No
- jochfr

If we are not a playoff team by the 2019-2020 season I’ll never post on this site again. Look at the rookie seasons Werenski and McAvoy had. Dahlin blows both those guys out of the water. Look at the recent seasons Keller and Hischer had. Mittelstadt willl eclipse both. Eichel will take the next step. Don’t know many teams that have an ROR caliber player as their 3rd line Centre. We are one top 6 LW, an additional utility LW, and a bonafide G away from playoffs. We probably can’t find all three this offseason, but by 2019-2020 we will.

one lottery win and people have gone from peace bridge jumping to parade planning.


- Sabresfan-365

It's more than that. Guhle looking good, Mittelstadt getting 5p in 6g, Jack getting healthy, Pilut, Rochester's success this year, a competent GM...there's more than just Dahlin to look forward too.

Not saying us homers aren't overly optimistic, but I truly believe we will just miss the playoffs this year which would be a huge jump. I think this year you will hear other teams saying things like, "they changed a lot" and "they are a completely different team". The Kool Aid tastes nice on these cool summer days.

I do not like RoR

but, I think the tide is turning

put Casey on the wing for Jack

get RoR a true left wing that has produced


play E-Rod as 3rd line center


my goal would be

1. move some prospect, mccabe or scandella, and a pick to get that LW to play with RoR

2. get a 1B goalie to play will Ullmark, I like Bernier

3. move some of the scrubs, larsson, girgens, beaulieu, etc

4. try to get bogo, okposo, pommer (1 of them at least, off the roster)

5. get another RD to play second line with scandella or mccabe

6. grab 1 vet winger for the bottom 6, hell it can be vanek for the 3rd line and second team pp


dahlin speeds everything up, and let's see what risto and ror do this fall before we regret a knee jerk trade
- homiedclown

Lets try busy and remove two, Bogo and Okposo. Im fine with Pommer retiring at the end of this year as a Sabre.

IMO:

Acquiring any established Wingers would continue the same trend the Sabres have been using since Pegula bought the team.

Lieno
Boyes
Omark
D-Lo
Stewart
Gionta
McGinn
Kane
Moulson
Okposo
Pouliot
Pomminville

I think that list is pretty self explanatory
- washedup20

Kessel is 2x the player then anyone on that list. Should we shy away from Tavares too because of the contract Martin hanzal signed last offseason ?

one lottery win and people have gone from peace bridge jumping to parade planning.


- Sabresfan-365

Mittelstadt took a month off from playing hockey, stepped into the lineup and recorded a point in 5 of the 6 games he played in. No training camp, a few hockey practices tops ? Guy hadn’t played a real hockey game in almost a month and stepped in and was out 2nd best player already. Dahlin is special. Eichel will benefit just as much from
Mittelstadt as Mitts will from him. Full year of Rodriguez, Guhle, Nelson, Bailey, Baptiste. We also have a full offseason ahead to add talent. This year we will take a huge step forward. Next year we are a playoff team.

If we are not a playoff team by the 2019-2020 season I’ll never post on this site again. Look at the rookie seasons Werenski and McAvoy had. Dahlin blows both those guys out of the water. Look at the recent seasons Keller and Hischer had. Mittelstadt willl eclipse both. Eichel will take the next step. Don’t know many teams that have an ROR caliber player as their 3rd line Centre. We are one top 6 LW, an additional utility LW, and a bonafide G away from playoffs. We probably can’t find all three this offseason, but by 2019-2020 we will.
- Pegullaville

19-20 i can buy, but not next year. not while this team still has scandella and risto as it's top pair, bogosian anywhere in the lineup and this current mishmash of left wingers

Mittelstadt took a month off from playing hockey, stepped into the lineup and recorded a point in 5 of the 6 games he played in. No training camp, a few hockey practices tops ? Guy hadn’t played a real hockey game in almost a month and stepped in and was out 2nd best player already. Dahlin is special. Eichel will benefit just as much from
Mittelstadt as Mitts will from him. Full year of Rodriguez, Guhle, Nelson, Bailey, Baptiste. We also have a full offseason ahead to add talent. This year we will take a huge step forward. Next year we are a playoff team.
- Pegullaville

you said next year i thought you were talking 18-19

If we are not a playoff team by the 2019-2020 season I’ll never post on this site again. Look at the rookie seasons Werenski and McAvoy had. Dahlin blows both those guys out of the water. Look at the recent seasons Keller and Hischer had. Mittelstadt willl eclipse both. Eichel will take the next step. Don’t know many teams that have an ROR caliber player as their 3rd line Centre. We are one top 6 LW, an additional utility LW, and a bonafide G away from playoffs. We probably can’t find all three this offseason, but by 2019-2020 we will.
- Pegullaville

We wont be good for 4 years IF we sit around and wait/depend on Nylander and other young guys to turn the corner. Bott knows this cant go on much longer and we need to start inching closer to the playoffs by next year. Personally I think we are missing at the least; 2 top six wingers (top line LW/RW and likely another second line winger) and decent production from our bottom six. I really could care less about goaltender at this point. Im willing to wait and see on Defence. Very young at the moment and alot of new faces. Could be boom or bust

Lets try busy and remove two, Bogo and Okposo. Im fine with Pommer retiring at the end of this year as a Sabre.
- Mentalorgasm5

who would you rather have, pommer for 1 year at 5.6 mil

or Kovy for a year at 8 mil

or mike green for 2 years at 16 mil?



I would rather have more upside on a guy for a year or 2


nothing against pommer, it's a cap era

who would you rather have, pommer for 1 year at 5.6 mil

or Kovy for a year at 8 mil

or mike green for 2 years at 16 mil?



I would rather have more upside on a guy for a year or 2


nothing against pommer, it's a cap era
- homiedclown

ew wtf?


Id take kovi 1 year 8 mil over pommer, but he ain't coming here. I can get behind that premise though

We wont be good for 4 years IF we sit around and wait/depend on Nylander and other young guys to turn the corner. Bott knows this cant go on much longer and we need to start inching closer to the playoffs by next year. Personally I think we are missing at the least; 2 top six wingers (top line LW/RW and likely another second line winger) and decent production from our bottom six. I really could care less about goaltender at this point. Im willing to wait and see on Defence. Very young at the moment and alot of new faces. Could be boom or bust
- MCGUIZZY

Botts won’t sit on his hands though. What GM would sit on their hands with a 31st place team.

IMO:

Acquiring any established Wingers would continue the same trend the Sabres have been using since Pegula bought the team.

Lieno
Boyes
Omark
D-Lo
Stewart
Gionta
McGinn
Kane
Moulson
Okposo
Pouliot
Pomminville

I think that list is pretty self explanatory
- washedup20

All this list shows is that we have only acquired mediocre/washed up/castaway wingers (minus Kane)

Botts won’t sit on his hands though. What GM would sit on their hands with a 31st place team.
- Pegullaville

Im agreeing with you. He needs to make a big splash

It's not that much of a stretch. It's highly unlikely they make a 35-40 point jump next year to become a playoff team

year after will probably be a lockout


year 3/4 is probably the target
- Sabresfan-365

BOO!

Im agreeing with you. He needs to make a big splash
- MCGUIZZY

i can't see it if they're not down to move a big fish off this current team. You'd be relying on the SJ 1st and i guess Nylander to swing a trade.

ew wtf?


Id take kovi 1 year 8 mil over pommer, but he ain't coming here. I can get behind that premise though
- Sabresfan-365

I would throw a 2 year $16 million contract at Kovi and I can get on board with that being a smarter play than signing Tavares.

But like you said Kovi isn't coming here

i can't see it if they're not down to move a big fish off this current team. You'd be relying on the SJ 1st and i guess Nylander to swing a trade.
- Sabresfan-365

I think they are down to do anything. And they kinda should be. They have more assets than just Nylander and SJ 1st..

you said next year i thought you were talking 18-19
- Sabresfan-365

What happened to 3/4 the target?

Naysayer

It's not that much of a stretch. It's highly unlikely they make a 35-40 point jump next year to become a playoff team

year after will probably be a lockout

year 3/4 is probably the target
- Sabresfan-365

Everybody keeps saying there'll be a lockout, which I have no idea if that is going to happen, but is the thought that not only it will happen, but it will also be an entire season long?

Everybody keeps saying there'll be a lockout, which I have no idea if that is going to happen, but is the thought that not only it will happen, but it will also be an entire season long?
- kingcong39

wouldnt surprise me if it took a whole year.

No
- jochfr

I don't think it's crazy. Are we a playoff team with this roster today? No. But a few shrewd moves this summer and some puck luck should have us in the conversation in March.

I know, we were the 31st team in the league, and many will point to the number of points we need to "make up" over this year. It's a different team though.

I don't think it's crazy. Are we a playoff team with this roster today? No. But a few shrewd moves this summer and some puck luck should have us in the conversation in March.

I know, we were the 31st team in the league, and many will point to the number of points we need to "make up" over this year. It's a different team though.
- jcragcrumple

What people forget is that we were also out of the race by like October. Hard to get motivated to play when you’re not playing for something team wise.

Nelson- Scandella

I don't think it's crazy. Are we a playoff team with this roster today? No. But a few shrewd moves this summer and some puck luck should have us in the conversation in March.

I know, we were the 31st team in the league, and many will point to the number of points we need to "make up" over this year. It's a different team though.
- jcragcrumple

Also, no.

ew wtf?


Id take kovi 1 year 8 mil over pommer, but he ain't coming here. I can get behind that premise though
- Sabresfan-365

why the hate on green?