Anyone still holding out hope for the playoffs this year?

[SabresBillsFan]

This team isn’t making the playoffs this year. They look worse than last year. Plus someone needs to tell Jack that he just got paid and he needs to start to play like a dominant player that he is getting paid like. This team is a mess and not even fun to watch.

[North Buffalo]

Anything’s possible and has been done before. It can happen.

 

However, if I’m evaluating the roster, I believe the earliest we can be a playoff contender is 2019/2020. Even that would require good moves going forward.

 

We needed Reinhart and Nylander, two NHL caliber players to be sure, to be a step above where I see their current ceilings. In short, they needed to be impact players. I’m not seeing that. Further, we needed some two among Fasching, Bailey, Baptiste, Cornell, etc., to be Reinhart level players. We missed a few while tanking. We did it while saddling ourselves with a few contracts that, while seemingly benign at the time, have tied our hands in the present.

 

Recognizing that I may expose myself to criticism from the many learned, I see Jack as a great player, but a cut below the other greats that entered the league in the same draft period. He’s great, but he’ll not lift a team by himself. Something about hating to lose, but not refusing to lose. He’s young. There’s hope. Hope is not a strategy.

 

Lastly, goaltending is a problem at the NHL and developmental pipeline levels.

 

In the meantime, I’ll trust the organizational process and look for improvement and exciting, competitive, hockey to arrive.

I am of your mindset, except that it could be sooner as Housley develops his system... right now he is doing it on the fly... preseason and the little training camp deal is not enough to set the team up the way he needs.  Agreed, with your analysis of the above players... add in Middlestadt and Ghule next year and if a top 3 draft pick is obtained along with relief from the Gorges and Moulson contracts going forward help the Sabres pick up another top D and it could happen next year.  But this year there is no shot. I love Kane's strengths, but his weaknesses.... passing and ice awareness are killer and believe he could be high end trade bait that could land Sabres another 1st rounder in a deep draft.  Hoping bringing up some of the Euros toward the end of the season could help develop some team chemistry going into next year.  Again these are all ifs and you could be right 2019...  hate it because I had some hopes for this year...  

So who is the cancer?

Not sure anyone is a cancer on this team, maybe Sam... just think there is not enough talent on this team... and it just doesn't mesh well.  Though gotta say the D overall is a cancer.

[Pokey Jones]

So who is the cancer?

I doubt its one guy or one thing. I suspect its several. Its Housley's job to figure that out and figure it out fast. 

Maybe it's just the long standing failure that makes them accept losing too easily? So if it's that, you get rid of all the veterans of the team or as many as you can.

 

You see a guy like Scandella still giving it his all when a lot of guys around him are playing at half speed. The losing culture hasn't infected him yet. The young guys can't be around guys that accept losing - regardless of what they say in the press. 

I think back to that tandem bicycle too and if that friendship is really strong, it can't be good either seeing as they are such polar opposites on the ice. 

 

Too often it feels like guys who come to the Sabres are just heartless mercenaries doing their job to the minimum to get paid. They couldn't care less. This is why it would be better to build from your own draft, to get mostly players that feel part of the blue and gold and maybe the organization has done a poor job in building on the history and pride but you can't get better unless you change that attitude.

[nucci]

Nope, we'll be completely out of it by month's end. )Again!) Hockey heaven ladies and gentlemen!

#pegulaville

[hockeyhound]

I'm still not ready to give up on the Sabres just yet. This is a team with a whole bunch of new moving parts that are getting to know each other, coaching staff included.

 

There are ebbs and flows in any season and we have all seen teams that look like they're out of it that end up having a incredible second half of a season. Some of these teams go on to make the playoffs and some even go on to win the Stanley Cup. (2012 LA Kings 1st 8th seed team to make it to the conference finals.)

 

The Sabres should get some more rope to hang themselves or more time too succeed.

 

I still think they have a chance to turn this around, and make a run for at least a wild card spot.

 

Only Believe, its the only thing that makes the journey bearable. If that doesn't do it for ya then drink a lot of beer. :beer:

 

Let's Go Buffalo!

[Swedesessed]

No. The season is a waste and done.

[MattPie]

The math is looking harder and harder to overcome. Unless they go on a tear and win a bunch of games in a row just to get back to bubble pace, they're toast.

[WildCard]

No. The season is a waste and done.

/thread

 

The only question left now is, is this the most depressing season in Sabres' history?

[CallawaySabres]

I just don't get how they can STILL be this bad? Not only do they not win, they are beyond boring to watch. Last year was the least amount of Sabres hockey I have tuned in for in 20 years and this year looks to be less. I have lost interest and don't see any hope for what I can't believe is still over 5 months left in the season.....yuck.

[That Aud Smell]

Anything’s possible and has been done before. It can happen.

....

Recognizing that I may expose myself to criticism from the many learned, I see Jack as a great player, but a cut below the other greats that entered the league in the same draft period. He’s great, but he’ll not lift a team by himself. Something about hating to lose, but not refusing to lose. He’s young. There’s hope. Hope is not a strategy.

 

Really good post, and I agree with all of it.

 

Especially the bit about Jack. He projects as a great player, but is likely not quite the impact player that Matthews is. But, salary cap issues aside, Eichel is not among the team's problems or issues.

 

Swinging and not getting solid contact on Reinhart and Nylander are both far larger issues, as you note. 

 

 

well chosen.

[dudacek]

 

Too often it feels like guys who come to the Sabres are just heartless mercenaries doing their job to the minimum to get paid. They couldn't care less.

Easy to say, hard to prove.

Is this more “realism”?

[Thorner]

Really good post, and I agree with all of it.

 

Especially the bit about Jack. He projects as a great player, but is likely not quite the impact player that Matthews is. But, salary cap issues aside, Eichel is not among the team's problems or issues.

 

Swinging and not getting solid contact on Reinhart and Nylander are both far larger issues, as you note. 

 

 

 

well chosen.

It's early on, but Eichel also doesn't seem as prone to having those big "take over the game" outings that we see from other young studs. In 156 GP for Eichel, he's mustered at least 3 points only 6 times. For reference, Matthews has 6 such outings a well, but in 59 less games.

[CallawaySabres]

It's early on, but Eichel also doesn't seem as prone to having those big "take over the game" outings that we see from other young studs. In 156 GP for Eichel, he's mustered at least 3 points only 6 times. For reference, Matthews has 6 such outings a well, but in 59 less games.

 

I think it's time to remove the comparison of Eichel and Matthews....

 

McDavid

 

 

 

 

 

Matthews

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eichel

[Thorner]

If only looking strictly at the present, I'd honestly go: Matthews>McDavid>>>Eichel>>>>>>>Laine

[Pokey Jones]

It's also time to stop comparing Eichel to McDavid and Matthews. He is what he is. I've said all along I see him more akin to a Getzlaf and I hold by that. Doesn't matter. He is STILL THE BEST WE HAVE so accept it and move forward with that. We don't need him to be better as much as we need the players with him to be much better. There is no point in looking backward. 

[Chris223]

I’m almost thinking we need another tank to get another top player to go with Eichel. But our draft picks seem to be underwhelming a lot of times. Did XGMTM really set this franchise further back then when he was hired? Almost feels that way

[Weave]

I’m almost thinking we need another tank to get another top player to go with Eichel. But our draft picks seem to be underwhelming a lot of times. Did XGMTM really set this franchise further back then when he was hired? Almost feels that way

 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Damn you, We've.  You beat me to it.

[Skibum]

No. It's over, and it's only the first week of November. It's going to be a long season. 

[DarthEbriate]

We just need to go 42-23-3 from here on out. Sure, half the defensemen are out of it for a little while, but I still have delusions of grandeur.

[IKnowPhysics]

To get 93 points, a team has to go 0.567 points percentage on the season.  We're currently at 0.357.  We need to go 0.610, or 42-26 (to confirm Darth).

 

What does a 0.610 the rest of the way looks like?  It would be finishing the season at a pace that a top 10 team (100+ season point total) carried all last season.  Is this impossible for any team to do?  No.  Is it possible for the Sabres to do?  That's for discussion.

 

Whatifs:

If the Sabres continue their current pace for another 8 games, they would need to go 0.646 to finish the season at 93 points, or averaging what a top 5 team carried last season.

If the Sabres continue their current pace for another 14 games, they would need to go 0.678 to finish the season at 93 points, or averaging what a top 2 team carried last season.

 

Considerations:

If this team can play top ten hockey starting right now, we can make the playoffs.

If this team can play top five hockey starting within 8 games, we can make the playoffs.

If this team can play top two hockey starting within 14 games, we can make the playoffs.

 

Personal belief: Unless we bust out a winning streak, we aren't going to be better immediately.  And this is not a top two team at any point this season.  So in my mind, we need to be a top five team by Thanksgiving.  That's asking a miracle of coaching for this defense.  I'm still in it, but we'll likely know by turkey dinner whether we need to schedule vacation time in April.

[MattPie]

To get 93 points, a team has to go 0.567 points percentage on the season.  We're currently at 0.357.  We need to go 0.610, or 42-26 (to confirm Darth).

 

What does a 0.610 the rest of the way looks like?  It would be finishing the season at a pace that a top 10 team (100+ season point total) carried all last season.  Is this impossible for any team to do?  No.  Is it possible for the Sabres to do?  That's for discussion.

 

Whatifs:

If the Sabres continue their current pace for another 8 games, they would need to go 0.646 to finish the season at 93 points, or averaging what a top 5 team carried last season.

If the Sabres continue their current pace for another 14 games, they would need to go 0.678 to finish the season at 93 points, or averaging what a top 2 team carried last season.

 

Considerations:

If this team can play top ten hockey starting right now, we can make the playoffs.

If this team can play top five hockey starting within 8 games, we can make the playoffs.

If this team can play top two hockey starting within 14 games, we can make the playoffs.

 

Personal belief: Unless we bust out a winning streak, we aren't going to be better immediately.  And this is not a top two team at any point this season.  So in my mind, we need to be a top five team by Thanksgiving.  That's asking a miracle of coaching for this defense.  I'm still in it, but we'll likely know by turkey dinner whether we need to schedule vacation time in April.

 

6 game streak gets the Sabres to 94 point-pace. That's already daunting

[Doohicksie]

5 points behind the last playoff team, the Caps, who we beat tonight.... and with a game in hand?  Yeah, there's a chance.

[Kruppstahl]

Nope.  And I think that I'm not renewing my tickets for next year.  I've had enough.  I keep spending on the hope that I'll be able to go to playoff games when they get there.  The reality is that I'm spending a lot more than it would cost to purchase playoff tickets on the secondary market, and that I could still get to 5-6 games a season anyway.

Here's a smart man.

 

Not only will we not make the playoffs this year, we won't make them next year either.

 

We need to rebuild the rebuild and Botterill will try to rebuild from within.  The farm is mostly bare and this team is a long way away from contending. 

 

Expect more of this sort of crap, night in, night out, for the next 2 to 3 years.

[Pokey Jones]

 

 

Expect more of this sort of crap, night in, night out, for the next 2 to 3 years.

Crap like what? Winning? 

Wasn't pretty, and we need to be better, but it wasn't crap.

 

We won't make the playoffs though, I agree with that.