. Billions have become commonplace, but few really realize how many millions a billion truly is. Money isn’t real at that point.

Maybe we should give it another year to see what he does before anointing him the chosen one?

You guys rained on my parade before I even had a chance to get disappointed in the article.

Boooooooooooo

I’m sure he would tell you just enough to cover his losses

I don’t really understand what you mean in the bold. Lindros was significantly larger than Stevens, and both were physical players.

I'm tempted to make a new thread for this, but for the time being this can live here. 41-32-6 That's the Sabres combined second half records over the past two years. That's good for 88 points. There are people within the organization and on this board that will tell you "if the Sabres can just bring their second half effort over the last two seasons for a full season, everything will be fine." No, it certainly will not. Over the course of 16ish years, this franchise and a great deal of the fanbase have forgotten what a winning hockey team looks and acts like. An 88 point place is not sunshine and rainbows, people. Even last year's second half, the justification used by our front office and rationalized by this fanbase for standing pat, is only a 94 point pace. That would have been good for SIXTH in the conference. Sixth in the conference would be good enough to stand pat? I would be clamoring to fire Adams if he held pat after making the playoffs a decade straight without making moves to upgrade. There is this beaten down, loser mentality that has infected every aspect of this organization. Sixth in the conference is mediocrity. No fanbase should be happy with years of finishing sixth without progress. We are striving for mediocrity. Terry defenders and supporters of Adams and Granato will tell you that they aren't striving for sixth place. That we are working towards sustained success and a prolonged run at Stanley Cups. Their actions don't show this. None of this is acceptable, yet as fans we have no options other than roll over and take it, or give up what is for many of us part of our identity. I've already seen comments here and elsewhere about excitement for next year or renewing seasons tickets. I just don't get it. What is it that others see that I'm missing? There isn't any anger behind this post. This season was finished almost as quickly as it began. I guess I just don't understand how people who felt the things I've felt during Sabres playoff runs can see any silver linings or have any optimism. Have we all forgotten what winners look like? Do we no longer remember how winning makes us feel? It sure seems like it.

“Since the Sabres last made the playoffs, every other team in the NHL has played at least 14 playoff games, 30 teams have played at least 25 playoff games and 20 teams have played at least 50. Six franchises have played 100 or more postseason games since the Sabres played their most recent playoff game in April 2011.” -Matthew Fairburn, Athletic

What was your take at the end of last season?

He usually turns out pretty good in Franchise Hockey Manager. It’s a solid enough indicator for me.

A great interview that sums up a lot of our issues. Too bad we don’t have Trotz. He gets it.

You are correct, it’s supposed to be about as much of a sure thing as you can get. I understand the clouds were disappointing, but there was also something fun of the anticipation of it poking through the clouds and the excitement when it became visible. Was it the ideal experience? Probably not. But it was still something to experience without a doubt.