Its unfortunate we passed on Zegras
- sabresfan69

Another Botterill blunder

Another Botterill blunder
- Fattony1187

I think it is waaaaaaay too early to say that. Sure, we see some of the highlight reel goals that Zegras scores but that's not the whole story. Cozens has been playing a good 2-way game for us on the third line. He needs a little more finish (I think he panics a bit on breakaways) and he will be fine.

Andrew Hammond is really bad.
- ImThatGuy

except when he isn't... jeckyll meet hyde..

RIP

Another Botterill blunder
- Fattony1187

I’d take Zegras but it’s closer than you think.

He’s an absolute tire fire on D and it’s not like he’s a PPG player

I think it is waaaaaaay too early to say that. Sure, we see some of the highlight reel goals that Zegras scores but that's not the whole story. Cozens has been playing a good 2-way game for us on the third line. He needs a little more finish (I think he panics a bit on breakaways) and he will be fine.
- Slump Buster

I remember when drafting Samuelsson was supposedly a blunder

RIP





- homiedclown

In retrospect, he was a joy to watch. Hated when we played against him & Shutt.
Edit: and Dryden, Robinson, Et al.

RIP





- homiedclown

Just awful news. I remember watching him play late in his career when I was a kid. It always stood out to me that he was one of the only guys left playing without a helmet.

I think it is waaaaaaay too early to say that. Sure, we see some of the highlight reel goals that Zegras scores but that's not the whole story. Cozens has been playing a good 2-way game for us on the third line. He needs a little more finish (I think he panics a bit on breakaways) and he will be fine.
- Slump Buster

At the end of the day, it's about who makes a bigger impact on his team. Cozens and Quinn could turn out to be just fine, but if guys like Zegras, Rossi, Lundell, etc. turn out to be better players, then it's still a miss. Just because a mistake doesn't kill you, doesn't mean it's not a mistake.

At the end of the day, it's about who makes a bigger impact on his team. Cozens and Quinn could turn out to be just fine, but if guys like Zegras, Rossi, Lundell, etc. turn out to be better players, then it's still a miss. Just because a mistake doesn't kill you, doesn't mean it's not a mistake.
- buffalofan19

"Mistake" and "blunder" are harsh words. Taking a floater like Nylander in that spot is a mistake. If Cozens turns into a good or very good player but isn't quite Zegras you can't call that a "mistake". There are always going to be players drafted after your guy that turn out to be better.

"Mistake" and "blunder" are harsh words. Taking a floater like Nylander in that spot is a mistake. If Cozens turns into a good or very good player but isn't quite Zegras you can't call that a "mistake". There are always going to be players drafted after your guy that turn out to be better.
- Slump Buster

Cozens might actually fit the makeup of the team better than Zegras.

Interim tag removed from Coach Granato’s title, I hear

Interim tag removed from Coach Granato’s title, I hear
- Ratsreign

That wasn't removed when they signed him to his contract?

That wasn't removed when they signed him to his contract?
- Powerslave

I guess that what I meant, that they signed him to an extension to be the coach

Matthew Tkachuk "Not worth it" I was told.......

RIP, Guy Lafleur 😔

think about next year this way.

Do you think if this team plays all next seas the way they have played since March 1st, you think they can get 1 extra win a month and 1 extra OT lose? extra 3 pts a month..

If they can do that we are right there for a playoff spot. that would put us at 93-95 pts.

I don't think that is unreasonable at all.

Cozens might actually fit the makeup of the team better than Zegras.
- sbroads24

he probably does, but they are going to need some elite scoring to really compete.. not sure where that comes from? Quinn? whoever they pick this year? i don't know that we have that elite scoring guy on our roster

he probably does, but they are going to need some elite scoring to really compete.. not sure where that comes from? Quinn? whoever they pick this year? i don't know that we have that elite scoring guy on our roster
- SabresFaninIndiana

A guy pushing 40 goals isn't in elite category?

Now I get it if you don't trust him to repeat, but imo Tage has every opportunity to be a perennial 30-35 goal scorer with those hands and that shot.

he probably does, but they are going to need some elite scoring to really compete.. not sure where that comes from? Quinn? whoever they pick this year? i don't know that we have that elite scoring guy on our roster
- SabresFaninIndiana

I don't get why that has to be one guy. I think the bigger question is how are the 2nd and 3rd lines going to shake out. Who will be centering those lines?

Either way, it is about how the roster comes together.

A guy pushing 40 goals isn't in elite category?

Now I get it if you don't trust him to repeat, but imo Tage has every opportunity to be a perennial 30-35 goal scorer with those hands and that shot.
- Powerslave

i have my doubts.. you could throw Skinner in that category too..

I don't get why that has to be one guy. I think the bigger question is how are the 2nd and 3rd lines going to shake out. Who will be centering those lines?

Either way, it is about how the roster comes together.
- Slump Buster

if we can role three lines that all have a legit chance of scoring all the time like we did in the 05-07 time we are good.. now fix the tender

think about next year this way.

Do you think if this team plays all next seas the way they have played since March 1st, you think they can get 1 extra win a month and 1 extra OT lose? extra 3 pts a month..

If they can do that we are right there for a playoff spot. that would put us at 93-95 pts.

I don't think that is unreasonable at all.
- hehateme

Unless one or more of Pittsburgh, Washington, and/or Boston completely melts over the next week and a half, every Eastern Conference playoff team will eclipse 100 points. Is that an anomaly? I'm not sure, but I don't see any of those teams getting much worse next season.

I also don't think this run in March and April, which, again, has occurred when there's absolutely zero pressure on them, is sustainable over an 82 game season, not with this roster, including any young players that come up. One mid to long term injury to one of Tuch, Skinner or Thompson causes more than a few players to be slotted into roles they won't be able to fill. They need to figure out how to acquire at least one more impact Top 6 forward, preferably two, even if they are on the lower end. That doesn't begin to discuss goaltending. If they just decide to "stay the course" next season, we're most likely going to see a repeat of this season: a team that will make the fanbase feel good about itself for stretches, but never really any threat to crack the top 50% that makes the playoffs.

Unless one or more of Pittsburgh, Washington, and/or Boston completely melts over the next week and a half, every Eastern Conference playoff team will eclipse 100 points. Is that an anomaly? I'm not sure, but I don't see any of those teams getting much worse next season.

I also don't think this run in March and April, which, again, has occurred when there's absolutely zero pressure on them, is sustainable over an 82 game season, not with this roster, including any young players that come up. One mid to long term injury to one of Tuch, Skinner or Thompson causes more than a few players to be slotted into roles they won't be able to fill. They need to figure out how to acquire at least one more impact Top 6 forward, preferably two, even if they are on the lower end. That doesn't begin to discuss goaltending. If they just decide to "stay the course" next season, we're most likely going to see a repeat of this season: a team that will make the fanbase feel good about itself for stretches, but never really any threat to crack the top 50% that makes the playoffs.
- buffalofan19

If the team is more or less what it is this year, next year, there will be nothing “feel good” about it.

Everything from here on out should be about winning

i have my doubts.. you could throw Skinner in that category too..
- SabresFaninIndiana

It's not just about doubts. If one of those 2 go down with injury, and I will throw Tuch in there too, where's the replacement offense coming from? The only one who remotely has the ability to score at that clip is Olofsson and he's incredibly streaky.