respk

Trade talk seems to have died out.

I expect the Sabres to be more competitive but finish last again. I expect they'll work harder more consistently but won't be able to score goals and the goaltending will probably be worse than last year. If there is any chance that they don't finish last, Myers, Ehrhoff, Stewart and Stafford will be traded at or before this draft or the trade deadline. I'm hoping Murray is smart enough not to screw that up.

Pretty standard POW exchange. Just needed to get him back on US soil so he can face desertion charges and a firing squad.

Ehrhoff and Myers are probably gone at the draft. Unless the Sabres drastically change their stated direction and actions, the Sabres won't be mediocre they will be very bad possibly worse than this past season. And they should be to maximize draft position in the 2015 draft. My take on the Sabres approach to player development: It seems that Murray and Nolan agree that young players should spend time in the AHL or juniors unless they are spectacular. The Sabres don't have any players that are spectacular. However, if someone shows next year that they are spectacular they'll be in the NHL. Deslauriers will play with the Sabres. He's 23 and has already spent 2 full seasons between the AHL and 17 games with the Sabres. McCabe will most likely spend next year in Rochester. Girgensons spent a year in the AHL and did little until the playoffs. He showed that he was ready this year to play in the NHL. I don't think anyone is worried about the players feelings when it comes to where they play. The major concern is the player's development and that probably occurs best when the player is put in a position to succeed and learn all facets of the game. I don't think that occurs on the Sabres next season.

The biggest reason not to have Zadorov, or any of the recent draft picks, in Buffalo is because the team is going to be terrible. Why put them in a situation that they can't succeed in. I don't expect Murray to provide any immediate help for next season. In fact I wouldn't be surprised to see Myers and Ehroff traded at the draft. There is no one to support Zadorov, Risto, etc. in Buffalo. Murray gets through one more season of the tank, the 2015 draft and then we see major changes to the roster for the 2015-2016 season. One more year in the AHL or juniors for everyone who is eligible, hopefully they get some playoff experience and then move up to the Sabres.

Finals 1975 and Finals 1999 were far worse than this past year. To be that close and not win is a very rare opportunity lost. I actually find this past season the start of an extremely interesting time in the history of the Sabres. What will they do with the 2nd pick in the draft this year, what will they do with the #1 or #2 pick next year, who will they draft with all of the 1st and 2nd rounders in general, who will they sign as FAs after next year, what players move up from Rochester after next season, what can Nolan do with limited resources next year and what can he do after next season, etc. This has the potential of watching a unique time in Sabres history. Outside of when the franchise started, this might be the most interesting time in Sabres history. To watch them be rebuilt from the last place team to a cup contender I find very interesting.

I can't see the Sabres trading this years #2 for an unknown first rounder in next years draft. Who ever they draft this year becomes one of the 2 most talented forwards in the organization and one of 2 forwards with the natural ability to be a 1st liner. I don't think the Sabres can pass that up.

I would start at swapping this years picks and asking for next years first from Calgary. Probably not going to happen but better to start high and u never know. I'd then take draisatl at 4 and have another first next year. I think Murrayreally wants draisatl but not at two. It wouldn't surprise me though if Murray takes draisatl second this year but that would be a bold move by Murray. No prospects until after next years draft. Then we start looking at FAs and prospects.

Right now we have prospects that are mostly thought of as 3rd line, maybe a couple are considered to be 2nd line players. This year's draft should get us a 1st line forward. Next year's draft should get us another with the tank. If the talent in this years and next years draft were swapped, there would be no reason to tank next year. We'd have McDavid or Eichel and the rebuild is on in earnest. But since it is not it makes much more sense to tank one more year than pick in the 12-14 range next year and miss out on what is considered a very talented top 5-6 players next year. What we are really talking about is 20 wins total. The difference between tanking and the last playoff spot. IMHO it is a no brainer to lose 20 more games and have a chance at McDavid/Eichel or one of the other top 4 or 5 players next year.

Nice goal. Who knew he could do that!

Tanking one more year, drafting 1st or 2nd increases the chances of a successful rebound. As of right now I'm not so sure that there are any forwards in the organization that so far have shown the natural talent to be a 1st line forwards, outside of possibly Grigorenko. Lots of 3rd and 4th line players and a few that might become 2nd line players. Some of the prospects might step forward eventually but right now there are very few if any gifted forwards. That is why I think tanking one more year and a shot at McDavid or Eichel is so important.

Congrats to Lieuwen for the win. The way they were going I was hoping they would have to send Scott out. I guess Leino is less likely to score though this year.

So the Sabres best prospects at this point in time are mostly 3rd and 4th liners with a couple having the possibility to over achieve and be 2nd liners. Doesn't sound too promising. Hopefully Grigs and Armia pan out and we can draft high in this year and next years draft to fill out the 1st and 2nd lines.

The only reason the NHL is considering changing the draft is because of McDavid/Eichel who are considered to be possible generational players. If next years draft class looked like this years, there would be no discussion. Not sure if this is being generated by GMs that think they should get a chance at one of them or generated by the league in order to influence/determine where McDavid/Eichel end up. It seems that some here think landing McDavid/Eichel and adding FAs, other draft picks is an either or proposition. It really isn't. The ideal way to build a team is to land a "star" player (McDavid/Eichel) and some of the top FAs as well. Either one with out the other puts a rebuild at more risk of failure, will probably take longer to complete and require more churn of players to keep the team at a higher level.

That is one way to manipulate the roster for the tank.

This is the biggest concern with our lot of potentials. We seem to have many possible 2nd line players and definitely 3rd line players but we don't seem to have those players that are truly talented and can be considered 1st line talent. This is why the tank is so important this year and next. Hoping that we finish dead last again next year we will two picks in the top two plus whatever the Isles pick becomes. And just maybe Murray can turn another player, Myers/Ehroff/etc. into a 1st at this years draft. Maybe we can turn these picks into possible 1st line players.

To abandon the tank you'd need to replace Pegula and Murray. It would be pretty simple after that. McDavid or any other single player will not get the team a Cup. But McDavid/Eichel may be the star player that every team needs to be the best. The Sabres have an opportunity to get that star player next year. Then all of your other draft choices, trades and FAs make up the team that is able to compete for the Cup. In order for the Sabres to position themselves to get McDavid/Eichel next year we are talking about 10-15 wins less than if they made the playoffs. I'll trade 10-15 wins for the chance to draft McDavid/Eichel. I just watched Kane make Ehrhoff and Ruhwedel look bad on the first goal tonight. That is the kind of player that McDavid/Eichel are expected to become.

I agree that this is a very exciting time to watch the Sabres. Yes they don't win much on the ice but we are watching the dismantling of a team and the rebuilding of it again. The chance to draft first this year and maybe next year. And we are 10-15 fewer wins next year from watching the Sabres possibly drafting one of the best players to come out in several years. I just don't think 10-15 more wins next year is worth missing out on that possibility. Hold the line. The tank is on one more year. Stay the course.

Then we need to get some players that are worse. Manipulate the roster so that we finish last. To finish any higher than last would just be foolish. It will take longer to rebuild if we do not finish last next year and get one of the top two picks.

One more year of tanking is all that it will take. The best chance to turn the franchise around and be good long term is to get as many high draft picks as possible and build with them. Then add some good young players and you are ready to get to the playoffs and contend. It is not about contending for the 8th playoff spot next year, it is about contending for the stanley cup for 5-10 years. Tanking for two years through roster manipulation is the best way to do that. We've already seen what happens when you build to make the playoffs without high draft picks, that is why we are in the mess we are in.

The tank has one more year. Given the traffic Ehroff and Myers generated at the deadline I wouldn't be surprised if they were traded at the draft. It all depends on the return. Stafford and Stewart will probably be gone at the draft or at the trade deadline next season. Ennis or Hodgson has to go at some time as they are too similar. One more winter at Valley Forge. Stay the course!

I'm sure they'll sign some token free agents, but as for seeing better hockey next year I highly doubt it. It just doesn't make any sense to be this bad this year and to not be this bad or worse next year. Next years draft is a lot better than this years top to bottom and has McDavid and Eichel which appear to be franchise players. To sign enough free agents to not finish last would be quite silly. Finish last, hope NYI defer their pick to next year and they finish next to last. At worst we get pick 2 and 3 in the draft get one of McDavid or Eichel and the next best player in the draft. After next season the Sabres then sign a couple of free agents and make the playoffs in 2015-2016 season and go up from there.

Why? Because he's a townie?

All of the youngsters should spend one more season in the AHL or juniors next year. Play well for their team, play in all situations, maybe play for a championship. The Sabres should end up with pick 1 or 2 in the draft again. The following season the youngsters come up, the Sabres get a couple of decent free agents and attempt to make the playoffs. The tank is over and with good drafting and a little luck the playoffs are a possibility. But not next year. Stay the course. Tank one more year.

One more year. Stay the course!