Do You Think The Sabres Top Brass Sees This As A “Tank” Season?

[bob_sauve28]

Tank? 

[Huckleberry]

The blight for wright 😛

[Radar]

I say no. Results may be the same as tanking but, to me, tanking means trying to lose. I don't think they're intent is losing. It's to rebuild and develop.

[Wyldnwoody44]

[DarthEbriate]

Tanking is a point of view, Anakin.

The Sabres brass?  Absolutely not. To them it's a rebuild with a first-time GM/coach combination focusing on the young core. Blank slate.

Me? Also. They were in last place and have been a bottom-feeder for 7 years and running. They're the Oilers pre-McDavid. Just because they sold off some veterans (Reino, Risto) and their best goalie left in free agency and made no splashy move to get better in free agency doesn't mean they are tanking. They're budget-cutting and expecting to lose. But tanking requires a downward trajectory compared to your competition, selling off a core that already has you competitive, and being a team with expectations. We already did all that for Reinhart and Eichel.

[nfreeman]

As I've said previously, KA's choices for goalie IMHO make it impossible to avoid the conclusion that he has set up the team to lose a ton of games this season for purposes of drafting high next summer.

[Huckleberry]

This team is set up to trade at the deadline all the 750K guys that might outperform and get attention.

[Thorner]

They aren't intentionally trying to lose, but they are fully aware the team they constructed, willingly, won't be good enough to win. Whether that's a "tank" depends on how one defines "tank".

I believe in Adams' mind he's set up the roster in such a way that, if the team finds a way to win, in his mind it would be basically purely on the backs of the young players (we don't have any good "vets" and he didn't bring any in this offseason, only removed) therefore "winning" would be an acceptable result for them, in that we don't "need" a top pick due to the emergence of our youth. I don't see a scenario where we win and Adams is "against" it, as it won't be a charge led by players not a part of his envisioned "future". 

Basically, they've accepted losses as being the likely result of the prioritization of several other things, things Adams has determined to be more important in the near term than "winning".

[PerreaultForever]

Well it kind of seems obvious they know they are tanking because they stripped it down but didn't build it up so they are clearly planning for years from now and not right now. 

If not, then they are deluded and clearly cocked up the goaltending situation which means they are completely incompetent. 

So you pick, purposely tanking for Wright etc. OR they are inept and incompetent. It has to be one or the other. I prefer to think they have a plan. 

[LabattBlue]

1 hour ago, Radar said:

I say no. Results may be the same as tanking but, to me, tanking means trying to lose. I don't think they're intent is losing. It's to rebuild and develop.

Look at the goalie options on the Sabres, and tell me this isn’t a tank. 😉

[BfloSabresFan]

1. I say yes.  The other motive for this season is getting the prospects and younger players some experience.  The Sabres can see what kind of skill they can bring to the NHL and allow them to make mistakes without caring much about overall standings. 

[mjd1001]

This is not a 'yes' or 'no' answer.   They realize they may lose.  They have set up the roster knowing the moves they make will mean the team is bad this year.  But it isn't intentionally to lose as many games as possible.  

[klos1963]

1 hour ago, nfreeman said:

As I've said previously, KA's choices for goalie IMHO make it impossible to avoid the conclusion that he has set up the team to lose a ton of games this season for purposes of drafting high next summer.

How do you tank without tanking?  Get a bunch of good ,young prospects and don't give them any goaltending.

[Zamboni]

I think if the Sabres want to tank properly, then trade Cozens, Dahlin, Olofsson. For starters.

[Thorner]

18 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

I think if the Sabres want to tank properly, then trade Cozens, Dahlin, Olofsson. For starters.

If you want to tank you don't have to trade every single player you have that has talent, you just have to play them in a role above their head. See: 1C Girgensons last time (a first round pick who was highly touted at the time). 

As I already said I wouldn't personally call it a "tank" I don't think but, Dahlin, Cozens for example will be playing in roles they haven't proven to be ready for, at this time. Especially Cozens - but in truth we'll need to see a sizeable jump from Dahlin to call him a legit first pair guy. Cozens is scheduled to be the 2C. How does he stack up against other 2Cs around the league, at this current moment? 

[SwampD]

55 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

I think if the Sabres want to tank properly, then trade Cozens, Dahlin, Olofsson. For starters.

This is ridiculous.

[Crusader1969]

This is the 2006 leafs tank.  One done with honour if you ask the Toronto media 

the goalie situation has bottom of the league written all over it 

Leafs had a decent goaltender (Reimer? Or Bernier ? Can’t remember who) but kept putting Garrett Sparks out to ensure a last place finish 

 

 

 

[Zamboni]

8 minutes ago, SwampD said:

This is ridiculous.

Don’t forget obnoxious too.
That’s your opinion. Great. My opinion is… Calling this season an active premeditated tanking, is ridiculous and obnoxious. I’m not going to change your mind (and others) in calling this season, “tanking the team for the 1st OA.” And you’re not going to change my mind in not calling this season a true tank. I believe it’s more of a “rebuild/retool” season. It might be splitting hairs, it might be all in the words and the meaning behind them… But I don’t think this is a true tank. Carry-on with your opinion. I respectfully disagree. No big deal. Right?

[Shootica]

If they did everything else exactly the same but signed a legitimate starting or at least 1B goalie?  I would say they have low expectations but aren't tanking.

Anderson, Tokarski, and Dell?  That's a clear tank job.

[bob_sauve28]

6 minutes ago, Shootica said:

If they did everything else exactly the same but signed a legitimate starting or at least 1B goalie?  I would say they have low expectations but aren't tanking.

Anderson, Tokarski, and Dell?  That's a clear tank job.

But they tried to get a goalie. It’s just that supply isn’t meeting demand right now that that position and we are the team left standing when the music stopped, unfortunately. And, there is still a slight glimmer of hope we swing a trade or something for a decent goalie 

[SwampD]

2 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

Don’t forget obnoxious too.
That’s your opinion. Great. My opinion is… Calling this season an active premeditated tanking, is ridiculous and obnoxious. I’m not going to change your mind (and others) in calling this season, “tanking the team for the 1st OA.” And you’re not going to change my mind in not calling this season a true tank. I believe it’s more of a “rebuild/retool” season. It might be splitting hairs, it might be all in the words and the meaning behind them… But I don’t think this is a true tank. Carry-on with your opinion. I respectfully disagree. No big deal. Right?

They were the last place team last year. They then intentionally got worse at goalie, intentionally got rid of their top minutes defensemen, intentionally got rid of their best active forward, and are actively trying to trade their best forward.

If you don’t think that is a tank, then can you please help out my father, he’s a Nigerian prince and just needs some money to get him through until he gets his power back. Please send $2000 dollars to an address I will send in an email. Then I will send you a $3000 cashiers check in a couple of weeks to pay you for your troubles.

[Doohicksie]

3 hours ago, Radar said:

I say no. Results may be the same as tanking but, to me, tanking means trying to lose. I don't think they're intent is losing. It's to rebuild and develop.

I feel the same way.

[bob_sauve28]

15 minutes ago, SwampD said:

They were the last place team last year. They then intentionally got worse at goalie, intentionally got rid of their top minutes defensemen, intentionally got rid of their best active forward, and are actively trying to trade their best forward.

If you don’t think that is a tank, then can you please help out my father, he’s a Nigerian prince and just needs some money to get him through until he gets his power back. Please send $2000 dollars to an address I will send in an email. Then I will send you a $3000 cashiers check in a couple of weeks to pay you for your troubles.

Intentionally got worse at goalie? 🙃

[SwampD]

2 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Intentionally got worse at goalie? 🙃

He wanted term. They didn’t want to give it to him.They offered him a lip service contract that they knew he would never sign. It’s pretty well documented.

[Weave]

It doesn’t matter.  We’re going on what, year 8 where they still haven’t made a serious attempt at winning.