Ghost of Dwight Drane Posted April 7, 2011 Report Posted April 7, 2011 Money-wise, you are certainly right that it's the same machine (although Boyes was an expensive new toy). But there has been a fair amount of turnover since last year's wilt-under-pressure: -backup goalie -- probably not relevant in the playoffs, but not impossible either -defense: Butler, Weber, Sekera, and Gragnani are all either new or playing much bigger roles than last year and the same is true of Leopold if/when he returns. You might observe (rightly) that only Weber will make anyone pay a physical price in the playoffs, but (i) he will do so and (ii) Sekera, Gragnani and Leopold are all dangerous offensive threats. -forward: Ennis, Stafford, Gerbe, a healthy Vanek and even McCormick and Mancari are all either new or playing much bigger roles than last year. (They also have, and I'm scared to even say it, a healthy TC this year.) So I don't think the product on the ice is the same machine. Now, would I rather have a couple of guys like Knuble or Recchi or Horton or a 2005 Teppo mixed in with the youngsters? Absolutely. I don't think we can ride the youth wave all the way to the promised land. But Lindy knows what to do, and not all of the youngsters will crumble under pressure. I also think there will be enough action in the offseason that even the skeptics will be somewhat pleased. Go Sabres. I want Washington. They remind me so much of the '06-'07 Sabres that I can taste it. If this team can take Philly or Boston to 7 games....I will call progress. I think Weber and Gerbe are the heart of this revival. Scary thing is there is only 1 defenseman over 25 in the lineup. Interesting for the future, scary for a war.
Robviously Posted April 7, 2011 Report Posted April 7, 2011 nfreeman has been the most logical of the optimists. This is still the SAME MACHINE. 70% of your $$ is still tied up in a "core" that has failed to show any signs of leadership or take-over ability. They are not young. The kids are young and have been the catalyst along with Pegula buying the team. Are they talented and fresh enough to keep it going and overcome the traditional pressure-wilters? I don't know....I doubt it, but if they can win a series or seriously push a team to the limit where we don't have the Hockey Heaven Excuse Machine rolled out....ok, maybe the future isn't hopeless. Have fun. I haven't criticized the players for their effort for some time. Now you see if you really have the horses. It's a long way from winning a race at Fort Erie to winning the Kentucky Derby Really? NO signs of leadership? This team looked completely dead in the water at the end of 2010 when Derek Roy went down for the season. Thomas Vanek since January 1st: 18 goals, 27 assists for 45 points in 42 games. The young players are why the team right now seems like it could win in the playoffs (when it didn't two months ago), but it's not like we didn't have some good players doing everything they could before Pegula bought the team.
Ghost of Dwight Drane Posted April 7, 2011 Report Posted April 7, 2011 Really? NO signs of leadership? This team looked completely dead in the water at the end of 2010 when Derek Roy went down for the season. Thomas Vanek since January 1st: 18 goals, 27 assists for 45 points in 42 games. The young players are why the team right now seems like it could win in the playoffs (when it didn't two months ago), but it's not like we didn't have some good players doing everything they could before Pegula bought the team. We shall soon see. They haven't folded the past 10 games. That's progress. We're goin in the snake pit now baby! It's time to eat razorblades for breakfast and run into burning buildings for fun. Let's see who's still around 3 weeks from now and hasn't soiled themself.
Robviously Posted April 7, 2011 Report Posted April 7, 2011 We shall soon see. They haven't folded the past 10 games. That's progress. We're goin in the snake pit now baby! It's time to eat razorblades for breakfast and run into burning buildings for fun. Let's see who's still around 3 weeks from now and hasn't soiled themself. They're 12-4-3 in their last 19 games, easily their best stretch of the season.
Ghost of Dwight Drane Posted April 7, 2011 Report Posted April 7, 2011 They're 12-4-3 in their last 19 games, easily their best stretch of the season. And the Dow is up 80% in 2 years. But for the past 10 years, you're even and holding your ankles as Gas and food have doubled.
MichFan Posted April 7, 2011 Report Posted April 7, 2011 The Sabres have already given us an awesome run just to get into the playoffs. I don't see our defense and goaltending being strong enough this year to carry us to a series upset against Wash, Philly or Pitt. Best hope IMO is to grab 6th place and have a motivated team looking for payback against a faltering Bruins team in the 1st round. I hope I'm wrong about this and they win it all.
itbeatswalking Posted April 7, 2011 Report Posted April 7, 2011 And the Dow is up 80% in 2 years. But for the past 10 years, you're even and holding your ankles as Gas and food have doubled. :clapping: Great analogy. I've got curvature of the spine from holding my ankles for so long.Let's hope this is The Year!
UncleWally Posted April 7, 2011 Report Posted April 7, 2011 I'm a fan of Cesar Milan, the Dog Whisperer. When he jogs with his dogs in the mountains, sometimes the big dogs have to carry the little dogs up over the mountain. The Sabres big dogs have to step up, you're right. But my point is it's amazing how many guys are in our lineup from our system, as opposed to other teams and it would be great to see that we have success with guys we've had all along, as opposed to other teams with lots of free agents. I'm a fan of Cesar le Milanais, Rififi. A pimp looking safe cracker who back stabs and gets killed over it.
deluca67 Posted April 8, 2011 Report Posted April 8, 2011 Wow. Why not sit back and enjoy it? This team isn't the same demon and will be even lesser of one next year. Ghost: "I'll enjoy it once things are different" Nope. Nope u won't. Have fun with that. They will have a chance to prove it over the next couple of weeks.
nfreeman Posted April 8, 2011 Report Posted April 8, 2011 If the Sabres go to the Cup this year... I will sponsor a freaking Keg party BBQ downtown before game 3 for any posters that can make it. I hope I have to do it. I really do. I will get on a plane and come to this assuming it's a home game.
Derrico Posted April 8, 2011 Report Posted April 8, 2011 I will get on a plane and come to this assuming it's a home game. Yep, I'd be down for that as well :thumbsup:
inkman Posted April 8, 2011 Report Posted April 8, 2011 Trying to keep this thread on topic, if they do make a run, Vanek, Stafford, Pominville and Myers need to be their best players. If a couple a salty guys like Weber and Goose can step up and make other teams uncomfortable, which they have been doing a lot if, a run could be had.
Derrico Posted April 8, 2011 Report Posted April 8, 2011 Trying to keep this thread on topic, if they do make a run, Vanek, Stafford, Pominville and Myers need to be their best players. If a couple a salty guys like Weber and Goose can step up and make other teams uncomfortable, which they have been doing a lot if, a run could be had. I think our goaltending (Miller) is going to have to be great as well. Especially if we play Philly.
Meathead Posted April 8, 2011 Report Posted April 8, 2011 truth is the nhl playoffs are as close to a total crapshoot as you will ever get in pro team sports while its true higher seeded teams win more often, its also true no major sport has as many low seeds advance to the finals as much as hockey. higher seeds are usually there due to the strength of the roster during the regular season, but things change so dramatically in the playoffs that less talent can often be made moot by greater intensity, a hot goalie, or a couple timely bounces after a rough start this squad has been better even than last seasons division winners over the last four months. its hard to say this team is better than a division winner, but if the young talent that has fueled the second half resurgence continues to produce under playoff pressure then it very well could turn out that way
SwampD Posted April 8, 2011 Report Posted April 8, 2011 truth is the nhl playoffs are as close to a total crapshoot as you will ever get in pro team sports while its true higher seeded teams win more often, its also true no major sport has as many low seeds advance to the finals as much as hockey. higher seeds are usually there due to the strength of the roster during the regular season, but things change so dramatically in the playoffs that less talent can often be made moot by greater intensity, a hot goalie, or a couple timely bounces after a rough start this squad has been better even than last seasons division winners over the last four months. its hard to say this team is better than a division winner, but if the young talent that has fueled the second half resurgence continues to produce under playoff pressure then it very well could turn out that way That's because in no other sport do the rules change as drastically during the playoffs as in the NHL (by lack of enforcement). To me, it seems that this team is stronger than last years team and could go on a run for the sole reason that they are just bigger. Even though the core is basically the same as last year, other than Gerbe (who's just a freak and doesn't really fit into any category), the rest of the the role players are just a little bit bigger. Let's hope they make it.
X. Benedict Posted April 8, 2011 Report Posted April 8, 2011 That's because in no other sport do the rules change as drastically during the playoffs as in the NHL (by lack of enforcement). To me, it seems that this team is stronger than last years team and could go on a run for the sole reason that they are just bigger. Even though the core is basically the same as last year, other than Gerbe (who's just a freak and doesn't really fit into any category), the rest of the the role players are just a little bit bigger. Let's hope they make it. My reasoning would be different. The players who are trying to get their body through 82 games, are now only worried about getting through the next one. Blocks that aren't made in game 20 are made in the playoffs, Hits that aren't made in game 30 are delivered in the playoffs, Space that is available in game 40 is not longer available in the playoffs. Players that have never fought, fight in the playoffs. Games don't end with a gimmick either. It's all left on the ice. After those...there are the officials. :beer:
SwampD Posted April 8, 2011 Report Posted April 8, 2011 My reasoning would be different. The players who are trying to get their body through 82 games, are now only worried about getting through the next one. Blocks that aren't made in game 20 are made in the playoffs, Hits that aren't made in game 30 are delivered in the playoffs, Space that is available in game 40 is not longer available in the playoffs. Players that have never fought, fight in the playoffs. Games don't end with a gimmick either. It's all left on the ice. After those...there are the officials. :beer: But don't you think that those two are a direct result of - Calls that are made in game 20 are not made in the playoffs?
bunomatic Posted April 8, 2011 Report Posted April 8, 2011 Gentlemen ( and ladies ) before you get your panties in a knot and start planning the parade route ( like the people in Vancouver ) lets not forget that we haven't even officially made the playoffs. All bets are off till they show up for 1 or both of these games this weekend. Make a long run at what?
X. Benedict Posted April 8, 2011 Report Posted April 8, 2011 But don't you think that those two are a direct result of - Calls that are made in game 20 are not made in the playoffs? I really don't. I think it has much more to do with players forgetting the normal parameters of human physiology. Their bodies are completely on the line unlike regular season.
bunomatic Posted April 8, 2011 Report Posted April 8, 2011 I really don't. I think it has much more to do with players forgetting the normal parameters of human physiology. Their bodies are completely on the line unlike regular season. I agree. Players are willing to sacrifice their bodies and their health for a chance at the grail.
SwampD Posted April 8, 2011 Report Posted April 8, 2011 I really don't. I think it has much more to do with players forgetting the normal parameters of human physiology. Their bodies are completely on the line unlike regular season. I definitely agree with this, but I also believe that if Recchi's hit on Kennedy happened in the regular season, it would have been an interference call.
Ghost of Dwight Drane Posted April 8, 2011 Report Posted April 8, 2011 I will get on a plane and come to this assuming it's a home game. That's what I mean, the first home game. It would be hypocritcal of me to spend $500 on a Stanley Cup ticket when I've knived these guys to shreds for 5 years. Why not make it worth while and have a blowout. For the price of a pair of tickets, you can get a buffet and open bar for 50 people. The odds website says there's a 3.6 percent chance of that happening, so it's really only a $36 promise :D
BuffaloSoldier2010 Posted April 8, 2011 Report Posted April 8, 2011 With what $$ ??? The leaders of this "push" have been overperformance from Gerbe, Ennis, Weber, Enroth, and Sekera. The only "vet" to really do better than expectations has been Stafford. Now....we go into the playoffs with "vet leaders", Miller, Vanek, Pominville, Connolly, Stafford, Boyes, Hecht, Gaustad, Montador and Leopold. Has anyone of those guys EVER taken a team on their back and led by example? You can pretty much assume every one of those guys will be back next year with the possibility of Connolly and Montador leaving. But given the new "everyone cuddle under the snuggie" vibe coming from Hockey Heaven Headquarters......I can see both back along with Stafford for a grand total of around $10 million for the 3. The other players mentioned are all under contract and will cost another $33 million. Add Roy and you have now spent $47 million, without one guy deemed worthy of the captaincy. $49 million if Morrisson plays out. - Pominville, as usual, is having his end of the season surge, he's been one of the more noticeable players in the blue and gold - Vanek just got a hat trick - Miller has rebounded since his slump at the beginning of the year - Say what you want about Connolly, he's made some great passes and buried some terrific shots this year - Boyes is a conditioning problem if anything, and i dont understand how second in points on the team is underperforming - Leopolds been out with a broken hand. - No, none of these guys have carried a team on their backs... then again Miller pretty much carried USA in Vancouver... but before last year when had Toews carried Chicago to a cup? Kane?
PromoTheRobot Posted April 8, 2011 Report Posted April 8, 2011 Reading today's Bucky chat I see Gleason going out on his limb with a saw. Look, I give Darcy plenty of credit for his drafting and dealing with the past two ownership groups. I do. I like him. I think he's smart. I think he's a good guy. I don't think he's The Best guy for the job right now. He's flawed when it comes to making decisions quickly, has a tendency to fall in love with his own players, etc. The idea here is to win the whole thing -- the Stanley Cup. I have doubts about whether he's capable of making the bold decisions necessary to get that accomplished. That quote about falling in love with players is ironic considering how the team is playing now. Bucky is basically condemning Regier for having some faith in his team, a team that is proving Darcy right since Pegula Day. The better the Sabres do the smarter Team Pegula looks for maintaining the status quo and not buying into Bucky's (among others) conventional wisdom. What's even more amazing to me is how much a team can change literally overnight. Was this team always this good, but Quinn and Golisano were sucking the life out of them? It's starting to look that way. And how do Quinn and Tommy Boy feel looking at a Sabre team they built suddenly start giving a crap about winning the second they leave the building? The Sabres are making Bucky look like a dipshit. PTR
Weave Posted April 8, 2011 Report Posted April 8, 2011 That's what I mean, the first home game. It would be hypocritcal of me to spend $500 on a Stanley Cup ticket when I've knived these guys to shreds for 5 years. Why not make it worth while and have a blowout. For the price of a pair of tickets, you can get a buffet and open bar for 50 people. The odds website says there's a 3.6 percent chance of that happening, so it's really only a $36 promise :D Can I haz $36 now instead?
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