If you had to guess, how many points would you think the Ralphie-boy Coaching Staff will add for the Sabres this year. I'm not sure how that could be measured objectively in isolation, especially with the expected turnover on the roster...probably can't, but subjectively we hopefully see it through the eye test.

My guess is about 10+ points, largely attributable to a better D-zone system and commitment via buy-in from the players to execute better.
- IonSabres

What would a Draisaitl trade look like?

Can anyone create legs for this? 🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵

Better puck movers on the back end, stronger defensive system, rookies with another year of experience like Dahlin, Pilut and Jokiharju, along with a full year of guys who can advance the puck like Miller and Montour, combined with the addition of complimentary forwards like Mojo and Vesey, I think you end up with an overall better team.

Now if Ralph can properly utilize his players, and use analytics as a tool to see what works and what doesn't, that's an even greater improvement. Jack and Sam have more to give imo, and if C isn't addressed, CM will at the very least have an offseason of strength and conditioning and is hopefully much more ready than he was last year, which, he wasn't at all.

Overall, 84 points is more than fair, but predicting a hockey season for a team that goes under a ton of changes is almost impossible.

Two years ago, Vegas was predicted to have like 70 points. So whatever.

What would a Draisaitl trade look like?

Can anyone create legs for this? 🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵🦵
- washedup20

These legs are about 5' tall..

Sam Reinhart
Rasmus Ristolainen
Conor Sheary
1st 2020
Cond 1st 2021 if 2020 is not top 10

Leon Draisaitl
Oscar Klefbom
2nd 2021

Better puck movers on the back end, stronger defensive system, rookies with another year of experience like Dahlin, Pilut and Jokiharju, along with a full year of guys who can advance the puck like Miller and Montour, combined with the addition of complimentary forwards like Mojo and Vesey, I think you end up with an overall better team.

Now if Ralph can properly utilize his players, and use analytics as a tool to see what works and what doesn't, that's an even greater improvement. Jack and Sam have more to give imo, and if C isn't addressed, CM will at the very least have an offseason of strength and conditioning and is hopefully much more ready than he was last year, which, he wasn't at all.

Overall, 84 points is more than fair, but predicting a hockey season for a team that goes under a ton of changes is almost impossible.

Two years ago, Vegas was predicted to have like 70 points. So whatever.
- TheSabresTaco

84 feels exactly right. We added 15 goals probably from Mojo. Other than that, it's not much different.

1 more year of Darcy-brand suffering

These legs are about 5' tall..

Sam Reinhart
Rasmus Ristolainen
Conor Sheary
1st 2020
Cond 1st 2021 if 2020 is not top 10

Leon Draisaitl
Oscar Klefbom
2nd 2021
- TheSabresTaco

I need to think about this for a bit.

These legs are about 5' tall..

Sam Reinhart
Rasmus Ristolainen
Conor Sheary
1st 2020
Cond 1st 2021 if 2020 is not top 10

Leon Draisaitl
Oscar Klefbom
2nd 2021
- TheSabresTaco

Bjugstad for Girgs and 2021 4th

84 feels exactly right. We added 15 goals probably from Mojo. Other than that, it's not much different.

1 more year of Darcy-brand suffering
- jcragcrumple

Miller is way better than Scandella
Vesey is a better 3rd liner than what they had
Joker should make this team as well

Phyllis is gone I would say thats 6 more points just there

I think they finish somewhere between 86-92 points

I don't think they make the playoffs though unless Ralphie can really get this team to click together

These legs are about 5' tall..

Sam Reinhart
Rasmus Ristolainen
Conor Sheary
1st 2020
Cond 1st 2021 if 2020 is not top 10

Leon Draisaitl
Oscar Klefbom
2nd 2021
- TheSabresTaco

Well, that addresses 2C and 2LhD is a very major way.
It leaves the team with complete Richard at RW, literally nothing until Oposso at 4RW, and not sure they have Dahlin's partner either.
2 steps forward, 1 step back.
Maybe ok though until next offseason to address the remaining holes, as well as a season to evaluate existing RhD for Dahlin's partner.
And drop that conditional BS...I hate those personally.

Buffalo point projections for the season are 83.5.

That would result in being the 5th worst team in the NHL.

If that happens, does Botts survive?
- ImThatGuy

Nope

Miller is way better than Scandella
Vesey is a better 3rd liner than what they had
Joker should make this team as well

Phyllis is gone I would say thats 6 more points just there

I think they finish somewhere between 86-92 points

I don't think they make the playoffs though unless Ralphie can really get this team to click together
- Stripes77

84 or 86-92 is in the same general ball park. If Eichel misses 10 games, we're seriously contending for lafreniere

Buffalo point projections for the season are 83.5.

That would result in being the 5th worst team in the NHL.

If that happens, does Botts survive?
- ImThatGuy

Based on last year's point totals, that would be the 12th worst. If that happens, I think he's fine.

84 or 86-92 is in the same general ball park. If Eichel misses 10 games, we're seriously contending for lafreniere
- jcragcrumple

I think 86 is the low end

We are about to find out how bad Housley really was as a head coach

Miller is way better than Scandella
Vesey is a better 3rd liner than what they had
Joker should make this team as well

Phyllis is gone I would say thats 6 more points just there

I think they finish somewhere between 86-92 points

I don't think they make the playoffs though unless Ralphie can really get this team to click together
- Stripes77

Good take. I like your logic. I also have them in that range. Somewhere around 90 points and Botts' lives to fight another day.

Well, that addresses 2C and 2LhD is a very major way.
It leaves the team with complete Richard at RW, literally nothing until Oposso at 4RW, and not sure they have Dahlin's partner either.
2 steps forward, 1 step back.
Maybe ok though until next offseason to address the remaining holes, as well as a season to evaluate existing RhD for Dahlin's partner.
And drop that conditional BS...I hate those personally.
- IonSabres

Don't think too hard Ion, it's pure fantasy.

Based on last year's point totals, that would be the 12th worst. If that happens, I think he's fine.
- Lunaion

If any teams best players get injured they are going to suffer.

And it’s an irrational reason to fire anyone

I think 86 is the low end

We are about to find out how bad Housley really was as a head coach
- Stripes77

That part interests me. I'm not sure how much stock to put into that yet.

We're counting on Mittelstadt and Olofsson to shore up the top-6.

It's a bold strategy, cotton

A lot of 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀 here

https://theathletic.com/1...cts-ranking-2019-edition/

A list of drafted prospects not yet in the NHL

1. Cozens ranked 9, just below Byram. Wheeler feels they're about equal.
2. Cole Caufield is NOT ranked 1. In fact, he's *gasp* 25, just one spot higher than..
3. Jokiharju, who is ranked 26. "A number 2 or 3 defenseman" for... Nylander, who is ranked..
4....no where. He's unranked. What a chump.
5. Zegras! Why didn't PUTZ draft him instead? At rank #29, that's 20 spots lower than one Tyler Dubinsky, he apparently needs a lot more finish around the net, and a whole heap of strength.
6. Wahlstrom dropped like a mafia victim in the Hudson river, to 45. We'll see if he rounds back to the 20s (on this list), like his talent suggested coming out of the draft

If any teams best players get injured they are going to suffer.

And it’s an irrational reason to fire anyone
- sbroads24

He has to address that possibility. It's not good enough to say "we're (frank)ed if Eichel misses 10 or 15 games" because Mittelstadt or Johansson is now 1C

If any teams best players get injured they are going to suffer.

And it’s an irrational reason to fire anyone
- sbroads24

Agreed. I don't think JB's on a short leash to begin with.

That part interests me. I'm not sure how much stock to put into that yet.

We're counting on Mittelstadt and Olofsson to shore up the top-6.

It's a bold strategy, cotton
- jcragcrumple

I think we are going to see the D zone coverage actually resemble a NHL team for the first time in 3 years

I still cannot believe they tried running man to man in the d-zone and not switch after teams tore them apart

I think Olofsson is fine in the top 6

Casey will be fine in the top 6...next season I still want a stop gap for him this season

I want a 2 C and one more top 6 RWer so Reinhart can play on the 2nd line

I think we are going to see the D zone coverage actually resemble a NHL team for the first time in 3 years

I still cannot believe they tried running man to man in the d-zone and not switch after teams tore them apart

I think Olofsson is fine in the top 6

Casey will be fine in the top 6...next season I still want a stop gap for him this season

I want a 2 C and one more top 6 RWer so Reinhart can play on the 2nd line
- Stripes77

Was that Housley or Smith though?

That part interests me. I'm not sure how much stock to put into that yet.

We're counting on Mittelstadt and Olofsson to shore up the top-6.

It's a bold strategy, cotton
- jcragcrumple

I get the C concerns, but isn't Olofsson fighting just to make the NHL? I don't think he slots in the top 6 going into camp. I'm glad they aren't counting on that. Let him fight for it.

Buffalo point projections for the season are 83.5.

That would result in being the 5th worst team in the NHL.

If that happens, does Botts survive?
- ImThatGuy

Botts is bulletproof.

Was that Housley or Smith though?
- jcragcrumple

It was Housley's system that he instructed Smith to run