Are Your Expectations for this Season Changing?

[bobs0108]

26 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

The best part about this streak is that my 12 and 14 year old boys are finally all-in on the Sabres.   It's more fun to watch when they're as emotionally invested as myself.. haha, poor kids what have I done!

I think that is considered child abuse 

[stinky finger]

Gotta be playoffs, right?

Get your foot in the door.

 

[carpandean]

Been a while, but seems like a good time to bring the chart out of mothballs ...

(Points net of 93-point playoffs-ish pace.)

Edited November 24, 2018 by carpandean

[Skibum]

Most definitely! I thought there would be some improvement, but I wasn't convinced it would be really amazing. I have not been able to watch the Sabres much during this win streak, but I just watched the first period of the Detroit game, and I can't believe what I'm seeing! These guys are CRUSHING IT. They look like a very, very good team on so many fronts I don't even have time to comment on all of it. They haven't played anything like this in years, not even for a few minutes here and there. It's only one period, but again, this kind of thing simply was not part of the program, ever, in the last five years. 

[Ho-Chi-Sock]

At this point, a Stanley Cup would feel like a disappointment.

[Beer]

I’m giddy with the thought of a deep playoff run.  This team is making me believe.  

[Eleven]

No.  I still think the team ends somewhere between 7th and 10th in the East.  

That doesn't mean I'm not enjoying this!

[Indabuff]

Playoffs or bust baby!  

Just kidding...maybe.  Really enjoying this.  Nice to have a winning team 'round these parts.  Hope it lasts. 

[PerreaultForever]

In order to have a serious run we will need a better power play. Penalty killing is pretty good, but PP is only around 18%. Colorado's is at 32%, Tampa 27%. Things are going well, but imagine how good we'd be with a really dangerous PP.

[Beer]

7 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

In order to have a serious run we will need a better power play. Penalty killing is pretty good, but PP is only around 18%. Colorado's is at 32%, Tampa 27%. Things are going well, but imagine how good we'd be with a really dangerous PP.

You are right, they need to get it in the mid-20’s (or starting scoring more at even strength).  What is clear from this streak is that they are not blowing teams out of the water.  These have all been close contests where a more effective PP could have helped.  Eventually we are going to be on the wrong side of some of these 1 goal games.  Special teams play could be the difference.

[mikeymike15]

Playoffs are the expectation now. However no deadline trades. We are not buyers at this deadline. Stay the course on the long term path

[Hoss]

5 minutes ago, mikeymike15 said:

Playoffs are the expectation now. However no deadline trades. We are not buyers at this deadline. Stay the course on the long term path

I still disagree with saying this flat out. ESPECIALLY if you’re in a prime playoff position come February. The course is winning as much as possible.

[Beer]

^ I wouldn’t leverage the farm for a rental but if there is an opportunity to pick a player from an underachieving team or one that is about to “rebuild”, I have full trust in JBOTTS to make the right decision.  I wonder if the decline in Pittsburgh has something to do with his departure.  He clearly knows how to build a strong farm system and evaluate players.  

[klos1963]

30 minutes ago, Beer said:

^ I wouldn’t leverage the farm for a rental but if there is an opportunity to pick a player from an underachieving team or one that is about to “rebuild”, I have full trust in JBOTTS to make the right decision.  I wonder if the decline in Pittsburgh has something to do with his departure.  He clearly knows how to build a strong farm system and evaluate players.  

How many teams actually 'leverage the farm' for a rental player? I don't think this is a legitimate thing to worry about. I mean, who would want to do that?

1 hour ago, mikeymike15 said:

Playoffs are the expectation now. However no deadline trades. We are not buyers at this deadline. Stay the course on the long term path

What if we can acquire a player that would help a playoff run, what good reason would there be to not try to improve the team? This approach makes no sense.

[Beer]

Klos, i mean don’t pull a EXGMTM and overpay with a first round pick or a top prospect for a clear rental.  GM’s do crazy things every year at the trade deadline.

 

Something that occurred to me is that we should become an attractive destination in the off-season for solid vets who want a chance at the cup.  Guys who can be solid role players at an affordable price tag.  The Sabres are a young team who is very competitive and will be for some time.  A player like a Recchi, Guerin, or Cullen comes to mind.  These guys were instrumental to cup runs.

Edited November 25, 2018 by Beer

[IKnowPhysics]

Changing expectations?  Nope.

 

Extending hope?  Yep.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

30 minutes ago, IKnowPhysics said:

Changing expectations?  Nope.

 

Extending hope?  Yep.

Yes.  I am hopeful that my expectation will change.

[LTS]

I don't see this team as a deep playoff run contender but they are starting to make me think that they have a really solid shot at being in the playoffs this season.

That said, I still think they are due some hardship this season.  They are a young team.  I'd love to be wrong.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Has there ever been a team that won 9 in a row that didn't make the playoffs in modern hockey?

[PerreaultForever]

12 hours ago, klos1963 said:

How many teams actually 'leverage the farm' for a rental player? I don't think this is a legitimate thing to worry about. I mean, who would want to do that?

What if we can acquire a player that would help a playoff run, what good reason would there be to not try to improve the team? This approach makes no sense.

History shows that rental players rarely work out. Things are great right now, and given Vegas last year I guess anything's possible but you don't build a dynasty by trading away your future. 

[Scottysabres]

They are definitely playoff bound. I thought .500/playoff bubble team, but this run has me believing wild card spot at the very least.

That being said, Botts is going to have to address the 2nd scoring line situation, regardless of playoffs or not. It's not contributing nearly enough to maintain sustainable help for the 1st line. I mean, it's great and all that Skinner is taking off and we've found one of Jacks future wingers, but pressure must be taken off of that line to some extent with help from the 2nd scoring line. Reinhart, Middlestadt, Okposo just aren't getting it done with consistent basis.

A trade, a call up, doesn't matter the solution, that line has to contribute more than it has.

Edited November 26, 2018 by Scottysabres

[Marions Piazza]

1 minute ago, Scottysabres said:

They are definitely playoff bound. I thought .500/playoff bubble team, but this run has me believing wild card spot at the very least.

That being said, Botts is going to have to address the 2nd scoring line situation, regardless of playoffs or not. It's not contributing nearly enough to maintain sustainable help for the 1st line. I mean, it's great and all that Skinner is taking off and we've found one of Jacks future wingers, but pressure must be taken off of that line to some extent with help from the 2nd scoring line. Reinhart, Middlestadt, Okposo just aren't getting it done with consistent basis.

A trade, a call up, doesn't matter the solution, that line has to contribute more than it has.

Yeah once the Sheary-Mittelstadt-Okposo line starts scoring, we will be in for an even bigger treat.

[Scottysabres]

1 minute ago, Marions Piazza said:

Yeah once the Sheary-Mittelstadt-Okposo line starts scoring, we will be in for an even bigger treat.

If they start scoring with consistency. So far it's been Skinner and Eichel bailing out the team for ties or starter goals for the most part. We have to have a larger contribution from that 2nd line. It's invisible for most games most nights to date. Not that they don't contribute, but they don't contribute enough to take pressure off our 1st line nearly enough.

[klos1963]

5 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

History shows that rental players rarely work out. Things are great right now, and given Vegas last year I guess anything's possible but you don't build a dynasty by trading away your future. 

Rental players have helped. Why do most fans against this think that the future is traded away. Rarely does a team trade a high pick for a rental. We traded for Barnes and Warrener in 1999. Those trades helped us reach the finals that season.

[Marions Piazza]

23 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

If they start scoring with consistency. So far it's been Skinner and Eichel bailing out the team for ties or starter goals for the most part. We have to have a larger contribution from that 2nd line. It's invisible for most games most nights to date. Not that they don't contribute, but they don't contribute enough to take pressure off our 1st line nearly enough.

I do agree mostly, however, i think that you're missing the fact that depth has been coming form different players/lines in different games, while not consistantly the 2nd line, secondary scoring has been decent from everywhere.

i read the following this morning and it sums things up nicely IMO

"Although Skinner and Eichel have been the driving forces up front for Buffalo, with the former scoring nine goals during this nine-game win streak and the latter adding a goal and 10 assists, there have been contributions from up and down the lineup. In Montreal it was secondary scoring from Vladimir Sobotka and his line. Against Vancouver it was Reinhart setting up Skinner then potting the game-tying goal all with less than three minutes remaining in the third period. In Minnesota it was defensemen Jake McCabe and Rasmus Dahlin pulling the Sabres out of a two-goal deficit and against Philadelphia it was a blitzkrieg of secondary scoring from Tage Thompson, Evan Rodrigues and Johan Larsson that helped stake Buffalo to a 4-0 lead after 20 minutes."