flynn, stewart, myers, benoit, mitchell, staff, zadorov, meszaros leave

kane, ror, eichel, skunk, mcginn, franson, legwand, colaiacovo, bogo are plugged in


this team is 29th instead of 30th in the standngs
- homiedclown

So...improvement?

- homiedclown

Harry Taint from the Planet Balzac.

I'm 52 and this makes me pee a little bit in my pants because I'm laughing so hard.

I just think if girgens is going to be slotted on the third line, this may be the time to package him for a player with more upside, first line potential
- homiedclown

Well I want Girgensons on the 3rd line. I think if he's on your 2nd line that means your 2nd line isn't that good. I think he's good, but I think he's defensively, add in a few goals, shut down good. I don't want to rely on him as a top 6 scorer.

Sure, it might look better for this season, but I am not sure that is the best move for the long term.

Staying the course for this season, drafting highly, getting an impact player at the draft, and then trying to trade for player X would be my course of action were I Murray.
- kingcong39

I am torn between getting a top pair d man, or winger, if they can get the d man by moving gus plus, then surely the winger will be there at the draft the way this team is playing


I really expected this team to be losing games 4-3 not 3-0 or 5-1 this season

Harry Taint from the Planet Balzac.

I'm 52 and this makes me pee a little bit in my pants because I'm laughing so hard.
- Der Kaiser

his friday show was a great way to kick start the weekend

I just think if girgens is going to be slotted on the third line, this may be the time to package him for a player with more upside, first line potential
- homiedclown

Ultimately I think one of Girgensons or Reinhart is centering the "3rd line" while the other is playing a top 6 wing position.

This of course after they move on from Larsson, which I expect them to.

So at this rate we'll be in the playoffs in 13 years.

Like others have said, let's get through the year before we're too worried.
- Zschalberg

but the team was in essence blown up for a while now, and the leafs look more organized then the sabres

I am concerned

If Lehner fails as early this season, Murray's ass should be burning by then with Terry and Kim both holding the flame to his bum.
- Pluviophile

no. not at all. i dont like the trade- i think of goalies like running backs- theres a few great ones, and a metric ton in the middle, and you only need an average one to not play poorly as long as you have a solid team in front of him. what did murray give up? the 21st pick overall- maybe an nhl player someday, maybe not. why did he give this up? because of the few guys that were out there, he was the one murray scouted, liked best, and was under club control for the longest time. lehner was probably not back to 100% after the long layoff from a concussion when the season started. that was almost 3 months ago. he hasnt seen much action in almost a year, you think hes gonna be ready to backstop us to a .935 and a playoff berth? nope. this was murrays kick at getting what he believed was a goalie that could be great. if it doesnt work, so what?

I am torn between getting a top pair d man, or winger, if they can get the d man by moving gus plus, then surely the winger will be there at the draft the way this team is playing

I really expected this team to be losing games 4-3 not 3-0 or 5-1 this season


- homiedclown

If they do indeed get their winger at the draft, as I hope they do, then the Ennis for Fowler rumors have much more merit, even though I am far from Fowler's biggest fan.

serious question, if girgens was packaged with player x for a top 6 winger (drouin/eberle etc)

and legwand moved up to 3rd line center, would the product be better on the ice?


I am not saying that murray SHOULD trade girgens, just starting a conversation
- homiedclown

You're going to overpay for the product that Drouin has thus far delivered....it would be a huge gamble, and i know our GM likes to operate in that fashion, but I'd like to see the Jets trade pay off before I see him make any more risky trades

After the Stanley cup in '99, followed by the Peca and Hasek debacles, I almost completely tuned out the Sabres from most of 2000 through 2003. I got into them again at the end of 03-04 before the lockout because you could tell as a team they were coming together. I think i need to tune out for about 2 years.

Well I want Girgensons on the 3rd line. I think if he's on your 2nd line that means your 2nd line isn't that good. I think he's good, but I think he's defensively, add in a few goals, shut down good. I don't want to rely on him as a top 6 scorer.
- Zschalberg

but he wasn't drafted to be paille on the dot

If they do indeed get their winger at the draft, as I hope they do, then the Ennis for Fowler rumors have much more merit, even though I am far from Fowler's biggest fan.
- kingcong39

that would be the other approach

ennis plus for fowler


if they keep the pick, draft the winger

but he wasn't drafted to be paille on the dot
- homiedclown

holy

no. not at all. i dont like the trade- i think of goalies like running backs- theres a few great ones, and a metric ton in the middle, and you only need an average one to not play poorly as long as you have a solid team in front of him. what did murray give up? the 21st pick overall- maybe an nhl player someday, maybe not. why did he give this up? because of the few guys that were out there, he was the one murray scouted, liked best, and was under club control for the longest time. lehner was probably not back to 100% after the long layoff from a concussion when the season started. that was almost 3 months ago. he hasnt seen much action in almost a year, you think hes gonna be ready to backstop us to a .935 and a playoff berth? nope. this was murrays kick at getting what he believed was a goalie that could be great. if it doesnt work, so what?
- rover16

No, but I also didn't think he'd be in bad enough shape to stumble over his own feet and be out for 6 months.

The problem is that you only have a limited number is these risky trades to make. If it turns out GMTM burned this one, then that can't happen again, essentially giving away a first round pick, because you're severely hurting the long term prospect pool for the team, it's future, and that rare but possible scenario where you do find a "diamond in the rough", and score big on a late 1st round pick or 2nd round pick

OK, but what pieces of the "core" did they let go of? So far it's a +1 gain
- stashu

And so far that plus 1 gain has really gotten us no where.

And so far that plus 1 gain has really gotten us no where.
- sbroads24

it got us from 30th, to 29th

And so far that plus 1 gain has really gotten us no where.
- sbroads24

People need to just settle down. Ready for some more stats? Of the guys people wanted us to trade for, here are their numbers:

Martin Jones 2.52 GAA .910 sv%
Cam Talbot 2.76 GAA .910 sv%
Eddie Lack 2.96 GAA .892 sv%

and now the guys that have been in our net this year:

Johnson 2.48 GAA .914 sv%
Ullmark 2.66 GAA .910 sv%

So if Lehner comes in and plays at the same rate at Johnson, he's doing better than all 3 of the goalies that people wanted us to trade for.
- HonkFortheGoose

Just comes down to the other teams don't have to shoot or score as much as the other teams to win against us.

Last negative thing I'll say for now, I feel for what Murray traded away, he didn't find enough core guys.
- sbroads24

I have come to understand that "for now" is a very, very short period of time.

it got us from 30th, to 29th
- homiedclown

The narrative has seemed to change

Before, the reason for the trades was so that we didn't have to wait 3 years for guys like Lemieux to develop. Murray "sped up" the rebuild.

Now it's about staying the course.

Harry Taint from the Planet Balzac.

I'm 52 and this makes me pee a little bit in my pants because I'm laughing so hard.
- Der Kaiser

Inciteful

Inciteful
- Pluviophile

You misspelled it.

http://sabres.buffalonews...-sabres-in-all-star-game/

Looking at the complete rosters, I have a feeling the Atlantic Division is going to get rolled.

The narrative has seemed to change

Before, the reason for the trades was so that we didn't have to wait 3 years for guys like Lemieux to develop. Murray "sped up" the rebuild.

Now it's about staying the course.
- sbroads24

these moves were made to compete for a playoff spot on a regular basis starting next season

we are nowhere near that place 10 months out