Crusader1969

you win with talent,they lack in talent. You get talent in the draft. Next year is the turn around. Its never been about this year since the day Botterill was hired. So yes, winning a few games may make you feel good but in the long term its putting you further behind

yes, absolutely last place is what we need. I think it is very doable as well, the Coyotes have been much better now that Raanta is back and soon they will get Chychrun back from injury. Not to mention Strome is tearing up the AHL and could be called up to bolster their Forwards. who else should we worry about being worse than the Sabres? I don't think there is another competitor for last place. Remember when winning a few games at the end of the 2016 season seemed positive to some people? but 2 extra wins ended up costing us Laine? there will be so much turnover this season to next that winning doesnt really matter, however adding talent is what it is all about. StahlinForDahlin! and yes I know its unlikely that they get Dahlin (even if they come last) but Svechnikov, Zadina and Boqvist would all be huge pieces to getting this team towards being competitive. Coming in last would guarantee at least 1 of these players.

I don't think there is a line-up that he can put out there that is good enough to compete night in and night out. There are only 6 forwards that have more than 2 goals all season! Before last night, had the 4th line scored a goal all season? the depth is beyond bad. 6 players account for over 80% of their goals this season. The D combined has 0 goals and 22 Assists on the season. Morgan Reilly for the Leafs has 17 points alone. If you look at the Team that Housley came from the Preds top 3 Dmen (Subban, Josi and Ekholm) have 14goals and 30A. They have been missing Ryan Ellis all season! Until the D gets sorted and their is depth on this roster, there is nothing Housley can do. why is the depth bad? not 1 player drafted by the Sabres from the 2008 to 2011 (guys who should be filling out the lineup in the prime of career) is on the current roster. In that time frame 21 guys were drafted in the 3rd round or later and only Bradon McNabb and Marcus Foligno have had NHL careers. Compare that again to the Preds- 2008 Roman Josi 2nd round, 2009 Ryan Ellis Rd 1, Craig Smith round 4, Elkholm Rd 4, 2010 Bitetto 6th rd, 2011 Salomaki. not to mention in 2014, when they drafted Arvidsson in the 4th round. not to exonerate GMTM, but its not the Tank, its not the trades that have sunk the Sabres, its the drafting from 2008 through 2011 that has kept this team from being competitive. Its going to be a long long season. Let us pray for Dahlin!

I wouldn't get too exited by Dahlin's potential. I've heard that ALL Sabres prospects looked like that when they played in Juniors...

1000% yes! It's the road to winning a cup! You need to have at least 2 elite players - and the only place to get them is the top of the draft Also, it's way too early to say if it's a success or not. You need to wait for Guhle, Nylander, Mittelstadt and maybe the 2018 draft pick (if top 5) to be full timof NHLers to,say yes or no.

For sure, even if you project him as a high end pp qb and 6dman, ala Butcher, he would be worth a flyer in the 20s I've seen him ranked top 10 and I wonder if they are only looking at stats

Important contract extension signed tonight by Atkinson https://www.jacketscannon.com/2017/11/16/16668686/cam-atkinson-signs-contract-extension 7 years $40.25 mill. $5.75 per season Atkinson and Kane are same age but Cam had a big year last year but other years the numbers are similar. Would you offer the same to Kane? The avg salary seems fine to me and the Sabres should be able to afford it even if worst case scenario they have to buy out Moulson (rather than trade him). Term kinda scares me - would love to go 5 years but would you have to go to $7mill per?

Clifford continues his hot streak. 4 points tonight for Pu in game vs Guelph. I watched the game mainly to watch Merkley - I am definitely not a fan. Real sloppy in his own end and takes too many risks for me liking. He will be a great PP qb for someone just not the Sabres unless he drops out of Rd 1

Guys that break our hearts. To be fair - CJ Smith, Casey Nelson and Chad Ruhwedel were all guys that multiple teams wanted to sign. Wasn't ERod one too? Can't remember.

I would also think The Knights would be wary of signing Kane long term in the city of Las Vegas!

Craigslist is out today: http://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-dahlin-dominating-one-canadian-in-top-10-1.915356 1) Dahlin - compares to McDavid and Matthew. I read one scout say that he would be the 1st pick in the draft even if he was a Forward. 2) Boqvist 3) Svechnikov 4) Tkachuk 5) Zadina 6) Wilde - this is an exciting gain (moving from 20 something to 6th) He is a player I've been watching since the start of the season. More conventional size at 6'2 than the other potential top 10 picks (Boqvist, Smith, Hughes,) Merkley) outside of Dahlin 7) Hughes 8) Kupuri 9) Hayton 10) Wahlstrom Can't see the Sabres picking outside top 10 at the moment so need need to go further.

you win some you lose some I guess. Man, we coulda used him in the pipeline though. going have to get a list of the top NCAA Free Agents coming this summer (drafted and undrafted). I can find a few undrafted but would love to see potential drafted UFA's. think there should be a thread?

I read today that he could play tomorrow night for the Amerks.

I was looking at LV Salarry cap last night, wondering if Kane would tempt them. I doubt they would move Theodore as they have Sbisa, Stoner, McNabb and Engelland as UFA's at the end of this season. I was thinking more along the lines of Brannstrom and a draft pick. Either way, I doubt they are our trading partner for Kane, However, I do like the idea of brining in Clarkson for Moulson . Then we can stash Clarkson on LTIR. It may be a bit slimy but if the Leafs can do that type of thing, why cant the Sabres? for LV, they get a player who maybe could play on their PP and add veteran leadership. I believe he is in the NHL right now.

I agree with all of you - not a full out "Tank" but a "subtle" one. If you aren't going all out to win, isn't that at least a subtle tank? - a tank that Toronto could be proud of. I also agree that developing prospects is the right way to go. Id keep all the prospects in the AHL for the entire year, let them win. Only call up here and there to fill for injuries. I think to get guys to come to the Sabres, we have to over pay. Lessons should be learnt that these contracts very rarely work out. Exactly why I am leaning towards trading Kane.

I feel pretty confident that they know that Moulson isn't a part of it but there he is...11gp 0g 0a I agree it's not a full out Tank but they aren't going all out to win either.

Would you agree that the Sabres aren't fielding the best team that they could at the moment? Keeping Moulson around may not be a full out Tank but it sure smells a bit like one.

If the Sabres can get a couple of D healthy, the Amerks should benefit as well. If Sabres don't improve drastically soon, I say keep Guhle, Nylander, Baptiste, Bailey and Ullmark in Rochester for the year and let them win some games.

Comparable for Dahlin: https://mobile.twitter.com/igoreronko/status/925879192218202115 Hakan Andersson: 'Rasmus Dahlin is not a new Lidstrom, he plays another style, but he has all the tools to become the top-D in the NHL' More Andersson: Andrei Svechnikov is not just a pure goal scorer. He's not Ovechkin, he's Kucherov in Ovechkin's body. He's a playmaker too

But Moulson is still around. 11gp 0G 0A -7 Uggghhhh I'm really starting to think they are very much #StahlinForDahlin.

100% agree. Plus, puck movers are needed in housleys system. Though, we can hope Guhle will help fill that role next season.

Sabres start the week in 29th place. Currently have a 31.2% chance of drafting in the top 3, 10.5% chance of drafting 1st. At worst, they would draft 6th. 3rd would be an interesting spot for the Sabres- do they take the best forward on the board (Zadina / Svechnikov), who would probably be the BPA or do you draft that puck moving dman that this team desperately needs (Boqvist / Smith / Hughes)? Personally, I'm going Forward and hoping I can find a dman or 2 later in the draft.

Hate talking about "fantasy"trades but since this one was brought up in The Hockey News I've been thinking more and more about it Here is you ur 2018 forwards: Girgensons Eichel. Reinhart Mittelstadt. ROR KO Nylander RNH. Bailey Baptiste. Larsson Pommers I certainly think it's a huge improvement to this years team

Exactly, you can't force him to resign. Looks like we've been burnt with the KO and Moulson contracts. Maybe there is a lesson here? Kane will be 27 by the start of next season, how many more years does he have in his prime?