2 of those players are useless.

1 of those other two should be moved regardless to upgrade the forward ranks.
- Pegullaville

It’ll be very interesting to see what Botts does with the defense this off-season

NHLers under contract:
RH guys- Risto, Jokiharju, Montour, Miller
*does 1 get moved?
LH guys- Dahlin, McCabe
*do we slot a RH guy on the left?

UFAs
-Bogo(RH), very unlikely to return
-Scandella(LH), played well enough to get brought back- esp if Botts wants to trade McCabe
-Gilmour(LH), kinda seems like a perfect #7
-Nelson(RH), could serve as #8 but i think both sides go their separate ways

AHLers ready to move up
-Pilut(LH), many say he should be here now
-Borgen(RH), more time in AHL wont hurt, but he can probably come up & be useful


Kinda seems like Miller could be the odd man out,
and Pilut is up to play on the left side
So maybe just move Miller now if we can get something decent for him?
Dahlin-Montour
McCabe-Risto
*Pilut-Jokiharju
*Gilmour
1st call up- Borgen


And there’s still plenty of talent on the way that will factor in at some point down the road:
Bryson(LH)- back developing in Rochester
Laaksonen(RH)- ready to come over to Rochester
Cronholm(LH)- stays in Sweden another year
Samuelsson(LH)- likely spends Jr year in NCAA
R.Johnson(LH)- sophomore at Minnesota
*bolded should fit in at some point, but still a few years off
*the others seem like depth defensemen is they ever contribute to the Sabres

The Kings picked top 15 in 8 consecutive years in a row in the early 2000’s.

Blackhawks picked top 10 in six consecutive seasons.

Penguins picked top 5 from 2002-2006 (with some luck on their side)

Those three teams are responsible for 8 cups.
- Pegullaville

We have picked top 15 8 years in a row, top 10 6 years and that includes 2 at #2 and a first overall pick. And we are absolutely no wheee close to making the playoffs let alone winning a cup.

This being said, and we know why at least two of them want out (playing time), it still doesn't give the organization a good look.
- Powerslave

Did the AVs look bad bc Duchene & ROR wanted out?
What about Drouin wanting outta Tampa?
Etc, etc, etc

And even if it doesn’t look good,
does that even matter?

we have yet to recover from letting briere and drury walk away
- homiedclown

Leafs rebuilt from 2004-2016

Jets/Thrashers since 2006 have picked top 13 nine times.

Lightning took Stamkos, Hedman, Drouin, Connolly, Koekkoek (along with Vasilesky at 19 in 2012) in 5 of 6 years.

Florida has picked top 15 nine times since 2009.

2 of those players are useless.

1 of those other two should be moved regardless to upgrade the forward ranks.
- Pegullaville

It’s still a bad look for multiple players to say they want out

JB doesn’t let go of assets. He hangs on to them, then re-signs them.
- PrinceChill

This means nothing to me
He’s not bringing back Bogo, & E Rod seems unlikely

I glad we have so many GM'S on this board, it should make it easier for the Sabres to recover.

We have picked top 15 8 years in a row, top 10 6 years and that includes 2 at #2 and a first overall pick. And we are absolutely no wheee close to making the playoffs let alone winning a cup.
- hehateme

We are one trade away from being a perennial playoff team. Picking top 10 this year again would just be the icing on the cake.

we have yet to recover from letting briere and drury walk away
- homiedclown

F*cking Quinn/Golasano...
They both deserve to be punched in the nuts

You have a problem.


You got your wish last night, and if anything it was MORE dirty than ever! Face punchers are not the answer. Yeah, it's entertaining. You know what's more entertaining? Scoring goals, winning. I'll take that Eichel goal over a fight any day of the week, and I like fights.
- Wetbandit1

What if your choosing between the current non scoring Sabres and no toughness or fighting
Or

The current non scoring Sabres and toughness and fighting.

You make it seem easy- chose one or the other.

Let's just score on the pp right? Get em back.
If our pp was good

I glad we have so many GM'S on this board, it should make it easier for the Sabres to recover.
- Buff36

THIS^^^ is the post of the year! 😂😂😂

What if your choosing between the current non scoring Sabres and no toughness or fighting
Or

The current non scoring Sabres and toughness and fighting.

You make it seem easy- chose one or the other.

Let's just score on the pp right? Get em back.
If our pp was good
- Boss34

I see your point,
but it doesn’t move us towards where we wanna get to

I see your point,
but it doesn’t move us towards where we wanna get to
- jdfitz77

Entertainment value?

Wet1 acts like we can just turn the other cheek, score on the pp, and win the game. That would show em.

What's easier , changing the middle 6 or picking up a 700,000 goon?

What if your choosing between the current non scoring Sabres and no toughness or fighting
Or

The current non scoring Sabres and toughness and fighting.

You make it seem easy- chose one or the other.

Let's just score on the pp right? Get em back.
If our pp was good
- Boss34

Right 34, but you can't score on the PP if you can't hit the net with your shots. I think they missed atleast 7 shots on net on there PP's last night. But that's on the coach and gm

THIS^^^ is the post of the year! 😂😂😂
- jdfitz77

I get everybody is frustrated and mad, can't blame them, but if it was as easy as some people say there would be trades made every day so teams could fill needs

There clearly isn't enough talent in the organization. Since it takes 3 years to see most prospects, the issue goes back a bit. Outside of Risto, Jack, and Sam, it's a sad list. Most of these guys aren't here or have flamed out. 6 2nd rounders in 2013 + 2014 (another 2 for Hudson Fasching). We have almost nothing to show for it. Cool that Asplund is starting to help, but we needed at least 2 more.

2013
1- Zadarov
2- Compher, Hurley, Bailey
3- Baptiste

2014
2- Lemieux, Cornell, Karabacek
3- Johansson, Martin

2015
2- Guhle

2016
1- Nylander
2- Asplund
3- Pu, Fitzgerald
- Lunaion

You don't have Montour, Jokiharju, and Skinner to show for the 2015 and 2016 drafts, along with Asplund?

Right 34, but you can't score on the PP if you can't hit the net with your shots. I think they missed atleast 7 shots on net on there PP's last night. But that's on the coach and gm
- Buff36

Sam couldn't buy a goal.

I'm with you. Our pp was affraid to shoot, then missed the net when they did actually shoot.

Louie debrusk was doing what needs to be done. Camped in front of the net. Try and move me.

That winter classic was funny people started screaming they didn't have enough beer lmao

I get everybody is frustrated and mad, can't blame them, but if it was as easy as some people say there would be trades made every day so teams could fill needs
- Buff36

It's not easy. Everyone knows that. However, as the saying goes, when you're a GM or a coach, you are your results.

The past 2 seasons, the team has been bad to mediocre and has had a glaring need that has been neglected.

It is not easy, but the bottom line is the GM does not get to use that excuse, especially when he's hoarding defensemen to the point of multiple guys wanting out, and they scratch Rodrigues in favor of playing a guy who couldn't even get 2 minutes of playing time, which meant they voluntarily played a man short.

I get everybody is frustrated and mad, can't blame them, but if it was as easy as some people say there would be trades made every day so teams could fill needs
- Buff36

Good post.

Where are these easy trades? It's not just the Sabres.

Hall was a big trade. I wouldnt have paid that much.

Marcel Louis-Jacques ESPN

The Bills own the 2nd-best scoring defense in the NFL this season. Per ESPN Stats & Info, Saturday will mark the Texans' 4th playoff game against a Top-3 scoring defense from the regular season. They went 0-3 the first 3 games. Texans vs Top-3 Scoring Defense in Postseason W-L 0-3 PPG 9.7 TO 12 Total QBR 15
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4h

It's not easy. Everyone knows that. However, as the saying goes, when you're a GM or a coach, you are your results.

The past 2 seasons, the team has been bad to mediocre and has had a glaring need that has been neglected.

It is not easy, but the bottom line is the GM does not get to use that excuse, especially when he's hoarding defensemen to the point of multiple guys wanting out, and they scratch Rodrigues in favor of playing a guy who couldn't even get 2 minutes of playing time, which meant they voluntarily played a man short.
- kingcong39

They had Smith dressed in case of need.
We got a lead early
Turned into a 4-1 lead
Fell behind and didnt need him.

Erod has 1 goal in 51 games. 0 this year.
Would have it made a difference if he pouted his way around for 6 minutes?

You don't have Montour, Jokiharju, and Skinner to show for the 2015 and 2016 drafts, along with Asplund?
- kingcong39

Supplemented the big club and had nothing coming up through the system. If Tim Murray would have slowed down a little bit, instead of falling of the deep end and just used some of the picks he traded this team would be a juggernaut right know.

They had Smith dressed in case of need.
We got a lead early
Turned into a 4-1 lead
Fell behind and didnt need him.

Erod has 1 goal in 51 games. 0 this year.
Would have it made a difference if he pouted his way around for 6 minutes?
- Boss34

They voluntarily played a man down overall by dressing Smith and playing him under 2 minutes. They were short another man when McCabe was in the box.

Is it possible they got worn down due to being shorthanded late in the game?

You don't have Montour, Jokiharju, and Skinner to show for the 2015 and 2016 drafts, along with Asplund?
- kingcong39

I have Asplund and they didn't draft Montour or Joker. If you want to trace all the trades to further show how we squandered assets, go ahead. My point there is that we've struggled to draft our own bottom 9 players and it forces us go out and get guys like Vessey and Sheary.