Did the Sabres stop the "tank" too soon?

[NewinBuffalo]

Aren't we less than two years out from fielding one the worst hockey teams in history?  Expecting anything more at this point with some key injuries is misunderstanding a lot of things.  

[WildCard]

Aren't we less than two years out from fielding one the worst hockey teams in history? Expecting anything more at this point with some key injuries is misunderstanding a lot of things.

Toronto is one year out and look where they are

 

Even with Eichel back we're at the same point pace as we were last season. Byslma is just a god damned moron

[NewinBuffalo]

Toronto is one year out and look where they are

 

Toronto and buffalo rebuilds are not comparable. One team completely gutted it's team, one didn't. They had holdovers like JVR, Kadri, Komorov, Gardner, bosak who are actually good and contributing. That includes 3 of their top 5 point getters in their 2012 season. We have holdovers like Ennis and Foligno? I think we have *two* players from our 2012 team. That is insane. In 2013 we added McCabe and girgensons and deslauriers.

 

I wish people understood the scope of the rebuild. We essentially looked like an expansion team at one point with a good prospect pool and extra draft picks. That takes more than a year or two to come out of.

[WildCard]

Toronto and buffalo rebuilds are not comparable. One team completely gutted it's team, one didn't. They had holdovers like JVR, Kadri, Komorov, Gardner, bosak who are actually good and contributing. That includes 3 of their top 5 point getters in their 2012 season. We have holdovers like Ennis and Foligno? I think we have *two* players from our 2012 team. That is insane. In 2013 we added McCabe and girgensons and deslauriers.

 

I wish people understood the scope of the rebuild. We essentially looked like an expansion team at one point with a good prospect pool and extra draft picks. That takes more than a year or two to come out of.

Then address the 2nd point

 

They're two completely​ different rosters anyways, there's no use in comparing them. It doesn't take any more time to come out of a tank than 1 year for your rookies. The rest is asset management

Edited March 15, 2017 by WildCard

[Doohicksie]

Your rookies will not be fully up to snuff after one year in the NHL, especially coming into the show the Sabres were a couple years ago.

[NewinBuffalo]

I agree the coaching sucks. I'm just pointing out thinking this team would be anything more than a bubble playoff team two years after getting eichel is crazy talk. And we are right on track to be a bubble playoff team this year with this exact roster considering the injuries and coaching.

 

Murray has done fine. Seriously go look at the roster in the 2013-2014 season to see what he had. You all should act in amazement to see players like ROR and Kane just appear on the team randomly.

 

Murray needs to continue to improve the roster but getting top 4 dmen and building a bottom 6 and depth takes time unfortunalty, especially when you start with crap.

[WildCard]

Your rookies will not be fully up to snuff after one year in the NHL, especially coming into the ###### show the Sabres were a couple years ago.

Our rookies are fully up to snuff after one year in the NHL though

I agree the coaching sucks. I'm just pointing out thinking this team would be anything more than a bubble playoff team two years after getting eichel is crazy talk. And we are right on track to be a bubble playoff team this year with this exact roster considering the injuries and coaching.

 

Murray has done fine. Seriously go look at the roster in the 2013-2014 season to see what he had. You all should act in amazement to see players like ROR and Kane just appear on the team randomly.

 

Murray needs to continue to improve the roster but getting top 4 dmen and building a bottom 6 and depth takes time unfortunalty, especially when you start with crap.

We should be a playoff team this year. The organization and coaching staff themselves explicitly stated such

[NewinBuffalo]

Your rookies will not be fully up to snuff after one year in the NHL, especially coming into the ###### show the Sabres were a couple years ago.

Even someone like Risto has no freaking support. I hope we really address the D this year.

 

 

But back to the topic: if you were going to truly gut the team and rebuild, then the timing was fine. Expecting anything other than this after only a couple of years was a pipe dream. The better question was to tank or not. We could have done a miniature rebuilding keeping some vets like Toronto did, or did what nfreeman suggested. There were lots of options. Who knows what was the right one. Maybe the old core would have never achieved anything. Maybe this new core has the potential to be one of the all time greats?

 

We should be a playoff team this year. The organization and coaching staff themselves explicitly stated such

Well no convincing you lol. All I can say is look at the roster from 2013-2014 and says ith a straight face that will turn into a no brainer playoff team in three years with major injuries to their top offensive threats and a freak injury to a top 4 d man. I'm sure Toronto would be in a playoff spot if Matthews missed a quarter of the season, JVR missed a good chunk of time, and Gardner hit a door and wasn't the same all season.

 

This roster has no room for major injuries. It had major injuries

Edited March 15, 2017 by NewinBuffalo

[WildCard]

Cause you're just repeating the same points. That roster has absolutely no bearing on this one, they're like two guys left from it. Your point is such a major roster overhaul from such a scorched roster shouldn't be expected so soon. But it has

 

And Flagg has posted it before: even with Eichel back we've been a .500 team. The injury excuse is garbage because with a fully healthy roster over 82 games, at the pace we've been playing with as healthy a roster an NHL team can expect, we'd still only hit around high 80s in points.

Edited March 15, 2017 by WildCard

[Drunkard]

Cause you're just repeating the same points. That roster has absolutely no bearing on this one, they're like two guys left from it. Your point is such a major roster overhaul from such a scorched roster shouldn't be expected so soon. But it has

 

And Flagg has posted it before: even with Eichel back we've been a .500 team. The injury excuse is garbage because with a fully healthy roster over 82 games, at the pace we've been playing with as healthy a roster an NHL team can expect, we'd still only hit around high 80s in points.

 

Yep, the injury excuse would be a lot more valid if we actually played better now that the roster is relatively healthy. Our record with and without Eichel is pretty similar though.

[dudacek]

Toronto is one year out and look where they are

Out of the playoffs?

[GoPre]

Out of the playoffs?

 

Believe WildCard meant Toronto is one year out of the tank/rebuild. 

[dudacek]

Believe WildCard meant Toronto is one year out of the tank/rebuild.

 

I cant wait until next year when we are on the playoff bubble and the Leafs are eight points out.

The difference between their season and ours is a couple bounces and a whole lotta PR.

Perspective.

[Randall Flagg]

I cant wait until next year when we are on the playoff bubble and the Leafs are eight points out.

The difference between their season and ours is a couple bounces and a whole lotta PR.

Perspective.

And 27 even strength goals and 3-5% in possession categories despite a worse defensive unit

[TrueBlueGED]

And 27 even strength goals and 3-5% in possession categories despite a worse defensive unit

Indeed. Sorry Dudacek, but you're overestimating the luck factor here. Yes, Toronto has had a good run with their key guys being healthy, but we've shown to be just as bad with the injuries as without.

[dudacek]

Bookmark this and mock me a year from now.

[Randall Flagg]

Bookmark this and mock me a year from now.

Actually, since the offseason is almost here, it's almost time to fill the hope tanks again. I will be right there with you come July. 

[NewinBuffalo]

Cause you're just repeating the same points. That roster has absolutely no bearing on this one, they're like two guys left from it. Your point is such a major roster overhaul from such a scorched roster shouldn't be expected so soon. But it has

.

Just because you expect doesn't really mean anything. Expecting much more than this after a major roster overhaul would be pretty spectacular.

[WildCard]

Just because you expect doesn't really mean anything. Expecting much more than this after a major roster overhaul would be pretty spectacular.

So you admit the roster has already had a major overhaul? Edited March 16, 2017 by WildCard

[Sabre fan]

I happen think all is not doom and gloom...we clearly have a great "core" and just about every team wishes for a top-2 or even top-4 D-man so we are not unique there...as well, teams like Philly continue to struggle and show it isn;t as easy as some think to climb in the standings. they are kinda stagnant and they do not have too many young guys to save the day. we clearly have some good young talent coming and for that alone GMTM deserves credit. he stole OReilly and moved a underacheving Myers for Kane who is just as advertised...all-in-all not bad it's just that the NHL has/is getting better overall and parity is evident when Arizona beats top teams and even Colorado has some very good talent and cannot be taken lightly.Many teams have been close but unable to make that next big leap. such as Sam Jose and it proves it just isn;t that easy. Prospects are great to have but the truth is for the one that works out, there'll be a bunch that don't.