Confidence level

[JohnC]

41 minutes ago, dudacek said:

 My confidence level is really going to depend on how aggressively Adams attacks the off-season.

I see Mitts, Cozens, Thompson, Krebs, Skinner, Tuch, Okposo, Girgensons, Quinn, Dahlin, Jokiharju, Samuelsson, Power and Luukkonen on the team next year.

It doesn’t take a genius to see that leaves nice spaces where you could comfortably plug in a Chris Drury, Jay McKee, Teppo Numminen and Marty Biron and ice a competitive team next year.

We won’t necessarily have the opportunity, but we have the assets. My confidence will be shaped by how Adams and his “expert” hockey department demonstrates the skill and the will to go get those players or at least reasonable facsimiles.

 

Of course we have to continue filtering in young players in our system such as Quinn, JJ, UPL and maybe a surprise player such as R-2. But the big/critical question you wisely pose is whether our GM is going to use its abundance of assets of draft capital and cap space to upgrade the goalie position and bring in a couple of good players to increase the talent base on this roster.

If this regime intends to simply add prospects who are ready to move up to the big club without bringing in at least three players to supplant the JAGS, then this team will continue to struggle and further erode the vanishing fan base. The Sabres could get better adhering mostly to the youth movement but that doesn't mean that this team will improve at a fast enough pace to keep up with the rest of the teams that are working industriously to get better. 

I strongly believe that if the GM handles this offseason right, the Sabres can make appreciable strides in upgrading the roster for next season. I rather see the front office being a little more aggressive than not when addressing this incomplete roster this offseason. It's time.

 

[woods-racer]

If our improvement year over year is the same as last year to this year I see us in the upper 70's low 80's points wise.  Noticeable improvement yes, drastic improvement no. 

A good rebuild in full swing.

[Sidc3000]

16 hours ago, Crusader1969 said:

How confident are you that the Sabres become a competitive team next year? Will games in March 2023 matter for anything except lottery position?

I’m cautiously optimistic that next year is a big step forward 

Next year? No chance. This team won’t be competitive for at least 3 more seasons. Thats IF Adams actually can make good decisions and the young players actually develop as expected

[Marvin]

4 hours ago, Sidc3000 said:

Next year? No chance. This team won’t be competitive for at least 3 more seasons. Thats IF Adams actually can make good decisions and the young players actually develop as expected

Welcome to the board.

I think that's a bit pessimistic -- if we can get the right guys.  Goaltender is #1.  Veteran RHD is another.  Quality depth around the roster so that we can ice a full NHL squad even with an injury at every position.

 

5 hours ago, Hank said:

My expectations for next year is low 70s and a top five pick. I'm okay with that. 

I hope you are wrong.

[irregularly irregular]

Too many unknowns at this point in time.

The additions and subtractions that we see the Sabres make later this season will certainly make a difference. Maybe a huge difference if the pieces fall into place.

Ask this question again in 45-60 days and the answers may be significantly different. 

[Doohicksie]

I expect the playoffs in 2023.

[Crusader1969]

I believe the influx of youth. 
JJ , Quinn, Power, UPL plus the young guns already here. PLUS the deletion of Eakin and Bjork will make this team a hell of a lot better than they are now

adams has to overpay in the UFA market for one of the better players on a short term deal  if they bring in the right guys then i think they will surprise and we will see meaningful games next March

 

[Believer]

You can bet the Sabres will start the 2023 season expecting to make the playoffs…

It’s most fans who don’t expect it… After 11 seasons, a kind of Stockholm Syndrome is in place…

Only thing that will change my opinion is if KA stands pat this off season… and doesn’t bring in any help… Management needs to start winning to fill the seats for the team… It takes a city…

[Pimlach]

I have very little confidence that management can make this team playoff competitive by next season.  They might make a move up from bottom 4 in conference to maybe the 10 thru 12 tier in conference (like Detroit), but they are still not a threat to top 8. 
 

1.  Too many needs - 2 goalies, veteran help on defense (especially RHD), ~6 forwards 

2.  Too many unknowns regarding the young players we have to fill those needs

3.  Not sure the coaching staff can take the next step. 

4. No commitment from ownership to do better. 
 

Effective - no

Efficient - not really

Economic - yes. 

[Stoner]

14 hours ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

I expect the playoffs in 2023.

The existence of playoffs at that time seems sure. Then again Russia's nuclear force was just put on high alert.

[Taro T]

20 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

The existence of playoffs at that time seems sure. Then again Russia's nuclear force was just put on high alert.

Do we actually know that?

What is the source of that info?  Was it told to us by Putin?  If so, why?

Did we learn that from spies w/in the Kremlin or FSB?  If so, why would our military/ government make that info publicly known?  Couldn't that get our spies discovered?

Did we learn that from satellite or drone surveillance?  If so, why would our military / government make that info publicly known?  Couldn't that get our methods discovered?

Was it some other means by which we learned this?

Not saying it isn't true.  Nor that it wouldn't be normal operating procedure for ANY nuclear armed country- hey, there's a war going on, better have our guys on alert just in case seems like a common sense way of approaching things.  Goes for combatants & non-combatants.  But personally, don't trust anything we hear about how a war is going until at least 48 hours after the events & really at least 96 hours.  Remember the 13 dead sailors?  Both sides are saying they did surrender & are in Russian custody.

And please realize, this isn't directed at you specifically, PA.  It just happened to be your post that stated that info.

[Thorner]

13 hours ago, Believer said:

You can bet the Sabres will start the 2023 season expecting to make the playoffs…

It’s most fans who don’t expect it… After 11 seasons, a kind of Stockholm Syndrome is in place…

Only thing that will change my opinion is if KA stands pat this off season… and doesn’t bring in any help… Management needs to start winning to fill the seats for the team… It takes a city…

But not the 2022/23 season?

[Believer]

11 minutes ago, Thorny said:

But not the 2022/23 season?

Yep… That’s what I meant… Thanks for the question…

[Thorner]

Just now, Believer said:

Yep… That’s what I meant… Thanks for the question…

Ya, I agree the offseason will be telling. We’ll know heading into next year if they are planning on another Dev year 

[Believer]

Thought Harrington’s article today was an important message to Pegula, Adams, and Granato…

[Marvin]

3 hours ago, Taro T said:

Do we actually know that?

What is the source of that info?  Was it told to us by Putin?  If so, why?

Did we learn that from spies w/in the Kremlin or FSB?  If so, why would our military/ government make that info publicly known?  Couldn't that get our spies discovered?

Did we learn that from satellite or drone surveillance?  If so, why would our military / government make that info publicly known?  Couldn't that get our methods discovered?

Was it some other means by which we learned this?

Putin re-iterated it this morning.  It was on Russia Today.

[Taro T]

Just now, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

Putin re-iterated it this morning.  It was on Russia Today.

But is still brings about the question of WHY would he say that?  What is the benefit to HIM?

[Marvin]

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

But is still brings about the question of WHY would he say that?  What is the benefit to HIM?

I think he is trying to drive a wedge in NATO between the US and our allies who have every reason to be terrified if Putin escalates.

Aside: I have been listening to a lot of Russia analysts for the past several years.  Putin has 2 geopolitical goals: getting NATO to dissolve and reconstituting the "natural" Russian empire.  My view is based on their facts and analyses.

[Zamboni]

1 hour ago, Believer said:

Thought Harrington’s article today was an important message to Pegula, Adams, and Granato…

That’s IF you believe anything Harrington says is “important”. 
 

Some don’t feel that way. Some do.

[Taro T]

4 minutes ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

I think he is trying to drive a wedge in NATO between the US and our allies who have every reason to be terrified if Putin escalates.

Aside: I have been listening to a lot of Russia analysts for the past several years.  Putin has 2 geopolitical goals: getting NATO to dissolve and reconstituting the "natural" Russian empire.  My view is based on their facts and analyses.

He's absolutely trying to neuter NATO.  And he definitely wants at minimum the former Soviet Union back under Russia's influence if not actually returning as their territory if not sway over the entire former Eastern Bloc.

Not sure though how him saying his nukes are on alert works towards that.  And this will be my last post on this subject here as I fear this subject will get moved elsewhere and it really wasn't my goal to cause that.  Apologies.

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, Believer said:

Thought Harrington’s article today was an important message to Pegula, Adams, and Granato…

Read that.

The media types in the article/conclusion seemed to be saying things are gonna be a-ok once Power and Quinn come in next season, drumming up excitement. In addition to their reliance on the “theme” days on the way. 

I disagree with that - I think it’ll take nothing short of a return to winning. As it should. 

[Believer]

11 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

That’s IF you believe anything Harrington says is “important”. 
 

Some don’t feel that way. Some do.

Some are Cynics… some are Skeptics… some are Pessimists… some are Optimists… some are Naive… some are Pragmatists… It’s all good… We’re all fans… 

[Thorner]

1 minute ago, Believer said:

Some are Cynics… some are Skeptics… some are Pessimists… some are Optimists… some are Naive… some are Pragmatists… It’s all good… We’re all fans… 

After 11 years of losing I don’t believe Sabres pessimists exist. Only Sabres realists 

[Taro T]

4 minutes ago, Thorny said:

After 11 years of losing I don’t believe Sabres pessimists exist. Only Sabres realists 

Nah, they exist.  It's just impossible at this point to differentiate them from the realists.  😉

 

[Thorner]