Oh stop it lol.

If we suck, I'd rather draft at the top. Last year we stunk.

If we are good, I'd like to make the playoffs, screw the picks. We aren't good.

I have no addictions!

Edit: I get why someone would trade 7OA for a playoff spot straight up. We've been dying for some post season action around here. Long term though, Botts not rushing the rebuild was exactly what people wanted when he was hired. Just saying, we're kinda hoping GMTM strikes again in the form of Botts...
- RhinoFan

I think we're beyond "rushing." This is year 3. Time to be good. Well it's year 6 of the rebuild, year 3 of Botterill.

I am beyond caring about the 7th overall pick. I don't think I'm being veruca salt by saying "i want winning now."

Spotrac
✔
@spotrac
There are certainly teams looking to get out of the Top 10, but I’d keep an eye on the #Bills here at #9, who are likely seeking better value, & might also be interested in tapping into Atlanta’s healthy WR arsenal.
- gerbe75pts

That account is owned by a Buffalo fan, but he's tapped into the league. Beane keeps his poop tight, and there's also the assumptions (and quotes) that insinuate they'd consider a trade down. Dunno what to think of it.

At this point, a Mo Sanu trade makes no sense.

I think we're beyond "rushing." This is year 3. Time to be good. Well it's year 6 of the rebuild, year 3 of Botterill.

I am beyond caring about the 7th overall pick. I don't think I'm being veruca salt by saying "i want winning now."
- jcragcrumple

You'll care when the team gets it's next Shiefele, Skinner or Keller, or, ya know, someone else awesome.

Spotrac
✔
@spotrac
There are certainly teams looking to get out of the Top 10, but I’d keep an eye on the #Bills here at #9, who are likely seeking better value, & might also be interested in tapping into Atlanta’s healthy WR arsenal.
- gerbe75pts

Hmmmm
I’d rather have a pick than Sanu
Julio is getting up there & hurt a lot,
plus Allen isn’t at the point where we can get him 100 catches
Can’t see them trading Ridley

I’d rather have the extra pick(s) to trade down than get Sanu, and probably Julio as well

We had all those pieces in place.

Now we have the 7th overall . Wow!
3 more years before he plays in the nhl
5 more years before he makes an impact in the nhl


When you get older, the losing will grow on you flaccoville.

You'll understand
- Boss34

I would rather dealing with losing then have 3 hour fight how I Don’t empty the lint trap and god forbid you leave one tissue in your pants and the world ends

You'll care when the team gets it's next Shiefele, Skinner or Keller, or, ya know, someone else awesome.
- TheSabresTaco

I assume we'd be getting something of value in return, though.

2.4 years is too damn long to wait, i say. I want to be good in .495 years

That account is owned by a Buffalo fan, but he's tapped into the league. Beane keeps his poop tight, and there's also the assumptions (and quotes) that insinuate they'd consider a trade down. Dunno what to think of it.

At this point, a Mo Sanu trade makes no sense.
- TheSabresTaco

Ideally...
I’d like to see us trade down twice
Once into the teens with a team that wants a QB
Then again into the 20s with a team just wanting to move up for a specific player

Targets:
-J.Simmons (DT)
He’d be a Top5 pick if not for his knee injury
I don’t think we are a playoff team this year,
so I’m ok with him missing time
-M.Sweat (EDGE)
Another guy that would be a Top5ish pick if not for his heart condition. Reports are that it’s not too serious, but he could still slide bc of it

So in the end...
we’d get a Top5 talent (at a position of extreme need imo), plus a bunch of extra picks
I’d be ecstatic if that’s how the draft worked out for us

I assume we'd be getting something of value in return, though.

2.4 years is too damn long to wait, i say. I want to be good in .495 years
- jcragcrumple

Regardless of the pick, the mind set should never be "well, with HIM in the lineup, we're playoff bound!"

The team should always be built without the draft pick from that year in mind. If he makes it, great, if he's Jeff Skinner year 1, even better. The piece at 7 will roll in when he's ready, but until then, Botts has a boatload of work to accomplish.

You'll care when the team gets it's next Shiefele, Skinner or Keller, or, ya know, someone else awesome.
- TheSabresTaco

King cole hopefully I think him and Alex could make the team out of camp
Alex Turcotte I could see him having a ROR type first season

7th OA picks, 2009-2017, to reach NHL full time

2009: Nazem Kadri - 4 years
2010: Jeff Skinner - 0 years
2011: Mark Scheifele - 2 years
2012: Mathew Dumba - 3 years
2013: Darnell Nurse - 3 years
2014: Haydn Fleury - 4 years
2015: Ivan Provorov - 2 years
2016: Clayton Keller - 2 years
2017: Lias Andersson - 2 years

Average time to NHL (full time) 2.4 years. All of these players besides Fleury and maybe Andersson had an immediate impact. So... let's take easy.
- TheSabresTaco

I would take any of those players on the Sabres. I’m happy we are selecting someone that can eventually help us win a cup. Making the playoffs is all fine and dandy but sooner or later it won’t mean anything, ask leaf fans. We need to add as many young stud hockey players as we can. We weren’t winning the cup this year even if we made the playoffs.

Ideally...
I’d like to see us trade down twice
Once into the teens with a team that wants a QB
Then again into the 20s with a team just wanting to move up for a specific player

Targets:
-J.Simmons (DT)
He’d be a Top5 pick if not for his knee injury
I don’t think we are a playoff team this year,
so I’m ok with him missing time
-M.Sweat (EDGE)
Another guy that would be a Top5ish pick if not for his heart condition. Reports are that it’s not too serious, but he could still slide bc of it

So in the end...
we’d get a Top5 talent (at a position of extreme need imo), plus a bunch of extra picks
I’d be ecstatic if that’s how the draft worked out for us
- jdfitz77

DK all day draft the Calvin Johnson clone and Call it a day

DK all day draft the Calvin Johnson clone and Call it a day
- gerbe75pts

At pick9?
No freaking way

I think we're beyond "rushing." This is year 3. Time to be good. Well it's year 6 of the rebuild, year 3 of Botterill.

I am beyond caring about the 7th overall pick. I don't think I'm being veruca salt by saying "i want winning now."
- jcragcrumple

I don't think you're being unreasonable at all about wanting to win. I'm merely saying that last year's roster wasn't going to win without an exorbitant overhaul that would have cost a plethora of picks and prospects to create.

If we were one player away I'd agree with trading anything to acquire said player and end the drought. But do you think we are one player away?

At pick9?
No freaking way
- jdfitz77

Hells yea let’s get that boy freak of nature athlete him and josh would be awesome

At pick9?
No freaking way
- jdfitz77

does it really matter who we pick? they will end up being a bust, this city is cursed when it comes to sports teams...

I would take any of those players on the Sabres. I’m happy we are selecting someone that can eventually help us win a cup. Making the playoffs is all fine and dandy but sooner or later it won’t mean anything, ask leaf fans. We need to add as many young stud hockey players as we can. We weren’t winning the cup this year even if we made the playoffs.
- Pegullaville

You can't have it both ways. You've used said leafs as a comparison for what to do for a long time now. you can't switch from "see what the leafs have done" to "do you want to be the leafs".

Look, I get the value of drafting high and amassing young cost controlled talent. It's the foundation of building a great team. However, at some point you have to take an established core and go for it during their prime years. If you keep waiting on picks to come through, by the time they do, most of your previous core is too old or too expensive to run with.

Before the Hawks run of domination, they had lost in the conference finals. But even before that, they were one of those miracle runs to 9th/10th place (88 points). These runs come with a negative connotation but the context is important.

It's one thing if a team with no core players and a bunch of high priced/old complimentary players makes this run ('12 sabres i guess). This would be bad because the team desperately needs core talent and is already tapped out on what the roster can do.

That's not really the case here. We have exactly twice as many franchise players as we did when this rebuild first started and what appears to be (at least on paper) a solid cast of secondary/tertiary talent. The issue is no longer finding the usually unattainable. The moves that could make this team good should be coming from trades/signings. A GM of a stanley cup winning team should be capable of making these moves. If they're not, fire them.

That's the stage they are at in the build. Whatever they've gained from landing 7th overall they've lost in prime years wasted on their best guys. Not to mention the longer you wait on this, the smaller the margin of error will be to build a winner because your star guys will all be pulling in the big bucks.

does it really matter who we pick? they will end up being a bust, this city is cursed when it comes to sports teams...
- hehateme

I mean we picked josh Allen who by many thought this dude would bust including myself and he might end being the best bills QB ever

I don't think you're being unreasonable at all about wanting to win. I'm merely saying that last year's roster wasn't going to win without an exorbitant overhaul that would have cost a plethora of picks and prospects to create.

If we were one player away I'd agree with trading anything to acquire said player and end the drought. But do you think we are one player away?
- RhinoFan

No, I think we're a bunch of moves away. Do i think it could be accomplished through trading 2 of the 3 1sts we have in the next two years, Risto, eating temporary cap, a smart signing, and competent coach? Yes i do.

It is through this lens that I view the 7th OA pick with some disdain.

Some will shout that moving the 7th overall pick is a Murray move, and they'd be right. Of course I know logically that Botterill will not being moving that pick. But I don't care about a 7th overall pick anymore. My give a poop meter has bottomed out when it comes to draft picks. I want to be good next year.

If the 7th OA pick helps us be good next year, then I care. If it doesn't, then it's another unanswered question as we continue to spin around in the toilet.

Hey take it easy I’m a white guy.
- Der Kaiser

victims

You can't skip the 1st half of the draft because you're impatient with the team. They aren't ready to compete. The core isn't strong enough, the goaltending isn't there, and the pipeline is very average. The prospects (most on the older side to begin with) couldn't produce when it counted.

You can't have it both ways. You've used said leafs as a comparison for what to do for a long time now. you can't switch from "see what the leafs have done" to "do you want to be the leafs".

Look, I get the value of drafting high and amassing young cost controlled talent. It's the foundation of building a great team. However, at some point you have to take an established core and go for it during their prime years. If you keep waiting on picks to come through, by the time they do, most of your previous core is too old or too expensive to run with.

Before the Hawks run of domination, they had lost in the conference finals. But even before that, they were one of those miracle runs to 9th/10th place (88 points). These runs come with a negative connotation but the context is important.

It's one thing if a team with no core players and a bunch of high priced/old complimentary players makes this run ('12 sabres i guess). This would be bad because the team desperately needs core talent and is already tapped out on what the roster can do.

That's not really the case here. We have exactly twice as many franchise players as we did when this rebuild first started and what appears to be (at least on paper) a solid cast of secondary/tertiary talent. The issue is no longer finding the usually unattainable. The moves that could make this team good should be coming from trades/signings. A GM of a stanley cup winning team should be capable of making these moves. If they're not, fire them.

That's the stage they are at in the build. Whatever they've gained from landing 7th overall they've lost in prime years wasted on their best guys. Not to mention the longer you wait on this, the smaller the margin of error will be to build a winner because your star guys will all be pulling in the big bucks.
- Sabresfan-365

Oh my heavens.

Thank you.

No, I think we're a bunch of moves away. Do i think it could be accomplished through trading 2 of the 3 1sts we have in the next two years, Risto, eating temporary cap, a smart signing, and competent coach? Yes i do.

It is through this lens that I view the 7th OA pick with some disdain.

Some will shout that moving the 7th overall pick is a Murray move, and they'd be right. Of course I know logically that Botterill will not being moving that pick. But I don't care about a 7th overall pick anymore. My give a poop meter has bottomed out when it comes to draft picks. I want to be good next year.

If the 7th OA pick helps us be good next year, then I care. If it doesn't, then it's another unanswered question as we continue to spin around in the toilet.
- jcragcrumple

I can understand the frustration, but not the rationale for the 7th pick. You agree it will take many moves and multiple good fortunes (competent coach/good signing) to get us even to a playoff spot.

If that's the case, IMO, you should never be trading top10 picks. Again, it's not unreasonable to say you've had enough losing and want to win now. I think it's just the wrong move to give into that and trade the one pick we have that could possibly get us a high impact player.

That's what I meant about agreeing with both. I get the frustration. I can understand someone wanting to move the pick OR stay the course. I lean towards the latter is all. I'm just as tired of this as you.

does it really matter who we pick? they will end up being a bust, this city is cursed when it comes to sports teams...
- hehateme

Yes, it does
Guess I’m not as “doom & gloom” as u are

Hells yea let’s get that boy freak of nature athlete him and josh would be awesome
- gerbe75pts

I’m ok with him if we trade down
At pick9, that would be dumb

Also...
I like Hollywood Brown over him
Brown is the next Tyreek Hill

You can't have it both ways. You've used said leafs as a comparison for what to do for a long time now. you can't switch from "see what the leafs have done" to "do you want to be the leafs".

Look, I get the value of drafting high and amassing young cost controlled talent. It's the foundation of building a great team. However, at some point you have to take an established core and go for it during their prime years. If you keep waiting on picks to come through, by the time they do, most of your previous core is too old or too expensive to run with.

Before the Hawks run of domination, they had lost in the conference finals. But even before that, they were one of those miracle runs to 9th/10th place (88 points). These runs come with a negative connotation but the context is important.

It's one thing if a team with no core players and a bunch of high priced/old complimentary players makes this run ('12 sabres i guess). This would be bad because the team desperately needs core talent and is already tapped out on what the roster can do.

That's not really the case here. We have exactly twice as many franchise players as we did when this rebuild first started and what appears to be (at least on paper) a solid cast of secondary/tertiary talent. The issue is no longer finding the usually unattainable. The moves that could make this team good should be coming from trades/signings. A GM of a stanley cup winning team should be capable of making these moves. If they're not, fire them.

That's the stage they are at in the build. Whatever they've gained from landing 7th overall they've lost in prime years wasted on their best guys. Not to mention the longer you wait on this, the smaller the margin of error will be to build a winner because your star guys will all be pulling in the big bucks.
- Sabresfan-365

I agree with everything in this post except the wasting of prime years. Eichel is 22 turning 23 and has 7 years left, Reinhart is 23 turning 24 and has 4 years of RFA eligibility. Dahlin is 19 and Mitts is 20. The rest of the team is irrelevant and replaceable apart from Skinner who is earning his big pay day on July 1st whether it’s from us or someone else.

The 7th overall pick will be a meaningful contributor on the team at a ELC salary exactly when we are going to be paying everyone their big bucks, so having a player like that is the bees knees. All of the impending RFA’s in the NHL are providing immense value compared to the dollars they are making.

I never said anything about tanking next year, or for us to tank the next few years, but after 25 games this season it was clear this team was not very good and I fully supported standing pat and not making rash decisions and letting the ship sink. We are going to get a very good hockey player at 7 and this team will be much better in the future because of it. The trades Botts could of made during the season, he can make over the course of the next 4 months to improve the team today. It wasn’t worth shipping off a boatload of assets for a one year run this year.