Remember when the Sabres won "Best franchise in sport" honor?

[PromoTheRobot]

Remember back a year or two ago when the Sabres were ranked by ESPN as the best run franchise in sports? The Sabres managed to build a winner in a low-revenue market. Bravo.

 

Little did we realize that in one year management would dismantle this model franchise. This amounts to a swift kick in the keester to the best fans in the NHL. John Rigas on his worst day would have done this. He would have embezzled money money to keep his players if he had to.

 

I hope Sabres fans cancel their season tickets in protest until Golisano, at the very least, fires Larry Quinn. This team still has young talent and great coaching. What we need is to find the right veteran eadership ala Drury, if anyone is left out there. But as long as Larry Quinn is running this team, we are the joke of the NHL, and no self-respecting free agent would come here.

 

PTR

[sabregoats]

Yeah it is pretty disgusting how quickly they dismantled this team, once key players were up for a pay raise. I understand that they are following a business model, but it would be nice to see some commitment from the front office towards keeping the team a winner.

[ofiba]

I don't know guys. The same business model that everyone was praising is basically still in place. The only difference is the results. All the crying about losing Briere and Drury this offseason reminded me a lot of the crying when we let Satan and Zhitnik go. Obviously, the caliber of player is different, but the thought process is the same. The Sabres realize that no matter how valuable a player is to the team, they absolutely cannot afford to OVERPAY. Yes, Drury and Briere were HUGE contributors to the team, but were they worth the 7 mil they would have to pay them? I don't think they were. Is Brian Campbell a good player? Yes. Is he worth all that money? No.

 

The Sabres have been doing what they did all those years they went deep into the playoffs. They didn't build the team one way and they abandon that philosophy. They've been doing things exactly the same way for 10 years. You can't blame the bad seasons on management without congratulating management on the good ones.

 

What did everyone expect the Sabres to do in the offseason?

 

Sign Drury? Sign Briere? Both? Then maybe not have money for guys like Pommers, Miller, Vanek? No thanks.

[PromoTheRobot]

I don't know guys. The same business model that everyone was praising is basically still in place. The only difference is the results. All the crying about losing Briere and Drury this offseason reminded me a lot of the crying when we let Satan and Zhitnik go. Obviously, the caliber of player is different, but the thought process is the same. The Sabres realize that no matter how valuable a player is to the team, they absolutely cannot afford to OVERPAY. Yes, Drury and Briere were HUGE contributors to the team, but were they worth the 7 mil they would have to pay them? I don't think they were. Is Brian Campbell a good player? Yes. Is he worth all that money? No.

 

The Sabres have been doing what they did all those years they went deep into the playoffs. They didn't build the team one way and they abandon that philosophy. They've been doing things exactly the same way for 10 years. You can't blame the bad seasons on management without congratulating management on the good ones.

 

What did everyone expect the Sabres to do in the offseason?

 

Sign Drury? Sign Briere? Both? Then maybe not have money for guys like Pommers, Miller, Vanek? No thanks.

Either you've been drinking the Quinn Kool-Aid or you just don't get it. First off, if a player that can lift a team on his shoulders isn't worth 7 mil, then who is? And if you recall Quinn decided to play hard-a$$ with Drury a year earlier, but when he was leaving, then all of a sudden they found $7 mil for him.

 

I'm not saying the Sabres should sign every player. It's a given they would lose some. My beef is that they botched keeping a few key players because of their idiotic negotiation stance. In fact with a market like Buffalo, Quinn along with Ruff and Regier need to identify the key players BEFORE they enter their last year and sign them! Even Quinn admits he effed-up with Drury.

 

The very problems we see with the Sabres this year is a direct result of losing key players who gave this squad leadership. Vanek is talented but he's no leader. He needs a guy like Drury to light the fire under him. And don't fool yourself into thinking the other players aren't disheartened by the Sabres management follies. It's so hard to build a cup contender, so when you have one, you don't let go. I know Sabres fans would gladly pay more for tickets for a team that had a chance to win it all. If Golisano is worried about making a profit, let's see how much money he makes when the fans cancel their season tickets.

 

But then again, maybe that's his plan. Jim "Mr. Blackberry" Basille is ready to overpay for an NHL franchise. Maybe Golisano is trying to pull a John Y. Brown on the Sabres? For those of you too young to remember, John Y. Brown bought the NBA Buffalo Braves from local owners and promptly tried to move the franchise. When the league said no, pointing out the Braves well well-supported in Buffalo, he started dismatling the team until they were the worst team in the NBA. When attendance fell, he got permission to go to San Diego. The Braves are now the Clippers and some say the franchise never recovered from that ordeal.

 

Paranoid? Maybe. All I know is that Buffalo fans would crawl on glass for the Sabres, and management and ownership responded with a big fat F.U. to the fans. Good luck signing Miller, and don't be surprised if Ruff "retires" rather than stick around this clown show.

 

PTR

[Mike Oxhurtz]

Either you've been drinking the Quinn Kool-Aid or you just don't get it. First off, if a player that can lift a team on his shoulders isn't worth 7 mil, then who is? And if you recall Quinn decided to play hard-a$$ with Drury a year earlier, but when he was leaving, then all of a sudden they found $7 mil for him.

 

I'm not saying the Sabres should sign every player. It's a given they would lose some. My beef is that they botched keeping a few key players because of their idiotic negotiation stance. In fact with a market like Buffalo, Quinn along with Ruff and Regier need to identify the key players BEFORE they enter their last year and sign them! Even Quinn admits he effed-up with Drury.

 

The very problems we see with the Sabres this year is a direct result of losing key players who gave this squad leadership. Vanek is talented but he's no leader. He needs a guy like Drury to light the fire under him. And don't fool yourself into thinking the other players aren't disheartened by the Sabres management follies. It's so hard to build a cup contender, so when you have one, you don't let go. I know Sabres fans would gladly pay more for tickets for a team that had a chance to win it all. If Golisano is worried about making a profit, let's see how much money he makes when the fans cancel their season tickets.

 

But then again, maybe that's his plan. Jim "Mr. Blackberry" Basille is ready to overpay for an NHL franchise. Maybe Golisano is trying to pull a John Y. Brown on the Sabres? For those of you too young to remember, John Y. Brown bought the NBA Buffalo Braves from local owners and promptly tried to move the franchise. When the league said no, pointing out the Braves well well-supported in Buffalo, he started dismatling the team until they were the worst team in the NBA. When attendance fell, he got permission to go to San Diego. The Braves are now the Clippers and some say the franchise never recovered from that ordeal.

 

Paranoid? Maybe. All I know is that Buffalo fans would crawl on glass for the Sabres, and management and ownership responded with a big fat F.U. to the fans. Good luck signing Miller, and don't be surprised if Ruff "retires" rather than stick around this clown show.

 

PTR

 

I completely agree with you. That's how I felt since the off-season. Last year, when we were in the playoffs, you saw a sea of people outside the HSBC arena. And when we were on the road, the HSBC arena had a huge attendance. With that much committment from the fans, why wouldn't Golisano & management try and keep the team together? I've said this before as well, management should have tried signing their key players even before they started the last year of their contract. Poor contract management cost us big time.

[tom webster]

Either you've been drinking the Quinn Kool-Aid or you just don't get it. First off, if a player that can lift a team on his shoulders isn't worth 7 mil, then who is? And if you recall Quinn decided to play hard-a$$ with Drury a year earlier, but when he was leaving, then all of a sudden they found $7 mil for him.

 

I'm not saying the Sabres should sign every player. It's a given they would lose some. My beef is that they botched keeping a few key players because of their idiotic negotiation stance. In fact with a market like Buffalo, Quinn along with Ruff and Regier need to identify the key players BEFORE they enter their last year and sign them! Even Quinn admits he effed-up with Drury.

 

The very problems we see with the Sabres this year is a direct result of losing key players who gave this squad leadership. Vanek is talented but he's no leader. He needs a guy like Drury to light the fire under him. And don't fool yourself into thinking the other players aren't disheartened by the Sabres management follies. It's so hard to build a cup contender, so when you have one, you don't let go. I know Sabres fans would gladly pay more for tickets for a team that had a chance to win it all. If Golisano is worried about making a profit, let's see how much money he makes when the fans cancel their season tickets.

 

But then again, maybe that's his plan. Jim "Mr. Blackberry" Basille is ready to overpay for an NHL franchise. Maybe Golisano is trying to pull a John Y. Brown on the Sabres? For those of you too young to remember, John Y. Brown bought the NBA Buffalo Braves from local owners and promptly tried to move the franchise. When the league said no, pointing out the Braves well well-supported in Buffalo, he started dismatling the team until they were the worst team in the NBA. When attendance fell, he got permission to go to San Diego. The Braves are now the Clippers and some say the franchise never recovered from that ordeal.

 

Paranoid? Maybe. All I know is that Buffalo fans would crawl on glass for the Sabres, and management and ownership responded with a big fat F.U. to the fans. Good luck signing Miller, and don't be surprised if Ruff "retires" rather than stick around this clown show.

 

PTR

 

Technically, the Braves are the Boston Celtics and the Celtices became San Diego, but that is in business journals only.

[rickshaw]

ONE team in the NHL has to stick to it's guns, and I guess Buffalo is that team.

 

This team should have won the Cup one of the past two years but didn't. They could not pay everyone. They need to be viable for years to come. As much as it sucks, this team is still good but so are others. This year's team didn't have the SO results it did a year ago and that has been the difference from being in and being out.

 

We'll be fine next year and for years to come. The team definitely needs a true backup goalie who can play. Miller is not Luongo, case closed. There is no way he should play more than 55 games a year. They need to get tougher in the back end as well.

 

I am not happy they lost out this year but I can't stand watching teams overpay for average talent. It sucks but our team has to be responsible. It is the way it is. Take it or leave it.

[tom webster]

ONE team in the NHL has to stick to it's guns, and I guess Buffalo is that team.

 

This team should have won the Cup one of the past two years but didn't. They could not pay everyone. They need to be viable for years to come. As much as it sucks, this team is still good but so are others. This year's team didn't have the SO results it did a year ago and that has been the difference from being in and being out.

 

We'll be fine next year and for years to come. The team definitely needs a true backup goalie who can play. Miller is not Luongo, case closed. There is no way he should play more than 55 games a year. They need to get tougher in the back end as well.

 

I am not happy they lost out this year but I can't stand watching teams overpay for average talent. It sucks but our team has to be responsible. It is the way it is. Take it or leave it.

 

Its only overpaying if they don't win and have to cut other players to afford to keep them. This year Buffalo is on the outside looking in. We will see which teams did a better job guaging the market down the road. Since Buffalo has expressed surprise three years running, my guess is they will looking for new excuses next year.

[Kristian]

ONE team in the NHL has to stick to it's guns, and I guess Buffalo is that team.

 

This team should have won the Cup one of the past two years but didn't. They could not pay everyone. They need to be viable for years to come. As much as it sucks, this team is still good but so are others. This year's team didn't have the SO results it did a year ago and that has been the difference from being in and being out.

 

I am not happy they lost out this year but I can't stand watching teams overpay for average talent. It sucks but our team has to be responsible. It is the way it is. Take it or leave it.

 

Or perhaps is that little 11 game losing streak that did them in, who knows?

 

I'm with you on the last bit though.

[stenbaro]

Either you've been drinking the Quinn Kool-Aid or you just don't get it. First off, if a player that can lift a team on his shoulders isn't worth 7 mil, then who is? And if you recall Quinn decided to play hard-a$$ with Drury a year earlier, but when he was leaving, then all of a sudden they found $7 mil for him.

 

I'm not saying the Sabres should sign every player. It's a given they would lose some. My beef is that they botched keeping a few key players because of their idiotic negotiation stance. In fact with a market like Buffalo, Quinn along with Ruff and Regier need to identify the key players BEFORE they enter their last year and sign them! Even Quinn admits he effed-up with Drury.

 

The very problems we see with the Sabres this year is a direct result of losing key players who gave this squad leadership. Vanek is talented but he's no leader. He needs a guy like Drury to light the fire under him. And don't fool yourself into thinking the other players aren't disheartened by the Sabres management follies. It's so hard to build a cup contender, so when you have one, you don't let go. I know Sabres fans would gladly pay more for tickets for a team that had a chance to win it all. If Golisano is worried about making a profit, let's see how much money he makes when the fans cancel their season tickets.

 

But then again, maybe that's his plan. Jim "Mr. Blackberry" Basille is ready to overpay for an NHL franchise. Maybe Golisano is trying to pull a John Y. Brown on the Sabres? For those of you too young to remember, John Y. Brown bought the NBA Buffalo Braves from local owners and promptly tried to move the franchise. When the league said no, pointing out the Braves well well-supported in Buffalo, he started dismatling the team until they were the worst team in the NBA. When attendance fell, he got permission to go to San Diego. The Braves are now the Clippers and some say the franchise never recovered from that ordeal.

 

Paranoid? Maybe. All I know is that Buffalo fans would crawl on glass for the Sabres, and management and ownership responded with a big fat F.U. to the fans. Good luck signing Miller, and don't be surprised if Ruff "retires" rather than stick around this clown show. PTR

Well stated..The part that got me was how many fans bought in to the mistake when it happened..

[stenbaro]

ONE team in the NHL has to stick to it's guns, and I guess Buffalo is that team.

 

This team should have won the Cup one of the past two years but didn't. They could not pay everyone. They need to be viable for years to come. As much as it sucks, this team is still good but so are others. This year's team didn't have the SO results it did a year ago and that has been the difference from being in and being out.

We'll be fine next year and for years to come. The team definitely needs a true backup goalie who can play. Miller is not Luongo, case closed. There is no way he should play more than 55 games a year. They need to get tougher in the back end as well.

 

I am not happy they lost out this year but I can't stand watching teams overpay for average talent. It sucks but our team has to be responsible. It is the way it is. Take it or leave it.

That and giving up leads in the third period..The past 2 years we wouldwin games like that now we lose them..

[hopeleslyobvious]

What made the Sabres the best? I think the 2005-2006 team was a better club than the 2006-2007 team. What made them so good was that they had the ability to roll 4 lines and 6 defensemen. They were a team without superstars, but with 20 good players. Focus too much on one line, and one of the other 3 will kill you. What happened to that team? Some of the better players became UFA's and got offered superstar money. Do I wish they kept Drury, Briere, McKee, Grier, Dumont and Campbell? Yes. But let's face it, Drury, Briere and McKee were all overpaid. Campbell is going to get overpaid, Grier didn't want to stay and they couldn't afford to keep Dumont and stay under the cap.

 

One player didn't make this team good. If they overpaid for Briere and/or Drury, they probably would have had a better season this year. But a few years down the line there would be less money to pay other players. The end result would be a team with a couple of very good players and a sub-par supporting cast. As the team moves forward in the off-season, I hope the front office doesn't feel pressure from "the best fans in hockey" (who a majority of only seem to be fans when things are going well) to get into a bidding war for a big name free agent. I would honestly rather see them spend money on 2 or 3 good players than a big name, and bring back the ability to roll 4 lines and 6 defensemen.

[Bmwolf21]

Or perhaps is that little 11 game losing streak that did them in, who knows?

Or maybe the - for all intents and purposes - the barely-above .500/fuzzy math losing record at home (19-15-6 is really 19-21.)

 

Or maybe going 4-3-3 down the stretch run when the team needed every possible point to secure their playoff lives.

 

But for me, this list says it all (courtesy Buffalo News):

For the record, here are the six games the Sabres have blown at home this year after leading by at least two goals:

 

? Nov. 28 versus St. Louis (lost, 4-3) ? led, 2-0, in the second period.

 

? Jan. 12, New Jersey (lost, 3-2, in shootout) ? led, 2-0, in second period.

 

? Feb. 8, Boston (lost, 3-2, in shootout) ? led, 2-0, after second period but were outshot, 17-1, in the third.

 

? Feb. 25, Philadelphia (lost, 4-3, in shootout) ? led, 3-0, in the first period.

 

? Tuesday, Ottawa (lost, 6-3) ? led, 3-1, with less than eight minutes left.

 

? Friday, Montreal (lost, 4-3, in overtime) ? led, 3-1, with less than three minutes left.

 

The Sabres have not lost any games on the road this year in which they?ve led by at least two.

In those six games we had 12 points well within reach - and we ended up with only four.

 

We close out those games with wins and add those 8 points to our total - we're in 5th place right now, 1 point out of 4th and just 6 points back of Montreal.

[tom webster]

What made the Sabres the best? I think the 2005-2006 team was a better club than the 2006-2007 team. What made them so good was that they had the ability to roll 4 lines and 6 defensemen. They were a team without superstars, but with 20 good players. Focus too much on one line, and one of the other 3 will kill you. What happened to that team? Some of the better players became UFA's and got offered superstar money. Do I wish they kept Drury, Briere, McKee, Grier, Dumont and Campbell? Yes. But let's face it, Drury, Briere and McKee were all overpaid. Campbell is going to get overpaid, Grier didn't want to stay and they couldn't afford to keep Dumont and stay under the cap.

 

One player didn't make this team good. If they overpaid for Briere and/or Drury, they probably would have had a better season this year. But a few years down the line there would be less money to pay other players. The end result would be a team with a couple of very good players and a sub-par supporting cast. As the team moves forward in the off-season, I hope the front office doesn't feel pressure from "the best fans in hockey" (who a majority of only seem to be fans when things are going well) to get into a bidding war for a big name free agent. I would honestly rather see them spend money on 2 or 3 good players than a big name, and bring back the ability to roll 4 lines and 6 defensemen.

 

 

There is no way a team of four good lines, six good defensemen of comparable talent can ever sustain itself because all twent players would have to agree to similiar contracts and that is never going to happen.

Besides, history has proven over and over again, that superstars win championships. If you assume the year after the lock out was an abheration, name one other team that won that had no superstars. The two teams that come closest, the first Devil team and the crazy overtime record Canadians, both got phenominal goaltending.

[hopeleslyobvious]

There is no way a team of four good lines, six good defensemen of comparable talent can ever sustain itself because all twent players would have to agree to similiar contracts and that is never going to happen.

Besides, history has proven over and over again, that superstars win championships. If you assume the year after the lock out was an abheration, name one other team that won that had no superstars. The two teams that come closest, the first Devil team and the crazy overtime record Canadians, both got phenominal goaltending.

 

Can you maintain the same 20 players? No. Can you keep a roster with 4 solid lines and 6 good defenseman year after year? I think you can.

 

I think you can win a championship without superstars as well if you have a solid roster top to bottom. Especially if you have a close series with a team that is very top heavy. The other team's top line is going to be worn out by the end of the series, while your team is fine because everyone shared ice time.

 

As for your assertion that no team has won using this formula, the Sabres came pretty close in 2005-2006, but fell short. They didn't fall short because the system failed, they fell short because they were down to the 10th spot on the defensive depth chart.

[tom webster]

Can you maintain the same 20 players? No. Can you keep a roster with 4 solid lines and 6 good defenseman year after year? I think you can.

 

I think you can win a championship without superstars as well if you have a solid roster top to bottom. Especially if you have a close series with a team that is very top heavy. The other team's top line is going to be worn out by the end of the series, while your team is fine because everyone shared ice time.

 

As for your assertion that no team has won using this formula, the Sabres came pretty close in 2005-2006, but fell short. They didn't fall short because the system failed, they fell short because they were down to the 10th spot on the defensive depth chart.

 

History is full of teams that almost won the Cup without superstars. The question was find one that did. Besides, a case could be made that the Sabres lost because their stars( Drury and Briere) weren't good enough and combined for only one shot in game 7.

 

The biggest impediment to the 20 like players, other than the salaries, is that championship teams are teams that become greater than the sum of their parts. You need a checking line, a shut down defensemen. When parts become dissimiliar, it becomes even harder to treeat them all as equals.

In an ideal, socialist world, everyone being equal may work. In reality, it hasn't worked yet.

[PromoTheRobot]

Technically, the Braves are the Boston Celtics and the Celtics became San Diego, but that is in business journals only.

You are correct but the John Y Brown horse crap is still true.

 

As for the other posts. People on this board really undervalue leadership. When Drury was on this team, we didn't blow leads. We made other teams blow leads! And while I agree we could never afford to keep everyone, I think if management showed a commitment to winning we could have kept the key people and maybe a few more because hockey players like to win. If they can take a little less and get their name on the cup, most will. But why would a player give hometown discount when the owner goes on the HNIC Canada and proudly proclaims "I'm not in business to lose money!" No, Tom. You buy a team to WIN A CUP! If it's too expensive for you, sell the f**kin' team. What kills me is that Golisano never even tried. He went right to cheapskate mode.

 

You all can debate the trivia of why the Sabres stink now. The answer comes down to two people.

 

PTR

[Kristian]

Or maybe the - for all intents and purposes - the barely-above .500/fuzzy math losing record at home (19-15-6 is really 19-21.)

 

Or maybe going 4-3-3 down the stretch run when the team needed every possible point to secure their playoff lives.

 

But for me, this list says it all (courtesy Buffalo News):

 

In those six games we had 12 points well within reach - and we ended up with only four.

 

We close out those games with wins and add those 8 points to our total - we're in 5th place right now, 1 point out of 4th and just 6 points back of Montreal.

 

All very good points.

[tom webster]

You are correct but the John Y Brown horse crap is still true.

 

As for the other posts. People on this board really undervalue leadership. When Drury was on this team, we didn't blow leads. We made other teams blow leads! And while I agree we could never afford to keep everyone, I think if management showed a commitment to winning we could have kept the key people and maybe a few more because hockey players like to win. If they can take a little less and get their name on the cup, most will. But why would a player give hometown discount when the owner goes on the HNIC Canada and proudly proclaims "I'm not in business to lose money!" No, Tom. You buy a team to WIN A CUP! If it's too expensive for you, sell the f**kin' team. What kills me is that Golisano never even tried. He went right to cheapskate mode.

 

You all can debate the trivia of why the Sabres stink now. The answer comes down to two people.

 

PTR

 

I throught the Boston Celtic thing out there, because like Larry Quinn, I sometimes like to show how smart I am. Most people have no clue regarding the complications of that transaction. I am sure most could care less.

 

As for the rest of your, I agree completely but you are probably already aware of that.

[hopeleslyobvious]

History is full of teams that almost won the Cup without superstars. The question was find one that did. Besides, a case could be made that the Sabres lost because their stars( Drury and Briere) weren't good enough and combined for only one shot in game 7.

 

The biggest impediment to the 20 like players, other than the salaries, is that championship teams are teams that become greater than the sum of their parts. You need a checking line, a shut down defensemen. When parts become dissimiliar, it becomes even harder to treeat them all as equals.

In an ideal, socialist world, everyone being equal may work. In reality, it hasn't worked yet.

 

There is a flaw in your argument...in the pre salary cap era a team could overspend on superstars, overspend on second liners, overspend on third liners, etc.

 

Now that you have to be more careful with your money, is it better to spend your money on one superstar, or the same amount of money on 3 or 4 players? A superstar can be shut down. If you have a roster that looks like the Sabres 2005-2006 roster, you can't focus on shutting down one line, or another one will get you.

 

As for your team with no superstars, it all depends on what your definition of a superstar is.

 

I have to laugh at your comparison to socialism. This is a team game, and you have to build the best team within the salary cap. I think you can build a better team by spreading out how you spend the money, and building a good roster top to bottom. That doesn't necessarily mean I want a "socialist" roster where all players are equal and all do the same thing. I just think that the whole will be a lot better than the sum of it's parts if you build a good team top to bottom, rather than a team with a great top and filler at the bottom.

[tom webster]

There is a flaw in your argument...in the pre salary cap era a team could overspend on superstars, overspend on second liners, overspend on third liners, etc.

 

Now that you have to be more careful with your money, is it better to spend your money on one superstar, or the same amount of money on 3 or 4 players? A superstar can be shut down. If you have a roster that looks like the Sabres 2005-2006 roster, you can't focus on shutting down one line, or another one will get you.

 

As for your team with no superstars, it all depends on what your definition of a superstar is.

 

 

I think time will test both of our arguments. So far you have Carolina, who like I said is probabaly a post lock out abheration and Anaheim, who obviously went the star route.

There has always been that adage, you are only as good as your best players and your best players have to play like your best players.

We are going to have our own little experiment in the coming years as Pittsburgh(Crosby and Malikin), Washington(Ovechkin), Ottawa(Spezza and Heatley) and maybe Tampa Bay if they get Stamkos to go with Vinny along with the Rangers and Flyers battle with our conservative spending Sabres'.

 

I for one, am not overly optimistice of their chances.

[deluca67]

I haven't laughed this hard at posts in some time. I am amazed at how many fans just don't get it. If the Sabres miss the playoffs it's not the end of the world. It doesn't mean they are going to 0-82 next season or they will never contend for the Cup again. The Sabres had a two year run at the Cup and the Drury led Sabres fell short. It happens in sports. Sometimes you need to take a step back before you go forward.

 

No playoffs for the Sabres this year will suck. The season however can not be considered a total loss. From what I have seen this season from the younger players just shows this team has a great future. Raise your hands if you thought Paille was a 20 goal scorer. Or, if you had Pominville with 80 points. Roy with 30 goals? Even Vanek in an off year tallied 30+ goals.

 

I guess it's easier to just bitch and moan. A summer full of "If Drury was here we would have won the Cup" threads and posts, or some other similar bullzhit is in store.

 

As far as Miller signing? From what I have seen this year I'm not sure if Miller is the long term answer. He let's in way to many soft goals and is no longer money on break aways. Every scrub in the league has seemed to light him up this year. Hopefully he can get it corrected. If not? The Sabre will need to look elsewhere for there answer in goal.

[tom webster]

I haven't laughed this hard at posts in some time. I am amazed at how many fans just don't get it. If the Sabres miss the playoffs it's not the end of the world. It doesn't mean they are going to 0-82 next season or they will never contend for the Cup again. The Sabres had a two year run at the Cup and the Drury led Sabres fell short. It happens in sports. Sometimes you need to take a step back before you go forward.

 

No playoffs for the Sabres this year will suck. The season however can not be considered a total loss. From what I have seen this season from the younger players just shows this team has a great future. Raise your hands if you thought Paille was a 20 goal scorer. Or, if you had Pominville with 80 points. Roy with 30 goals? Even Vanek in an off year tallied 30+ goals.

I guess it's easier to just bitch and moan. A summer full of "If Drury was here we would have won the Cup" threads and posts, or some other similar bullzhit is in store.

 

As far as Miller signing? From what I have seen this year I'm not sure if Miller is the long term answer. He let's in way to many soft goals and is no longer money on break aways. Every scrub in the league has seemed to light him up this year. Hopefully he can get it corrected. If not? The Sabre will need to look elsewhere for there answer in goal.

 

I would say only the Paille scoring 20 goals is a surprise amongst those things.

You have said numerous times sometimes you have to take a step back. The point is that this wasn't one of them, just a step back forced by mismanagement.

[PromoTheRobot]

I haven't laughed this hard at posts in some time. I am amazed at how many fans just don't get it. If the Sabres miss the playoffs it's not the end of the world. It doesn't mean they are going to 0-82 next season or they will never contend for the Cup again. The Sabres had a two year run at the Cup and the Drury led Sabres fell short. It happens in sports. Sometimes you need to take a step back before you go forward.

 

No playoffs for the Sabres this year will suck. The season however can not be considered a total loss. From what I have seen this season from the younger players just shows this team has a great future. Raise your hands if you thought Paille was a 20 goal scorer. Or, if you had Pominville with 80 points. Roy with 30 goals? Even Vanek in an off year tallied 30+ goals.

 

I guess it's easier to just bitch and moan. A summer full of "If Drury was here we would have won the Cup" threads and posts, or some other similar bullzhit is in store.

 

As far as Miller signing? From what I have seen this year I'm not sure if Miller is the long term answer. He let's in way to many soft goals and is no longer money on break aways. Every scrub in the league has seemed to light him up this year. Hopefully he can get it corrected. If not? The Sabre will need to look elsewhere for there answer in goal.

We all hope you are correct, but I am amazed at how you seem to declare players "not worth the money." Have you forgotten how many games Miller would carry this team to victory? (Just like you seem to forget all the key plays Drury used to make?) Do you think not getting a rest in 50 games and losing Campbell might be factors?

 

You seem to be of the opinion that pro athletes are like machines. Pay them a fat contract, throw a switch, and watch them instantly perform. If it were that easy, why do we need coaches? You never consider that athletes are human, and that they need to be motivated. YES, MOTIVATED! How does a malcontent like Randy Moss break Jerry Rice's record? Because he was motivated to make an effort and use his god-given talent.

 

And the other side of the coin is true as well. Demoralize a team and no matter how talented they are, they won't do jack. And that's where you'll find the Buffalo Sabres. I will agree with you on this point: the Sabres are not that bad. They do have good young talent, great coaching, and despite what you believe, great goaltending. What they lack is leadership and a reason to give a crap, because ownership has demonstrated that it cares not whether the team wins or loses, only that they make a profit.

 

PTR

[deluca67]

We all hope you are correct, but I am amazed at how you seem to declare players "not worth the money." Have you forgotten how many games Miller would carry this team to victory? (Just like you seem to forget all the key plays Drury used to make?) Do you think not getting a rest in 50 games and losing Campbell might be factors?

 

You seem to be of the opinion that pro athletes are like machines. Pay them a fat contract, throw a switch, and watch them instantly perform. If it were that easy, why do we need coaches? You never consider that athletes are human, and that they need to be motivated. YES, MOTIVATED! How does a malcontent like Randy Moss break Jerry Rice's record? Because he was motivated to make an effort and use his god-given talent.

 

And the other side of the coin is true as well. Demoralize a team and no matter how talented they are, they won't do jack. And that's where you'll find the Buffalo Sabres. I will agree with you on this point: the Sabras are not that bad. They do have good young talent, great coaching, and despite what you believe, great goaltending. What they lack is leadership and a reason to give a crap, because ownership has demonstrated that it cares not whether the team wins or loses, only that they make a profit.

 

PTR

PTR.

Miller is a very good goaltender. I just don't think he has proven himself to be a $6-7 million dollar player. I really can't remember that many games where the Sabres played poorly and Miller stole two points. There is another thread that lists the 2 goal leads the Sabres have given up. How many of those leads were lost because Miller let in a soft goal. He is not money in crunch time. It's up to Miller to put games away. He just hasn't proven he can.

 

As far as leadership. Every team can use more leadership. Drury was a great leader. Until HE decided to leave. He abandoned his teammates. I know you feel different so I'll just leave it at that.

 

The Sabres are not void of leadership. It's just not fully developed. Roy and Pominville will be great leaders. It just doesn't happen over night. If it did the Sabres would be in a playoff spot right now. I like most of the players the Sabres have right now. There are some d-men I would ship out but I am very happy with the forwards. Maybe a season without the playoffs will "motivate" this team for next season. The Sabres have two #1's and money to spend if there is a FA they like enough to bring in. Who knows, maybe there is another Drury or Briere for Darcy to pick up.