What if Tim Murray.....

[Doohicksie]

I think a lot of people are hoping what Nolan can do with a full season of a less-than-medicore roster. :flirt: Crap in, Crap out. Simple as that. This is a roster nearly devoid of NHL-level talent from top to bottom. Mediocre will be an improvement.

 

Nolan's team didn't dump his all-star goalie last time.

 

No, they dumped Nolan.

[That Aud Smell]

Yup. He was a true broker of pieces. His problem was that he couldn't assemble them.

 

except when he did. blind squirrel finding nuts?

[Andrew Amerk]

 

 

If he had a mediocre roster to work with then maybe, but I think it'd be hard to make moves this offseason to get this roster to even mediocre.

 

I think that the Sabres could elevate to mediocre, if they wanted to.

 

Besides players like Ott, Stastny, and Callahan becoming available, there is an interesting crop of decent vets this year in FA.

 

Plus, it's another year older for all the current kids.

[nfreeman]

It just feels like the most likely outcome is that the Sabres pursue Callahan and 1 or 2 other good FA forwards, end up signing zero or 1 plus a couple of journeymen and don't improve much next year.

 

They'll probably have good effort and decent D and goaltending most nights and again very

little scoring or offensive zone time. That would leave them in the bottom 3 or 4 after a pretty dreary season.

 

And them we'll need to hope that the stench of

losing isn't ineradicable and that they'll be another Pittsburgh and not another Edmonton.

 

Thanks again Darcy.

[Stoner]

except when he did. blind squirrel finding nuts?

 

Squirrel!

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Squirrel!

 

Paging wilbur .........

[Doohicksie]

Just throwing this out there now that the dust has settled. All the FA's have been moved and we have a top 2 pick. This was the plan before and after DR.

 

So, who do you HONESTLY think would have maximized the rest of the teardown. DR or TM? I can't help but think (and i fully understand he had to go) but a part of me thinks DR would have received more value for the remainder of the guys that TM moved. Both the Pominville and Vanek moves were very well done.

 

I think the difference is the returns. Both guys would have gotten picks for sure, but let's see how Deslauriers and the rest work out. I like to think TM is picking up supporting pieces of the rebuild while Darcy always seemed to win the trade but never built a team with the proceeds.

[I am Defecting]

What if Bill Murray...

 

 

 

Well, it would be a lot better than this ######-show.

[pi2000]

All this talk about one player this, one player that. Let me ask you this... would the BlackHawks have won those Cups without Kane? Sometimes one player, one GREAT player, is enough to put a team over the hump.

 

Buffalo will have a shot this year and next to land 2-3 elite talents. If they don't screw it up, they'll be set for the next decade.

[I am Defecting]

I think that you're counting on Patrick Kane, or Sidney Crosby, and NOT the eventual Sabres draft pick. It's more than just the player.

Edited April 9, 2014 by Marcellus

[Weave]

All this talk about one player this, one player that. Let me ask you this... would the BlackHawks have won those Cups without Kane? Sometimes one player, one GREAT player, is enough to put a team over the hump.

 

Buffalo will have a shot this year and next to land 2-3 elite talents. If they don't screw it up, they'll be set for the next decade.

 

From what most of the folks that prospect grade say, there are no real elite talents in this years draft. Even the Sam's aren't getting the elite label.

[wjag]

From what most of the folks that prospect grade say, there are no real elite talents in this years draft. Even the Sam's aren't getting the elite label.

 

and that is oh so typical of Buffalo sports. We haven't had an elite first round winner since Bruce Smith. Even when they tank, they pick the wrong year to do it.

 

Edit: I guess one could argue Wolford too. In NHL, I guess Turgeon.

Edited April 10, 2014 by wjag

[Hank]

 

Do you really want to sit through another season like this one? I certainly do not

 

Absolutely! I hope we win under 20 games. I am fully on board with the tank.

[I am Defecting]

I am fully onboard with throwing rotten garbage at the First Niagara Center from the Skyway.

[nucci]

Absolutely! I hope we win under 20 games. I am fully on board with the tank.

and if that happens how could you call that progress? That also means our young players aren't developing and we would be that much farther from a winning team.

[LastPommerFan]

 

 

From what most of the folks that prospect grade say, there are no real elite talents in this years draft. Even the Sam's aren't getting the elite label.

 

But better than Vanek. The best player we've drafted in 20 years.

[sicknfla]

Dumping two years for a couple high draft picks is one hell of a roll of the dice. First, it is a lottery system which does not guarantee you the top pick and second IT IS A DRAFT PICK!! There are no guarantees with a draft pick - don't care who it is.

 

This year especially. My guess is 5 years from now the best player in this draft is someone nobody thought would be. And he will be playing for a team that didn't freaking tank to get him.

[deluca67]

It just feels like the most likely outcome is that the Sabres pursue Callahan and 1 or 2 other good FA forwards, end up signing zero or 1 plus a couple of journeymen and don't improve much next year.

 

They'll probably have good effort and decent D and goaltending most nights and again very

little scoring or offensive zone time. That would leave them in the bottom 3 or 4 after a pretty dreary season.

 

And them we'll need to hope that the stench of

losing isn't ineradicable and that they'll be another Pittsburgh and not another Edmonton.

 

Thanks again Darcy.

Why would the Sabres pursue Callahan? As a player at the point he is at in his career he makes zero sense for the Sabres. A 29 year old who is often injured that is looking to get paid.

 

I said it several times, just because Pegula has the money to pay any player in the league whatever they want doesn't mean it should be done. Any moves made have to make sense and can't just be bringing in names that fans can say "hey, I heard of that guy." Substance over flash.

[dudacek]

Why would the Sabres pursue Callahan? As a player at the point he is at in his career he makes zero sense for the Sabres. A 29 year old who is often injured that is looking to get paid.

 

I said it several times, just because Pegula has the money to pay any player in the league whatever they want doesn't mean it should be done. Any moves made have to make sense and can't just be bringing in names that fans can say "hey, I heard of that guy." Substance over flash.

 

Good points for sure, but there are three reasons why they might (and IMO should) consider it:

1) they need to spend to get to the floor

2) they need some veteran leadership to show the kids the way and counteract a culture of losing

3) the fan base is as disillusioned as it's ever been; you have to give them a reason to buy tickets.

[Marvelo]

Good points for sure, but there are three reasons why they might (and IMO should) consider it:

1) they need to spend to get to the floor

2) they need some veteran leadership to show the kids the way and counteract a culture of losing

3) the fan base is as disillusioned as it's ever been; you have to give them a reason to buy tickets.

 

sorry,I know Bflo is desperate but I don't think the often injured Callahan has the type of skills to put fans in the seats.

[HopefulFuture]

 

and if that happens how could you call that progress? That also means our young players aren't developing and we would be that much farther from a winning team.

 

I believe the consensus is most of our youth will be in Rochester next year. And rightfully so.

The idea is to let them build chemistry while also tasting victory at AHL level for their development.

[Claude_Verret]

Dumping two years for a couple high draft picks is one hell of a roll of the dice. First, it is a lottery system which does not guarantee you the top pick and second IT IS A DRAFT PICK!! There are no guarantees with a draft pick - don't care who it is.

 

This year especially. My guess is 5 years from now the best player in this draft is someone nobody thought would be. And he will be playing for a team that didn't freaking tank to get him.

 

Well I might as well bring it up for the millionth time...what other method of team building guarantees anything? I'm interested to hear what it is so that we can trump all the other GM's and move on to that plan.

 

Edit: And it isn't just about a top 5 pick, it's about the multitude of picks that DR/TM garnered in the first two rounds. So if you're right and an elite player is there hiding in the weeds, the Sabres have better chance of getting that guy, no?

Edited April 10, 2014 by Claude_Verret

[nucci]

I believe the consensus is most of our youth will be in Rochester next year. And rightfully so.

The idea is to let them build chemistry while also tasting victory at AHL level for their development.

Understood but they also need NHL experience. If this team wins 20 games again next year that means either Murray did not make any moves or the moves he made were bad ones. We will be that much further from having a competitive team.

[HopefulFuture]

 

Understood but they also need NHL experience. If this team wins 20 games again next year that means either Murray did not make any moves or the moves he made were bad ones. We will be that much further from having a competitive team.

 

I believe fully they have written off next season already and TM and staff are targeting 16 as the year to put it all together. Maybe picking up a vet Ufa or 2 this off season but I honestly look to the post15 draft and the subsequent 15 summer Ufa class to put the foundation in place

[nucci]

I believe fully they have written off next season already and TM and staff are targeting 16 as the year to put it all together. Maybe picking up a vet Ufa or 2 this off season but I honestly look to the post15 draft and the subsequent 15 summer Ufa class to put the foundation in place

I understand that's the route they may take I just don't agree with it. Going to be difficult to sit through another year like this and hoping we 're better in 3-4 years.