French Collection

I copied this from my post in another thread. Many long time fans have some good memories. I'm tired of words like mediocre used to describe the franchise, I had to find something positive. 40 years of cheering for this team has had some good times. The ultimate prize is the Stanley Cup and we haven't done it. However we have won a lot of games. I looked at franchise all time win percentages and we have a good record. The only teams with better all time records than the Sabres are Montreal, Philadelphia and Boston. That's it! While I would trade our .555 record for New Jersey's 3 cups and below .500 record, it is still something. Other Stanley Cup winners with sub .500 records are: Chicago, Los Angeles, Tampa Bay and Carolina. We have had some good teams but just couldn't seal the deal. Let's hope this will happen in the near future, and all of this suffering will be forgotten.

We win in OT, snapping the losing streak. Oil get a point to keep us in last? Their fans lose it on them and litter the ice with Leafs er Oilers jerseys.

Isn't the 2016 draft in Buffalo? Teams usually like to show off shiny new 1st rounders to the hometown diehards. A big trade at the draft could be a substitute.

Wasn't Murray known to avoid Russians?

Not sure where to put this stuff but... Like a lot of fans, I long for this tank to be over. I'm tired of words like mediocre used to describe the franchise, I had to find something positive. 40 years of cheering for this team has had some good times. The ultimate prize is the Stanley Cup and we haven't done it. However we have won a lot of games. I looked at franchise all time win percentages and we have a good record. The only teams with better all time records than the Sabres are Montreal, Philadelphia and Boston. That's it! While I would trade our .555 record for New Jersey's 3 cups and below .500 record, it is still something. Other Stanley Cup winners with sub .500 records are: Chicago, Los Angeles, Tampa Bay and Carolina. We have had some good teams but just couldn't seal the deal. Let's hope this will happen in the near future, and all of this suffering will be forgotten.

We sucked for a few years previous, but his "suffering" comment was 2013, when McDavid was a known quantity. I don't like to give Darcy credit, but he probably had an eye on bottoming in 2015.

May increase Stewart or Stafford's value as an added bonus.

I realize heart is an intangible therefore statically tough to gauge. I see it as fighting to win battles for the puck instead of standing outside the blue line waiting for it to "miraculously" come out. I don't want Kovalchuk, especially past his prime, unless he comes priced as a 25-30 goal scorer. His last 40 goal campaign was 08-09. I was harsh to compare him to Yashin, but he never showed me anything in the leadership/win at all cost department. We had a 40 goal man in Vanek, where is he?

Never was a fan of Kovalchuk. High skill level but seems to lack heart. Collect your cheque in the regular season and be indifferent about the playoffs because the paycheques stop coming. The payout for winning the Stanley Cup is minuscule compared to their salaries. It's where you see who has the fire in the belly, to persevere and gut it out through tough games for your team, city, fans, teamates etc... Alexei Yashin is the perfect example of this, point a game regular season and production nearly cut in half in the playoffs. Doug Gilmour's stats are better in the playoffs than the regular season, even though the checking is tighter and you're playing better teams. Give me a team full of guys with that heart. Zemgus has that potential.

32 teams makes a nice number to balance the conferences out and half of them make the playoffs. I don't believe dilution will be huge because of the expansion of the game. We are used to this caliber of hockey and two more teams won't affect it greatly. Just think how good the game would be if we contracted the league to 16 teams. All things being equal, only the top 2 lines from every team would make it. That would be a high level of skill and great to watch. There's too much talent to go back to an Original Six but that would be like watching evenly matched top olympic teams every night. Unfortunately, economics lead to 30+ teams at the top level instead of different tiers. 2 more teams will only dilute it by a small percentage.

Maybe he's being cagey. A while back he was all about the LA Kings model of playing heavy, this era requires 4 skilled lines of large players. I think he doesn't want to tip his hand. I don't think he would pass on high end talent for size but that's why they scout guys and try to figure out if their game can translate to the NHL. Marner didn't really impress me at the prospect game, but it's only one game. Prospect game analysts were raving about Crouse's game. Heavy with skill.

McDavid is all about speed, he's got a gear others only dream about. He needs one winger who can keep up and finish. The other could be a digger/checker/protector type. Deslauriers could be the latter, but would have to score a bit. Look at what Crosby has done for the guys he's been paired with. They've rarely been stars, the PP is where he lines up with high end talent.

Must be a GMTM connection, being from Ottawa region.

You got me, I had to google Racki. Saw Youngblood but didn't remember that name. He's not that tough if Rob Lowe beat him up! Lee Fogolin Sr. was from Thunder Bay, tough player from the 50s.

Mack Black. I've seen him play about a half dozen times, not outstanding but pretty good for an 18 year old. He was chased from the playoffs last year, but again, he was only 17 then. Our scouts have probably seen him a lot due to bring on Lemieux's team. He's from Thunder Bay which produced the Staal's and Patrick Sharp. These guys are tough to project at 18. Here are some Canadian world junior goalies have had good tournaments but not much success in the NHL: Jimmy Waite, Jamie Storr, Maxime Ouellette, Justin Pogge. Black wood isn't even on World Junior radar either.

KHL is having some financial issues with the dropping oil price, there would be a few decent players considering coming over. I'm not saying the NHL could ice 32 good teams, but the dilution would not be as bad as some think. Another couple of homes available for Martin Brodeur types who want to hang on for records, pride, one last chance or payday. I'm from the original six era so am used to the "dilution".

Maybe they regret not re signing Benoit. Trying hard to get rid of him.

Maybe the Avs would take Benoit back as part of a package. His best season and their best in many coincided. Benoit, Grigorenko, Myers, St Louis 1st, islanders 1st for O'Reilly and Avalanche 1st.

O'Reilly is a solid young top six forward or top notch third liner on a good team. However, he only has a year left beyond this season while Myers has multiple years left. That has to come into the equation. I would do the straight up deal and try to extend him next year if he's a good fit. I like Tyler but he's not gonna be what we hope for.

Met Brendan Lemieux last night at OHL game. Very pleasant demeanour and signed for my son and my Sabres hat. He chuckled at my wearing the hat, not many Buffalo fans in this part of the world. I told him to keep working and bring some grit and scoring to the team. He played OK but didn't score. Didn't bring his usual trash talking game either. I think he has the fire in the belly to get to the next level. Not sure about his listing of 210 lbs, that's my weight class and I'd bet on my side. He does have the frame for a grinder though. Waiting for Bailey and Baptiste to roll through soon. Cornel hasn't been stellar.

Leafs should bring up Nylander right away so he can learn good NHL habits from Kessel. I find he looks rather feminine. Maybe my anti Leaf bias is blinding me.

Zemgus, Grigo, Risto and Nikita are a year older next year. Pysyk and McCabe should be an upgrade from Benwa's Mess. Reinhart and or Armia may be ready. One of Baptiste, Bailey or Lemieux could surprise. McEichel should crack the top six. The Isles and Blues picks or others we have or get for Staff, Stewart and a goalie could net us a top six forward. UFA group is not strong but we can look for 1 top 9 veteran. Other teams tight to the cap will have good players available to snap up for below market value as NYI picked up Leddy and Boychuk. The cap may not increase and may drop as the canadian dollar is falling. We will be better.

I get the eyes on the prize part of it all but it's painful to watch this as a long time fan. I hope I never need to see the word tank and Sabres in the same sentence again after July 2015.

Canada rested the Reinhart and McDavid lines in the third. No need to pad their stats or risk injury when the game is in the bag.

Baptiste with 2G and 1A for Erie. Lemieux with 2G and 4 PIM for Barrie, a few minutes left.