When did you go all-in for a rebuild?

[Stormin Norman]

As we approach a historic moment in Sabres history tonight, I wonder at what point you endorsed a total rebuild (if you ever did)? I am not talking about tanking...more the idea that the complete character, leadership, and talent make-up of the team had to be reconstructed if we were to reach our goal of winning a CUP.

 

Here is mine. This was before Darcy told us we had to suffer. When Lucic went virtually untouched for the rest of the game, I wanted a total clean out including Darcy and Lindy. As we sit here today, I have gotten what I asked for and I am totally on board with it.

 

 

[darksabre]

May 19th, 2007.

[Stormin Norman]

May 19th, 2007.

Yeah, I hated that, too.

[SwampD]

Mine was when we lost to Carolina. Even though they are called the no touch years, that was only for the regular season. People can say what they want about injuries, but we weren't built for the playoffs then (that was even more evident the next year). I also wasn't thrilled with Ruff after that (sorry Eleven).

[Weave]

Sometime in the 07-08 season it became apparent to me that our new core lacked, not in skill, but in whatever win at all costs on the ice character that was going to be needed to make real playoff success likely.  I was ready to swap out parts at that point.

 

Still not on board with the tank that we got.  But, it is what it is.

Edited April 18, 2015 by weave

[wjag]

Actually the day they fired Ruff

Edited April 18, 2015 by wjag

[BetterDays06]

When Ryan Miller was traded and talked to the media on his way out. When you see a player shed a tear and love the city of Buffalo as much as he did, thats when I realized out with the old and in with the young and new

[Stoner]

May 19th, 2007.

Huh? You must have been happy on July 1.

[mjd1001]

I don't know the exact date, but I have always been in favor of a 'strip-it-down' rebuild...ANYTIME it looks like your team is going to flounder around a bit in the middle of the pack.

 

Once my best players hit 28 or 29 years old....and I become older (as a team) than an average NHL team...it is time to strip things down and start over..UNLESS I am currently a top-5 favorite for the cup with that team.

[Two or less]

When they brought back Rolston as head coach, i was furious. Wasnt a fan of his at all. At that point, i had hoped we'd struggle, pick a good forward and then continue to suck and have a chance at McEichel. It's been a hell of a run.

[Stoner]

Sometime in the 07-08 season it became apparent to me that our new core lacked, not in skill, but in whatever win at all costs on the ice character that was going to be needed to make real playoff success likely.  I was ready to swap out parts at that point.

 

Still not on board with the tank that we got.  But, it is what it is.

Maybe a bit later for me. 07-08 was just the first season after the co-captains. The younger veterans needed a bit more time. Certainly by the time Miller had his Vezina season (2009-2010; also — gasp! — an Olympic year), I was ready for the core to be shaken up. I would have started with Miller when his value was inflated. At the very latest, the rebuild should have started at the end of 2010-11 season with the firing of Lindy and Darcy. A fresh set of eyes on the team would not have gone on a spending spree that offseason, we would have been coming back up in 2013-2014 and "tanking" wouldn't have been necessary.

Edited April 18, 2015 by @fakegorbyportwinestain

[Weave]

Maybe a bit later for me. 07-08 was just the first season after the co-captains. The younger veterans needed a bit more time. Certainly by the time Miller had his Vezina season (2009-2010; also — gasp! — an Olympic year), I was ready for the core to be shaken up. I would have started with Miller when his value was inflated. At the very latest, the rebuild should have started at the end of 2010-11 season with the firing of Lindy and Darcy. A fresh set of eyes on the team would not have gone on a spending spree that offseason, we would have been coming back up in 2013-2014 and "tanking" wouldn't have been necessary.

 

We lacked playoff tenacity in 07-08.  And the problems at center were becoming apparent.  At that time I wanted wingers moved for centers.  Of course, the wingers that would have brought the best centers back were our young, new leaders, Vanek, Pommer, Hecht.

[dudacek]

I don't think I was fully in until they decided to make a mad run for 22nd when they should have stopped winnin' for McKinnon.

[TrueBlueGED]

I don't think I was fully in until they decided to make a mad run for 22nd when they should have stopped winnin' for McKinnon.

 

I'm pretty sure that was the flashpoint for me as well. 

[LastPommerFan]

4/3/13

[LGR4GM]

I wanted the core changed after the last time we were in the playoffs but full rebuild came after our historic run to 8th in a draft we could have had Barkov, MacKinnon, Doruin, or Monahan.  That moment I decided we had sell off the vets and start over because we weren't helping ourselves. So for me it was sometime during the lockout shortened year.

 

Just to add, I really am glad we have Ristolainen.

Edited April 18, 2015 by LGR4GM

[stenbaro]

July 1 2007, The day we lost Drury and Briere. At that point we had no true centers worthy and I knew then we were finished and needed to start over...

[Cereal]

Yeesh... Almost four years ago now.... when we signed Leino on July 1, 2011..... Pegula had bought the Sabres in February 2011, and this was the desperation move to win the Cup quick with the core of SGM's.

 

That was when it hit me.

[IKnowPhysics]

For me it was the Jason Pominville trade (April 3rd, 2013).  Before this point, I still had hope that we could crawl our way out of ninth in the East with hard work and good asset management.  Even with Ruff fired, and my considerable respect for Ruff as a good coach, I held on to some hope of finding a capable replacement coach.

 

Trade-wise, it was the trade deadline and we had just moved Leopold and Regehr.  This was a year after moving Goose.  Each of these previous trades were explainable with "asset management" with expiring contracts, but moving Pominville, who was the captain at the time, a year before his contract was up, was the sign that management had committed fully to the tank.  It was also the first major piece of the middling "core" to be dismantled, if you don't count the Roy for Ott swap.

 

Over the following calendar year, the players to be traded out of Buffalo would be, in order: Sekera, Vanek, Miller, Ott, Halak, Moulson, McCormick, McNabb.  That was full time tanking, and the Pominville trade was the point of no return.  The only logical conclusion following that trade was to blow the whole thing up as quickly as possible and get as many elite draft picks as possible- and I think both Regier and Murray have done a masterful job achieving that interim goal.

[MattPie]

I think it set in during the partial lockout year. I think that's when the pattern was all too clear and needed to be changed in any fashion. I always though that I'd rather see an OK to good team every year and that the losing season would be terrible but these last two haven't bothered me nearly as much as I thought it would.

[FLYNNSanity]

I wanted a rebuild during the 11-12 season but went full tank mode once Miller was out.

[beerme1]

February 2015

[Number73]

Maturity and talent earned Sabres’ Cody Hodgson long-term contract

 

“He wants to be a No. 1 guy from the standpoint he wants to be counted on, and he wants to be recognized in a leadership position,” Sabres general manager Darcy Regier said Thursday inside the First Niagara Center during the first on-ice sessions of training camp. “He wants the opportunity to be in positions where you can make a difference.”

 

I think he’ll get better defensively,” Regier said. “I think as his career moves on he’ll create more points. He’s an all-around player than can be counted on in a lot of situations, and I think you’ll see growth in all those areas with him.”

 

Regier said the deal builds “based on what you think their projection is and what they’ll become.

 

ccording to Sportsnet, Hodgson’s yearly salary escalates as follows: $3 million, $3.5 million, $4 million, $4.5 million, $5 million and $5.5 million. His $4.25 million cap hit is the team’s fifth highest, according to gapgeek.com.

[Sabre Dance]

I don't believe in the total-teardown rebuild.  There are always players who carry over from season to season and it is up to the GM and front office to keep the good ones and jettison the not-so-good.  The team should be constantly being improved.  My example is Detroit.  They have made the playoffs for 24 straight years. Some years, they've won the Cup; others they've barely squeaked into the post-season and gone out in the first round.  But they are pretty consistent.  Give me that. So far all I've seen from the Sabres for the last decade has been a downward spiral and I don't think that is over yet.  Give me a call when this owner and his cronies have really done something.

Edited April 21, 2015 by Sabre Dance

[ddaryl]

I was all in as soon as it became obvious that Pegulas pocket book wasn't enough for Reiger to turn the team into a contender