Dahlin -> Major Rebuild?

[pi2000]

Larsson is a kinder, gentler Vaclav Varada with worse hands.  He's barely an NHL'er.

 

Man I loved that team... Grosek, Boughner, Warrener, Ward, Peca... that was fun hockey.  

[Weave]

Man I loved that team... Grosek, Boughner, Warrener, Ward, Peca... that was fun hockey.  

 

Brings a tear to me eye.

[Thorner]

Man I loved that team... Grosek, Boughner, Warrener, Ward, Peca... that was fun hockey.

 

Geoff Sanderson had that nice goal against the Leafs in that conference final.

 

Speaking of which, I was listening to a Toronto broadcast the other day (so I’m to blame) and they were saying with certainty that the Leafs were there “better” team that year, in actuality.

 

Dear lord.

[pi2000]

Geoff Sanderson had that nice goal against the Leafs in that conference final.

 

Speaking of which, I was listening to a Toronto broadcast the other day (so I’m to blame) and they were saying with certainty that the Leafs were there “better” team that year, in actuality.

 

Dear lord.

 

Yes, that was a great goal.    Sanderson would do very well in today's game... a guy like Boughner or Grosek... not so much, haha.  

 

I wouldn't expect anything less from Toronto media.

[Taro T]

Geoff Sanderson had that nice goal against the Leafs in that conference final.

Speaking of which, I was listening to a Toronto broadcast the other day (so I’m to blame) and they were saying with certainty that the Leafs were there “better” team that year, in actuality.

Dear lord.

Well, technically, they did have a better regular season record that year than the Sabres. But that was mainly because the Sabres only played 1/2 the season that year.

 

After Hasek broke Yashin's spirit in the 1st playoff game & the Sabres mysteriously found a PP, that Sabres team was on fire. Even Hasek missing games & the officials calling back an obvious goal in game 5 couldn't get the Loafs into that series.

[Sabel79]

Sabres were a 7 seed that year, were they not?

[GASabresIUFAN]

How about we launch guys like Larsson, Pouliot, Girgensons, Nolan, etc... before we start talking about moving ROR. I don't understand how trading ROR will make the Larsson and Girgensons more productive.

I totally agree. I think changing 15-16 players not named Scandella, Risto, ROR, Sam, Jack, Guhle and Casey should be enough “major change” for anyone. Moving a ROR or Risto is a step in the wrong direction. I don’t think the top of the team is the problem. We need more talent overall and more balance. Getting Risto’s minutes down to 23 or so per night would be a good start, but you have to have D who can pick up the slack. We don’t.

Edited April 27, 2018 by GASabresIUFAN

[Thorner]

Well, technically, they did have a better regular season record that year than the Sabres. But that was mainly because the Sabres only played 1/2 the season that year.

After Hasek broke Yashin's spirit in the 1st playoff game & the Sabres mysteriously found a PP, that Sabres team was on fire. Even Hasek missing games & the officials calling back an obvious goal in game 5 couldn't get the Loafs into that series.

Yup. By the time that series was played, the Sabres had become the better team.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Sabres were a 7 seed that year, were they not?

 

Yes. And they really came together in the second half and in the playoffs they were really unstoppable, except by Bettman.

[apuszczalowski]

HE'S NEVER LEAVING!

 

I fully expect this to come back and bite me in the ass when he and Kane win a Cup in SJ of course

if there is one superstar FA that could shock everyone and give the Sabres a sweepstakes win, it Tavares. His uncle was a well known icon here and could be a recruiter to get him here if he enjoyed being here.

[Radar]

I totally agree. I think changing 15-16 players not named Scandella, Risto, ROR, Sam, Jack, Guhle and Casey should be enough “major change” for anyone. Moving a ROR or Risto is a step in the wrong direction. I don’t think the top of the team is the problem. We need more talent overall and more balance. Getting Risto’s minutes down to 23 or so per night would be a good start, but you have to have D who can pick up the slack. We don’t.

Agree.

[DarthEbriate]

Yes. And they really came together in the second half and in the playoffs they were really unstoppable, except by Bettman.

Well...  more by losing 3rd leading scorer Grosek in game one and having Satan skating on just one leg than Bettman. Crease rule or no crease rule --- that Stars roster was loaded for the clutch-and-grab era, and we lost our scorers at the very worst time.

 

But the future. Always in motion it is. And tomorrow we solidify the future just a little bit.

[Taro T]

if there is one superstar FA that could shock everyone and give the Sabres a sweepstakes win, it Tavares. His uncle was a well known icon here and could be a recruiter to get him here if he enjoyed being here.

That's been my justification for believing it's not just possible but plausible. Because ... Buffalo. ;)

[Sabel79]

That's been my justification for believing it's not just possible but plausible. Because ... Buffalo. ;)

 

I see what you did there...

[PerreaultForever]

Dahlin changes everything. Time to believe again. 

[Sabre1974]

Dahlin changes everything. Time to believe again. 

said on another thread today is hopefully the day that we have made a step in the right direction and are now on the way back.

[dudacek]

Rasmus doesn’t mean a major rebuild.

On the contrary, he fills a major roster hole with an entry level contract and means we aren’t forced to trade Reinhart or Risto or ROR to fix our D.

He also allows us to spend some money and/or burn some assets on acquiring some real depth instead of more Josefsons and Pouliots

 

Our flexibility just grew along with our talent level.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I was at my wife’s high school reunion and just saw the lottery results. Wow! I figured we didn’t win because the party continued on and the world didn’t come to an end.

[Eleven]

I was at my wife’s high school reunion and just saw the lottery results. Wow! I figured we didn’t win because the party continued on and the world didn’t come to an end.

 

You're lying.  We all know that there aren't high schools in Georgia.

[Carmel Corn]

Trading Risto?  Hogwash!  Aside from him and Guhle (maybe Scandella), any other current d-man is expendable.  The problem with the D this year is we have two rookie coaches who tried to coach them and they were both in over their heads. 

 

Housley is not a bonafide HC and Hajt is not a credible NHL defense coach either.  Risto would flourish under a coaching staff that actually knew what they were doing.

[TrueBlueGED]

Rasmus doesn’t mean a major rebuild.

On the contrary, he fills a major roster hole with an entry level contract and means we aren’t forced to trade Reinhart or Risto or ROR to fix our D.

He also allows us to spend some money and/or burn some assets on acquiring some real depth instead of more Josefsons and Pouliots

 

Our flexibility just grew along with our talent level.

Agreed. We have so much more flexibility to fill out the roster now. So excited.

[Randall Flagg]

Risto is tantalizingly expendable. I'm not just giving him away, but he's the only movable asset whose trade value is almost surely better than his actual on ice value.

[LGR4GM]

Risto is tantalizingly expendable. I'm not just giving him away, but he's the only movable asset whose trade value is almost surely better than his actual on ice value.

If there's a team with a 20-22 year old winger that's fast and a sniper... I might at least make a call

[Sabre fan]

talking about a 4th line i would be happy with Bailey-Erod-Baptiste

THANK YOU!!! totally agree. I absolutely do not want to sign more aging vets when we have young guys that deserve a shot. If we are going to lose lets do it with young players who learn as we go (like the leafs did a few years back). I am so darn tired of bringing in overpaid aging vets who are just putting in time til they retire.

[Thorner]

It’ll be interesting to see what happens. That quote from Friedman mentioned the “tearing down to the studs” would be easier with Dahlin, so I’m not sure getting him rules out a “rebuild” of sorts. I just don’t think it’s the type that necessitates a step backwards. Indeed, adding a defender of Dahlin’s caliber instantly changes the complexion of the team and the franchise.

 

Stripping down to the studs is a much more viable course of action when the Sabres are now loaded with legitimate studs. Dahlin, Eichel, Mittelstadt. There’s no young core better. O’Reilly, Reinhart, and Ristolainen are the next level, and Botterill has the flexibility to chose which remain part of the foundation. It could easily be all three, or maybe one gets traded.

 

We acquired the most difficult piece to achieve, the piece that has more value around the league than any other, a piece we were never going to add if not this year by a massive stroke of good fortune, to a unit that already has a franchise centre.

 

Botterill couldn’t have slept much yesterday, if at all.