The Tank is Done (Now we're just bad)

[Johnny DangerFace]

I think it is safe to say the sabres have completely ripped apart the entire team for assets, and we are done. Of course we will try to sell off rentals at next years deadline, but no more than any other team, and we are going to start actually considering resigning rentals instead of only wanting to trade them away. I believe the sabres should try to do everything they can (without giving up picks/prospects) to get better starting now, including free agency (I dont mean go spend everything on old free agents. I mean start picking out players you think can be part of this team for the next five years). They are still going to be god-awful and in contention for the #1 overall pick next year now matter who they get in free agency, so this won't affect next year. So by tank being done, i mean ripping apart this team, roster manipulation, etc. is over with because there is no more need. This team is bad, and will be bad next year no matter what.

 

 

 

So now that we have ripped apart our roster, where does everyone belong in the future?

 

 

I see it like this

 

xxx --- xxx --- xxx

Ennis --- Hodgson --- xxx

Foligno? --- Girgensons --- xxx

xxx --- Konopka? --- D' Agostini?

 

xxx --- Myers

Ehrhoff --- xxx

xxx --- xxx

 

Key C Prospects: Grigorenko, Larsson

Key LW Prospects: Compher, Hurley, Carrier, Possler, Deslauriers

Key RW Prospects: Armia, Fasching, Baptiste, Bailey

Key LD Prospects: Zadorov, McCabe

Key RD Prospects: Ristolainen, Pysyk, Ruhwedel

 

Not in plans: Stafford, lleino, scott, mitchell, mcbain, flynn, tallinder, sulzer, weber, stewart

 

Key 2014 Free Agents (30 and under): Thomas Vanek (LW), Paul Stastny (C.), Ales Hemsky (RW), Joni Pitkanen (LD), Milan Michalek (LW), Ryan Callhan (RW), Andrej Meszaros (LD), Kyle Quincy (LD), Dave Bolland (C.), Matt Moulson (LW), Jussi Jokinen (LW), Devin Setoguchi (RW), Mikhail Grobovski (C.), Matt Greene (RW), Nikolai Kulemin (RW), Steve Downie (RW), Matt Niskanen (RD), Derek Roy (C.), Mason Raymond (LW), Andrew Macdonald (LD)

 

 

 

Trade Recaps:

 

miller, vanek, gaustad, Roy, leopold, pominville, regehr, sekera, kassian, Mcnabb, McCormick, MAG, Brennan, Parker, boychuck, 2012 2nd, 2013 4th, 2014 4th, 2015 3rd, 2015 2nd (miller conditional), 2016 3rd (miller conditional)

 

For

 

Zadorov, Girgensons, Hodgson, compher, Larsson, possler, fasching, deslauriers, Hackett, mcbain, tallinder, florentino, Sulzer, pardy, neuvirth, Stewart, carrier, klesa, mitchell, Bailey, 2014 WPG 2nd, 2014 MIN 2nd, 2014/2015 NYI 1st, 2015 NYI 2nd, 2015 STL 1st, 2016 MIN 2nd, 2014 STL 1st (miller conditional)

Edited March 6, 2014 by Numark

[bunomatic]

A little premature in my mind. There'll be more bodies going out at the draft. TM has said as much so we're not done tearing down.

[Johnny DangerFace]

A little premature in my mind. There'll be more bodies going out at the draft. TM has said as much so we're not done tearing down.

 

I mean I know there going to be getting rid of more people not in their plans, and getting assets for them. But I think the focus is going to start shifting. Players like ott or moulson could have been part of the plan, but we needed more picks/prospects.

 

Other players are still gonna go, but they are all depth players.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Numark

[bunomatic]

I mean I know there going to be getting rid of more people not in their plans, and getting assets for them. But I think the focus is going to start shifting. Players like ott or moulson could have been part of the plan, but we needed more picks/prospects.

 

got it.

[SDS]

I don;t agree. Stafford, Ennis, Myers, Ehrhoff... Lots of vet pieces that may move that aren't depth players...

[Weave]

Tank isn't done. It's looking like two more seasons of tank to me. The core is gone though, so there is that.

[Campy]

I'm excited for the Draft. Not just to see who the Sabres select, but to see if they go shopping - which I think they will - and who they acquire.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Tank isn't done. It's looking like two more seasons of tank to me. The core is gone though, so there is that.

 

Who would have thought that Stafford would be the last one standing of DR's core.

[LGR4GM]

I'm excited for the Draft. Not just to see who the Sabres select, but to see if they go shopping - which I think they will - and who they acquire.

I think at the draft a couple of those 2nd round picks will be moved for previously drafted players.

 

As for the Tank being done, that won't happen until later. I think Murray might field a more competitive team next season but it appears the goal is to be bottom 5 next year.

[nfreeman]

I think Stafford, Stewart, Flynn and Weber are all on the team next year.

[darksabre]

As long as Drew Stafford is here nothing is done.

[respk]

The tank has one more year. Given the traffic Ehroff and Myers generated at the deadline I wouldn't be surprised if they were traded at the draft. It all depends on the return. Stafford and Stewart will probably be gone at the draft or at the trade deadline next season. Ennis or Hodgson has to go at some time as they are too similar.

 

One more winter at Valley Forge. Stay the course!

[26CornerBlitz]

http://youtu.be/n0twkm75k8o

 

McDavid...Wow! :wub:

[LGR4GM]

The tank has one more year. Given the traffic Ehroff and Myers generated at the deadline I wouldn't be surprised if they were traded at the draft. It all depends on the return. Stafford and Stewart will probably be gone at the draft or at the trade deadline next season. Ennis or Hodgson has to go at some time as they are too similar.

 

One more winter at Valley Forge. Stay the course!

:huh: what?

[wjag]

Thank god!

[apuszczalowski]

Do people here not understand what the definition of tanking is? or have they made up their own definition now for something that already means something else?

 

Tanking is when a team goes into a season, or decides during one to lose games instead of win in order to obtain a high draft choice (uusually the #1 overall pick). Tanking typically involves gutting a team of its talent so that losing games becomes much easier.

 

This "Tank" is not done, its apparently far from over

[carpandean]

Do people here not understand what the definition of tanking is? or have they made up their own definition now for something that already means something else?

 

Tanking is when a team goes into a season, or decides during one to lose games instead of win in order to obtain a high draft choice (uusually the #1 overall pick). Tanking typically involves gutting a team of its talent so that losing games becomes much easier.

 

This "Tank" is not done, its apparently far from over

 

Yeah, we are setup to tank next year, as we should be. TM might dip the plane a little lower - down to the treetops - for next year, but he should be preparing to start pulling up in July of 2015.

[SabresBillsFan]

I'm excited for the Draft. Not just to see who the Sabres select, but to see if they go shopping - which I think they will - and who they acquire.

 

I'm super excited for the draft we should have a top 3 pick. We have enough extra picks to move up and grab another player or players that Murray likes and then who knows what the Islanders do with their pick.

[Iron Crotch]

Yeah, we are setup to tank next year, as we should be. TM might dip the plane a little lower - down to the treetops - for next year, but he should be preparing to start pulling up in July of 2015.

 

IMHO, our big problem next year might be goaltending. The tandem of Enroth/Neuvirth doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

[darksabre]

 

 

IMHO, our big problem next year might be goaltending. The tandem of Enroth/Neuvirth doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

 

They'll be serviceable. But don't expect them to steal games like Miller did this year.

[Kristian]

IMHO, our big problem next year might be goaltending. The tandem of Enroth/Neuvirth doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

 

The current roster spells B-I-G problem as a whole. No reason goaltending shouldn't match the standard of our skaters :w00t:

[SabresBillsFan]

Do people here not understand what the definition of tanking is? or have they made up their own definition now for something that already means something else?

 

Tanking is when a team goes into a season, or decides during one to lose games instead of win in order to obtain a high draft choice (uusually the #1 overall pick). Tanking typically involves gutting a team of its talent so that losing games becomes much easier.

 

This "Tank" is not done, its apparently far from over

 

What people don't realize is that the complete gutting of the team will buy more years of Murray running the ship to get idea of how he wants the Sabres to be built. Part of me thinks the total gutting of the team is why LaFontaine resigned. I think he still wanted some key vets around and I have a feeling Black, the scouting department and Murray wanted to rip it all down and start the total rebuild.

 

 

 

IMHO, our big problem next year might be goaltending. The tandem of Enroth/Neuvirth doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

 

I'm not worried about Buffalo's goaltending. When was the last time we had some serious goaltending issues. We always seem to find a quality goalie unlike teams like Philly

[Derrico]

IMHO, our big problem next year might be goaltending. The tandem of Enroth/Neuvirth doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

 

I think that is by design with Murray. If we're going all in on the tank we almost have to have below average goaltending. If Miller wasn't here this season we would be a clear cut last place club rather than one that is just probably a last place team. Don't forget, I'm sure we won't be the only ones tanking next year.

 

Having said that, I wish we had or I hope that Murray intends on bringing a very good goaltending prospect to our farm system. Demko with the late first we would get if the Blues make the conference finals?

[IKnowPhysics]

Tanking is when a team goes into a season, or decides during one to lose games instead of win in order to obtain a high draft choice

 

Correct. The only thing the roster manipulation has done is make the Tank stronger and increase the reward for winning the tank war. Nothing more. If Ted Nolan decides he's going to get on the ice and start playing and it rallies the team into winning, that's not tanking, even if Torrey Mitchell's the team's leading scorer.

 

This war is far from over.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up2O8kvtRT4

[dudacek]

The tank is done, in terms of the sell-off being over.

Being bad will continue into next year, but it will be the afterglow of the tank, not the result of any future deliberate moves to finish lower in the standings. It will take time for the seeds we've acquired to start growing.

And don't kid yourself, Murray will be trading picks and prospects for players if he can, as long as those players are 25 and younger.

And he will be signing free agents - not to win now, but to create culture, competition and show kids the way.