Reason for optimisim

[nfreeman]

Check it out: Link-o-rama. First in our division and #3 in the East. Habs right behind us, and Ottawa and the Rangers out of the playoffs. Devils #1 in the East (which I agree with), with Rolston, whom I really wanted us to go after, leading the charge.

 

Just a prediction, I know, but I think Mirtle is one of the best hockey writers in the business.

[Two or less]

Mirtle is definetly one of the best hockey writers out there. That's pretty crazy though.

 

I can't see Ottawa missing the playoffs. I think they are build really well for the regular season and not playoffs but 9th spot. I'm not too sure.

[carpandean]

St. Louis ? Key player: John Tavares

:lol:

[LabattBlue]

Interesting read and he is not shy about saying that some of his picks are "out there". The Sabres October schedule isn't brutal(mini road trip to Min & Col), so let's see how they come out of the gate...

 

Montreal

@Islanders

@Rangers

Vancouver

@Atlanta

Boston

@Minnesota

@Colorado

Ottawa

Tampa

[apuszczalowski]

AS much as I would love to see it happen the way he predicted it, I don't see the Sabres division as competitive as it has been in the past, I don't see Buffalo winning it.

 

Ottawa won't be as dominant as they have been in the past few years, but they won't miss the playoffs.

Toronto might be better then some think, although I have been convinced in the offseason that this year is about Tavares for them

Boston is tough to predict, but they may be a little better then last year

Buffalo might be a little better then last year, but I still think bottom of the pact for the playoffs (6th to 8th spot at best)

Montreal I think is the early choice to take the division, they lost some experience in goal, and that might be their biggest area of concern right now

[That Aud Smell]

mirtle is one the best hockey writers out there, to be sure.

 

unfortunately, preseason predictions are among the most useless copy that any sports journalist writes in a given year.

[nfreeman]

mirtle is one the best hockey writers out there, to be sure.

 

unfortunately, preseason predictions are among the most useless copy that any sports journalist writes in a given year.

 

Very true, but I felt like I had gotten all I could out of the Connolly argument with Shrader. It was time to move on.

[That Aud Smell]

I felt like I had gotten all I could out of the Connolly argument with Shrader.

:lol:

It was time to move on.

sticking with mirtle's crystal ball: it's interesting to see the limitations that inhere for a journalist trying to cover an entire league. mirtle cites to the fact that our drop-off last year arose from an inflated goals against, not a precipitous decline in goals scored, and that we're in good shape heading into the season because we've added three good defensive pieces.

 

but as others around here have astutely pointed out, we had 5+ goals in something like every 1 out of 5 games last year (remember the 10-spot we hung up on atlanta?), but had 2 or fewer goals in almost half of our games.

 

i respectfully disagree with mirtle's prediction -- trusting that we will make the playoffs, i see us in the 7 or 8 slot. (i also have a premonition that sorting out 7-8-9 in the east will come down to the wire, but that the teams sitting at 10 and lower will effectively be out of the running well before the regular season ends.)

[frisky]

He might not have seen them playing drag ass in preseason otherwise he might have revised his predictions. If they play as lazy and careless as they do in preseason, it could be rough.

[carpandean]

He might not have seen them playing drag ass in preseason otherwise he might have revised his predictions. If they play as lazy and careless as they do in preseason, it could be rough.

I really hope that Lindy plays the "final" roster (sans Goose, of course) in Detroit, so we can get a look at the real team. Yes, the vets have been making just as many mistakes, but until you get the full roster together and take away the excuses (Lindy better hammer in that the final preseason game is the last warm up before opening day), you don't really know how the team will look.

[Guest Sloth]

In my opinion, I think Mirtle is not giving Montreal enough credit. Is goaltending their weakest point? Yes, it is. But, Price is good. I know he looked terrible in the playoffs, but he did play good hockey during the regular season. Montreal had a great addition w/ Alex Tanguay. Their pp/pk is beyond good. I honestly think Montreal is a Cup contender this year. Again, this is my own opinion.

 

I do hope Mirtle is right, though! I would love to be wrong.

[stenbaro]

AS much as I would love to see it happen the way he predicted it, I don't see the Sabres division as competitive as it has been in the past, I don't see Buffalo winning it.

 

Ottawa won't be as dominant as they have been in the past few years, but they won't miss the playoffs.

Toronto might be better then some think, although I have been convinced in the offseason that this year is about Tavares for them

Boston is tough to predict, but they may be a little better then last year

Buffalo might be a little better then last year, but I still think bottom of the pact for the playoffs (6th to 8th spot at best)

Montreal I think is the early choice to take the division, they lost some experience in goal, and that might be their biggest area of concern right now

I agree for the most part..I think the other teams in the conference are gonna have to fall below thier expectations for the Sabres to make a playoff spot..

[R_Dudley]

I really hope that Lindy plays the "final" roster (sans Goose, of course) in Detroit, so we can get a look at the real team. Yes, the vets have been making just as many mistakes, but until you get the full roster together and take away the excuses (Lindy better hammer in that the final preseason game is the last warm up before opening day), you don't really know how the team will look.

 

Very true and exactly what I'm hoping to see as well, maybe even started a bit in the second to last game.