Or the 1999 Sabres. It was a fun team to root for and I do have some fond memories of that. But they weren’t first, so I guess they were last.

The Caps are an interesting example. Before winning it, I think most people, and maybe even you, would’ve put them in the “mired in mediocrity” category. Lots of folks said they could never beat the Pens. But they did. I see the Preds and Sharks in the same boat now.
- PrinceChill

I want to see the Sabres make the playoffs and have an actual realistic chance at a cup. I don’t want to show up and just be a doormat like the Devils and Avs were last year. The Sabres would have been a doormat this year so I rooted for the wheels to come off. The Jets missed the playoffs in 2016 and got Laine and he may be the missing piece for them. Next year could be the year the Sabres go one and done and then establish themselves as Winnipeg East. Maybe we get lottery luck and get Hughes or Kakko. Maybe the top 10 pick this year becomes an elite winger for Jack or gives us a 1-2-3 punch down the middle that is the scariest in the league when it matters. Teams have short windows, I hope we can maximize ours when our time comes. 2006-2007 was fun too but at the end of the day we have a 49 year drought.

I think Simmonds is a good fit.

Hard worker
Tough
Probably not top tier pay
Consistent goal scorer
- Boss34

Too old for our timeline
And if he has a good playoffs,
he’ll get offers from better teams

Might be starting to decline as well

Isles were better off tanking and getting a top 5 pick. Just like Colorado and New Jersey were last season. Colorado is better off losing the rest of their games this season too. New Jersey is where they should be, playoff experience didn’t help much this year.

Picking top 10 this year is better for the Sabres long term as well then losing in 4 to the Lightning. Patience is a virtue, it’s just a shame years of mismanagement has lost the patience of some of the long standing fans. To blame Botterill for others misfortunes though is wrong.
- Pegullaville

1) you’re a broken record
2) before this season started, i bet you’d have said the Isles should tank this season...
am i right?

I want to see the Sabres make the playoffs and have an actual realistic chance at a cup. I don’t want to show up and just be a doormat like the Devils and Avs were last year. The Sabres would have been a doormat this year so I rooted for the wheels to come off. The Jets missed the playoffs in 2016 and got Laine and he may be the missing piece for them. Next year could be the year the Sabres go one and done and then establish themselves as Winnipeg East. Maybe we get lottery luck and get Hughes or Kakko. Maybe the top 10 pick this year becomes an elite winger for Jack or gives us a 1-2-3 punch down the middle that is the scariest in the league when it matters. Teams have short windows, I hope we can maximize ours when our time comes. 2006-2007 was fun too but at the end of the day we have a 49 year drought.
- Pegullaville

I failed calculus but isn’t it better to be a doormat for 4 games than being a doormat for 246?

1) you’re a broken record
2) before this season started, i bet you’d have said the Isles should tank this season...
am i right?
- jdfitz77

Very interesting

Very interesting
- Der Kaiser

I failed calculus but isn’t it better to be a doormat for 4 games than being a doormat for 246?
- Der Kaiser

A

Are the Sabres better off tanking next year too? Is it ever alright to lose in the first round?
- PrinceChill

You’re a patient person.

It is very disheartening when the hockey season is over by March or earlier every year for the Sabres. Can the team get a coach that shows some emotion and can motivate the players? Even a tested coach that has won a cup on his own merits and not inherited a team that was in pretty good shape like Dan B. I know you should give coaches four or five years to build a team, however, Housley puts me to sleep just watching him at his press conferences. I think more energy is put forth chewing gum than anything else.
- FireRuff

To be fair, the Sabres season has been over for YEARS by November. This year is a vast improvement.

Very interesting
- Der Kaiser

Touché

You’re a patient person.
- Cptmjl

No one’s more patient than Botterill.

1) you’re a broken record
2) before this season started, i bet you’d have said the Isles should tank this season...
am i right?
- jdfitz77

A Hughes-Barzal combo gives them a better chance to win a cup in a few years no ? What about Kakko on Barzals wing ? Or even Turcotte/Zegras as a 2C or Byram leading their defense corps for the next 15 years ? Unless Trotz wizardry extends to next season you don’t think this team is bound to disappoint and sink back into the abyss ? Even if they do make the playoffs again next year who is going to put them over the top ?

I failed calculus but isn’t it better to be a doormat for 4 games than being a doormat for 246?
- Der Kaiser

My two worst experiences as a sports fan these past 10 years were when the Broncos got creamed in the Super Bowl by the Seahawks, and the choke job against the Ravens in the Divisional Round when Flacco hit Jacoby Jones on a Hail Mary to send the game to OT and win it. (Ravens would go on to win the Super Bowl).

Sabres being out of the race by Christmas pales in comparison to those playoff heart breaks and the last few years of being a doormat allows you to watch Eichel,Mittelstadt, and Dahlin for the next 10-15 years so to each their own I guess. Nylander may still have trade value or amount to something and Reinhart is a very good player in his own right.

I failed calculus but isn’t it better to be a doormat for 4 games than being a doormat for 246?
- Der Kaiser

10 game streak was fun, and a couple other games sprinkled in.
Overall, I think they sucked this year.

Using Hall & Oates for your goal song should be automatic expulsion from the league.

Or the 1999 Sabres. It was a fun team to root for and I do have some fond memories of that. But they weren’t first, so I guess they were last.

The Caps are an interesting example. Before winning it, I think most people, and maybe even you, would’ve put them in the “mired in mediocrity” category. Lots of folks said they could never beat the Pens. But they did. I see the Preds and Sharks in the same boat now.
- PrinceChill

the 1999 Hasek's were a fun time..

Very interesting
- Der Kaiser

my initial thought exactly

To be fair, the Sabres season has been over for YEARS by November. This year is a vast improvement.
- kingcong39

but ONLY because of the ten game win streak...

Nate Bowl-U playing very well for Winnipeg.
2 points in 3 games playing 17-19 min a night.

Couldn't crack the lineup here in Buffalo.
When he did play he was awful.

Phil the thrill is a bad coach.

Nylander with a goal today but Amerks lose 4-1 to the Crunch. He has 3 points in last 2 games. Maybe he'll get a call up before the season ends.

Syracuse player Conacher gave Wedgewood an extra stick tap to the pads and Borgen took exception and beat the crap out of him. Love that kid.
- mhp

Too physical for the Sabres head coach.
We cant have that here.

He will come up, not play, get in a game, play 3rd line minutes with Scandella and be awful.

No one’s more patient than Botterill.
- PrinceChill

I didn’t mean due to your team. I meant in reference to the drivel you were replying too.

Nate Bowl-U playing very well for Winnipeg.
2 points in 3 games playing 17-19 min a night.

Couldn't crack the lineup here in Buffalo.
When he did play he was awful.

Phil the thrill is a bad coach.
- ImThatGuy

i didn't think he was terrible in Buffalo.. he was better than scandella

Too physical for the Sabres head coach.
We cant have that here.

He will come up, not play, get in a game, play 3rd line minutes with Scandella and be awful.
- ImThatGuy

Yep.

We gotta start a HockeyBuzz campaign to dump the gum chewer.

Nate Bowl-U playing very well for Winnipeg.
2 points in 3 games playing 17-19 min a night.

Couldn't crack the lineup here in Buffalo.
When he did play he was awful.

Phil the thrill is a bad coach.
- ImThatGuy

I'm not surprised. Although he has defensive lapses he was still decent in a 5-6 role. Pilut should not have stayed as long as he did and have Beaulieau scratched all the time.

My two worst experiences as a sports fan these past 10 years were when the Broncos got creamed in the Super Bowl by the Seahawks, and the choke job against the Ravens in the Divisional Round when Flacco hit Jacoby Jones on a Hail Mary to send the game to OT and win it. (Ravens would go on to win the Super Bowl).

Sabres being out of the race by Christmas pales in comparison to those playoff heart breaks and the last few years of being a doormat allows you to watch Eichel,Mittelstadt, and Dahlin for the next 10-15 years so to each their own I guess. Nylander may still have trade value or amount to something and Reinhart is a very good player in his own right.
- Pegullaville

My worst experience as a fan was the Sabres losing to the Flyers in the '75 Stanley Cup to the Flyers. That would have be an amazing moment for a franchise in only their 5th year. I remember how crazy it was around town, just a blast to be a Sabres fan. It got worse for me as the Red Sox lost the 75 world series to the Reds. But they've done pretty good over the last 10 years or so.

edit- hatty