Kristian

Thank god that didn't happen. And thank god Darcy isn't around to make these ludicrous overpaying moves anymore.

On a sidenote, Tyler Ennis looked pretty good in Canada's 6-4 win over Sweden today. Played a solid game, and scored the gamewinner.

"BOMBS AWAY!!! BOMBS AWAY!!! Sundin is leveled by McKee, and now everybody mixes it up!!"

I'm actually psyched we're getting Eichel, rather than McDavid. Not because he's the better hockey player, but because he's not. I'm betting Eichel is not at all unhappy McDavid's getting all the fuzz, but probably also has a bit of an axe to grind with every scout who's labeled him a clear no. 2 draft pick for years. Given the choice, I would much rather have the "almost-as-good-2nd-overall-pick", who gets to avoid most of the spotlight, than "the-next-Gretzky-to-be" who needs to put up 40 goals for a crap team in his rookie season, in order not to be labeled a bust. The Oilers have hardly done anything than draft first in recent years, and it's gotten them absolutely nowhere. I doubt getting McDavid is going to change much, as they're already loaded on offensive talent, it's their D and goaltending that needs help. I doubt anyone TRULY expects the Oilers to magically stop sucking, just because they draft another offensive gem. The jury's still out on the Sabres though, where are they going to go from here? I think Eichel has a better chance of shining here than with the Oilers, and I also expect Rheinhart and Grigo to factor in somewhere next season. Call me nuts, but that's how I feel.

I'd agree with that. The ultimate goal *should* be the cup, but sportsfans everywhere go through entire lives, never winning anything. The goal may be the cup, but for me it's as much about just having a team worth cheering. Something we've lacked since 2001, apart from the no-touch years.

I have to say, at this point, I'll take almost whatever - The worst part of this for me, were the years from 2008 and until Darcy was finally canned. I'd been very doubtful that Darcy knew how to build a balanced hockey team since 2003, in 2008 it became painfully clear to me. The remaining years were pure futility, even though we took the Flyers to 7 games in a first round defeat. The team consisted of good goaltending, smallish, soft, skill players, or useless plugs. No in-between players, and it was quite clear that this was how Darcy thought a hockey team should look. He then finally realised his fabled "core" would never get anything done, and decided to blow it all up and start over, seemingly having no clue why his beloved "core" failed. Darcy would've done the exact same thing all over again - Our smallish skill players might have been better, given our high drafts after the tank, but rest assured - Darcy would've made the exact same mistakes as he did with the "core" team, had he still been around. Thankfully, he's not - Hence, I'm happy with whatever we get next season, just because I know it's a step in a different direction than what've seen since 2000.

This "season" being over...

Who's this Leino guy?

I'll go on record and say that I'll be outright angered if whoever we draft isn't with the big club next season, and at least contributing somewhat. I know, I know, this is a tough league, but everyone's talking about these guys like Crosby and Ovechkin back in the day. Good players may start with the smaller clubs, generational players don't, hence I'll feel pretty bummed if that turns out being the case.

I don't see why he shouldn't at least get a shot at coaching something other than a trainwreck roster?

Strangely enough, so am I.

Shame on you Physics, by posting this, you have angered the hockey gods, and for the second year in a row, we'll be drafting second :P

So thank god we got that travesty out of the way, from now on, the story of the Sabres will be one of improvement, and not decay.

And thank god for that, I'd rather finish dead last and draft high than finish 9-11 and draft middle of the pack. No free agents want to come here to play as things stand, and that's not going to change until the team lands a bonafide star player. And seeing as we've had pretty much ###### all to trade with? Well, I guess that leaves drafting.

McDavid scares the piss outta me. Because he's so damn good, I can't for the life of me see GMTM draft Eichel if we end up with #1 pick. But this being Buffalo - I fully expect McD to get "Connolly'ed" the first time he tries stickhandling over the blueline. I have this nasty feeling Eichel might be a much better fit for the Sabres - A big, gifted scorer who can skate and pass too. Plays a simpler game, and as such, less likely to get murdered by the first and best goon.

So I guess we're about to find out whether that problem lies with the Sabres rosters, or just the Sabres.

I wouldn't know, I've never experienced a cup high.

No team ever learned to win by losing over and over again. For this team to ever go somewhere, they're going to have to take babysteps getting there, and that most likely includes being a bubble team. We're not going from DFL, directly to a 2nd round team.

That looks exactly like the shot Z put on Satan's ankle in the 1999 playoffs. At least his skate was off the ice when the puck hit, might be the difference between a really nasty bruise, and a smashed ankle.

I hear Ville Leino's available......

Make this team more sluggish, and we're talking cardiac arrests across the board??! :blink:

There's a game tonight? :-)

He definitely stepped up in his role as Tank Commander, when the Commander-in-Chief was bought out.

Who was it that said the tank was almost over?

I blame you for the past 6 years...... :P