We shall see. Hunwick is done for the year. Pilut and Bogo on IR to start. Nelson and Scandella are worse players. They can fit Joker. I'd be surprised if he isn't apart of the starting 6 by year's end.

To me Vesey brings more speed and scoring to the middle 6 than Pommer did. Yes, Pommer did well on Jack's wing, but he wasn't great anywhere else. Vesey won't be playing top line, so if he can get 17-20 goals this year, we're adding. I don't think he should be discounted as just replacing Pommer.

Full year from Olo. Full year from Montour. Miller was a good acquisition. Even if we do not make another move (I am 99% sure they will by the end of Octover) then we replaced 4-6 players out of the starting 18. If we were looking for a ton more, IMO, we were dreaming. Can't argue a 2C or 1RW wouldn't have been nice, but were we trading #7 and Risto to get one of those? I'm not sure we were ready for that, so I really like the moves. Cheap, kept the pipeline in tact and improved depth significantly (most likely scenario).
- RhinoFan

Rhino, I would say your views are very close to my thinking.

There has been a lot of improvement and changes.

Anyone saying otherwise hasn't been paying attention.

I would beg to differ on that point, but it's moot. Things could be different but they're not. We'll see if Botterill did enough. If Mitts is really good, we're in good shape. If Girgensons decides to break Eichel's ankle on the last practice of training camp, or if Eichel misses more than 5 games, I think we're in trouble. I think maybe too much of the season depends on a 19 year old and a 20 year old. I hope for the fans' remaining sanity that they're up for it

It's a bold strategy cotton
- jcragcrumple

You can say this about 90% of NHL teams who lose their best player.

Outside of a Ristolainen trade I’m not sure what else was expected.

The major growth was always going to come internally from 37,26,68 etc.

If people want to criticize JB for sitting on his hands mostly in yesr one, fine. But that helped land Dahlin.

Since he’s completely remade the D core, NHL level and prospect level, and has added an 8th overall pick, and 7th overall pick to the forward core.

Not to mention, he added Skinner, in his prime, for nothing, and got him re-signed.

Imagine no Skinner?

If the Sabres finish this season with 80 points, will it be celebrated here as progress?

Not true in that you don't think they are good defensemen? In that case i agree somewhat. But the hawks definitely plan to play them both.

There is no way Joker was making the top 6, which is why they traded him.
- matty12345

They moved him because his coach had a weird hatred towards him he was a very good defenseman with Coach Q and then when he got fired mysteriously the hatred started and he got sent down for no reason

If the Sabres finish this season with 80 points, will it be celebrated here as progress?
- PrinceChill

Depends. Does Eichel or Dahlin miss significant time? Does Skinner?

Does the roster play well but the goaltending blows?

If the team stays relatively healthy and gets 85 points, the plan is working. Slowly, but working

I think I get what you're putting down.

Jeremy White (I know) has a point that he often makes that I agree with: the Bills and Sabres and a segment of the fan base often talk about progress as measured by the team's own past performances. So if the Bills go 8-8, that's progress, but it's not meaningful really in any way.

Jeremy White says something like: let me know when we're measuring ourselves by league standards, not past crappy team standards

Or I totally missed your point, idk
- jcragcrumple

no, you get it.

I'm not happy with either of these teams for most of my life, yet I still root for them because they are my hometown teams but in all honesty, the Bills being bought by Trump and relocated not only would have been the best thing for Buffalo, but also, the best thing for the country, because someone else would have gotten the Republican bid and won while Trump was busy moving the Bills to Moscow, Russia and re-naming them the Moscow Putins.

I want the city and people of Buffalo to be better - I want a culture-shift, not a false-revival. You can't be having a renaissance if you are still losing 5% of your population every year, regardless of a Billionaire investing in the sports teams.

Shedding the Bills and keeping the Sabres would have been for the best.

I dunno. Sounds like the bar is pretty low for this team. If they squeak into the playoffs, it's a major triumph. If they finish just out of the playoffs, it's a huge improvement. If they finish in the same spot as last year, it's great because they get to add another good draft pick. If they regress in the standings, it's an even better draft pick.

There's no way for JB to lose in any scenario here. Nice spot to be in.

Depends. Does Eichel or Dahlin miss significant time? Does Skinner?

Does the roster play well but the goaltending blows?

If the team stays relatively healthy and gets 85 points, the plan is working. Slowly, but working
- OneKaneOneCup

I mostly agree with your last post, but being 4 and a half wins better than last year would prove nothing imo

McCoy, Gore & Singletary can all catch the ball too
Gonna be hard to keep all 4,
Don’t ya think?
- jdfitz77

cut the fb
trade shady
put the special teams rb on ir

I think one of those 3 things happen

This is some fantastic reporting on Josh Allens entire pre-draft process.

https://theathletic.com/1...s-that-led-to-josh-allen/

You think Cozens stays up?
- IonSabres

if he is one of the 9 best players up front in training camp, and then his first 9 games

yes


sense of urgency from the owners to turn this corner this season

cut the fb
trade shady
put the special teams rb on ir

I think one of those 3 things happen
- homiedclown

Those are ranked in order of least to most likely to happen.

If the Sabres finish this season with 80 points, will it be celebrated here as progress?
- PrinceChill

you typed 90 wrong

IMO this team needs to get at least 90 points for positive growth

Those are ranked in order of least to most likely to happen.
- TheSabresTaco

the houston phone lines disagree

[quote=Stripes77]
One model has it coming through Lauderdale/Miami area, other vary to the north. There's one that shows the high pressure backing off and staying offshore. I'm not worried until Dr Doom shows up to broadcast live from my area.

This is some fantastic reporting on Josh Allens entire pre-draft process.

https://theathletic.com/1...s-that-led-to-josh-allen/
- TheSabresTaco

You Couldn’t post the article

You Couldn’t post the article
- gerbe75pts

Spoiled

I mostly agree with your last post, but being 4 and a half wins better than last year would prove nothing imo
- jcragcrumple

It just all depends on the actual numbers and not just overall points for me.

This team needs to rank either close to middle of the pack or above average in the statistical categories that matter.

Expected goal %
Shot differential
Zone exits/entries etc

If this team looks like it’s heading in the above average direction on those categories, but can’t get enough saves to be at 90 points, I’m not firing the GM because he whiffed on a goalie he gave almost no $ and term to. Just get a new one.

Carolina has been a good team for a few years now, but had a low shooting and sv% that made them look worse in the standings.

Comes together for one year and it’s an ECF run with Svechnikov getting better.

The Good thing about this team is that their *should* be linear growth for a few years due to the young players expected to play key roles

It just all depends on the actual numbers and not just overall points for me.

This team needs to rank either close to middle of the pack or above average in the statistical categories that matter.

Expected goal %
Shot differential
Zone exits/entries etc

If this team looks like it’s heading in the above average direction on those categories, but can’t get enough saves to be at 90 points, I’m not firing the GM because he whiffed on a goalie he gave almost no $ and term to. Just get a new one.

Carolina has been a good team for a few years now, but had a low shooting and sv% that made them look worse in the standings.

Comes together for one year and it’s an ECF run with Svechnikov getting better.

The Good thing about this team is that their *should* be linear growth for a few years due to the young players expected to play key roles
- OneKaneOneCup

>statistical categories that matter

>not wins

I would beg to differ on that point, but it's moot. Things could be different but they're not. We'll see if Botterill did enough. If Mitts is really good, we're in good shape. If Girgensons decides to break Eichel's ankle on the last practice of training camp, or if Eichel misses more than 5 games, I think we're in trouble. I think maybe too much of the season depends on a 19 year old and a 20 year old. I hope for the fans' remaining sanity that they're up for it

It's a bold strategy cotton
- jcragcrumple

I don't think we're a contender or something. I just think this roster can get into the mid to high 80s next season. That'd be a good jump and given the ages of the players you mentioned, we should continue to grow.

Still have one of the younger cores in the league at this point.

Right?

and didn't that one hit the panhandle instead of down south?
- Stripes77

I think it was Irma, they started saying it was going to hit Miami, then steadily moved the target northward and got the whole east coast running, then it actually came up through the keys and hit sw coast and went up the length of the peninsula. They had people from both coasts out on the highways, running to stand still. This forecasting almost seems intended to avoid that fiasco again, or at least they don't believe in their models as resolutely now.

I dunno. Sounds like the bar is pretty low for this team. If they squeak into the playoffs, it's a major triumph. If they finish just out of the playoffs, it's a huge improvement. If they finish in the same spot as last year, it's great because they get to add another good draft pick. If they regress in the standings, it's an even better draft pick.

There's no way for JB to lose in any scenario here. Nice spot to be in.
- PrinceChill

Can't argue expectations are lesser and have been for some time. I don't think anyone is saying that if we stayed the same or got worse that it was a successful season in any way.

But if we can jump 10-12 points, I do think that IS a huge improvement. We're actually in the conversation in March...that is different at least.

Time will tell. Mitts, Dahlin and Krueger must all shine this season or it will be more of the same.

Rhino, I would say your views are very close to my thinking.

There has been a lot of improvement and changes.

Anyone saying otherwise hasn't been paying attention.
- sgk56

Agreed. Changes have been made. We SHOULD be better.

>statistical categories that matter

>not wins


- jcragcrumple

Of course wins matter.

Making long term decisions based on short term results without factoring in context or any other variables= stupidity. Plain and simple.

If this team is healthy, doesn’t get awful goaltending or wildly unlucky shooting, and can’t get to 85-ish points. It’s a problem

looks like he wasn't going to make the roster

Trade: The #Bills sent G Wyatt Teller and a 7th round pick in 2021 to the #Browns in exchange for a 5th round pick and 6th round pick in 2020.