I am well aware How Colorado and LA did it . By Sucking for extended periods . More need to realize that.
- Maximum Signal

ALL of the top teams sucked for extended periods of time...

St Louis, Chicago, Boston, LA, Pitt....but as you say most people forget this fact...

ALL of the top teams sucked for extended periods of time...

St Louis, Chicago, Boston, LA, Pitt....but as you say most people forget this fact...
- Iggysbff

what about some of the crappy teams that have sucked for a extended period of time?

outstanding blog. most of the previous winners, going back 7 or 8 years, have had elite talent at center and a norris trophy type on defense. i expect the sabres to address the center position with their first pick this year and next year. murray seems to be leaning towards the bigger athlete model that has worked so well out west.

People hack on the Oilers for 3 first overalls but the Avs have a #1, #2 and #3. Basically the same thing. Only difference is they had a couple years where goaltending dragged them into playoff contention. They still have glaring holes on D.

They are coming around nicely but lets not act like they did anything miraculous here. The still sucked and got a lot of very high picks.

LA as well sucked for many years. They have made trades as well but again it took them a long long time sucking to turn it round.
- Iggysbff

Are you honestly trying to compare the Oilers and Avalanche lol

how did they get Doughty again?
- Jurco_28

Can you not read? I said LA has had like 2 TOP 3 picks in their history AND ONE #1 pick. NEVER said they have NEVER had one

LA was always drafting in the middle of the pack because they either just missed the playoffs or when they made the playoffs were always 7 or 8... LA I believe has had only ONE #1 draft pick in team history and if I'm not mistaken ony 2 top 3 picks, I could be wrong, but they have not had a whole lot of high draft picks on about 50 year history
- LA_Kings6720

Doughty (3), Hickey (4), Jokinen (3), Brown (13 in an extremely deep year), Kopitar (11), Bernier (11), Schenn (5) Thats a lot of top end picks.

what about some of the crappy teams that have sucked for a extended period of time?
- Jurco_28

There are some of those too...

Doughty (3), Hickey (4), Jokinen (3), Brown (13 in an extremely deep year), Kopitar (11), Bernier (11), Schenn (5) Thats a lot of top end picks.
- Iggysbff

I said TOP 3... I also said I COULD be wrong with how many they've had.

ALL of the top teams sucked for extended periods of time...

St Louis, Chicago, Boston, LA, Pitt....but as you say most people forget this fact...
- Iggysbff

you almost have to. you cant trade for a number one center, and most dont hit unrestricted free agency. you can hit on a stud defenseman outside of the top 5, but if your plan is to find the next pavel datsyuk in the fifth round, good luck. the sabres have been bad longer than the last couple years, miller stole a handful of points that kept us out of the top 5 picks.

Another boring 4 goal soccer game.

Man I wish they scored as much as they do in the NHL...

Can you not read? I said LA has had like 2 TOP 3 picks in their history AND ONE #1 pick. NEVER said they have NEVER had one
- LA_Kings6720

Since 1997:

1997: #3 overall: Olli Jokinen
2007: #4 overall: Thomas Hickey
2008: #2 overall: Drew Doughty
2009: #5 overall: Braydon Schenn

Rest of those years are #11 or worse.

3 straight years of some early picks helps, but no, not 2-3(4?) seasons of #1/#2 types.

It doesn't hurt when you make some nice selections like Toffoli at #67 overall, Kopitar at #11, Brown at #13, and some guy named Quick at #72

One of these things.......

Another boring 4 goal soccer game.

Man I wish they scored as much as they do in the NHL...
- ImThatGuy

Put Miller in net.

Another boring 4 goal soccer game.

Man I wish they scored as much as they do in the NHL...
- ImThatGuy

Was it like a MLB vs College team matchup, or 2 good teams?

you almost have to. you cant trade for a number one center, and most dont hit unrestricted free agency. you can hit on a stud defenseman outside of the top 5, but if your plan is to find the next pavel datsyuk in the fifth round, good luck. the sabres have been bad longer than the last couple years, miller stole a handful of points that kept us out of the top 5 picks.
- rover16

That is going to happen in this round as it does when good teams beat up on crappy teams in the NHL . Let's see what happens with final 8 . Soccer is boring to some . Some enjoy it . Same as any sport.

Solid!!!
- dadeadhead

Definitely SOLID! (Insert afro here?)

Since 1997:

1997: #3 overall: Olli Jokinen
2007: #4 overall: Thomas Hickey
2008: #2 overall: Drew Doughty
2009: #5 overall: Braydon Schenn

Rest of those years are #11 or worse.

3 straight years of some early picks helps, but no, not 2-3(4?) seasons of #1/#2 types.

It doesn't hurt when you make some nice selections like Toffoli at #67 overall, Kopitar at #11, Brown at #13, and some guy named Quick at #72
- stashu

Fine, I'll give you '07, '08, '09... But before that, kings drafted like 11th or worse for a LONG time

Was it like a MLB vs College team matchup, or 2 good teams?
- stashu

It started as two good teams, but it turned into an MLB vs College team matchup


early Red cards can really kill the flow of what's supposed to be the best game of the group stages.

Really? That got deleted?


It's an inside joke

It started as two good teams, but it turned into an MLB vs College team matchup


early Red cards can really kill the flow of what's supposed to be the best game of the group stages.
- Sabresfan-365

Can you imagine the card type penalty system in hockey. Two yellows or a red you are kicked out and not allowed to play in the next game!

Really? That got deleted?


It's an inside joke
- CaptainRivet

Mines gone too...

Fine, I'll give you '07, '08, '09... But before that, kings drafted like 11th or worse for a LONG time
- LA_Kings6720

am of the opinion that on the whole, there's a marked difference between top-3 and top-5...and like you mentioned, they had a boatload of middling picks for quite a while as well

My expectations for up coming season

http://www.urbandictionar...ng%20streak&defid=7622805

Can you imagine the card type penalty system in hockey. Two yellows or a red you are kicked out and not allowed to play in the next game!
- ImThatGuy

The game misconduct penalty sort of acts like a "red card" in a way but I agree it'd crazy to see that system in hockey.

For example, tackle from behind in the area is a straight red. Game 6 of the cup finals you bring someone down resulting in a penalty shot, now you're kicked out of that game and you're out for game 7.

Bet the # of penalties and penalty shots would be reduced substantially but the controversy would go up ten fold.

Mike, nice work.



Is (he) still a Sabre or what?