deluca67

What's not to like? Stanley Cup ring. Winning record. Has worked with some of the best talent the NHL has to offer? Time to move on to the draft and free agency.

Any thoughts on a price range?

Thanks. That #21 pick is going make this draft very interesting.

If the Leafs put JVR on the market I'd like the Sabres to take a serious look at getting a deal down. He just turned 26 and has a great price of $5 for the next three years.

Or, "Sabres Brass" is more often likely to be the guy who switches out the urinal cakes. I heard he was pissed about Babcock choosing the Leafs.

Anyone in mind at #21 or is there a defender the Sabres should be moving up to take a run at. I've looked over some mock drafts and there seems to be defenders throughout the first round. Just wondering if there is a consensus d-man fans would like to see in the blue & gold.

Toronto offering more than a city like Buffalo is not even disputable. I live in and love the area, I'm not under any delusion that as a city Buffalo offers what one of the largest cities on the continent can, especially to a family with money. . You and others are seemingly trying to vilify Mike Babcock's wife and family because he decided on Toronto over Buffalo. It should be a non-issue.

What makes the Sabres the better franchise? Because they lost on purpose and the Leafs just lost? Mike Babcock is a coach looking for his next challenge in life. Turning around the Maple Leafs wouldn't just make him a regional hero like here in Buffalo, the man would become a national Canadian icon. Trying to make this about Mike Babcock's wife is extremely petty and small time.

The Blue Jackets have a big RW in Josh Anderson that fits what you were saying. 6'3 212lbs and is only 21 years old. Put up some pretty decent numbers in juniors. Best seasons came after he was drafted in the 4th round. If the Sabres are going to make a move like you suggested, this Josh Anderson would be a decent return.

You said it yourself, you'd move "back." It's always an easier decision to come home. Babcock is not from Buffalo. If you had a choice between Calgary and New York City would you seriously move to Calgary? I doubt many WNYers, if any, would. To be angry with Mike Babcock or his family because they decided on Toronto over Buffalo is a waste of energy and really seems silly. It's time to put all this "whoa is us" BS behind us. It's not hard to understand why to Mike Babcock decided that Toronto is the greater challenge why his family would feel that Toronto as a city offers them more. What is there to mad about? 5 years ago I doubt Mike Babcock would give the Sabres anything more than a courtesy interview ala Mike Shanahan. The Sabres lost out to the greater challenge, no shame in that.

Exactly, it's not like they decided on Columbus over Buffalo. Isn't it fair to say that Toronto is the entertainment and cultural capital of Canada? For a wealthy Canadian family there really is no choice between Buffalo and Toronto.

That all may be true. I think Gorges' 600 reg season games and 68 playoff games is the difference makers for Columbus. 2 playoff appearances in 14 years, they need to start winning.

Columbus is looking to make a run at a playoff spot, is swapping out young prospects for picks or another young prospect make sense for them? I would tend to think that a team in Columbus's position would be more interested in a Josh Gorges (NHL defenseman) type.

Is Babcock's family possibly preferring one the largest cities in North America over Buffalo really noteworthy? Is there a story here? If so, could someone please point it out?

If the Sabres were two-three years down the line in this re-build I would say yes on Phil Kessel. When next year starts Kessel will be 28 and in his 30's when this team is getting ready to do some serious wining. Kessel's game is built on speed, I can't imagine a 30 something Kessel will have the same speed as 27 year old Kessel. It rarely works like that. I can see teams like Montreal or the Islanders taking a run at Kessel with the idea that he can be a final piece. If I am Tim Muray and I am looking to add a couple of more veterans to the mix I am starting in goal. Kari Ramo is a UFA, I'd like the Sabres to take a run at Ramo. I wouldn't be in such a hurry to trade away 2015 draft picks. It's reported to be a deep draft. As much as I like the idea of Jack Eichel, the Sabres still need to come away from the 2015 draft with more than Eichel if this franchise is going to turn around. If the Sabres are going to move #21 and any of the seconds, IMO, it has to be for a chance to move back into the top 10.

I grew up watching Joe Ferguson, I'm sorry, there is no comparison. Kelly was the perfect QB for those Bills teams, anything less and history is changed greatly. The Sabres don't have a Messier that fits into this comparison. The closest they have is a Glen Anderson (Ryan Miller).

You can say the same thing about Babcock. Babcock took over a a Ducks team that had won a Cup and lost in the Conference finals the two previous seasons and a Red Wings team that had averaged 110.8 points the five previous seasons including a Stanley Cup. Toronto is paying $50 million to a coach that has never coached a team in that position before. No matter who the Sabres hire, that coach is going to be in uncharted territory for them. It's a great challenge and an opportunity to cement a legacy. If Dan Bylsma can take a franchise that has finished dead last in consecutive seasons and win a his second Cup with a second team then he forever becomes part of that top coaches conversation not to mention he would be treated like a a Hockey God here in Sabres Nation.

What we don't have is Status Quo, what we do have is hope. I'm not inclined to ask for anything more at this point.

Snowblower? Snowblowers are for wussies.

I use to have six feet of snow lining my driveway, the storm has passed, the snow is gone and the sun is shining this morning. Complaining about the storm after it has passed devalues the initial concerns. Why let past storms blind us from seeing the sun. Storm Clouds dissipate, a Cloud that doesn't is actually just pollution which was never the intent. If the conditions dictate the Storm Cloud will form again, until then, enjoy the sun. :flirt:

To add to this point. Was not the idea idea of "the Tank" that you can't win without elite top end talent? In order to win a Cup the Sabres need to draft their Crosby and Malkin? Why would we then count winning with a Crosby & Malkin as a negative? The plan is to draft the elite talent and find a coach that can take that talent and win. Byslma has done just that. It's not like Babcock won his Cup with a group of underdogs, Detroit was loaded. When they met head to head Byslma's Pens beat the Babcock's Red Wings, that should count for something. Having a coach that spent 5+ seasons coaching coaching Crosby and Malkin working with the young Sabres can'e be a bad thing. Can it?

100% agree. It's like saying all-time Bills QB, there is only one, Kelly.

Ted who?

Stripes!

Welcome to 2015! The days of there being simply an owner, GM and coach are in the past. Pegula is a business man who has invested in expanding hockey's footprint here in WNY. Since Pegula himself is not a hockey man he is hiring those he feel is qualified to be part of this expansion. I know nothing about this Joe Battista and I don't care to know anything about him. I don't care about anyone in the Sabres front offices other than Pegula who signs the checks and Murray who is steering this franchise in a direction that I have 100% faith in. It's clear that maybe some are going through Quinn-withdrawal. Sometimes this board is like watching a movie with someone who is so busy trying to find little continuity issues like what hand an actor is holding a drink in from cut to cut that they forget to watch and enjoy the movie. And I'll raise my hand in guilt in this as well. I'm so excited for the future of this franchise and the future of this board. We are on the cusp of a renaissance here. In a short time we are going to have so much actually hockey to discuss that SDS is going to have to invest in additional servers and find additional moderators. I feel it coming on like a storm. We have so many great posters on this board that have gone way too long without having "hockey" to talk about that when they explode some of us are going to have to call in sick to work just to try and keep up.