The talent to win the Cup? Unlikely.

The talent to contend for the Cup? Probably not.

The talent to bring this city the taste of the postseason that will get rid of all the cynicism and schadenfreude? To eliminate a first instinct that expects something bad instead of hoping for something good? Absolutely.
- Der Kaiser

.....if everything goes right, yes, they have the talent.

So now it's "New year, new me" Sabres? Thought we were good 12 games ago when Eichel came back?

I remember the excuses from Tim Murray himself. "One more win per month, and we would have made the playoffs"

Well, where are those extra wins?

His arrogance was refreshing, going to the podium and just saying "Jack Eichel" was great. But like Rex Ryan, you need to back it up with results. Show me
- sbroads24

The year isn't over. (I have seen your percentages).

The year isn't over. (I have seen your percentages).
- Der Kaiser

It's not. And I'm hoping something clicks, very soon. Because I'm tired of it.

It's not. And I'm hoping something clicks, very soon. Because I'm tired of it.
- sbroads24

Get use to it, wait until the Anthony Lynn era starts with yet another scrub QB, grab you popcorn.

in all fairness, how many of your top picks from the last few years are either in the NHL or traded away for current roster players?
- Larsson_fan

So that's your argument against my valid criticism of a team I've been watching for over 30 years? What I said doesn't ring true at all because I've never held an N.H.L. GM position. Come on.

Last years draft we moved from 38 to 33 to grab Asplund and we passed up on Debrincat picked at 39 by Chicago. Debrincat was talked about for months as being mid-late first round material, he was no secret, and now he's leading the Whl in points and will soon be helping Chicago dominate us in the near future. Asplund however is currently scoring at a .33 pace in Sweden and I'm sure we'll be saying to ourselves in four years from now that we need to be more patient and give him more time.

Now this is just one example of many, and I know everyone will jump on the hindsight bandwagon, but we need better scouts or better development coaches.

The dominate teams, Chi, Pitt, Det... make few draft picks because they sell theirs off at the deadline. Yet, they still find an awful lot of darn good players for the few picks they make. We however, make a lot of picks, many before they even get their chance at making their first selection, and yet... yet their prospects dominate the plethora of ours. WE NEED TO DRAFT BETTER.

So that's your argument against my valid criticism of a team I've been watching for over 30 years? What I said doesn't ring true at all because I've never held an N.H.L. GM position. Come on.

Last years draft we moved from 38 to 33 to grab Asplund and we passed up on Debrincat picked at 39 by Chicago. Debrincat was talked about for months as being mid-late first round material, he was no secret, and now he's leading the Whl in points and will soon be helping Chicago dominate us in the near future. Asplund however is currently scoring at a .33 pace in Sweden and I'm sure we'll be saying to ourselves in four years from now that we need to be more patient and give him more time.

Now this is just one example of many, and I know everyone will jump on the hindsight bandwagon, but we need better scouts or better development coaches.

The dominate teams, Chi, Pitt, Det... make few draft picks because they sell theirs off at the deadline. Yet, they still find an awful lot of darn good players for the few picks they make. We however, make a lot of picks, many before they even get their chance at making their first selection, and yet... yet their prospects dominate the plethora of ours. WE NEED TO DRAFT BETTER.
- sskkoo1

This would all be different if our GM was patient instead of us.

Colin White and Jack Roslovic looked good for Team USA yesterday. Meanwhile we are bad WITH Kane and Lehner playing for us now. None of it makes sense

This would all be different if our GM was patient instead of us.

Colin White and Jack Roslovic looked good for Team USA yesterday. Meanwhile we are bad WITH Kane and Lehner playing for us now. None of it makes sense
- sbroads24

Cmon.

You should hang your head for this one.

So that's your argument against my valid criticism of a team I've been watching for over 30 years? What I said doesn't ring true at all because I've never held an N.H.L. GM position. Come on.

Last years draft we moved from 38 to 33 to grab Asplund and we passed up on Debrincat picked at 39 by Chicago. Debrincat was talked about for months as being mid-late first round material, he was no secret, and now he's leading the Whl in points and will soon be helping Chicago dominate us in the near future. Asplund however is currently scoring at a .33 pace in Sweden and I'm sure we'll be saying to ourselves in four years from now that we need to be more patient and give him more time.

Now this is just one example of many, and I know everyone will jump on the hindsight bandwagon, but we need better scouts or better development coaches.

The dominate teams, Chi, Pitt, Det... make few draft picks because they sell theirs off at the deadline. Yet, they still find an awful lot of darn good players for the few picks they make. We however, make a lot of picks, many before they even get their chance at making their first selection, and yet... yet their prospects dominate the plethora of ours. WE NEED TO DRAFT BETTER.
- sskkoo1

Fair.

Jason Garrett was 8-8 for the first 3 years in Dallas. Jerry Jones is his GM. You don't fire a coach less than two years into a 5 year contract. It takes time to get the right players in place for a system. The Bills just set themselves back....again.

So that's your argument against my valid criticism of a team I've been watching for over 30 years? What I said doesn't ring true at all because I've never held an N.H.L. GM position. Come on.

Last years draft we moved from 38 to 33 to grab Asplund and we passed up on Debrincat picked at 39 by Chicago. Debrincat was talked about for months as being mid-late first round material, he was no secret, and now he's leading the Whl in points and will soon be helping Chicago dominate us in the near future. Asplund however is currently scoring at a .33 pace in Sweden and I'm sure we'll be saying to ourselves in four years from now that we need to be more patient and give him more time.

Now this is just one example of many, and I know everyone will jump on the hindsight bandwagon, but we need better scouts or better development coaches.

The dominate teams, Chi, Pitt, Det... make few draft picks because they sell theirs off at the deadline. Yet, they still find an awful lot of darn good players for the few picks they make. We however, make a lot of picks, many before they even get their chance at making their first selection, and yet... yet their prospects dominate the plethora of ours. WE NEED TO DRAFT BETTER.
- sskkoo1

Who is among this awful lot of good players Chicago drafted since winning the cup the most recent first time? Saad was a decent pick, Kreuger is OK. TT is nothing special. These players get a bit propped up because they play on a great team in sheltered or limited roles.

Jason Garrett was 8-8 for the first 3 years in Dallas. Jerry Jones is his GM. You don't fire a coach less than two years into a 5 year contract. It takes time to get the right players in place for a system. The Bills just set themselves back....again.
- Mentalorgasm5

Garrett was a first time head coach though, Rex wasn't.

lines? an no not of coke jochfr

Garrett was a first time head coach though, Rex wasn't.
- sbroads24

Doesn't matter. You don't hire a coach because things are going well. You don't come on to a team with the personal you want. A new coach with new ideas, new systems, and new positional needs is going to set this team back again.

2011-2012.
12-13
13-14
14-15
15-16
16-17


This is year 5. We aren't making the playoffs. 5 plus years
- sbroads24

You said rebuild in your original post, not playoff drought. 11-12 they had 89 pts, 12-13 they had 48 pts in 48 games. Not good but not in rebuild mode yet. Also, you can't count this year as it just recently began. Rebuild is in its fourth year if one is going to be objective at all. Your arguments are immensely weak and poorly thought out.

Doesn't matter. You don't hire a coach because things are going well. You don't come on to a team with the personal you want. A new coach with new ideas, new systems, and new positional needs is going to set this team back again.
- Mentalorgasm5

Sorry but what got him fired was his own doing. Repeatedly making poor game management decisions were never going to change

You said rebuild in your original post, not playoff drought. 11-12 they had 89 pts, 12-13 they had 48 pts in 48 games. Not good but not in rebuild mode yet. Also, you can't count this year as it just recently began. Rebuild is in its fourth year if one is going to be objective at all. Your arguments are immensely weak and poorly thought out.
- DonLuce20

Darcy said multiple times he started rebuilding the roster the day he traded Gaustad. That was 11-12. We have had multiple 1st rounders or have been picking top 10 since.

And yes I can count this year. This year is the +

Who is among this awful lot of good players Chicago drafted since winning the cup the most recent first time? Saad was a decent pick, Kreuger is OK. TT is nothing special. These players get a bit propped up because they play on a great team in sheltered or limited roles.
- Larsson_fan

I'm not really discussing Chicago, I'm talking about the Sabres and just used Debrincat as an example, one of many, we have made over the years.

Look, we were picking #38, and going into the draft Debrincat was positioned to be a mid-late first rounder. We all saw the scouting reports leading up to the draft, we all read the countless articles about players like Debrincat who would be in the draft, and we all saw the endless stream of mock drafts and where a guy like Debrincat was typically picked.

Now, Debrincat slipped, it happens. But, the Sabres picking at #38 said, screw central scouting, screw what the pundits say, screw what the hockey world says, we like Asplund. (And, that is fine. I hope Asplund turns out to be awesome) So the Sabres moved and paid a price to go from 38 to 33 to grab him, passing up on Debrincat at 33 and even if they stayed at 38.

Debrincat picked at 39 by Chicago now leads the WHL in points, Asplund seems to be having a struggling season in Sweden.

So what I'm saying is... if Debrincat in a year or two is putting up 50 pts per season for Chicago, and Asplund for us is in the AHL struggling for production, then it's a testament that our scouting and development staff doesn't know what the (frank) they're doing.

To be good you need to hit on your first round picks, that' doesn't always happen, but you need it to happen. You also need to score sometimes in rounds 2 & 3, those are the real bread and butter rounds and they produce solid NHL players which keep teams at the top if they draft well there. We have made an awful lot of 2nd and 3rd round selections in the past 5-6 years (many more than most other teams) and to show for it our only real winner is McCabe, maybe also some others that we've already moved out (McNabb)

We have plenty of duds, though. (And, yes, I know the majority of second and third round players are duds, I don't need the stat from anyone.) But like the game of roulette, it's remote to win, as it is to find winners after round one of the draft. But if you place enough bets on a roulette table you'll start to see some wins. We've placed a lot of bets lately and we have only one win (McCabe) to show for it. We should have more wins by now.

Darcy said multiple times he started rebuilding the roster the day he traded Gaustad. That was 11-12. We have had multiple 1st rounders or have been picking top 10 since.

And yes I can count this year. This year is the +
- sbroads24

Trade deadlines are at the end of the season, so 11-12 doesn't really count. Dumping Gaustad is hardly the sign of a team blowing the whole thing up. He was a pending UFA, and so was Pominville who was the only major trade the following year unless you count moving Regher for 2 second rounders as a big deal. Moving UFA's is not full on rebuild. Again, this year doesn't count because you don't know the outcome.

I'm not really discussing Chicago, I'm talking about the Sabres and just used Debrincat as an example, one of many, we have made over the years.

Look, we were picking #38, and going into the draft Debrincat was positioned to be a mid-late first rounder. We all saw the scouting reports leading up to the draft, we all read the countless articles about players like Debrincat who would be in the draft, and we all saw the endless stream of mock drafts and where a guy like Debrincat was typically picked.

Now, Debrincat slipped, it happens. But, the Sabres picking at #38 said, screw central scouting, screw what the pundits say, screw what the hockey world says, we like Asplund. (And, that is fine. I hope Asplund turns out to be awesome) So the Sabres moved and paid a price to go from 38 to 33 to grab him, passing up on Debrincat at 33 and even if they stayed at 38.

Debrincat picked at 39 by Chicago now leads the WHL in points, Asplund seems to be having a struggling season in Sweden.

So what I'm saying is... if Debrincat in a year or two is putting up 50 pts per season for Chicago, and Asplund for us is in the AHL struggling for production, then it's a testament that our scouting and development staff doesn't know what the (frank) they're doing.

To be good you need to hit on your first round picks, that' doesn't always happen, but you need it to happen. You also need to score sometimes in rounds 2 & 3, those are the real bread and butter rounds and they produce solid NHL players which keep teams at the top if they draft well there. We have made an awful lot of 2nd and 3rd round selections in the past 5-6 years (many more than most other teams) and to show for it our only real winner is McCabe, maybe also some others that we've already moved out (McNabb)

We have plenty of duds, though. (And, yes, I know the majority of second and third round players are duds, I don't need the stat from anyone.) But like the game of roulette, it's remote to win, as it is to find winners after round one of the draft. But if you place enough bets on a roulette table you'll start to see some wins. We've placed a lot of bets lately and we have only one win (McCabe) to show for it. We should have more wins by now.
- sskkoo1

What does it say about the other teams that passed on the supposed obvious steal that was Debrincat before the Hawks took him?

This revisionist history crap goes on far too damn often.

Guhle looks excellent so far. No credit for that?

I looked at the 2012 draft where the start of the rebuild supposedly began.

What a sea of mediocrity outside of a select few.

Yes, every single person here would love if they could hit on a Tarasenko like player with a later pick, but it sure as hell isn't easy.

His draft was by all accounts excellent last year, but we're going to critique over what MAY happen in 2 years with a player many others also passed on? Dear god.

Trade deadlines are at the end of the season, so 11-12 doesn't really count. Dumping Gaustad is hardly the sign of a team blowing the whole thing up. He was a pending UFA, and so was Pominville who was the only major trade the following year unless you count moving Regher for 2 second rounders as a big deal. Moving UFA's is not full on rebuild. Again, this year doesn't count because you don't know the outcome.
- DonLuce20

Why would this year not count? Are we done rebuilding? If so thank you for making my point for me.

Your logic isn't well thought out

Doesn't matter. You don't hire a coach because things are going well. You don't come on to a team with the personal you want. A new coach with new ideas, new systems, and new positional needs is going to set this team back again.
- Mentalorgasm5

The team regressed under Rex in 2 years

Trade deadlines are at the end of the season, so 11-12 doesn't really count. Dumping Gaustad is hardly the sign of a team blowing the whole thing up. He was a pending UFA, and so was Pominville who was the only major trade the following year unless you count moving Regher for 2 second rounders as a big deal. Moving UFA's is not full on rebuild. Again, this year doesn't count because you don't know the outcome.
- DonLuce20

I think this would be an interesting poll.

I for one absolutely think that it was the Miller/Lucic hit and the backlash from it forced Darcy and the rest of the organization to say, time to blow this up and rebuild. The rebuild then kicked off with the selling of soon to be UFA, Gaustad, but Goose was who became the face of the cowardice fans saw after the Miller hit.

The pushing out of the old team, and the bringing in of Gregorenko and Gus in 2012 was the start of the new.

They fire Rex and Rob and just show his water commercial in the pre game

If anyone wants to watch the ceremony.
http://45.55.43.62:8080/hls/stream.m3u8

lines? an no not of coke jochfr
- Sabresfan-365