Swedesessed Posted April 27, 2010 Report Posted April 27, 2010 Every team in the Sabres division...EVERY ONE...Boston, Ottawa and Montreal...have shown more in the playoffs then the Sabres have. I really think the Sabres should just quietly raise the banner without a ceremony next year. Discuss.
ntjacks79 Posted April 27, 2010 Report Posted April 27, 2010 Every team in the Sabres division...EVERY ONE...Boston, Ottawa and Montreal...have shown more in the playoffs then the Sabres have. I really think the Sabres should just quietly raise the banner without a ceremony next year. Discuss. I love that you brought this up. I was actually thinking the same thing last night on BOTH fronts... how Buffalo really can only consider itself as better than the Leafs at this point in the NE Division, in spite of the theoretical championship... and how raising any banner like this should be done VERY quietly (preferably just be there when everyone shows up in September). Celebrating what happened this year doesn't feel right, but I have a feeling others are going to disagree.
nickvh Posted April 27, 2010 Report Posted April 27, 2010 Every team in the Sabres division...EVERY ONE...Boston, Ottawa and Montreal...have shown more in the playoffs then the Sabres have. I really think the Sabres should just quietly raise the banner without a ceremony next year. Discuss. They should have a ceremony - it was a fine season and the playoffs were disappointing but we also found out dramitically who should (Ennis, Gerbe, Sekera) and should not (Connolly, Pominville, Rivet,Lalime for starters) be a part of the future
Stoner Posted April 27, 2010 Report Posted April 27, 2010 Every team in the Sabres division...EVERY ONE...Boston, Ottawa and Montreal...have shown more in the playoffs then the Sabres have. Discuss. Good point. Except Toronto. hehe 81 was pretty hollow too. At least they won a round.
shrader Posted April 27, 2010 Report Posted April 27, 2010 I love that you brought this up. I was actually thinking the same thing last night on BOTH fronts... how Buffalo really can only consider itself as better than the Leafs at this point in the NE Division, in spite of the theoretical championship... and how raising any banner like this should be done VERY quietly (preferably just be there when everyone shows up in September). Celebrating what happened this year doesn't feel right, but I have a feeling others are going to disagree. And because Montreal and Ottawa played completely different teams, they can make a claim about being better or worse than Boston, Buffalo, or each other?
Buffalo Wings Posted April 27, 2010 Report Posted April 27, 2010 It's still an accomplishment. Regardless of how hollow or undeserved some may think it to be, it's still an accomplishment to be recognized. To me, while the banners from 2006-07 are wonderful to have, they are the most hollow.
ntjacks79 Posted April 27, 2010 Report Posted April 27, 2010 And because Montreal and Ottawa played completely different teams, they can make a claim about being better or worse than Boston, Buffalo, or each other? I think you know what both of us were saying... but if not, here goes. Montreal, Ottawa, and Boston all LOOKED A HECK OF A LOT BETTER than Buffalo in the playoffs, even if Boston is the only team that proved it is better. Would you trade rosters right now with Montreal or Ottawa? As much as I hate many Senators, from a futures perspective, I sure would. And if you can say that you would trade rosters with 3 of the 4 other teams in your division, what does that say about a "division championship"?
shrader Posted April 27, 2010 Report Posted April 27, 2010 I think you know what both of us were saying... but if not, here goes. Montreal, Ottawa, and Boston all LOOKED A HECK OF A LOT BETTER than Buffalo in the playoffs, even if Boston is the only team that proved it is better. Would you trade rosters right now with Montreal or Ottawa? As much as I hate many Senators, from a futures perspective, I sure would. And if you can say that you would trade rosters with 3 of the 4 other teams in your division, what does that say about a "division championship"? Ottawa's franchise player is a couple years away from retirement and they're about to lose their best defenseman. The guy that should be the future in Montreal is about to be run out of town because he was rushed up far too quickly. I'm not so sure how either's organizational depth looks better than ours, but ultimately, the big comparison I see is majorly in our favor. Halak/Price and Elliot/Leclaire don't belong in the same sentence as Ryan Miller.
ntjacks79 Posted April 27, 2010 Report Posted April 27, 2010 Ottawa's franchise player is a couple years away from retirement and they're about to lose their best defenseman. The guy that should be the future in Montreal is about to be run out of town because he was rushed up far too quickly. I'm not so sure how either's organizational depth looks better than ours, but ultimately, the big comparison I see is majorly in our favor. Halak/Price and Elliot/Leclaire don't belong in the same sentence as Ryan Miller. Agree on depth. I was talking about current NHL roster for current NHL roster. I like what the Sabres had in Portland this year a lot. Agree on Miller. But we saw in the Boston series that Miller isn't likely to be winning any series for the Sabres by himself. This is all just theoretical anyway. But to say this organization has anything going for it other than Miller, Myers and the "kids" I think is wrong... and that just doesn't sound like a team that should be "proudly hoisting" any Division Championship banner to me.
Robviously Posted April 27, 2010 Report Posted April 27, 2010 It's still an accomplishment. Regardless of how hollow or undeserved some may think it to be, it's still an accomplishment to be recognized. To me, while the banners from 2006-07 are wonderful to have, they are the most hollow. They made the conference finals that year. Only two teams did better than they did that year and one team did just as well.
shrader Posted April 27, 2010 Report Posted April 27, 2010 Agree on depth. I was talking about current NHL roster for current NHL roster. I like what the Sabres had in Portland this year a lot. Agree on Miller. But we saw in the Boston series that Miller isn't likely to be winning any series for the Sabres by himself. This is all just theoretical anyway. But to say this organization has anything going for it other than Miller, Myers and the "kids" I think is wrong... and that just doesn't sound like a team that should be "proudly hoisting" any Division Championship banner to me. Add Vanek to that list, and in the short term, a guy like Grier who you know will leave it all out there come playoff time. There are more positives to this team than most are willing to admit. And labeling them as just "the kids" is downplaying things a bit. Yes, nothing is guaranteed, but they have what looks like it could be a pair of 20 year old franchise Tylers.
Eleven Posted April 28, 2010 Report Posted April 28, 2010 It's still an accomplishment. Regardless of how hollow or undeserved some may think it to be, it's still an accomplishment to be recognized. To me, while the banners from 2006-07 are wonderful to have, they are the most hollow. I actually see the Presidents' Trophy as a significant accomplishment. It's a sport with two team trophies, one of which means a lot more than the other, but each is pretty impressive. In most of the sports world, the concept of a playoff to determine a regular-season champion is unknown. We do it here in North America, and we're used to it, but the regular season title should mean something. I'm glad that the NHL recognizes it. I can see both sides of the debate as to whether there should be a ceremony to raise the division banner. I'm looking at it this way: For this team, it was an accomplishment. I didn't think they'd win the division this year, and I remember that the vast majority of posters here didn't, either. So if the team wants to celebrate it, good. I also don't think it would be good psychologically for the players if come October, the team and fans still are focusing on a Round 1 loss rather than the fact that they are defending division champs. Start next season as the ones to be chased.
shrader Posted April 28, 2010 Report Posted April 28, 2010 I actually see the Presidents' Trophy as a significant accomplishment. It's a sport with two team trophies, one of which means a lot more than the other, but each is pretty impressive. In most of the sports world, the concept of a playoff to determine a regular-season champion is unknown. We do it here in North America, and we're used to it, but the regular season title should mean something. I'm glad that the NHL recognizes it. And no matter what anyone else says now, that was an incredibly fun season to watch.
Sabre Dance Posted April 28, 2010 Report Posted April 28, 2010 I also don't think it would be good psychologically for the players if come October, the team and fans still are focusing on a Round 1 loss rather than the fact that they are defending division champs. Well, they finished first in the Northeast Division. They shouldn't be considered "champs" in any way, shape or form as they got beaten in the first round of the playoffs by a team lower in the division than they were. The banner should read "First Place, Northeast Division 2010" Real champs get hardware......
bunomatic Posted April 29, 2010 Report Posted April 29, 2010 I'll agree that Halak played absolutely out of his head and thats why Montreal is still in it.As for them being a better team?Put a healthy Vanek on our p.p. and we'd still be in.Raise the banner proudly,you can't take what they accomplished away.
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