WTF is wrong with this team?

[Randall Flagg]

No, the Pens got Crosby to save their franchise. I didn't say anything about the rest of those lotteries, just one in particular. 

I know I'm way late here, but no 

 

And more broadly, it shocks me how surprised Sabrespace posters are that a two-year-lotto-result that was 60% likely to happen, happened. 

[Thorner]

I know I'm way late here, but no

And more broadly, it shocks me how surprised Sabrespace posters are that a two-year-lotto-result that was 60% likely to happen, happened.

 

Yup. This was always the most likely scenario. The only reason the 2015 tank made any sense at all logically is because finishing last guaranteed a top 2 pick, in a year there were 2 franchise centres.

 

If the goal for that year was to count on lottery ball luck, then it was a bogus strategy from the beginning. The point that year was that luck was not required, in terms of qualifying for "McEichel".

Edited November 11, 2017 by Thorny

[Jacque Richard]

I hope Botterill shows more patience than the fans.

Remember this is year one, not year six.

. Patience since 1970!!!

[mjd1001]

I agree he needs to show patience. But I still don't think they should trade Kane.

If you want to keep Kane, they have to sign him to an extension, and not for one that is 'over market'.

 

If you can't do that, then you have to trade him.  It may not be just up to the Sabres, it may be up to Kane also.

[That Aud Smell]

Reinhart loafed it back on one of the EN’s. I say pair him with Jack to pump the value and then move him.

 

Knee jerk? Sure. But something is rotten with this core.

[Jacque Richard]

The tank did wonders

[mjd1001]

Reinhart loafed it back on one of the EN’s. I say pair him with Jack to pump the value and then move him.

 

Knee jerk? Sure. But something is rotten with this core.

So far this season, I have seen Reinhart and O'Reilly both not put full effort into backchecking, and the guy who scores only ended up having a stride or two on Reinhart or O'Reilly when the puck was shot.  Now, I KNOW that if you put 100% effort into every second on the ice, your shifts will only be 20-30 seconds long, but when someone has the puck and is approaching your goal, THAT is the time you need to be bearing down 100%.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Reinhart is now officially the new Ennis, Roy or Connolly?

 

Come on guys and gals. He is centering a line with Griffith and Baptiste. What do you expect?

 

We don’t have enough talent.

 

Center experiment over. Move him back to Jack’s wing. Let Larsson or Girgensons center a physical hitting 3rd line.

Edited November 11, 2017 by GASabresIUFAN

[ubkev]

Reinhart is now officially the new Ennis, Roy or Connolly?

 

Come on guys and gals. He is centering a line with Griffith and Baptiste. What do you expect?

 

We don’t have enough talent.

 

Center experiment over. Move him back to Jack’s wing. Let Larsson or Girgensons center a physical hitting 3rd line.

Nope. Roy and Connolly produced.

[SabresBillsFan]

I agree he needs to show patience. But I still don't think they should trade Kane.

 

I don't think they should trade Kane either. He's the one guy that show's up nightly. Yes he doesn't have the finish as other high end guy but at least he works hard when he's out there. I understand about the contract but trading him for picks will be taking this team back further. I mean they are already close to the bottom but don't get why so many people want him gone.

[Pokey Jones]

These guys just can't put the puck in the net. Haven't for years, and still can't. 

[eman]

These guys just can't put the puck in the net. Haven't for years, and still can't. 

Nailed it again Pokey- we lost production once Briere & Drury left. We haven't been the same since attack-wise.

[TrueBlueGED]

Reinhart is now officially the new Ennis, Roy or Connolly?

 

Come on guys and gals. He is centering a line with Griffith and Baptiste. What do you expect?

 

We don’t have enough talent.

 

Center experiment over. Move him back to Jack’s wing. Let Larsson or Girgensons center a physical hitting 3rd line.

This is looking more and more accurate by the game. I really don't buy that there's something intangibly rotten with the core. IMO it's a partial defense mechanism because (conceptually, anyway), it's a lot easier to swing a trade to shake things up than to add significant talent without subtraction. Doing that latter requires good drafting and time, which is about the last thing anyone wants to hear.

 

Even when healthy, we don't have a single defenseman who should be matched up against the best players in the league. Reinhart is looking more like a good complementary player than a difference maker, regardless of position. Okposo looks like yet another example that the aging curve is real. Our entire 4th line remains a waste of ice time. Lehner is JAG. And, perhaps most importantly, we haven't gotten any unexpected contributions from the kids...ya know, the type of thing that every good team gets.

 

This is all happening while Housley has added precisely zilch behind the bench, and has somehow manged to nuke the power play beyond what expected regression would have allowed for.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I’ve been saying we don’t have enough talent for two years now.

 

Our third line is a made up of an AHL call up who is a marginal prospect and a AAAA small forward playing with a 22 year old center who isn’t exactly blessed with great speed or size. Again, so what do people expect.

 

Now add the dreadful 4th line that lacks any speed or sandpaper.

 

Couple that with a defense that is down to only 2 NHL players, a no. 3 in Scandella and a No. 4/5 in McCabe and is anyone surprised we are now giving up 40 shots a night?

Edited November 11, 2017 by GASabresIUFAN

[Randall Flagg]

When a team does as poorly as we have to start, the GDTs are going to be ugly, and there will always be "core" and "intangible" questions. 

Imagine putting up the worst non-expansion season in modern history when you were expected to push for a playoff spot. Imagine the locker room ugliness that comes with it. An early-20s superstar center whose development seems off the rails. Nobody caring, loss after loss. The Avs forum was exactly what you'd expect this one to be like if our season took a turn like that. 

They hardly changed anything. And while not a good team still, they are 8-7-1 and having fun playing hockey. Their players and fans have hope again. The Duchene trade just fell and they'll continue to distance themselves from arguably the most nightmarish season a team could realistically have. 

I'm not so bothered by the "core" and intangible questions as I am the talent ones. Maybe we need a Duchene trade of a key piece, but I don't think we really know who that might be yet. I think we'll be okay, broadly speaking. Not this April or December or next week, but. 

[TrueBlueGED]

I just think people are a bit too close to the panic button (others, meanwhile, jumped on theirs during the preseason :lol: ). Just heard on pregame that Crosby has 3 assists and 0 goals in his last 10 games. He had like 20 straight playoff games without a goal. Nobody has to point out to me he has the pedigree to fall back on...but man, these things happen to the best. I'm not about to argue Jack has played well the past few games...but surely there's some temperate middle ground to find here.

[Marvelo]

Growing pains...

[Pokey Jones]

It's ok if Jack has a bad stretch if someone else plays well...................somebody................anybody................

[Marvelo]

Leave Jack alone! You're lucky he even performs for you bastards.

 

Edited November 12, 2017 by Marvelo

[eman]

. Patience since 1970!!!

Now if anything deserved a T-shirt, this does! (and I would definitely buy it!!!) Great Post Jacque!

[bunomatic]

Now if anything deserved a T-shirt, this does! (and I would definitely buy it!!!) Great Post Jacque!

Yeah I'd buy one too. If only to poke fun at the ineptitude of this franchise. and my fandumb.

[eman]

Yeah I'd buy one too. If only to poke fun at the ineptitude of this franchise. and my fandumb.

Exactly, and my age! Have been a fan since then!!!! Just one Cup before I leave this earth, it is all I ask! Which is why my impatience with this franchise grows with each season that passes by on the calendar. Especially when you're old enough to remember the old Aud and even HSBC electrified with energy during a playoff run. There really isn't anything like it!!!

[Jacque Richard]

Exactly, and my age! Have been a fan since then!!!! Just one Cup before I leave this earth, it is all I ask! Which is why my impatience with this franchise grows with each season that passes by on the calendar. Especially when you're old enough to remember the old Aud and even HSBC electrified with energy during a playoff run. There really isn't anything like it!!!

Been waiting since 1970. Even the guy Trottier days

Now if anything deserved a T-shirt, this does! (and I would definitely buy it!!!) Great Post Jacque!

thanks, this board has the same posters on here always. Thanks for a nice comment

[GASabresIUFAN]

We need our own 50+ club. People who have been waiting since the beginning.

 

As a kid we used go to the Aud club or Chef’s before the games. I still have the autographes from all the players I met as a kid at Chef’s. From the Broad St bullies to Dino Cicerelli’s and his Stars teammates to a couple of Montreal Canadians we actually drove to the game because they couldn’t get a cab.

 

In those days we sat near the players wives in the Aud. Robbie and I became friends as he was injured so often he seemed to sit next to me more then play.

 

I have been patiently waiting since then. I thought we had the team coming out of the lockout, but the hockey gods had other ideas.

 

I’m still hopeful, but this must be the last year without any progress.

[Pokey Jones]

We won that very first lottery where we got Perreault and Vancouver got Dale Tallon. That was pretty big (understatement).  So how much karma do we have to pay back for that?