Meaningful games in March — or meaningless?

[Stoner]

I'm starting to hear about how this franchise "finally" is going to be playing some meaningful games in March, and how, win or lose, that experience will help the team in the fall.

Jumping the gun a bit, I'd say.

The Sabres were six points back on March 1 in 2017 and seven back last March 1, approximately the same position they are in now. 2017 is ancient history, of course, so let's not go back to March 1, 2012 or 2013, when they were just four back.

The idea that being in the hunt with 20 games left is a marker of progress or that being in the hunt carries over from one season to the next is a dubious one IMHO.

Let's talk again on March 15.

Edited February 26, 2020 by PASabreFan

[Randall Flagg]

They also have three highly losable games before March even starts, and could easily find themselves ten points out or more by the time they play their first March game.

[dudacek]

I think the talk is how we are hoping for meaningful games in March.

Basically two losses in a row and the hope will virtually disappear.

Edited February 26, 2020 by dudacek

[Hank]

49 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

I'm starting to hear about how this franchise "finally" is going to be playing some meaningful games in March, and how, win or lose, that experience will help the team in the fall.

Jumping the gun a bit, I'd say.

The Sabres were six points back on March 1 in 2017 and seven back last March 1, approximately the same position they are in now. 2017 is ancient history, of course, so let's not go back to March 1, 2012 or 2013, when they were just four back.

The idea that being in the hunt with 20 games left is a marker of progress or that being in the hunt carries over from one season to the next is a dubious one IMHO.

Let's talk again on March 15.

I'm excited for the last twenty games, don't ruin it ?

[...]

50 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

They also have three highly losable games before March even starts, and could easily find themselves ten points out or more by the time they play their first March game.

 

[nfreeman]

The recent winning streak also provides more hope for meaningful games in March, as opposed to last year when the bottom was falling out at this point in the season (although I admit the similarity to last year's point total and standings position is a bit unsettling). 

Keep hope alive!

[North Buffalo]

Show me... not saying they cant but show me...

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, nfreeman said:

The recent winning streak also provides more hope for meaningful games in March, as opposed to last year when the bottom was falling out at this point in the season (although I admit the similarity to last year's point total and standings position is a bit unsettling). 

Keep hope alive!

As you pointed out, the big difference between last year and this year is that the Sabres have been closing the gap on the teams in front of them rather than racing towards the bottom until they finally got to games 81 & 82 and decided to do something crazy and beat a couple of bad teams to slide a bit in the lottery seeding.

Expecting tonight's game to be ugly, but the rest of the road trip has difficult but winnable games.  5 or 6 out of 8 is what it'll take.  (Taking into account how they play against the Avs, realistically it will take 5 or 6 out of 6.  Tough, but possible.)

[GASabresIUFAN]

The Sabres went 4-7-2 in February last season.  Apples to Oranges.  That team was already sliding into oblivion. This team found itself in February (so far) despite losing their No.1 goalie, and their 2 best scoring forwards until recently. 

[triumph_communes]

They’re actually playing good hockey this season that can beat any team as long as the goalie shows up and plays at least average. Oh and that’s with Skinner being quiet. Unlock him and they’re a competitive team

[Sabre fan]

hate to say but we seem to be better by subtraction...move out Bogo and the "D" gets better...I also think the minor moves JBotto made at the  deadline will help too. Unfortuntaley it is too little too late...we will never catch the Leafs as much as I would love to...

[Derrico]

4 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

They also have three highly losable games before March even starts, and could easily find themselves ten points out or more by the time they play their first March game.

[WildCard]

 

On 2/26/2020 at 12:12 PM, Randall Flagg said:

They also have three highly losable games before March even starts, and could easily find themselves ten points out or more by the time they play their first March game.

So, this happened

[Randall Flagg]

Simmonds waived to come here from the Devils and be a part of a playoff push. 

The Devils are 2 points behind us now

[Scottysabres]

On 2/26/2020 at 12:12 PM, Randall Flagg said:

They also have three highly losable games before March even starts, and could easily find themselves ten points out or more by the time they play their first March game.

"Meet the hockey Prophet".

?

[...]

[MattPie]

It reminds me of that year that the Sabres were around 8th at the trade deadline, then when on to lose a bunch of games in a row to drop into obscurity.

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, MattPie said:

It reminds me of that year that the Sabres were around 8th at the trade deadline, then when on to lose a bunch of games in a row to drop into obscurity.

We weren't really around 8th this year at the deadline, though. We were what, a hypothetical 6 points back *if* we won our games in hand, something like that, right? There was a shot but the odds were in the low single digits mathematically. Although I know you already knew that. 

Edited March 3, 2020 by Thorny

[LTS]

2 hours ago, Thorny said:

We weren't really around 8th this year at the deadline, though. We were what, a hypothetical 6 points back *if* we won our games in hand, something like that, right? There was a shot but the odds were in the low single digits mathematically. Although I know you already knew that. 

Sucked that the Sabres played Colorado who have won 7 straight and then Vegas who I believe had a winning streak going but are 8-2 in their last 10.

You go up against hot teams, it sucks.  Arizona was the game they had no excuse for... they started out well and then bombed... big time.

[MattPie]

5 hours ago, Thorny said:

We weren't really around 8th this year at the deadline, though. We were what, a hypothetical 6 points back *if* we won our games in hand, something like that, right? There was a shot but the odds were in the low single digits mathematically. Although I know you already knew that. 

Not even, they had maybe 1 game in hand on Floronto and were even with Torida. It's just one of those "maybe sorta they have a chance" and then "until they lost 3 4 in a row."

[SwampD]

Looking at the remaining schedule, unless this team is even worse than the most pessimistic fan thinks it is, there is absolutely no reason that even after these four losses, they still can't make a run at a playoff spot. It's ***** ridiculous.

[MattPie]

8 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Looking at the remaining schedule, unless this team is even worse than the most pessimistic fan thinks it is, there is absolutely no reason that even after these four losses, they still can't make a run at a playoff spot. It's ***** ridiculous.

If they win out they get to 98, which is one point better than Toronto's current 97-point pace. Do you think this team is capable of winning every single game for the rest of the season? Do you think this team is capable of losing only 3 games for the remainder? That what they need to get to 92 points, one better than Florida's pace. They're not going to be the best team in the history of the NHL running at a 136-point pace (15-3-0) and even that likely won't get them close.

I suspect I'm missing some humor here.

[SwampD]

7 minutes ago, MattPie said:

If they win out they get to 98, which is one point better than Toronto's current 97-point pace. Do you think this team is capable of winning every single game for the rest of the season? Do you think this team is capable of losing only 3 games for the remainder? That what they need to get to 92 points, one better than Florida's pace. They're not going to be the best team in the history of the NHL running at a 136-point pace (15-3-0) and even that likely won't get them close.

I suspect I'm missing some humor here.

I'm saying they should be. Jesus. The remaining teams we play are no world beaters by any stretch. 

If the Sabres don't at least make it remotely interesting, then JBott should be fired and have to call GMTM to get his job back by the final horn of the last game and the Pegula's should have to sell the team to a liberal at a discount, cuz that means that they have created one of the worst teams ever to wear the uniform, and that includes the teams they created during the tank years.

 

[Randall Flagg]

40 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Looking at the remaining schedule, unless this team is even worse than the most pessimistic fan thinks it is, there is absolutely no reason that even after these four losses, they still can't make a run at a playoff spot. It's ***** ridiculous.

This is absolute madness

we play like 5 games against some of the hottest and top teams in the east coming right up

and could win all 18 and still potentially miss