2015-2016 Expectations

[LGR4GM]

The Texas Rangers have gone from gawdawful last year and DFL the first month of this baseball season to tied for the last wildcard spot in the second month.  The biggest difference?  The emergence of youth as important pieces of the team.  Joey Gallo had 4 RBIs in his first MLB game including an upper deck home run.  Delino DeShields has become an ace leadoff hitter, starting tonight's game with a leadoff triple and a run scored (Rangers are 9-3 since he moved to leadoff).  Chi Chi Gonzales made his first major league appearance a few games ago and threw 5+ scoreless innings as the starter.  He topped that tonight by pitching a 9 inning shutout.

 

I'm not saying the Rangers are going to the World Series, but in one off-season where they switched general managers and now bringing in youth, they've improved to a team that is amazingly fun to watch.

 

I think the Sabres are completely capable of the same kind of improvement this year.

Baseball is not hockey.  Possible yes but Buffalo has a ton of things to overcome.  

[Doohicksie]

I would say that baseball is a harder nut to crack.  First of all, there are twice as many moving pieces on the field and because of the substitution rules, once a player changes you're stuck with him.  

 

My point was, and I think we saw the glimmers of it toward the end of last year without Samson or Jack, the youth is making this their team.  And given that opportunity and the quality of our youth, rapid improvement is not out of the question.

[MattPie]

I would say that baseball is a harder nut to crack.  First of all, there are twice as many moving pieces on the field and because of the substitution rules, once a player changes you're stuck with him.  

 

My point was, and I think we saw the glimmers of it toward the end of last year without Samson or Jack, the youth is making this their team.  And given that opportunity and the quality of our youth, rapid improvement is not out of the question.

 

It always felt to me that baseball was a bit more plug and play with players since there's a limited number of options the player has to choose from if the ball comes to him. You don't really need to know your second baseman's tendencies and preferences to get the ball to him and force out the runner.

[dEnnis the Menace]

It always felt to me that baseball was a bit more plug and play with players since there's a limited number of options the player has to choose from if the ball comes to him. You don't really need to know your second baseman's tendencies and preferences to get the ball to him and force out the runner.

 

yeah you do.  Most double plays are muscle memory with the guy next to you. Knowing where you need to throw it to him (does he like the ball high or low, does he like it in close or out far, etc.).  There is a lot that goes into playing the field in baseball.  Just saying.  

[WildCard]

So, playoffs? The big 3 questions for me are

 

1) Eichel and Reinhart's NHL adjustment

 

2) Can Risto step into a #1 role and carry that defense?

 

3) Is Lehner as Murray advertises? 

[deluca67]

So, playoffs? The big 3 questions for me are

 

1) Eichel and Reinhart's NHL adjustment

 

2) Can Risto step into a #1 role and carry that defense?

 

3) Is Lehner as Murray advertises? 

This is the first time I can remember I can't wait until summer is over. Let's start training camp and see what we got. 

[WildCard]

This is the first time I can remember I can't wait until summer is over. Let's start training camp and see what we got. 

Definitely. I haven't been this excited for October in about 5 years. Both teams should be very entertaining to watch

[Iron Crotch]

This will be a completely different team from last year.  New coaching staff and half the lineup will be different.  Far more scoring potential on the squad with Kane, Eichel, O'Reilly and company.  I see nothing wrong with being optimistic.  We can make a playoff run this coming season if the goaltending holds up (big "if").

 

[Kelly the Dog]

A couple things are a given, like we all can't wait to see Eichel, and probably how good is Reinhart, and O'Reilly. Lehner, too.

 

Personally, I can't wait to see Kane play with these guys, and I can't wait to see Ennis play with good players.

[TrueBlueGED]

Where is PA to tell us that innocuous Murray quote from a month or two ago means we're tanking again? 

 

Sorry, I had to scratch the itch. PA, we love you, don't leave us! :P

[Claude_Verret]

Where is PA to tell us that innocuous Murray quote from a month or two ago means we're tanking again? 

 

Sorry, I had to scratch the itch. PA, we love you, don't leave us! :P

 

 

We had no one to tell us last night about body language and where the Sabres brass stood on stage with Eichel and what that means in regard to Pegula and his cronies meddling ways.

[rickshaw]

Hopefully our team learns to play together, play hard for each other, and show the rest of the league that in a few years, they will be a force to be reckoned with. 

Time to stop being the laughing stock and start making strides to respectability and then domination. One thing I really want is for them to start making their building a nasty place to play in for opposing teams. To build a good foundation and a team that says "screw you everyone else" we are a tight group and will back each other up. 

[qwksndmonster]

Where is PA to tell us that innocuous Murray quote from a month or two ago means we're tanking again? 

 

Sorry, I had to scratch the itch. PA, we love you, don't leave us! :P

We had no one to tell us last night about body language and where the Sabres brass stood on stage with Eichel and what that means in regard to Pegula and his cronies meddling ways.

 

We can't quit you, PA and GoDD.  Just like you can't quit the Bored.

[Kelly the Dog]

Hopefully our team learns to play together, play hard for each other, and show the rest of the league that in a few years, they will be a force to be reckoned with. 

Time to stop being the laughing stock and start making strides to respectability and then domination. One thing I really want is for them to start making their building a nasty place to play in for opposing teams. To build a good foundation and a team that says "screw you everyone else" we are a tight group and will back each other up.

 

I don't think what can be underestimated is not only the players that Murray brought in but the kind of players, as well as the ones that got shipped out. Grigs was a could have been. Zads I really didn't want to see go but he is a lightning rod. Hodgson is gone. Every guy he brought in is big, tough and self starter, even the Legwand and McGinn throw ins. There isn't one player on this entire team that isn't a hard worker on the ice. Even our new goalie is a maniac. The addition by subtraction as well as the talent and the experience brought in makes this an entirely different kind of team.

[dudacek]

I don't think what can be underestimated is not only the players that Murray brought in but the kind of players, as well as the ones that got shipped out. Grigs was a could have been. Zads I really didn't want to see go but he is a lightning rod. Hodgson is gone. Every guy he brought in is big, tough and self starter, even the Legwand and McGinn throw ins. There isn't one player on this entire team that isn't a hard worker on the ice. Even our new goalie is a maniac. The addition by subtraction as well as the talent and the experience brought in makes this an entirely different kind of team.

Was just thinking the same thing.

We've got a dressing room full of soldiers.

 

People might not like the value Murray gets in trades, but he is trading with purpose.

Culture should be excellent.

[DarthEbriate]

As of post-draft, I'm keeping my expectations tempered for 2015-16. I'm just happy that we have a goal of winning in the present again and are not solely focused on the "Wins of the Future". It made for horrible entertainment.

 

So here's my expectation: we put a dent in that criminal -113 goal differential and get it to the respectable -25 to 0 range. There's still a ton of growth to take place before we're a legitimate contender and we lack defensive depth (until we sign Beauchemin or Martin).

 

Looking at last year's standings, -15 would put us in the upper 80s for total points. That's a huge improvement, but still drafting in the top 10.

[WildCard]

This is awesome; how great does it have to feel for the returning players like Ennis and Moulson to know the tank is finally over, and Murray and Pegula are genuine when they say they will go balls to the walls to speed up a rebuild and win a Cup

 

Murray on the returning vets' excitement from Draft day trades and Eichel

 

"I can tell you that our players back home are excited," Murray said. "I got a couple texts from different guys, and if that excitement that they showed today carries over into training camp, I believe we can improve by quite a bit. In saying that, we've got a long way to go to improve to get to be competitive or a playoff team."

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=772329

[Crusader1969]

2 questions -

 

1)what would you consider to be a disappointing season for the Sabres?  I don't really care that much about play-offs next season. I would just like to see them increase their season point total by about 25 or so. Get a full season under the belts of Eichart  / Pysyk and 1 full season of being a pro for Baptiste and Bailey. I'd also want to see McCabe thrive as the #1 Dman on the Amerks.

 

2) What is the line-up when Sabres are not just play-off contenders but Cup Contenders? 

 

Kane             Eichel           O'Reilly

Bailey            Reinhart       Ennis

Moulson       Girgensons   Baptiste

Deslauriers   Foligno         Fasching 

 

Risto                 Pysyk

not on roster     Bogosian

Gorges             McCabe  

 

Lerner

[Randall Flagg]

Ermergerd, Lerner

[Doohicksie]

(big "if").

[PromoTheRobot]

I expect to be in the running for a playoff spot in the final weeks of the season. It's not climbing Mt. Everest, folks. It's just being a middling NHL team. Hardly a crazy goal.

[Doohicksie]

People might not like the value Murray gets in trades, but he is trading with purpose.

Culture should be excellent.

Darcy won trades but somehow never figured out how to build a team. GMTM builds a team. He doesn't use sentiment in picking his guys, he looks for self starters with hockey IQ that I think will be similarly non-sentimental. "I'll do my job. I expect you to do yours." Anyone that doesn't do their job will not be welcome in the locker room (which is why Consistent Hoover never stood a chance on this team going forward).

 

...and also why someone like Kane will be welcome. He might not be charming off the ice but as long as he puts in the effort (and it seems like he's that kind of player), he will be more than welcome in this locker room. As long as each player puts out their best effort and works hard, the chemistry will be solid.

[pi2000]

They could improve by 25 points and still finish bottom 5 in the league.  I expect a 15-20 point improvement.

 

There will be injuries, who is the backup goalie, what if Lehner gets another concussion?  Or Kane's shoulder acts up?   Ennis and Girgensons have had injury problems.   

 

The moves they made are nice and in the right direction, but they still don't have that depth up and down their lineup to make a run at a playoff spot.

[CallawaySabres]

They could improve by 25 points and still finish bottom 5 in the league.  I expect a 15-20 point improvement.

 

There will be injuries, who is the backup goalie, what if Lehner gets another concussion?  Or Kane's shoulder acts up?   Ennis and Girgensons have had injury problems.   

 

The moves they made are nice and in the right direction, but they still don't have that depth up and down their lineup to make a run at a playoff spot.

I just don't see anywhere near bottom 5 in the league. There is just way too much talent on this team not to take playoff talk seriously. The division is not that great and the only locks I see in it are Tampa and Montreal. Not that far fetched to beat out a Detroit or Florida. Then you still have 2 Wild Cards after that. Toronto, Ottawa and Boston are hardly threats in my eyes.

[Samson's Flow]

I just don't see anywhere near bottom 5 in the league. There is just way too much talent on this team not to take playoff talk seriously. The division is not that great and the only locks I see in it are Tampa and Montreal. Not that far fetched to beat out a Detroit or Florida. Then you still have 2 Wild Cards after that. Toronto, Ottawa and Boston are hardly threats in my eyes.

When you compare our top 6 to other teams that just made the playoffs last year, I think I take our group every time. That gives me hope that we have a chance at the playoffs as soon as this year.