They all stink...

- jochfr

(shrug) so what? I would say that every player on our top 6 is better than any player in their top 6 (except for JVR). I might even be able to go a line deeper. Also, people are getting all tripped up over us being 1 d short (that in itself tells us that we are in pretty good shape). Our D is absolutely better than their D. But the difference in forwards is going to be striking.
- Slump Buster

Not really since that "one defencemen" is a top pairing guy we need, not exactly easy to come by. D could go either way, leafs still have Phaneuf, Rielly and Gardiner is pretty good offensively. Saying it's "absolutely better" while having a left side of Donovan, Gorges and Colaiacavo (the latter two will probably wind up only playing 50 games combined because of injuries) is far fetched.

Not really since that "one defencemen" is a top pairing guy we need, not exactly easy to come by. D could go either way, leafs still have Phaneuf, Rielly and Gardiner is pretty good offensively. Saying it's "absolutely better" while having a left side of Donovan, Gorges and Colaiacavo (the latter two will probably wind up only playing 50 games combined because of injuries) is far fetched.
- Sabresfan-365

We have Weber though and he is a God Walking Amongst Mere Mortals

We have Weber though and he is a God Walking Amongst Mere Mortals
- jochfr

Not really since that "one defencemen" is a top pairing guy we need, not exactly easy to come by. D could go either way, leafs still have Phaneuf, Rielly and Gardiner is pretty good offensively. Saying it's "absolutely better" while having a left side of Donovan, Gorges and Colaiacavo (the latter two will probably wind up only playing 50 games combined because of injuries) is far fetched.
- Sabresfan-365

So because their left side is better than our right their D is better? Sure, they have 3 decent D. We have at least that many. Neither team has a stud D but we have several good D. I'd take our D over their D any day of the week.

Also, don't forget that if you wipe out the first month of the season they were actually worse than we were. We've added signficant top-level talent and they lost their best player without adding any talent (with the subtraction of more talent likely).

What are these people thinking. You would have to be an idiot to renew season tickets to a team that was historically bad for 2 straight seasons. You people should save your money. It would be better spent on a big screen TV to watch the games at home.
I may or may not be saying this cause i am on the waiting list....

So because their left side is better than our right their D is better? Sure, they have 3 decent D. We have at least that many. Neither team has a stud D but we have several good D.

Also, don't forget that if you wipe out the first month of the season they were actually worse than we were. We've added signficant top-level talent and they lost their best player without adding any talent (with the subtraction of more talent likely).
- Slump Buster

Not saying it's flat out better, my point was it could go either way. You're right, one team got obviously better and one team got obviously worse, on paper. But when you look at things like defence, goaltending and coaching it's not unreasonable to think they finish ahead of us. I really think it could go either way. Rielly/Risto, Phaneuf/Bogo, Gardiner/Pysyk Lehner/Bernier...hard to really pinpoint a clear advantage

We have Weber though and he is a God Walking Amongst Mere Mortals
- jochfr

I still think he deserves a spot in the rafters, right next to Eichel (hopefully)

Not saying it's flat out better, my point was it could go either way. You're right, one team got obviously better and one team got obviously worse, on paper. But when you look at things like defence, goaltending and coaching it's not unreasonable to think they finish ahead of us. I really think it could go either way. Rielly/Risto, Phaneuf/Bogo, Gardiner/Pysyk Lehner/Bernier...hard to really pinpoint a clear advantage
- Sabresfan-365

I don't even necessarily disagree with anything you just said with the exception of coaching. Nobody can say that one is better than the other. That said... this is a league where elite talent wins. Their forwards are an absolute joke with the exception of JVR. We have four excellent centers and I don't know that we could find one on their roster (admittedly, they do have nice talent that might not be in the league this year).

I don't even necessarily disagree with anything you just said with the exception of coaching. Nobody can say that one is better than the other. That said... this is a league where elite talent wins. Their forwards are an absolute joke with the exception of JVR. We have four excellent centers and I don't know that we could find one on their roster (admittedly, they do have nice talent that might not be in the league this year).
- Slump Buster

Kadri could have a big year with babcock, it'll be interesting to see what they do with Nylander and Brown this year. I could see both of them making the jump to the nhl at some point this year.

I like our chances of finishing ahead of them (centre depth is the clincher for me as well), just hope that we still draft ahead of them as well.

...concrete.
- CaptainRivet

When I was just a little kid - and this goes back into the late 1960's - I really, really, really wanted a pet dog. I couldn't have one though, because my older sister and younger brother both had really bad allergies, and sometimes you give stuff up so that the rest of the family can be happy.

Without intending to touch on any of this thread's running gags, the puppy I really wanted was a German Shepherd. I was going to call him Bismark. I didn't really care what the breed was, though, it could have been anything, even a stupid Cocker Spaniel.

If you look carefully for a little while, you might be able to make out the face of a cocker spaniel in this cloud.

Sometimes, that's kind of a nice way to spend the time, just looking up at fluffy clouds.

Signed-
Spent Too Much Effing Time On the "HardNews" Websites Today.
- Der Kaiser

A German shepherd named Bismark. That's Gold, Jerey. Gold!!!

Kadri could have a big year with babcock, it'll be interesting to see what they do with Nylander and Brown this year. I could see both of them making the jump to the nhl at some point this year.

I like our chances of finishing ahead of them (centre depth is the clincher for me as well), just hope that we still draft ahead of them as well.
- Sabresfan-365

Kadri and JVR are nice players. Other than that... I think they compete with the Devils for last place.

(shrug) so what? I would say that every player on our top 6 is better than any player in their top 6 (except for JVR). I might even be able to go a line deeper. Also, people are getting all tripped up over us being 1 d short (that in itself tells us that we are in pretty good shape). Our D is absolutely better than their D. But the difference in forwards is going to be striking.
- Slump Buster

Kane has been hurt a lot over the past three years
Eichel is 18
Reinhart is 19
Girgensons, Moulson, and Ennis are our only safe top 6 bets, and that's an underwhelming bunch

ROR could be suspended 5-10 games


Then there is the question of Ristolainen being able to carry the load as a #1, Bogosian actually playing well, Pysyk playing well

Lehner?

Kane has been hurt a lot over the past three years
Eichel is 18
Reinhart is 19
Girgensons, Moulson, and Ennis are our only safe top 6 bets, and that's an underwhelming bunch

ROR could be suspended 5-10 games


Then there is the question of Ristolainen being able to carry the load as a #1, Bogosian actually playing well, Pysyk playing well

Lehner?
- sbroads24

What precedent is there for ROR being suspended 5-10 games? There will be no suspension. I have no argument with anything else

Kane has been hurt a lot over the past three years
Eichel is 18
Reinhart is 19
Girgensons, Moulson, and Ennis are our only safe top 6 bets, and that's an underwhelming bunch

ROR could be suspended 5-10 games


Then there is the question of Ristolainen being able to carry the load as a #1, Bogosian actually playing well, Pysyk playing well

Lehner?
- sbroads24

I think you're confusing "The Sabres are better than the Leafs" with "The Sabres are going to be a top team next year". The Leafs were the worst team in hockey for the last 3/4 of the season last year (and we were the ones actually trying to lose). Their roster is worse this year. I don't know how good we will be this year but it will be 20 points better than them. How many players on their roster would even make our team?

The goaltending argument is weak. Goaltending rarely makes a team or breaks a team. Leafs goalies had sunburn on their necks last year. Much of that isn't their fault, but still....

Quite honestly as long as we beat the leafs all season long, I don't care who gets better draft pick, it will only be a couple of spots difference anyhow

Quite honestly as long as we beat the leafs all season long, I don't care who gets better draft pick, it will only be a couple of spots difference anyhow
- Havic3814

I'll be happy if they try a semi-rebuild and end up sucking for another 10 years.

I think you're confusing "The Sabres are better than the Leafs" with "The Sabres are going to be a top team next year". The Leafs were the worst team in hockey for the last 3/4 of the season last year (and we were the ones actually trying to lose). Their roster is worse this year. I don't know how good we will be this year but it will be 20 points better than them. How many players on their roster would even make our team?

The goaltending argument is weak. Goaltending rarely makes a team or breaks a team. Leafs goalies had sunburn on their necks last year. Much of that isn't their fault, but still....
- Slump Buster

I'm not confusing anything. We were the worst team in hockey last two years running. We added two bonafide top 6 players in Kane and ROR who aren't exactly lighting the league on fire with goals. Our other two potential adds are teenagers.

We have a young blue line, and a goaltender with injury issues. And yes, goaltenders can steal, or lose games for a team.

Like Sabresfan-365 said, all it takes is one injury for us and we are in bad shape.

When I was just a little kid - and this goes back into the late 1960's - I really, really, really wanted a pet dog. I couldn't have one though, because my older sister and younger brother both had really bad allergies, and sometimes you give stuff up so that the rest of the family can be happy.

Without intending to touch on any of this thread's running gags, the puppy I really wanted was a German Shepherd. I was going to call him Bismark. I didn't really care what the breed was, though, it could have been anything, even a stupid Cocker Spaniel.

If you look carefully for a little while, you might be able to make out the face of a cocker spaniel in this cloud.

Sometimes, that's kind of a nice way to spend the time, just looking up at fluffy clouds.

Signed-
Spent Too Much Effing Time On the "HardNews" Websites Today.
- Der Kaiser

I see it, with no drugs and no pink floyd

Kane has been hurt a lot over the past three years
Eichel is 18
Reinhart is 19
Girgensons, Moulson, and Ennis are our only safe top 6 bets, and that's an underwhelming bunch

ROR could be suspended 5-10 games


Then there is the question of Ristolainen being able to carry the load as a #1, Bogosian actually playing well, Pysyk playing well

Lehner?
- sbroads24

Honestly, I see questions on 28 nhl team rosters

only the bolts and pens are bulletproof IMO

Honestly, I see questions on 28 nhl team rosters

only the bolts and pens are bulletproof IMO
- homiedclown

Problem is most teams have better, proven players at this point.

Eventually, we will be a great team. No doubt in my mind.

nice game yanks

I see it, with no drugs and no pink floyd
- homiedclown

'Ludes and Dead
Or, my favorite
Widespread Panic and Weed

'Ludes and Dead
Or, my favorite
Widespread Panic and Weed
- IonSabres