26CornerBlitz Posted February 10, 2016 Author Posted February 10, 2016 @BuffaloSabres Coach Bylsma says a maintenance day for Eichel today; Girgensons or Larsson could possibly be back tomorrow.
26CornerBlitz Posted February 10, 2016 Author Posted February 10, 2016 @BillHoppeNHL The latest on Jack Eichel's status, Johan Larsson, Zemgus Girgensons and why the #Sabres might recall a forward http://www.buffalohockeybeat.com/sabres-jack-eichel-has-maintenance-day/
4merper4mer Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 An NHL team does not go from being a historically bad, two time dead last, rock bottom non-contender to a playoff challenger in one season. The building process is simply not done and Tim Murray has much more work to do. So how many years? And is two time dead last rock bottom non-contender going to become 3? 4? 9?
26CornerBlitz Posted February 10, 2016 Author Posted February 10, 2016 So how many years? And is two time dead last rock bottom non-contender going to become 3? 4? 9? Follow the Florida Panthers/Tampa Bay Lightning Model and maybe they be legit contenders in 2-3 years. A lot of that is contingent upon Murray making the right moves via trade and free agency beyond getting players at the top of the draft.
4merper4mer Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 Follow the Florida Panthers/Tampa Bay Lightning Model and maybe they be legit contenders in 2-3 years. A lot of that is contingent upon Murray making the right moves via trade and free agency beyond getting players at the top of the draft. Couldn't an expansion team do that? I mean seriously, all of the years of garbage hockey and they're in no better shape than the San Antonio Sambuca? And that team doesn't even exist.
26CornerBlitz Posted February 10, 2016 Author Posted February 10, 2016 Couldn't an expansion team do that? I mean seriously, all of the years of garbage hockey and they're in no better shape than the San Antonio Sambuca? And that team doesn't even exist. I doubt it and they're in very good shape moving forward with the young talent they have. That doesn't mean instant pudding that tastes sweet right away. The NHL will be expanding in the next few seasons, so you'll get to see for yourself.
Cugalabanza Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 I'm so tired of these NHL / instant pudding analogies.
26CornerBlitz Posted February 10, 2016 Author Posted February 10, 2016 I'm so tired of these NHL / instant pudding analogies. Then cook up your own applicable analogy.
4merper4mer Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 I doubt it and they're in very good shape moving forward with the young talent they have. What you wrote above is the part I don't get. Very good shape moving forward with young talent? But in your previous post you said contenders in 2-3 years, Contenders for what? The cup? Anything short of that is not "very good shape". And if you think they are going to compete for the cup in 2-3 years you had better realize that Dominik Hasek ain't walking through that door. Their goalies blow chunks and none of them will ever be on a cup contending team unless as a backup. More than half the damn league makes the playoffs so you have to be abysmal.......ABYSMAL.......to hope to contend for the playoffs in 2-3 years. I get what they did to set themselves up for Eichel, but geez shouldn't they have had something in place that once they got him they could compete in some way at all? They are competing for last overall again. They had a garbage roster last year and almost got 3rd last by accident. Now their beefed up roster sucks just as bad. It would be interesting to see both teams on the ice against each other in a winner take all battle. Last year's team tried hard even when the fans didn't want that. This year's teams is reading their 2019 press clippings?
JohnC Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 The fans who like fighting in hockey are the same people who enjoy professional wrestling. Cugalbanza/eball, Especially when it gets near to the medal rounds Olympic hockey is terrific to watch. There is a constant flow to the game and the skill level is highlighted. You see a lot less interference and more unfettered skating. The skill of the players is on display and not the thuggery that slows down the game. A lot of the designated enforcers are having serious medical problems when their careers are over. You can still have a physical game without the fighting and it be entertaining. Yesterday, Florida thoroughly outplayed the Sabres and handily won the game. Kane gets in three fights and fans act as if their team won. Nonsense.
Cugalabanza Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 I think hockey (the Sabres at least) is more like chili. It's not a complicated recipe, but it takes a long time to cook for the different flavors to come together. Then we (the fans) eat it up and it gives us terrible gas and stinks up the place.
QCity Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 Couldn't an expansion team do that? I mean seriously, all of the years of garbage hockey and they're in no better shape than the San Antonio Sambuca? And that team doesn't even exist. No, they couldn't. Right now, in early February, the Sabres are 2 wins or 6 points off their season total from last year. If you don't see that as an improvement, then you are either blind or purposely acting obtuse. I'd be willing to bet that by the end of the year, they are no more than 10 points away from the 8-spot. That isn't some monumental hill to climb. Nobody had them pegged as playoff-bound this year. The team is being built correctly from the center-out. They are the youngest team in the league, and have the 4th lowest payroll.
plenzmd1 Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 Couldn't an expansion team do that? I mean seriously, all of the years of garbage hockey and they're in no better shape than the San Antonio Sambuca? And that team doesn't even exist. No... 1) every single player you would consider part of your core on this team is 25 or younger...only guy that is even 25 is ROR. 2) 2 of your 5 best players would not even be juniors in college yet..and are playing against grown ass men 3) Pysck, arguably your 2nd best D man, is playing his first full year in the NHL 4) Secondary scoring has not existed this year..historic low shooting percentage for many players..stats suggest that will not continue year over year 5) 3 players fell off the cliff Moulson, Ennis, Gianta...only one I think maybe could have anticipated is Gionta. 6) I don't care what the save percentages say, when you make saves is important, and Johnson and Ullmark spit at least 6 games with untimely soft goals..at least 6 extra points and maybe as much as 9..makes a huge difference. 7) Prolly more luck involved in hockey than any other pro sport..Sabres have had very little of it this year. That being said..their possession numbers are not where they should be, there bottom 3 on D have been awful, OT play has been a joke. There will be plenty of roster adjustment going into 2016-2017...but biggest thing for me will be experience for what is an absolute young, young, young, core. BTW, there were very few that predicted playoffs this year..many like me thought would be closer is all...and give them say 7 more points and i dont think you would have same feeling of another lost season. They are on track for a 25 point improvement over last year
4merper4mer Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 Then cook up your own applicable analogy. The fans were sold a delicate souffle which is in the oven and has already collapsed?
JohnC Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 I think hockey (the Sabres at least) is more like chili. It's not a complicated recipe, but it takes a long time to cook for the different flavors to come together. Then we (the fans) eat it up and it gives us terrible gas and stinks up the place. Having patience and taking the longer road is better than the quick fix that in the long run gets you nowhere. Allowing the ingredients to stew slowly is better than being in a hurry and putting the burner on high. The losing can wear you down but by doing things the right way things will work out in the end.
26CornerBlitz Posted February 10, 2016 Author Posted February 10, 2016 The fans were sold a delicate souffle which is in the oven and has already collapsed? Okay.
4merper4mer Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 No, they couldn't. Right now, in early February, the Sabres are 2 wins or 6 points off their season total from last year. If you don't see that as an improvement, then you are either blind or purposely acting obtuse. I'd be willing to bet that by the end of the year, they are no more than 10 points away from the 8-spot. That isn't some monumental hill to climb. Nobody had them pegged as playoff-bound this year. The team is being built correctly from the center-out. They are the youngest team in the league, and have the 4th lowest payroll. Don't you think that comparing point totals to last year is ridiculous when you consider they were trying to minimize points last year? Last place is last place. They were second to last in the NHL last year and are contending for last this year. All of the bottom teams have more points because they are actually trying. Last year was not normal with respect to points totals. Okay. I'm not much of a foodie. Sorry.
JohnC Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 (edited) Don't you think that comparing point totals to last year is ridiculous when you consider they were trying to minimize points last year? Last place is last place. They were second to last in the NHL last year and are contending for last this year. All of the bottom teams have more points because they are actually trying. Last year was not normal with respect to points totals. I'm not much of a foodie. Sorry. You are right that the team deliberately tanked last year. The team was stripped for drafting reasons. But if you watch the team this year although that are still losing a lot of games you can see that they can keep up with the very good things. We don't have the scorers that allow us to keep up with the big fellas. But in my mind we are not being outclassed by the better teams, except on occasions/yesterday was one of those occasions. The young core looks promising with Risto, Pysak, McCabe, Reinhart, Eichel, Kane and O'Reilly. The losses can get tiresome but this team is on the upswing even if it doesn't seem that way. Edited February 10, 2016 by JohnC
26CornerBlitz Posted February 10, 2016 Author Posted February 10, 2016 @BuffaloSabres ROSTER MOVE: Buffalo native @JustinBailey95 has been recalled from @AmerksHockey. Details: http://bufsabres.co/DFXv38
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