We will finish 29th. Win the lottery like the 2nd worst team has done the last two seasons.

Right now we are a one line team, with 2 really good defensemen and a hot goalie. It will start going the other way soon enough
- sbroads24

This years lottery has long odds winner written all over it.

McDavid will be a Devil or Flyer

Calgary is making a run without "going full" ... so it's not the norm top get overall first picks to build. The Habs didn't either, neither the Bruins... Anaheim, St. Louis, ... not everyone has to suck for multiple years and get top picks stacked up to win... going the loser route to build might get your team twelve first overall picks like the oilers but the team is still shiite...
- kaptaan

Again, Edmonton is the outlier not the norm.

Clagary is making a run to 8th place with good players, not great. Buffalo did that multiple times. That got us where we are now.

This is not the NFL. Having a top pick is a lock (Unless you choose a goalie) A top pick which leads to top end talent is key to long-term success.

I hear Murray likes dial tones
- SABRES 89

Just missed that goalie market by 15 minutes .
- cabin

http://espn.go.com/chicag...sing-step-leaving-concert

Having a 'generational' talent isn't the key to winning the Cup. I mean, look at the Kings...Anze Kopitar (11th overall), Jeff Carter (11th overall), Toffoli (47th overall), Richards (24th), Jake Muzzin (147th), and o.k. Drew Doughty at 2nd overall.

Look at Washington with Ovie (1st overall) and Backstrom (4th), no cups...Pittsburgh has 1 with their (1st and 2nd overall) Malkin and Crosby, but seem like a longshot with out more depth. Chicago might be the best example of a "tank" with 2 Cups, but only with a lot of depth added around their (1st and 3rd overall) core.

Even if the Sabres get the 8th overall pick this year, we will be able to take comfort in the fact that were building a solid team, which is ultimately what we need. Ask the Oilers.


- notalent

All true... Good points!
However, guys like Stafford & Stewart prob won't be around after this year, maybe we resign Mitchell for a year or two...
Gionta & Moulson are likely done after their current deals
We don't know who's gonna replace these guys & how well they'll do in the NHL
I do agree we're building something...
But ultimately, how good of a team will depend on the talent we acquire
And securing McDavid or Eichel would be a key piece that can bring it all together

All true... Good points!
However, guys like Stafford & Stewart prob won't be around after this year, maybe we resign Mitchell for a year or two...
Gionta & Moulson are likel
- jdfitz77

Except he left out Doughty for the Kings top pick. And then left off Chicago and Pittsburgh who continue to have success.

The Islanders with that Tavares guy. TBL with Stamkos, FLA is starting to come about with top picks leading the way.

Colorado will return to success with all the top pick talent they have.

Congrats on the hot streak right now, if you keep this up Nolan will be named coach of the year and maybe the century.

What's the deal with Hodgson? Is he playing with an injury ? How can he go from a 20 goal guy to invisible?

Except he left out Doughty for the Kings top pick. And then left off Chicago and Pittsburgh who continue to have success.

The Islanders with that Tavares guy. TBL with Stamkos, FLA is starting to come about with top picks leading the way.

Colorado will return to success with all the top pick talent they have.
- ImThatGuy

Sabres=Oilers

That's not opinion it's fact.

Congrats on the hot streak right now, if you keep this up Nolan will be named coach of the year and maybe the century.

What's the deal with Hodgson? Is he playing with an injury ? How can he go from a 20 goal guy to invisible?
- Rang

It's an easy answer for Hodgson. We over paid him

Except he left out Doughty for the Kings top pick. And then left off Chicago and Pittsburgh who continue to have success.

The Islanders with that Tavares guy. TBL with Stamkos, FLA is starting to come about with top picks leading the way.

Colorado will return to success with all the top pick talent they have.
- ImThatGuy

the best example of winning w/o homegrown top picks might be boston...in fact they dumped a first overall pick and managed to win a cup a few years later

Congrats on the hot streak right now, if you keep this up Nolan will be named coach of the year and maybe the century.

What's the deal with Hodgson? Is he playing with an injury ? How can he go from a 20 goal guy to invisible?
- Rang

IMO it's his ego. It seems as if he thinks he's a superstar and doesn't feel he needs to put in the effort; that being said I liked his game last night with Foligno and Stewie.

Congrats on the hot streak right now, if you keep this up Nolan will be named coach of the year and maybe the century.

What's the deal with Hodgson? Is he playing with an injury ? How can he go from a 20 goal guy to invisible?
- Rang

you can't have Nolan...hodgson?...maybe

Again, Edmonton is the outlier not the norm.

Clagary is making a run to 8th place with good players, not great. Buffalo did that multiple times. That got us where we are now.

This is not the NFL. Having a top pick is a lock (Unless you choose a goalie) A top pick which leads to top end talent is key to long-term success.
- ImThatGuy

Uhmm...If I can just make one small quibble with your reasoning. How many #1 overall picks win the Stanley Cup? In over 25 years we have, lets see, Crosby, Kane, Fleury, Lecavallier and Mike Modano........that's since 1988.

IMO it's his ego. It seems as if he thinks he's a superstar and doesn't feel he needs to put in the effort; that being said I liked his game last night with Foligno and Stewie.
- jackoc150

Well I hope he turns it around, if he does you guys could take a serious run at a playoff spot

Sad what the Oilers are doing, they don't deserve the pick IMO.

IMO it's his ego. It seems as if he thinks he's a superstar and doesn't feel he needs to put in the effort; that being said I liked his game last night with Foligno and Stewie.
- jackoc150

Yup.

the best example of winning w/o homegrown top picks might be boston...in fact they dumped a first overall pick and managed to win a cup a few years later
- Michael Pachla

That method of trading high picks is coming back to bite them.

They gave away the league leading goal scorer and are now in the bottom half of the league in scoring

Great blog Michael. I find I'm developing "unexpected fondness" for this group, too.

Point of clarification however. Murray traded away Miller, Ott, and Moulson, and I think that's talent.

Sad what the Oilers are doing, they don't deserve the pick IMO.
- SABRES 89

Agree. They are deplorable and sad.

Uhmm...If I can just make one small quibble with your reasoning. How many #1 overall picks win the Stanley Cup? In over 25 years we have, lets see, Crosby, Kane, Fleury, Lecavallier and Mike Modano........that's since 1988.
- notalent

Just for fun, (quickly) went through the first-overall's from '88 ton 2012. These are the ones who never won a Cup:

Sundin 1989
Owen Nolan, 1990
Lindros, 1991
Hamrlik, 1992
Alexander Daigle, 1993 (Ottawa's tank)
Jovocop, 1994
Berard, 1995
Chris Phillips, 1996
Jumbo Joe, 1997
Stephan, 1999

Including Dipietro in 2000:

Kovalchuk, 2001
Nash, 2002
Ovechkin, 2004
E. Johnson, 2006
Stamkos, 2008
Tavares, 2009

all those Edmonton picks

And had he not sent Jason Pominville to Minnesota for a huge haul, including the Wild's first rounder in 2013, they'd not have been able to land Zadorov with the Wild's 18th-overall pick that year.
- Michael Pachla

Didn't we pick Zads at 16, not 18?

I hear Myers is available.
- atlsabsfan

He is a 3/4 defenseman at best . No one will pay the price Murray wants.

That method of trading high picks is coming back to bite them.

They gave away the league leading goal scorer and are now in the bottom half of the league in scoring
- sbroads24

but they won the Stanley Cup in 2011 and were runner up in 2013 without a homegrown top-pick save for seguin who was in a bottom six role...and they're still an eastern conference power

http://espn.go.com/chicago/nhl/story/_/id/11973287/chicago-blackhawks-goaltender-corey-crawford-suffered-lower-body-injury-missing-step-leaving-concert
- feetontheair22

so when does Hackett come off the IR? i doubt we get crap for him but we need to move one of the three goalies we have..

He is a 3/4 defenseman at best . No one will pay the price Murray wants.



- Maximum Signal

i don't see the problem with that.. if we have him in our 3/4 pairing i think we are in good shape.. he is playing well and still maturing