How far do we fall in the standings??

[John Tucker]

Why not start thinking about our next lottery pick?!?!  Out west, Colorado & Arizona are fighting for the last Wild Card spot.  Chicago's been hot while Vancouver is sliding, but still in it.  All four of those teams will likely blow by us.  In the east, the Flyers will continue to leave us in the dust and the Rangers and Florida should pass us by the weekend.  We're probably safe from being caught by New Jersey, Detroit, Ottawa, Edmonton, Anaheim and LA.  But who knows with our remaining schedule and how pathetic this team is.  So realistically, we could be picking #7... Alex Nylander & Mittelstadt territory.  Who could we be looking at this year?

[Doohicksie]

4 minutes ago, John Tucker said:

So realistically, we could be picking #7... Alex Nylander & Mittelstadt territory.  Who could we be looking at this year?

There's already a thread for that.

[Scottysabres]

Looking at our remaining schedule I see us in the 5 to 7 range pre-lottery. If this does prove to be the case, I'm hopeful for the 1st or 3rd overall pick with lottery luck.

[CallawaySabres]

Get the Skinner signing done and then they can fall as far as they want for all I care. I have been saying for over a month that we end up picking number 7 which would land us a solid player in the draft. Hopefully by April 2020 we will still be watching these games with interest of the #8 seed....that's really all I want as I am so sick of this team not even being in the playoff conversation.

I don't get it, Islanders lose Tavares and Carolina loses Skinner, and both teams are crushing it right now. How the hell does Philly even have a better record than us? Montreal blew by us as well and here we sit, looking equally as bad as the tank years....even worse since end of November. Something is very, very wrong 

Edited February 27, 2019 by CallawaySabres

[John Tucker]

4 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

There's already a thread for that.

I saw that.  I was curious to see where everyone thinks we fall to.  Plus, I like mine better!

[John Tucker]

3 minutes ago, CallawaySabres said:

Get the Skinner signing done and then they can fall as far as they want for all I care. I have been saying for over a month that we end up picking number 7 which would land us a solid player in the draft. Hopefully by April 2020 we will still be watching these games with interest of the #8 seed....that's really all I want as I am so sick of this team not even being in the playoff conversation.

I don't get it, Islanders lose Tavares and Carolina loses Skinner, and both teams are crushing it right now. How the hell does Philly even have a better record than us? Montreal blew by us as well and here we sit, looking equally as bad as the tank years....even worse since end of November. Something is very, very wrong 

I hate it to, but the reality of it is we still suck and likely will again next year unless there's yet another change at the top or another roster turnover.  Sucks being a Buffalo fan!  It's getting old

[7+6=13]

14 minutes ago, John Tucker said:

I hate it to, but the reality of it is we still suck and likely will again next year unless there's yet another change at the top or another roster turnover.  Sucks being a Buffalo fan!  It's getting old

Yet, you want to discuss who we'll draft.

[John Tucker]

Just now, 7+6=13 said:

Yet, you want to discuss who we'll draft.

Sorry, not sorry it bothers you!!

[Huckleberry]

I think we pick #2 ?

[Mustache of God]

I hope we win the lottery into the top 3 and then trade down for an established roster player and lower 1st rounder. Get immediate help and still stack the cupboards. I really hate the idea of drafting 7th/8th and waiting 2-3 years for that pick to come along (a la Nylander)

[Brawndo]

6 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

I hope we win the lottery into the top 3 and then trade down for an established roster player and lower 1st rounder. Get immediate help and still stack the cupboards. I really hate the idea of drafting 7th/8th and waiting 2-3 years for that pick to come along (a la Nylander)

Or Clayton Keller who was in the NHL less than 12 Months after being drafted at Seven 

[Sabre1974]

We can hope we get lucky 2 years in a row and win the lottery. 2nd center sorted as we draft jack Hughes.  Can't happen again, can it???????

[dudacek]

5 hours ago, CallawaySabres said:

Get the Skinner signing done and then they can fall as far as they want for all I care. I have been saying for over a month that we end up picking number 7 which would land us a solid player in the draft. Hopefully by April 2020 we will still be watching these games with interest of the #8 seed....that's really all I want as I am so sick of this team not even being in the playoff conversation.

I don't get it, Islanders lose Tavares and Carolina loses Skinner, and both teams are crushing it right now. How the hell does Philly even have a better record than us? Montreal blew by us as well and here we sit, looking equally as bad as the tank years....even worse since end of November. Something is very, very wrong 

Carolina and the Islanders prove you can lose top players and lose trades and still get better.

So in theory JBot wasn’t wrong to trade O’Reilly for a bag of parts.

[Gatorman0519]

Florida and NY will likely pass us.  We are basically a one line team.  3 months is not an aberration.  This team is still a cellar dweller.  

[Wyldnwoody44]

If we win, do we pick Hughes and does he play? I mean, we will be in thr lottery with semi ok chances of moving up

[Scottysabres]

2 minutes ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

If we win, do we pick Hughes and does he play? I mean, we will be in thr lottery with semi ok chances of moving up

Yes and yes. Hugh's is a very NHL ready talent.

[Wyldnwoody44]

Just now, Scottysabres said:

Yes and yes. Hugh's is a very NHL ready talent.

He is tinyyyyy tho, while a good prospect, may suffer in the men's league

[Scottysabres]

Just now, Wyldnwoody44 said:

He is tinyyyyy tho, while a good prospect, may suffer in the men's league

Pick up that Beef with speed, both on D and Wing to supplement it and he should be fine, at least, I hope. But honestly, that talent, that would be hard to turn away from.

But, a very valid concern. Let me ask a counter question if you will...……………….If we take 1st overall in the draft lottery, do you have another player in mind, or...……………….would you be willing to trade that pick, for the right offer? The reason I ask is because trading that pick could produce a great deal of wind fall with regards to filling holes on our roster.

If you do want to entertain trading that 1st overall, just for conversations sake, what team and targets did you have in mind?

I'll hang up and listen, thanks.

[Berg]

6 hours ago, John Tucker said:

Why not start thinking about our next lottery pick?!?!  Out west, Colorado & Arizona are fighting for the last Wild Card spot.  Chicago's been hot while Vancouver is sliding, but still in it.  All four of those teams will likely blow by us.  In the east, the Flyers will continue to leave us in the dust and the Rangers and Florida should pass us by the weekend.  We're probably safe from being caught by New Jersey, Detroit, Ottawa, Edmonton, Anaheim and LA.  But who knows with our remaining schedule and how pathetic this team is.  So realistically, we could be picking #7... Alex Nylander & Mittelstadt territory.  Who could we be looking at this year?

If we do not go to the playoffs, then the most correct decision, in my opinion, is to exchange Draft for players who would help the team now, and not in a few years. We have enough of the first election .. It's time to win something. Otherwise, why All ..

[inkman]

Here is list of number 7 picks.  A dibious Sabres makes the list. 

http://www.mynhldraft.com/nhl-draft-picks/7th-overall/70509/

Not bad, I'd take any of them after Okposo. 

Edited February 27, 2019 by inkman

[Crusader1969]

If you don’t get lucky in lottery , I don’t think there will be much difference between 4th and 12th 

Top 2 is what you really want this year 

[PerreaultForever]

56 minutes ago, Berg said:

If we do not go to the playoffs, then the most correct decision, in my opinion, is to exchange Draft for players who would help the team now, and not in a few years. We have enough of the first election .. It's time to win something. Otherwise, why All ..

Big mistake. That's how you end up in cap hell. You need to stagger your players coming in and balance rookie contracts against FAs and big signings (Skinner). We should end up drafting around #7 and that can be a really good pick.  

[7+6=13]

9 hours ago, John Tucker said:

Sorry, not sorry it bothers you!!

It doesn't bother me.  However what should bother you is we're going to be very good, very soon and you're not going to enjoy the ride. 

Of course it's your right to follow your own directions.  I'm just trying to help you take the better route.  See you there.  

[Kruppstahl]

I hope we lose out.  Get the best draft slot possible, and on top of it, make a compelling case for Pegula to fire Housley at the end of the season.

I fear Housley will be the coach of this team when next season starts.

He is obviously not the right guy for the job and he is going to get fired eventually.  It's a question of when.

If he survives into next season and gets the ax next Thanksgiving time, for example, it will destroy next season as well and now we are looking at 2020/2021 as the first shot at moving forward.

I'm sick of lost seasons; Botterill is too slow and patient.

"It is even better to act quickly and err than to hesitate until the time for action has passed."

-Carl von Clausewitz

 

 

[Wyldnwoody44]

5 hours ago, Scottysabres said:

Pick up that Beef with speed, both on D and Wing to supplement it and he should be fine, at least, I hope. But honestly, that talent, that would be hard to turn away from.

But, a very valid concern. Let me ask a counter question if you will...……………….If we take 1st overall in the draft lottery, do you have another player in mind, or...……………….would you be willing to trade that pick, for the right offer? The reason I ask is because trading that pick could produce a great deal of wind fall with regards to filling holes on our roster.

If you do want to entertain trading that 1st overall, just for conversations sake, what team and targets did you have in mind?

I'll hang up and listen, thanks.

I was interested in that guy with the weird name who is consensus #2 winger (sorry I forget name) he's bigger and closing the gap on Hughes. 

As for trades, I think #1 would bring back a solid #2C and prospect, maybe a Courtier + deal, or something similar. Unfortunatley I don't follow the rest of the league as close, so in drawing a blank on who would trade for the first pick. 

I just think that we def need to add some size and grit to this team, not every player mind you, but I think we could be a more complete team if we were to trade a nice young talent.