Scottysabres

Playoffs? Maybe. The roster is still an unbalanced, very little chemistry disaster. Review it for a moment. ? - Eichel - ? (Baptiste? More Reinhart? Bailey?) my money is on Baptiste. ? - O'Reilly - Okposo (is Kyle coming back, and if so, did ROR and KO maximize each others production potential.) Fill in which LW slot Kane will take if he isn't moved. Find a suitable LW'er to slot in the other. The bottom 6, well, its a disaster. Who, where, how does it improve in to a contender bottom 6?

Kane isn't being re-signed here. He's going to want more than net valued worth in my opinion. Especially given the term he'll be seeking given this next one will be his prime UFA contract. And while 25 goals is nice, he's more of a singular skill set forward more suited for 2nd line LW duty. With that in mind, 6 mil per, 5 to 7 yr length makes him expendable. Reinhart is currently an enigma. He flourishes only marginally on Eichel's wing. The question I put to this is can we do better there? I believe we can. What about this untested theory about his center prowess? Some speculate his absence at his natural position has hindered his true abilities. As for myself, I don't know if he would be better as a center, but I don't believe trading him for defensive help this off season at least, is warranted given the unknowns. The 8th OA pick. No, just no. You don't trade away the teams future depth just to make the playoffs. There are other avenues to achieve this. You only trade it to bring in that final piece or 2 for perennial cup run years and we are still a couple seasons off from that.

Very reasonable.The only part I would take exception with is the amount of need. I don't believe just waiting around for 1 top 4 D to pop loose, let alone the 2 we desperately need. We need a top pair LHD for Risto and a 3/4 RHD for McCabe. A deal should be made, if it can be, to fill at past one of these holes.

I have no complaints on that, afterall, if I bought a cordless drill for example, and it didn't get all the tasks completed I needed, I'd replace it with a tool that does.I've watched the board for a bit before joining, I think I understand some of the regular posters positions, including yours PA. While it's fair game to critique the ownership style to date, even a pessimist such as yourself must admit, it's wholly more entertaining this way then it was for a half dozen years or so. There is entertainment value in discussing an unexpected journey in to the future, filled with fear, excitement, ponderance and the joy of imagination at the unknown. It all culminates in to the journey we are sharing with the Pegulas, as owners and fans. I for one am extremely optimistic that the sun will rise tomorrow, a new era of leadership at the helms of the respective sports clubs will alter the future and change the Buffalo sports fan destiny in to one filled with Lombardi and Stanley Cup trophies! I dare to dream, I dream to believe!

I won't start a new thread. I just wanted to say I am most pleased with the Pegulas and their ability to both show some patience while at the same time demanding results. Shi-t or get off of the pot!!!! Changes are, were and have been necessary with both teams. Good for Terry and Kim. Now go and get us the winners!

And yet, it happened. :) Maybe the NHL should just lottery all 14 picks.

Where are the dynamic wingers that will maximize production for this configuration?

I'm open to all ideas. However, Nylander isn't remotely ready. At least in my opinion. And ROR is fine where he is at. A 60-65 points a season 2nd line center is nothing to sneeze at, and if he gets the right linemates, who knows. Reinhart is expendable for the very reason you bring up in my opinion. Ask yourself how many teams would trade youth for youth, center for winger. Personally, I would be looking at Arizona for a deal like this. Quality for quality.

Its been time. His value is good. We aren't shelling out what he'll want for his next contract, which by the way, is his set me up for term and money deal. I agree, move him, bring in a pure LW, left handed shot. Eichel will have Baptiste on his RW next season moat likely. They need a pure LW'er. UFA isn't the answer this year. A couple of trades need to happen. Kane for D and Reinhart for LW in my humble opinion. Time to start building out the wings.

Who cares who is there at 8. They won't be helping us anytime soon. As if picking a d man this draft was going to somehow miraculously save this teams atrocious defensive corps and depth. Whether we picked 6, 7 or 8 is irrelevant. If it wasn't top 3 it is what it is, for the future.

Sabretooth with 3 votes, impressive. Does anyone know his/her take on the defensive depth? Also, how do they interpret Kane's value to the community? Expansion draft philosophy? Do they prefer knights or nights? I may be switching my vote if Sabretooth confirms a strong belief that WNY pigs in the blanket are actually cabbage rolls.

Would be a chuckle if we won it.

Trade him, sign Petersen and let Ullmark and him battle for the starting job.

I'm just hoping that whomever the Pegulas select and what format (president, GM, Coach) they choose to go with it brings.... A. A seriously skilled, speedy LW'er for Eichel and Baptiste to form a formidable line. B. A #1/2 LHD and a #3/4 RHD. C. A plan to jettison several contracts. And D. A long-term plan for the goal tending situation.

Lol Way to much over-reaction. So the Pegulas are human, they make mistakes. Regardless of what the public thinks, they will soldier on with both the Bills and the Sabres. They own the teams. Murray was a disaster in my opinion. Poor hire.

Yes, it was a miss. But, tomorrow is promised to no one. Even the Leafs. There will be time to where we stand against Toronto as the years move forward, but as of now, Sabres fans should rejoice. A new era is underway. Mistakes of the past will be undone.

Here here

Maybe. But in the final analysis, all good intentions are is just that, intentions. Tough situation or not, Murray was given the opportunity to build a team. I won't get into the specifics of his assembly, but it failed, that much is certain. And failure is not an option here. This isn't a job where participation trophies are handed out. Murray's departure was necessary. The Pegulas must right the ship and get it back on course post haste. Today starts that process. And so it has come to pass, our time for the serious conversation on Tim Murray has come to an end. My suspicions were correct, as well as others on this board. Onwards and upwards.

Everyone who hates the Murray firing obviously didn't pay attention to what Pegula said when he bought the team. "From this day forward the sole goal of the Buffalo Sabres is to win Stanley Cups" Murray wad a failure. So was Bylsma. Now, lets get this ship righted and win Cups! My hats off to the owner. Thank you Terry Pegula, you made the right decisions today.

Looked on the calendar, who cares day is November 8th, every 4 years, not April 29th :P And thank you.

Thank you good sir.

Leafs will be better and for the better part of over a dozen years. Lottery luck, management team, coaching staff, pipeline depth, market aattractivness, winning culture and Don Cherry. Time to pony up on reality, the Leafs are going to be a force to be reckoned with for some time.

When is the lottery again?

Ka-sir-ra-sir-ra Whatever will be will be The futures not ours to see Ka-sir-ra-sir-ra

They are going to face adversity. And let me give you a Sabers example. Back in the 73/74 season the Sabers had formed one of the most formidable lines in NHL history. The French Connection. Martin, Robert and Perrault terrorized competition. But......... Chicks dig scars, glory is fleeting and nothing, NOTHING, lasts forever. Toronto is good, this to shall pass. The Sabers need to get their shot together.