Mr Ryan Miller....

[Claude_Verret]

I appreciate the other side of the tanking argument, I really do. But something tells me when DR spoke of suffering or PLF emphasizes patience, they weren't talking about just one season.

[Weave]

I appreciate the other side of the tanking argument, I really do. But something tells me when DR spoke of suffering or PLF emphasizes patience, they weren't talking about just one season.

 

As far as I am concerned we are in season 2 of the rebuild already. We had what appeared to be an amazing draft this past Spring. And we are in line right now for another draft that should yield excellent results, at least in the 1st round anyway. If we can manage to re-sign Miller I see no reason why we can't start beginning to re-stock the roster this offseason. We already have 3 stud D-men in our system, a LW that is developing very nicely, a RW that shows promise, and a center that can work as #1 in the short term. This years draft should yield another top end forward. These young players should be ready in a couple years. Lets get a solid base together this coming offseason for those young kids to work themselves into as next season progresses.

Edited January 18, 2014 by weave

[TrueBlueGED]

Tank Nation, we've officially lost Weave. This must be how Johnson felt when he lost Cronkite.

[dudacek]

He was so young and had so much promise.

[Hoss]

We'll get Weave and others back once Miller is gone. Don't give up home gents.

[Weave]

Tank Nation, we've officially lost Weave. This must be how Johnson felt when he lost Cronkite.

 

LOL

 

I think if the last draft didn't turn out so well for us I'd support another season of tanking. I am fully expecting that we are going to have a 2nd very productive draft in a row this Summer. Two great drafts and lets get the show going.

 

Another factor for me is Moulson. I don't miss Vanek at all with Moulson on the roster. If we can convince him to stay our #1 LW is locked in. that is a pretty big deal IMO.

Edited January 18, 2014 by weave

[Wyldnwoody44]

 

 

LOL

 

I think if the last draft didn't turn out so well for us I'd support another season of tanking. I am fully expecting that we are going to have a 2nd very productive draft in a row this Summer. Two great drafts and lets get the show going.

 

Another factor for me is Moulson. I don't miss Vanek at all with Moulson on the roster. If we can convince him to stay our #1 LW is locked in. that is a pretty big deal IMO.

 

Weave, WTF happened to you?!?!

 

I don't even know who I am anymore.

 

Let's hope this year's draft is a stellar one.... Everyone is assuming that it will be, and it certainly should land us some serious talent, but this is Buffalo, where even the simplest tasks are wrecked on a yearly basis.

 

I agree with you in that Moulson is a pretty good vanek replacement, same number, same style of game, good production, all without the vanek grimace.

[tom webster]

Welcome to life outside of "Oh, Miller, what a save!" New York.

 

I knew a lot of exec's and writers from the world of hockey lived in and around Western New York but I had no idea that guys like Brian Burke, David Poille and the rest of those that sing Miller's praises also lived in WNY.

[Wyldnwoody44]

How much merit is there to the "miller wants to be closer to his wife" line of thinking..... Would this impact his decision and anyone know why he doesn't want to go to a Canadian team?

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

 

 

LOL

 

I think if the last draft didn't turn out so well for us I'd support another season of tanking. I am fully expecting that we are going to have a 2nd very productive draft in a row this Summer. Two great drafts and lets get the show going.

 

Another factor for me is Moulson. I don't miss Vanek at all with Moulson on the roster. If we can convince him to stay our #1 LW is locked in. that is a pretty big deal IMO.

 

Moulson just sort of feels right on this team. He's the perfect example of a guy that is talented and not a banger, but just knows where to go and gets musty enough to be in position in front to bury goals some other guys won't work as hard for. Ideally he is 2nd line on a good team, but I too feel a better energy aura radiating off him than from Vanek.

 

 

 

 

 

I knew a lot of exec's and writers from the world of hockey lived in and around Western New York but I had no idea that guys like Brian Burke, David Poille and the rest of those that sing Miller's praises also lived in WNY.

 

I'm experiencing a bit of "Miller Fatigue" myself. Yes, he's having a good year, and at his best is a #3-8 top goalie....but the other night I turned the sound down because Dunleavy was using up more Vaseline than Kellen Winslow....

[dudacek]

Moulson just seems like a great guy and teammate.

Team will be better off in the long run if it can trade him for a younger version of him.

But I'm not going to be unhappy if he sticks around.

[Weave]

Guys, you didn't lose me. We tanked. It happened. We got what we wanted. After this season the sun comes out and the birds start to sing. It will be time to open the windows and let the fresh, warm air in.

[tom webster]

How much merit is there to the "miller wants to be closer to his wife" line of thinking..... Would this impact his decision and anyone know why he doesn't want to go to a Canadian team?

 

I don't know, about 5 or 6 out of 7 days I wish my wife lived on the west coast. Seriously, I am not sure the present arrangement doesn't work for him. He might like being alone during the season and with their income I'm sure they can see each other almost as much as they want

[Hoss]

Guys, you didn't lose me. We tanked. It happened. We got what we wanted. After this season the sun comes out and the birds start to sing. It will be time to open the windows and let the fresh, warm air in.

 

If an 8th overall selection and a top pick in a relatively weak draft is the reward for all this brutal suffering then I want a refund.

[dudacek]

If an 8th overall selection and a top pick in a relatively weak draft is the reward for all this brutal suffering then I want a refund.

 

I'd be an board with Weave if Rolston hadn't ###### things up with a late season charge to 23rd.

Barkov, Mackinnon or Drouin would have satisfied the need for a first-line forward.

[HopefulFuture]

Trade Miller,

He's already sold his condo. He's riding out the end of his Buffalo Sabres journey, there can be no doubt in anyone's mind. You get what you can for him and move along with the rebuild. Re-signing him is not an option in my humble opinion and letting him walk to UFA would be insane with 0 return.

 

As for teams to trade with, St. Louis is the most spoken of, but I'd wager that Philly, Washington and even Colorado would generate some interest in Miller. Just a hunch on all of those listed.

[Hoss]

 

 

I'd be an board with Weave if Rolston hadn't ###### things up with a late season charge to 23rd.

Barkov, Mackinnon or Drouin would have satisfied the need for a first-line forward.

 

Same here but unfortunately they weren't tanking last year.

[TrueBlueGED]

LOL

 

I think if the last draft didn't turn out so well for us I'd support another season of tanking. I am fully expecting that we are going to have a 2nd very productive draft in a row this Summer. Two great drafts and lets get the show going.

 

Another factor for me is Moulson. I don't miss Vanek at all with Moulson on the roster. If we can convince him to stay our #1 LW is locked in. that is a pretty big deal IMO.

 

I'm just not as sold as you are that Moulson can be the top LW on a contending team, let alone when he's 33-34. He's not a particularly good passer or possession player, doesn't do much defensively...basically his entire value is his goal scoring, and that's what tends to go first as players exit their prime.

 

If an 8th overall selection and a top pick in a relatively weak draft is the reward for all this brutal suffering then I want a refund.

 

Not that it alleviates the need for several more top end forwards (IMO the real reason we need another season of tanking), but I think you could make the argument #8 in a great draft is as good as a top-4 pick in other years.

[spndnchz]

Noureen and Ryan were at our party last night. Noureen was nice enough to pose for pics with everyone. Ryan just kinda hung out. He wore a tux. He had no pants on with heart boxers. It was a dream. I'm not sure what it means.

[Weave]

 

Not that it alleviates the need for several more top end forwards (IMO the real reason we need another season of tanking), but I think you could make the argument #8 in a great draft is as good as a top-4 pick in other years.

 

yep. don't look at it as the #8 pick. Look at it from a results point of view. We have two absolute studs on defense that dominated the WJC. And this year it is looking like top 3 or 4. We have our tank and restock at the end of this season.

[nfreeman]

Guys, you didn't lose me. We tanked. It happened. We got what we wanted. After this season the sun comes out and the birds start to sing. It will be time to open the windows and let the fresh, warm air in.

 

Preach it, brother! Testify!

[Byebye]

I have faith he will re-sign, 51M over 6 years. Possibly, even more then that. We offered to make Vanek the highest paid player in the NHL. I think they will give him up to 9.5-10M a year over up to 6 to stick around if thats what it will take

Edited January 18, 2014 by Naulter8

[LGR4GM]

Trade Miller,

He's already sold his condo. He's riding out the end of his Buffalo Sabres journey, there can be no doubt in anyone's mind. You get what you can for him and move along with the rebuild. Re-signing him is not an option in my humble opinion and letting him walk to UFA would be insane with 0 return.

 

As for teams to trade with, St. Louis is the most spoken of, but I'd wager that Philly, Washington and even Colorado would generate some interest in Miller. Just a hunch on all of those listed.

Go look at seymon varlamovs numbers then come back and explain to me what Colorado would want with miller.

[Hoss]

 

Go look at seymon varlamovs numbers then come back and explain to me what Colorado would want with miller.

 

Playoff numbers are ugly. That's about it.

[Robviously]

yep. don't look at it as the #8 pick. Look at it from a results point of view. We have two absolute studs on defense that dominated the WJC. And this year it is looking like top 3 or 4. We have our tank and restock at the end of this season.

Five Stages of Grief: 1. Denial 2. Anger 3. Bargaining 4. Depression 5. Acceptance.

 

The only thing sadder than fans rooting for a tank is fans someone convincing themselves the tank is complete. It's like deciding you're going to go on a diet and then deciding mission accomplished because didn't that salad last week count just as much as a diet?

 

The Sabres have never tanked. This is their fourth year in a row where they've started horribly and then begun to climb out of that mid-season.

 

2010-2011: Start horribly, draft 16th.

2011-2012: Start horribly, draft 12th.

2012-2013: Start horribly, draft 8th.

2013-2014: Start horribly, draft ???.

 

What we have to show for this so far is: Armia (so-so in the AHL), Catenacci (barely exists in the AHL) , Jacobs (who?), Grigorenko (has had success in the Q and a good WJC), Girgensons (awesome but needs to protect himself if he wants a long career), McCabe (hasn't turned pro yet), Kea (???), Ullmark (let's see what he can do in North America in late 2015), Risto (so far so good), Zadorov (so far so good), and a 2013 grab bag of a forwards that *might* be good but probably won't be superstars (Compher, Hurley, Bailey, Baptiste, and Possler).

 

Not a bad haul, but I'm still not seeing a franchise player to lead us back to the playoffs in there. And by "franchise player", I'm not even talking about a Crosby. I just mean someone to lead the team, and to count on when the game is on the line. I guess maybe Myers if continues his resurgence. Maybe Girgensons if he doesn't get himself killed.

 

Complete the tank this year and a first overall pick means they're getting a player with more potential than anyone they've drafted since Pierre Turgeon (1987). Add that guy and suddenly this whole blueprint (no hashtag) snaps into focus. Unfortunately, draft 4th, 5th, or 6th this year (which seems likely) and we're looking at another Grignorenko-level prospect. Who knows?

 

As for next year, I hope they start off hot and we hope they hang in there for the playoffs. Anything is better than another year of "Start horribly, and hope they finish horribly." Four is plenty.