Is this the dawning of a new era?

[dudacek]

Is this that darkest moment before the dawn?

February 20, 2013 was a significant day for the Buffalo Sabres.

On that day, the Sabres fired Lindy Ruff after nearly 15 years, officially drawing to a close the most successful run in franchise history, straddling two eras, the Hasek years, and the post-lockout years.

It also officially marked the start of the tank years, the least successful run in franchise history, eight nightmarish years that began with intentional losing and has continued with a revolving door of bad executives, bad draft picks, bad players and bad spirits.

Sometime before the end of July, another significant day will dawn. On that day, the last of the tank fruit - Ristolainen, Eichel, Reinhart - will be scrubbed away from the franchise. 

A handful of young players, unblemished by the stink of the tank will arrive to complement a new coach and the bright-eyed group that finished the season. Our neophyte GM will finish hiring his people and begin to put his stamp on the organization.

I don’t expect to be happy with the return of these trades, or with the new hirings, or the results next year. I don’t blame the players who are being discarded. But I am weary. I am beaten. I want to move on. I crave new, something fresh to fire my ambition. I crave hope.

The proverb says the definition of stupid is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. This does not feel good, but it at least feels different.

And I can’t help but feel that with this off-season, for better or for worse, a page is being turned. And whatever story these new Sabres become, it won’t be the story of the tank.

Maybe this story will be a better one. 

I’m ready.

[LGR4GM]

Dawning of a new age you say...

 

 

 

Edited June 17, 2021 by LGR4GM

[Thorner]

I'm not sure if it feels new yet, to me. I think that actually may be influenced by the returns. 

To something else you said, it also kinda feels like 2018. Is this, that, over again? Or is it new? We shall see. If all the best pieces in the deals are futures, I'd be weary.

They remain interesting. 

 

[Brawndo]

Considering it seems this has been Our Path, they need a new direction 

 

[Zamboni]

 

Edited June 17, 2021 by Zamboni

[Hoss]

I really just wish I could see the returns on these deals because this SHOULD be a great opportunity, despite the talent we are shipping out. I don't expect the opportunity will be taken advantage of properly.

[Eleven]

21 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Dawning of a new age you say...

 

 

 

I knew that *someone* watched that movie.  I just didn't know whom.  Now I know.

[bunomatic]

Still torn. Want new hope. New excitement and new results. Don’t think we’ll see it for a while. This reset has the feel of every other bonehead move we’ve been subjected to over the last decade. Does Terry really believe that this time it will be different ? Do any of y’all trust his judgement ? Is it change for changes sake or is Kevens vision sound ? Do we know what that vision is, other than more wasted years of another rebuild ? 

[DarthEbriate]

41 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Maybe this story will be a better one. 

I’m ready.

It's time to write, direct, and produce another trilogy.

[SwampD]

Until our plan to get better isn’t to get rid of our good players and then hope, I see no reason to think that things will change  moving forward.

 

It’s like the ***** Tank taught us nothing.

[klos1963]

Meet the new era, same as the old era.

[Norcal]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Is this that darkest moment before the dawn?

February 20, 2013 was a significant day for the Buffalo Sabres.

On that day, the Sabres fired Lindy Ruff after nearly 15 years, officially drawing to a close the most successful run in franchise history, straddling two eras, the Hasek years, and the post-lockout years.

It also officially marked the start of the tank years, the least successful run in franchise history, eight nightmarish years that began with intentional losing and has continued with a revolving door of bad executives, bad draft picks, bad players and bad spirits.

Sometime before the end of July, another significant day will dawn. On that day, the last of the tank fruit - Ristolainen, Eichel, Reinhart - will be scrubbed away from the franchise. 

A handful of young players, unblemished by the stink of the tank will arrive to complement a new coach and the bright-eyed group that finished the season. Our neophyte GM will finish hiring his people and begin to put his stamp on the organization.

I don’t expect to be happy with the return of these trades, or with the new hirings, or the results next year. I don’t blame the players who are being discarded. But I am weary. I am beaten. I want to move on. I crave new, something fresh to fire my ambition. I crave hope.

The proverb says the definition of stupid is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. This does not feel good, but it at least feels different.

And I can’t help but feel that with this off-season, for better or for worse, a page is being turned. And whatever story these new Sabres become, it won’t be the story of the tank.

Maybe this story will be a better one. 

I’m ready.

I'm ready too. This place could use some positivity. A couple solid trades and the right FA adds would go a long way towards that. 

[Rasmus_]

I want it so bad, it's not even funny, all the players that have been here for 6+ years, move him.

 

[PerreaultForever]

It simply has to be a new era for me to keep my interest. I've had my fill of this and if it's mostly the same core and people returning I'm out. Hasn't worked yet and won't work now. We need a new core and a new attitude. With a full reset you at least get a cause for hope and a bottom or floor to move up from. Then you can get back to being like most normal teams and expect progression year to year and be pissed if there's a drop off.  

[Doohicksie]

2 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Considering it seems this has been Our Path, they need a new direction 

 

I want my MTV.

[I-90 W]

I have zero confidence in this ownership team being capable of running a successful NHL team. We’re basically the Pittsburgh Pirates of the NHL now.

[Radar]

My concern has always been our management having the ability to build a team rather than collect individual talent. I do have concerns about this revolving door management. I do have hope still that Adams and Karmonis may be able to stabilize things. If not we'll be wheel spinning. The owners need to take responsibility for failures to hire the right management over their tenure and this may have been their last chance.

[jahnyc]

It definitely will be a new era if we trade Eichel, Sam and Riston in the near term.  Unfortunately, this would be exactly the type of situation (selling significant assets) that you would want an experienced GM and team for.  We don't have that, and we also have an understaffed scouting group, which is another concern.   JB was an inexperienced GM, and we paid the price with a poor trade for Ryan O'Reilly.  We can blame the Pegulas for putting constraints on JB, but maybe a more experienced GM would have been able to navigate ownership better and get a different result.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Honestly the day we fired Rasputin was the day this franchise actually turned the corner.  It was the day we officially started the full youth movement and no longer relied on vets from other organizations.  

During the tank-a-thon we brought in ROR, Lehner, KO, Kane, Skinner, Scandella, Franson, Bogosian, Gorges, Gionta, Pominville, Eakin, Miller, McBain, among others.  Many at the cost of young players, prospects and picks or basically our future depth.  

Now it looks like the "successful" tank fruit are about to be sent packing to clean the slate completely.  Honestly, I'd like to keep Jack and Sam because they finally have depth players to work with, but their departures look inevitable at this point.  I hope I'm wrong.

Regardless, their departure will bring in another wave of young assets to pair with Mitts, Cozens, Dahlin, VO, Jokiharju, R2, Bryson, Quinn, JJP and UPL.  Not all these guys will work out or become part of the core, but the talent level on this team top to bottom is clearly on the rise.  Now if we can just get a coach, goaltending and competent management we may just have a chance. 

 

[darksabre]

Distinct possiblity we're just moving from one era of suck to the next era of suck. Exciting.

[That Aud Smell]

11 hours ago, Eleven said:

I knew that *someone* watched that movie.  I just didn't know whom.  Now I know.

went to the movie theatre with friends to see it - practically pissed my pants at times, i found it so funny.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

New GM and new coach.  There will be new players and likely some of the old ones will be gone.

So, yes it is a new era.  I am hopeful, as always.

[Curt]

The Hasek Era

The Post Hasek Era

The Post Lockout Era

The Middling Era

The Tank Fruit Era

The Post Tank Fruit Era

[Weave]

I am mildly proud that tank fruit has stuck.

That is all.

[Taro T]

IF Adams & Karmanos are good at their jobs we are at the cusp of a new era.  (Defining point of when it starts/started basically coming down to what moves are made this off-season.  It might have begun the day Granato was named the interim, it might have been the day Karmanos was hired, or it'll be the date 1 of the "Big 3" get dealt.)

If they are only as good as the previous 2 GMs, then no, it isn't a new era.  It's simply another chapter in a REALLY bad overrated novel.  Think Ulysses but at the length of War & Peace and with prose as captivating as that of Melville.