How long Until Jack takes over the team scoring lead?

[Drunkard]

But we were told he's generational. Top 25 at 20 yo is NOT generational. We were lied to because Buffalo. He sucks, every single Sabre sucks. They'll never make the playoffs again because Pegula is a doody-head. (Miss any?)

 

DB sucks and Pegula and Russ Brandon are making all the decisions because nobody has a monopoly on hockey knowledge.

[Doohicksie]

But we were told he's generational. Top 25 at 20 yo is NOT generational. We were lied to because Buffalo. He sucks, every single Sabre sucks. They'll never make the playoffs again because Pegula is a doody-head. (Miss any?)

 

If that's really how you feel, perhaps you should turn in your Sabres Fan Card and find some other team you may like better.

[Taro T]

If that's really how you feel, perhaps you should turn in your Sabres Fan Card and find some other team you may like better.

Pretty sure you need to loosen that chicken hat. It seems to be cutting off oxygen flow.

[WildCard]

Pretty sure you need to loosen that chicken hat. It seems to be cutting off oxygen flow.

If that's how you really feel maybe you should start wearing a chicken hat

[Taro T]

If that's how you really feel maybe you should start wearing a chicken hat

Don't you have some Charlie work that needs attending?

[WildCard]

Don't you have some Charlie work that needs attending?

No, my job is currently in a state of waiting for people to let me do it. It sucks

[Doohicksie]

If that's how you really feel maybe you should start wearing a chicken hat

 

:flirt:

[Sabres Fan in NS]

So, when will the Sabres be officially put out of our misery?

 

Then we can really start the bickering in here.

[Brawndo]

Wasting away in Pegulaville,

Searching for GMTM to make some trades

 

https://twitter.com/draglikepull/status/836290428181889024

[WildCard]

Wasting away in Pegulaville,

Searching for GMTM to make some trades

 

https://twitter.com/draglikepull/status/836290428181889024

Still not worth the tank.

 

Those aren't even his advanced stats, which are way better. Seeing graphs like that make me hate Byslma even more

[Brawndo]

Still not worth the tank.

 

Those aren't even his advanced stats, which are way better. Seeing graphs like that make me hate Byslma even more

Yep. He needs to go.

[sabills]

I'm beginning to lose my grasp on sarcasm in this thread...

[Taro T]

I'm beginning to lose my grasp on sarcasm in this thread...

You clearly aren't the only one.

[mjd1001]

I don't understand the how complex the systems are in the NHL, so I have no idea how that can have an impact on a particular players scoring race.  So how would Eichel be doing if he were in Matthews place on the Leafs? or in Edmonton?  I'm not sure.

 

I do think it is interesting to look at the last 3 NHL drafts (since the Sabres full 'tank' started).  They of course finished last in 2 of those 3 years.  Look at the Top 2 players taken in those last 3 drafts:  Ekblad, Reinhart, McDavid, Eichel, Matthews, Laine.  Some may make an argument that if you ranked those 6 players in terms of how good they are/how much they have accomplished so far...that the Sabres got the #5 and #6 players of the group.   I'm still glad they have them, but I hope Eichel stops being a very good player and becomes a top-5 superstar soon.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I don't understand the how complex the systems are in the NHL, so I have no idea how that can have an impact on a particular players scoring race.  So how would Eichel be doing if he were in Matthews place on the Leafs? or in Edmonton?  I'm not sure.

 

I do think it is interesting to look at the last 3 NHL drafts (since the Sabres full 'tank' started).  They of course finished last in 2 of those 3 years.  Look at the Top 2 players taken in those last 3 drafts:  Ekblad, Reinhart, McDavid, Eichel, Matthews, Laine.  Some may make an argument that if you ranked those 6 players in terms of how good they are/how much they have accomplished so far...that the Sabres got the #5 and #6 players of the group.   I'm still glad they have them, but I hope Eichel stops being a very good player and becomes a top-5 superstar soon.

That is a very interesting take on the last 3 drafts.  Ekblad has taken a serious step back this season with a -21 and I'd rank him behind Reinhart at this point as Sam has improved with each season.  However you're point is very interesting.  Personally, Jack is unique in the group.  Matthews and Laine are goal scorers.  McJesus is on another level.  Reinhart is mostly a playmaker, but Jack is an interesting mix.  He is a better playmaker then Matthews and Laine, and if he chooses he could be just as lethal as either as a scorer.  Jack is simply an all around impact player and when we finally get him a defense that can move the puck up quicker, I think you'll rank him second behind McJesus.  

[3putt]

JACK EICHEL IS FINE.

[WildCard]

JACK EICHEL IS FINE.

Really though. If I could physically throw things at this board as an entity I swear I would sometimes Edited February 27, 2017 by WildCard

[3putt]

Really though. If I could physically throw things at this board as an entity I swear I would sometimes

You dont believe he is fine?  Or are you lamenting that he is not coached by Babcock? I can't be bothered by Matthews and TO.  Jack may be the most valuable player to his team in the league.  As the supporting cast gets better, so will his numbers. A new view at the top, i.e. HC, would help, but so would a serviceable NHL bottom 4.  

[WildCard]

You dont believe he is fine? Or are you lamenting that he is not coached by Babcock? I can't be bothered by Matthews and TO. Jack may be the most valuable player to his team in the league. As the supporting cast gets better, so will his numbers. A new view at the top, i.e. HC, would help, but so would a serviceable NHL bottom 4.

No I believe he is everything we thought he'd be. I don't understand why some don't get how good he is

[Beer]

That is a very interesting take on the last 3 drafts. Ekblad has taken a serious step back this season with a -21 and I'd rank him behind Reinhart at this point as Sam has improved with each season. However you're point is very interesting. Personally, Jack is unique in the group. Matthews and Laine are goal scorers. McJesus is on another level. Reinhart is mostly a playmaker, but Jack is an interesting mix. He is a better playmaker then Matthews and Laine, and if he chooses he could be just as lethal as either as a scorer. Jack is simply an all around impact player and when we finally get him a defense that can move the puck up quicker, I think you'll rank him second behind McJesus.

I agree with this assessment. Jack has the "it" factor you could say... He is capable of taking it the length of the ice and delivering a perfect snipe. He can do it all on his own. He can also create and deliver a sublime pass. I love his game because you never know when he's going to lay down a highlight reel goal. He is why I tune in every game.

 

Those other guys are good, maybe great but Jack's our man and I'm just fine with that.

 

????

[3putt]

I agree with this assessment. Jack has the "it" factor you could say... He is capable of taking it the length of the ice and delivering a perfect snipe. He can do it all on his own. He can also create and deliver a sublime pass. I love his game because you never know when he's going to lay down a highlight reel goal. He is why I tune in every game.

 

Those other guys are good, maybe great but Jack's our man and I'm just fine with that.

 

 

Your next round is on me.  :beer: 

[Thorner]

No I believe he is everything we thought he'd be. I don't understand why some don't get how good he is

Troof.

[Doohicksie]

Some may make an argument that if you ranked those 6 players in terms of how good they are/how much they have accomplished so far...that the Sabres got the #5 and #6 players of the group.

Interesting, but how is that relevant?  Should the Sabres have done anything differently?

[Doohicksie]

But we were told he's generational. Top 25 at 20 yo is NOT generational. We were lied to because Buffalo. He sucks, every single Sabre sucks. They'll never make the playoffs again because Pegula is a doody-head. (Miss any?)

 

Okay, here's the answer I conceived before I got all snarky and stuff:

 

"We were told he was generational."  And he may still be.  Or not.  The jury's still out.

"Top 25 at 20 yo is NOT generational."  True.

"We were lied to because Buffalo."  No, I think there's a bit of a crap shoot when assessing talent.  Because Eichel came out of the college ranks, it's a little tougher to gauge him against most NHL talent which comes out of junior hockey.  Not as many "comps."

"He sucks..... etc."  He was the best player available in the draft when the Sabres had their pick.

 

Sports teams are funny.  A GM can have a plan to build a team, but 1) he cannot control all the factors that make up the plan; and 2) Past performance does not guarantee future results.

 

So GMTM could not control the Sabres draft order.  He could only control (to an extent) the place the Sabres finished during the regular season.  He made the decision to tank.  I'm okay with that, because it maximized the Sabres draft order for those two years, so far as he could control.  GMTM also could not control where Mike Babcock would land.  He could make the best possible offer, but if Babs wanted to coach in TO and was only using the Sabres to maximize his payday, that doesn't point to a failing on the part of GMTM.

 

You could blame him for picking Bylsma, but at the time he was hired the consensus (though not universal) of the fan base was that DD's hiring was a good one.

 

You can blame him for several other moves such as the Moulson contract, but at the time they were mostly viewed positively or at least defensible; even if it was a bad deal, contemporary logic said, it was an important sign that Buffalo was no longer a pariah city in the NHL- players, even players who'd seen the team and city first hand, were willing to sign here, signaling a change from the time when both Drury and Briere bolted in free agency.

 

In hindsight, it's easy to criticize GMTM's track record, but each and every move could be viewed as making hockey sense at the time; it was just a question of how much risk was being accepted.  Some of those risks paid off, some not.  That's life.

[Randall Flagg]

Taro was being sarcastic though, I think.