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How bad will we be?

dudacek

By dudacek
in The Aud Club

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What choice best describes your expectations for the Sabres this year?  

88 members have voted

  1. 1. What choice best describes your expectations for the Sabres this year?

    • Forget the haters, this team will challenge for the playoffs
      1
    • It's not going to be as bad as people seem to think, they will compete and keep other teams honest and break 70 points
      16
    • They will be up and down a lot, occasionally surprise, get blown out a few times and finish in the bottom 3-5
      42
    • They will be as bad as the two tank teams and have a real shot of finishing with the franchise's the all-time worst record
      29

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Norcal All Star

Norcal

Posted
Posted
  On 9/13/2021 at 5:15 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:

Wheeler’s opinion is easy to understand.

KA found a way to downgrade the goaltending.  He traded away our best and most consistent player in Reinhart for futures. On defense he arguably downgraded McCabe, Ristolainen ( and Irwin) with Pysyk, Hagg and Butcher. All this on a team that was already at the bottom of the league. Add our most talented player is injured and is likely going to be traded at any moment.  Not exactly an off-season to inspire confidence for next season.

Not exactly a thought provoking opinion either.  It’s also not how things work.  Last season them media believed the team had a chance to be good with the additions of Hall and Staal.  Montreal certainly wasn’t picked to play for the Cup.  

So are things really so dire?  The goaltending certainly is.  However, beyond that there are reasons for optimism.

On defense, Dahlin and Jokiharju should continue to progress.  Hagg, Butcher and Pysyk all have played better hockey then they did last season.  A good article on Butcher pointed out that he was played with the wrong partner last season and that cratered his stats. All are young enough to rebound with a better opportunity here.    Considering how often McCabe was injured and how poor Risto was on defense, this defense could actually be better this season. 

Eichel and Reinhart are impossible to replace right now, but that doesn’t mean we can’t at least be decent on offense. Mitts, Cozens, R2 and hopefully Thompson could (should?) all continue to improve under a full season with DG.

Health and bad coaching derailed last year’s team.  If this team stays healthy, they won’t compete for a playoff spot, but they won’t be bottom of the barrel either.  I chose option 3.  I’d be more optimistic with better goaltending.

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Why is it impossible for you to think that maybe UPL has improved and will benefit from having an extra coach on the ice with him in Anderson? 

I'm not saying UPL is improved or that he will play well and at times carry the team on his back but....

I'm not saying he can't until I see it with my own eyes. 

He has been working all off season to improve the aspects of his game that are lacking and he has spent a significant amount of his time in Buffalo rehabbing and working at HarborCenter with teammates. 

The guy has had success in his career so to write him off so fast is uncalled for IMO. 

Lets see what the kid can do, rushed or not. 

  • Like (+1) 1
LabattBlue All Star

LabattBlue

Posted
Posted
  On 9/13/2021 at 7:29 PM, Norcal said:

Why is it impossible for you to think that maybe UPL has improved and will benefit from having an extra coach on the ice with him in Anderson? 

I'm not saying UPL is improved or that he will play well and at times carry the team on his back but....

I'm not saying he can't until I see it with my own eyes. 

He has been working all off season to improve the aspects of his game that are lacking and he has spent a significant amount of his time in Buffalo rehabbing and working at HarborCenter with teammates. 

The guy has had success in his career so to write him off so fast is uncalled for IMO. 

Lets see what the kid can do, rushed or not. 

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Fair enough.  I will wait to unleash my fury until after he lets in one bad goal.😂

  • Haha (+1) 2
GASabresIUFAN Hall of Famer

GASabresIUFAN

Posted
Posted (edited)
  On 9/13/2021 at 7:29 PM, Norcal said:

Why is it impossible for you to think that maybe UPL has improved and will benefit from having an extra coach on the ice with him in Anderson? 

I'm not saying UPL is improved or that he will play well and at times carry the team on his back but....

I'm not saying he can't until I see it with my own eyes. 

He has been working all off season to improve the aspects of his game that are lacking and he has spent a significant amount of his time in Buffalo rehabbing and working at HarborCenter with teammates. 

The guy has had success in his career so to write him off so fast is uncalled for IMO. 

Lets see what the kid can do, rushed or not. 

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I am a UPL fan and believe his development is tracking similar to Ullmark, but no one goes from 37th in AHL save% to competent NHL goaltender in one off-season.   It just doesn’t happen. Could he prove ready after 30 plus AHL games this coming season? Possibly and I’d love to see it happen.  Please do yourself a favor and go compare Ullmark’s 1st two AHL seasons (save % of 902 and 909) to UPLs (874 and 888).  Ullmark blossomed in year 3 in the A and has improved in each NHL season since. I hope UPL does the same.  Furthermore, I want what’s best for UPL long-term.  I think being the man each night in the A behind what looks like a decent team would be better for his development then being used for target practice on a bad NHL team. KA needs to ask himself that question as well.  

Edited by GASabresIUFAN
Norcal All Star

Norcal

Posted
Posted
  On 9/13/2021 at 9:44 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:

I am a UPL fan and believe his development is tracking similar to Ullmark, but no one goes from 37th in AHL save% to competent NHL goaltender in one off-season.   It just doesn’t happen. Could he prove ready after 30 plus AHL games this coming season? Possibly and I’d love to see it happen.  Please do yourself a favor and go compare Ullmark’s 1st two AHL seasons (save % of 902 and 909) to UPLs (874 and 888).  Ullmark blossomed in year 3 in the A and has improved in each NHL season since. I hope UPL does the same.  Furthermore, I want what’s best for UPL long-term.  I think being the man each night in the A behind what looks like a decent team would be better for his development then being used for target practice on a bad NHL team. KA needs to ask himself that question as well.  

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I agree that his development could use another year in Rochester and I do think the team will be better than last years team. It would be fun to watch him there IMO. 

That said, I don't think last year compares to any other because of the limited opponents. 

I'll give UPL a pass there. 

Everyone develops at their own pace and I choose to be optimistic that UPL can emerge this season and exceed expectations. 

I don't need stats to back that up. I'm willing to let it play out a while before I start to define the season as one thing or another. 

 

 

 

Jävə Keith Fourth Liner

Jävə Keith

Posted
Posted (edited)

voted 2

As others have said, goaltending is capable of disaster but probably will be slightly less than serviceable. The young guns will find their way & identity in later portion of season after many opportunities of grinding & battling through adversity. Hoping they can surprise not only us, but the rest of the league in that regard.

Also important to add the asterisk of what the team looks like post-Eichel trade (assets returning may even include a goalie).

Let's get this party started!!!

Edited by Jävə Keith
  • Like (+1) 1
pi2000 First Liner

pi2000

Posted
Posted

I'm not concerned about wins and losses this coming season.   The expectations are about as low as they can be in a stacked division.

What I want to see is a team that plays for each other.   A team that doesn't back down or quit.  A team that works their tails off from the opening faceoff to final horn no matter the score.   

That's what this franchise needs to reconnect with the fans in Buffalo.

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PromoTheRobot All Star

PromoTheRobot

Posted
Posted (edited)
  On 9/14/2021 at 7:03 PM, Buffalonill said:

Yes beacuse counting on the young guys has worked out so well in the past in almost destroyed casey mittelstadt. 

 

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Bad coaching nearly destroyed him and Dahlin, pretty much every player we had the last ten years. I'm betting on Donnie G. to reverse that trend.

Edited by PromoTheRobot
  • Like (+1) 1
PromoTheRobot All Star

PromoTheRobot

Posted
Posted
  On 9/14/2021 at 7:18 PM, Buffalonill said:

Hopefully you're but don't see a massive point total the highest I see is 45 points 

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I saw a team that hit rock bottom rebound with 9 wins after losing 18 straight. With an interim coach who barely had a practice to change the culture of the team. So if the goalkeeping isn't dreadful, I think they can hit 70 points. Donnie G is in da' house!

Donnie-G.jpg

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DarthEbriate All Star

DarthEbriate

Posted
Posted

Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Pegulas the Tank? I thought not. It's not a story the Sabres would tell you. It's a League legend. Darth Pegulas was an Owner of the League so powerful and so wise he could use The Concept Of Ehrhoff/Molson to influence the GM and roster to stop winning.... He had such a knowledge of The Concept Of that he could even keep the star players on his roster from re-signing with the team.

Jackikin Eichwalker: He could actually trade players away to keep on losing?

The Concept Of is a pathway to the lottery and things winning franchises consider to be unnatural.

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Buffalonill First Liner

Buffalonill

Posted
Posted
  On 9/14/2021 at 7:23 PM, PromoTheRobot said:

I saw a team that hit rock bottom rebound with 9 wins after losing 18 straight. With an interim coach who barely had a practice to change the culture of the team. So if the goalkeeping isn't dreadful, I think they can hit 70 points. Donnie G is in da' house!

Donnie-G.jpg

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I've lost all hope they have ***** up every way possible you run your franchise player out of Buffalo you destroy every single prospect that gives you hope .

Like  Honestly someone give me a bright spot in this terrible franchise

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