Tank 3.0

[inkman]

If another thread was started about this I apologize but Schopp broached the subject yesterday after he saw the Sabres were predicted to finish last again.

 

I cleansed myself of the ugly tank years promptly after last season ended. Right up until this very moment I was disgusted by the thought. I'm not sure if the Sabres could actively do anything to ensure a worse place in the standings. None-the-less are we headed for another last place finish? My eyes and heart tell me no but doubt is creeping into my head.

[That Aud Smell]

Not Tank 3.0, IMO.

 

Maybe Suck 1.0?

[WildCard]

We are not going to finish in last, we are not tanking. I still hold hope for an 8th seed, but even if we don't get that we'll probably then fall way short and get a top 5 pick. I'll honestly take either one. Next year though? No way is it flying

Not Tank 3.0, IMO.

Maybe Suck 1.0?

Sucking should be more than a 1.0 credit course IMO

[K-9]

Not worried in the least. I predict we will finish closer to a playoff spot than last place when it is all said and done for this season.

 

GO SABRES!!!

[Randall Flagg]

Last year's team managed to crawl to within 4 points of a playoff spot just after Christmas. Then obviously finished dead last. This recent swoon doesnt mean we're the worst in the league, I'm comfortable betting we finish the season above 80 points.

Edited December 12, 2015 by Randall Flagg

[inkman]

Sucking should be more than a 1.0 credit course IMO

I have come across some phd's and some in need of tutelage and clearly some who should change their major.

[WildCard]

I have come across some phd's and some in need of tutelage and clearly some who should change their major.

Well it can't be an easy class, so I can see the the reason for the failure rate. Can't be as hard as Carpentry 411 though

[Eleven]

I have some problems with Bylsma so far.  I am open-minded, but he makes questionable decisions.  Anyway, if this team finishes in the last five, it's on him.  (Barring injuries of course.)

 

This team is underperforming.  Bigtime.

Edited December 12, 2015 by eleven

[Hoss]

Methinks we all get a bit ahead of ourselves on this team. There's obviously far more talent than what we've had the last two years, but there's still some big holes on defense and the lack of legitimate goal-scorers on the wings. Eichel is still a teenager (who has been a slight disappointment but not the type I'm worried about long-term).

 

Which players in our current lineup are playing where (position & line) they should be?

 

(This is based off of the lineups at the start of last night's game)

 

McGinn - O'Reilly - Reinhart

Kane - Eichel - Gionta

Moulson - Girgensons - Larsson

Deslauriers - Legwand - Foligno

 

Gorges - Ristolainen

McCabe - Bogosian

Weber - Franson

 

Johnson - Ullmark

 

I bolded those I believe are where they should be.

Few explanations:

Reinhart - Despite his production he's still a rookie playing top-line minutes. Not ideal.

Eichel - I bolded him purely because he's too skilled to be anything but where he is right now. Several deficiencies in his game that he'll hammer out over time.

Moulson - Big disappointment, but I still think he's a third-line winger at worst right now. Production and play doesn't show us that, though.

Entire 4th line - Whatever. I'd bold just about anybody you put there.

Gorges - No. Not a top-pairing dman.

Bogosian - Hasn't performed like a top-six dman since returning but I still think he is one when completely health and in a groove.

Weber - No. Get him off the team.

Franson - This is one I doubt even though I bolded him. His offensive game isn't nearly where it should be for how slow and sketchy he is on defense.

Goalies - Due to injury neither are where they should be. Neither should be counted on for any level of consistent starts. Johnson could be a fine backup and Ullmark should be in ROC.

 

 

So we've got a ton of guys in the lineup still playing more than they should or out of position. Two of our top-line forwards included in that. We've got some pieces, but we've still got some building ahead of us.

 

I am still firmly in the "don't care about results" mode. I rooted for wins when they got to .500 but slipped back into not caring about results. I'm taking the year off and just watching/observing from a near-neutral standpoint. It has definitely been an interesting time to evaluate a team that's far more exciting but still missing so much of what makes good NHL teams.

And I will quietly pull for losses if we get to 70 games and this team is in last place or within three or four points of it.

[WildCard]

Honestly though Hoss, how many teams can you do that same anlysis too and get that many bold players? Having 2 defenders and 4 forwards not where they're supposed to be isn't bad at all. And bringing Ennis and Pysyk back likely removes 2 more of the holes, so we have one defender and 3 forwards not ideally where we want them, that's a hell of a foundation.

 

I think, as you noted above, we're just waiting on our best pieces to become just that. Risto got ahead of the curve playing 2 years in the big leagues, Reinhart has shown how much even one year of development and initial exposure to the NHL can do for him, imagine him next year. Probably not as big of a jump, but definitely better. Now imagine Eichel making that Reinhart-esk jump, Risto being even slightly better, a #1 goalie being fleshed out, and Murray making 1-2 key moves. The playoffs aren't even a dream next year, there a necessity

[Claude_Verret]

Not Tank 3.0, IMO.

 

Maybe Suck 1.0?

Yep. This one, if it happens, is on the players.

[Doohicksie]

I have some problems with Bylsma so far.  I am open-minded, but he makes questionable decisions.  Anyway, if this team finishes in the last five, it's on him.  (Barring injuries of course.)

 

This team is underperforming.  Bigtime.

 

This is right where I am.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

If another thread was started about this I apologize but Schopp broached the subject yesterday after he saw the Sabres were predicted to finish last again.

 

I cleansed myself of the ugly tank years promptly after last season ended. Right up until this very moment I was disgusted by the thought. I'm not sure if the Sabres could actively do anything to ensure a worse place in the standings. None-the-less are we headed for another last place finish? My eyes and heart tell me no but doubt is creeping into my head.

[Rox11]

No .. I shouldn't be awake at this time but wow, did that make me laugh.   

[deluca67]

I have some problems with Bylsma so far.  I am open-minded, but he makes questionable decisions.  Anyway, if this team finishes in the last five, it's on him.  (Barring injuries of course.)

 

This team is underperforming.  Bigtime.

IMO, this team is right where they should have been expected to be. This team is much better then they where the last two seasons and they are far more competitive and entertaining nightly then there were. O'Reilly has been better than advertised.  McGinn has been a huge surprise and the kids, Eichel, Reinhart and Ristolainen has been a joy watching their development. 

 

We are only 29 games into the turnaround. Enjoy what you are watching, in a couple of seasons we will be looking back at these early moments reminiscing on how far this team has come. 

[Kruppstahl]

I was never a fan of Bylsma and didn't like the hire.  His ice time allotment and player usage so far has been frustrating.

 

I'll go on record as saying that when this team "arrives" Bylsma won't be the coach.  

 

Is this going to be Tank 3.0?  No. 

 

But I predicted a bottom 5 finish before the season and we are headed in that direction.

 

More than a third of the season is over now and after 29 games we have 25 points and are in 2nd last position.

 

Last year after 29 games we had 22 points, so we are 3 points better than last year.  

 

This season we are on pace for 71 points.  

 

Is the team underperforming or are most Sabre fans expect ions way too high for this season?

It's both, but more of the latter in my opinion. 

 

We need more pieces.  I'd love to see a bottom 3 finish if possible.

[freester]

We are desperately missing Pysyk and Ennis.  I believe Pysyk to be our 2nd best defensemen and Ennis is needed for his offensive production.  Gionta, Moulson and Larsson are at best 3rd line players and more likely 4th liners.  Girgensons needs to play with some skill players to maximize his talents.  Sam and Jack just need time to reach their potential.

[Wyldnwoody44]

It didn't take long before this word (which I believe was banned from being used this season) came out.

 

This is not a tank

 

We do not have the horses to compete, Bylsma is not coaching our guys to overachieve either (unfortunately)

 

Stop using the #### tank word

[woods-racer]

Pittsburgh first year after tank years 58 points

 

Chicago first year after tank years  88 points.

 

If my history teacher is right, we should be some where between the two at the end of the season. More than likely closer to the 58 point range given the Sabres more closely matche the post tank team of Pittsburgh.

[French Collection]

In a true tank year, Matt Ellis is in our top 9.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

No, no, no ... a thousand times no.

[WildCard]

I was never a fan of Bylsma and didn't like the hire.  His ice time allotment and player usage so far has been frustrating.

 

I'll go on record as saying that when this team "arrives" Bylsma won't be the coach.  

 

Is this going to be Tank 3.0?  No. 

 

But I predicted a bottom 5 finish before the season and we are headed in that direction.

 

More than a third of the season is over now and after 29 games we have 25 points and are in 2nd last position.

 

Last year after 29 games we had 22 points, so we are 3 points better than last year.  

 

This season we are on pace for 71 points.  

 

Is the team underperforming or are most Sabre fans expect ions way too high for this season?

It's both, but more of the latter in my opinion. 

 

We need more pieces.  I'd love to see a bottom 3 finish if possible.

To the bold, well, that's just bold

 

As for underperforming, I don't agree. 

 

We are desperately missing Pysyk and Ennis.  I believe Pysyk to be our 2nd best defensemen and Ennis is needed for his offensive production.  Gionta, Moulson and Larsson are at best 3rd line players and more likely 4th liners.  Girgensons needs to play with some skill players to maximize his talents.  Sam and Jack just need time to reach their potential.

Well said. Though I'm not sure Pysyk is our 2nd best defensemen quite yet

 

It didn't take long before this word (which I believe was banned from being used this season) came out.

 

This is not a tank

 

We do not have the horses to compete, Bylsma is not coaching our guys to overachieve either (unfortunately)

 

Stop using the #### tank word

In a true tank year, Matt Ellis is in our top 9.

Agreed

[bob_sauve28]

IMO, this team is right where they should have been expected to be. This team is much better then they where the last two seasons and they are far more competitive and entertaining nightly then there were. O'Reilly has been better than advertised.  McGinn has been a huge surprise and the kids, Eichel, Reinhart and Ristolainen has been a joy watching their development. 

 

We are only 29 games into the turnaround. Enjoy what you are watching, in a couple of seasons we will be looking back at these early moments reminiscing on how far this team has come.

 

Yes

[papazoid]

i'll keep saying it....

 

you will NEVER get players and coaches to "tank".....their livelyhoods are at stake.

 

GM's and owners ?....maybe (i.e colts/luck)

 

anyways i'm sticking with my original prediction, Sabres will finish drafting position 5th but win the lottery and pick 1st.

[SarasotaSabre]

I have some problems with Bylsma so far.  I am open-minded, but he makes questionble decisions.  Anyway, if this team finishes in the last five, it's on him.  (Barring injuries of course.)

 

This team is underperforming.  Bigtime.

 

I am legitimately curious about your opinion of DB; are his decisions merely of the line combination variety, or are you referring to others ?