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Well yes, that's true. Draft mistakes have been numerous (as they are with all loser teams) and not valuing the right guys is a big thing too. For example I'm looking at Zadorov turning into captain like leadership in Boston and find myself thinking he could have been a career Sabre. A perfect player? Far from it, but I'd think a guy like that on the back end creates an entirely different defensive dynamic and the team culture is different too. Tage doesn't have to do his payback fight because Zadorov would have done it already. A Foligno or two, a Zadorov, a few others we passed on or let go and we might still be talking about how good Eichel and Reinhart are for us.

Was he? I guess I've forgotten that. His early years were just about violence though. His scoring didn't come in until later. But I admit I've forgotten his draft status.

Without taking into account what led to those shots.

Pretty sure they didn't consider teams to officially be in the playoffs unless they made it to the round of 16. Could be misremembering as the Sabres were one of the unwashed and unloved that year so didn't follow the bubble tourney that much.

Barring a 20-game losing streak (which won't happen, they're talented enough to win 1 game per week), the earliest that Pegula would take any action in the front office is at the Olympic Break. But even then, what would the change be? Jarmo to GM? Then he has to get Pegula's approval to trade the equivalent of Joker for a 4th? Could Jarmo hire DeBoer and a completely new coaching staff while the current guys were still under term? Unlikely to be approved. The front office won't change until the summer. And then, assuming Emperor Sheevyn is still involved, it's a "no-stones-unturned" coaching search that selects... Appert.

Maybe I wasn't clear. Greenway typically fails to meet fan expectations for a player of his size and physical capabilities. He is expected to be tough and physical, and a willing combatant. It just isn't in his nature to bring that every night.

It did, but for me the true dagger of this offense is the run game and not the passing game. I wouldn't say the Bills abused the Bengals defense all afternoon. There was a point where the Bengals had 10 more points. The play call here is not playing to win or lose. It's what call gives you the best chance to move the ball forward without stopping the clock. Personally I look at my #1 rushing offense in the NFL and ride that horse. Especially when it's a situation where the Bengals need to apply pressure for a stop. They're going to push up and press and there's a damn good chance that once Cook is through the hole the endzone is the next stop. Playing to win would not be taking a knee with 10 seconds left in the first half and instead throwing a deep ball on a field where receivers have the advantage due to snow and an officiating crew that certainly loved its defensive passing play penalties. There's 10 seconds... why not take a chance? And all of that aside.. why did the Bengals choose to kick-off rather than attempt the on-side kick? That's a clear cut decision of not playing to win. I'm glad they won but not a single thing changes about how I feel. They are hanging on by a gossamer thread and we've already been presented with situations this year where that thread gets snapped more often than it stays intact.

A loss tonight could help turn this season around if it finally makes Pegula clear out the front office.

Or, you know, just draft Nick at #24 in 2006 (four spots ahead of where he went to Ottawa) instead of <ruffles pages for effect> ... Dennis Persson.

At least the season lasted through November, so that is a step forward. Only 4 and a half months of meaningless hockey left. Hopefully next year they can make it to January. Only 2 points from being dead last in the entire NHL 😵‍💫

I feel we say this above every game. And it won’t be the last time either.

This seems logical.

Wallstedt (or Cossa) were both available at 15. Remember, the first round was on 7/23 that year; they didn't trade for Levi until the next day. And although they were negotiating with Ullmark, he was already the established #1 veteran -- he needs a long-term replacement (right about last year in 2024). He left in FA 5 days after this pick was made. When this pick was made on 7/23, their effective goalie pipeline was: Luukkonen coming off his hip surgeries, Tokarski, and Portillo still in college (and he was scared off by the GM's love for the undersized 7th rounder they acquired the next day). They selected Rosén.

We had a nice thread about it. You not only closed it, you deleted it.

I'm aligned. First of all, I've decided to stop watching them so I definitely don't miss any of them. I'm not really concerned with anything with this team does at this point. It doesn't matter who is in the lineup or not. It doesn't matter to me what line a player is on. It doesn't matter to me if they trade someone or fire coaches and GMs. I don't care who they get, who they hire, not a single bit. The only change I care about, my measuring stick, is whether they change from being out of the playoffs to being in the playoffs. This includes during the season but not until after Thanksgiving.

It's still more impressive for the Sabres. The NFL now has 14 playoff teams, but at the beginning of the streak only 12 made it. And the NHL had the covid tournament season where 24 teams were allowed to say they made the playoffs because of an additional play-in round.

If I look at this question and then I frame it around the following "The Sabres are currently extending the NHL record for seasons without making the playoffs." I come to the conclusion that each day they lose a game they set the NEW lowest point in Sabres history. Even if they win a few, until it puts them into a playoff position, they are still "out of they playoffs". Every loss lowers their chances of making the playoffs this season and each season they don't make it furthers the record of futility. No other NHL team, let alone Sabres team, has ever been this pitiful over this stretch of time. So yes, a loss tonight marks the lowest point in Sabres history, even if it is only marginally lower than where they were at after the last loss.

4 games remain on the road trip -- one team (EDM) holds a Western WC spot based on tiebreakers, the other 3 are bottom-feeders out West. If they pick up 2 or fewer points on the remainder of this road trip, then this thread can begin in earnest. Because at that point, anything less than Levi getting called up and going Super-SaiyanBinnington mode for 40 games, wiil have the season over at the Olympic Break. (From which they'll close the season on a hot streak with no pressure and draft 11th overall instead of 4th -- and the 4th slot will bump up to 2nd in the lottery.)

Where the hell is that graph of the historical win percentage of the Sabres when I need it?

Pick one. It’s not tonight

Heck no. A loss tonight coupled with a Vancouver win drops them from 29th to 31th. That is still 2 solid points ahead of Nashville. But a win, well that puts them only 6 points out a four-way tie for the playoffs (assuming a Detroit loss). They are just an 8 game winning streak away from solid contention! It can be done.

No one butchers the language more than you. So that was rich.

I don't think any one game is a defining moment in time for the franchise. IMO, a defining moment would be an ability to win consistently at or above .600 for a quarter of the season. Specifically, the first or second quarter of the season. It seems we have multiple "must wins" and "defining" games which just doesn't make sense to me. This team is so inconsistent in effort and execution that one single game does not define what type of team they are because the next game they too easily revert to garbage or be lights out. When there is no foundation there can't be any definition. I appreciate your optimism, and I really wish it were so, but this team lacks an ability to put individual skillsets together to form a team of players that compliments each other. Even if they win 10-0 tonight, it is not indicative of turning a corner. They have to win consistently for an extended period of time for that to happen. Unfortunately, it's something this team has been unable to do for years, and time is running out.

Would a loss tonight mark the lowest point in Sabres history?