Dan and rob ray together are like dumb and dumber. SOOOOO BAD
- Sabretooth9

I don't have an issue with Dan Dunleavy. His problem is that he's simply okay. He's not dynamic and never will be, let alone a legend like Rick Jeanerret.

That might be. I believe the Enroth stretch in March was part of it. However, there aren't too many teams that lose their supposed top center and all of a sudden become a better team, goaltending or no. The Sabres are one of them.
- buffalofan19

You can say that about the 2020 Sabres though after losing Eichel, because they made the coaching change. There's just so many other factors to consider in a 1/3 season sample.

I also think by then in 2011, his prime was over with.

But in 2008-2010, I think Roy was a capable 1C. Definitely not top 5 or top 10, but he was top 20 in scoring and his defensive metrics were better than I think all of us thought

You can say that about the 2020 Sabres though after losing Eichel, because they made the coaching change. There's just so many other factors to consider in a 1/3 season sample.

I also think by then in 2011, his prime was over with.

But in 2008-2010, I think Roy was a capable 1C. Definitely not top 5 or top 10, but he was top 20 in scoring and his defensive metrics were better than I think all of us thought
- sbroads24

At least in the 07/08 singular season the stats, eye test, and analytics suggest he may have been a top 5 Center in the league for those 82 games.

I always remember him being good, but not that good.

Yep. It's sad.

the famous Darcy quote was never really far off, at all
- sbroads24

weren't they statistically top-20?...i think that's how it went

You can say that about the 2020 Sabres though after losing Eichel, because they made the coaching change. There's just so many other factors to consider in a 1/3 season sample.

I also think by then in 2011, his prime was over with.

But in 2008-2010, I think Roy was a capable 1C. Definitely not top 5 or top 10, but he was top 20 in scoring and his defensive metrics were better than I think all of us thought
- sbroads24

I think it's apples and oranges. The Sabres were in last place when Eichel got hurt, and they stayed in last place. They just became more watchable, a moral victory.

In 2011, the Sabres went from either 10th or 11th to 7th (i.e. a playoff spot). In a league where playoff teams are usually set by Thanksgiving, that's a big leap.

I don't have an issue with Dan Dunleavy. His problem is that he's simply okay. He's not dynamic and never will be, let alone a legend like Rick Jeanerret.
- buffalofan19

Remember when they tried RJ's kid? Yikes.

Remember when they tried RJ's kid? Yikes.
- Powerslave

I was watching some low-key sporting event, forgot what it was. Ian Eagle's kid was broadcasting it. He sounds exactly like his dad.

Eh, small sample sizes can always be misleading.

If I had to guess, the Sabres got their best stretch of goaltending during that time frame.

Both were better players than Drury, the one who deservedly should be labeled as "over rated".
- sbroads24

meh...he defintely had a winning way about him...won the calder, finished 4th in the selke his last season in buffalo (second in first place votes)...

drury was a great get for darcy...of course regier's biggest problem is that he valued scoring over grit in '06/'07 when he was up against the cap ceiling

At least in the 07/08 singular season the stats, eye test, and analytics suggest he may have been a top 5 Center in the league for those 82 games.

I always remember him being good, but not that good.
- Pegullaville

**accidentally flagged**

I can't get to top 5. Just because at that point Crosby, Thornton, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Malkin, Spezza were all playing at a high level. I'd have Getzlaf there too

But saying he was top 10 that year is not crazy at all

meh...he defintely had a winning way about him...won the calder, finished 4th in the selke his last season in buffalo (second in first place votes)...

drury was a great get for darcy...of course regier's biggest problem is that he valued scoring over grit in '06/'07 when he was up against the cap ceiling
- Michael Pachla

Darcy's biggest blunder came the year before, with the whole Briere arbitration fiasco. I know ownership meddled, but a good GM has the presence to say "this deal needs to happen". Everything else was a domino effect.

At least in the 07/08 singular season the stats, eye test, and analytics suggest he may have been a top 5 Center in the league for those 82 games.

I always remember him being good, but not that good.
- Pegullaville

i rememner roy almost single-handedly got stafford that 4yr./$16m deal in 2011

Good read Hank, went from to many to not enough RD

Darcy's biggest blunder came the year before, with the whole Briere arbitration fiasco. I know ownership meddled, but a good GM has the presence to say "this deal needs to happen". Everything else was a domino effect.
- buffalofan19

Isnt this the same thing that lead Mike Grier to say "This organization isn't commited to winning" when he left?

**accidentally flagged**

I can't get to top 5. Just because at that point Crosby, Thornton, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Malkin, Spezza were all playing at a high level. I'd have Getzlaf there too

But saying he was top 10 that year is not crazy at all
- sbroads24

Oh absolutely, that’s what made the player card I shared in the last blog so shocking to me. Putting up a 99% WAR in a season in which most of those guys were in their primes is pretty impressive.

Maybe it was an outlier, but he was very good that year.

Darcy's biggest blunder came the year before, with the whole Briere arbitration fiasco. I know ownership meddled, but a good GM has the presence to say "this deal needs to happen". Everything else was a domino effect.
- buffalofan19

i don't remember the dynamics, but i believe briere had a strong say in going to arb...

that said, '06/'07 was the year for them to make the run and they did with darcy going kotalik over dumont, having grier walk and having mckee sign that mega deal in st. louis (which the sabres never could have matched)...soft like a pillow team and i remember drury calling out his team after taking a puck to the face saying something like they didn't know what it took to win

If analytics were around in the early 2000’s as they are today, does Datsyuk get more love as quite possibly being the best player in the world ?

If analytics were around in the early 2000’s as they are today, does Datsyuk get more love as quite possibly being the best player in the world ?
- Pegullaville

Probably. A 97-point Selke season is ridiculous

I see preseason football was being hyped in the last blog.

Nate Peterman came in for a a high five drive by
- TheSabresTaco

Amen

Hi

If analytics were around in the early 2000’s as they are today, does Datsyuk get more love as quite possibly being the best player in the world ?
- Pegullaville

I could see it, he was a fantastic hockey player.

If analytics were around in the early 2000’s as they are today, does Datsyuk get more love as quite possibly being the best player in the world ?
- Pegullaville

best two-way forward for sure...but there were some heavyweights like jagr, iginla and vinnie killing it on offence along with a young ovechkin and very young crosby coming into his own very early in hic career

Hi
- jochfr

If analytics were around in the early 2000’s as they are today, does Datsyuk get more love as quite possibly being the best player in the world ?
- Pegullaville

Absolutely. He was IMO.

He masked so many flaws with those Detroit teams that people praised.

Holland and the Wings fell on their face when he and Lidstrom left

I see preseason football was being hyped in the last blog.

Nate Peterman came in for a a high five drive by
- TheSabresTaco

Yeah, and some how that Idiot had to bring me into it.

Absolutely. He was IMO.

He masked so many flaws with those Detroit teams that people praised.

Holland and the Wings fell on their face when he and Lidstrom left
- sbroads24

the wings were still a powerhouse in the the first decade of this century led by one of the greatest defensmen of all time...

but...

"pav, how do we replace pav?"--mike babcock before bolting detroit

and datsyuk is undoubtedly one of the greatest players of his era