Do You Think We Make The Playoffs NEXT Year?

[Pimlach]

10 hours ago, CallawaySabres said:

No chance they make the playoffs next year. If they could not jump the garbage teams ahead of them this year, how the heck are they supposed to do it next year when they will all be much better.

They are only a few moves away from being a good team right now .  Next year at least they start with a goalie in UPL.  Will Adams make the right decisions regarding the roster and the coaching staff to get us there?  

[sabremike]

20 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

They are only a few moves away from being a good team right now .  Next year at least they start with a goalie in UPL.  Will Adams make the right decisions regarding the roster and the coaching staff to get us there?  

The only move that will lead to the team becoming good is firing Donny and his entire staff and replacing them with actual NHL quality coaches. There's a reason the vast majority of college coaches who go to the pros fail spectacularly: they are two totally different things. College=Development, Pros=Winning.

[Goldseatsaud]

Nope

[Wyldnwoody44]

Hopium tank is lacking plutonium. 

Can't make it to 88mph.

Can't travel back to the good ol days. 

The future is utopia, utopia doesn't exist. 

 

[tom webster]

20 hours ago, CallawaySabres said:

No chance they make the playoffs next year. If they could not jump the garbage teams ahead of them this year, how the heck are they supposed to do it next year when they will all be much better.

You need to read the Athletic article about all six teams around them. The teams around them are most likely taking a step back. Pittsburgh and Washington are stuck in that purgatory where they are trying to keep icons happy, the Islanders are aging and loaded with bad contracts, Philly will likely take a step back as they rebuild, even Tampa is showing signs of aging.

I am as frustrated as anyone but  I realize a lot of the anger with the four years of Adams and Granato has more to do with the nine years that preceded them. The Sabres are still the youngest team in hockey and don’t need a major overhaul.

[Buffalonill]

10 hours ago, Pimlach said:

They are only a few moves away from being a good team right now .  Next year at least they start with a goalie in UPL.  Will Adams make the right decisions regarding the roster and the coaching staff to get us there?  

And this could be the downfall  goalies are weird and having one good year shouldn't get anyone excited. 

Now everyone is going to put all their eggs in the UPL basket like they did Levi 

 

[Pimlach]

3 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

And this could be the downfall  goalies are weird and having one good year shouldn't get anyone excited. 

Now everyone is going to put all their eggs in the UPL basket like they did Levi 

 

Adam’s is the only one that matters.  He will probably hand 2G to Levi, I would be surprised if he finally brings in an NHL goalie.  

[Sidc3000]

13 hours ago, Pimlach said:

They are only a few moves away from being a good team right now .  Next year at least they start with a goalie in UPL.  Will Adams make the right decisions regarding the roster and the coaching staff to get us there?  

What moves? The only players he can get are ones that are at the end or at the beginning of their careers. Not  proven mid-aged vets that are worth something. Most of those don’t want anything to sow you the Sabres. 
 

I’m sure he will bring up a couple players from ROC, maybe a vet or two who are  a couple years from retirement that want to pad their retirement with a slightly better overpaid contract. 

Edited March 24 by Sidc3000

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, Sidc3000 said:

What moves? The only players he can get are ones that are at the end or at the beginning of their careers. Not  proven mid-aged vets that are worth something. Most of those don’t want anything to sow you the Sabres. 

Why do you keep asking me these questions?   They need about 4 players right now.  Still need RHD in top 4. Now we need a 3C, and a 4C and a power forward.  

It’s not my job to name them.  Look at the upcoming UFAs and possible trades.  I don’t see any immediate help from the prospect pool and would like to see a few of them packaged in trade for veteran players.  

They can trade for them.  Not every player has a NMC, most do not.  That is an excuse.  

People saying to tear this down are crazy.  
 

Would love to see a real coaching search that brings in better coaching.  Not gonna happen though. 

Edited March 24 by Pimlach

[Sidc3000]

45 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Why do you keep asking me these questions?   They need about 4 players right now.  Still need RHD in top 4. Now we need a 3C, and a 4C and a power forward.  

It’s not my job to name them.  Look at the upcoming UFAs and possible trades.  I don’t see any immediate help from the prospect pool and would like to see a few of them packaged in trade for veteran players.  

They can trade for them.  Not every player has a NMC, most do not.  That is an excuse.  

People saying to tear this done are crazy.  
 

Would love to see a real coaching search that brings in better coaching.  Not gonna happen though. 

True we don’t know who has NMC but I say more have them than you think. It’s not just the elite players who have them now. 

[Thorner]

5 hours ago, tom webster said:

You need to read the Athletic article about all six teams around them. The teams around them are most likely taking a step back. Pittsburgh and Washington are stuck in that purgatory where they are trying to keep icons happy, the Islanders are aging and loaded with bad contracts, Philly will likely take a step back as they rebuild, even Tampa is showing signs of aging.

I am as frustrated as anyone but  I realize a lot of the anger with the four years of Adams and Granato has more to do with the nine years that preceded them. The Sabres are still the youngest team in hockey and don’t need a major overhaul.

No, my anger is just with the 4 putrid years 

Youngest team in hockey doesn’t mean anything. If you tout that as an indicator of looming success you are falling for the company line 

“Philly, Tampa will take a step back”. Baseless bias, we hear this literally every year 

Edited March 24 by Thorny

[Stoner]

3 minutes ago, Thorny said:

No, my anger is just with the 4 putrid years 

Youngest team in hockey doesn’t mean anything. If you tout that as an indicator of looming success you are falling for the propaganda 

“Philly, Tampa will take a step back”. Baseless bias, we hear this literally every year 

The Bruins were finished. As were the Lightning.

Some predicted the Isles demise and they're still better than we are.

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Why do you keep asking me these questions?   They need about 4 players right now.  Still need RHD in top 4. Now we need a 3C, and a 4C and a power forward.  

It’s not my job to name them.  Look at the upcoming UFAs and possible trades.  I don’t see any immediate help from the prospect pool and would like to see a few of them packaged in trade for veteran players.  

They can trade for them.  Not every player has a NMC, most do not.  That is an excuse.  

People saying to tear this down are crazy.  
 

Would love to see a real coaching search that brings in better coaching.  Not gonna happen though. 

As to the coaching search or lack thereof, I wonder if the new COO will be a game changer. If he has any disrupter in him at all, and if Terry's all about the bottom line now, it wouldn't be hard to make the argument that the Sabres have to start selling something more than hope. A name coach and a new style of play. Lindy probably fits the bill.

I don't see KA going anywhere... Yet.

Edited March 24 by PASabreFan

[Ducky]

Depends on goaltending.

[Pimlach]

8 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

As to the coaching search or lack thereof, I wonder if the new COO will be a game changer. If he has any disrupter in him at all, and if Terry's all about the bottom line now, it wouldn't be hard to make the argument that the Sabres have to start selling something more than hope. A name coach and a new style of play. Lindy probably fits the bill.

I don't see KA going anywhere... Yet.

I don’t think Lindy will work for Adams or Pegula.  Other name coaches are Gallant and Berube.  Both are guys that will want some level of autonomy and some say in the roster.  
 

The new COO has a football stadium that needs attention, a hockey scoreboard, and the Keybank roof.  He has two jobs, both with complex contracts to manage and critical schedules to meet.  I don’t see him delving into on ice performance for a while, but maybe down the road the notion of winning to fill seats may come up.  

[bob_sauve28]

On 3/23/2024 at 10:35 AM, PASabreFan said:

Then it is what it is. The problems of a single NHL franchise don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. 

[Thorner]

7 hours ago, Ducky said:

Depends on goaltending.

It would be absurd to bet on Levi to play 30-35 if missing next year truly isn’t an option. But I’d still probably be more surprised if they add a backup: Adams made an even riskier bet with Levi last summer, don’t see why he’d balk this time around when there’s a better likelihood of success 

[Stoner]

12 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Then it is what it is. The problems of a single NHL franchise don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. 

I want to be a winner before I die.

[bob_sauve28]

32 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

I want to be a winner before I die.

You already are! 🤠

 

[LabattBlue]

On 3/24/2024 at 7:29 AM, tom webster said:

I am as frustrated as anyone but  I realize a lot of the anger with the four years of Adams and Granato has more to do with the nine years that preceded them. The Sabres are still the youngest team in hockey and don’t need a major overhaul.

Yeah, the nine years before they came on board wasn’t their fault, but the current duo of Adam & Granato have had four years, and have fallen short each year...in a league where 1/2 the teams make the playoffs.  
 

Also, Pegula has been at the top of this pile of crap for all 13 years, so yes, the fans have a right to and should be pissed off as much the last four years, as the nine that preceded it.   Anyone who still has season tickets is just flushing money down the drain.  Hopefully this offseason people express their displeasure with their wallets.  
 

The best thing that could happen is if Pegula sold the team…the sooner the better. 

[#freejame]

Where else can you fail at your job for four straight years with zero quantifiable progress and remain employed?

[LabattBlue]

21 hours ago, Thorny said:

“Philly, Tampa will take a step back”. Baseless bias, we hear this literally every year 

Yep!   Empty promises.  

[#freejame]

13 hours ago, Thorny said:

It would be absurd to bet on Levi to play 30-35 if missing next year truly isn’t an option. But I’d still probably be more surprised if they add a backup: Adams made an even riskier bet with Levi last summer, don’t see why he’d balk this time around when there’s a better likelihood of success 

I would be shocked if Levi wasn’t the backup next season. I would be even more shocked if it turns out the right call in any way, shape, or form. 

[Thorner]

40 minutes ago, #freejame said:

I would be shocked if Levi wasn’t the backup next season. I would be even more shocked if it turns out the right call in any way, shape, or form. 

Agree. Also I shouldn’t say it’s absurd to bet on it just very risky 

[Crusader1969]

On 3/24/2024 at 10:47 AM, Pimlach said:

Adam’s is the only one that matters.  He will probably hand 2G to Levi, I would be surprised if he finally brings in an NHL goalie.  

im not sure "hand him" is the right wording.. still a bit to go and we will see how he does in the AHL Pluyoffs but based on his play  over the last few months Levi deserves it   4th in AHL SV% -Goalies over 10GP with a SV% of .927. Not to mention being brilliant vs Vancouver the other night.

Im just being nitpicky on the wording...