What would you do if you were in charge?

[Marvelo]

I'd make Nathan Gerbe captain because he has the heart.

[Marvelo]

- in the following season, when no one lifted a finger after Miller got cheap-shotted by Gomez and the team fell apart and missed the playoffs while he was out with the injury;

 

I'm surprised none of the Sabres has ever repaid Gomez for that... Wait a minute, I'm not surprised. :(

[spndnchz]

I think I read over the weekend that the Sabres were 10-5 going into the Lucic-Miller debacle game and are something like 4-15 since then. To me this is yet another indicator of this team's "fragile little children" nature. This team's "leadership group," especially at forward, is just not mentally tough enough to overcome adversity. They don't rise to the occasion -- each of them hides under the bed and hope someone else will step up. We've seen this many, many times since Black Sunday, including:

 

- in the first season after Black Sunday, when they were something like 3-20 against the top 6 teams in the EC;

 

- in the following season, when no one lifted a finger after Miller got cheap-shotted by Gomez and the team fell apart and missed the playoffs while he was out with the injury;

 

- 2 years ago in the playoffs, when the "top 6" other than Vanek was terrible and the entire team sagged when Vanek got hurt;

 

- last year in the playoffs, when the "top 6" scored zero goals during the 2nd and 3rd periods of a 7-game playoff series and the entire team other than Miller came out for game 7 already beaten and running for the bus;

 

- this year in the first game vs. Philly, when they got completely dominated in their chance for payback after losing in the playoffs last year;

 

- this year in the Lucic-Miller debacle; and

 

- this year in just about every game since the Lucic-Miller debacle.

 

I'll say it again: there is zero heart in the "top 6." When they get (literally or figuratively) punched in the mouth, they don't do anything about it except hope that someone else will stick up for them.

 

This team isn't going to go anywhere until this problem is fixed. My preference is to dump Roy immediately for a draft pick and go from there, but I'm fine with any kind of move as long as it involves at least one member of the top 6.

 

All in favor of a veteran top center say "I".

[jjn226]

I vote Darcy, Lindy, Roy, Stafford, Goose, and Ellis....

[darksabre]

All in favor of a veteran top center say "I".

 

I'll take anyone who will consistently emasculate Pommers, Roy and Stafford on and off the ice.

[Huckleberry]

hmm lets just do nothing, end bottom five and go for a #1 center in the draft, and make some trades after the season. :w00t:

[nfreeman]

I'm surprised none of the Sabres has ever repaid Gomez for that...

 

Gerbe did so last year.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Gerbe did so last year.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojjr--Aq3Ec

[LabattBlue]

If asked myself a question many times over the last 5 years...how much input does Lindy have in terms of the players signed via FA and also which players get traded away and those brought in return?

[darksabre]

If asked myself a question many times over the last 5 years...how much input does Lindy have in terms of the players signed via FA and also which players get traded away and those brought in return?

 

I believe there was a quote from during the Golisano era to the effect where Darcy said that Lindy is involved in all personnel decisions. They work as a team. Take that for what you will.

[LabattBlue]

I believe there was a quote from during the Golisano era to the effect where Darcy said that Lindy is involved in all personnel decisions. They work as a team. Take that for what you will.

If true, then those claiming that Darcy should go, but Lindy should stay, maybe need to rethink their position.

[darksabre]

If true, then those claiming that Darcy should go, but Lindy should stay, maybe need to rethink their position.

 

Not that I am a poster who vehemently believes in one or the other, but the problem may be that they both think too similarly. Sometimes the best working relationship is with someone who thinks completely different from yourself. Removing one half of the duo may drastically change how the other half operates.

[LabattBlue]

Removing one half of the duo may drastically change how the other half operates.

The question is, will we see this any time soon?

[Tyrannustyrannus]

I voted trade Roy. Hopefully that would put Stafford on notice. Stafford had his best season when Roy was out, I don't think that is a coincidence.

[darksabre]

 

The question is, will we see this any time soon?

 

Only Pegula knows the answer to that one.

[Ross Rhea]

I chose do nothing and wait... But if I was Terry, I would make an appearance in the dressing before the next home game, apologize to Miller for my comments. Ask Pommers in front of the dressing room what he feels is lacking. He'll give me the company line, so I would reiterate the fact I want to win and I pay all of them to accomplish that goal, and warn them that If I see another half-hearted effort at home for the rest of the season they all should look over their shoulder because none of them are safe. I then pull Darcy and Lindy aside and tell them this is unacceptable and that I want a proposed trade on my desk by the next home game.

 

Letting the inmates run the asylum, interesting.

[RazielSabre]

I voted trade Roy. Hopefully that would put Stafford on notice. Stafford had his best season when Roy was out, I don't think that is a coincidence.

Thinking about that for a minute look at Vanek. Maybe you have a point. Roy also has more value than Stafford at this point I think.

[deluca67]

hmm lets just do nothing, end bottom five and go for a #1 center in the draft, and make some trades after the season. :w00t:

That may not be a bad plan.

 

The Sabres biggest problem is that they have been mediocre for far too long without truly bottoming out. Again this year they are likely to finish anywhere between 7th and 12th. If the best that can be hoped for is to just make the playoffs and get bounced again in the first round, it would be better if they bottomed out.

[RazielSabre]

That may not be a bad plan. The Sabres biggest problem is that they have been mediocre for far too long without truly bottoming out. Again this year they are likely to finish anywhere between 7th and 12th. If the best that can be hoped for is to just make the playoffs and get bounced again in the first round, it would be better if they bottomed out.

I'm hoping the summer changes will only come into affect truly in the playoffs, AND we do something at the trade deadline. What do you think of trading for one of the present bottom feeders 1st rounder? We have Stafford, Roy and a deep defense. Just throwing it out there :)

[deluca67]

I'm hoping the summer changes will only come into affect truly in the playoffs, AND we do something at the trade deadline. What do you think of trading for one of the present bottom feeders 1st rounder? We have Stafford, Roy and a deep defense. Just throwing it out there :)

It worked out well for the Bruins. I just don't think Stafford or Roy get you a top 1st round pick. You have Miller, Myers, Vanek and the young kids like McNabb and Kassian. You don't have much as far as value elsewhere. If the Sabres were to take a serious look at trying to get into the low first round next season you have to be prepared to part with a serious asset. Roy and Stafford don't qualify. You also have to take into account the quality of players availble in next years draft. There has to be at least 5-6 can't miss prospects for there to be the type of value needed to more a Myers or Vanek.

[Marvelo]

one of the big problems with the Sabres is they never get an overall #1 pick. When they have a bad year, they're usually just mediocre and miss the playoffs, then get a #13 draft pick. They've never really hit rock bottom except for '86 when they got Turgeon.

 

I read the comments of the Oilers fans...They want to "Fail for Nail." (Yakupov) Maybe the Sabres should fail for nail too. When you're bad, you should be very bad, not middle-of-the-road bad. How about running for the bus in January?

[RazielSabre]

It worked out well for the Bruins. I just don't think Stafford or Roy get you a top 1st round pick. You have Miller, Myers, Vanek and the young kids like McNabb and Kassian. You don't have much as far as value elsewhere. If the Sabres were to take a serious look at trying to get into the low first round next season you have to be prepared to part with a serious asset. Roy and Stafford don't qualify. You also have to take into account the quality of players availble in next years draft. There has to be at least 5-6 can't miss prospects for there to be the type of value needed to more a Myers or Vanek.

 

Stafford/Roy, 1st rounder, Sekera might get you a first with Columbus. But your right, there has to be some depth to the pool. Ok another question: Are we better going after Tavares or someone like that?

 

I have to note that the more I think about this for something like this to happen I'd like Regier and Ruff gone. Ruff seems to be great at dealing with low quality teams (He did wonders with us for years) but dealing with talented players seems to be a problem.

[LabattBlue]

one of the big problems with the Sabres is they never get an overall #1 pick. When they have a bad year, they're usually just mediocre and miss the playoffs, then get a #13 draft pick. They've never really hit rock bottom except for '86 when they got Turgeon.

Getting the #1 pick guarantees nothing. Over the last 15 years, teams with the #1 overall pick have won the cup 3 times after that point. Tampa with Lecavalier, Chicago with Kane, and Pittsburgh with Crosby and Fleury. Going one step further, there are numerous #1 overall picks who are forgettable such as Stefan, Daigle, DiPietro & Berard. Other #1 overall picks have been very good, but haven't reached a Stanley Cup Final such as Thornton, Kovalchuk, Ovechkin & Nash.

 

Would it nice to have the #1 overall pick in a year when the next Gretzky comes out, SURE. Can you win a cup without a #1 overall pick, ABSOLUTELY.

[RazielSabre]

Getting the #1 pick guarantees nothing. Over the last 15 years, teams with the #1 overall pick have won the cup 3 times after that point. Tampa with Lecavalier, Chicago with Kane, and Pittsburgh with Crosby and Fleury. Going one step further, there are numerous #1 overall picks who are forgettable such as Stefan, Daigle, DiPietro & Berard. Other #1 overall picks have been very good, but haven't reached a Stanley Cup FInal such as Thornton, Kovalchuk, Ovechkin & Nash.

 

Would it nice to have the #1 overall pick in a year when the next Gretzky comes out, SURE. Can you win a cup without a #1 overall pick, ABSOLUTELY.

 

Good point. Of note imagine a top line of Kovy-Ove-Nash. That'd win the cup. :P

[deluca67]

I think I read over the weekend that the Sabres were 10-5 going into the Lucic-Miller debacle game and are something like 4-15 since then. To me this is yet another indicator of this team's "fragile little children" nature. This team's "leadership group," especially at forward, is just not mentally tough enough to overcome adversity. They don't rise to the occasion -- each of them hides under the bed and hope someone else will step up. We've seen this many, many times since Black Sunday, including:

 

- in the first season after Black Sunday, when they were something like 3-20 against the top 6 teams in the EC;

 

- in the following season, when no one lifted a finger after Miller got cheap-shotted by Gomez and the team fell apart and missed the playoffs while he was out with the injury;

 

- 2 years ago in the playoffs, when the "top 6" other than Vanek was terrible and the entire team sagged when Vanek got hurt;

 

- last year in the playoffs, when the "top 6" scored zero goals during the 2nd and 3rd periods of a 7-game playoff series and the entire team other than Miller came out for game 7 already beaten and running for the bus;

 

- this year in the first game vs. Philly, when they got completely dominated in their chance for payback after losing in the playoffs last year;

 

- this year in the Lucic-Miller debacle; and

 

- this year in just about every game since the Lucic-Miller debacle.

 

I'll say it again: there is zero heart in the "top 6." When they get (literally or figuratively) punched in the mouth, they don't do anything about it except hope that someone else will stick up for them.

 

This team isn't going to go anywhere until this problem is fixed. My preference is to dump Roy immediately for a draft pick and go from there, but I'm fine with any kind of move as long as it involves at least one member of the top 6.

I stated for a while that the Sabres don’t have a legit "top 6." They have Vanek and a bunch of guys in a position above their actual status as a player. I never thought Roy was more than a #3 center and Stafford more than a 3rd or 4th line winger. That said, I would much rather see a new management team come in and evaluate and make the player personnel decisions.

 

Roy, Stafford and others fit the mold that Regier and Ruff believes make a “top six” forward. Regier and Ruff would be using the same parameters of evaluation on the player they bring in that was used on Roy and Stafford. Unless you change how the players are evaluated you end up with a strong possibility that the players brought in will have many of the same qualities and characteristics of the players you can’t wait to get rid of.

 

If you keep Regier and Ruff and change the players, you are likely to end up with the same end product just with different names on the back of the jerseys.

 

Getting the #1 pick guarantees nothing. Over the last 15 years, teams with the #1 overall pick have won the cup 3 times after that point. Tampa with Lecavalier, Chicago with Kane, and Pittsburgh with Crosby and Fleury. Going one step further, there are numerous #1 overall picks who are forgettable such as Stefan, Daigle, DiPietro & Berard. Other #1 overall picks have been very good, but haven't reached a Stanley Cup FInal such as Thornton, Kovalchuk, Ovechkin & Nash.

 

Would it nice to have the #1 overall pick in a year when the next Gretzky comes out, SURE. Can you win a cup without a #1 overall pick, ABSOLUTELY.

The problem with #1 or very high draft picks is that teams sometimes get locked into a spot with a player simply because of how high that player is rated. I would be interested in finding out how many #1 players chosen over that 15 years were truly the player the GM wanted and how many GMs felt pressured into taking a player they didn't want to.