When will Sabres make the playoffs?

[Berg]

 

[bob_sauve28]

If they get a decent NHL goalie tandem, then next year. This team has talent, can score goals and more help is on the way 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

2112

😎

[pastajoe]

When they expand the playoffs to 32 teams. But then the league will expand to Houston and Quebec and they’ll be out again.

[Taro T]

As soon as they have a team that can go NHL 0.600. 😉

If they get top tier goaltending, it could be as soon as next year.  Continuing w/ the same quality of goaltending, maybe never.  Get mid-tier goaltending and the critical mass of quality skaters is probably 3 years away.

[RangerDave]

27 minutes ago, The Ghost of Doohickie said:

2112

😎

Why the "Rush"?

😉

[Berg]

1 hour ago, bob_sauve28 said:

If they get a decent NHL goalie tandem, then next year. This team has talent, can score goals and more help is on the way 

Our game picture is 100% better than last year, the team looks fast and wants to score, but our defense style is not so aggressive as most of us wanna see. Our goaltending is not so good to stop so many shots and too slow to stop rebounds...We must be able to destroy opponent offense by hits and aggressive moves, fights, etc. Or it will be always like second and third with Panthers...

[Sabres Fan in NS]

1 hour ago, RangerDave said:

Why the "Rush"?

😉

Because it's fantastic ...

 

[Marvin]

Your forgot 20022

[GASabresIUFAN]

As soon as management gets good goaltending.

[mjd1001]

Besdies 2023, I think the next best option is 2024, but that isn't a choice.

[SabresVet]

Team scored 2.79 goals per under Granato when he took over from Ralph in those final 28 games last year.  (78 GF in 28 games).  That was with Reinhart's 14.

This year, they're scoring 2.91 per in the first 23 games minus Sam.  I guess that's improvement considering the departure of a top 10 ranked NHL goal scorer. 

There's a point though where you can't improve morale without winning.  Scoring goals is nice for the fans to talk about, but it doesn't help a franchise move forward.

Everyone knew this season would test patience.  But down the road, a lot of things have to go right to make the playoffs.  Decisions on players like a future goaltender have to be right to get there.  If UPL doesn't develop I can't see them making playoffs until they get the right guy there. 

 

[Zamboni]

In the year 2525, if man is still alive
If woman can survive, they may find
In the year 3535
Ain't gonna need to tell the truth, tell no lie
Everything you think, do and say
Is in the pill you took today
In the year 4545
You ain't gonna need your teeth, won't need your eyes
You won't find a thing to chew
Nobody's gonna look at you
In the year 5555
Your arms hangin' limp at your sides
Your legs got nothin' to do
Some machine's doin' that for you
In the year 6565
You won't need no husband, won't need no wife
You'll pick your son, pick your daughter too
From the bottom of a long glass tube

[msw2112]

I agree with the comments above.  If they can fix the goaltending by next season, most likely by acquisition of one or two veteran NHL goalies, they have a shot to make the playoffs.  They have enough offense and that's without a lot of high-end talent.  Some of that talent is developing in Rochester and will be joining the team next year.  If the goaltending is not addressed next year, I think they will be a good team in 2023.  All that young talent will no be longer rookies/be more seasoned, and by that time, I would think that at least one of UPL, Portillo, or Levi would be ready to be a competent NHL starter in net.

Aside from the above (offense and goaltending), the Sabres also have Power, Samuelsson, Johnson, and Laaksonen in the defensive pipeline.

I believe the franchise has gotten to a point where patience will actually be rewarded.  Rushing the rebuild, as Tim Murray did, will hurt the franchise.  Stay the course.

Edited December 3, 2021 by msw2112

[Gatorman0519]

Sooner or later we will improve.  Unfortunately it takes years to develop players. We are behind an expansion team.  It is therefore likely we wont sniff the playoffs at least 2-3 years and that is IF we hit on enough picks. 

[PerreaultForever]

In 4 years, if they stick to the plan, draft well, and at least some of the current prospects emerge as solid players. A lot depends on at least 1 of the current goalie prospects becoming an NHL star, at least at a Carter Hart level or better. I think it'll be Levi. With a lot of luck and some of the current playoff teams dropping off (Pittsburgh, Washington, Boston come to mind as aging fast) maybe sooner but unlikely. 

I think however, we might see actual competitive hockey next year on an off and on basis and actual decent hockey on a regular basis the year after.

I'm believing in this plan working, until I see them ***** it up or the prospects disappoint. 

[Marvin]

Given how much this team CAN score, I would put the steadying of the defence with boring, capable veterans and adding good goaltending could turn this around as soon as next year.

[calti]

49 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

In 4 years, if they stick to the plan, draft well, and at least some of the current prospects emerge as solid players. A lot depends on at least 1 of the current goalie prospects becoming an NHL star, at least at a Carter Hart level or better. I think it'll be Levi. With a lot of luck and some of the current playoff teams dropping off (Pittsburgh, Washington, Boston come to mind as aging fast) maybe sooner but unlikely. 

I think however, we might see actual competitive hockey next year on an off and on basis and actual decent hockey on a regular basis the year after.

I'm believing in this plan working, until I see them ***** it up or the prospects disappoint. 

PITT  WASH BOSTON hardly ever drop off for more than 1 season . They are like the steelers,ravens,pats,colts...

Forget the rebuilding..hardly ever works. Get solid tough vets in there and learn how to win again

[Crusader1969]

6 hours ago, RangerDave said:

Why the "Rush"?

😉

it does seem that We've been on the train to Bangkok - Aboard the Thailand Express We've hit A LOT OF stops along the way, only hoping for the best.  learning that we cant get something for nothing, we've shed a lot of tears, learnt a lot of lessons. Many times its felt like we entered the twilight Zone beyond this world strange things are known  

all just to enter the Pleasure dome - Xanadu when the Sabres win the Cup

 

[sabresouth]

Well it could have been this year with a better than average goalie tandem. But everyone here knows that but apparently KA hasn't figured it out yet. So who knows.

[DarthEbriate]

Putting on my assessment-writing helmet....  This poll is flawed. "Never. Playoffs for losers.." and "3022" are not valid distracters. The objective of the question is to ask what is the timeline with this newfound core, correct? The New Dahlin-Cozens-Quinn/JJP-Power Generation.

2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.

Those are your appropriate options.

 

[Berg]

11 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

Putting on my assessment-writing helmet....  This poll is flawed. "Never. Playoffs for losers.." and "3022" are not valid distracters. The objective of the question is to ask what is the timeline with this newfound core, correct? The New Dahlin-Cozens-Quinn/JJP-Power Generation.

2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.

Those are your appropriate options.

 

2024,2025.....=3022. We have been waiting for 8 years..It's not about winning Stanley Cup.

Edited December 3, 2021 by Berg

[Norcal]

Next season. Book it. 

When will they compete for the Stanley Cup? 

2025. 3 years.

[DarthEbriate]

18 minutes ago, Berg said:

2024,2025.....=3022. We have been waiting for 8 years..It's not about winning Stanley Cup.

It's been longer than 8 years already.

But 3022 is beyond a reasonable time limit. It is the same answer as Never. The site that is Buffalo will likely still be a human settlement at that time on account of location, but it's unlikely to be called Buffalo. The NHL won't exist then. Ice hockey may or may not be a sport. 1000 years is a long time. (A long time.)

[Weave]

37 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

It's been longer than 8 years already.

But 3022 is beyond a reasonable time limit. It is the same answer as Never. The site that is Buffalo will likely still be a human settlement at that time on account of location, but it's unlikely to be called Buffalo. The NHL won't exist then. Ice hockey may or may not be a sport. 1000 years is a long time. (A long time.)

Uh, that was the point.