Draft Top 3 This Year, Win the Lottery Next Year

[JoeSchmoe]

This might be our only way out.

This year's draft looks to be deep at the top end, but none of the players are franchise changers. In my Ontario biased opinion, Schaefer, Mortone, and Misa have all passed Hagens, who's well behind Celebrini's NCAA pace from last year. One of the top 3 would be good cornerstone player, but they won't change us for next year.

After sucking again next year, we win the lottery and snag McKenna, who looks like a true superstar in the making.

I can't think of another way out of the bottom than this.

[Sidc3000]

No

[sabremike]

And he'll come into a roster of widdle kiddies with no leadership and fail and demand out 5 years later just like the last guy.

Nothing matters while Terry Pegula is still with us. Worst owner in the history of hockey and second place isn't even close.

[SabreFinn]

25 minutes ago, JoeSchmoe said:

This might be our only way out.

This year's draft looks to be deep at the top end, but none of the players are franchise changers. In my Ontario biased opinion, Schaefer, Mortone, and Misa have all passed Hagens, who's well behind Celebrini's NCAA pace from last year. One of the top 3 would be good cornerstone player, but they won't change us for next year.

After sucking again next year, we win the lottery and snag McKenna, who looks like a true superstar in the making.

I can't think of another way out of the bottom than this.

If we are in a position to draft top 2 by draftday, we should trade whatever needed to get both Martone and Misa. Those two on a line with Benson, and Helenius leading a second line together with Kulich and a defense with Dahlin and a group of big, hard stay at home defensmen is something that might make fans dreams come true. But it might take another 4-5 years. To me it requiers that we give away everything needed to get the draftpicks and then trade away every player needed to change the culture (hoping we can keep Dahlin). Then bring in some sort of misfits with attitude. As PerraultForever suggested in another thread.

[Crusader1969]

If Pegula won't sell.   This looks like the only way out

you would have Power,Dahlin and Byram just hitting their prime.  You have a few young players / prospects that look like they will be players on the Amerks and a couple on the Sabres 

just key will be adding  the right vets to the mix in 2027. 

[Dreams Burn Down]

12 minutes ago, sabremike said:

Worst owner in the history of hockey and second place isn't even close

The ghosts of Harold Ballard and Eugene Melnyk would like to have a word on this.  The situation with the Sabres could still get much, much worse.

[GoPuckYourself]

Porter martone sounds exactly like a player we're looking for... "At 6-foot-3, he can play a heavy game, but he has tremendous touch on the puck and makes a lot of the right plays. His skating is good for his size and he can impose his will physically."

[Kristian]

Doesn’t matter who we draft.

We could draft #99 and he’d turn into a 40pt per year guy.

We just SUCK. At everything. And it won’t change as long Terry the Moron is POHO.

We suck because he sucks.

[jad1]

2 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

This might be our only way out.

This year's draft looks to be deep at the top end, but none of the players are franchise changers. In my Ontario biased opinion, Schaefer, Mortone, and Misa have all passed Hagens, who's well behind Celebrini's NCAA pace from last year. One of the top 3 would be good cornerstone player, but they won't change us for next year.

After sucking again next year, we win the lottery and snag McKenna, who looks like a true superstar in the making.

I can't think of another way out of the bottom than this.

We call this the Reinhart/McDavid plan.  Don't forget to boo the Sabres wins.

[Weave]

Sure. Let’s do it again.

Ugh.  This might be what drives me away.

[Weave]

2 minutes ago, Weave said:

Sure. Let’s do it again.

Ugh.  This might be what drives me away.

@SwampD  I’m not kidding.  I’m not having these conversations again.  This team isn’t worth following if they are going to follow a failed strategy with the same strategy.

[JoeSchmoe]

1 hour ago, SabreFinn said:

To me it requiers that we give away everything needed to get the draftpicks and then trade away every player needed to change the culture (hoping we can keep Dahlin). Then bring in some sort of misfits with attitude. As PerraultForever suggested in another thread.

This is exactly wrong. Selling everything to suck is part of the reason why we still suck. As opposed to the Colorado's, Toronto's, Pittsburgh's, etc that sucked organically... And had some key building blocks already in place to complement the young talent.

[SwampD]

3 minutes ago, Weave said:

@SwampD  I’m not kidding.  I’m not having these conversations again.  This team isn’t worth following if they are going to follow a failed strategy with the same strategy.

I know you’re not kidding. Hold the door open for me.

How could anyone care if the team moved if this continues?

[inkman]

2 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

This might be our only way out.

This year's draft looks to be deep at the top end, but none of the players are franchise changers. In my Ontario biased opinion, Schaefer, Mortone, and Misa have all passed Hagens, who's well behind Celebrini's NCAA pace from last year. One of the top 3 would be good cornerstone player, but they won't change us for next year.

After sucking again next year, we win the lottery and snag McKenna, who looks like a true superstar in the making.

I can't think of another way out of the bottom than this.

No kids on this roster or otherwise are going to right the ship.  They need grown ass men who understand how to play a 200 foot game and take every shift seriously.  The core of this team is rotten.  Rotten with fat pay checks, half ass effort, and complacency.  Almost everyone on this roster doesn’t play the game the right way.  Constantly cheating the defensive zone in the name of being selfish opportunists.   
 

I’m not sure Dahlin or Tage are immune to this.  They are constantly getting caught behind the play or out of position.   

[SwampD]

23 minutes ago, inkman said:

No kids on this roster or otherwise are going to right the ship.  They need grown ass men who understand how to play a 200 foot game and take every shift seriously.  The core of this team is rotten.  Rotten with fat pay checks, half ass effort, and complacency.  Almost everyone on this roster doesn’t play the game the right way.  Constantly cheating the defensive zone in the name of being selfish opportunists.   
 

I’m not sure Dahlin or Tage are immune to this.  They are constantly getting caught behind the play or out of position.   

Last night, at the point, Dahlin tried to backhand pass to himself through the guy defending him. That guy just took the body. Someone else took the puck. It was as soft and stupid a play as I’ve seen in a while, and that is saying something.

I absolutely do not think that picking high again is the way out. Guys at the top of the draft have always been better than everyone around them so they never had to work as hard.

[DarthEbriate]

It really would be the sithiest thing to do for Sheevyn to convince Darth Pegulas the Wise to start another rebuild.

"The core of Eichel/Reinhart/Risto/Ullmark was rotten. Now, the core of TNT, Tuch, Dahlin, and UPL are rotten. I'm sure that if we combine our strengths, we will unlock the Power of the Concept. And we shall have Playoffs....

"Just give me 5 more years."

[Carmel Corn]

 

8 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

It really would be the sithiest thing to do for Sheevyn to convince Darth Pegulas the Wise to start another rebuild.

"The core of Eichel/Reinhart/Risto/Ullmark was rotten. Now, the core of TNT, Tuch, Dahlin, and UPL are rotten. I'm sure that if we combine our strengths, we will unlock the Power of the Concept. And we shall have Playoffs....

"Just give me 5 more years."

Another 5 years?!?!  Well, if we planted some palm trees now, they might take root by then and GM Howdy Doody can use that to attract new players!!!

Edited 7 hours ago by Carmel Corn

[Believer]

38 minutes ago, inkman said:

They need grown ass men who understand how to play a 200 foot game and take every shift seriously.  The core of this team is rotten.  Rotten with fat pay checks, half ass effort, and complacency.

Couldn’t agree more.

Grown ass men who earned their millions before they received them.

Vets with leadership chops. 

Adams removed any financial incentive for our core to perform. 

A smarter GM would have offered our core 2-3 yr contracts with nice increases to the performers. The others packaged or waived.

His contract strategy is dumb.

 

[DarthEbriate]

Just now, Carmel Corn said:

Another 5 years?!?!  Well, if we planted some palm trees now, they might take root by then and GM Howdy Doody can use that to attract new players!!!

In 5 years, the palms trees could be yay-high and the residents could vote in a full new array of legislators to replace NY state income taxes with a 12ish% sales tax instead, plus more in areas where new stadiums are being built.

[Kristian]

33 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Last night, at the point, Dahlin tried to backhand pass to himself through the guy defending him. That guy just took the body. Someone else took the puck. It was as soft and stupid a play as I’ve seen in a while, and that is saying something.

I absolutely do not think that picking high again is the way out. Guys at the top of the draft have always been better than everyone around them so they never had to work as hard.

That’s exactly the problem I’ve had with this roster for years. When do we start drafing kids who’ve had to bust their ***** not to get cut, year after year after year?

I’m SICK of smallish, stickhandling forwards!!

[SabreFinn]

1 hour ago, JoeSchmoe said:

This is exactly wrong. Selling everything to suck is part of the reason why we still suck. As opposed to the Colorado's, Toronto's, Pittsburgh's, etc that sucked organically... And had some key building blocks already in place to complement the young talent.

Colorado and Pittsburgh got lucky to get players like MacKinnon and Crosby that changed their culture. They got their cups.

Toronto got Marner, Nylander and Matthews but they still won't get past the first round. Is it on the players or is it something else?

What I am pointing at is that whoever is in charge for the Sabres has to change the culture in best possible way. There are several ways as we know and another rebuild is one possibility. I am not thinking we should sell players for draftpicks, except for those top picks we should change talent and draftpicks for players that hate to lose, that work hard and demand the same from their teammates. And probably overpay to keep them. But it has to be done right and this time with a professional GM. As I see it, It is still a risk to get caught in the acceptance of losing if we not get back on track fast.

[JoeSchmoe]

1 hour ago, Kristian said:

That’s exactly the problem I’ve had with this roster for years. When do we start drafing kids who’ve had to bust their ***** not to get cut, year after year after year?

I’m SICK of smallish, stickhandling forwards!!

I think Mortone would be a great fit. Possibly Misa too. Hagens is just another example of what we already have. Schaefer is going to be a star in the NHL, as he has been through every level he's played, but we don't need more of his style of defense.

[JoeSchmoe]

2 hours ago, inkman said:

No kids on this roster or otherwise are going to right the ship.  They need grown ass men who understand how to play a 200 foot game and take every shift seriously.  The core of this team is rotten.  Rotten with fat pay checks, half ass effort, and complacency.  Almost everyone on this roster doesn’t play the game the right way.  Constantly cheating the defensive zone in the name of being selfish opportunists.   
 

I’m not sure Dahlin or Tage are immune to this.  They are constantly getting caught behind the play or out of position.   

Unfortunately, in the today's era of No Trade Lists, we aren't getting that type of player here.

It's not just us. There's a reason why no Canadian team has won a cup since 93. 

[DarthEbriate]

If they keep the pick and Schaefer is the BPA when they’re on clock, say 4-7th after the lottery, then that’s the pick to make.

But! If it were the pick, then don’t play him in the NHL, and in his rookie year, skate him on the 3rd pair with an established veteran RHD, not fellow rookie Maxim Strbak. 

[Thorner]

My f*cking god lol