I guess I am an old timer who believes you build a team up the middle starting with goaltending...
- rapperray

I'm old school:

#1 center is of the upmost importance.
Eichel fits that bill.
Build around him.

How many goalies have led teams to the Stanley cup?
Roy, broduer, Hasek in Detroit

#1 centers
Crosby
Kane
Gretzky
Messier
Lemieux
Stampkos

More like Murray got a raw deal from what I can tell.

Here. Here's 2 years to turn the economy around.

You can't? If you don't like it, you can leave.
- BeadyEyedDouche

The killer for me is that for 6 or 7 years everyone here is talking about all of the great "prospects" in Rochester and how they are going to be the answer... And here we go again this year.. more "prospects" to save the day... Bullsh!t....

7:43am
It is time the Sabres hire a PROVEN GM and a PROVEN coach to right this ship. STOP THE DAMN EXPERIMENTING AND GET FRIGGING SERIOUS ABOUT FIXING THIS PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A HOCKEY TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

11:30am
Basically, we need to pick something and stick with it or else we're going to be stuck in limbo forever and ever.
Good point
- Der Kaiser

How has GMJB thus far proven he's not the guy? Many contribute Pitts success to him. Rochester is doing well again. Mittlstadt looks like a win and many didn't see us picking him, myself included. The Minnesota trade looks like a win. He's made no panic moves yet. He's still cleaning up Murray's mess. And, the guy is still only seven months on the job.

I think Mittelstadt needs more than 1 year of college before going to the NHL. Whether he goes back for a second year to Minny or he heads off to Rochester. If Botts is the great developer and long term gut that he supposedly is, why would he rush him? But I do see Mittelstadt as being a key part of the core.

And I do think Guhle will be a key part of the new core moving forward as well.
- SabreWest

I a big believer in: if a player is ready, he is ready. Good to great player dont always need time in the minors...

More like Murray got a raw deal from what I can tell.

Here. Here's 2 years to turn the economy around.

You can't? If you don't like it, you can leave.
- BeadyEyedDouche

Peak hot take

I wouldn't say I'm smiling with the situation. But I'd rather watch a hockey game than sit around at my sister in law's house with her, my mother in law, and the Ukrainian talking about who is the better hostess.

That's really something to complain about.

The problem on this board is that too many people focus on wins/losses and can't appreciate incremental improvement. The process that the team and its fans are going through is a long one.

Murray tried to make it short one, and it didn't work out: I think it's ridiculous how many people on the board want to female dog about how he screwed the team all up by trying to shortcut the process, on the one hand, and at the same time female dog that the process is taking too long.

If this franchise can pick up 2 or 3 players every year who begin making meaningful contributions to the franchises success, and who are getting paid market rate for their contributions, I can live with the fact that we're making incremental improvement, and know that the process is heading where we all want it to go.

That doesn't mean I'm satisfied with mediocrity, or mere participation.

Don't @ me with Toronto until the win the Cup.
- Der Kaiser

I agree with the concept, but there hasn't been any. They spent more assets and more money to put a worse team together. Thats why everyones b!tching

You know my point has been that the Sabres have been at this rebuilding for like 9 years. At what point in time do they actually get it right and start to at least compete?
- rapperray

When they draft enough GOOD high end talent.

Clearly silent sam and probably nylander are not high end enough talent.

Rebuilds suck, but hopefully jbotts follows thru with it.
Tmgm messed it up by trading for ror.

More like Murray got a raw deal from what I can tell.

Here. Here's 2 years to turn the economy around.

You can't? If you don't like it, you can leave.
- BeadyEyedDouche

More like Murray convinced Pegula he could do it in 2 years acquiring players he had a hard on for back in ottawa.

I think Mittelstadt needs more than 1 year of college before going to the NHL. Whether he goes back for a second year to Minny or he heads off to Rochester. If Botts is the great developer and long term gut that he supposedly is, why would he rush him? But I do see Mittelstadt as being a key part of the core.

And I do think Guhle will be a key part of the new core moving forward as well.
- SabreWest

Completely fair assessment. I've heard Mittsy get talked about as a one and done college prospect so many times, I probably penciled him into the lineup a bit early.

2 years then.

Still, I think we'll see a more rapid turn around than some other teams based on the fact that we will be having a number of prospects from the previous 3-4 drafts come up at almost the same time. Rochester should stay good as well, which will help.

So you don't think Mittelstadt is one and done? He was who I was thinking anyways would be the biggest difference maker outside of Guhle.

Bailey, Baptiste and Fasching can all go, but by next year IMO they'll be upgrades to guys like Nolan, Moulson, Larsson, Reinhart and Girgs.
- RhinoFan

I agree 100%

Middlestat looks to be able to make the jump
Bailey, baps and fashing missed the boat

The killer for me is that for 6 or 7 years everyone here is talking about all of the great "prospects" in Rochester and how they are going to be the answer... And here we go again this year.. more "prospects" to save the day... Bullsh!t....
- rapperray

haha

exactly.

"Tim Murray dismantled our core"

And exactly NONE of those players are making an impact at the NHL level.

More like Murray convinced Pegula he could do it in 2 years acquiring players he had a hard on for back in ottawa.
- Sabresfan-365

Or, Pegula asked him if he could do this as quick as possible, that it was a part of the deal, that GMTM was rushed by management after the LaFontaine fiasco and quickly came up with a 5-step program to quit drinking.

But we all know how a 5-step program to quit drinking works out.

Only Der Kaiser knows the secret to quit drinking.

Der Kaiser for GM.

How has GMJB thus far proven he's not the guy? Many contribute Pitts success to him. Rochester is doing well again. Mittlstadt looks like a win and many didn't see us picking him, myself included. The Minnesota trade looks like a win. He's made no panic moves yet. He's still cleaning up Murray's mess. And, the guy is still only seven months on the job.
- sskkoo1

Middlestat looks like a steal
Both foligno and ennis were recently health scratched
Pommenville has more goals then foligno and ennis combined. Ennis has 2 years left at 5 plus.
Pouliot was a good move
Waiving moulson is a good move
Rochester is winning

Hovering at the bottom for a top end talent is a great move.

What has he done wrong?
Housley being hired has tpegs written all over it.

Middlestat looks like a steal
Both foligno and ennis were recently health scratched
Pommenville has more goals then foligno and ennis combined. Ennis has 2 years left at 5 plus.
Pouliot was a good move
Waiving moulson is a good move
Rochester is winning

Hovering at the bottom for a top end talent is a great move.

What has he done wrong?
Housley being hired has tpegs written all over it.
- Boss34

Ennis has 1 year left after this one at $4.6. I don't have an issue with that trade. Just pointing out you're exaggerating the Ennis thing.

I like what Botts has done so far. And all of a sudden things seem to be clicking a bit more for the team. They don't look completely lost most of the time and that seems to have started with the 3 game Western conference trip. It hasn't translated into a ton of wins, but they have managed to at least pick up some points and look more like an NHL roster instead of a complete tire fire.

Middlestat looks like a steal
Both foligno and ennis were recently health scratched
Pommenville has more goals then foligno and ennis combined. Ennis has 2 years left at 5 plus.
Pouliot was a good move
Waiving moulson is a good move
Rochester is winning

Hovering at the bottom for a top end talent is a great move.

What has he done wrong?
Housley being hired has tpegs written all over it.
- Boss34

I've been saying for a few years now, he has his hands in everyone's box of Cheerios and just can't stop.

He "saved" our sports teams but now he's actually ruining them.

I've been saying for a few years now, he has his hands in everyone's box of Cheerios and just can't stop.

He "saved" our sports teams but now he's actually ruining them.
- BeadyEyedDouche

Bills are on track to potentially have 2 winning seasons out of 4 with him at the helm, vs 0 of the previous 11

Middlestat looks like a steal
Both foligno and ennis were recently health scratched
Pommenville has more goals then foligno and ennis combined. Ennis has 2 years left at 5 plus.
Pouliot was a good move
Waiving moulson is a good move
Rochester is winning

Hovering at the bottom for a top end talent is a great move.

What has he done wrong?
Housley being hired has tpegs written all over it.
- Boss34

I was hoping we’d steal a better defenseman from them,
but Scandella has been pretty decent

I remember saying we should take Pommer’s contract so we could get a deal on one of their Defensemen

Maybe we can do that sort of thing again?
Hagelin on Pitt is a contract they’d probably like off the books
I’d love to get Dumoulin from them

I've been saying for a few years now, he has his hands in everyone's box of Cheerios and just can't stop.

He "saved" our sports teams but now he's actually ruining them.
- BeadyEyedDouche

Without the Bills and sabres it would be hard for us to win a superbowl or Stanley cup.

Yes, both sports teams are in a funk, but the bills are looking up, sabres have a plan as well

Bills are on track to potentially have 2 winning seasons out of 4 with him at the helm, vs 0 of the previous 11
- jcragcrumple

Paradigm shift

I'm old school:

#1 center is of the upmost importance.
Eichel fits that bill.
Build around him.

How many goalies have led teams to the Stanley cup?
Roy, broduer, Hasek in Detroit

#1 centers
Crosby
Kane
Gretzky
Messier
Lemieux
Stampkos
- Boss34

Check out the stats of Cup winning goalies
Even if it’s someone who’s deemed to be average, their playoff stats are almost always great
Almost impossible to win a Cup without getting great goaltending

Last time the Hawks won a Cup...
I believe Toews went like the first 17/18 games in the playoffs without a goal

Ennis has 1 year left after this one at $4.6. I don't have an issue with that trade. Just pointing out you're exaggerating the Ennis thing.

I like what Botts has done so far. And all of a sudden things seem to be clicking a bit more for the team. They don't look completely lost most of the time and that seems to have started with the 3 game Western conference trip. It hasn't translated into a ton of wins, but they have managed to at least pick up some points and look more like an NHL roster instead of a complete tire fire.
- HonkFortheGoose

Good catch. I thought he had 1 more year than pommenville left.

I liked both 82 and 63. Neither is doing anything impressive.

Paradigm shift
- BeadyEyedDouche

Terrific analysis

More like Murray got a raw deal from what I can tell.

Here. Here's 2 years to turn the economy around.

You can't? If you don't like it, you can leave.
- BeadyEyedDouche

Truth be told.

I was hoping we’d steal a better defenseman from them,
but Scandella has been pretty decent

I remember saying we should take Pommer’s contract so we could get a deal on one of their Defensemen

Maybe we can do that sort of thing again?
Hagelin on Pitt is a contract they’d probably like off the books
I’d love to get Dumoulin from them
- jdfitz77

I was suprised that any team would want either ennis or foligno , let alone both guys.

I see us flipping scandella. Maybe I'm wrong. He lacks speed and any sort of goal scoring touch.

That was a good trade for the sabres. Of course I have always liked pommer, so that helps form my opinion.

Check out the stats of Cup winning goalies
Even if it’s someone who’s deemed to be average, their playoff stats are almost always great
Almost impossible to win a Cup without getting great goaltending

Last time the Hawks won a Cup...
I believe Toews went like the first 17/18 games in the playoffs without a goal
- jdfitz77

Great goaltenders and players who played great are 2 different situations.

I mentioned kane not toews.

Which team has won a cup without a #1 center?