This Team

[CGorman]

This team feels different than any other Buffalo sports team I have ever cheered for. Despite having only been alive since 1990, I feel confident in saying this is a team unlike any other in Buffalo sports history. The tank took the fanbase to a place it never would have predicted, and that feels strange to come out the other side of. It really felt like watching your best friend hit rock bottom, knowing deep down it was best for them. We got what we wanted in Eichel. Along the way we got talent like Risto, Reinhart, Nylander, and Mittlestadt. Those four with Eichel is the most talented core a Buffalo team has ever had. Talent doesn't always translate, but the ceilings are very high for these 5. The question will come down to how the team around them is built. As of now, I do trust Botterill. He has made every sound move so far. He's not trying to make the big move,  just the right one. I also trust Housley. He seems to be implementing a style that fits our strength, something the previous coach failed to do. It is going to be a rocky season, but feels like one that could be a lot of fun.

 

The thing that is most different about this team is how close we will all grow to it. Hitting rock bottom with them makes them mean all the more. I do believe this will be the team thats wins a championship in Buffalo, and look forward to the ride with all of you. Go Sabres!

[Randall Flagg]

:beer:

[Wyldnwoody44]

:beer:

Celebrate with a grilled cheese?

[North Buffalo]

This team feels different than any other Buffalo sports team I have ever cheered for. Despite having only been alive since 1990, I feel confident in saying this is a team unlike any other in Buffalo sports history. The tank took the fanbase to a place it never would have predicted, and that feels strange to come out the other side of. It really felt like watching your best friend hit rock bottom, knowing deep down it was best for them. We got what we wanted in Eichel. Along the way we got talent like Risto, Reinhart, Nylander, and Mittlestadt. Those four with Eichel is the most talented core a Buffalo team has ever had. Talent doesn't always translate, but the ceilings are very high for these 5. The question will come down to how the team around them is built. As of now, I do trust Botterill. He has made every sound move so far. He's not trying to make the big move,  just the right one. I also trust Housley. He seems to be implementing a style that fits our strength, something the previous coach failed to do. It is going to be a rocky season, but feels like one that could be a lot of fun.

 

The thing that is most different about this team is how close we will all grow to it. Hitting rock bottom with them makes them mean all the more. I do believe this will be the team thats wins a championship in Buffalo, and look forward to the ride with all of you. Go Sabres!

At least not since 75 Sabres... before your time, but agree talent is on uptick... now they need to work on putting it together

[Huckleberry]

I don't know what to expect to be honest, last year my expectations were way to high, this year I don't know what to think of this team.

[Pokey Jones]

Well I'm old. I grew up on the French Connection. I want that feeling back. the energy and excitement they generated night after night. Upstart kids knocking off Montreal in the playoffs. Destroying the Russians. The reasons I became a fan all those years ago. Now? I am a pessimist about the state of this team.

[Scottysabres]

Just make the playoffs. That is what my expectational hope is.

[Pokey Jones]

I wouldn't even be upset if they missed the playoffs if they just gave me actual hope to build on. Fire and desire and effort. Not that lethargical crap they showed against the Leafs. Nolan had them playing better than that and he was left with nothing to work with. 

[Randall Flagg]

I wouldn't even be upset if they missed the playoffs if they just gave me actual hope to build on. Fire and desire and effort. Not that lethargical crap they showed against the Leafs. Nolan had them playing better than that and he was left with nothing to work with. 

Interesting you say that - I remember watching a couple preseason games with Nolan where they looked far, far worse. 

 

And then the regular season came, and we saw listless effort after listless effort, setting shots-against records with all of the vets sleeping through most of the season. In those games that actually matter they looked far, far worse than what we saw last night against the Leafs.

 

Revisionist history, or misremembering going on here.

 

 

[Eleven]

Celebrate with a grilled cheese?

 

YESSSSSSSSSSSSS

[Weave]

:beer:

 

I agree.  He's definitely been drinking.

[Randall Flagg]

I agree.  He's definitely been drinking.

There's plenty of time for pessimism when we come out flat against Montreal, let us have our moment!! :P 

[dudacek]

Optimism is always more fun.

(Unless you're a Bills fan).

[WildCard]

Optimism is always more fun.

(Unless you're a Bills fan).

Still 1st in the AFC East

[Iron Crotch]

I'm definitely excited for the switch to a more up-tempo, fast break, style of hockey ala Peter Laviolette's system in Nashville where Housley was for the past several years. It's a 5-man interchangeable parts system where the classic divisions between forwards and defensemen are obscured. D-men always have the green light to jump up into the rush and forwards are expected to defend when necessary.

 

I think/hope we'll see more 5-4 games instead of 2-1 games, which will be good for the fans. We shall see...

 

[Pokey Jones]

Interesting you say that - I remember watching a couple preseason games with Nolan where they looked far, far worse. 

 

And then the regular season came, and we saw listless effort after listless effort, setting shots-against records with all of the vets sleeping through most of the season. In those games that actually matter they looked far, far worse than what we saw last night against the Leafs.

 

Revisionist history, or misremembering going on here.

 

 

Maybe. I didn't see that many games back then. I'm not in the area any more and I didn't have the pay package. I maybe got to see 15-20 games tops that season but in those games most of them had more zip than this. Obviously they sucked so I must have missed a lot of really bad efforts and I'm sure the team quit at times and then lost on purpose (sort of) later. Just thinking about a general tone and effort level. Probably giving Ted the benefit of a doubt based on the red black and white era.

 

Anyway, point is Housley in the morning practice challenged them to show him something, it was a hated rival, and a home game, and what did we get? Nuthin.

 

Believe me, I want to be optimistic. I want signs of life. I want any little glimmers to hang hope onto. I will be the happiest guy around here if you turn to me in April and say boy were you wrong, that'd be great! I want to get on the bandwagon but right now I see a lot of flat tires. 

[Radar]

Gentlemen we haven't finished training camp. Enough of the dread. I know it's been a rough number of years but let's give it a couple months anyway.

[nucci]

This team feels different than any other Buffalo sports team I have ever cheered for. Despite having only been alive since 1990, I feel confident in saying this is a team unlike any other in Buffalo sports history. The tank took the fanbase to a place it never would have predicted, and that feels strange to come out the other side of. It really felt like watching your best friend hit rock bottom, knowing deep down it was best for them. We got what we wanted in Eichel. Along the way we got talent like Risto, Reinhart, Nylander, and Mittlestadt. Those four with Eichel is the most talented core a Buffalo team has ever had. Talent doesn't always translate, but the ceilings are very high for these 5. The question will come down to how the team around them is built. As of now, I do trust Botterill. He has made every sound move so far. He's not trying to make the big move,  just the right one. I also trust Housley. He seems to be implementing a style that fits our strength, something the previous coach failed to do. It is going to be a rocky season, but feels like one that could be a lot of fun.

 

The thing that is most different about this team is how close we will all grow to it. Hitting rock bottom with them makes them mean all the more. I do believe this will be the team thats wins a championship in Buffalo, and look forward to the ride with all of you. Go Sabres!

That's quite a stretch...Sabres has been in the Cup twice and Bills in 4 Superbowls plus 2 AFL championships

Perreault, Martin, Robert, Luce, Ramsay, Dudley.....early Cup team was loaded with talent

[CGorman]

I do think the nucleus of Eichel, Reinhart, Risto, Mittlestadt, and Nylander will be stronger than that of Kelly, Thurman, Bruce, Talley, and Reed. I know they're different sports but hockey gets the edge because it's half the amount of guys you need to fill around the core.

 

In terms of Sabres history, the 05-06 core was the strongest one I've ever seen. Much stronger than the 99 team (remember they finished 4th in the division that year and rode a hot Hasek through the playoffs). The 99 team didnt have a run before or after that year while the post lockout Sabres has deep runs both years they were together (what could have been if they had more than two years?).

The French Connection Sabres are probably around where this team could be. Strong team from drafted players. If we are now in an era similar to the Perrault years, things are about to get fun.

Edited September 25, 2017 by CGorman

[Pokey Jones]

Gentlemen we haven't finished training camp. Enough of the dread. I know it's been a rough number of years but let's give it a couple months anyway.

You don't care about wins in preseason. You don't care about some guy destined for the minors making a big mistake. But what you do want to see is a taste of some promised magic between two guys put together or a flash of brilliance from some new guy you've barely heard of. Where is that???????????

 

In that Leafs game they had guys who probably won't make their team showing flashes and they are already better than us. Who for us has really stood out? Anybody? 

 

Back to that French connection era you had a young team with drafted stars in the making but you also got guys showing up nobody expected to shine. Where's our Rick Dudley who came out of nowhere to give us flair and character? Where's our Danny Gare who as a kid sensation completed our second line? I could go on and on over the years but what's the point? Just show me the hope, not on paper, but on the ice. 

[Randall Flagg]

You don't care about wins in preseason. You don't care about some guy destined for the minors making a big mistake. But what you do want to see is a taste of some promised magic between two guys put together or a flash of brilliance from some new guy you've barely heard of. Where is that???????????

 

In that Leafs game they had guys who probably won't make their team showing flashes and they are already better than us. Who for us has really stood out? Anybody? 

 

Back to that French connection era you had a young team with drafted stars in the making but you also got guys showing up nobody expected to shine. Where's our Rick Dudley who came out of nowhere to give us flair and character? Where's our Danny Gare who as a kid sensation completed our second line? I could go on and on over the years but what's the point? Just show me the hope, not on paper, but on the ice. 

You mean like when Jack-Kane-Pommer combined for at least 5 points in the only game they played together, during which we plowed through the Penguins B team and only had a close score because of goaltending?

 

I bet there were horrendously bad french connection preseason games. 

 

We really need to save this type of judgement for games that matter. It may be the case that we have to make these points 2 weeks into the season, which would suck. But doing it now is nonsensical. 

 

Before Babcock kicked Toronto's ass after their first two preseason games, THEY looked like ass. Anaheim, Calgary, Columbus, Washington, Montreal are all having worse preseasons than we are and they don't give a ######. I don't see why we should. 

 

Last year, the 10 worst preseason teams won 10 of the 15 NHL playoff series that happened this past spring, and contained the cup winner and cup finalist. 

 

The year before, the 10 worst preseason teams won 12 of the 15 NHL playoff series that happened later that spring, and also contained the cup winner & cup finalist. 

Edited September 25, 2017 by Randall Flagg

[Radar]

You mean like when Jack-Kane-Pommer combined for at least 5 points in the only game they played together, during which we plowed through the Penguins B team and only had a close score because of goaltending?

I bet there were horrendously bad french connection preseason games. 

We really need to save this type of judgement for games that matter. It may be the case that we have to make these points 2 weeks into the season, which would suck. But doing it now is nonsensical. 

Before Babcock kicked Toronto's ass after their first two preseason games, THEY looked like ass. Anaheim, Calgary, Columbus, Washington, Montreal are all having worse preseasons than we are and they don't give a ######. I don't see why we should. 

 

Last year, the 10 worst preseason teams won 10 of the 15 NHL playoff series that happened this past spring, and contained the cup winner and cup finalist. 

 

The year before, the 10 worst preseason teams won 12 of the 15 NHL playoff series that happened later that spring, and also contained the cup winner & cup finalist.

 

This post puts preseason in perspective. Some fans on here are over the top in pessimism based on a couple preseason games. I've been around since this team's inception and I'm not so negative to jump off a bridge in September before the first freakin game is played. Maybe boredom brings this out because quite frankly what's there really to talk about.New management,new coaches and many new players. This may take way longer to sort out than a couple preseason games.

[That Aud Smell]

I appreciate the perspective.

 

When the Sabres didn't mop up the Toronto B team, I felt a flicker of panic.

[dudacek]

I appreciate the perspective.

 

When the Sabres didn't mop up the Toronto B team, I felt a flicker of panic.

 

 

Because Buffalo...

[Randall Flagg]

I appreciate the perspective.

 

When the Sabres didn't mop up the Toronto B team, I felt a flicker of panic.

I think there are valid points to be made about the depth of each organization based on what we saw, as long as they are properly qualified, I just don't think our projected regular season success is in this group of points.