You dont know me first of all. Second you think its just that easy huh? wel just be bad for a couple years and all of the sudden become a cup favorite? and I am dumb because im questioning this theory? get real man.

PS. kopitar, bergeon, or Pietangelo were not top 5 picks so you dont need to be dead last to get talent in the draft
- MCGUIZZY

If you look at the good teams all of them have players that were taken high in draft for multiple years. You can get talent later in draft but if that is what you banking on to succeed you will be waiting a long time. You need more then one player to win you need mutiple players. Like Chi has kane toews, seabrook and keith. If you get four or five great players you can win.

"STAFFORD MOVES TO CENTER AS SABRES SHUFFLE LINES
Ennis slides back to wing; Foligno, Kaleta may return Tuesday in St. Louis"

So, we're basically just throwing sh!t at the walls to see what sticks?


- seedy

Nolan's trying harder. Why can't the players?

well said

a lot of things need to go right.

u need to insulate them abit while theyre young. need strong goaltending behind them as they go through some defensive growing pains. needs some luck through trades and free agency etc etc etc


I think a weak defensive group and zero insulation for those oiler kids while they lost for 4 straight years has really put a crack in their confidence and they are struggling to just turn it around now. just because management said by now they should be really doesn't mean much.

im not saying buffalo is or isn't that mold, just saying that a lot of things could go wrong through rebuilds.
- Ihateallofu

oilers and islanders fans know this well. If the drafted kids get thrown in too soon, or don't have any veteran support then it can ruin the kids or delay their development. it's one thing to draft high, development and adding other talent are two major keys to it.

This isn’t to suggest Buffalo won’t do it properly, but just finishing in the lottery and drafting isn’t enough.

For every can’t miss prospect, expect two other promising prospects to not pan out. I’m not wishing anything poor to happen to the sabres, I hate seeing fans of a team suffer through a rebuild and the majority of you guys have been great to talk hockey with. As someone who’s done it and suffered through it, try not to expect it’ll be turned around in a couple years. You may be setting yourself up for a great deal of disappointment. Been there, done that. Even this year where the Isles look to have more than enough depth and more talent than they’ve had in a couple decades, things can still go wrong.

oilers and islanders fans know this well. If the drafted kids get thrown in too soon, or don't have any veteran support then it can ruin the kids or delay their development. it's one thing to draft high, development and adding other talent are two major keys to it.

This isn’t to suggest Buffalo won’t do it properly, but just finishing in the lottery and drafting isn’t enough.

For every can’t miss prospect, expect two other promising prospects to not pan out. I’m not wishing anything poor to happen to the sabres, I hate seeing fans of a team suffer through a rebuild and the majority of you guys have been great to talk hockey with. As someone who’s done it and suffered through it, try not to expect it’ll be turned around in a couple years. You may be setting yourself up for a great deal of disappointment. Been there, done that. Even this year where the Isles look to have more than enough depth and more talent than they’ve had in a couple decades, things can still go wrong.
- Isles_since_6

The bottom line is this. There are plenty of teams, such as Pittsburgh, Chicago, and even LA, that employed the "tank" method properly. There are also teams such as the Islanders and Edmonton that didn't. There's enough of an example of what and what not to do. If the Sabres screw it up, it's their own damn fault.

Nolan's trying harder. Why can't the players?
- buffalofan19

Hahahahaha!

The bottom line is this. There are plenty of teams, such as Pittsburgh, Chicago, and even LA, that employed the "tank" method properly. There are also teams such as the Islanders and Edmonton that didn't. There's enough of an example of what and what not to do. If the Sabres screw it up, it's their own damn fault.
- buffalofan19

It’s interesting to look at, that’s for sure. For a long time now the Isles haven’t been able to get anyone to sign with them and filled the holes in their lineup with guys at the end of their careers where the Oilers have had no problem handing out money but maybe not to the right players.

This is the first year in a long long time the Isles have had this much talent and depth on their roster, but Edmonton is still missing a couple of key pieces or some of the pieces they have just aren’t good enough.

The other thing is that there just isn’t the same quality or amount of top ufa talent anymore. Teams are locking these guys up long term and the ufa period in july has less and less headlining talent. This is going to make it even harder on rebuilding teams in future, as will the new draft lottery rules coming.

It’s interesting to look at, that’s for sure. For a long time now the Isles haven’t been able to get anyone to sign with them and filled the holes in their lineup with guys at the end of their careers where the Oilers have had no problem handing out money but maybe not to the right players.

This is the first year in a long long time the Isles have had this much talent and depth on their roster, but Edmonton is still missing a couple of key pieces or some of the pieces they have just aren’t good enough.

The other thing is that there just isn’t the same quality or amount of top ufa talent anymore. Teams are locking these guys up long term and the ufa period in july has less and less headlining talent. This is going to make it even harder on rebuilding teams in future, as will the new draft lottery rules coming.
- Isles_since_6

this is exactly where Buffalo was when they decided to tear it all down. Miller and Vanek had NO interest in contract extensions and the best players we were able to get a year or two earlier were Leino and Erhoff. The Sabres Management had their backs against the wall. I'm glad Tim Murray is doing the Talent evaluation on the kids instead of Regier.

It’s interesting to look at, that’s for sure. For a long time now the Isles haven’t been able to get anyone to sign with them and filled the holes in their lineup with guys at the end of their careers where the Oilers have had no problem handing out money but maybe not to the right players.

This is the first year in a long long time the Isles have had this much talent and depth on their roster, but Edmonton is still missing a couple of key pieces or some of the pieces they have just aren’t good enough.

The other thing is that there just isn’t the same quality or amount of top ufa talent anymore. Teams are locking these guys up long term and the ufa period in july has less and less headlining talent. This is going to make it even harder on rebuilding teams in future, as will the new draft lottery rules coming.
- Isles_since_6

This year there might be some quality players available. Not through FA but I regards to the cap. There was a yahoo story the cap may not go up this year. it will change landscape for ufa and teams may to need to dump players to sign young talent that r rfas

this is exactly where Buffalo was when they decided to tear it all down. Miller and Vanek had NO interest in contract extensions and the best players we were able to get a year or two earlier were Leino and Erhoff. The Sabres Management had their backs against the wall. I'm glad Tim Murray is doing the Talent evaluation on the kids instead of Regier.
- seedy

The good thing is that the sabres got more than fair value for each when they moved them, which definitely helps and could be a major key in your rebuild. I have to admit though that it was depressing as hell for me to watch the Isles flounder every year with weaknesses that were easy to see and not addressed until this season – and even still we have a coach that would be best used as a paperweight.

It can take a while but is a lot easier to take when you believe in the people in charge of it. Having wang sell the team and snow show he could correct some of our flaws helped a lot, but until Capuano is gone and we hire a vet coach I’m not 100% on board. I think we’ll make the playoffs but I don’t think we’ll go far with fred flintstone behind the bench.

This year there might be some quality players available. Not through FA but I regards to the cap. There was a yahoo story the cap may not go up this year. it will change landscape for ufa and teams may to need to dump players to sign young talent that r rfas
- hafgod

I think this is where it will be key for teams like Buffalo with a lot of cap space and an owner willing to spend. You can definitely pilfer some good players from some cap strapped teams, especially if the cap doesn't go up and probably still if it does go up a bit.

Nolan's trying harder. Why can't the players?
- buffalofan19

Cause they are taller?

The good thing is that the sabres got more than fair value for each when they moved them, which definitely helps and could be a major key in your rebuild. I have to admit though that it was depressing as hell for me to watch the Isles flounder every year with weaknesses that were easy to see and not addressed until this season – and even still we have a coach that would be best used as a paperweight.

It can take a while but is a lot easier to take when you believe in the people in charge of it. Having wang sell the team and snow show he could correct some of our flaws helped a lot, but until Capuano is gone and we hire a vet coach I’m not 100% on board. I think we’ll make the playoffs but I don’t think we’ll go far with fred flintstone behind the bench.
- Isles_since_6

You could be in a worse position. A Leaf fan.

You could be in a worse position. A Leaf fan.
- cabin

thats the thing. There's so many teams that are just middle of the pack year after year. Buffalo finally committed to doing something about it and people are crapping their pants over it. Being a fan of a playoff bubble team is just a bit better than watching theTank™!

Great blog Michael. Wish I had time to comment more. The regular amount of butt-hurt Steve Simmonds displays on a weekly basis exceeds comical.

It's amazing how people think we are tanking. A rebuild doesn't happen overnight. We are just this bad. Teams like Colorado and Columbus seem to be the ones tanking.
- Jammerz04

Columbus isn't tanking. Half their team is on IR.

If you look at the good teams all of them have players that were taken high in draft for multiple years. You can get talent later in draft but if that is what you banking on to succeed you will be waiting a long time. You need more then one player to win you need mutiple players. Like Chi has kane toews, seabrook and keith. If you get four or five great players you can win.
- hanleyaj

Listen man I get it. I understand the concept. This is going to happen whether I like it or not. I'm on board just because I have to. I want Mcdavid and Eichel probably just as much as you. Dare I say more. We better pray that we get one at this point. My point was I didn't sign up for this process. And I don't believe 100% that A. We finish last and b. we have the right people in place to carry out such a task. Its a risk. Is that fair enough?

thats the thing. There's so many teams that are just middle of the pack year after year. Buffalo finally committed to doing something about it and people are crapping their pants over it. Being a fan of a playoff bubble team is just a bit better than watching theTank™!
- seedy

Yes. A lot of us have accepted it for what the end product could be. So far the building blocks are there and just have to add a few more pieces.
We all survived the last time (holy crap our team sucks)1986-1987(if you guys were alive to witness it). and we made the playoffs the following year. Seems we are trying to do it right this time .

One of the better articles I've read on here. Awesome!

Being experienced in rock-bottom multiple times, congrats! Buffalo is there. After this season all of the draft picks along with one of the two future superstars will likely be ready to go. Then for the next 10 to 15 years all will be right with the world in Buffalo. Allocating the skilled young guys to the minors for one extra (pointless) season is the right way to go.

If there are hockey-god's then the Foot-in-the-crease god will get you first overall.

A nice article about the Harbor Center/Buffalo FROM the Detroit Free Press...

http://www.freep.com/stor...ey-harborcenter/18799163/

....who knew there were journalists out there that could say something NICE about Buffalo?

This is an excellent blog by the way

A nice article about the Harbor Center/Buffalo FROM the Detroit Free Press...

http://www.freep.com/stor...ey-harborcenter/18799163/

....who knew there were journalists out there that could say something NICE about Buffalo?
- seedy

Nice to read something like that after a poopty monday at work

Good blog BOos, it's about time this got properly addressed.

A nice article about the Harbor Center/Buffalo FROM the Detroit Free Press...

http://www.freep.com/stor...ey-harborcenter/18799163/

....who knew there were journalists out there that could say something NICE about Buffalo?
- seedy

Wow!

Wow!
- Topshelf Mountain

We aint messin around

We aint messin around
- cabin

Many fans are impatient and thought we should have a cup by now. But Pegula is doing a lot of great things for the city. It would be difficult to leave California, but sometimes I want to move back home.