Next year won't be a "tank".

[LastPommerFan]

D4rk,

 

Someone might be out for vengeance.

 

Sincerely,

 

GCoE

 

I had asparagus last night,…

 

 

…not really sure how it pertains to what the Sabres will do next year,…

 

 

…just thought it was noteworthy.

[bunomatic]

I had asparagus last night,…

 

 

…not really sure how it pertains to what the Sabres will do next year,…

 

 

…just thought it was noteworthy.

 

A piss is still a piss by any other name...unless you've had asparagus

[Campy]

I'm a little confused each time I see Deslauriers included in this list of good young prospects. He's a bit older and now out of his ELC. I doubt we'd have to be too worried about him clearing waviers, but at this stage in his career, I'd say he's probably at the point where he will be up in the NHL.

 

I read he was 23, so he's young, but not that young.

 

I was really impressed with what I saw out of him. He got knocked a bit in LA for developing too slowly, but the forward position seems to agree with him. TN seems to like him - and being singled out by GMTM in the season ending presser doesn't hurt - so I think he'll play a much bigger role next season. And I'm looking forward to it.

Edited April 17, 2014 by Campy

[PromoTheRobot]

GMTM plans on being in the draft lottery next year.

Count on it.

 

And for a year or two after!

[MattPie]

ID GIVE MY RIGHT ARM FOR THE SABRES TO WIN JUST 1 CUP!!!!

 

and correct me if I am wrong but didn't Boston just lose to Chicago in the Finals a team who have the EXACT model the Sabres are trying to replicate!

 

And the Flyers a couple years before that.

[wjag]

There is no doubt in my mind that next year will be a bigger tank than this year. And it will be controlled by Murray. He won't call a duck a duck, but a tank is a tank and he is now driving the tank.

[LastPommerFan]

There is no doubt in my mind that next year will be a bigger tank than this year. And it will be controlled by Murray. He won't call a duck a duck, but a tank is a tank and he is now driving the tank.

 

On the plus side, in order for him to make next year a tank, he'll have to stack the Amerks Roster. So there's that.

[Bob Malooga]

I have been meaning to ask...and I mean this 100% seriously...

 

Did ANYBODY truthfully believe the Buffalo Sabres would be anywhere near even a decent team this season?

 

 

As I said on the radio the other day...this has been one of the best years of sports I have witnessed, because the stress was gone. I did not expect the Bills or the Sabres to be any good. I understood they're re-building and I know what comes with that. I expected the Bills to struggle with new coaches, players and schemes...but they ended up surprising me a little bit. Better than I thought.

 

Same with the Sabres...I had zero belief in Ron Rolston as an NHL Head Coach, and I knew there would be a lot of rookies starting the year with the big club. I figured by Christmas they would be so behind, an 8th place chase like usual was extremely far-fetched, and I absolutely expected them to be drafting in the top-3 positions. Now, going into this season...there are really zero expectations like I had with the Bills last year. If they surprise me, so be it...but I am 100% prepared for another uninteresting season. (and to me, getting elite players through the draft is worth it.)

 

The only reason I am alright with all of this...I believe 100% that it works and will absolutely pay off in the future. I truthfully believe that our best times as Buffalo sports fans are in the not-too-distant future. Give it 3 years and we have 2 very good teams...dare I say, "contenders?"

 

Like I keep saying to skeptics...do you want a fun and exciting team, with young kids who can grow together and become possibly one of the best teams we have seen here...or do you want to continue chasing 8th place and mediocrity with a bunch of Ville Leino's?

 

I've had enough and I am sick of being the joke of the sports world, and I know damn well that guys like Doug Marrone and Doug Whaley, as well as Ted Nolan and Tim Murray, do NOT want to be the laughingstock of their profession...they won't let that happen to them. They are young and prideful and all want to make a name for themselves within their profession as some of the best at what they do.

 

So, "fans" I challenge you, get behind them fully and support them 100% and see this thing through...we really have no other option.

Edited April 19, 2014 by Bob Malooga

[SwampD]

I have been meaning to ask...and I mean this 100% seriously...

 

Did ANYBODY truthfully believe the Buffalo Sabres would be anywhere near even a decent team this season?

 

 

As I said on the radio the other day...this has been one of the best years of sports I have witnessed, because the stress was gone. I did not expect the Bills or the Sabres to be any good. I understood they're re-building and I know what comes with that. I expected the Bills to struggle with new coaches, players and schemes...but they ended up surprising me a little bit. Better than I thought.

 

Same with the Sabres...I had zero belief in Ron Rolston as an NHL Head Coach, and I knew there would be a lot of rookies starting the year with the big club. I figured by Christmas they would be so behind, an 8th place chase like usual was extremely far-fetched, and I absolutely expected them to be drafting in the top-3 positions. Now, going into this season...there are really zero expectations like I had with the Bills last year. If they surprise me, so be it...but I am 100% prepared for another uninteresting season. (and to me, getting elite players through the draft is worth it.)

 

The only reason I am alright with all of this...I believe 100% that it works and will absolutely pay off in the future. I truthfully believe that our best times as Buffalo sports fans are in the not-too-distant future. Give it 3 years and we have 2 very good teams...dare I say, "contenders?"

 

Like I keep saying to skeptics...do you want a fun and exciting team, with young kids who can grow together and become possibly one of the best teams we have seen here...or do you want to continue chasing 8th place and mediocrity with a bunch of Ville Leino's?

 

I've had enough and I am sick of being the joke of the sports world, and I know damn well that guys like Doug Marrone and Doug Whaley, as well as Ted Nolan and Tim Murray, do NOT want to be the laughingstock of their profession...they won't let that happen to them. They are young and prideful and all want to make a name for themselves within their profession as some of the best at what they do.

 

So, "fans" I challenge you, get behind them fully and support them 100% and see this thing through...we really have no other option.

However bad you thought this season was going to be, it was worse.

 

A guy who's number hangs the the friggin rafters quit on the team. It doesn't get worse than that.

[dEnnis the Menace]

On the plus side, in order for him to make next year a tank, he'll have to stack the Amerks Roster. So there's that.

 

very true point.

[Hoss]

After watching MacKinnon last night, I decided to dream a bit tonight and look at more Connor McDavid stuff than normal. And I should probably stop.

 

In his 2011 midget season, he had 209 points in 88 games. That's 78 points better than the next guy. He had .42 more points per game than the next guy who played a high number of games. Over a PPG as a 15 year old in the OHL. Nearly two points-per-game as a 16 year old.

The U-20 WJC tournament that he played seven games in is the only time that he hasn't had at least 1.39 PPG in SOMETHING.

 

 

Side note: Sonny Milano is fun...

 

Edited April 20, 2014 by Tankalicious

[Andrew Amerk]

Aquarium.

[WildCard]

In the OHL at 15 is absurd.

[Member Berries]

I think next year will effectively be a 'lets get a good look at our youth' year. One by one calling up young guys and seeing how they react in the big boy league. I also believe this will be done by Murray in a smart way(one or two at a time at most) and not how Regier's stupid @$$ did it at the beginning of this season. That was ugly and almost killed our future stars' confidence

[Crusader1969]

any guesses on the Sabres starting 6 Defencemen for the 2014/15 Season - I'm guessing we only only see Zadorov (only because he can't play in AHL) and 1 other prospect start the season with the team. The other 4 will be Myers, Erhoff, Weber and a FA who will cost about $1 million. I'd like to see them rotate the prospects - Pysyk, Rudy, McCabe, and Risto 1 at a time in the NHL. Give them all a taste but continue working their game in Rochester.

[Hoss]

My guess:

 

Pysyk, Myers, Weber, McBain, a free agent and one of Ehrhoff, Risto, McCabe or Tallinder.

If Risto or McCabe aren't in the top six, then I'd rather have Ruhwedel playing the role of seventh dman.

 

An addition I've liked the idea of for a while now is Brooks Orpik.

 

 

If we're building a lineup out of what's currently here (minus Leino) plus a prospect/free agent or two then I could see a tank lineup of:

 

Foligno-Hodgson-Stewart

Conacher-Ennis-Stafford

Larsson-Girgensons-Flynn

Deslauriers-Mitchell-Kaleta (could see them give him one last shot in the NHL)

 

That's really loose and not really mixing any styles or guys who have chemistry. Just a random bunching of forwards.

 

If we take Reinhart/Bennett and we have the pick up then I would probably say that they'd go to the third line center spot, Girgensons would move up to the second line and then Ennis would shift to the wing of the new guy on the third line.

Edited April 21, 2014 by Tankalicious

[calti]

If they buy out the best tank commander in the NHL , Leino , then the tank has ended

 

http://www.cbssports...-sabres-gm-says

yep--...

I am still in a state of wonderment about NO GOALS.--I mean something shoulda deflected off his ear or skate or something.Its a law of physics.

[Dannepanne]

My guess:

 

Pysyk, Myers, Weber, McBain, a free agent and one of Ehrhoff, Risto, McCabe or Tallinder.

If Risto or McCabe aren't in the top six, then I'd rather have Ruhwedel playing the role of seventh dman.

 

An addition I've liked the idea of for a while now is Brooks Orpik.

 

 

If we're building a lineup out of what's currently here (minus Leino) plus a prospect/free agent or two then I could see a tank lineup of:

 

Foligno-Hodgson-Stewart

Conacher-Ennis-Stafford

Larsson-Girgensons-Flynn

Deslauriers-Mitchell-Kaleta (could see them give him one last shot in the NHL)

 

That's really loose and not really mixing any styles or guys who have chemistry. Just a random bunching of forwards.

 

If we take Reinhart/Bennett and we have the pick up then I would probably say that they'd go to the third line center spot, Girgensons would move up to the second line and then Ennis would shift to the wing of the new guy on the third line.

I wouldn't mind seeing Adam start the year in buffalo, so he can make a real push for a spot.

[Huckleberry]

On a good team Kaleta and Foligno will make up an excellent 4th line.

And they will give Kaleta another shot at NHL, you can't get any better 4th liner than him to be honest.

 

Next year will be a tank no matter who or what we sign as UFA, The only season and offseason im actually looking forward to is 2015.

 

We will draft Mcdavid and Eichel, Sign patrick Kane and nick foligno via ufa. :blink:

 

Our 2015 forward lines :D

 

Eichel - Mcdavid - kane

Bennet - Grigorenko - Ennis

Foligno - Hodgson- Callahan

Foligno - Ott - Deslauriers

 

Myers - Zadorov

Risto - Erhoff

McCabe - ?

 

Neuvirth / Enroth <--- one or both will be gone.

Makarov

 

 

If this happens im walking around with a ###### whole year long.

 

won't let me say the word that starts with B and ends with oner :D

Edited April 21, 2014 by Heimdall

[Eleven]

On a good team Kaleta and Foligno will make up an excellent 4th line.

And they will give Kaleta another shot at NHL, you can't get any better 4th liner than him to be honest.

 

Next year will be a tank no matter who or what we sign as UFA, The only season and offseason im actually looking forward to is 2015.

 

We will draft Mcdavid and Eichel, Sign patrick Kane and nick foligno via ufa. :blink:

 

Our 2015 forward lines :D

 

Eichel - Mcdavid - kane

Bennet - Grigorenko - Ennis

Foligno - Hodgson- Callahan

Foligno - Ott - Deslauriers

 

Myers - Zadorov

Risto - Erhoff

McCabe - ?

 

Neuvirth / Enroth <--- one or both will be gone.

Makarov

 

 

If this happens im walking around with a ###### whole year long.

 

won't let me say the word that starts with B and ends with oner :D

 

Who did you trade Girgensons for?

[LastPommerFan]

Who did you trade Girgensons for?

 

Tragic chicken wing accident.

[Crusader1969]

On a good team Kaleta and Foligno will make up an excellent 4th line.

And they will give Kaleta another shot at NHL, you can't get any better 4th liner than him to be honest.

 

Next year will be a tank no matter who or what we sign as UFA, The only season and offseason im actually looking forward to is 2015.

 

We will draft Mcdavid and Eichel, Sign patrick Kane and nick foligno via ufa. :blink:

 

Our 2015 forward lines :D

 

Eichel - Mcdavid - kane

Bennet - Grigorenko - Ennis

Foligno - Hodgson- Callahan

Foligno - Ott - Deslauriers

 

Myers - Zadorov

Risto - Erhoff

McCabe - ?

 

Neuvirth / Enroth <--- one or both will be gone.

Makarov

 

 

If this happens im walking around with a ###### whole year long.

 

won't let me say the word that starts with B and ends with oner :D

 

You, my friend, are an optimist!

[Hoss]

I wouldn't mind seeing Adam start the year in buffalo, so he can make a real push for a spot.

 

Adam's contract is up. I wouldn't be shocked if he's elsewhere next season.

[pi2000]

They're going to be bad again next year..... really bad. There could very well be improvement and they'll still be "competing" for last place. They won't outright call it a "tank", but the strategy of drafting very high in 2015 remains firmly in place.

 

Agreed. The tank didn't officially start until the launched Miller, Ott and Moulson. If you thought they were bad last season, just wait until next.

 

Consider this.... here's some numbers since the trade deadline this season.

 

record: 3-21 (2 regulation wins) This translates to a 12 win season in 2014-15. They had 21 this season.

Shutout 3 times.

Scored 1 goal or less 11 times... that's slightly less than half the games.

Scored a total of 33 goals in those 24 games, 1.38 goals per game. At that pace they would score 113 goals over the course of a full 82 game season. They scored a league worst 157 goals THIS season, which is a whopping 40 goals fewer then the next lowest scoring team, FLA.

Their leading scorer (on their present roster) is Cody Hodgson with 44 points. He finished 117th in the NHL points race. 117th!

Tyler Ennis lead the team in goals with 21, ranking 84th in the league. Yay! Top 100!

[Hoss]

We should have a poll where everybody identifies where they stand. Tank Nation or Anti-Tank Nation. We could put it in our signatures and then it'd be interesting to see who switches throughout the offseason/regular season.