That's a joke, right? If the Sabres landed McDavid, this team is instantly a much better team.
Look at what Crosby (player he is most compared with) did for Pittsburgh:
Year before Crosby (year before lockout) - 58pts
1st year w/Crosby - 58pts
2nd year w/Crosby - 105pts
3rd year w/Crosby - 102pts
4th year Stanley Cup Champs
The Sabres have the best prospect pool in the NHL currently, which isn't even factoring the plethora of picks they have this year. Adding McEichel to that equation will separate Buffalo by a far distance to the next best pool of talent in the league.
IMO, GMTM starts making a lot of moves this off-season to vastly improve this team (no more tanking maneuvers). Two years from now the Sabres will be in the playoffs, with legitimate chances at Lord Stanley starting year 3 and beyond. - DontBeThatGuy
But Crosby put up 100 points in his first season, it was the team around him that performed better the next season. Under Therrien they put up great numbers but went 5 games in their first post season visit.
Marc Andre Fleury 67GP 40W .910SVP
Evgeni Malkin 78GP 85 points, 1st year player that took it to another level establishing himself as a top 10 offensive player league wide.
Mark Recchi 82GP 68 points, played amazing with Crosby.
Sergei Gonchar 82GP 67 points, in his prime Gonchar was a dynamo as a offensive 1st pairing guy
Ryan Whitney 81GP 59 points, hitting the best part of Whitneys career established as an offensive threat.
Jordan Staal with almost 30 goals after being drafted the same year.
Gary Roberts was playing at a .79PPG and was on 1PPG in the post season, he helped.
Crosby alone did not make them better, but having Malkin, Fleury, Staal, Recchi, Gonchar and Whitney step up they got into the playoffs but it still took two more years before they would get their cup.
Within 5 years you guys will be making the playoffs but you aren't near the defensive side as you think. Young defensemen aren't reliable until at least 23 and yes you have an amazing prospect pool but they are prospects. Remember when Hodgson was a #1C? Remember when Ennis was a gem? I definitely do and it takes time before these guys can play NHL hockey, know their roles and also gel together.
Chicago is still playing great hockey years after they won the cup because they drafted so well in the 2000-2006 area, not to say from 2006-now they haven't but it's because of that they have the depth to continue being competitive. One player can change a team, but the team still needs to have talent and enough veteran leadership to drive it home.
But Crosby put up 100 points in his first season, it was the team around him that performed better the next season. Under Therrien they put up great numbers but went 5 games in their first post season visit.
Marc Andre Fleury 67GP 40W .910SVP
Evgeni Malkin 78GP 85 points, 1st year player that took it to another level establishing himself as a top 10 offensive player league wide.
Mark Recchi 82GP 68 points, played amazing with Crosby.
Sergei Gonchar 82GP 67 points, in his prime Gonchar was a dynamo as a offensive 1st pairing guy
Ryan Whitney 81GP 59 points, hitting the best part of Whitneys career established as an offensive threat.
Jordan Staal with almost 30 goals after being drafted the same year.
Gary Roberts was playing at a .79PPG and was on 1PPG in the post season, he helped.
Crosby alone did not make them better, but having Malkin, Fleury, Staal, Recchi, Gonchar and Whitney step up they got into the playoffs but it still took two more years before they would get their cup.
Within 5 years you guys will be making the playoffs but you aren't near the defensive side as you think. Young defensemen aren't reliable until at least 23 and yes you have an amazing prospect pool but they are prospects. Remember when Hodgson was a #1C? Remember when Ennis was a gem? I definitely do and it takes time before these guys can play NHL hockey, know their roles and also gel together.
Chicago is still playing great hockey years after they won the cup because they drafted so well in the 2000-2006 area, not to say from 2006-now they haven't but it's because of that they have the depth to continue being competitive. One player can change a team, but the team still needs to have talent and enough veteran leadership to drive it home. - optimus-reim
Who's the say we don't have young guys step-up and pot 30 goals like Staal? Who's to say Kane isn't our Malkin next year (as far as production)? Or that Reinhart doesn't play as the #2C and get 60-70 points?
One one hand you use Pittsburgh guys as your example, but then go on to say that couldn't possibly happen to anyone in Buffalo next year.
Regardless, I'll take McEichel on this team and watch them turn this ship around in 2 years time.
And the bolded part TMGM will surely start to fix this offseason (we have an enormous amount of cash to spend).
Location: For me. jack Eichel is bobby ryan….that's it. - Octavarium, NY Joined: 05.05.2011
Mar 26 @ 2:41 PM ET
Who's the say we don't have young guys step-up and pot 30 goals like Staal? Who's to say Kane isn't our Malkin next year (as far as production)? Or that Reinhart doesn't play as the #2C and get 60-70 points?
One one hand you use Pittsburgh guys as your example, but then go on to say that couldn't possibly happen to anyone in Buffalo next year.
Regardless, I'll take McEichel on this team and watch them turn this ship around in 2 years time.
And the bolded part TMGM will surely start to fix this offseason (we have an enormous amount of cash to spend). - DontBeThatGuy
I think our fellow tanker actually wrote a pretty good post.
Pittsburgh was able to acquire a lot of high end talent over the course of a few years. To say that our system will be as high octane as theirs was is a bit far fetched given a 2 year timeline. We have a ton of great prospects, but projections for all of them save maybe Reinhart all sit on the 2nd line or below. I'm nitpicking at this point, but Ennis is still a gem. Unfortunately he's not a man who can carry the offense on his back, but get him a pair of competent line mates and that kid can easily be a 60-70 point guy. He's an extremely talented and driven player.
To sum up, we need more high end talent and we need our defense to mature and hopefully add a Mike Green type back there. Not necessarily Mike Green. Not a huge fan of him. It makes sense that it could take 3-4 years to be legitimately contending.
I'm not too familiar on that one, my good buddy and his brother work at a liquor store so I always get the stuff that doesn't make it onto the shelves.
We also went up to the Dark Horse Brewery in Warren MI last month for an in house brew off and also picked up 8 bottles of the one time 100 case release of Bourbon Barrel Blueberry tres stout. Unreal
Location: Matt Ellis is my patronus, NY Joined: 06.28.2011
Mar 26 @ 2:47 PM ET
I think our fellow tanker actually wrote a pretty good post.
Pittsburgh was able to acquire a lot of high end talent over the course of a few years. To say that our system will be as high octane as theirs was is a bit far fetched given a 2 year timeline. We have a ton of great prospects, but projections for all of them save maybe Reinhart all sit on the 2nd line or below. I'm nitpicking at this point, but Ennis is still a gem. Unfortunately he's not a man who can carry the offense on his back, but get him a pair of competent line mates and that kid can easily be a 60-70 point guy. He's an extremely talented and driven player.
To sum up, we need more high end talent and we need our defense to mature and hopefully add a Mike Green type back there. Not necessarily Mike Green. Not a huge fan of him. It makes sense that it could take 3-4 years to be legitimately contending. - TheSabresTaco
You mean a D man like Christian Er.......... ohhhh right lol
You mean a D man like Christian Er.......... ohhhh right lol - hubie
He'll most likely be available... He hasn't looked anything special here, maybe a few games he has. But he's been injured constantly. His new name is actually Christian Beau Bennett Ehrhoff
Location: Matt Ellis is my patronus, NY Joined: 06.28.2011
Mar 26 @ 2:55 PM ET
He'll most likely be available... He hasn't looked anything special here, maybe a few games he has. But he's been injured constantly. His new name is actually Christian Beau Bennett Ehrhoff - znagle
