smj

I don't know what the big deal is. He is answering questions honestly and they keep asking him similar questions. We complain when these guys evade questions and we complain when they try to answer honestly. He doesn't agree with the lottery system and he seems excited to get Eichel. How would you answer some idiot who asks you if you'd like the number one pick. Duh, no I'd prefer pick number two?

Agreed. Very Happy Darcy didn't get McDavid and he's the one who really tanked the Sabres. How was he here so long? Terrible free agent signings and afraid to make any real moves. He was so mild and indecisive. Murray may not be perfect but at least he's got passion.

Good points. I have been saying the same. Eichel seems like he will be bigger and stronger and in today's NHL that might make him the better player. I think there were better places for McDavid to end up but I always thought if he went to Arizona or Edmonton he has a chance to save a sinking franchise which the NHL needs as well.

I hope as pick number 2 this motivates Eichel throughout his career to prove he is the better player. I like getting the US player too. Don't bother dreaming about McDavid and I hope Murray doesn't try giving anything up for him. Who knows who will be the best player. Eichel is bigger and in today's NHL I think that's important.

No one knows who the best player will be! I'm okay with getting the US kid who is bigger!

Yes, forget about McDavid. We have Eichel and who really knows who will be the better player? I like having the guy trying to prove he should have been picked number one who was born in the US and happy to play for Buffalo (not dreaming about Toronto). So Murray should poach one of Edmonton's young offensive talents for one of our defenders and/or picks. We have a good young D - we just need the O.

Uh, the tank was never about getting McDavid. The tank was about ensuring we got McDavid or Eichel which we did! The tank was a success. How would you like to be Arizona? They're the team that got screwed. And I can't say I'm unhappy about that because Regier didn't deserve it.

Good point. Eichel might be a better fit with Sam as he is more of a different player. Let the US-Canadian rivalry begin!

That's okay. We'll get the American and at least McDavid didn't go to someone in our conference. I think Eichel will have a chip on his shoulder and will always have a reason to work harder to prove he should have been number one. Sometimes that isn't a bad thing. Eichel is also bigger and stronger which is important in today's league. This is Buffalo...you knew we'd get the second pick anyway.

I don't care about next year. If it takes another year to get turned around with these young guys I am fine with another very high draft pick to help with the long-term future. If we surprise and make the playoffs or come close that would be fun. However, by 2016-2017 I would like to see the core in place and showing enough to make the playoffs. I would like to see us seriously challenge to go deep in the playoffs for several years after that and become a consistent winner. That would be my definition of success. Of course, I'd love to win the cup since the Sabres have done everything else as a franchise.

Uh, didn't anybody notice the Miami Heat kept all of their starters out of the last game in an attempt to improve draft position and the Knicks have not competed at their best to winning the second best odds at the number one pick? Stop saying the Sabres tanked because the coach and team kept giving a full effort! Frankly, there are tons of examples of teams that didn't compete on purpose. All the Sabres did was make some moves to rebuild after it became clear winning this season wasn't possible (after 0-for-January). Sure they expected this year might be another non-playoff year while the younger players developed but the Sabres didn't tank anything!

What are you talking about? Serving as overlord? Murray is the GM. He is supposed to be in charge. Nolan was the one who tried to sabotage the long-term management strategy by not developing the young players with patience, riding the hottest goalie like we were trying to make the playoffs and using the tank talk as a motivational tool to try and eek a few more wins out of the team that almost cost us a 100% shot at McEichel. Half the board was complaining that Murray should have demanded Nolan sit Lindbeck and others to ensure the tank but Murray allowed Nolan to coach. It seemed that Murray did not mettle with Nolan other than trade assets who were going to walk at the end of the year and make the one big trade for Kane sending two guys we were losing with anyway. Worth the risk in my opinion. Murray just watched Nolan be antagonistic like he's been with other GMs and got rid of him when the season ended for a fresh start. I don't understand why everyone thinks Nolan is such a great coach. True, he didn't have much to work with but we weren't in the tank until January when the master motivator couldn't coax one win out of the team. At that point you have to complete the tank and Nolan seemed unwilling to get on the same page as Murray. Murray needs someone he trusts to coach for him and I don't blame him.

You are correct and I apologize. I should have looked it up before I wrote. It was only a rumor. My recollection was it was stated so often and didn't Hasek go after Nolan for seemingly no reason? I just assumed there was something to what I kept hearing as an explanation. I will be much more careful.

Awesome! For everyone arguing how great of a coach Nolan is - how well do you think we would have done without Irbe this year? He was the key to making some average goalies look great.

Why is it classless? Coaches get fired all the time. Especially coaches that fight against management's strategy and whine about having to develop young players.

Funny - I think Nolan is too my way or the highway. All I ever needed to know about Nolan was he had an affair with Hasek's wife (if I am not mistaken it was pretty well substantiated). If you would mess with your all-world goaltender's life you are a completely self-centered coach. He was self-centered all season whining and using management's strategy to build for the future as an excuse to motivate the troops and almost sabotage the strategy. Plus Sabre teams were always BORING under his leadership. If the Sabres are going to lose is it too much to ask to be a little entertaining?

They didn't do anything other than trade some players not under contract and make one big trade to try and get a goal scorer (Staffford wasn't one). The Penguins brought up some scrub to play goal the last 8 games didn't they? The Sabres kept trotting out Linback. The team gave full effort so there is nothing to be disgusted about! If you want to be disgusted be disgusted with Regier who was, for the most part, an awful GM and started the tank.

What happens if he is drafted and spends another year at BU? Do we get him next year?

Wow! Both these guys are so talented. How exciting is it to be getting one of them!

I disagree that the Sabres and Coyotes were cheaters. Management strategically made decisions for the future while the team played its best.

It is essentially an additional tax on the middle class. If you are wealthy you don't need the loans and if you are without resources you attend school for free. I am just sending a son to college and the system is so stacked against the middle class it's not funny. Thank goodness my son earned a merit scholarship of which there are fewer and fewer available.

I thought those were some very valid crtiques until Murray came along. Pegula did seem to make a lot of early mistakes. He misjudged Regier completely, for example. Regier was indecisive and a terrible evaluator of talent. I think he finally learned though and building back with Murray is the right step. I believe Murray will be a good GM and knows what he's doing. He completed the tank without hurting the integrity of the game as the team played hard. The trade for Kane was a good risk because those guys weren't performing for the Buffalo and we weren't going to have the pieces around them quick enough. Once we get close Pegula will open the checkbook and Murray will fill in the last remaining pieces. It's nice to finally be looking forward to the future!

My question is which will wind up the better player? When I watch Eichel I worry that he doesn't seem to play D 100% and always give the best effort. Does anyone else notice that? I haven't seen McDavid play. How much better do you think McDavid is going to be and how much are you hoping we get him versus Eichel?

I agree - couldn't have ended better. The team played with integrity, improved at the end but still retained 30th place. The front office only made prudent moves for the future (assuming Kane grows up in Buffalo). Now we can move on. No matter what kind of fan you were this year I think it was understandable and we can all move on together!

I disagree. This was a front office and fan phenomenon. Murray couldn't help it because Regier was the one that started it. Regier was a terrible evaluator of talent and would sign the wrong guys. I have much more confidence that Murray knows what he is doing. The teams gave their best efforts at least toward the end of the season when the tank talk was on and the youngsters improved their play. This was the best case scenario because the team has something to build on and we have McEichel. The fans got carried away with the tank but what else was there to do once we fell into last place than hope we retained it?